What You Should Know About Chronic Pain and Cannabis Edibles

If you plan on applying for a medical marijuana card in Cincinnati or elsewhere in Ohio, it’s important to understand that cannabis is available in multiple different forms and that each form can have varying affects once dosed. One such form that patients should be cautious with are known as “edibles”.

Edibles will be one of many types of cannabis available in Ohio. Other forms include:

• Oils
• Tinctures
• Raw Plant Materials
• Patches

What Are Edibles?

Edibles is simply another name for cannabis that is eaten. Marijuana brownies are perhaps one of the most well-known types of edibles, but they could also be any type of baked goods, sweets, or food that is infused with marijuana.

In Ohio, you’ll have the option of purchasing edibles from your local dispensary or you can make them at home.

Most edibles are made by infusing an oil with the raw plant materials. The oil, which is usually either butter or coconut oil, is then used to make the edible. That means as a medical marijuana patient, you’ll have the option of either purchasing edibles already made in the dispensary or making it yourself. However, there are a few issues with both options.

Why You Should Exercise Caution with Marijuana-Infused Food

While edibles are one of the most potent ways to consume medical cannabis, there are a few potential problems that could occur for patients who are not familiar with dosages. If you’re buying an edible, make sure that it lists the amount of THC and CBD on the package. Most edibles are not meant to be consumed in one sitting. In fact, a single small cookie may have 5 or more dosages in it!

Unlike smoking and vaporization, marijuana that is eaten is processed differently by the body. That means the effect of an edible can be many times stronger than other delivery methods.

Unless you’re experienced in making your own edibles, it’s usually not recommended for new patients to attempt this at home. The active metabolites in cannabis can vary considerably. That means that the potency of one edible can be entirely different than another batch. This makes it a risky gamble when you’re consuming edibles for medical reasons and aren’t sure of the dosage.

One benefit (and potential downside) of edibles are that they last significantly longer than inhalation. When inhaling marijuana, the effects tend to subside within a few hours. On the other hand, an edible dosage can last 8 hours or longer. This is another reason why it’s critical to exercise caution when consuming medical marijuana orally.

Proper Dosage of Oral Medical Cannabis

Because marijuana varies in its potency and chemical composition, there’s no standardized guide for dosing available. Dosing is also affected by your genetics, body weight, and tolerance. Furthermore, different medical conditions may require different dosages. Medical marijuana producers have worked hard to provide standardized products that show the dosage of the product, but it’s still up to patients to experiment on what works best for them.

If it is your first time, you should not consume any more than 1 to 5 milligrams of THC at once. Remember, edibles take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to take effect. If you’ve dosed after a heavy meal or if you have poor digestion, then it can take up to 4 hours for effect. Many patients make the mistake of dosing again after not noticing any effects. This can lead to an extremely unpleasant experience. With edibles, it’s always important that you start off slow and take the time to learn how your body responds to their effects.

Lastly, you may also want to consider consuming only healthy edibles. While a brownie, cookie, or piece of candy might be tempting, sugar can be inflammatory, and it may be counterproductive to treating your condition.

Don’t let these warnings scare you away from what may make a big difference in your life. When used responsibly, cannabis edibles can provide powerful relief for chronic pain and a variety of other condition.