Dosing Edibles Safely
Start Low, Go Slow
This phrase is the golden rule of edibles, and for good reason. Unlike smoking where you can titrate your dose puff by puff, edibles are an all-or-nothing commitment once swallowed. Getting the dose right is crucial for a positive experience.
Standard Dosing Guide
The cannabis industry has generally settled on these dosing tiers:
- Microdose: 1-2.5mg THC — Subtle effects, great for beginners or functional use
- Low dose: 2.5-5mg THC — Mild euphoria, slight relaxation
- Standard dose: 5-10mg THC — Clear euphoria, noticeable effects (most common commercial dose)
- Strong dose: 10-25mg THC — Significant impairment, experienced users only
- Very strong: 25-50mg+ THC — Intense effects, high tolerance users only
Warning
If you're new to edibles, start with 2.5-5mg even if you're an experienced smoker. Edible tolerance is different from smoking tolerance due to the different metabolic pathway.
Microdosing: The Subtle Art
Microdosing (1-2.5mg THC) has gained massive popularity for good reason. At these doses, many users report:
- Enhanced creativity and focus
- Mild mood elevation without impairment
- Subtle relaxation without couch lock
- Ability to function normally at work or social settings
Many commercial products now come in 2.5mg increments specifically for microdosing. If you can only find 5mg or 10mg products, cutting them in half or quarters is a common approach.
Reading Labels
Understanding edible labels is essential for safe dosing:
- Total THC per package: The total milligrams in the entire package
- THC per serving: The milligrams in one serving (this is what matters most)
- Number of servings: How many servings are in the package
For example, a package might say "100mg THC total, 10 servings, 10mg per serving." Each gummy or piece contains 10mg.
Info
Always check both the per-serving and per-package amounts. A single chocolate bar might contain 100mg total — eating the whole thing when you meant to have one 10mg square is a common and unpleasant mistake.
Calculating Homemade Doses
If you're making edibles at home, here's the basic math:
- 1.Start with total THC: If your flower is 20% THC and you use 3.5g (3,500mg of flower), you have roughly 700mg of THC
- 2.Account for decarb loss: Multiply by 0.88 for decarboxylation efficiency = ~616mg
- 3.Divide by servings: If making 60 cookies, each has ~10mg THC
Formula: (flower in mg × THC% × 0.88) ÷ number of servings = mg per serving
Tolerance Considerations
- Edible tolerance builds separately from smoking tolerance
- Regular users may need higher doses for the same effect
- Taking breaks (even 48-72 hours) can partially reset edible tolerance
- Body weight, metabolism, and recent food intake all factor in
Key Takeaways
- A standard dose is 5-10mg; beginners should start at 2.5-5mg
- Always read both per-serving and per-package THC amounts
- Microdosing (1-2.5mg) offers subtle benefits without impairment
- For homemade edibles, always calculate your dose before consuming
Knowledge Check
3 questions
The lesson material will be hidden during the quiz. Make sure you've read through it first!