Well, they taste good depending on who’s making the edibles and what ingredients are being used. This is why the safest bet is to buy edibles from a trusted cannabis store for their medicinal and therapeutic benefits. That, or you can even learn how to make them yourselves.
In this weed edible guide, we will venture deep into the delectable world of cannabis cuisine. Get your taste buds ready, because you are in for a treat!
We will begin by outlining a brief history, followed by the different types of weed edibles. We will also detail edible effects, benefits, medical uses, and side effects.
Other questions that will be answered are how to make edibles,how much edibles to take, and how long do edibles last. In addition, we even offer recipes on how to make cannabutter.
And for those who don’t like cooking or baking, you don’t have to worry. We also will provide great options for a cannabis dispensary that has a great selection of edibles to choose from.
So let’s not waste any more time and let’s get going!
One could assume that early man might have stumbled across beautiful marijuana buds and decided to eat them. However, the THC in cannabis needs to be activated by something such as heat. It is possible that early man could have tried to cook the buds and had a great rest of their night.
Robyn Lawrence Griggs (author of Pot in Pans: A History of Eating Cannabis) claims that “Ethnobotanists believe [cannabis] was one of the first plants [early humans] explored”. What makes this interesting is the fact that this was around the time period that music, art, and religion had their origins.
But what else does the research say about the history of weed edibles?
Studies have shown that ancient India was the first culture to have documented the use of cannabis edibles. They consumed a hash-filled edible known as Mahjoun, a mixture of hash, spices, sweeteners, and other ingredients. This is a huge step up from just eating marijuana flowerson their own.
In addition, there is evidence that edibles were used in countries such as Uzbekistan, Cambodia, and Poland.
Eating cannabis edibles did not gain traction in the European, American, and Canadian cultures until the 1800s. It was here that a number of writers began taking edibles for creative inspiration.
A century later, edibles became a mainstay in Jamaican culture. In fact, weed still plays a pivotal part in Rastafarian cuisine.
Marijuana Edibles Canada
Cannabis edible has made its biggest advances ever since marijuana legalization in Canada has taken effect. The cannabis Canada community has become more accepting of edibles and the benefits they provide. More and more Canadians are trying weed edibles each and every day.
This has led to an influx of weed edibles that are hitting the market. Customers can now select from thousands of edibles from one of the many marijuana dispensaries. They can even buy weed online from the comfort of their own home at an online dispensary. Join the weed edibles Canadacommunity and see what everyone is raving about.
How Do Edibles Work?
Now that we know how long cannabis edibles have been around, let’s find out how these ganja goodies work.
Cannabinoids
First off we need to talk about cannabinoids. There are over 480 natural compounds found in cannabis and 66 of them are classified as cannabinoids. Of these 66, the most well known is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Tetrahydrocannabinol is the cannabinoid primarily responsible for the intoxicating effects normally associated with smoking weed. THC is the most known and researched cannabinoid found in marijuana.
Studies show that THC is a lipid-soluble compound that binds to body fat. Once the THC is activated, intoxicating effects are felt once the THC binds to the brain’s receptors. Once attached, the effects of THC are sent throughout the body. This results in the euphoric sensations that are normally associated with marijuana usage.
Eating THC interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) in a different manner than when smoking or vaping. The body metabolizes edibles much slower than when smoking weed or vaping weed. This means that the THC will break down slower as well, providing a longer duration of effects. In fact, it can take up to an hour to feel the effects in some cases.
In addition, ingesting THC often induces a more intense set of effects. According to Dr. Uwe Blesching (author of The Cannabis Health Index), THC is broken down into metabolites when ingesting THC. One of the metabolites created by your body is called 11-OH-THC.
Dr. Bleaching goes on to say that this metabolite is “much more potent as far as psychoactivity is concerned because it crosses the blood-brain barrier up to four times faster than just THC.” He states, “you’re not just getting the high effect from THC, you’re also getting the effect of the metabolites.
This explains why taking THC in edible form can feel much more intense than smoking the same amount of THC. It is for this reason that cannabis edibles should be taken slow and steady.
Are Weed Edibles Safe?
How safe edibles are will depend on how responsible the user is and how knowledgeable they are. That is, weed edibles are safe if you take an appropriate dose and do so in a responsible manner. The best way to achieve this is by doing your research and knowing your body and its limits.
In general, cannabis is deemed relatively safe and the same goes for edibles. One major area of concern is that edibles look exactly like regular food items. This means that there is potential for an unsuspecting party to stumble across a delicious brownie, only to find out something isn’t right. It’s usually in these instances that people panic because they were not expecting to get high.
The dangers of mistakenly eating pot edibles are even greater for children. Large doses of weed edibles can be extremely dangerous to children. In addition, pets can also be the victim of an unsuspecting edible high.
It is therefore important that you keep your edibles clearly labeled and out of reach of children. Canadian law states that edibles must be kept in a child-proof container and be clearly labeled as containing THC.
Lastly, cannabis edibles are psychoactive and produce an intense set of effects so care needs to be taken. It is important not to partake in any dangerous activity such as driving or operating heavy machinery. Basically, it is a good idea to stay away from any hazards that you can accidentally bump heads with.
Following these guidelines and being aware of any potential dangers will help ensure a safe and enjoyable edible experience.
Also, cannabis research will map out unchartered territories with fewer restrictions in place. For example, McGill University’s Research Centre for Cannabis is one of Canada’s leaders in the science behind marijuana.
Most Common Effects Associated With Cannabis Edibles:
This list is only a taste of the many effects that cannabis provides.
In addition, effects can be influenced by things like the type of strain, cannabinoids, terpenes, tolerance, and metabolic rate.
Medical Benefits of Marijuana Edibles
The primary reason why weed edibles are now legalized in Canada is the wide range of benefits and effects. And this list is continuing to be added to all the time.
In addition, recreational cannabis users are not the only ones who consume edibles. Many are medical marijuana patients who require THC to help with a wide range of conditions. In fact, seniors have experienced the highest increases in cannabis usage rates since legalization. This makes sense since seniors are the age group who would most benefit from the effects of cannabis.
It should be noted that this list is not inclusive or exclusive. Cannabis edibles can affect people differently. What works for one person may not work for another.
Side Effects of Weed Edibles
We touched on the dangers of weed edibles earlier, now let’s go more into detail and discuss the side effects.
Perhaps the most common side effect of edibles is slow reaction time. This, coupled with an impairment in hand-eye-coordination makes activities such as driving more difficult.
Furthermore, other dangerous activities such as operating heavy machinery are not advised. Ultimately, any dangerous activity that requires awareness and reaction time should be avoided at all costs.
In addition to accidents, cannabis is known to come with a handful of negative effects. However, it is widely reported that any side effects are often minor and short-lived. In fact, users often do not even notice the negative effect majority of the time.
However, there are cases when this is not the reality and negative effects take hold. This is usually due to some degree of overconsumption or mixing of substances. Usually, this can be attributed to improper use or irresponsible actions. It can even be just by accident at times.
So what are the main negative effects that a user needs to be mindful of?
Most Common Side Effects Associated With Cannabis Edibles:
Dry Mouth
Red Eyes
Lethargy
Dizziness
Paranoia
Anxiousness
Headaches
Nausea
Vomiting
Chest Pain
Rapid Heart Rate
Memory Retention Issues
Coordination Issues
Increased Heart Rate
Decreased in Blood Pressure
Drowsiness
Slow Reaction Time
How To Take Marijuana Edibles
Now that we know what they do, let’s talk about how to take edibles.
The first thing we need to do is understand the different types of cannabis edibles. There are ones that you eat like normal food items or drink like normal beverages. Also, there are edibles that are taken like regular medication.
Baked edibles are usually what people picture when thinking about pot edibles. These delicious confections are made by infusing THC into the baked goods. The THC is added to the list of ingredients and is added to the mixture. These tasty treats can be eaten just like any other baked goods.
Weed brownies have become so popular over the years from stoner movies making them look irresistible. Any serious weed smoker has come across a pot brownie or two in their cannabis career. These chocolate-filled ganja goodies are perfect for cannabis connoisseurs with a sweet tooth.
Cannabis cookies are perhaps the most common baked edible out there. Cookies are relatively easy to bake and can be made in batches. Also, they are much easier to split up and share with friends. Besides, who doesn’t like cookies even if it’s just once in a while?
Next, we have the cannabis candies such as the popular weed gummies and cannabis chocolate
Weed gummies are perhaps the edible product that is gaining most steam the past couple of years. This is because they are just so darn delicious. Any gummy lovers out there must try these wonderful creations.
The best thing about THC gummies is that you can buy them in pre-set doses of THC and not have to worry about if you are getting your dosage measurements right. However, it is almost impossible to make sure each piece has exactly the right amount of THC. But if mixed correctly, it can get pretty accurate.
In addition, you can even make them at home with ease. All you need is some THC distillate the ingredients to make the gummies and a gummy recipe.
For chocolate lovers out there not to worry, there is a tonne of cannabis chocolate products out there. These rich creamy treats are perfect for those who really like to enjoy their marijuana.
THC chocolate is probably best to be purchased from a trusted cannabis store. This is because making chocolate is not an easy thing to do. It’s not difficult, but it takes much more time and effort than making gummies, cookies, or brownies. Especially if you want the quality to be high. However, there are plenty of guides on how to make weed chocolate out there.
There are even THC syrup and jam. These products are great to add to whatever you normally would add syrup and jam. Just be sure to know how much THC is in each serving and not overdo it. This will help prevent any of those nasty side effects we talked about earlier.
Another popular edible is weed tea. There’s nothing quite like a nice warm cup of THC laced tea. The only thing better would be the next 1-2 hours after drinking the tea.
Tea is such a huge part of many people’s lives around the world and for good reason. It is believed that tea provides a large set of therapeutic benefits. Just imagine how much greater the therapeutic effects would be with marijuana tea.
The best thing is that making cannabis tea is simple and there are many guides on how to make weed tea. Not to worry, we will explore more about how exactly to make cannabis tea later in this guide.
Cannabis capsules are for marijuana patients that are looking for a more medical approach. Many of these users do not care about the tastes and smells of cannabis. Or they just don’t wish to inhale anything in their lungs. Maybe they are diabetic and can’t indulge in the sweets mentioned earlier.
THC pills are great because they are pre portioned into set doses (much like the weed gummies). However, THC gummies can be hard to be certain how much THC is actually in each piece. THC capsules are much easier to portion because there is no need to mix with a large volume of extra ingredients.
Lastly, we have the THC tincture. A Tincture is basically a liquid form of cannabis concentrate that is meant for oral consumption. One thing for certain is that the THC tincture Canada medical community has opened their arms to these products.
In many circles, the term tincture is often interchangeable with the term oil. However, cannabis oiland cannabis tincture are two different things. Tinctures are created by soaking marijuana in an alcohol or water solution to collect cannabinoids. In general, a tincture is any medicine that is kept in an alcohol solution.
Whatever the case, the cannabis tincture Canada community is growing as new medical marijuana users are being added.
Most Popular Weed Edibles
Baked Edibles
Weed Gummies
Cannabis Capsules
Pot Brownies
Cannabis Chocolate
Cannabis Drinks
Weed Cookies
THC Syrup
THC Tincture
Weed Tea
THC Caramels
Now that we know some of the different types of cannabis edibles, what dose should be taken?
This is a complicated question as many factors affect the effects felt by edibles. For instance, the body weight, tolerance level, and metabolic rate of the user can play a large role. Someone who is 300 pounds is much more likely to need a larger dose than a smaller individual.
In addition, a daily marijuana user will likely need a higher dose than someone who is just starting off.
Lastly, a person’s metabolic rate will largely affect what effects are felt and for how long. Someone with a higher metabolism will break down cannabinoids quicker. This, in turn, will cause the user to get higher quicker and off of less, but have a shorter high duration.
Below is a chart showing the recommended dosages for THC edibles.
Weed Edible Dosage Chart
LEVEL
THC
EFFECTS
FOR WHO
Very Light
1 to 2.5 mg
Very Mild
Newcomers or microdosers
Light
2.5 to 7.5 mg
Mild
Light Users
Moderate
7.5 to 15 mg
Moderate
Novice Users
Medium
15 to 30 mg
Medium
Intermediate Users
High
30 to 50 mg
Intense
Heavy Users
Very High
50 to 100 mg
Hero
Daily Heavy Users
Hero
+100 mg
Hero Intensity
Hero Stoners
It is important to remind you that body weight and metabolism could affect if a user should take more or less than recommended. It is therefore always a good idea to err on the side of caution and start off lower and work upwards. This will help minimize any negative effects due to the overconsumption of edibles.
Also, it is suggested that you wait an hour for the effects to establish themselves before taking further doses.
The main disadvantage of edibles is that they have a shorter shelf-life than other cannabis-related counterparts. Edibles will only last as long as the food item does and this can be wide-ranging. For instance, pot brownies will last much less than weed capsules.
In addition, you don’t want to get sick from a moldy piece of marijuana edibles. It is for this reason that it is important to know how to store pot edibles.
The best place to store perishable edibles is in the fridge or freezer. Just be sure to place them into freezer-safe bags if going the freezer route. This will extend the shelflife drastically. It is suggested to keep THC out of sunlight as it can break down and degrade the molecules.
In addition, marijuana edibles should be stored in child-proof containers that are clearly labelled and out of reach of children.
How Long Do Edibles Stay in Your System?
As previously outlined, edibles can provide a wide range of therapeutic effects and benefits. Many of these effects are longer in duration than smoking and vaping alternatives. But how about when the effects are over? Even though the effects aren’t being felt doesn’t mean the THC is completely gone from your system.
So how long does marijuana edibles stay in your system? Well, the answer is not so clear cut and there are a number of variables that need to be considered. THC can be found in the system from days to months. How much, how often and body type all play a role in determining how long weed remains in the body.
Below we will outline 6 different variables that will determine how long weed will stay in your system.
1Frequency of Use
The frequency that an individual uses cannabis will largely affect the duration of cannabis staying in the system. For instance, many first time users can expect the THC to remain in their system for about 3 days. Whereas a daily cannabis user can have traces of THC remaining for around a month. THC can stick around for about 7 days for moderate marijuana users who take weed 3-4 times a week.
2Potency of Edible
The potency of the edible is another large factor in determining how long THC will stay in the system. For instance, the higher the level of THC, the longer it will take to metabolize. That is, the stronger the edible the harder it is to get out of your system.
3Amount of THC
However, it is important to note that it’s actually the total amount of THC that makes a difference. Having potent cannabis won’t do much if you don’t smoke enough of it. Therefore, the more THC you take, the longer the weed will stay in the system.
4Body Chemistry
Cannabis affects everyone differently. This makes sense as everyone is unique and will react with THC in different ways. THC is a lipid-soluble chemical that binds to fat in the body. Therefore, the weight and metabolism of the particular user will greatly affect how the THC is broken down. Basically, people with higher body fat percentages and lower metabolisms will break down THC slower.
5Type of Drug Test
The method of detecting THC in the system will all have different results and are used in different situations.
Urine Tests can detect THC from 3 to 30 days depending on the factors mentioned above.
Saliva Tests are able to trace THC from 1 to 3 days after the last use.
Blood Tests cannot detect THC for a very long time as it leaves the bloodstream rather quickly. These tests can only detect THC from 3 to 4 hours after the last use. Some blood tests can detect THC from 1-2 days.
Hair Follicle Tests have the best THC detection of the tests. These tests can trace THC for up to 90 days after the last use.
Is There a Quick Way to Get THC Out of Your System?
You might be wondering if there is a way to metabolize THC faster, and the answer is no. There are currently no safe ways to break down THC quicker so that it leaves the system sooner. For THC to break down quicker you need to lower the concentration of THC in the body to speed the process up.
Now that we know all about what cannabis edibles are, their effects, and types, let’s learn how to make them.
How to Make Edibles
Before we begin cooking with cannabis, we should go over how to activate the THC and why. In fact, did you know that the THC contained in fresh buds won’t cause intoxication? This is because the THC found in cannabis needs to be converted into a form that can bind with brain receptors.
This process is called decarboxylation. Basically, heat and/or pressure is applied to the marijuana and this the THC is converted into an active state.
The extraction processes can be dangerous depending on the method, so it is best to leave it to the professionals. Cannabis concentrate producers have the knowledge, experience, and equipment needed to ensure a safe process.
The type of weed edible you are planning to make will determine what type of cannabis concentrate to use. For instance, weed butter is normally used when baking edibles and THC distillate is used when making THC gummies or cannabis chocolate.
Luckily for you, all of the THC ingredients can be bought at a cannabis store like Daily Marijuana.
So let’s look at how to make edibles such as pot brownies, weed cookies, THC gummies, and cannabis chocolate.
First off, let’s learn how to make weed butter. The cannabutter recipe below is for roughly 30 mg of THC per tablespoon of cannabutter.
Step 1: Decarboxylation
Required Items:
Half an Ounce of Weed
Weed Grinder (Or Alternative)
Baking Pan/Dish/Sheet
Oven
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 105°C (220°F)
Break apart cannabis
Spread broken up weed onto pan/sheet/dish
Bake for 45 minutes is high quality buds or 20 minutes for low quality old weed
Gently mix cannabis every 10-15 minutes to prevent from burning
Watch for colour to turn to a brownish green that indicates decarboxylation
Step 2: Weed Butter Infusion
Required Items:
1.5 cups of water
8 ounces of butter
Half an ounce of decarboxylated weed
Saucepan
Stirring utensil
Coffee filters / cheesecloth / strainer
Thermometer
Instructions:
Place saucepan on very low heat and add water and butter
Add decarbed weed to melted butter and mix well
Let mixture simmer for 4 hours while stirring every 30 minutes (make sure temperature does not exceed 80°C / 180°F)
Strain through a coffee filter, cheesecloth or fine strainer into a container such as a mason jar.
Let cannabutter cool
Store in fridge or freezer
Now that we know how to make weed butter, let’s find out how to use the cannabutter to make homemade baked edibles.
How To Make Pot Brownies
If you’ve ever seen a stoner movie, you’ve probably wondered how to make weed brownies. They are always made to look so delicious on the big screen, and in real life they are just as tasty as they look. That is if you have a good weed brownie recipe.
Pot Brownie Recipe
The following weed brownies recipe should take about 45 minutes and produce 12 servings of 10mg of THC.
Ingredients Needed:
3.5 ounces unsalted butter (7.5 tablespoons)
0.25 ounces of weed butter (1.5 teaspoons)
6 ounces of chocolate (dark 60-70& cocoa, or milk depending on preference)
1 cup flour
0.5 teaspoons of baking powder
2 room temperature eggs
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
0.25 teaspoons of salt
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F)
Use cooking spray on 8-inch square brownie pan
Melt both butter and cannabutter in a saucepan on medium heat
Add chocolate and stir until well mixed and smooth
In small bowl mix together flour and baking powder
In large bowl mix together eggs, vanilla extract, sugar, and salt until light yellow and airy
Add in chocolate mixture and mix until combined
Add in flour mixture and stir until combined
Pour into brownie pan and bake in oven for 20 to 25 minutes
Let cool for 20 minutes
How To Make Weed Cookies?
The followingcannabis cookie recipe should take about 30 minutes and produce 24 servings pot cookies.
Ingredients Needed:
1.25 cups of all purpose flour
0.5 teaspoon of baking soda
0.5 teaspoon of salt
0.5 cup of white sugar
0.5 cup of brown sugar
0.5 cup of cannabutter
1 large egg
0.5 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of chocolate chips
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F)
Mix flour, salt and baking soda in a large bowl
Beat together butter and sugar until it is fluffy in separate bowl
Add egg and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and beat well
Gradually add dry ingredients to the mix
Knead the dough and make sure chocolate ships are evenly distributed
Make 1 tablespoon balls of cookie dough and spread them evenly on baking pan with ample space in between balls
The following THC gummy recipe should take about 30 minutes and make roughly 100 small gummy bears about 0.25 teaspoons each. They should each be about 10 mg of THC each.
Ingredients/Items Needed:
1 box of 85g Jello (flavour of your choice)
3 packs of gelatin
90 ml of water
2 tablespoons of corn syrup (30 ml)
0.5 teaspoons of citric acid (2.45 ml)
1 gram of THC distillate (or BHO)
0.125 teaspoons of soy lecithin (lecithin helps bind the THC with the gummy mixture)
Silicone gummy bear molds
Instructions:
Combine Jell-O, gelatin and citric acid in a microwave safe bowl and mix
Add corn syrup and water and stir until well mixed. Let sit for 5 minutes
Heat up THC distillate or BHO until it is runny and will mix easily and set aside
Gently stir Jell-O mixture and the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir again and heat for 15 more seconds. Mix then heat for 15 seconds a second time. Mix and heat for 15 seconds a third time.
Add in THC distillate and soy lecithin and mix well
Microwave for 30 more seconds and then continue to mix until everything looks evenly distributed
Pour into gummy molds
Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes
Place in refrigerator for 3-6 hours
Take out and leave at room temperature for 3-5 days. You can reposition gummies to help them dry if wanted
How To Make Weed Chocolate?
The following cannabis chocolate recipe should take about 30 minutes and make roughly a 175 to 350 mg of THC chocolate mixture.
Ingredients/Items Needed:
0.25 cup of cannabutter
4 cups of chocolate
Silicone chocolate moulds
Glass bowl
Saucepan
Instructions:
Melt the chocolate in a pan of simmering water.
Add the cannabis butter.
Once the chocolate is melted remove the bowl and wipe moisture from the bottom of the bowl.
Pour chocolate into molds.Distribute the chocolate evenly and remove any air bubbles
Add any other ingredients such as nuts, fruits, etc
Place the chocolate into the refrigerator until hardened
As previously mentioned, maybe baking and cooking is not your thing. Or maybe you just don’t have the time. Well, good news for you is that there are weed stores that offer a wide selection of pre-made cannabis edibles.
Shop DailyMarijuana and save 15% off your first orders and receive free gifts with every purchase. On top of that we offer free shipping and guaranteed delivery. They even offer a price matching option to ensure only the lowest prices are being paid. Become a member and receive exclusive promotions and stay up to date with the latest news in the cannabis industry. So don’t wait any longer and get your edibles online now!