Cannabis edibles are a popular alternative to smoking or vaping: they are discreet and generally odor-free. The question we hear most often is how much to take, so Moss Crossing put together this guide to choosing an edible dose for your level of experience. You must be 21 or older to buy or use recreational cannabis in Oregon.
CHECK OUT THIS HANDY ONLINE CALCULATOR FOR EDIBLE DOSAGE FROM NUGGMD.COM
Five Essential Tips to Find the Right Edible Dose for You
These five steps cover what to read on the label, how much to start with, how long to wait and how to plan your first time.
Step 1: Learn About Cannabis Edibles
Edibles include gummies, chocolates, mints, baked goods and even some savory foods. According to GoodRx, the edible category also includes cannabis drinks. Onset and absorption can differ from one product type to another, so don’t assume a drink will act like a gummy or a brownie.
Edibles may be made with distillate, infused butter or oil, or other cannabis extracts; the label lists the ingredients and cannabinoid amounts. Our guide to edibles at Moss Crossing explains how gummies, chocolates, drinks and mints differ.
Step 2: Learn How Various Edible Doses May Affect You
Start with the label. Every edible sold at an Oregon cannabis store lists THC in milligrams (mg) per serving and per package. Under OLCC rules, a recreational edible can hold up to 10 mg of THC per serving and 100 mg per package. These are product limits, not a recommended amount, and a product’s labeled serving may hold less. Homemade edibles have no tested label, so any per-piece figure is an estimate: multiply the grams of distillate by its THC concentration, then divide by the number of pieces. Even 1 gram of distillate at 100% THC, spread evenly over 10 brownies, would be 100 mg per piece, ten times Oregon’s serving limit, and real batches rarely mix evenly.
How a dose feels depends on your tolerance, your body and what else you have eaten. These amounts, adapted from Leafly’s dosing guide, help you read a label. They are not steps to work through:
- 1 to 2.5 mg: a low dose and a common starting point for first-timers.
- 2.5 to 5 mg: more THC than a low dose. Past experience doesn’t guarantee the same response.
- 5 to 10 mg: 10 mg is the most THC a recreational edible serving can hold in Oregon. It is a maximum, not a recommended dose. This amount can impair coordination and judgment and may feel unpleasant to someone new to edibles, which is why “start low and go slow” is our motto.
- 20, 50 and 100 mg each exceed Oregon’s limit for one recreational serving; 100 mg is the limit for a whole package. Amounts like these can seriously affect coordination and perception.
Step 3: Start Low and Wait: Full Effects Can Take Four Hours
According to EatingWell, the best advice for beginners is to start with a low dose and wait at least two hours. Smoked or vaped cannabis is felt within minutes, but an edible has to be digested first, so many new users are tempted to take more too soon. Don’t assume an edible has reached its full effect after two hours.
The Oregon Health Authority says it can take 30 minutes to two hours to feel the effects of an edible, sometimes up to four hours to feel them fully, and that the effects may last 4 to 10 hours. Its advice is to start with a single serving containing a low amount of THC and allow time to react.
Step 4: Have Some Non-THC Munchies
Does peanut butter change an edible’s effects? THC dissolves in fat, and food, including high-fat foods such as peanut butter, can change how THC from an edible is absorbed. A spoonful of peanut butter does not produce a predictable change in how soon or how strongly you feel an edible, so don’t use it to try to strengthen one. Have water and ordinary, non-infused snacks on hand, and keep them clearly separate from your edibles.
Step 5: First Timers Can Consume Edibles With a Sober Buddy
If it’s your first time, consider having a trusted friend who isn’t using cannabis nearby. Plan to stay in for the evening. Do not drive after using cannabis; driving while impaired by cannabis is illegal in Oregon.
What Edible Dosage Do You Need?
Many edibles combine THC with CBD or another cannabinoid such as CBG or CBN, written as a ratio like 1:1 or 2:1. A 1:1 CBD:THC edible has equal milligrams of CBD and THC. Brands write ratios in different orders, so go by the milligram amounts on the label. Whatever the ratio, check the THC milligrams and remember that full effects can take up to four hours. If you are thinking about cannabis for a health condition, talk to your doctor first.
Buying Edibles for the First Time
Everybody’s experience is different. Your tolerance, how your body processes THC and what else you have eaten all play a part.
Finding the right edible dose takes some patience. Check the THC milligrams per labeled serving: a piece’s size doesn’t tell you its potency. Follow the label’s serving marks and portioning instructions; cutting an edible yourself doesn’t tell you how much THC each piece holds. Our post on how much THC to take goes into more detail. Keep edibles in their original child-resistant packaging, locked away from children and pets.
If you’re trying edibles for the first time or just want to see your options, browse our edibles or get in touch with Moss Crossing. Our staff can walk you through the labels and help you find a product that fits what you’re looking for.