Busting 5 Common Myths About Medical Marijuana Ingestibles

Ingestibles – there’s no shortage of ingestible products. But ingesting medical marijuana is quite a different experience from vaping it or applying it to your skin. Understanding how they work is crucial to ensuring a positive experience. To help you make the best decisions at the dispensary, we’re shedding light on five myths about ingestibles.

Myth #1 – Medical Marijuana ingestibles should take effect right away

Medical marijuana ingestibles generally take effect slowly. This stands in contrast to inhalable medical marijuana products, which typically take full effect minutes after you consume them. So, if you ate an ingestible and don’t feel anything in a few minutes, don’t take more right away; ingestibles typically have a slower onset.

This slow onset occurs because these products are processed through your digestive system, rather than entering your bloodstream through membranes in your lungs. Instead, to enter circulation, ingestibles are broken down in your stomach and processed by your liver. This process takes time, gradually introducing phytocannabinoids like THC into your system. 

There are other factors that can affect the onset and duration time of ingestiblemedical marijuana products, including:

• Whether or not you’ve eaten: Ingestibles consumed on an empty stomach are generally going to take effect faster and can be felt more strongly than those consumed on a full stomach. That’s because, on an empty stomach, there is less material competing with the infused ingestible for digestion and absorption. With a full stomach, it may take longer to kick in, and the effects may be milder.
• What you’ve eaten. Cannabinoids are fat-soluble, which means they need fat to absorb into your body. That’s why infused oils and butter are so common in ingestibles. Consuming ingestibles with fatty foods may enhance the bioavailability and subsequent effects as well¹. 
• Product type: Ingestibles digested through the stomach and liver, such as capsules, usually take about 45 to 60 minutes to fully kick in². Ingestibles like tinctures, which are absorbed under your tongue (sublingually), will take effect much more quickly as the cannabinoids enter circulation directly after consumption. That’s due to the biphasic effect: Part of the tincture enters your bloodstream through your mouth tissues, and part of it gets into your digestive system.
• Amount: Ingestible products with more than around 10mg THC per serving, known as high-dosage ingestibles, are likely to take effect more quickly than low-THC products.

Most ingestiblemedical marijuana products are not going to take effect right away. Always follow the “start low and go slow” method: begin with what you expect the lowest effective amount of THC you think you need and wait up to an hour to see how it affects you. If you need to consume more, gradually increase the amount until you meet your preferred consumption experience. Always wait and see how ingestibles affect you before consuming more.

Myth #2 – Allmedical marijuana ingestibles offer the same effects

What matters more than THC percentage is the full spectrum of compounds found within the medical marijuana product, particularly other cannabinoids and aromatic compounds called terpenes.

Ingestibles are a broad category ofmedical marijuana products that include things like capsules, tablets, sublingual products like Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) and tinctures; each of which offer their own unique properties. Some of the significant variables between these products include:

• Onset time: Sublingually ingestible medical marijuana products kick in faster because they are absorbed directly into your bloodstream, sometimes as quickly as 15 minutes. Other ingestible medical marijuana products will have onset times close to an hour as they need to be processed through the digestive process before entering your bloodstream³. 
• Duration: Infused ingestibles’ durations of effects vary significantly from product to product and from person to person. Duration is also dependent on the amount of THC in the ingestible. For example, 10 mg THC can last for six hours or more, and you may still feel residual effects for up to 12 hours⁴. Consuming a smaller amount, like 1.25 mg THC, could result in a shorter and less potent experience.
• Potency: All medical marijuana ingestible products vary in potency. Most states mandate a maximum serving size of 10mg THC and a per-package limit of 100mg THC. In Massachusetts, ingestible products can only contain up to 5mg THC per serving with a total package limit of 100mg⁶. Always follow the ingestible dosage information on the labeling to ensure you feel the desired effects.
• Compound profile: Just as with medical marijuana flower, cannabinoid and terpene profile of an ingestible product will affect your experience. Ingestibles with different compound profiles will offer different experiences and therapeutic applications. If you’re not sure how to choose the best compound profile for your needs, talk to an Ethos associate about your goals so they can help guide you.

Myth #3 – Everyone experiences ingestibles the same way

It’s not just the variety in ingestibles that matters, but who is consuming the products. Medical marijuana consumption is a highly individualized experience, so just because your friend responds to an ingestible a certain way doesn’t mean you’ll have the same experience. Although an Ethos associate can help provide choices that may meet your needs, there is a bit of trial and error to determine which is the best ingestible product for you. 

The individualized nature of medical marijuana ingestibles comes down to two major factors: tolerance and body chemistry.

• Tolerance: Your tolerance can play a significant role in the onset time of medical marijuana ingestibles. Some folks have naturally higher or lower tolerances, and how often you consume ingestibles can increase or decrease tolerance as well. Generally, if you have an ingestible every day, you’ll be much less affected by a low-dose ingestible than others who only try ingestibles on occasion.
• Body chemistry: Your digestive system and overall body composition factor into how ingestibles can affect you. Those with faster metabolisms, for example, may feel the effects quicker, as your body can digest and process the ingestible faster⁷.This affects how long it takes to kick in, how long it lasts, and how strong the effects will be. 

Myth #4 – You have to take an entire ingestible at once

Most ingestibles come in pre-designated serving sizes that are broken up in smaller amounts.

Always refer to a product’s label or packing before consuming any ingestible medical marijuana product. In general, the product labeling should include information on the total milligrams of THC and the suggested serving size.

As for how much is the right serving, that depends quite a lot on your goals. For example, microdosing is when folks ingest a very small amount of medical marijuana – as low as 1mg – and that’s the amount that’s right for them. 

Microdosing is ideal for consumers that want to avoid the intoxication associated with THC while still benefiting from the relief medical marijuana offers them. A 2020 study showed that people who consumed 1mg of THC experienced significant pain decreases compared to placebo, even when they didn’t experience any noticeable psychoactive effects⁸.

Myth #5 – If you vape a lot, your ingestible tolerance will be high too

Generally, inhaling or vaping tolerance is not the same as ingestible tolerance. Even if you have a very high tolerance to vaping, it does not mean you’ll have a high tolerance to ingestibles. Even the most seasoned medical marijuana consumers may find ingestibles affect them very differently from the inhalable products they’re used to.

The biggest difference between ingestibles and inhaling, chemically, is that when THC is ingested orally, your liver metabolizes it and converts about 50% of activated THC into 11-hydroxy tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-THC or 11-hydroxy-THC)⁹. While not found in the medical marijuana plant, 11-hydroxy-THC is converted from THC by your body and is considered more potent than its precursor. As a result, ingestibles may be particularly potent for many consumers.

For the typical consumer, it’s best to refer to an ingestible’s serving size guide when consuming ingestible products. Of course, there are also those who have a high tolerance to 11-hydroxy-THC naturally; if that applies to you, then gradually increase the amount you consume over time until you find an effective amount.

Choosing the right ingestible medical marijuana products for you

Choosing the right ingestible medical marijuana products starts with visiting a licensed dispensary with a wide selection of quality products. At Ethos, we understand that every consumer is different, and we’ll work with you on your medical marijuana journey to identify the best possible choices for your goals and needs. Visit an Ethos dispensary location today to get expert insight from our knowledgeable and compassionate team.

Sources:

1. https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5009397/
2. https://leafly.com/learn/consume/edibles/how-long-do-edibles-take-to-kick-in
3. https://thrillist.com/eat/nation/sublingual-cannabis-thc-strips-tablets
4. https://thesanctuarynv.com/how-long-do-edibles-last/#:~:text=Edibles%20not%20only%20take%20longer,for%206%20or%20more%20hours.
5. https://revolutionaryclinics.org/the-limits-of-legal-marijuana-in-massachusetts-how-much-you-can-have-and-how-you-can-use-it/
6. https://publichealth.lacounty.gov/sapc/MDU/DE/MarijuanaEdiblesFactSheet040416.pdf
7. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejp.1605
8. https://leafwell.com/blog/11-hydroxy-thc/