Cannabis consumption not only comes as smokable products. You’ll find them as oils, tinctures, and edibles in specialty stores. Consumers of cannabis might have tried these edibles in different forms, such as candies, baked goods, chocolates, tea, wine, sodas, and more. Edibles can also be homemade and infused with butter, oils, and tinctures. Those who don’t want to smoke cannabis can use tetrahydrocannabinol or THC-infused edibles instead to get their dose. Here are the advantages and cons of THC edibles.
The Pros
Tetrahydrocannabinol is a derivative of marijuana and is known for its psychoactive effects. One way of consuming it is through edibles that are also available in the market. Here are reasons you can try them.
- Better Alternative To Smoking
While many users enjoy and are comfortable smoking marijuana, not everybody can because they already have respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. The THC edibles like delta 9 gummies can give the dose they need without the secondhand smoke and smell. Even healthy people can avoid the health risks associated with smoking.
- Convenience
Some users also prefer the convenience of THC edibles because they can take THC in private. Some users face prejudice for smoking marijuana or fear judgment from others. Switching to marijuana edibles allows them to get the desired dose without suspicious prying eyes.
- No Devices Needed
Edibles are for simple eating and drinking. You’ll consume them the way you do regular food or beverages. You don’t need to keep devices such as dab rigs, vapes, pipes, and bongs. There’s no need to prepare, clean, and worry about taking care of your instrument. Edibles are also transportable. You can buy and pack them into your bag and consume them later, even in public.
- More Potent
When you consume an edible, it’s processed by the digestive system. The liver converts the THC into 11-hydroxy-THC. The converted THC is five times more potent than when you smoke and inhale marijuana. It’s also essential for manufacturers to do edibles properly to avoid an extreme experience and ruin the joy of eating or drinking edibles. Consumers don’t need to keep dosing when they contain the correct dosage amount because of the long-lasting effects of cannabis products.
- More Variety And Tastes
It may be the more obvious reason because THC in food and drinks is a whole new and different experience. You can have a cheeseburger at your favorite fast food and have a gourmet dinner the following weekend, enjoying in different ways.
There are also more ways to make edibles just the way you like them. Use infusions, blending, baking, and more.
The Disadvantages
The THC edibles also have cons, which is why you should consider if they’re right for you, especially if you want to use cannabis to manage your condition.
- Effect May Take Time
Smoking cannabis allows you to inhale the smoke, and the THC heads to the bloodstream and takes effect almost immediately. The terpenes and cannabinoids are still present in the strain you smoked. Edibles are different because they’re not meant to provide quick relief. The cooking of the THC and the digestion process could remove the unique effects of the edible you eat or drink.
The effect of marijuana edibles could take at least half an hour. If you can wait for it to take effect and to experience its longer-lasting results, edibles might be for you.
- Not All Are High-Quality
If you ever bought food on the go only to find that it’s not as good as you thought, it’s the same with edibles. If you choose brands you need to become more familiar with, it could be hit-or-miss. That’s inevitable when you’re trying something new that’s store-bought. Manufacturers will include the ingredients on the packaging, but you need to figure out the quality of those ingredients. There’s also no telling if the infusion is correct or if you’ll get one that gives you the taste you like. It’s best to brace yourself and expect the unexpected. Remember the brands that you’ve tried.
- Risk Of Overconsumption
Too much of a good thing is bad and that can be said about THC edibles when you’ve eaten or drank too much. While there’s little data linking marijuana overdose fatality to cannabis, there’s the risk of overeating edibles because of their variety.
Overdosing is not fatal, but it could cause anxiety, accidental injury, delusions, disorientation, paranoia, faster heart rate, discomfort, and other behavioral impairment. Eating marijuana makes overdosing easier than smoking. If the edible doesn’t contain the correct dosage of THC, it can be difficult for the consumer to measure the potency.
Doing more research on the edible of your choice is best before taking one. You can also seek the advice of a doctor to get more guidance on taking edibles.
- Making Homemade Edibles Needs Time
If you don’t trust the quality of commercial edibles, you can make them at home instead. Baking a batch of cookies or brownies is your best bet, but it also has disadvantages.
Making baked edibles requires you to decarboxylate the buds you’ll use to make them. It’s necessary when making edibles, tinctures, and other marijuana products you want to consume. You must heat or cook them between 215 to 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 minutes to an hour. Decarboxylation activates the essential cannabinoids of the plant, which can make the edibles more potent.
That means, when making edibles, you need more time to ensure that your cannabis ingredient is cooked before being added to the rest of the ingredients. It’ll take a bit more time than regular baking.
Takeaway
The THC edibles have benefits that can help patients avoid smoking marijuana because of their dangerous effects on the lungs. They’re more convenient and discreet, and they come in wide varieties. Unfortunately, they also come with the risk of overdosing because you’ll only learn about the strength of THC after consumption. They also don’t come with the same quality. The THC edibles should only be bought from reputable sources such as DeltaCloudz, and seek professional help from those knowledgeable in cannabis edibles.
