3 Reasons Why You Need To Be Careful Taking Edibles
Written By: Justin Buck, M.S.
A common anecdote from seasoned and novice cannabis users usually involve at least one bad experience with edibles. These anecdotal experiences occur because smoking cannabis is vastly different then orally consuming it through edibles. This is because the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, THC, has a wide variability in how our bodies react to it based on metabolism, the way it is consumed, and the person’s history of use. These three reasons each have their own problems that contribute to edibles being difficult to create and consume safely.
Metabolism & The “New” Drug it Creates
Metabolism is one of the most important processes within the human body. This process is widely known for converting food into energy and eliminating waste. Metabolism also plays a major role in the absorption, distribution, and elimination of drugs that enter our body. THC is no exception to this metabolic process. When THC is infused with edibles and consumed orally, it must pass through the stomach, small intestine, and liver before it reaches the bloodstream. Once THC reaches the liver, it undergoes heavy first pass metabolism. First pass metabolism refers to the process that breaks down drugs in the liver. Some drugs, such as THC, are broken down so much that only a small percentage actually reaches the bloodstream.
The amount of THC that is absorbed and distributed when consuming an edible varies between 4%-12% based on an individual’s cannabis use pattern. This means one person could potentially absorb 3 times as much THC than another person receiving the same dosage amount. Although only a small percentage of THC enters the bloodstream to interact with our CB1 and CB2 receptors (I explain what these receptors are in a previous article), a large amount of hydroxy THC (11-OH-THC) is released into the bloodstream. 11-OH-THC is a different drug/metabolite that is created through the metabolic process in the liver, has the same physiological effects as THC, but is 3–7 times more potent. About half of the THC that is orally consumed via an edible will be converted to 11-OH-THC, which means there is a 1:1 ratio of both THC and 11-OH-THC giving off the physiological effects that THC is known for. In addition to a person’s use pattern and increased potency of 11-OH-THC, a person’s rate at which their body digests and metabolizes food and drugs determines how quickly THC will start to exert its effects. For example, adults in their 20s have much faster metabolisms than adults in their 50s and as a result, will feel the effects sooner. Besides age, there are other factors that contribute to the speed of metabolism such as gender, muscle-to-fat ratio, amount of physical activity, and hormone function.¹ With so many factors contributing to the metabolism of THC, it is extremely difficult to know exactly how long to wait before feeling the effects of edibles. A general rule of thumb — wait until you feel the effects of the THC (and 11-OH-THC) before deciding to eat the rest of that infused brownie, cookie, or gummy bear.
11-OH-THC + Smoking
When cannabis is smoked, it bypasses the liver and enters directly into the bloodstream. Due to this, smoking has become the consumer’s avenue of preference. When cannabis is smoked, it does not go through any first pass metabolism and only a small percentage is converted to 11-OH-THC. For reference, smoking yields a 10:1 ratio of THC to 11-OH-THC compared to the previously stated 1:1 ratio that occurs when edibles are consumed. So, if you are a new consumer of cannabis or have had issues with edibles in the past, my suggestion would be to try an avenue that does not require digestion and metabolism such as smoking, patches, and vapes. During this process, pay attention to how your body responds, how long the high lasts, and what strain you smoked. The cannabis plant is extremely diverse and can give the body an array of physiological responses, so there is not a “one size fits all” option. The only proven way to master how your body reacts to THC is through self-awareness, education, trial, and error.
References
1. Department of Health & Human Services. Metabolism. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/metabolism. Published April 30, 2020. Accessed November 15, 2020.
