Cannabis Edible Dosing Guide

The format that catches people out

Almost every uncomfortable cannabis story starts the same way: someone ate an edible, felt nothing after 45 minutes, ate another, and then met both doses at once.

Edibles are excellent — precisely dosed, long-lasting, no smoke — but they demand patience.

Why the delay

Inhaled cannabis reaches your bloodstream through the lungs in a couple of minutes. Eaten cannabis has to pass through the digestive system and the liver first, where THC is converted into a metabolite that is generally considered more potent and longer-lasting than inhaled THC.

That process takes 30 to 120 minutes, depending on your metabolism, what you have eaten, and the product itself. Effects then last four to eight hours, occasionally longer.

Dosing

First time or long gap: 2.5 mg. Half a standard 5 mg gummy.
Occasional user: 5 mg.
Regular user: 10 mg or more, based on your own history.

Wait two full hours before taking any more. That single rule prevents nearly every bad edible experience.

Eating a small amount of fat alongside the edible tends to speed onset and increase absorption. On an empty stomach, onset is faster but less predictable.

Fast-onset products

Some nano-emulsified drinks and tinctures onset in 15 to 30 minutes. The label will say so. Do not assume a product is fast-acting unless it claims to be.

If you take too much

Nobody has died from too much THC, but an uncomfortable few hours is real. Find a quiet space, hydrate, eat something, and wait. Black pepper and a walk help some people. It passes.

Balanced ratios

Many patients find 1:1 CBD:THC edibles more comfortable than THC-only at the same dose. See our THC vs CBD explainer for how ratios work.

Storage and safety

Keep edibles in their original child-resistant packaging, away from kids and pets, and never in an unmarked container in the kitchen. Full details in the storage guide.

Browse what is on the shelf on the live menu, or read the first-time patient guide before your first visit.