” Six reasons to opt for edibles
1. They last longer
Edible marijuana passes through your digestive system like any other food, meaning the process to get and stay high takes longer.
After it is digested, marijuana is absorbed into the fatty tissue of your body, then slowly seeps into the blood, said Amy Driscoll with the University of Colorado Health Pediatrics in Greeley.
“It has to go through that fatty tissue to the bloodstream to the brain, so it can last up to 24 hours, even,” Driscoll said.
Tucker Eldridge, master grower for Nature’s Herbs and Wellness in Garden City, said regular consumers of edibles say the longer-lasting effect is helpful for getting a good night of sleep or using marijuana to treat pain.
2. They aren’t harsh on your lungs
Like smoking tobacco products, lighting up releases 33 different chemicals in marijuana smoke that have been linked to cancer, according to the American Lung Association. Marijuana smoke also deposits more tar into the lungs than a cigarette.
3. They enhance the good stuff
Lighting up also means messing with the composition of marijuana’s 485 constituents, Eldridge said, which include antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables. Flavonoids, for example, are found in food such as apples, berries and black beans, and have been found to strengthen blood vessels and protect the body’s cells.
4. They taste good
Providers have perfected recipes that were once family favorites, and they incorporate marijuana into the butter in baked goods so that the product tastes less like weed. There are also many varieties other than brownies, including candy and punch.
5. They usually aren’t as headstrong
Many users of edibles report feeling less of the head high typically caused by THC and more of a body high, especially in lower doses of 10 mg or less.
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Still, public health advocates warn that edible marijuana can have psychoactive effects.
6. For many products, you can measure the dose easier
Some edibles such as brownies aren’t so clear cut, but many products come separated into pieces that are one dose each. Many producers, including EdiPure, a Denver-based company, infuse candy and gummy products with 10 mg each of THC.
While smoking a joint has the benefit of feeling the effects of marijuana almost immediately, it is much more difficult to measure how much THC you are consuming.
” Four things to know before you eat
1. Clear your schedule
It takes longer to start feeling the effects of edible marijuana and longer for those effects to go away. First-time users will want to find a time with few obligations before finding a dose that works for them.
“If you accidentally take too much, plan on not doing anything that day,” said Andrea Gibbons, manager of Cannabis Care in Garden City.
2. Start small and take it slow
For those who have never tried edibles, it is especially important to start with a small dose.
Most so-called “budtenders” tell first-time customers to wait 90 minutes before taking another dose. It can take up to three hours to start feeling the effects for some people and even longer for those effects to peak. Once you eat too much, you are along for the ride, and it isn’t always fun.
Gibbons said eating too much can also lead to feeling a little sluggish and foggy in the morning.
“We call it an edible hangover,” she said.
3. Keep it safely stored away from kids
Keep edibles in their child-proof containers and away from plain sight. Brownies and gummies are especially attractive to kids, and they won’t know the difference if they are out in the open.
Alvin Bronstein, medical director of the Rocky Mountain Poison Control Center, said adults should treat edibles like a bottle of liquor or prescription medication.
“Medications should be kept away from children – that is the bottom line,” Bronstein said.
4. Don’t assume you have a high tolerance
Just because you can smoke five joints and still function, don’t assume you’ll be able to eat a full brownie with the same kind of tolerance, said Tucker Eldridge, master grower for Nature’s Herbs and Wellness in Garden City.
The difference in tolerance goes back to the way that marijuana is processed in the digestive system. Smoked pot is chemically different than pot after it is consumed, and some people’s receptors have more affinity for one type over the other, Eldridge said.
” Now what?
So, you’ve cleared your schedule, taken a bite of brownie and are ready to relax. Here’s a few suggestions on how to spend your high times:
” Watch a stoner movie
There’s the traditional: “Cheech & Chong” or “The Big Lebowski”
New: “Pineapple Express”
Funky: “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” (the 1970s version) or “The Wizard of Oz”
Animated: “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” or “Fantasia”
Existential: “Where the Wild Things Are”
Psychedelic: “Across the Universe,” “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” or the Lord of the Rings Trilogy (in one sitting).
” Invent a new flavor of milkshake
” Listen to music
It doesn’t get much more trippy – or cliched – than Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” or anything by the Grateful Dead, but there are many other bands, including the so-called jam bands such as Phish or even The Beatles. For something different, try the soundtrack to a musical like “Wicked.” Or listen to Bach or Mozart to see if you finally understand some people’s affinity for classical music.
” Puzzles
Any will do, though “Jenga,” a puzzle-based game, is a favorite. Bonus points if you actually end up finishing the puzzle.
” Clean
Why not?
” Products
Here are a few edible products you can find in Garden City:
” Canna Punch: a marijuana drink that comes in flavors such as pineapple, grape and watermelon.
” Chill pills: low-dosage mints meant to help you relax.
” Brownies: a longtime favorite. Pictured is one of Deb’s brownies, which are baked in the kitchen of Nature’s Herbs and Wellness in Garden City and follow a family recipe.
” Incredibles: a regular favorite. Candy bars that come in a variety of flavors, including peanut butter and the Monkey Bar, which has two kinds of chocolate, walnuts and bananas.
” Candies: Raspberry jellies are just one of a variety of candies infused with THC. Other options include lemon drops, Sour Patch and peach rings.
” Tinctures: Little droppers that contain alcohol extractions of marijuana. These have the benefit of acting more quickly than other edibles, if placed under the tongue, for example. They can also be dropped into drinks and provide for a more exact dosage calculation.
