As cannabis consumption continues to become more regular every year in the US, its important that we as consumers keep up with healthy consumption methods and doses. This has become more clear to us in the last few weeks as we have heard countless stories about mislabeled products leading to over consuming. Cannabis is an extremely versatile product, just think about all the different forms. There are Flower, Tea’s, Edibles, Vapes and Oils to name a few. I mean, the list essentially goes on forever, which is great! However, how can you be sure what effects you will get from each product?

In this blog we are going to discuss one of the things that has become apparent to us in the last few weeks which we were sort of unaware of as a cannabis company: Inconsistent Dosing in Edibles. We have always stuck to consistently delivered and equally dosed edibles, but that is not what you always find in the market.

When referring the consistent dosing of edibles, what we are talking about is making sure that the edibles you are ingesting are reliably dosed via infusion methods and not simply coated or sprayed with cannabinoids. We are going to dive into the importance of this, or why it may not matter to you, as well as how to check the quality of edibles and what to do if you feel as though you ingested too much THC.

Why does dosing matter?
Dosing is arguably the most important part of edibles. While everyone loves a delicious edible, the most important aspect of a cannabis edible is going to be the effects, amirite?

There are 2 sides to this: if there is not enough cannabinoids, there is no effect. If the dosing is to high, you may have experience unwanted effects. Also, if the edible is simply coated or sprayed, you may run into an issue where 1 piece is extremely potent and one piece is quite literally untouched by cannabinoids. This can lead to 2 vastly different experiences from the same bag of edibles, and is what we are referring to as inconsistent dosing of edibles.

Dosing matters because you want to be able to trust the products you use, and the effects they have on you. You should have some idea of how each piece makes you feel and feel comfortable reaching for more.

Some consumers just want cannabinoids and don't care about quality and consistency. If this is you, more power to you! However, tread lightly. You never know when you will accidently get a triple dipped gummy worm with 150 mg’s of THC!

What is a Consistent Cannabis Dose in Edibles?
A consistent dose comes from a product that you can verify the cannabinoid content on, and repeat the same dose for the same effects, repeatedly. You want to be able to identify the cannabinoid content and form some expectation of the effects of the edible prior to consumption.

Identifying Consistent Edibles
Identifying consistent edibles should be relatively easy. First, who is the company? Check for reviews and feedback about the brand before buying. Use reputable companies to source your cannabis.

Secondly, there should be a lab test associated with all legal cannabinoid products. Most cannabis products should be labeled with a QR code linking to the lab analysis. If there is no lab test, you can expect inconsistent results from the product.

Take for example our 100 MG Delta 9 THC Chocolates pictured above. Each package is labeled as 100 MG's. Each bar contains 10 pieces, making each piece contain 10 MG's of Delta 9 THC and is verified by a lab test which can be found on the front of the package.

The 2 Major types of Edibles
Consistency comes from the manufacturing method. There are several ways to make edibles, but the most common ways are infusion and coating.

Infusion is much more expensive but is the pinnacle of quality control. Infusion starts with formulation, which requires the technical know-how and scientific method to properly infuse a consistent dose through large batches of edibles. Best Buds Edibles are formulated and infused, leading to consistent dosing in every piece.

On the other hand, you could simply take an existing candy or snack and spray or brush the food with cannabinoids. This method is much cheaper and leads to inconsistent dosing. Sprayed or coated products are usually apparent, as there will be a residual wetness or visible distillate patches on the product. This does work, don't get us wrong. People have been infusing their own edibles for centuries. However, the aim of formulation and infusion is informed consumption with consistent, repeatable doses.

While both products MAY lead you to the same place, we think it is important to use consistently dosed edibles for repeatable desired effects as well as to avoid undesired adverse effects. Again, this may not be particularly important to you as a user, but is especially important to the cannabis community as a whole.

How to Determine Your Specific THC Dose
Your specific dosing is determined one way: through experience. Its important that you ease your way into edibles if you are new to cannabis.

In order to determine what works for you, start slow. A regular, safe, recreational dose of Delta 9 THC starts at 5 MG’s, or about 10 MG’s of Delta 8 THC. This is a generally safe starting point for most users. Once ingested, allow 1-2 hours for effects to manifest before ingesting more. Rinse and repeat.

It may take you a couple of tries to lock in what works for you, but starting slow and working up is the key to comfortable cannabis use. Some daily cannabis users are content with 5 MG's, where as some irregular users are comfortable with 25 MG doses. It all depends on YOU and your desires, needs, body, metabolism and weight.

I took too much THC, what now?
Over ingestion of THC can lead to a variety of uncomfortable feelings like anxiety and paranoia. Trust us, we have heard some horror stories.

This is caused by an overload of THC at the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. Unlike many drugs or alcohol, there is a generally accepted method to combat over consumption of THC: CBD.

CBD can be used to reverse some of the effects of THC. Also, CBD can be taken prior to THC to level out the eventual high that will onset after ingesting THC. Actually, if you take loads of CBD, you will never really feel the effects of the THC you do ingest. Crazy, right?

Pairing a CBD Gummy with your THC edible is a great way to ease into using THC edibles, providing some level of a high without becoming overwhelmed. Think of it as balancing a scale. 

If you feel as though you have taken to much THC, use a CBD rich product to mitigate the effects and reverse the adverse feelings. CBD Flower or CBD Oils are the quickest way to defuse the over ingested effects.

Buying Safe THC Edibles Online and Offline
There are a ton of great options when it comes to sourcing safe edibles. Just remember the 2 rules: Trusted Company with Reviews and products with lab tests. Best Buds has a great selection of CBD and THC edibles in our Hemp Shop. If you every have questions or concerns about using cannabis products, we are always here to help you navigate, reach out!