“Edibles” refer to any food containing marijuana, typically with the cannabinoids THC or CBD. Cannabis is usually infused into a fat-soluble base, such as butter or oil, and the infusion is used to make baked goods, such as brownies, cakes, etc. Edibles are consumed orally and processed in the stomach and liver, making them more potent and longer-lasting than smoking cannabis, but with a longer time for the onset of effects. Edibles allow people to consume cannabis without inhaling smoke and typically don’t smell.
“I made some edibles with the leftover weed from my harvest.”
“That 50mg edible took two hours to hit, but when it did, I was high all night.”
How to make edibles
Edibles can come in many forms, including brownies or other baked goods, gummies, breath mints, and more.
THC and CBD are fat-soluble—they need to bind to a fat for your body to process them. People usually use butter or oil to infuse with cannabis, and then use that infusion to make edibles.
Before infusing, cannabis must be decarboxylated. Cannabis needs to be heated in order for your body to absorb the cannabinoids in it—when you smoke weed, this happens with the flame of a lighter, but you can also heat weed in the oven at a low temperature to decarboxylate it and then infuse it into oil.
Check out our guide on making edibles, and our recipe on how to make cannabutter.
What are the benefits of edibles?
If bought in a licensed, state-legal store, edibles will be accurately dosed. This will allow you to have a consistent experience over and over, as opposed to consuming cannabis via other methods, such as smoking, vaping, or dabbing.
Edibles also last a lot longer than than smoking, dabbing, or vaping, and are more discreet—they don’t typically don’t smell, and you don’t have to puff out a cloud of smoke to ingest them.
How long does it take to feel an effect from edibles?
Because edibles are ingested rather than inhaled, the active ingredients are processed in the stomach and liver, as opposed to the lungs and then bloodstream. It takes longer for the body to digest and process cannabinoids this way, but the effects will last longer.