Should somebody eat or smoke their medical cannabis? It's a good\nquestion, as patients today have a choice in how they get their\ncannabis. Two of these options are flowers, also known as buds, and\nedibles, which are foodstuffs that contain cannabis. The best choice\ndepends on a number of factors, including a patient's diagnosis,\nprescription and personal preference regarding delivery method. Here's a\nlook at the differences between flowers and edibles to help patients\nunderstand their options.
\nTHC Metabolism
\nBoth flowers and edibles contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), one of the\nmost common cannabinoids in medical marijuana and the chemical\nresponsible for the psychoactive effects of the plant. THC has been used\nto treat pain,\nnausea,\nmood disorders,\ninflammation,\nappetite\nloss\nand more. Even though both flowers and edibles contain THC, the way this\nchemical is metabolized depends on whether it's smoked or ingested. When\nsmoked, THC moves\nquickly through the lungs into the bloodstream and then to the brain.\nThe effects are rapid, and occur within\nminutes\nof the first inhalation. The effects of ingesting cannabis are much\nslower, as the THC must pass through the digestive system before\nreaching the bloodstream. During this process, the liver changes the THC\ninto\n11-hydroxy-THC,\nwhich can cause a more-intense high than THC that's inhaled.
\nEffects and Duration
\nIn addition to rapid onset, inhaled THC effects wear off in 30 to 60\nminutes. Ingested\nTHC effects\ncan take between 30 minutes and two hours to be felt and can take\nseveral hours to wear off.
\nThe more intense high associated with ingested THC has been described as\na more physical\nhigh,\nor body high, than that of inhaled THC. This may be caused by the\n11-hydroxy-THC, but it may also result from an inadvertent overdose --\npeople who aren't used to edibles may not know that there's a lag\nbetween ingestion and effect, and this often causes them to overindulge.
\nPotency
\nToday's cannabis is higher in THC than cannabis that was cultivated in\nthe past. An American Chemical Society\nstudy\nfound that THC potency in medical marijuana is approaching 30 percent --\nthree times higher than it was 30 years ago.
\nThis higher concentration in plants also means a potential for higher\nconcentration in edibles. Edibles are made with cannabis\nconcentrate.\nThe process of extracting the cannabinoids has been shown to increase\npotency, the percent of active cannabinoids, by 40-80\npercent.
\nBecause of the increase in intensity and the higher potency, it is\nrecommended that people using edibles start\nsmall.\nThey should only consume a product containing less than 2.5 mg of THC\nand recognize that it will take at least an hour before they feel any\neffects.
\nDosing
\nEdibles are unpredictable with regard to dosing. This is due to a number\nof factors:
\nIt's even more difficult to determine the potency and dosing of homemade\nedibles. People who require a specific dose of THC are recommended to\nstick with manufactured products that are clearly labeled and have been\ntested for potency, as well as food safety, and to be sure to follow the\ndirections on the label.
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