Edibles 101: How to Dose, Make and Cook

EDIBLES 101

Edibles take effect slowly and last for hours because the liver converts THC into a more potent form, so a first dose is 2.5 to 5 mg of THC with a two-hour wait before more. Edibles are the most misjudged way to use cannabis, and the most rewarding once the dose is right. This is the map: understand and dose edibles, make the infused base, then cook. Start low and go slow.

Understand and dose edibles

Why edibles hit differently, how much to take, and how to avoid the classic mistakes.

Make the infused base

Every edible starts with decarbed cannabis infused into a fat or alcohol.

Cook: the recipes

Once you have an infused base you can dose, the recipes are the fun part.

Stronger forms

Beyond food: capsules for precise dosing, and concentrated extracts.

The one rule

Continue exploring

Oral Cannabinoid Pharmacokinetics and First-Pass 11-OH-THC Conversion

Controlled human pharmacokinetic studies demonstrate that orally ingested delta-9-THC exhibits slow, variable gastrointestinal absorption (oral bioavailability of 4 to 20 percent) with peak plasma concentrations occurring 1.5 to 3 hours post-dose (PubMed PMID 27896009). Before reaching systemic circulation, hepatic cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) oxidizes a large fraction of absorbed THC into 11-hydroxy-THC (11-OH-THC), an active metabolite that crosses the blood-brain barrier efficiently and accounts for the pronounced, long-lasting profile of edibles (PubMed PMID 30496714).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do cannabis edibles take up to two hours to kick in?

Orally ingested cannabinoids must pass through the stomach, dissolve into bile-salt micelles in the small intestine, and undergo first-pass hepatic metabolism before reaching systemic circulation.

Why do edibles feel stronger and last longer than inhaled cannabis?

First-pass liver metabolism via CYP2C9 converts a much higher proportion of oral delta-9-THC into 11-hydroxy-THC (11-OH-THC), a potent CB1 agonist that crosses the blood-brain barrier readily.

What is the standard beginner dose for THC edibles?

Controlled dosing guidelines recommend starting with 2.5 to 5 mg of THC and waiting at least two full hours before taking an additional dose.