We all know that we can top up our endocannabinoid system with powerful cannabinoids by introducing cannabis into our bodies in different forms: Inhaling, ingesting or topical applications (lotions and skin potions). Today, we’re going to focus on the main differences between smoking and eating cannabis.
So, right up there, we have the obvious upside: When you opt for edibles, nobody knows you’re getting high. It doesn’t smell (also better for your lungs, but not the focus here), it’s discreet, totally doable in public.
There are the downsides: Edibles take WAY longer to work than the immediate buzz you get from smaller hits. Smoking also lets you control your high better (if you’re a rookie and eat too much) and smoking lasts dramatically shorter. Oh yes, edibles last so much longer. But, all of that aside, let’s unpack why the high from edibles vs the high from smoking is such a vastly different experience.
In what way? You ask.
With edibles, you metabolise far more cannabinoids, a lot of which are lost through smoking. So, edibles have a different bioavailability than smoking. The cannabinoids take much longer to absorb into your blood stream and thus for you to feel the effects.
When you eat cannabis and when you smoke cannabis, you are essentially converting the THC into different molecules in the body. Smoking converts from THC-A to Delta-9 THC. When eaten, Delta-9 THC converts to 11-Hydroxy-THC, so the digestive process changes the chemical makeup of the THC into a different version that is more psychoactive (in cannabis edibles). This is what leads to the more intense high, which peaks and lasts longer than smoking.
It is literally a completely different compound affecting your brain, hence this new cannabinoid is responsible for the wildly different experience that you all describe.
When you smoke it, the THC is absorbed into your lungs, where it passes directly into your bloodstream through your brain. When you eat it, the edible cannabis travels first to your stomach, then to your liver before getting into your brain and bloodstream. Edibles can take an hour or two to really kick in (this differs from person to person) and if you don’t know exactly where your limit is, you can overshoot it by a significant amount. That’s why we always say go slow. Once you’ve eaten it, you’re pretty much strapped in and committed to the ride.
Most people who enjoy edibles have at least one amusing story about this.
Just remember, it is basically impossible to fatally overdose on THC.
When enjoyed responsibly, it’s like fine tuning your machine: music sounds better, you’re calmer, your mood has improved, and those bothersome things no longer bother you quite so much.
Related Posts
