There might not seem a difference between smoking cannabis or eating it for many first-timers. I mean, you get high either way, so what does it matter?
But the truth of it is that it really does matter.
You’ll hear stories about people who took edibles for the first time and were caught off guard by the experience (you might be one of them). They thought it would be the same high as smoking, only to experience something far more different.
Therefore, it’s essential to understand how edibles and smokables can impact your high, so you don’t have a terrible experience.
Smoking Cannabis – More Control, Quicker Results
Smoking cannabis is the standard go-to form of cannabis consumption. And with good reasons: the results are quicker, you have more control, and more readily available.
When you smoke cannabis, you’ll inhale THC into your lungs before you feel it in any other part of your body. Therefore, because it immediately enters your lungs, and therefore, your bloodstream, you’ll feel the high within a couple of minutes.
As for how long the effects take to wear off, it all depends on how much you’ve smoked and the type of cannabis you’ve consumed. But compared to edibles, it fades much quicker. You’ll breathe it out over time, so you can expect to get over the high in no time. Smoking is also not as potent compared to edibles, so the strength of the hit might not be as consuming.
Perhaps the most significant factor regarding smoking cannabis is the amount of control you have. You can keep track of how many hits you’re taking, how long you’ve smoked for and when you feel like the moment has peaked, you can stop. Edibles, on the other, well, you’ll find out more below.
Eating Cannabis – Pacing is Key
Now, let’s move onto edibles, which offer a very different high experience compared to smoking. Edibles come in various forms, including gummies, chocolate, brownies, capsules and most famous of all, oils.
We’ll start with the digestion of edibles, which will have a significant impact on your experience. As edibles go into your stomach before being rerouted into your body, affecting your brain, it stays inside longer. You can’t get over the high as quickly as smoking it. You’ll have to wait for it to “take its course” before you come off it.
Scientifically, THC (the component that gets your high) is water-soluble when digested. As a result, it can lead to a more potent high that lasts much longer than smoking. So expect that the brownie you’ve eaten is going to be stronger than usual.
There’s also a delayed reaction that comes with eating cannabis. The edible has to be digested first to take full effect, meaning it could take two to three hours for the high to kick in. This can cause a big problem for inexperienced people.
As you don’t experience the high as immediately as you do with smoking, you tend to go back for another round of edibles. This is called “over-correction” and means that you are eating more than the body can handle. Then the high comes in, and boy, it’s way more powerful and potent than you could imagine.
You could feel overwhelmed, stressed or anxious. Some people even think they’re having a heart attack because of how intense it is (some symptoms include shallow, rapid breathing, hence the feeling of an attack). The more edibles you force into your system, the more you have to know the potential side effects.
This issue ultimately boils down to less control and poor pacing.
While you should always know how much THC and CBD is in each edible (be it a gummy, brownie or oil), it’s sometimes difficult to determine. This lack of information can mean you end up taking more than expected, negatively impacting your experience. Always ensure you know how much the dosage is when taking an edible, and most importantly, be prepared to wait for it.
Pacing is critical here. Don’t overeat or take more than the recommended suggestion. Just give it time and wait to see what happens. You should also avoid mixing smoking and edibles because you’ll get the instant high before experiencing a stronger, more powerful hit afterwards when the edibles kick in.
If you have overeaten, then take a moment to calm yourself down and find a spot where you can take a few minutes for yourself. If you have someone around you, talk to them, it will help distract you. You just have to wait until the high passes, which, unfortunately, could be a few hours.
However, if you do it right with proper eating and pacing, an edible high can be a fantastic experience. You can get that relaxed body feeling and a tranquil sensation that calms you down. You just need to pace yourself and consume the right amount.
Key Point – Learn & Take Your Time
There is no guarantee that you’ll have a better experience with edible marijuana compared to smoking. Everyone is different, and therefore, will have different experiences. Researching and understanding the marijuana you take is the first step to ensuring you experience the best high possible.
To do that, visit a certified dispensary in your local area (https://budbardispensary.ca/). By speaking with professionals, who are well-educated (and probably personally experienced) about cannabis, they can give you a rundown on each product and how it affects you. Explain to them what you like, what you don’t and what you want to experience. They’ll point you in the right direction.
As for managing the experience itself, remember that you are responsible for using marijuana, so, therefore, always ensure you are in control. You should not use it if you do not feel comfortable or experience feelings such as paranoia or anxiety.
No matter how much experience you have with cannabis, every use, be it edible or smoking, has to be done with complete awareness and control. This ensures that you have the best high each and every time.
