Marijuana has been around for centuries, but until recently many people haven’t known about the process of ingesting marijuana through food. THC edibles are foods that have been enhanced with THC. This is a new way to consume marijuana. It is different than simply smoking it in a joint, pipe, or bong. The effects of THC edibles are much different than smoking and last much longer.
What’s the Difference Between Smoking Weed and Edibles?
The high you get from smoking weed and eating weed is completely different. When you smoke weed, the THC enters your bloodstream through your lungs and goes to your brain. This creates a more immediate high that doesn’t last as long.
Consuming edible THC, on the other hand, takes longer for the THC to be absorbed into your bloodstream. It also goes to your liver first, where it’s metabolized before it reaches your brain. This creates a more intense high that can last for hours.
How your Consumption Method Affects Your High
Now that you understand how smoking weed and edibles work, let’s cover how each consumption method affects your high.
As mentioned, the process of metabolizing THC is significantly longer when you ingest an edible, typically anywhere between 45 minutes and three hours. The delayed process of absorbing and metabolizing THC means it takes longer to feel the effects.
But because 11-hydroxy-THC is both more potent and has a longer half-life than THC, once you do start feeling the effects, they’re typically going to feel stronger and last longer than if you hit a joint.
When you smoke weed, on the other hand, the THC almost immediately travels to the brain. That means you’ll feel high almost immediately, but because of the rapid absorption of THC, your high has a shorter duration than with edibles.
While the intensity and length of your high depend on a variety of factors (including quality, dosage, and potency), a high from smoking weed typically lasts one-to-two hours whereas an edibles experience can last four-to-six hours or more.
Choose the Consumption Method That Works For You
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to consuming cannabis. Different consumption methods, like smoking or ingesting an edible, will deliver different experiences. The best consumption method for you depends on what kind of experience you seek. Now that you know exactly how smoking and edibles work, and how each method affects your high, you have everything you need to choose the consumption method that’s best for you.
