If you’ve ever considered trying edibles or you’ve already purchased and tried some, you likely know the importance of dosing edibles correctly. The problem is that there’s a lot of conflicting information out there. How much is too little? How much is too much? In this guide, we’re going to talk about edibles dosing, and we’re also going to give you a chart to follow when choosing how much THC you should consume at one time in your edibles.

Dosing for edibles simply means you’re factoring in how much THC is in a serving, how much you want to consume, and the type of experience you’re looking to have.

To dose cannabis edibles, you need to look at the product packaging. It will tell you how much THC is in the entire product and how many servings are in the package. This makes calculating how much THC is in a serving easy if the package doesn’t list a per-serving amount (it should). Once you know how much THC is in a single serving, you can dose properly using our edible dosage guide.

Here’s the thing about edibles—it’s always better to start low and slow. Always. While you won’t necessarily hurt yourself if you choose not to follow that method and end up exceeding your tolerance levels, it will create an unwanted experience. To avoid this, we designed this edible dosage guide to be applicable to most cannabis enthusiasts who are new to edibles.

That said, depending on things like your weight, gender, cannabis consumption history, endocannabinoid system, and more, you may find you need to adjust to a different range to get the experience you’re looking for. Here’s how we break down dosing edibles purchased at a dispensary*:

*You may have noticed that when we introduced this chart, we stated it was for dispensary-purchased edibles. This is because edibles made by industry experts are significantly more consistent in their dosages than homemade edibles. When mixing your cannabis-infused batter at home, it’s possible more THC ended up on one side of the pan than the other. With homemade edibles, always go slow and don’t assume the dosages are evenly distributed by cutting a nine-by-nine pan of brownies into three-by-three squares.

While our dosing chart is going to be a great starting point for anyone ready to venture into the world of edibles, there are a few additional tips we always tell our customers to keep in mind. They include:

• Start low, go slow: If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a hundred times. It is always easier to consume more. You cannot un-consume too much, however. By starting low and going slow, you may need a couple of sessions to find the perfect dosage for you, but you’re not going to create an unpleasant experience that may keep you away from edibles for the long term.
  
  
• Remember edibles are stronger and last longer than other methods: Edibles, whether digested or absorbed sublingually or buccally (under the tongue or through the cheek) are stronger than your average flower. Plus, they hang out in the body longer too. This one-two-punch means you need to opt for a lower dosage for edibles than you may think is appropriate, and you should wait a minimum of an hour before consuming more.
  
  
• Eat a little bit first: Edibles and an empty stomach are not good bedfellows. Sure, you may feel the effects faster, but having food in your stomach will also create a more consistent experience. This means that you won’t be overpowered by your edibles, and you won’t accidentally consume too much because you’re hungry.
  
  

To preserve the potency of your edibles, we also recommend knowing how to store edibles. Check out our guide for more information.

The time it takes an edible to work depends on two important factors—how it is consumed and your endocannabinoid system. Because edibles can be absorbed through the mouth or via digestion, the time to feel the effects can vary. The THC in a lozenge will likely enter the bloodstream, thanks to the thin walls of your mouth, far faster than a brownie that needs to be swallowed, digested, processed by the liver, and then sent into the bloodstream. Once the cannabinoids are in your system, it’s all about how your endocannabinoid system interacts with them.

In general, we recommend waiting for at least an hour for edibles and as long as four hours if you’ve eaten a big meal and you’re waiting for your cookie edible to digest. Finding the right dosage may take a couple of tries, but it’s definitely worth the patience.

Your edible experience is about your body, your tolerance levels, and the intoxication level you’re looking for. Think about how much cannabis you consume already because that will help you make a determination of where you should start on the dosing chart. Once you’ve got a good idea, come in and talk to our budtenders about the edibles we have in stock. They’ll be able to help you find something you enjoy and answer any questions you have about the product.