Are Medical Marijuana Edibles Right for You?

Now that medical marijuana is legal in all forms in Canada, you might be looking for alternatives to smoking. Edibles are a popular substitute for many patients. They consist of baked goods, other foods, and even drinks that are made with cannabis-infused ingredients, like canna-butter. You could get your treatment in the form of brownies, pizza, guacamole, vegetable medleys, cake, chocolate bars, gummies, and even tea. Although they provide a lot of advantages, edibles offer a very different experience than smoking medical marijuana and they are also more potent. Therefore, this alternative form of treatment isn’t for everyone. Keep reading to find out if you should try out edibles.

Is Smoking Difficult for You?

Smoking isn’t for everyone. If you have asthma, emphysema, lung cancer, or other lung or throat problems, you probably do not want to—or physically can not—smoke your medical marijuana prescription. This might even prevent you from getting a prescription altogether. Some patients also falsely believe that smoking medical marijuana will lead to significant lung damage and do not want to risk potential health issues for their treatment. But now that edibles are legal, you can benefit from medical cannabis treatment without being required to smoke your treatment, which is ideal in many cases where smoking just isn’t possible or is too risky.

What Type of Symptoms Do You Have?

Smoking medical marijuana offers you more of a head high, but edibles offer more of a body buzz. The cooking process, the higher level of THC and CBD, and the distribution method come together to create the perfect treatment option for patients who are suffering from symptoms that are more body-focused. Those with muscle inflammation, spasms, chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, nervous system disorders, nausea, Crohn’s disease, or insomnia will see the best results with edibles.

Would You Prefer a More Convenient Treatment Option?

Edibles are great because of how convenient they are. You can pop some cannabis-infused sour gummies in your mouth just about anywhere, anytime. You can ingest your treatment at home without worrying about the bad smell lingering and you can eat edibles in no-smoking zones and in public. If you’re looking for a treatment option that’s just as easy and convenient as popping a pill, then medical marijuana edibles might be right for you.

Do You Have a Low Tolerance?

The biggest drawback to medical marijuana edibles is the fact that they are much more potent. The THC is absorbed through your GI tract rather than your bloodstream, so it takes longer for the effects to hit, but once they do, they are far more powerful and last longer. Edibles aren’t for the faint of heart, that’s for sure. Getting the dosage right is key. You have to start out very slowly and be patient. If you don’t feel any effects in an hour, you shouldn’t eat two more brownies—or you’ll feel the symptoms of an overdose—you might get paranoid, have difficulty breathing, and get delirious, among other things.

Even if you have a high tolerance for smoking marijuana doesn’t mean you can eat a bunch of edibles and be fine. If you’re going to try out edibles, be safe and responsible—don’t go overboard. If you think you can’t handle the potency and powerful effects, then medical marijuana edibles probably aren’t right for you.

Do You Have Kids or Animals in the Home? Though you might think that eating edibles is the best option if you have kids and animals in the home because it eliminates the nasty smell of weed and doesn’t require you to smoke a substance around these vulnerable people and animals, it could actually be more dangerous. If you do not live alone, it’s important to be diligent with your edibles. Never leave them on the counter or in reach of children and animals.