Patient Education ► Patient Education ~
Cannabis Edibles— Risks and Rewards
“ Grandma needs it, but she’ s not about to smoke it.” by Peter Kershaw, contributing writer
Cannabis-infused edibles( Δ9-THC) have become wildly popular. The so-called“ edibles” market is massive and continues growing every year. In 2024, U. S. cannabis edible sales had an estimated value of $ 4.48 billion, representing 14 % of total cannabis sales. 1 Why do consumers choose edibles over the more common ingestion methods of smoking and vaping? For one thing, there’ s the associated stigma, particularly for the elderly:“ Grandma needs it, but she’ s not about to smoke it.” Aside from the lack of stigma, there are other practical benefits to edibles over smoking and vaping, including:
● No respiratory or lung irritation
● Longer-lasting effects, relief for 4-8 hours, residual benefits up to 12-24 hours
● Discreet odor-free consumption
● Convenience, no equipment needed
● Potential for more precise dosing( but only when infused from isolate / distillate)
Cannabis-infused edibles are readily available at most Missouri licensed dispensaries and the only place you should buy them! They’ re available in a wide variety of forms, including candies( e. g., gummies, chocolates, caramels, lollipops, mints, lozenges), beverages( e. g., sodas, seltzers, teas, coffee, energy drinks), baked goods( e. g., brownies, cookies, cakes, muffins), and infused cooking ingredients( e. g., syrups, butters, oils).
These, and several other forms( tinctures, oils, capsules, and pills), are legal in Missouri, provided they meet several other criteria, most notably that packaging and products cannot appeal to minors, or mimic and violate trademarks of non-cannabis commercial products( i. e.,“ knockoffs”). In other words, adult-use products shouldn’ t appeal to kids. Unfortunately, many other states have not been so well regulated in this regard, and children have indeed suffered for it, accidentally consuming their parents’ edibles thinking they were just candy. 2
A 2023 CNN article noted,“ There were more than 7,040 exposures to edible cannabis in kids under 6 between 2017 and 2021, according to an analysis of records from the National Poison Data System, a central repository for data from America’ s Poison Centers.” 3 The use of the term“ exposures” almost always means hospital emergency room visits for what is known as“ acute cannabis intoxication / poisoning.” Because of the 1,375 % spike in recent years of emergency hospital child admissions due to cannabis overdose events, pediatricians have been calling for national standards and enforcement in edible packaging. 4
Incidents
of acute cannabis poisoning are also on the rise in adults. 5 Potentially of greatest concern is the spike in incidents of acute cannabis poisoning in the elderly( 65 +). 6 But whether it be children, teens, adults, or the elderly, fatalities are virtually nonexistent from edibles alone. That’ s not to say, though, that overdosing on edibles is inconsequential. Too many have falsely assumed that because edibles are sold in candy form in colorful candy packaging, they’ re benign as candy. That lack of respect gets people into trouble. It’ s not uncommon to hear someone who could really benefit medically from cannabis say,“ Marijuana isn’ t for me. Tried it. Hated it.” When asked,“ Was your bad experience from edibles?” Invariably, the answer is yes.“ How did it make you feel?” They’ ll likely describe one or more of these common symptoms of cannabis overdose:
● Tachycardia( elevated heart rate)
● Panic
● Paranoia
● Confusion
● Nausea, vomiting
●“ Couch lock”
● Hallucinations( in extreme cases)
Patience – Key to Avoiding an Unpleasant Experience
Unlike other forms of cannabis ingestion( vaping, smoking, etc.), oral consumption of cannabis requires considerable time before the effects are felt. For most people, it takes around 60 minutes. Some may require 90 to 120 minutes, with peak effects not being felt for 180 minutes. It takes that long because the digestive tract must first break down the edible, process it through the liver(“ first-pass metabolism”), and then transfer the cannabinoids into the bloodstream.
The most common mistake newbies make happens due to impatience. They chew a gummy, and 15 minutes later, they’ re not feeling anything, so they chew another. Another 15 minutes pass, and they’ re still not feeling it, so they chew another, and so on. At 60 minutes, they’ re starting to feel it. By 120 minutes, they’ re feeling the effects intensely— too intense for comfort. By 180 minutes, the THC is hitting way too hard, and they start to panic.
Titration
“ Titrate” means to“ measure and adjust the balance of a physiological function or drug dosage.” Getting the dose right requires experimentation. Differences in physiology mean that what works as a proper dose for one patient may prove too much or too little for the next. Contributing factors may include sex, age, diet, and tolerance. With smoking and vaping, titration is easy because the effects can be felt within a few minutes. Edibles are more challenging and require considerable patience.
11-Hydroxy-THC and Why It Can Make Getting the Right Dose Challenging
When cannabis is consumed orally, only 4-20 % of the cannabinoids become bioavailable vs. 31-56 % when smoked. Even though it’ s less bioavailable, some people experience the“ high” from edibles
18 March 2026