Weed edibles

Here’s what you need to know before you try ingestible cannabis products.

- SARAH JACOBY

The world of weed edibles is vast – and continues to grow. There are gummies, brownies, biscuits, sweets, mints, drinks, capsules, dissolvable tablets, and more. Exploring all these options can be a fun adventure, but edibles can also be intimidating because their effects last much longer than when you inhale cannabis. And once you ingest them, there’s no turning back. So here’s what you need to know before you try it.

01 What are they?

Edibles are touted as a way to have fun but also manage some health conditions, particularly pain and sleep issues. Some research suggests they can be helpful. There’s strong evidence that cannabis can help reduce chronic pain symptoms and moderate evidence that it can help alleviate short-term sleep issues associated with some health conditions, according to a comprehensive 2017 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) in the US. But those findings don’t address ingestible cannabis specifically or individual products on the market now.

It’s crucial to be mindful and intentional about where you spend your money on cannabis products, prioritizing diverse-owned dispensaries and products wherever possible. But without much guidance, the consumer is left to make choices about which products to use on their own. Although that trial-and-error process can be intimidating, it can also be fun.

Here are some expert-backed tips about how to try weed edibles in a way that’s as safe and (hopefully) enjoyable as possible.

02 Are they right for you?