Edible Marijuana

We know it by many names throughout history; Ganja, Mota, Herb, Maryjane, Giggle Bush, and so many more. No matter what you like to call it, marijuana is making a comeback. Legal for millennia around the world, it was the backbone of this country and a main crop for our founding fathers. Many cultures consume cannabis for religious and spiritual reasons and are allowed to do so by one government or another. Most people that know anything about cannabis have seen it as something you primarily smoke. However, there are other ways to indulge in the giggle bush. One of the more popular methods of cannabis consumption is to eat it.

The Difference Between Eating and Smoking Marijuana

Eating marijuana is completely different that smoking the dried flowers. With smoking, the THC-A is converted to THC by the heat where it is then passed from the lungs to the bloodstream. The consumer can mostly regulate how much they partake in due to the quick response from the body. There is a whole different process that happens when you eat marijuana. Now the first thing to know and remember is that you do not want to just start shoveling cannabis flowers into your mouth and swallow. There is a process that is required to get the most bang out of your product.

The Process

The first thing to do when planning to consume edible cannabis is a process called decarboxylation. This is where we will use heat to turn all the inactive THC-A in the cannabis to THC in its active form. To do this is a simple matter of baking the cannabis in the oven at a low temp of around 225* for about 30 minutes or so. After decarboxylation the cannabis is ready to be baked into some brownies as is, or an extract can be made from the flower which can then be used for cooking anything.

How To Decarboxylate Marijuana

The Effects of Edible Marijuana

Consuming the edibles is a whole different ballgame than smoking cannabis. The effects are somewhat more intense and produce a much stronger body high. It is often said that consuming edible cannabis is closer to a psychedelic experience with strong euphoric feelings. This is due to the fact that when consumed in edibles THC is transformed in the liver into 11-Hydroxy-THC which is slightly more potent in its effects. Due to the liver processing the THC the effects of cannabis when consumed orally take a while to take effect. While smoking produces virtually instant effects, edibles can take 30 minutes to 2 hours to kick in.

Edible marijuana products are a completely different high but still produce the relief from pain, inflammation, and headache that many people need. Since the effects are much different than that of smoking it is recommended that even a veteran smoker should take it easy with the edibles. Start off with a small dose and give it a while to kick in. If needed consume a small amount more after an hour or two. However you decide to enjoy a cannabis edible, do so in a safe environment.