By: Gazette Staff
Danksgiving is the annual holiday widely celebrated amongst the stoner community, and we here at the Ganja Gazette encourage you to take the year’s most glorified meal to the next level. Before legal medical marijuana and the innovation in lab testing, it was extremely difficult for a beginner to determine the potency of a home baked batch of brownies, but now-a-days we have candy bars with the THC content listed in milligrams. Legalization has made cannabis foods much safer, but it’s also introducing them to a whole new audience, many of whom have no idea what to expect. As someone who has enjoyed literally hundreds of cannabis-infused edibles, I can sympathize. Eating too much THC can be scary, even for seasoned smokers. So to put things into perspective: Eating 10 – 25 milligrams of THC will make your muscles begin to relax. Giggling and silliness are common. You will feel relaxed and cozy, and get the best “thanksgiving nap” of your life. The high can last from four to six hours, or longer with higher doses. Also note that everyone has a different metabolism,
and your weight and fitness plays a role in how your body reacts to edibles.
Colorado has put together a team of trustees to pursue new edibles regulations, aimed at avoiding accidental ingestion by children and limiting amounts that can be purchased. As the great legal cannabis experiment continues, industry and government is working together to ensure consumers are properly educated about how much THC they should be eating. To be sure you and your family are comfortably elated this Danksgiving, here are some common tips for consuming edibles safely.
1. Start Slow
Start with a low dose of 10 milligrams of THC and wait a couple hours before consuming any more. Your digestive system processes pot slowly, especially if eating a substantial meal. Once inside your liver, THC converts itself into another chemical called 11-hydroxy- THC, which is actually more potent, and explains the intensity of an edibles high.
2. Label the Infused Foods
If you’re creating your own cannabis-infused foods at home, always label items to prevent accidental ingestion. Perhaps even write how potent that particular dish is.
3. Avoid Excessive Alcohol Consumption
Mixing edibles with alcohol should only be attempted by those who have mastered both substances. Smoking a joint while crushing a beer is a completely different vibe than devouring a piece potent pumpkin pie when you’re already wasted. Keep in mind that a few glasses of Chardonnay will magnify the effects of edibles, causing nausea and dizziness, aka “the spins.”
4. Eat a Proper Meal
Edibles are much more intense when consumed on an empty stomach. Be sure to eat plenty of mashed potatoes and dressing before taking your THC dose. This is why it’s best to save all your THC for dessert, you’ll have food on your belly, and the sweet flavors will help mask the flavor of marijuana.
5. Don’t Drive.
Forget about impaired driving. You’ll either have to skip out on those early Black Friday deals, or ask your sober cousin Jason to pickup your wishlist items.
6. Keep Out of Reach of Children
This should be a no-brainer but store your edibles where they’re not accessible to children. Educate any minors about the effects of edibles and make sure they understand these substances are for adult use only.
7. Remember to be Calm
If you do happen to overindulge on pot-laden treats, remember that you will recover just fine. Retreat to a safe place where you can lay down, and most likely you will drift off to sleep. Upon waking, you will feel incredibly rested, if not a little groggy.
8. Don’t Ever Prank Someone
Never prank someone by giving them infused foods without their knowledge, as such actions are criminally irresponsible. Ingesting pot food without expecting its effects is frightening and dangerous.