Many people who wouldn’t otherwise be interested in cannabis are becoming interested in it as a result of the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes in Missouri and other states. Nearly 70,000 more patients have registered with the state of Missouri since July 2021. Since there are currently over 187,000 registered patients in the state, I observe that new customers frequently want to use edibles as their main form of intake because of its discreetness and adjustable dose. Since they are so simple to incorporate into a patient’s daily routine, edibles are a great option for individuals wishing to address their medical needs.
For first-time patients researching edibles, the various milligrams and amounts can be confusing. In order to identify their true therapeutic dose and match it to their medical requirements, I usually advise patients to start edibles of any kind low and slowly. The therapeutic dose is the amount of a substance that is consumed to treat desired symptoms while not impairing the patient’s ability to function for the remainder of the day. I frequently suggest edibles to patients who experience physical aches and pains, insomnia, or who are new to the Missouri medical industry.
I always like to suggest any edibles with a THC:CBD ratio of 1:1 for beginners. The 1:1 preparations that combine CBD and THC can be quite helpful for treating pain. When both cannabinoids are present, a phenomenon known as the “entourage effect” occurs that benefits patients the most. Similar to THC, CBD has many advantages for the patient’s life but without the psychoactive side effects that make the patient feel “high.” CBD has advantages that include include reducing anxiety and pain and helping people who have trouble falling asleep. Additionally, CBD is believed to lower the intensity of the high that THC produces, giving the patient a more functional mental state and a day free from discomfort.
The 60 percent dark chocolate salted brownie batter chocolate bar, a 1:1 THC-CBD edible from Honeybee Edibles, is one of my favorite products to suggest. This chocolate bar has become one of my favorite go-tos at the dispensary since the bitter flavors from the dark chocolate are expertly matched with the sea salt granules throughout. One of Honeybee Edibles’ most unusual and distinctive features is that its chocolates and candies are divided into 5 mg pieces, as opposed to the 10 mg chunks that most edible manufacturers give to patients. This function is useful for dosing because 10 mg is typically too potent of a dosage for genuine beginners to gradually increase.
If chocolates aren’t quite your style, KC Cannabis also carries a huge selection of gummies in a range of flavors and intensities. Once more, Honeybee succeeds in this area, particularly with the gumdrops that taste like sour watermelon and passionfruit. This product, a 1:1 THC-CBD blend, provides the same relief from pain and advantages against anxiety as the chocolate bar. Taking advantage of convenience of use and controlled dosing for new patients, each gumdrop includes 5 mg of THC and CBD. The Sour Watermelon gumdrop has a flavor that is somewhat reminiscent of Sour Patch Kids with a crumbly sugar consistency that melts in your tongue.
Let’s now discuss doses! Dosing can really make or break a patient’s experience, especially for new patients, so I think it’s vital to have this conversation with patients to make sure their experience is positive. While some products do include both THC and CBD, as demonstrated above, THC is the cannabinoid where less is frequently more. The euphoric properties of cannabis are due to the molecule known as THC, which is also the one that many new patients are already somewhat familiar with. I would advise patients to begin with a 2.5 mg to 5 mg dose when starting from zero tolerance. Given that each triangle contains 5 mg of THC and/or CBD, as shown on the chocolate bar, one-half of a triangle would be equivalent to 2.5 mg. Patients can calmly ease into the experience when they start with a low dose because they know they’ve consumed a controlled amount. Additionally, patients can always change their dosage the following time they take medication if the initial experience wasn’t adequate. For instance, I could advise my patient to try 5 mg the following time if 2.5 mg wasn’t quite effective in reducing their pain levels. The fact that your body can and will adjust to your doses should be noted as well. While 2.5 mg might be the ideal daily dosage for one week, you might feel as though you need to take 5 mg the following week to get the same benefit. As your tolerance grows, this is acceptable and to be anticipated.
Even while edibles can be quite helpful, there are a few things to keep in mind before stepping into the world of edibles. Patients should be aware that the majority of doses take one to two hours to take action, and that these effects normally last 4-6 hours, while they can sometimes last up to 12 hours for some patients. Due to this characteristic, edibles are a fantastic alternative for patients who have trouble falling asleep because the effects remain long enough to keep the patient asleep through the night. It would be best to avoid consuming another piece before the initial dose has fully taken effect because doing so could make the user feel uncomfortable. Here, patience is crucial. Knowing how to persevere is a useful skill in the event that you do consume too many edibles, which most budtenders have experienced. Personally, I find that viewing my favorite films, calling a friend, or even inhaling the scent of freshly ground pepper work well in this situation. Having pure CBD products on hand is also helpful because, by reducing the euphoric effects of THC in the body, a dose of CBD can help the patient return to a more tolerable high. The purpose of warning the patient about these negative effects is never to discourage them from experimenting with a new consuming method, but rather to further educate and gear them up for any situation they might encounter when using cannabis.
As more and more Missourians learn about the advantages of cannabis, it’s critical that we provide these new users with the knowledge they need to succeed. For anyone stepping into the cannabis realm, especially for those who have never used cannabis before and want to see if it would be useful for them, I would strongly advise edibles. Reduced anxiety, reduced inflammation, and improved rest are a few possible advantages. No matter how accustomed you grow to edibles, you should continue to dose throughout your adventures with the idea of going low and slow. Edibles can be a fantastic complement to any medical patient’s daily routine, regardless of whether you’re a novice starting with 5 mg or an experienced veteran purchasing high dosage gummies. Stay stoned, Missouri, and stop by one of our four Kansas City Cannabis shops to check out our collection of edibles!
