“People just pick things up and say, ‘Oh, it’s a candy bar. “Nobody really reads the label,” he said. Lewis Nelson, chair of the department of emergency medicine and chief of the division of medical toxicology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. In edibles, the dosing can sometimes be counterintuitive, even in products that are regulated, said Dr. That’s because drugs absorbed through digestion take longer to enter the bloodstream compared to taking smoke into the lungs. But it can be harder to know from the outset how much to consume, since the effects are delayed.īy contrast, if you take a couple of drags on a joint - which can even come conveniently pre-rolled at some dispensaries - you will typically know quickly how high you are getting and whether you want more. It’s easier to control the dosage of THC in an edible, keeping in mind that labels on products that don’t come from licensed dispensaries might not be accurate. Whereas people typically feel the effects of smoking or vaping pretty quickly, it might take 30 minutes to an hour to feel the effects of a gummy or a brownie. With edibles - which in New Jersey’s legal dispensaries are currently limited to clinical-looking products such as lozenges and capsules - the high comes on more gradually and lasts longer. But knowing about the benefits and drawbacks of some of the options going in can make the process easier and more enjoyable. The best way to decide how you prefer to consume cannabis - or whether you like the effects at all - might just be to experiment. Gone are the days of simply choosing between rolling a joint or packing a bowl.
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Stacia Woodcock, a dispensary manager at Curaleaf, suggested a more balanced 1:1 ratio for those who are apprehensive about getting too high.Įven deciding how to consume cannabis is more complicated than it once was, since the options are now vast - from drops that can be placed under the tongue to topical creams. “Some people say a 4:1 ratio of CBD to THC really negates the potential to feel high from THC, but for novice consumers, or those nervous about feeling high, I would recommend an even higher ratio of CBD to THC, like a 10:1 ratio or 20:1 ratio.”ĭr. Elizabeth Ardillo, director of medical education at Green Thumb Industries, a legal cannabis company based in Illinois that also operates in New York and New Jersey. “Products with a higher ratio of CBD to THC may diminish the cognitive effects of THC,” said Dr. In New Jersey, labels must offer a general indication of the balance of the two chemicals, such as “Moderate CBD, Moderate THC,” or “High THC, Low CBD.” There’s evidence that CBD can help offset some of the negative effects of high levels of THC, such as paranoia. Legal products often have labels showing ratios of THC to CBD that can be used as one indicator of what to expect. While everyone’s body experiences cannabis differently - and some people discover it’s just not their thing - being armed with some basic information can make the process of experimenting a little smoother. The most common questions budtenders get from newbies are around dosing and the different ways to consume cannabis, Bayly added. He said early on after adult-use sales started, a lot of people came into the dispensaries who were not used to getting high but felt “a little more comfortable coming out and inquiring.” Some, he said, came in because they had FOMO, or fear of missing out. Others might just be trying to figure out how to get high without becoming catatonic or freaking out with anxiety - especially since contemporary cannabis strains really do tend to be stronger than what was available in decades past.ĭrew Bayly, director of operations for the Midwest at the New York-based cannabis company Columbia Care, previously worked as a sales associate at one of the company’s medical dispensaries in Illinois before overseeing the transition to recreational cannabis there.
Gradual legalization across the country has generated a wide range of products, now more accessible to those who don’t already have a regular dealer in their cellphone contacts. Some longtime smokers may be overwhelmed by the current array of items available in dispensaries or get lost when the “budtender” starts talking about the ratio of THC to CBD. With legal sales finally under way in New Jersey and on the horizon in New York, cannabis has likely piqued the interest of some residents who have either never tried it or last smoked when they had to pick the seeds out of the grass before rolling a joint on their Led Zeppelin album cover.