The war on drugs may be over, but a cannabis revolution is spreading throughout the United States. Following the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado and Washington State in 2012, 16 more states and the District of Columbia have followed suit. According to ProCon.org and O.Berk, THC (marijuana’s active element) is permitted for medicinal use in 17 states that do not allow the sale of recreational marijuana. Since this is a post for American readers, you’re probably familiar with legal, mind-altering marijuana.
Many people think of “being baked” as a result of either consuming marijuana or making pot brownies in a conventional oven. It’s true that Snoop Dogg would want to tweak Martha Stewart’s brownie recipe, but there’s a whole other world of marijuana sweets out there (via MarthaStewart.com).
According to the Washington Post, eating marijuana is becoming a more popular way to consume the drug. Marijuana edibles have been labeled a 2018 culinary trend by the Specialty Food Association. Edibles are the third most popular kind of cannabis product, after smoking and vaping.
There are particular hazards associated with eating edibles. The effects of edibles may take up to an hour or more to kick in, so some individuals may increase their dosage since they aren’t experiencing any immediate effects (via Lifehacker). According to a psychiatrist who spoke to The New York Times, this may lead to a “psychotic episode,” which is a high that’s greater than expected.
Marijuana edibles are legal where?
Lists like this one might assist you if you’re considering trying marijuana edibles but want to remain legal. By the year 2021, recreational marijuana will be legal in 18 states, starting with Colorado and moving up in order of legalization (according to U.S. News & World Report). Washington, Alaska, Oregon, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Michigan, Vermont, Illinois, Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, New Mexico, and Connecticut are among these states.In Guam or the District of Columbia, you’re OK.
According to ProCon.org and O.Berk, Hawaii, Utah, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island allow medicinal marijuana but not recreational use.
As a rule of thumb, these lists should not be interpreted as simple “yes” or “no.” In Maryland, where medicinal marijuana is legal, edibles aren’t authorized at all. According to the Washington Post, North Dakota has a similar prohibition on edibles, while only pills, oils, tinctures, and other liquids are legal in Pennsylvania. Marijuana usage is subject to the same rules as driving under the influence of alcohol. Consult your state’s laws on cannabis and edibles to be sure you’re in compliance.
Do you know what food is utilized to manufacture edible products?
Edible marijuana from the store won’t blow anybody away, at least not with their culinary finesse. The majority of them consist of prepackaged snacks and sweets. Cookies, brownies, lollipops, chocolates, and gummies may all be found in this section (via Denver Health). In certain stores, according to Verilife, you may buy THC-infused mints and hard candies similar to Altoid. Cannabis shops provide cooking oils laced with THC for individuals who want to amp up the flavor in their own kitchens. Bison jerky, which is more savory than sweet, may be found for those who enjoy it (via Lifehacker).
In addition to ingesting THC-infused drinks, tinctures, and dissolving strips similar to mouthwash products, a second Verilife site states that sublingual ingesting of THC may cause a distinct impact. Sublingual THC, or dosages intended to be absorbed beneath the tongue, starts working quicker (approximately 15 minutes instead of the customary 60-90 minutes) and isn’t as potent as edible THC.
According to District Edibles, a single-serving edible contains 10 milligrams of THC in many states, including California and Colorado. After two hours, if you aren’t experiencing a psychoactive impact, you may increase your initial dosage to 10 mg. In certain areas, District Edibles’ dosage scale reaches as high as 100 milligrams, or 10 candies. Only those with a strong tolerance for THC should take this amount, which might cause heart palpitations and nausea.
The effects of eating too many marijuana-infused foods are unclear.
Maureen Dowd, a New York Times writer, became renowned in 2014 when she wrote about her terrifying first encounter with a marijuana edible. In the early days of legal marijuana in Colorado, Dowd was doing what any intrepid journalist would do: reporting from the front lines of a new phenomenon. Dowd didn’t have a good experience. The THC chocolate bar was too much for a novice, and the minimal instructions on the box didn’t make it obvious. She ate just a tiny amount of it. Afraid of being detained by the hotel room service man, she snuggled up in her hotel room bed and fell asleep. One story Dowd recounted was of a husband and father of three who became so paranoid that he shot and murdered his wife as a result of using excessive amounts of THC. Because of his unpredictable behavior, the 911 operator was on the phone with her.
The standard reaction from cannabis proponents to these instances is that folks who aren’t familiar with edibles should start by reading the label. The safest way to begin is with a 2.5 mg dosage (via The Atlantic). The New York Times reports that just 17% of edibles examined were appropriately dosed in a 2015 examination of label accuracy. A few contained more THC than specified on the label, but most were lower in THC.
What are the potential advantages and disadvantages of ingestibles from a health perspective?
According to The Wall Street Journal, therapists say that their patients are increasingly substituting THC-containing products for antidepressant drugs to alleviate symptoms of anxiety, despair, and sleeplessness. Despite this, there is conflicting and incomplete data on marijuana’s usefulness as a therapy for mental diseases. A 2019 statement from the American Mental Association said that marijuana may cause more psychiatric damage than benefit, despite certain research showing that it can alleviate anxiety and sleeplessness. The medicine has been shown to be effective in treating seizures, weight loss in AIDS patients, and nausea in cancer patients, and has been approved by the federal government for these applications.
Marijuana smoking has been connected to many forms of cancer and respiratory system inflammation, but edibles have not been demonstrated to damage the lungs or raise the risk of cancer (via Healthline).
According to research published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine in the year 2020, foods are harmful because they are unexpected. It’s impossible to predict how much THC someone will have in their system after ingesting it. The journal study said that since THC’s euphoric effects take longer to kick in when ingested, users may overconsume it, which may lead to health concerns. Heart attacks seem to be linked to the use of edible marijuana.
According to The Atlantic, edibles may be more powerful than smoked marijuana. When you ingest marijuana, your liver creates 11-hydroxy THC, which is more powerful than delta-9 THC, which enters the brain when you smoke it.
What happens if a dog or a kid accidentally eats something edible?
The final conclusion is that informed individuals should be able to properly use edibles, despite all of the horror tales connected with overconsumption. For children and pets, however, this is not the case. Just one state, Colorado, has seen an elevenfold rise in the number of incidents of canine intoxication since the state legalized marijuana in 2012. There are a number of reasons why dogs find their owners’ stashes in the home, or why they scavenge abandoned food when out for a stroll. They seem gloomy and shaky on their feet while they’re high on marijuana. If you feel your dog has been poisoned by cannabis, you should immediately call your veterinarian.
The legalization of marijuana has also resulted in a dramatic spike in the number of youngsters who end up in the ER after consuming THC-laced sweets that seemed to be normal candies (via The Washington Post). Packaging for edibles like Stoner Patch Dummies and Reefers Cup was inspired by real-life candy brands. In recent years, the packaging has been updated to be child-resistant and more clearly state that the product contains THC.
Despite the fact that even a big dose of THC is not lethal to a dog or a small kid, swallowing cleaning chemicals or other home hazards is considerably more common, resulting in significantly more visits to the emergency department. As long as you keep your foodstuffs out of the reach of youngsters and dogs, common sense should prevail.
