Whether you’re used to hearing them referred to as “magic,” “special,” “goodies,” or “edibles,” cannabis-infused food products are not new to anybody. We’ve all grown up hearing about them and maybe even experiencing them in a variety of forms. But luckily, in 2023, cannabis edibles are better than ever before, with a myriad of tastes, strengths, styles, and ingredients readily available for us all. And it’s not just brownies anymore—today, you can find cannabis edibles in the form of drinks, candies, edible gummies, artisan chocolates, cakes and cookies, ice cream, oil, butter, mints, capsules, tea, and even gum.

States like California, Colorado, Washington, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Missouri, and more are making delicious artisanal treats and ingestible creations in the form of THC edibles and we are here for it.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the most popular cannabinoid compounds in the cannabis plant, but there are more than 100 different cannabinoids present in the cannabis plant and they all do different things (some more powerful than others) to our bodies, as they interact with our own endocannabinoid system (ECS).

Once ingested, the cannabinoids in cannabis, like the major compounds THC and CBD, bind to our CB1 and CB2 receptors (within in our ECS) and can help your body and your ECS get back to a healthy homeostasis. This is what gives you the expected feelings of euphoria, relaxation, and a variety of other benefits depending on what ails you and what kind of cannabinoids you ingest.

As a general rule, the higher the milligram of THC in an edible, the higher you get.

A key point; you shouldn’t just eat raw cannabis—you can juice it to get the healthy benefits of non-THC cannabinoids, iron, fiber, vitamin B, and Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids—but in order to get the heavy THC and CBD benefits, you need to put it through decarboxylation to become activated. This is achieved by heating it up (hence smoking, vaping, cooking, etc.). So don’t go around eating cannabis flowers thinking you’re going to get high.

It may also interest you to know that some experts believe in a theory called clinical endocannabinoid deficiency (CECD) that basically suggests that low endocannabinoid levels in your body or ECS dysfunction may contribute to the development of certain conditions like migraines, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Infused edibles are used by many people to treat specific ailments like anxiety, muscle spasms, seizures, and chronic pain. Others like using cannabis edibles to experience the same delightful, relaxing, and euphoric feelings of cannabis in a more discreet, tastier, and healthier way than smoking or vaping.

Most people are familiar with cannabis providing the feeling of euphoria (or high) and relaxation. That’s THC doing its job—and sometimes, THC is really all you need. But CBD can really bring it home—CBD has anti-anxiety effects, sleep-inducing effects, pain relief, anti-spasmatic effects, anti-inflammatory effects, and anti-seizure effects. When these two compounds team up, there is no better medicine. THC and CBD empower each other and when the whole plant is used in creating edibles (not just isolated cannabinoid compounds), the effects are more potent and more effective at treating what ails you—whatever that may be.

A lot of patients struggling with arthritis, cancer pain, fibromyalgia, and neuropathic pain utilize CBD as a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory agent.

Side effects are few and far between, but something to be aware of when ingesting edibles. Research shows that long-term cannabis use can hinder brain development, memory, and cognition, heart health and can add additional psychiatric health concerns. In adolescents, it can increase the risk of schizophrenia as well as learning and brain development.

In addition to of some of those side effects, you may wonder what happens when you eat too many hybrid gummy edibles or your pet or child accidentally ingests a Sativa edible. Well, the good news is that, unlike other medications, you cannot truly overdose on cannabis. You can take too much to be comfortable though, and that can make you paranoid, nauseous, anxious, and can even impair your mobility—it’s not fun, trust us.

That’s why it is extremely important to start small and know your dosage. Edibles take a much longer time to kick in than smoking or vaping (as long as 1-3 hours) and may last for 6-8 hours depending on personal variables and how much THC was in the edible—that can be a blessing for some and a curse for others (IYKYK).

If your pet or child accidentally ingests any cannabis product, you should contact a medical professional right away. But it helps to know that no one will die from a cannabis overdose.

Additionally, if you take other medications, it is important to consult with your doctor about the possible interactions that they might have with cannabis. Some psychiatric medications may not work as well if you are using cannabis, and blood thinners may also have a negative interaction with cannabis.

Unlike smoking and vaping, eating edibles doesn’t negatively affect lung health or pose any kind of cancer risk.— For most people, eating a sweet treat or drinking a little canna shot at the end of the day is an easy and enjoyable way to treat what ails you, with very little risk involved. More and more states are legalizing medical and/or recreational cannabis, and polls consistently show most healthcare professionals believe that cannabis should be a medical option for patients.