Marijuana is now legal in many states as a recreational drug, there are also many states where it’s legal for medicinal purposes, with this shift in-laws, there has been a rise in marijuana-infused products on the market.
One of the most popular ways to consume weed is through edibles. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive compound found in cannabis, can have many different effects depending on which food it’s mixed into.
THC in edibles can help with pain
THC is a natural pain reliever, and consuming marijuana-infused edibles can be significantly more effective than taking painkillers, in particular, patients who suffer from chronic back or joint pain may benefit from THC in edibles.
THC and your appetite
One of the benefits of THC is that it can help with appetite, it suppresses nausea and vomiting, both of which are common side effects of chemotherapy and other types of treatments.
When THC is mixed into certain foods, it can help suppress your appetite and make food taste better here are some of the foods that are great for getting a boost in your appetite:
- Dark chocolate
- Acidic beverages like fruit juices
- Spicy foods
- Protein-rich foods
How to dose weed-infused edibles
Many people try edibles without knowing how to dose them, it’s important to know that different types of edibles have different effects and levels of THC.
Some people also don’t know how many milligrams there are in an edible, the potency of the edible varies from brand to brand and can range from 10-80 mg per serving or piece. The higher the dosage, the stronger the effects will be for you, but it may also lead to uncomfortable side effects like paranoia or anxiousness.
If you’re new to weed-infused edibles, start with a lower dosage and work your way up to find the right level for your experience level.
The difference between edibles and smoking weed
When marijuana is smoked, THC enters the bloodstream and starts to work immediately. When eaten as an edible, THC takes longer to enter the bloodstream and also lasts for a much longer period of time. That’s because when you eat cannabis, it’s metabolized by the liver before entering the bloodstream. This process means that edibles are much more potent than smoking weed.
Cannabis and cancer
Some studies have shown that THC may help kill cancer cells and slow the growth of tumors, further, a study in mice found that using cannabis reduced the risk of lung cancer by 50 percent.
Further research is needed in order to understand how exactly marijuana affects cancer cells and whether it would work as well for people with cancer.
Cannabis and autism:
There are some reports that cannabis can help people with autism, there was one study done on mice and the results showed that cannabinoid therapy can decrease repetitive behaviors in the animals.
The findings showed that cannabidiol may be a potential treatment for autism spectrum disorder, there are currently no studies conducted to see if CBD has the same effects on humans, but early results seem promising.
You should never give any form of cannabis edibles to a child without first consulting your doctor, while there have been some positive effects found when it comes to autistic children, this is only found when CBD is taken orally or with intravenous administration.
When marijuana is smoked or eaten, it can cause short-term memory impairment and anxiety in children who didn’t have those symptoms before consuming it.