Woman eating CBD gummy

THC Gummies for Beginners

Key Takeaways

  • THC gummies are a great way for beginners to try cannabis, but dosing and timing is critical to a having good experience.
  • An ideal first dose for a beginner is 2.5-5mg THC.
  • Wait 2 hours before taking another dose. I know it’s hard to wait! But too much will make you too high and it won’t be fun. Start low, and go slow.

THC edibles, typically in the form of gummies or chocolate, are a tasty and convenient way to experience long-lasting benefits of THC.

They’re great to use in cases when smoking or tinctures aren’t practical, like a long hike with friends, or an anxiety-inducing social situation.

But they are also a great way to get waaaaaay too high and swear off THC for the rest of your life. DON’T BE THAT GUY.

In this post, I am going to walk you through everything you need to know to use THC edibles like a champ, and avoid rookie mistakes.

Step 1: Think About Your Set and Setting

“Set and Setting” refers to your mindset (“set”) and your physical setting (“setting”), and is the critical threshold consideration when taking THC edibles. 

Set and Setting means that before consuming a THC edible, you need to ask yourself: 

  • Is this really a good time? 
  • Am I in a good state of mind?
  • Am I in a safe space with people I trust?
  • Do I have to operate heavy machinery [or more likely, drive home] later? 

Because THC edibles can take up to 2 hours to kick in and can last 4-6 hours, you have to consider your timing carefully.

If either set or setting is not happening for you, wait until the right time. You’ll be glad you did. 

This concept is especially important for beginners who are getting accustomed to what it feels like to be on a THC edible. 

If you decide your set and setting are both good, continue to Step 2.

Hand holding pink cannabis edibles gummies

Step 2: Start Low and Go Slow

“Start low and go slow,” is the universal mantra of THC edibles.

Have you heard this phrase and, being the responsible citizen you are, duly abided by it, and had an extremely measured, reasonable edibles experience? 

Or have you heard this phrase, tried to adhere for an hour or so, and then got frustrated, said “eff it, nothing’s happening,” gobbled down a few more gummies, and within a few hours found yourself flying above the treetops? 

Whether you’ve learned the truth of this phrase the easy way or the hard way, there’s a reason this is the mantra. Let’s break it down.

  • “Start low” means start with a very low dose of edibles since you don’t know how it is going to affect you.
  • Go slow” means that you need to wait until you feel that edible before you take more.

How to Dose THC Gummies

A reasonable starting dose for THC gummies is 2.5-5mg.

BUT, most THC gummies come in 10mg pieces. That does not make it a serving size!

  • If you have a 10mg piece, cut it into 4 equal 2.5mg pieces and just take one to start.  
  • If you don’t know how much THC is in the gummy you have, or don’t trust it for some other reason, don’t eat it. (e.g. Cousin Ricky just handed it to you and said “it’ll get you f’ed up” and winked).
  • Wait until you feel it to take more. That may be 30 minutes, it may be 2 hours.

Believe me, it’s going to take all of your grown-up willpower to be that patient. You’re going to be straining to tell whether you can feel it, you’re going to want to be giggling right now, but just wait. 

The #1 Rookie Mistake to Avoid with Edibles

Getting impatient while you wait for your first dose to kick in, and taking a second dose is THE NUMBER ONE rookie mistake beginners make when taking edibles for the first time.

If you don’t know how one dose is going to affect you, and then you take another, now you’ve got TWO doses going in your system.

Believe me, you will eventually feel BOTH of them, and it most likely will not feel good. You may feel paranoid, nauseous, or just plain weird. Then you’ll say, “Edibles aren’t for me, they made me way too high,” and swear off of them for life, when they could have actually helped you if you would have just taken the right amount.

Have you heard the phrase from 1500s philosopher Paracelsus, “the dose makes the poison”? It means that every substance can either be helpful or harmful, depending on how much you take.

So please please pleeeease follow my advice: don’t act like the rest of those rookies. Take one dose and wait until you actually feel it before taking more.

The Science of THC Gummies

Many people say edibles hit them harder and just feel different than smoking or vaping cannabis. Why is that? 

Here’s the science: When you smoke or vape THC, it’s immediately absorbed into your bloodstream, which is why you can feel it right away.

In contrast, when you eat THC in edible form, it has to travel all the way through your digestive system, and then be broken down by your liver before you can feel it. That is why edibles take much longer to take effect than smoking or vaping.

Woman holding abdomen

It’s also much more dependent on the individual; how much you’ve eaten that day, your personal metabolism speed, and whether you’re walking or sitting, can all affect how long it takes you to digest a THC edible. 

Then, once the THC finally makes it through and hits your liver, it is metabolized from the version you’ve ingested, the fat-soluble Delta 9-THC, into a much smaller, water-soluble version called 11-hydroxy-THC. 

Because 11-hydroxy-THC is so much smaller, more of it can enter your system. That’s why it feels like it packs a much larger punch.  

Read UP

To learn more about how to use THC gummies, check out my articles:

What to Do if You Get Too High

Woman hiding face

So what to do if you have ignored the mantra? Instead of “start low and go slow,” you started big and went fast? 

There are a few ways to come back down. 

  • First, don’t panic. You cannot die from too much THC (this is because there are not many endocannabinoid receptors in the parts of your brain that control breathing and heart rate).
  • Take CBD to counteract the THC. Try smoking CBD flower or dropping CBD oil under your tongue, those methods work most quickly.
  • Chew peppercorns or drink lemon juice, which may also work to counteract THC.
  • Ride it out. You will come down eventually. Sometimes the best thing to do is accept your fate and just tuck yourself in, watch a movie, and try to sleep.
  • Write it down! Once you’re back on earth, write about this experience so you don’t repeat it. Write down what product you took, what dose, at what time, when it kicked in, how long it lasted, and how it made you feel. That way next time you can be sure to adjust all of the factors you need to.
READ UP

To learn more about using tracking your cannabis experience to discover what works best for you, check out my article, “Take Control of Your Cannabis Journey with a Strain Journal.”

For more detail on how THC works with your body, check out my article, “Why Does Cannabis Work? Introducing Your Endocannabinoid System.”

FAQs

Answers to your most burning questions about THC gummies.

It depends on the person, but it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours for edibles to kick it due to the digestion process.

Start with a low dose of 2.5 to 5 mg of THC, especially if you’re a beginners, and wait 2 hours before taking more (“Start low and go slow”).

It would take thousands of mgs of THC to actually overdose, so practically speaking, no. That said, taking too much can make you feel very bad, so stick with a 2mg-5mg dose to start.

THC edibles typically create a longer, more intense high than smoking or vaping. You may feel relaxation, euphoria, and a shift in perception. The effects can last 2-5 hours.

Yes. THC edibles contain THC, which can show up in urine tests, blood tests, and hair follicle tests, sometimes for weeks after consumption.

With some experience, yes, but I don’t recommend it as a beginner. THC and alcohol are both powerful substances. You need to master how each one makes you feel before combining them.

TLDR

Start with a 2.5 – 5 mg edible.
Wait 2 hours before taking more.
If you get too high, take CBD.
Kate Lily
Certified Cannabis Educator

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