Why Don’t I Get High From Edibles?
Cant Get High From Edibles
How Do Marijuana Edibles Work?
When you consume marijuana edibles, the THC works on your body in a much different way than if you smoked marijuana flower or a vape. This can lead to confusion for some people who get high when they smoke a joint, but don’t feel a thing when they eat an edible.
Marijuana edibles are processed in the liver where Delta-9 THC is converted into 11-hydroxy-THC. 11-hydroxy-THC is more potent than regular THC and longer lasting. This is why the high from marijuana edibles can feel heavier than if you smoked marijuana.
Common Reasons Why Some People Cant Get High From Edibles
There are more people than you may think who cant get high from edibles. It is said that about 1 in 10 people do not experience a high when consuming marijuana edibles. Although we do not fully understand why this happens, below is a list of reasons that could be causing the issue. Let’s take a closer look on the reasons why some people cant get high from edibles.
Edibles Take Longer to Work
This may seem obvious to more experienced users, but could be new information for some people. Edibles take much longer to work than smoking does! The effects felt from smoking happen pretty much instantaneously. Edibles usually take at least 30 minutes to kick in. They could take as long as 3 hours.
This is why we strongly urge people to wait at least 3 hours before taking another dose of edibles. The common mistake people make is taking a 2nd dose before the 1st dose starts working and now they have taken too high of a dose and may feel uncomfortable. The key takeaway here is: BE PATIENT.
Dose is Too Low
Dosing can be tricky with edibles. Most people find that 10 mg THC edibles are sufficient for a pleasant high. Others make due with less than 5 mg. Then there are the people who can have upwards of 100 mg and still only feel a light buzz. To find the dose that is perfect for you, we suggest starting low and building up slowly over time.
This means starting with about a 5 mg edible and waiting at least 3 hours to see how you feel. If that was enjoyable, but you would like a stronger high, jump up to 10 mg. Again, wait at least 3 hours before taking another dose. Continue slowly raising the dose until you find your sweet spot.
Tolerance
When THC enters your system on a consistent basis, your body develops a tolerance to it. This means you need more and more THC to feel the same effects you felt when you first began using marijuana. If you find that an edible is not producing as strong of effects as you would like, you may just have a high tolerance. A higher dose could be better for you. We always suggest not to jump up to a much higher dose right away. Instead, slowly increase your dose over time.
Quality of the Edible
Not all cannabis products are created equal! If you are purchasing your edibles from “your guy: or from a gas station, chances are the labels are inaccurate and you are not getting what you paid for. It is always best to purchase cannabis products from verified retailers with accurate lab-testing practices (like Thrive Flower 🙂).
Digestive & Metabolic Issues
Conditions like IBS could affect how an edible is processed in your body. The THC may pass through your system too quickly for it to take effect. Certain metabolic enzyme differences can also change the effectiveness of edibles. One specific enzyme, CYP2C9, directly plays an important role in how efficiently your body metabolizes THC. Too much or too little of this enzyme can make your edibles less effective. Think of it like lactose-intolerance but for THC.
What Can I Do Instead of Edibles?
So what can you do if you cant get high from edibles? The first solution that comes to mind is just smoking some weed. Of course, many people choose edibles because they want to avoid the unhealthy habit of smoking. So what should you do if edibles don’t work and you don’t want to smoke? In this case, we would suggest trying sublingual products like THC tinctures.
THC tinctures are oil drops that are placed under your tongue and absorbed through the mucus membrane directly into the bloodstream. Sublingual products like this bypass the liver and digestive system so any problems with the digestive system or metabolic issues can be avoided.
Summary: Cant Get High From Edibles
Marijuana edibles are processed through the liver by converting Delta-9 THC into 11-hydroxy-THC. This type of THC is both more potent and longer-lasting which is why edibles have a heavier effect than smoking. People with digestive conditions like IBS can have trouble processing edibles effectively. Metabolic differences (like the enzyme CYP2C9) can also play a role in edible effectiveness. This is kind of like lactose-intolerance for THC. The simpler explanations for a lack of effectiveness when consuming edibles include too low of a dose, a higher tolerance, or a bad quality product.
