Here’s everything you need to know about edibles

The information provided on the show is for general information purposes only. If you have a health problem, medical emergency, or a general health question, you should contact a physician or other qualified health care provider for consultation, diagnosis and/or treatment. Under no circumstances should you attempt self-diagnosis or treatment based on anything you have seen on the show.Last month, the federal government rolled out edible cannabis products at various retailers across the country, making pot-based chocolates, gummies and beverages available in-store. Now that edibles are starting to hit the shelves in provinces across Canada, we’re taking a closer look at how they work.Dr. Yoni Freedhoff visited The Social tell us everything we need to know about the consumption of edibles, including health effects, how much to eat, and how to talk to your kids about them.

WHAT ARE EDIBLES?

Edibles are food products, often baked goods, gummies, or chocolates, that have been infused with cannabis extracts or concentrates and contain varying amounts of cannabinoids. We’re primarily talking about THC and CBD, but there are over 70 known phytocannabinoids.THC stands for tetrahydrocannabinol, and it’s a cannabinoid found in varying amounts in different marijuana strains. It’s responsible for the psychoactive effect of marijuana.  CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it’s the non-psychoactive cannabinoid. It may reduce seizure frequency in those with seizures and it may also help with the symptoms of anxiety.

IMPACT ON YOUR BODY

Ingesting edibles is effects for your body differently - when you smoke or vape cannabis products, the cannabinoids head straight into your bloodstream. This means that you feel their effects within minutes, and it allows you to more closely monitor how high you’re feeling and in turn, how much you take. However, edibles need to be metabolized by your liver first in order to reach your bloodstream. This takes time: often up to an hour, and sometimes up to four hours.So, with edibles you don’t really know if you’ve had too much or too little for a while. This may lead you to end up taking more than you need or want, thinking you didn’t take enough, when really you just didn’t give it enough time for the effects to become noticeable.

HEALTH EFFECTS

There are potential side effects of ingesting cannabis-infused foods, largely the same as those you’d see with smoking or vaping. This includes impairment, dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue, dry mouth, nausea, anxiety, and cognitive changes. But unlike alcohol, high doses of marijuana aren’t directly fatal.If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, no amount of cannabis is safe to use.

HOW MUCH TO EAT

With edibles, it’s advised to start low and go slow – it may take hours for the full effects to be felt, and there’s no turning back once you’ve swallowed. Be especially cautious with homemade edibles as you don’t know the exact size of the dose you’re getting. Even if you’ve purchased edibles and are more confident about how much they actually contain, it’s still recommended to start slowly.Either way, it’s best to start with a very small amount and wait at least two hours before deciding to consume more – especially if it’s your first time with a particular product and as noted, doubly so if it’s homemade. For example, start with a low level of THC like 2.5mg or less. Take your time to understand how your body reacts!Remember, smaller amounts of THC may have greater effects when consumed, and those effects may last much longer. The intensity and longevity of the effects produced by edible cannabis products is dependent upon on many factors, including weight, sex, amount of food ingested prior to consumption and metabolic rate.

EQUAL DOSAGES

You can’t ever really know is cannabis properties are evenly distributed through pieces of a product, particularly if they’re homemade. Products purchased from provincial stores are likely a bit better, but even then you might not be getting what you think. So, start low and go slow.A few years ago, a research letter published in the Journal of the America Medical Association explored whether or not labelling of authorized edibles was accurate. For over 50% of the products they tested, it found that the labelling was actually inaccurate. Now, things might have improved, but it can’t be guaranteed. With no off switch, it’s better to be safe than sorry!

CAN YOU OVERDOSE?

You can overdose if you accidentally eat too much of an edible. The symptoms would be the same as the side effects mentioned earlier: dizziness, dry mouth, nausea, etc.To counteract the effects after it’s been ingested, a glass of water and a nap might be your best bet. Don’t try to counteract it by eating a heavy meal to dilute it like you would with alcohol, as you might end up making matters worse – cannabis absorbs better with food. If you’re feeling especially awful, another option would be to vape or smoke a purely CBD based cannabis product if you have some available. CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, so this may help reduce the high as it would compete with the THC to bind your cannabinoid receptors.

ALCOHOL AND EDIBLES

It’s not a good idea to drink alcohol if you’ve already taken an edible or any other cannabis product. You’ll likely be far more impaired than having consumed just one, as both alcohol and your edible will be competing to be metabolized by your liver. This may lead to higher THC levels in your bloodstream, and a consequently greater likelihood of negative and more significant side effects.

CBD ONLY

There isn’t great evidence as to whether CBD works as a pain or stress reliever or if it’s just a placebo effect. Regarding pain, there may be a role for CBD in the treatment of neuropathic or nerve related pain, but the evidence for using CBD for musculoskeletal pain or the pain from fibromyalgia is very inconsistent. When it comes to anxiety, so far we really only have small randomized trials to consider, and even there the evidence is mixed.However, there’s strong evidence that the use of CBD works to reduce the frequency of certain types of seizures.

TALKING WITH YOUR KIDS

Edibles come in the form of gummies, cookies and chocolates, so how do you manage conversations about them with your kids? Only discussing the dangers of cannabis and fear mongering isn’t likely to work, as well as reacting with anger or panic.Your kids will likely be learning about cannabis and its risks to their developing brains in school. The best way to talk about it at home is to have a discussion with them, rather than delivering a lecture. Ask them about how common it is with their peers, and if they have any concerns or questions about it. Ultimately, you want to create a safe environment to chat!  There are resources you can find online, including a parent guide that you can download from drugfreekidscanada.org.As well, remember to ensure any edibles you have are kept safely away from your children who might not realize what they are.[video_embed id='1843502']Busting the myths around bariatric surgery[/video_embed]