How To Find Your Perfect Cannabis Dose
As a natural plant medicine, cannabis offers a wide range of benefits for our patients, but how do you know how much to take?
The cannabis product you choose will not only determine the delivery method, but also how much you should dose.
Whether it's flower, vapes, concentrates, edibles, or tinctures, the lowest effective dose is always the best dose! Read on to discover exactly how much (or how little) you may need.
Flower
Let's start off with the most popular method of consuming cannabis, and that is through smoking its flower. Since each cannabis strain contains a different percentage of THC (the cannabinoid that gives you a high effect), we can start off by checking the THC percentage on the flower we have.
This is a big reason why it's so important to purchase cannabis from a licensed medical dispensary, as all of the COA's (certificates of analyses) are available. Here at PAH all of our flower comes with a label describing the THC, cannabinoid, and terpene content.
As we can see below, the higher the percentage of THC, the stronger the high effect.
Less than 10% THC - Mild effect
10-20% THC - Strong for a newcomer but great for regular patients
20% + THC - The strongest that is grown. Prepare to have your schedule cleared!
Dosing: If you are just starting out with cannabis flower, it could be beneficial to start with a strain less than 10% THC in order to feel the effects with a more mild experience. For regular patients, 10-20% can be great for you, with the occasional 20% THC to assist when needed. Take one puff, wait 15-20 minutes to note how the medicine effects you before continuing.
Vapes
Vaporizers have become very popular lately as they are extremely portable, easily maintained, and provide a clean inhalation method. Vapes intended for cannabis are filled with cannabis oil, which is heated and then inhaled.
When purchasing a vape with a cartridge containing cannabis oil, it's always best practice to note the THC content. Since vaporizers are so easy to use, it can be very easy to consume quite a bit of THC before the potency takes effect.
Dosing: To find your proper dose with a vaporizer, we recommend you take one puff, the wait 15-20 minutes to notice the effects before continuing. You may find that this is enough or that you feel comfortable enough to consume more.
Going slow and taking the initial time to assess your vaporizer dose’s effects will help you understand your body’s needs and help you from over-consuming in the long-term.
Concentrates
If you’re a cannabis newcomer then we would suggest to leave the concentrates for the seasoned cannabis consumer, as cannabis concentrates can contain up to 99% THC!
Consumed using a dab rig and high heat, concentrates are one of the most powerful cannabis delivery methods, offering an incredible amount of THC with every inhalation.
When inhaled, patients experience a very immediate and very strong high, so we can only recommend this consumption method if you're a very seasoned cannabis patient with a high tolerance. If so, start off using a small dab of concentrate, about the size of a grain of rice.
Dosing: Start with one inhale and wait 15-20 minutes to feel the effects before continuing. One inhale may be enough!
Edibles
We've all heard the jokes about eating a cannabis gummy or brownie and then being unable to get off the couch for the rest of the night.
This is because our bodies process THC differently when ingested versus when smoked. Our livers process THC into 11-hydroxy-THC, which is a much more potent and longer lasting compound. This means you’ll feel more sedating effects when eating versus smoking THC.
The THC content in cannabis edibles are measured by the milligram, versus percentages with cannabis flower.
Whereas 10% THC in flower is seen as a nice and mild introductory amount, 1-5mg are considered mild for THC edibles.
Dosing: Consider starting with a dose of 2mg and feeling the full effects for at least 24 hours before ingesting more next time. Continue increasing the dosage gradually by 1 mg each time in order to discover the milligram amount that works best for you.
Since edibles are often sweet and tasty baked goods, gummies, and candy, they can be very easy to over-consume. This is why tracking your dosage with each new edible and going slow is very important.
Tinctures
Whereas flower, vapes, and concentrates are inhaled and edibles are eaten, tinctures provide a cannabis delivery method that is consumed sublingually (under the tongue). Also able to be mixed into beverages or food, cannabis tinctures are often created by mixing cannabis with a carrier oil solution.
Depending on whether you take the tincture under the tongue or swallow the oil will determine when the THC kicks in, and for how long.
Dosing: To properly consume sublingually, start with an initial dose of 2mg and place the dropper under your tongue. Allow the oil to stay in your mouth for 2 to 3 minutes so it can be absorbed by the blood vessels in your mouth.
Swallowing any of the tincture will create an effect more similar to an edible, since any THC that is swallowed will be absorbed by the liver, not the mouth, and converted to 11-hydroxy-THC. This could be a personal preference though, as the THC reaching the liver will kick in later and have a longer lasting effect than absorbing under the tongue, which will be more immediate within 30 minutes to 1 hour.
As you’ve seen, the proper dose starts with the consumption method. Whether it’s flower, vapes, concentrates, edibles or tinctures, it’s smart to start small and slow in order to see how a small amount of each product affects you. Once you have some experience with that product, you can begin upping your dose as you see fit.
At Peninsula Alternative Health, we have an incredible team of patient assistants who can help you find the correct dosage for you, based on the products you love most.
We’re here to answer any questions you have along the medical cannabis journey, so feel free to visit us 1003 Mt Hermon Rd, Salisbury, MD today!
