WHAT ARE EDIBLES?

Edibles refer to any edible food or drink containing marijuana or any of its active ingredients, most often tetrahydrocannabinol

(THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Generally, the edible product is 

infused with cannabis extract.

Some common types of edibles include:

• Marijuana baked goods: Marijuana brownies and marijuana cookies are among the most common baked goods, but nearly any baked item can have marijuana.

• Marijuana chocolate and candies: Chocolates, truffles and hard candies, including lollipops, can have marijuana in them.

• Marijuana and CBD gummies: Marijuana gummies are popular, as are gummies with CBD.

• Infused beverages: Cannabis-infused drinks have become popular in recent years. Soda, coffee drinks, juice, sports drinks and flavored or unflavored water can all have marijuana infused into them.

• Other types of edibles: Ice cream, breath mints and even beef jerky can contain marijuana.

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HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR THC EDIBLES TO KICK IN?

The rule of thumb for THC-infused edibles can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple of hours for the average person to start

feeling an effect and 2-3 hours for edibles to get into the system entirely (this is when you will feel the full THC “high”).

How long does an edible high last in the body?

An edible high generally lasts much longer than smoking or vaping, from six to eight hours. Among edibles that contain THC,

peak blood levels occur around three hours after administration.

Lozenges, gum, and lollipops kick in faster because they’re absorbed sublingually

Some edible products, such as lozenges, gum, and lollipops, are ingested but not actually swallowed. In these cases,

absorption occurs through the mucus membranes of the mouth. This is called sublingual absorption, and the effects are more likely to appear faster.

Chewable edibles take longer to kick in because they’re absorbed through the digestive system

Chewable edibles, such as gummies, cookies, and brownies, may have longer onset times. This is because absorption first occurs

in the digestive tract. From there, active ingredients enter the bloodstream and travel to the liver.

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WHAT ARE TINCTURES?

Marijuana tinctures are a form of liquid cannabis that have been extracted and concentrated with the help of alcohol.

An age-old method of administering cannabis, tinctures have been used for centuries for both medicinal and recreational purposes.

Do tinctures take as long as edibles to kick in?

No. Tinctures will almost invariably supply the effects of THC faster than edibles do.

The size of the discrepancy depends on how you choose to consume them.

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HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SOBER UP FROM MARIJUANA?

Marijuana can be detected in a variety of body fluids up to months depending on how much cannabis was used.

When smoking marijuana, you can expect to be high for approximately 3-4 hours.

When ingesting cannabis orally, you can expect to be high for 8-12 hours.

Drinking alcohol while using Cannabis causes the THC to stay in the body’s system for longer than usual, as the alcohol slows down the metabolic process. This extends the duration of the high.

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MARIJUANA AND DRIVING IS IMPAIRED DRIVING

Anytime the skills needed to drive safely are impaired, even slightly, the chances of having an auto crash increase.

The effects of specific drugs on driving skills differ depending on how they act in the brain.

For example, marijuana can slow reaction time, impair judgment of time and distance, and decrease coordination.

Drivers who have used cocaine or methamphetamine can be aggressive and reckless when driving.

In recent years, drug-impaired driving has become a major highway safety issue.

From 2007-2013 there was a 48% increase in weekend nighttime drivers who tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—the chemical responsible for marijuana’s psychological effects. 

In Colorado, where recreational marijuana was also legalized in 2012, the number of fatalities in crashes in which drivers tested positive for THC rose from 18 in 2013 to 77 in 2016.

Since 2012, nearly one in five (18%) drivers involved in fatal crashes were positive for THC.  After legalization, the average number of THC-positive drivers involved in a fatal crash jumped from 56 per year to 130.

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