Cannabis, better known by the blanket term Marijuana, is a plant that people consume to get “high”. These plants come with compounds called cannabinoids which is what creates those feelings being high. People use cannabis for both recreational and medical purposes (i.e. to treat pain or nausea).
You can consume cannabis in a variety of ways. Mainly:
- Smoking
- Vaping
- Brewed like tea
- Edibles – Infused with food
- Topical application
Smoking is the most common way of consuming cannabis, and so this has led to the question of whether it is safe to eat marijuana. Are there any health effects of edibles? Are edibles harmful? Let’s find out below.
What are edibles?
Edibles, in this case, are any food products that have marijuana infused in them. This can be done with almost any kind of food and is left up to your own creativity. For example, chocolates, gummies, bread, eggs, or candy.
In order to make edibles, you cannot simply “eat” the cannabis plant to get high. The THC (which is the component that gets you high), needs to be extracted and turned into oil or butter. This butter can then be added to anything to make edibles.
Eating raw cannabis is not particularly unhealthy since it is a plant. However, there aren’t any researched benefits to consuming raw cannabis.
Are edibles safe?
Marijuana is a compound that is given to people suffering from certain ailments to alleviate symptoms. There are studies that show how marijuana can be helpful in these instances. However, the problem lies with overconsumption. Because edibles often come as sweet treats or easily consumable food, it isn’t hard to consume too much.
Marijuana was an illegal drug for a long time. It is only in recent years that it has been declared legal in certain parts of the world. This meant that studies into the long-term effects of edibles haven’t been properly conducted. Though, even now, there are some long-term studies that state that chronic cannabis usage can have detrimental effects.
Also, because cannabis isn’t properly regulated, there is the danger of unnecessary components being added to edibles. You cannot always test the edibles for its potency and structure, so you could easily fall victim to altered edibles.
5 health and side effects of edibles
- There is cause to believe that consuming cannabis can lead to brain development probems. This is mostly the case for developing brains such as young adults or psychatric patients. One study shows how brain development and IQ can decline with long-term use of cannabis.
- Edibles take longer to kick in than smoking cannabis. When you smoke, you will get the feeling of being high within 15 – 30 minutes and will last for an two or three hours. Edibles, on the other hand, take between 40 – 90 minutes to start feeling the effects and will last for longer than 3 hours. Because of the long wait time, there is a chance to consume too much assuming that the edibles weren’t working. This can lead to increased paranoia, vomiting, and impaired movement.
- Another of the negative effects of edibles is that it can sometimes react with certain medications or alcohol. If you’re unaware of these effects, it could lead to really debilitating effects on your health. It can even bring about acute psychosis in some people, especially if they’re on antidepressants.
- Due to overconsumption of edibles, there have been documented cases of excessive energy leading to violence. The person is usually unaware of their actions and are simply acting out. This can cause self-harm or harm to others around them. This is mainly due to people not checking their tolerance levels or the potency of the edibles they consumed.
- Unlike smoking weed, edibles can be much more intense due to its potency. Since you are not always aware of exactly how much you’re consuming, it can quickly become too much. This results in adverse effects such as panic attacks, hallucinations, and heart problems.
For the most part, the problems with edibles stem from overconsumption. Genes and other personal characteristics can also determine how edibles are going to effect you. To be safe while consuming edibles, always purchase them from a verifiable source. If you want to consume them, order Delta 8 edibles, which is a safe and reputed brand.