Basically, I'm pretty wary of the adverse effects of drugs and becoming dependent on them. I've never done any, including drinking etc. But I'm curious about edibles, since it seems like there's barely any downsides, besides the risk of the edible itself being too potent(?).
I know a lot of people try pot through edibles, but I think it's a bad way to start. They can be pretty strong, the high kind of sneaks up on you, and it lasts a while. Just taking a little hit off a pipe or vape is a lot simpler and if you don't like it, you won't be stoned for long.
Vaping would negatively affect your lungs though, right? That's my worry about the smoking/vaping route
Yes, to an extent, primarily due to the temperature of what you're inhaling and not so much the contents of the vapor. With a vape you can generally control the temperature to control what compounds will be in the vapor you're inhaling (THC has a lower vapor point than CBD, other cannabinoids and terpenes will come in at other temps) and you'll pretty much just be getting the stuff that gets you high (compared to smoking, where you're also getting the smoke from the burnt plant matter).
Risk-wise, I'd put it somewhere between "stir frying on a gas stove" and "sitting at a campfire" in terms of how bad it is for your lungs.
Vaping isn't good for your lungs, but the risks are pretty minimal if you're just having a toot every now & then. And it's much, much easier to dose a vape pen correctly than an edible, esp of it's your first time trying.
yeah my lungs arent the best after covid so i avoid it altogether. its possible to do edible and not fuck it up but i recommend getting some oil and taking a very small dose of it under the tongue if you can handle the taste
Just a word of caution that if you decide to vaporize dry flower, to purchase a vaporizer that is from a reputable brand. Off brand vapes can have the heating element in suspect places.
The other kind of vaping, the oil pen cartridge kind, is different from the flower vaporizers.
TRUST everyone on this been choking on weed for 10 years now start with vapeing get a feel for it. Edibiles can leave you feeling traped
i would try a little weed first via a faster absorption method: smoking or vaping
Agree with everyone else with respect to starting with some smoking or vaping - when you're an absolute novice, edibles can be really easy to overdo and the high usually lasts longer so if you mess it up it'll be longer until you come down.
That said, I def recommend experimenting with weed — I find it very relaxing, much more pleasurable than drinking, with virtually no adverse effects. It's not physically addictive (though there can be some psychological addiction) and used in moderation can help with a variety of ailments.
I'm a very occasional user.
First time I ever smoked I took like one pull and was feeling it inside a minute.
My first bong hit made me feel like I couldn't move for about 10 minutes and had the best high of my life after that. I had nachos and everything, that shit rocked.
First time I ever did an edible I was out cold after an hour (fun hour though) and woke up at 4am the next day, 10 hours after, and I was still feeling a small amount of buzz in my head. They hit hard.
When you smoke/vape you can stop if you're feeling it and don't want to go higher. If you have an edible, that's in your system and there's no going back.
In terms of easiness of dosage and how hard it hits my personal experience is smoke/vape -> bong -> edible. There's a reason "this edible ain't shit" is a meme. If you do do them, don't take anything else for a while either cos you can't tell if it's not working or if it's taking its time.
Work your way up to edibles, and don't plan on doing anything specific that day you do take them.
This isn't to say you can't have a good time using them, I certainly have, but know exactly what you're taking and work within that.
Some of the comments here are a bit hyperbolic. "Edibles" constitues a very broad set. They most certainly can be used for beginners....but only at threshold doses. If you live in a medical state, ask for 5mg pills to start. That's a threshold dose for humans. Work your way up to 10 mg.
But cooking brownies with some RSO or cannabutter? Yeah, no, don't do that.
Edibles are great, I love the slow come-up. And it is possible to get a very measured dose that is adequate for beginners. Just need to do so at a dispensary, not your local dealer. ...or else you'll get way too baked.
Another option is tinctures--basically little eyedroppers with cannabis oil (that go under the tongue, not in the eye). Can also get very measured doses, which is definitely a plus for beginners.
Yeah some people really do have a natural tolerance. Just like with booze it depends on how your metabolism and how your neurochemistry responds. Also the first few times you take THC it doesn't seem to have that big of an effect. The first time I smoke I crushed a full bowl and barely felt it, now one bowl is normally all I take in a day unless I'm actually trying to get stoned.
if you're prone to anxiety, get an indica and only take 5mg (usually half a gummy). take only 5mg regardless; 10mg is a bit heavy until you know what to expect and if you like how it affects you
After a recent experience giving someone an edible for the first time, I would say start with 5 mg at most. They had a very bad time on 10 mg.
Do not have the first weed you ever consume be a 10mg edible. Start with either a small amount of vaping or even smoking, or if you’re really set on an edible don’t go over 5mg first time. I’ve seen people lose the perception of the passage of time on a 10mg edible after never smoking before.
Agree with everyone else to try and vape first. Just a sip the first time, it might not doing anything, but the second time it should hit pretty chill.
Don't try homemade edibles for your first time, its impossible to accurately guess the dosage. If you have access to legal weed starting with a 5mg edible might not be a bad idea. The big problem with edibles is once you take it you're in for the ride, if you get too high you just have to wait it out which can take a while. If you're smoking and get uncomfortably high just give it 20 or 30 minutes and it will back off a lot, edibles last much longer.
I just got my medical card a few months ago so how much I use has gone up quite a bit but at the same time the amount of pain killers and anti-anxiety meds as well as how much I drink has gone down precipitously. So I'd definitely recommend giving cannabis a try.
i only take it when im in a lot of pain / anxiety / ptsd and i absolutely have to do something but am not mentally there for it. usually this means sleeping / doing something very socially uncomfortable for me like public clothes shopping (yeah i pass and stuff but im basically traumatized by my past as a 'guy' so its incredibly hard for me to shop for womens clothes even while wearing a dress and looking like a woman i dont make the rules)
The most correct answer in my experience is to buy 10 mg gummys and start with 5 mg. Experiment, like your parents warned you about. 10 mg is also a pretty normal amount to start with. Just know it might take a couple tries to get it right. But it's generally pretty safe, i.e. for most people, you can overdo it by a lot and not be in any medical danger.
As someone currently on edibles, it's extremely worth it. Also, find a good comedy movie you've never seen before and get a pizza to eat while you're stoned.
