It's hard to deny the mounting popularity of weed edibles. In fact, some sources say that marijuana edibles are out-selling smokable products like flower and extracts in the US. Many cannabis enthusiasts choose to take edibles over smoking for personal reasons. However, there are actually some quantifiable advantages to edibles over smoking.We detailed some of the benefits of weed edibles below. From their different modes of action and higher absorption rates to their possible health benefits, cannabis edibles are giving flower a run for its money.
How Do Cannabis Edibles Work?
Before we can determine whether weed edibles are better than smoking, we need to understand how edibles work. While smoking and eating weed are both viable ways to get cannabinoids into your body, that’s where the similarities end.
First, edible and smokable cannabis are absorbed differently by the body. When a smoker sparks up, they inhale weed smoke into their lungs. This smoke contains cannabinoids and terpenes as well as a slew of other compounds. The lungs aren’t just one big organ that fills with air. Instead, they’re made up of millions of tiny chambers called alveoli that connect directly to blood vessels. As a result, anything that the lungs inhale is passed immediately into the bloodstream.
In contrast, edible cannabis never enters the lungs (hopefully). Instead, edibles travel down into the stomach before passing into the digestive tract. Once there, the body absorbs them and filters them through the liver before releasing them into the bloodstream. During this process, the liver metabolizes THC into a compound called 11-hydroxy-THC. This new metabolite can easily cross the blood-brain barrier. THC has trouble doing that by itself.
Four Benefits of Weed Edibles
Now that we have a basic idea about how the body absorbs cannabinoids, we can look at the qualitative differences between these processes. Cannabis edibles offer a stronger and longer high, decreased hazards, increased health benefits, and more convenience than inhaled weed does.
Strength and Duration
Because edible and smoked weed both have different methods of action, they offer different experiences. Taking weed orally means that it’ll take longer to kick in than inhaling it. While smoking marijuana makes it hit the bloodstream nearly instantly, edibles can take half an hour or more before a user feels their effects.
There’s a trade-off, though. Taking edibles results in a longer and more powerful high than smoking flower. While the effects of smoking weed only last for two hours or so, taking edibles can result in a day-long experience. In addition, because the liver converts oral THC into 11-hydroxy-THC, more THC reaches the brain from edibles. As a result, the high from weed edibles is significantly more powerful than smoking. Some have compared the experience from weed edibles to low doses of psychedelic mushrooms.
It’s important to remember that weed’s route of administration isn’t the only thing that changes its effects. The effects that you feel from cannabis edibles will depend on several individualized factors like your height, weight, body type, and metabolism.
No Smoke Required
Eliminating smoke is a much healthier way to consume cannabis. Some of the greatest dangers surrounding weed don’t actually come from cannabis plants themselves. Instead, they come from the act of smoking it. While smoking weed isn’t nearly as harmful as smoking tobacco, inhaling any burnt plant matter can increase the risk of developing certain cancers. This is ironic because cannabinoids like CBD have been shown to actively fight cancer and prevent it from spreading through the body according to the American Cancer Society.
Cancer aside, the physical smoke from burning plant matter is a health hazard. The act of smoking leads to inflammation in the soft tissue of the lungs and bronchiole tubes. This, in turn, leaves them prone to infections and scarring. After a long enough time, inhaling smoke can also lead to issues like emphysema. By eliminating combustion from the equation, consuming cannabis become significantly safer.
Increased Health Benefits vs Smoking
Even without considering its direct health impact, smoking will also decrease the positive effects of cannabis on the body. Weed may have a slew of health benefits including cancer-fighting and anti-inflammatory properties. However, because smoking weed involves carcinogenic and irritant particles entering the lungs, it actually inhibits many of these assets. By eliminating smoke inhalation, edibles can help supercharge the health benefits of weed.
Like we mentioned before, some studies have shown demonstrated weed’s ability to fight cancer. This is a result of the effect that cannabinoids have on the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This bodily system helps regulate several unconscious bodily functions, including immune system responses like swelling. Because smoking weed can actually increase the risk of these health issues, it’s counter-intuitive. Edibles, instead, maximize these beneficial effects.
Low-Key and Convenient
Edibles also offer some practical advantages over smoking weed. Smoking weed necessitates an involved process and specialized tools. If you have flower, you can’t get high without first procuring a lighter and either papers or a joint. In contrast, edibles don’t require any gear – just chew and swallow. Edibles are also easier to transport, and they’re ready to go whenever you are.
In addition, there are some less-quantifiable advantages to edibles. For example, edibles are less intimidating to the average person than smoking is. After all, it’s much easier to eat an edible than smoke without drawing attention. Even today, smoking weed sometimes carries a negative social stigma. Edibles help avoid that stigma and are accessible to everyone from hardened stoners to soccer moms as a result.
Itching for Edibles?
With these factors in mind, it’s easy to see why edibles are holding their own as one of the most popular forms of cannabis today. Thinking about converting from smoking to orally-consumed cannabis? You’ll need to find some edibles first. At BudStars, we’ve got you covered. With a plethora of weed-infused products like gummies, oral sprays, and chocolate bars, we have something that will titillate anyone’s taste buds. Additionally, we’ll ship your purchase directly to your door anywhere in Canada. To learn more, check out our online store for our full inventory of cannabis-infused edibles.