Edible Dosing Guide: How Many Milligrams Should I Take?

It’s one of the most common questions we hear from New Yorkers: What’s the right dose of edibles? For an enjoyable cannabis experience, it’s best to start low and go slow. Get all the details below on how to determine the ideal edible dose.

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How many milligrams of edibles should I take?

Whether you’re brand new to cannabis or you don’t take edibles too often, it’s good to be cautious. We recommend keeping your edibles dosage small to start, generally between 2.5 and 5mg THC, and waiting at least an hour to see how you feel. You can either buy edibles with low THC content per serving size or divide your edibles into smaller parts, such as cutting a 10mg gummy in half for a 5mg THC dose.

Edibles take longer to kick in than other types of cannabis products, so be patient and wait the full hour before consuming more to accurately gauge how it affects you. If you decide to consume more after the hour is up, increase your dosage gradually and take note of whether your plane is officially in the air.

After your initial session, you’ll have a sense of whether the amount you consumed was not enough, too much, or just right. Keep this number in mind for the future as your baseline dosage, and you can adjust the amount you choose to consume according to the type of cannabis experience you’d like to have.

Curious about your options? Read our guide to the top edible brands in New York City.

A note on cannabis tolerance

Cannabis tolerance is not a static thing. The more you consume, the higher your tolerance is likely to become. If you consistently consume edibles, you’ll eventually need a larger edible dose.

If you’d like to reduce your tolerance so that lower amounts are effective once more, you may need to take a tolerance break, often called a “T break.” How folks approach tolerance breaks can vary, but experts tend to recommend abstaining from cannabis for at least three weeks to allow your body chemistry to adjust.

How long do edibles take to kick in?

Honestly, it depends on whom you ask. Some sources say it takes two hours, while others say it takes just 30 minutes. What we can definitely say, based on our experience, is that the amount of THC in your edible makes a big difference. So too does taking an edible on an empty stomach — you’ll enjoy faster travels to serenity. We suggest waiting at least an hour before upping your edibles dosage.

What’s the best edibles dosage for beginners?

We suggest starting with 2.5mg of THC. This amount of THC is the lowest in the range of what we say are relatively low doses. Keep reading to learn which THC amounts correspond to moderate and high doses.

Understanding edibles and their THC content

In New York State, any edible cannabis product must advertise the total milligrams of THC contained within the package, as well as the milligrams per serving. So, for example, if you purchase a package of 10 gummies and the label reads 100mg THC (10mg per serving), you know that each gummy contains 10mg THC.

But what does this mean, and how does this affect your decision-making? The chart below offers a general overview of what you can expect from different dosages of edibles.

Everybody is different, so your journey with edibles may vary from the descriptions above. Consider your tolerance, the environment you’ll be in, and your familiarity with the type of edible you have before choosing how much to consume. THC beverages, for example, may affect you differently than infused chocolates. How quickly the effects of cannabis kick in, as well as their duration and overall potency, may vary depending on the product you’ve chosen.

We recommend testing out a small amount of a new edible in a controlled environment (stay home) before increasing your dosage. After all, you can always have more if a smaller dose hasn’t given you a one-way boarding pass to paradise.

What to do if you take too many edibles

It happens: You overestimate your tolerance, or you put too much cannabutter into your homemade infused baked goods. To get through the bumpy ride of taking too many edibles:

Drink lots of water. Hydration is always healthy, and it’s especially important if you’ve taken too many edibles. With more water in your system, your body may flush out the excess THC more quickly.

Choose your food options carefully. Fatty and heavy foods may prolong your already challenging cannabis journey. Light, healthy foods get you closer to arriving at yourself again.

Find your safe place. Quiet, cozy spaces are ideal for when you’ve taken too many edibles. Lie down, stretch out, close your eyes, and breathe deeply and slowly. Have someone with you whom you trust. Taking these steps can help you combat the anxiety that often comes with large THC doses.

Stay California sober. Other drugs, as well as alcohol, will keep your plane moving through turbulence instead of grounding it safely. You should also avoid so-called treatments for overly strong THC doses — none are effective.

Distract yourself. Naps, TV, and movies all get your mind off your intense high and make time go by more comfortably.

Be patient. You’re better off powering through your unwanted high dose instead of trying to fight it off. Positive self-talk can help you remain balanced through it all. Although you may have reached the wrong destination, you’ll eventually be home.

Edible types and how they matter

Not all edible types will provide the same journey. Here’s a closer look at some of the most popular types of edibles and what to expect with each.

Gummies: Tasty, simple, familiar, and easy to cut, gummies are among the most popular edibles for a reason. Gummies come in different formulas for different mind states. Products like Bettering Company Chill Out Blood Orange promote relaxation, or those like Camino Excite Wild Cherry may give you a burst of energy and uplift your mood.

Chocolates: You can also find infused chocolate cannabis products, like 1906 Go Beans, which combine a chocolate-covered espresso bean with THC.

Dissolvables: Dissolvables, like candies, mints, and lozenges, can be enjoyed over time for a slow release of cannabinoids, leading to a slow ramp-up and long-lasting duration. Dissolvables include products like the Nanticoke Mint or Senior Moments Relief Mints.

Tablets and capsules: These edibles aren’t chewed or sipped through a straw, but they’re considered edibles nonetheless. Edibles like 1906’s are swallowed with a swig of water or another beverage. They then make their way through your digestive system as they shift your perspective.

Beverages: Many cannabis beverages get you where you’re going more quickly than their solid counterparts. Expect beverages to get to work within 20 to 30 minutes of consumption. You may also feel slightly different than with other edibles, as the cannabinoids in beverages are usually processed a bit more quickly since they don’t need to be digested in the same way as solid foods.

Consider seltzers like Ayrloom Honeycrisp if you’re looking for something casual to sip on, or teas like Harney Brothers Nighttime Chamomile for a more laid-back liftoff. Or you could even try the Ayrloom Beverage Enhancer Drops, which can be mixed into your favorite drink.

The best way to understand how different types of edibles affect you is to give them each a try. See what’s available at our Union Square, Downtown Brooklyn, Fifth Avenue, and SoHo dispensary locations.

Take flight with edibles from The Travel Agency

Now that you know all about edible dosages, you’re ready to try some out for yourself. Whether you prefer gummies, beverages, dissolvables, or tablets and capsules, The Travel Agency has options for you.

Not sure what to try? Just let one of our budtenders know about your goals and preferences, and they can point you in the direction of one of the best products New York cannabis has to offer. Explore our New York cannabis product reviews to get a sense of what you might like to try.