Edibles are food items made from cannabis flower or high-potency cannabis extracts. Although they aren't exactly new – (cannabis users have been making brownies and cookies with cannabis for decades) - advancements in using cannabis as a medical cure have brought edibles into the spotlight to help fight ailments.
Now with the legality and use of cannabis on the rise, cannabis edibles made an estimated $2.9 Billion in the year 2020 within the US. The edible industry is projected to reach a size of $11.8 Billion by 2027. (1)
As growers continue to make their way into the edible industry, Here is everything you need to know about the modern edible.
An Alternative to Other Consumption Methods
These edibles are often used as an alternative to smoking cannabis since they are easier to use and less intimidating for those who don't want to inhale smoke into their lungs. That is what makes them so popular for patients that are prescribed medical cannabis. The only real downside is that it takes longer to feel the effects of edible cannabis. Since edibles are absorbed through the digestive system, it will take you between 20 minutes and three hours to feel their effects. The effects do last longer than with other consumption methods, though. You can generally expect to feel the effects of an edible for around six hours.
How are Edibles Made?
Contrary to popular belief, simply grinding a cannabis flower and adding it as a cooking ingredient is not the best way to make an edible. Cannabis-infused edibles that are found on the market are typically made using hashish, pure cannabinoid crystals, or an odorless and flavorless cannabis distillate oil. These concentrates are infused into a food or beverage through a fat such as butter or oil. Different cannabis concentrates have different effects when they are consumed, so it's important to know what was used to make an edible before you use it.
Perfect your edible-making process with drying racks and specialized cannabis trays from Metro.
Types of Edibles Available
Practically any kind of food can be infused with cannabis. Baked goods such as brownies and cookies are still the most popular edibles available, but gummi bears, chocolate bars, coffee drinks, energy drinks, and bottled water can all be infused with cannabis. Cannabutter, or cannabis-infused butter, is also a popular product for those who want to make their own edibles at home.
Using Edibles Safely
It's very easy to eat too much of an edible and end up with an uncomfortable high. Cannabis-infused edibles don't look any different from any other kind of snack food, so it's easy to accidentally eat a cookie or brownie with a high dosage. Since it takes longer for the effects of edibles to really kick in, you might consume far more than you planned before the high hits you and it will last much longer.
Visit a dispensary and speak with a budtender. Their job is to offer suggestions to customers, answer questions, handle products and showcase products being sold. Their consultative method will assist you in determining the proper dosage of the edible you wish to consume.
Interested in growing hemp? Working on building an industrial edible process? Order all the equipment you need right here at Metro.com.