For quite some time, I have been making my own cannabis infused edibles. ( 8 years, to be exact.)
A few days ago, I had a chance to try some commercially prepared edibles, tincture sprays and tea. This was a learning experience for me because it let me compare the strength of my edibles against others with reportedly tested and measured doses.
I am aware that there's not very strict regulation when it comes to edibles and that there can often be discrepancies in how potent the product claims to be and how potent it actually is. So, I didn't enter into this experiment with very high expectations. (Pun totally intended.)
Instead, I proceeded with caution and took my time.
I decided to start with "The Give Back Brand, Mint Tea" By Pixie
The first product that I am reviewing is the least expensive of the group, coming in at $3 (Canadian) for a single bag.
All the information that you can see on the label of the foil pouch is all the information that came with the product.
The "knowns" are:
- that it's a mint tea with cannabis extract;
- and one teabag is reported to contain 40 mg of THC and 6 mg of CBD.
That's a fairly high reported dose for a single serving amount. Most edibles are portioned into 10 mg THC, recommended portion sizes. They are then labeled with the number of doses the entire product contains, to make it easier for the end consumer to dose. These seem to be becoming industry standards for commercially produced edibles.
Any person who is new to edibles should start with a portion size that is 10 mg of THC or less, until they determine how their body is going to react to it. More can always be consumed in a couple of hours but it can't be "unconsumed" if you've ingested too much.
I would offer this same advice to people who smoke cannabis regularly also, but don't typically have much experience with edibles. This is because the active molecules are different.
9-THC is present when cannabis is smoked or vaped but when it's decarboxylated and eaten in an edible form, the liver metabolizes 9-THC into 11-THC.
11-THC is ten times stronger than 9-THC. This is why the effects of edibles can be felt stronger and last for a longer duration. (Often the effects will last for up to 8 hours from a single dose.)
This means that, a "smoker with a high tolerance" can react just like a "newbie" and not need as much of a cannabis edible to feel the powerful effects of the herb.
A simple cup of tea could give a person couch-lock if it's too strong, so I did proceed with some caution. What's "not known about the tea" is:
- what strain was used;
- what type of extract has been used;
- and what the preparation directions are.
There wasn't any detectable smell seeping out of the foil pouch. When I cut it open, the only aroma that was detectable was peppermint. I felt I could've easily made and consumed this product in public without having to defend my right to do so.
The label refers to a "cannabis extract" and I was curious as to what that might mean so I cut the bag open and closely examined the contents.
It looked like peppermint tea leaves and finely ground cannabis. There was hardly any cannabis smell and there wasn't any other visible material or residue particles on or in, with the herbs. This made me a little suspicious that the cannabis extract might be ground leaf, so I ate a piece of cheese in an effort to have some fat present in my digestive system and aid cannabinoid absorption.
(The amount of ground herbs would be about 1 1/4 tbsp)
I boiled water and let it cool for 3 minutes before I used it to fill my teapot. You can see that I re-filled the teabag with the loose herbs. Due to the fact that I cut the bag open to examine its contents, I had to staple it shut. (Normally the bag does not come with 2 staples in it and no string.)
I let the tea brew for about 8 minutes and then I drank 2 cups which should have provided me with a 20 mg dose of THC.
The colour was inviting. The tea itself, tasted like peppermint with a hint of floral jasmine.
The effects were hardly discernible. The tea tasted delicious and I decided that the next time I brew it, I'll let it brew longer and I won't use as much water. I also think this is an excellent tea to use if you have an upset stomach. It was very soothing.
I welcome your comments and invite you to follow me on my journey.
~RebeccaRyan
Great Review! I'm looking forward to seeing more, and reading more about your experiences making cannabis edibles.
Thanks for your comment @lyndsaybowes! I usually don't ingest anything pre-packaged but thought these pre-made edibles warranted some exploration and some experimentation. There's a huge segment of the population that require the anti-inflammatory protection that cannabis deliveries but don't want to smoke or they require complete discretion. Edibles can provide a wonderful solution.
Can anyone in Canada order this stuff?
At this point, not without a medical cannabis license. This will probably change when our country legalizes. We have been promised by our Federal gov't that this will start to take place in April 2017. We shall see.
Yes, we shall see...I sure hope so!
Here in Cambodia a lot of people use the cannabis plant for cooking. They use it as some sort of a condiment. Great post! Steem on!
@amy-goodrich thanks for your comment! I am really interested in how the people of other countries choose to use cannabis. I would love to learn more about the condiment you've mentioned and when it's used. Often specialty food items are used as part of religious celebrations or recognized holidays.
Do you think that's the case in Cambodia, or do you think it just happens to be one of many condiments that is readily available?
Some people, especially the older generation, use it in their normal day to day cooking. As far as I know, it doesn't have any religious or other means! But I'll see if I can gather some more info about that!
I think it's very cool and I would love to read a future post about this topic from you. I think it's valuable information that is worth sharing. :)
Very nice review, note that CBD antagonizes the CYP2C9 enzyme and stops it from metabolizing THC into 11-hydroxy THC, which is of interest for controlling psycho-activity for orally administered goodies)
Thank you for commenting @phenry! I really appreciate it.
This is great information to remember for anyone who may become uncomfortable if they find themselves in a situation where they have consumed more THC in an edible then they really wanted to.
CBD deactivates the psycho-activity of THC.
Its also important to note that CBD deactivates the enzyme that breaks down THC into 11-OH-THC and 11-OH-THC into inactive metabolites. Thus CBD makes the high last longer. CBD also does that by inhibiting the THC transporters that remove THC from the brain and into the blood stream
I find this information related to THC and CBD fascinating. I appreciate being able to understand "why" something presents or works they way it does.
Thank you for sharing this. It is a subject that isn't talked about in very much detail. We all learn that CBD will take down the psychoactivity of THC but no one really talks very much about the specifics.