A cannabis edible, also known as a cannabis-infused food or simply an edible, is a food item (either homemade or produced commercially) that contains decarboxylated cannabinoids (cannabinoid acids converted to their orally bioactive form) from cannabis extract as an active ingredient. Although edible may refer to either a food or a drink, a cannabis-infused drink may be referred to more specifically as a liquid edible or drinkable. Edibles are a way to consume cannabis. Unlike smoking, in which cannabinoids are inhaled into the lungs and pass rapidly into the bloodstream, peaking in about ten minutes and wearing off in a couple of hours, cannabis edibles may take hours to digest, and their effects may peak two to three hours after consumption and persist for around six hours. The food or drink used may affect both the timing and potency of the dose ingested.
Most edibles contain a significant amount of THC, which can induce a wide range of effects, including: heightened sensory perception, relaxation, sleepiness, dizziness, dry mouth, euphoria, depersonalization and/or derealization, hallucinations, paranoia, and decreased or increased anxiety. THC-dominant edibles are consumed for recreational and medical purposes. Some edibles contain a negligible amount of THC and are instead dominant in other cannabinoids, most commonly cannabidiol (CBD). The main characteristic of cannabis edibles is that they take longer to affect users compared to smoked cannabis.
Foods and beverages made from non-psychoactive cannabis products are known as hemp foods.
History
Eastern
The earliest mention of cannabis-infused food was as far back as 2000 B.C. in India. Known as one of the oldest cannabis traditions, Bhang – a cannabis infused drink made with yogurt, nuts, spices, rose water – is an official drink of Holi, highly celebrated and revered festivals celebrated by the people of Hindu community in India revering Shiva or Kali. The oil-solubility of cannabis extracts was also known to ancient Indians, with Sanskrit recipes requiring cannabis to be sautéed in ghee before mixing it with other ingredients.
Majoun (cannabis jam) is another early type of edible first created by the nomadic Berber tribes of North Africa sometime around the 11th century. The traditional Majoun recipe calls for cannabis extract, datura seeds, honey, nuts, kif (a mixture of kief), and sometimes dates and figs.
Western
The first mention of edibles in Europe appeared in a cookbook titled De honesta voluptate et valetudine, which translates to "On Honorable Pleasure and Health" written by Bartolomeo Platina in 1465.
The first cannabis edible recipe appeared in the United States in the early 1960s in a cookbook called The Alice B. Toklas Cook Book written by Alice B. Toklas. The recipe is called "Hashish Fudge" and was actually contributed by Alice's good friend, Brion Gysin. Although it was omitted from the first American editions, Toklas' name and her "brownies" became synonymous with cannabis in the growing 1960s counterculture.
In some U.S. states that have legalized cannabis, edibles have experienced a dramatic rise in sales. Some are concerned about the danger edibles pose to children and inexperienced cannabis consumers. Calls to poison control have dramatically increased since 2008 due to dogs ingesting edibles. In Canada, cannabis-infused food products were legalized in October 2018, but regulatory restrictions and reduced consumer interest may inhibit innovation.
Chemistry
Effects
Ingesting cannabis may produce effects that last longer and can be more intense than inhaling cannabis. Different edible formats of cannabinoids may affect the rate of cannabinoid digestion and metabolism, which vary among people. Generally, edible cannabis products are digested more slowly than occurs for aerosol products. Oral administration generally leads to two peaks of concentration, due to enterohepatic circulation. Common side effects of ingesting edibles include increased appetite, dry mouth, and bloodshot eyes.
Possible health effects
Cannabis edibles contain both delta 9 THC, which is responsible for the psychotropic properties of feeling relaxed and euphoric, and CBD, which may have effects without the psychoactive properties. Such effects may include analgesia, decreased inflammation, decreased spasticity, and anti-seizure effects. Cannabis edibles with CBD can decrease symptoms of psychosis and anxiety. Edible oils, tinctures, pills, and gummies have been prescribed to people with cancer to potentially improve poor appetite, pain, or weight loss. Cannabis edibles may be effective for muscle spasms and pain.