Following the legalization of cannabis in states like Colorado, California, Illinois, and Alaska, more and more people are educating themselves on the various ways to use it.

Cannabis, weed, or marijuana refers to the dried leaves of a group of plants called cannabis Sativa, cannabis Indica, and cannabis ruderalis. They can be smoked, eaten, or brewed as tea. The most common ways to use cannabis are by eating it or smoking it. If you’re wondering what the difference between edibles and smoking marijuana is, our rehab center in California breaks it down.

What Are Edibles?

Edibles, or edible marijuana, are food products that contain marijuana. They can come in different forms like gummies, pastries or sweets like brownies, beverages, and products like syrups or butter. Edibles usually contain both delta-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is the main chemical component of marijuana that’s responsible for producing the high users feel. CBD is meant to almost counteract the effects of THC and is often used to treat anxiety, depression, and seizures. Edibles can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to kick in. Because edibles take longer to take effect than smoking, there tends to be a larger amount of weed in edibles.

When comparing edibles vs weed smoking, many companies advertise edibles as being safe, but this isn’t always the case. The THC in edibles can cause unpredictable reactions, especially in high doses. A person can also become addicted to THC, making it difficult to quit. If you find yourself in this situation or know someone who is, Banyan Palm Springs offers a residential detox that can help.

What’s the Difference Between Smoking Weed and Edibles?

As cannabis use becomes more popular among a variety of age groups, avid users wonder, “is there a difference between smoking marijuana and edible marijuana?” Yes, there is. At first glance, there may not seem like there’s such a big difference between edibles and smoking weed; however, smoking and ingesting something can produce two very different kinds of experiences. A person who prefers smoking weed may not enjoy how eating edibles makes them feel. When analyzing edible weed vs smoking, it’s important to keep several things in mind. The difference between edibles and smoking marijuana depends on a variety of factors.

Smoking and ingestion produce two different experiences. While both allow marijuana to enter the body, it’s processed in different ways. When weed is smoked, it’s inhaled into the lungs where the person may experience coughing and problems breathing. When edibles are eaten, it’s processed in the stomach before being released into the bloodstream and the rest of the body. While less THC is absorbed into the body when it’s eaten in edibles, its effects do last longer. This may also have to do with the fact that edibles and smoking are two different tolerances. The longer someone has used marijuana, the higher the dosage they may need to feel any side effects. This can be extremely dangerous.

When cannabis is eaten through edibles, its effects take longer to kick in than if it was smoked because of the longer process that THC has to go through when it hits the stomach and not the lungs. Because people expect the side effects of edibles to immediately kick in, when they don’t feel anything at first, they may attempt to speed up the process by ingesting more. This could cause a scary and uncomfortable high that could last for hours.

Another significant difference between smoking marijuana and edibles is the inability to gauge how much of it you’re consuming when you eat edibles. Because edibles take longer to take effect, people may add more marijuana to quicken the process. This also means that it’s nearly impossible to keep track of how much weed you’re consuming. Especially if someone else prepared the edibles, you could be consuming a dangerous amount.

While many people believe that marijuana is entirely safe and natural, this is far from the truth. The negative psychological and physical side effects of marijuana are very real. People may react differently to cannabis as well, increasing their risks of suffering from side effects like anxiety and paranoia. Long-term marijuana abuse can also damage cognitive function and the lungs. People who don’t understand the dangers of polysubstance abuse may also attempt to mix marijuana with other substances, which can be life-threatening. While there is a difference between smoking weed and eating edibles, it doesn’t mean they’re safe.

Substance abuse in any way, shape, or form is dangerous. If you or a loved one find themselves struggling to quit drugs or alcohol, Banyan Treatment Centers Palm Springs can help. Call our team today at 888-280-4763 for more information about the levels of care we offer.