This one time I ate a brownie and I got so high I was f*cked up for days. Sound familiar? I hear this story a lot from people who are hesitant about consuming edibles. And rightfully so!
Recent media headlines blasting scary headlines about an increase in cannabis-related emergency room visits among children and seniors inadvertently consuming marijuana-infused foods raises concerns about the safety of edibles. This raises a good question… who is responsible for safe cannabis consumption – at events, at home, and when purchasing products?
We know how to consume alcohol safely. Alcoholic beverages are in our homes, at the dinner table, and widely available to purchase at stores. It’s just the beginning of cannabis education, it’s new for all of us! Knowledge is power.
As cannabis continues to legalize across the U.S. and the world, the responsibility lies on all of us to educate ourselves and empower each other on proper dosing and safe consumption of edibles.
Vol. 15 // In This Issue:
Dosing: What do the numbers mean?
Pet Peeve: How much weed do I use to make an edible?!
Canna Math: How to properly dose when cooking and baking with cannabis
Edibles Dosing: What do the numbers mean?
Cannabis dosing is extremely personal and our bodies respond and react differently. You have to be patient to experiment and find the dose that makes you feel good. Whether it’s 2mg or 500mg THC. There should be no tolerance pissing contest for who has the highest dose. Let’s set aside that unhealthy mindset that comes from our relationship with alcohol.
Here’s what you need to know about cannabis dosing numbers:
5mg THC or less // Low
For those who are new to cannabis or for microdosing. This is the safest dose for anyone who may accidentally or unknowingly consume infused foods. Even if it’s uncomfortable or too much for them, at least it’s low and the adverse effects are minimal.
This is why I write my cannabis-infused recipes at 5mg per serving. I consider 5mg to be the base minimum. You can always eat more or increase your dose if you prefer something more potent.
10mg THC // Moderate
Slightly stronger, yet still low dose. Increase to 7-10mg if/when 5mg doesn’t feel as effective over time.
For the majority of people consuming cannabis edibles, 5mg or 10mg THC is sufficient. If you’re new to cannabis, or giving it to someone for the first time, start low at 5mg THC or less.
20-70mg THC // High
For the more experienced consumer with a higher tolerance. Increase gradually by 5mg to find what feels right for you.
Some people naturally have a higher tolerance for THC than others. They need to consume more to feel anything.
100+mg THC // Macrodose
For experienced high-dose consumers and medical patients. Intensely intoxicating.
The methods for cooking and baking high-dose foods that don’t taste awful have different considerations. Concentrates, RSO, distillates, and powders are ways to make high-potency edibles.
Pet Peeve: How much weed do I use to make an edible?!
When I started learning how to infuse edibles at home, my main question always came back to this:
How much weed do I use?!
I’ll tell you the answer, keep reading. Despite the stock photography shown, your cannabutter does NOT need to be dark green in order for it to be effective.
My Google-searching and Reddit holes led me to advice that is, quite frankly, too potent for the average person. This makes sense because people sharing this advice are high-potency users. Cannabis, until recently and still is in some states, is underground and the only option for high-dose users to get the medicinal benefits at the potency they need is to make it at home.
But we live in a quasi-legal time where that’s not the reality for the majority of people. For the canna-curious home baker, high-potency cannabutter advice from well-meaning enthusiasts can be dangerous when consumed by someone with a lower tolerance level.
You’d be surprised at how little cannabis you need – less than a joint – to make 5mg THC edibles at home, and how cost-effective it can be compared to purchasing edibles.
That’s it’s why I started this Substack newsletter and write recipes with specific amounts and instructions. Curious about cooking and baking with cannabis? Want to learn the basics so you can control your personal dose and save money by making edibles at home? Welcome! Fruit + Flower is the place for you.
How to properly dose when cooking and baking with cannabis
You don’t need very much cannabis flower to make a batch of low-dose edibles. One (1) gram of ~20% flower to one (1) cup oil will make an infusion of ~140mg THC. 1 cup equals 16 tablespoons, so each tablespoon of oil is ~8.75 mg of THC.
To calculate exactly how much weed to use, you can use this easy-button online calculator, but understanding the math will make you a better baked baker and cook. Don’t be intimidated by the math, I explain the instructions and formula to calculate how much to use below.
There are multiple variables that affect potency when cooking and baking with weed at home:
%THC of the cannabis used
temperature variations when decarbing and infusing
type of fat/carrier used for infusions
Method of infusion (oven, stovetop, crockpot, sous-vide, infusion device)
My low-dose cannabis-infused recipes start with general assumptions to give you a reference point and build a foundation of knowledge. At such a low dose and small amount of cannabis, the variable differences are minimal and there is less risk of accidentally it too potent. As you gain more experience, you can adjust numbers and amounts to your personal preference.
Canna Math: How to Calculate Dosing
How do I calculate the right amount of THC in my infusion? Depends on how potent you want to make it, and on the recipe you’re making with the infusion.
You’ll need to know:
how many servings your recipe makes
how much oil/fat is used in the recipe
approximate % THC of your flower (If unknown assume 20%. Tested flower from a dispensary will have the exact % listed on the batch label, typically in the 20-30% range.
potency per serving (I recommend 5mg per serving, or less for beginners)
Calculate how much flower to use with my Canna Math Formula:
[# of servings] x [potency per serving] = [total THC mg needed in infusion]
[total flower in grams] x 1000 = [total flower mg]
[total flower mg] x [% THC] = [total potential THC mg]
[total potential THC mg] x [0.7 percent efficiency] = [total THC mg in infusion]
Once you know the total THC in your infusion, divide by the number of servings to figure out dosing.
For example: If 1/2 cup of oil in a pot brownie recipe contains ~45mg THC, and the 9x9 square pan makes 9 large brownies. Each brownie will contain ~5mg THC.
COMING UP ON THURSDAY FOR ALL SUBSCRIBERS:
Recipe: Cannabis-Infused Dumplings for Lunar New Year
Now go make something and try it at home! Pot brownies from a box mix is an easy way to get started. Or make infused lemon bars, cookies, krispy treats, and drinks from my Recipe archive – which includes exact amounts and instructions to dose at 5mg THC per serving.
Happy baking! Christina W.