What Happens When You Eat Weed?

Weed can either be inhaled using a pipe, joint, bong, or vaporizer, or ingested in the form of edibles. Interestingly, eating and smoking weed can produce quite different experiences.  That’s because the biochemical processes behind these two kinds of intake are different.

Raw marijuana contains the cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), which is non-psychoactive.  THCA has a molecule attached to it called a carboxyl group.  In order for THCA to become psychoactive, that carboxyl group needs to be removed in a chemical reaction called decarboxylation.  It is when you heat or dry out THCA that it gets decarboxylated to produce the psychoactive forms of THC.  This process works differently depending on whether you smoke or eat weed.

When you smoke weed, the combustion or vaporization produces the psychoactive compound Delta-9-THC.  When you eat weed, it gets digested and broken down in the body.  Enzymes in the gut and liver largely form a different psychoactive product called 11-Hydroxy-Delta-9-THC.  This particular metabolite is only made in small amounts when you smoke weed, but is produced in significant concentrations when you ingest it.  11-Hydroxy THC is unique because it moves through your blood-brain barrier very easily and some studies have suggested that it may be more potent than Delta-9-THC.

One of the main differences between eating and smoking weed is the timeline.  Inhaling weed is the most efficient way of delivering THC into your bloodstream.  When you smoke, you may start to feel the effects within a couple minutes, but the high will usually dissipate within 1-2 hours. When you ingest it, there may been a time lapse of 30-45 minutes before you start to feel high because your body needs to metabolize it first before it gets circulated to your brain.  However, you may feel a more intense high that lasts anywhere from 2-5 hours.

One challenge with consuming edibles is controlling your intake.  When smoking, it is easy to know when you have had enough because you feel the effects so quickly.  With the delayed high that comes from eating weed, it can be more difficult to know exactly how much you have consumed.  It is best to consume a small amount of edibles and wait 1-2 hours to feel the effects before eating more as needed.  Some marijuana cookbooks will provide guidance on how to dose-control your weed-laced baked goods.

There are a number of benefits to eating rather than inhaling your weed.  One of the main concerns about weed use is the intake of carcinogens during smoking.  If you eat cannabis, you are not exposed to tar or other chemicals that can be produced during combustion, and you will not experience any short-term inflammation to your lungs and respiratory tract.  Some users also feel that ingesting weed offers a steadier and longer-lasting body high, which may be preferable for pain management and treatment of other chronic conditions.