Not your Traditional Edible
Sublingual dosing differs from a traditional edible in a variety of ways. First, the marijuana tincture or hard candy is placed under the tongue and left to absorb into the mucous membrane of the mouth for up to three minutes, instead of being immediately swallowed and entering the digestive tract. This delivery method is gaining in popularity because it boasts a variety of benefits. It’s becoming a desirable option for the medical marijuana patient, as well as the recreational marijuana connoisseur. Discreet and accurate, fast-acting and cost-effective. Most notably, this method has no known negative health effects associated with it. These benefits and notable lack of unwanted consequences, make going sublingual the obvious choice to improve your marijuana experience.
When administered through an odorless coconut oil based tincture and packaged in a dropper bottle, the sublingual dose is the ninja of all marijuana methodology. A well-labeled and accurately processed sublingual product provides a sense of control often absent when smoking or eating traditional edibles.
It’s also likely that the sublingual product will contain a combination of CBD (the marijuana plant’s non-psychoactive compound) and THC. These compounds have been proven to be more effective when used together because they compliment each others therapeutic qualities. 1:1 CBD Candy Hearts by Dr. Raw Organics is a product that illustrates this relationship well by clearly indicating the dose on the label showing that each candy is packed with 50% CBD & 50% THC, or 1:1, meaning equal parts CBD to THC and they happen to have a rapid onset time of just 10-15 minutes. The consumer can now find a wide variety of sublingual formulas and doses in the marketplace, in either marijuana tincture or hard candy form. These focus on particular medical conditions or more general relaxation and stress relief therapies.
10mg Standard Dose
Washington and Colorado led the movement to designate 10mg of THC as the standard dose. Infused product manufacturing standards and proper packaging provide consumers with a way to safely manage their condition with medicinal marijuana. While the standard dose of 10mg exists, experts still advise us to follow the guideline of less is always more when medicating with marijuana. Also recognize that taking too much can actually reduce the medicine’s overall therapeutic qualities. Scientifically formulated marijuana tinctures provide accurate dosing, the main benefit of this method. However, it may require some experimentation at the onset to determine each individual’s ideal sublingual dose. This routine process, titration, leads to the discovery of the right amount of marijuana required in order to feel optimal.
Better Absorption, Increased Bioavailability
After going through the digestive tract, the liver processes the marijuana edible and its compounds finally enter the bloodstream. Ultimately this results in a small amount of cannabinoids, just 20% leftover for absorption. It might take an hour to feel the effects of a traditional edible, a lengthy wait if experiencing symptoms.
Conversely, the sublingual dose of marijuana releases medicinal properties directly into the bloodstream via the tissue under the tongue and bypassing the liver, therefore providing better absorption and increased bioavailability (the degree and rate at which an administered drug is absorbed by the body’s circulatory system). These effects will be felt within 5-30 minutes and last 2-4 hours on average. The patient feels relief faster and ultimately ends up using less medicine, resulting in savings and making sublingual marijuana edibles not only convenient, discrete, effective, and accurate, but also cost-effective.
Sublingual Dosing for the Win
Sublingual dosing is also a popular option for those needing to medicate on the go. This method is much more discreet than smoking or vaping, often frowned upon or prohibited altogether. Along with social stigma, smoking fills the lungs with tar and heat leading to potential health problems down the line. Sublingual dosing, on the other hand, provides the rapid relief of smoking without the associated shame and potential health risk.
As marijuana edibles become more mainstream, consumers benefit from having a variety of products to choose from. Therefore, understanding the difference between traditional edibles and sublingual dosing is crucial to achieving the most effective results for yourself.
