WHY IT'S BETTER TO BUY CANNABIS EDIBLES AT DISPENSARIES

In the modern cannabis era, there are an infinite amount of ways to reap the benefits the plant has to offer.

Cannabis edibles have become an increasingly popular way to consume the plant, from cannabis gummies and tinctures to drinks, chocolates, salty snacks, and much more.

Also called weed edibles or infused edibles, cannabis edibles are ideal for anyone who doesn’t like to smoke flower but still wants to enjoy the plant’s wellness benefits.

The creation of edibles goes back centuries in time and is perhaps most widely recognized in the form of a brownie, but in today’s legal market, the sky is the limit for how edibles are approached and manufactured.

Weed gummies are among the most popular cannabis edibles.
Photo by Elsa Olofsson at Oracle on Unsplash.

The history of cannabis edibles

As we mentioned earlier, marijuana edibles trace back thousands of years.

Consuming cannabis in edible form can be traced back to the ancient times when hash-filled infused edibles were prevalent across ancient India and the Middle East.

This included confections like “mahjouns,” made with dates and spices, or “bhang,” a popular cannabis-infused drink in India that remains common in the present day.

The popularity of cannabis edibles continued into the 20th century, until Reefer Madness and criminalization swept the U.S. and the subsequent globe, forcing consumers and cultivators to go into hiding for the next century (and then some).

Edibles remained a favorite option amongst frequent consumers due to their ability to be consumed discreetly while still reaping the benefits of the plant.

In today’s increasingly legal industry, the infused edibles market has expanded exponentially, with edible gummies and infused beverages, in particular, making up for a large portion of sales and a wide variety of edible options with different cannabinoid and terpene focus depending on your needs as a consumer.

How to make weed edibles

When it comes to making your own cannabis-infused edibles at home, there are quite a few different ways to go about it depending on your desired outcome.

However, no matter what you’re planning to create, it all must begin with the base. Most cannabis edibles are made with infused canna-butter or an extract like live resin or distillate.

Beverages typically contain a water-soluble powder with an isolated cannabinoid blend.

Canna-butter

Something that weed brownies and infused pasta has in common with weed beverages and infused french fries is cannabutter or oil – a.k.a., the fatty host that carries the activated cannabinoids from the plant to your digestive system.

This process is quite straightforward and can be done at home, but can be incredibly time-consuming and somewhat tricky to master if you aren’t sure what you’re doing.

Basically, you’ll begin by acquiring a batch of cannabis flower (usually about a half-ounce for a half-cup of butter or oil, depending on your desired potency level). You can also use concentrates like ice water hash for an even more potent product.

The first step is activation: a.k.a., allowing that THC to come to life so your edibles can do what they do best.

This will require you to cook the ground cannabis flower in an oven, on the stovetop, or in a crockpot, letting it bake at a low and even temperature of around 200 degrees until the THC (and other cannabinoids of interest) is fully activated, usually around 30 minutes to an hour.

Next, you’ll infuse the activated cannabis with the butter or oil, letting them mix at low and consistent heat for about an hour and a half to two hours before straining out the plant material and having yourself a fresh batch of cannabutter or cannabis oil to enjoy.

Live resin and distillate

Many edibles are also made using distillate, a type of cannabis extract that is highly refined.

It contains high amounts of THC, but less of the other parts of the cannabis plant. It has a more neutral flavor but it may not fire on all cylinders.

Live resin, another concentrate, contains more of the plant’s natural compounds. This leads to a more familiar effect and hearty flavor.

Do you have to cure weed for edibles?

If you’ve grown the flower yourself, you’ll want to cure it first, but if you’re purchasing from a dispensary, chances are your weed is already cured.

The cure process is when the cannabis plant truly expresses itself fully, allowing all of the active ingredients within to mature. If you do not cure cannabis properly, it will not be as potent.

The problem with making them cannabis edibles at home

Making edibles at home can be time-consuming and messy. Not to mention the fact that your house will definitely have a pungent cannabis aroma that lingers after.

Dosing can also be extremely difficult, meaning you run the risk of having an inconsistent product that may be too strong or not strong enough.

While cannabis edibles can certainly be made at home, it definitely isn’t always a consumer’s first option – especially with so many brands making artisanal-level infused edibles for you to enjoy without all of the elbow grease.

Why it’s beneficial to buy cannabis edibles at a dispensary 

In today’s legal market, the best option for edible consumption is to purchase some at your local dispensary. Here’s why:

Consistency

When it comes to edibles, no one likes surprises. Thanks to required testing, all cannabis edibles at dispensaries are evenly dosed.

Additionally, brands have commercial-grade production facilities brimming with standard operating procedures, meaning that every final product will offer the same effect as expected, time after time.

Safety

This ensures consumers get a safe product that only contains exactly what the ingredients list claim.

Convenience 

Buying weed edibles at a dispensary also removes the headache of several hours in a hot kitchen wondering if you’ve used a good enough flower-to-oil ratio, which is always a plus for busy consumers.

Do you know how long it takes to make cannabis edibles like cookies?

A final thought on cannabis edibles

Cannabis edibles are growing in popularity thanks to their ease of use and tasty flavor.

When you buy cannabis edibles from a dispensary, you can be confident you’re getting a reliable and high-quality product.

Edibles are only going to become more prevalent in the future, with more flavors and modalities to choose from than ever before.