Edibles are foods and drinks that carry cannabinoids. CBD edibles use hemp extract. THC edibles use cannabis. The body handles both the same way at the start: you swallow them.
How CBD edibles move through the body
A swallowed dose moves from the stomach to the small intestine, then to the liver. Liver enzymes CYP3A4 and CYP2C19 break down CBD before it reaches the blood. This step is called first-pass metabolism. It removes a large share of the dose.
Onset runs 30 to 120 minutes. Peak blood levels arrive at 1 to 3 hours. Effects last 4 to 6 hours. A meal with fat raises absorption and shifts the timeline. Inhaled CBD reaches the blood in under 10 minutes and clears in 2 to 4 hours.
Start low and wait
- Pick a starting amount: 10 to 25 mg CBD for most adults.
- Wait 2 hours before a second dose. Onset can take longer on an empty stomach.
- Keep a log with the amount, the time, and the result.
- Split the dose if the label lists per-serving numbers you cannot match.
THC edibles follow a different scale. In states with legal cannabis, 5 mg THC is a common single serving and 10 mg is a common package limit per dose.
Labels and lab reports
The FDA has not approved CBD as a food additive or a dietary supplement. One CBD drug, Epidiolex, holds FDA approval for two seizure conditions.
CBD labels list total CBD per package and per serving. A third-party lab report lists cannabinoid content plus test results for pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, and microbials. Ask for the report by batch number. Hemp is defined in the 2018 Farm Bill as cannabis with 0.3% THC or less on a dry weight basis. Some products labeled THC-free test above that line.
Drug interactions
CBD blocks CYP3A4 and CYP2C19. That can raise blood levels of drugs the same enzymes clear. Clobazam, a seizure drug, is one documented example. Other examples include some blood thinners and some immunosuppressants. Give a pharmacist your full medication list before you add edibles.
Side effects
Reported effects include sleepiness, dry mouth, loose stools, and lowered appetite. Liver enzyme rises appear in some users at high doses. Stop use and call a clinician if you see yellow skin, dark urine, or pain in the upper right abdomen.