Are Cannabis Edibles Safer Than Smoking?
July 9 2024, Published 3:00 a.m. ET
Cannabis products continue to gain worldwide acceptance and legalization, and as they become more widely available, users are experimenting with new ways of consuming cannabis. The most common ways of using cannabis are to smoke or to eat edibles. Generally, edibles have been seen as safer than smoking, but is that the case?
Differences In Smoking and Edible Consumption
It’s essential to understand the differences and associated risks between smoking and directly ingesting cannabis. Smoking involves inhaling the smoke from a burning cannabis plant. While it provides almost immediate effects, making it easy to control dosage, it comes with the traditional smoking risk of inhaling other harmful substances, including carcinogens. Marijuana smoke is known to cause cancer, congenital disabilities, and other reproductive harm, according to the state of California, and must bear this fact on product labels.
Toxins and Respiratory Issues
Cannabis smokers are at risk of putting harmful toxins into their lungs, namely tar, ammonia, and hydrogen cyanide. Cannabis smokers may experience respiratory issues such as chronic bronchitis, coughing, and phlegm production. Additionally, while smoking offers immediate effects for the user, it is likely to wear off more quickly, causing users to generally smoke more frequently.
Edibles and Their Risks
DAILY. BREAKING. CELEBRITY NEWS. ALL FREE.
On the other hand, an edible is an unrelated food product infused with cannabis. CBD gummies are a popular form of edible, with their discrete size and convenient form making them an ideal choice for many cannabis users, though they do come with their risks.
Consumed edibles are processed in the liver, resulting in delayed effects. The delay can last from 30 minutes to two hours, while the effects last much longer than smoking, anywhere from six to eight hours. This prolonged duration can be helpful for those with protracted pain or anxiety but can be an impairment risk for others.
When using edibles, one must carefully consider how much they are ingesting. Since there is a delay to their effect, many users lose patience and take another edible, exacerbating the impacts once the delays are over. Unanticipated events during the effective period are also a risk since users will not be as capable under the effects of cannabis.
Due to their typical appearance as candies or gummies, edibles can also be a risk for accidental ingestion. A child or pet may mistakenly eat it, making proper storage a necessity for edible cannabis users to consider.
Additionally, it is essential to consider that edibles can cause overdoses, as with their smoke counterpart. Consuming too many edibles can lead to intense intoxication, and the delayed effect can cause users to ingest more than their bodies can handle. Cannabis overdoses are not often fatal, but the risk remains.
Edibles Appear Safer in Terms of Health Risks
Edibles eliminate harmful respiratory problems but have storage and dosage concerns that need to be addressed by any user. As with smoking, it is essential to consume responsibly, but edibles are generally safer than smoking when it comes to health concerns.
Supplements and CBD:These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Medical:This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider.