Pick: edibles first for medical use
For a patient who needs hours of steady relief, edibles are the first pick. A labeled 5 mg or 10 mg dose holds for 4 to 8 hours. Inhaled flower holds for 1 to 3 hours. One edible dose covers a work shift or a full night of sleep. Two to four flower sessions cover the same window.
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Why edibles last longer
Swallowed THC passes through the liver. Enzymes CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 convert it to 11-hydroxy-THC. That metabolite crosses the blood-brain barrier and binds CB1 receptors with more strength than delta-9-THC. Onset runs 30 to 90 minutes. Peak plasma levels arrive at 2 to 3 hours. Effects taper by hour 6 to 8. Oral bioavailability sits between 4 and 20 percent. It shifts by person, by food in the stomach, and by liver enzyme genetics.
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Where flower wins
Inhaled THC reaches the brain in 2 to 10 minutes. Peak arrives in 15 to 30 minutes. Effects fall off in 1 to 3 hours. A patient can titrate one puff at a time and stop when symptoms ease. That control matters for breakthrough pain, chemotherapy nausea, and muscle spasms. Flower also bypasses the liver, so the dose does not depend on enzyme genetics.
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Dose math
- Edible: 10 mg THC, onset 30 to 90 minutes, duration 4 to 8 hours.
- Flower: 0.3 g at 20 percent THC holds about 60 mg THC in the raw material. Inhaled delivery is partial, so the absorbed dose is lower.
- Vaporized flower: same onset curve as smoke, less tar and carbon monoxide.
Risks
Edible onset delay causes repeat dosing. A second 10 mg dose at minute 45 stacks on the first and pushes the peak past comfort. Emergency department visits tied to cannabis edibles rose after 2019. Children who eat candy-style products account for a large share of those cases. Smoked flower irritates airways and delivers carbon monoxide. Daily smoke raises bronchitis risk.
Understanding the Difference: Why is Medical Marijuana High?
Options, ranked
- Oral edibles. Best duration. Worst onset control.
- Capsules and tinctures. Same liver path. A tincture held under the tongue absorbs faster than a swallowed pill.
- Vaporized flower. Fast onset. Medium duration. Lower respiratory load.
- Smoked flower. Fastest onset. Shortest duration. Highest respiratory load.
Practical pick
Use edibles as the base layer and flower or vape as a rescue layer. Take the edible at a fixed clock time. Keep a vape for symptom spikes between hours 0 and 2, before the edible peaks. Track dose, time, and effect in a log for two weeks. Bring the log to a clinician. No cannabis product holds FDA approval for general medical use. Epidiolex, a CBD drug, is the one exception.