Start low. Go slow. Per format.
Cannabis dose is not a single number. It's a per-format conversation. 5 mg of an edible, one slow pull from a vape, and a tincture sublingual hold all deliver wildly different curves of effect over wildly different timelines. Below is the working dose matrix our budtenders use.
Different formats, different curves.
The same 5 mg of THC behaves differently depending on the route of administration. Inhaled cannabis hits in minutes, peaks at 15-30 min, lasts 1-3 hours. Edibles take 45-90 min to onset, peak at 90-120 min, last 4-6 hours. Sublingual tinctures sit between — 15-45 min onset, 2-4 hour duration.
Dose matters. Format matters more.
Starting doses by experience level
| Tier | Edible (mg THC) | Inhaled | Wait before more |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-time / returning | 1–2.5 mg | 1 small pull | 90 min (edible) · 30 min (inhaled) |
| Casual | 5–10 mg | 2–3 pulls | Same windows |
| Regular | 10–20 mg | 4+ pulls | Same windows |
| High tolerance | 20+ mg | Steady use | Self-aware |
The start-low-go-slow rule
The start-low-go-slow rule isn’t just a beginner crutch. Experienced shoppers use it every time they try a new format, a new strain, or return to cannabis after a break. Tolerance shifts. Strain chemistry varies. Set + setting changes. Always start low; let the first dose tell you where the next dose should land.
The microdose pattern
Microdose = 1-2.5 mg THC, sub-perceptual to barely-perceptual. Functional effect without intoxication. Common pattern: one microdose every 2-4 hours across a workday. Use cases: anxiety relief, creative baseline, mood support, focus. Pair with CBD (1:1 or 2:1) for additional grounding.
Five-step recovery protocol.
- 01
Find calm comfort
Familiar setting. Friend or partner if available. Lower the lights. Soft music or silence — whatever soothes.
- 02
Hydrate + eat
Water + a starchy snack (bread, crackers, fruit). Electrolytes optional. Avoid alcohol.
- 03
Consider CBD
A 10-25mg CBD tincture sublingually modulates a high-THC reaction. Reduces racing-mind quality.
- 04
Time it out
Inhaled effects fade in 1-3 hr. Edibles fade in 4-6 hr. The peak passes. The discomfort passes.
- 05
Call 911 if needed
Cannabis overdose isn't fatal but severe physical symptoms (chest pain, fainting, vomiting, racing heart) warrant medical help.
- Edible first-time
- 1–2.5 mg · wait 90 min
- Inhaled first-time
- 1 small pull · wait 30 min
- Tincture first-time
- 5 mg sublingual · wait 30–60 min
- Microdose range
- 1–2.5 mg THC
- Edible peak
- 90–120 min
- Inhaled peak
- 10–30 min