Most cannabis chocolate bars are scored so each square holds a set dose, usually 5 mg or 10 mg of THC. A standard serving in legal US markets is 10 mg, but that number is a ceiling for people with tolerance, not a starting point. If you are new to edibles, start at 1.5 to 2.5 mg and wait a full two hours before considering more.
Read the label before you break the bar
I look at four things on the package, in this order:
- Total THC per package. A 100 mg bar is ten 10 mg servings, not one. That single number causes more bad nights than anything else.
- THC per square. Divide the total milligrams by the number of scored pieces. If a bar says 100 mg and has 20 squares, each square is 5 mg.
- THC to CBD ratio. A 1:1 bar feels different from a straight THC bar. CBD can take some edge off the high.
- Type of product. Full-spectrum, distillate, and live resin bars all hit differently, and the label usually says which one you have.
Starting doses by experience level
- First time or low tolerance: 1 to 2.5 mg THC. Yes, that means cutting a 5 mg square in half.
- Occasional user, a few times a month: 2.5 to 5 mg.
- Regular edible user: 5 to 10 mg.
- High tolerance: 10 mg or more, but know that 10 mg is the per-serving cap in most legal states, and going past it raises the odds of an unpleasant few hours.
Why edibles feel stronger than they look
When you eat THC, it goes through your liver and converts into 11-hydroxy-THC, a compound that crosses into the brain more readily and lingers longer than the THC you get from smoking or vaping. That conversion is why a 10 mg edible can feel heavier than a 10 mg hit off a vape. It is also why the effects stack if you redose too early. Chocolate adds a small wrinkle: fat content can affect how quickly your body absorbs it, though the label dose is still the label dose.
Timing: what to expect, hour by hour
- First 15 to 60 minutes: usually nothing. This is the window where people make their mistake and eat another square.
- 30 to 120 minutes: onset. You may notice relaxation, a body buzz, or dry mouth.
- 1.5 to 4 hours: peak. This is as strong as it gets.
- 4 to 8 hours: a slow taper. Some people still feel it the next morning, especially at higher doses.
An empty stomach tends to speed things up. A heavy meal before or with the bar slows absorption, which can push the peak later than you expect.
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If you take too much
Racing heart, nausea, dizziness, and anxiety are the usual complaints. There is no recorded fatal overdose from cannabis alone, but the discomfort is real and it can last hours. Drink water, lie down somewhere calm, and remember that it will pass. Some people find CBD, black pepper, or a warm shower helps take the edge off. Get medical help if you have chest pain, cannot stop vomiting, or the panic does not settle.
Things that move your number up or down
- Your tolerance and how often you use THC.
- Body weight, metabolism, and liver function.
- Alcohol or other drugs in the mix. Skip the drinks.
- How much you ate that day and when.
- Your mood and setting. A calm room at home beats a loud party for a first edible.
Storing and splitting the bar
A scored bar breaks along the lines, but the THC may not be perfectly even. For low doses, cut the square, then cut it again. Keep the rest in the original packaging so you always have the label, and store it somewhere cool, dark, and locked. Chocolate melts, and an unlabeled bar in a kitchen drawer is a bad surprise for a kid, a pet, or a guest.