Cannabis honey dose at a glance

Start with 1 to 2.5 mg of THC if you have not used edibles. A teaspoon of commercial cannabis honey holds 5 to 10 mg in most jars sold in the United States and Canada. The standard single serving for adults is 10 mg. Wait 2 hours before you take more.

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Read the label before you measure

Legal cannabis honey carries three numbers: total THC in the package, number of servings, and milligrams per serving. A 100 g jar holds about 20 teaspoons, so a jar labeled 200 mg total THC works out to 10 mg per teaspoon. Check whether the label says per teaspoon or per serving. Those amounts differ.

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Homemade cannabis honey has no label. A cook who stirs decarboxylated flower into honey cannot control the spread of the THC. One spoon from the top of the jar and one from the bottom can hold different amounts. Treat each jar as an unknown dose.

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Dose ranges

  • 1 to 2.5 mg THC: first edible, no tolerance.
  • 2.5 to 5 mg: light effect. Common starting point for older adults.
  • 5 to 10 mg: standard serving. Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and California cap one serving at 10 mg.
  • 10 to 20 mg: regular users.
  • 20 mg and up: heavy tolerance. Higher doses raise the chance of nausea, racing heart, and anxiety.

Onset, peak, and duration

Swallowed THC reaches the blood in 30 to 120 minutes. Peak effects arrive between 2 and 4 hours. Effects fade over 4 to 8 hours. A meal with fat can raise absorption, because THC binds to fat. An empty stomach can delay the peak. Do not judge the dose in the first hour.

cannabis honey dosage guide

Why honey doses vary

THC is fat soluble. Honey is water and sugar. The two do not blend, so makers use lecithin, oil, or a fine extract to hold the THC in suspension. Jars can separate in the cupboard. Stir the whole jar before each use. Warm the jar in a bowl of hot tap water to loosen thick honey. Do not microwave it. Heat above 160 F degrades THC.

Measure with a spoon and a scale

A level teaspoon of honey weighs near 7 g. A kitchen scale that reads 0.1 g gives a more exact dose than a spoon. Use the same spoon each time. Scrape the spoon clean so the full dose lands.

What changes your response

  • Liver enzymes CYP3A4 and CYP2C19. Some people convert THC to 11-hydroxy-THC at a higher rate.
  • Tolerance. Daily use raises the dose you need.
  • Other drugs. Alcohol, benzodiazepines, and sleep aids add to impairment. Ask a pharmacist if you take warfarin, tacrolimus, or other drugs with a narrow range.
  • Body weight matters less than enzyme activity and tolerance.

Safety and storage

Keep cannabis honey in a locked box. Honey appeals to children and dogs. THC is toxic to dogs. For a child, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. For a pet, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.

Do not drive after a dose. THC is a Schedule I drug under federal law. The FDA has approved one cannabis-derived drug, Epidiolex, for seizures. State programs set their own rules on sales and limits. Store honey in a sealed jar away from light and heat.

Steps for a first dose

  1. Read the label and note mg per teaspoon.
  2. Stir the jar.
  3. Measure 1 to 2.5 mg, or one quarter teaspoon from a 10 mg per teaspoon jar.
  4. Eat it with food.
  5. Wait 2 hours.
  6. Add 1 to 2.5 mg if you feel nothing.