Short answer
No US agency publishes a medical cannabis capsule dosage chart. The FDA sets doses for approved cannabinoid medicines: dronabinol (Marinol, Syndros) in 2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg capsules; nabilone (Cesamet) in 1 mg capsules; Epidiolex (CBD) starting at 2.5 mg per kg twice daily, with a top dose of 10 mg per kg twice daily. For state-legal cannabis capsules, care teams use titration in place of a fixed chart: start at 1 mg to 2.5 mg THC or 5 mg to 10 mg CBD, hold that dose for 2 to 3 days, then raise it in small steps.
Capsule strengths on labels
- THC: 1 mg, 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg
- CBD: 5 mg, 10 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg
- Ratio products: 1:1, 2:1, 4:1, 10:1, 20:1
- Full spectrum, broad spectrum, and isolate fillers change the effect profile
A 10 mg THC capsule is not equal to 10 mg of inhaled THC. The liver converts part of oral THC into 11-hydroxy-THC, a metabolite with a stronger psychoactive effect.
Starting dose by reason for use
- Chronic pain: 2.5 mg THC at night. Add a daytime dose after 3 days if needed. Trials in neuropathic pain used 2.5 mg to 30 mg THC per day.
- Sleep: 2.5 mg to 5 mg THC 1 to 2 hours before bed.
- Nausea and appetite: the dronabinol label lists 2.5 mg twice daily for appetite loss and 5 mg per square meter of body surface for chemotherapy nausea.
- Anxiety: CBD 5 mg to 25 mg per day. Evidence is weak.
- Seizure disorders: Epidiolex at 2.5 mg per kg twice daily. Store-bought CBD capsules are not a substitute.
Titration schedule
- Days 1 to 3: one capsule at night, 1 mg to 2.5 mg THC.
- Days 4 to 7: if side effects are mild, add 1 mg to 2.5 mg.
- Week 2: hold at the lowest dose that works. Stop raising the dose when the benefit stops growing.
- After 2 weeks with no benefit, change the product or ratio before raising the dose.
Onset and duration
Capsules take 30 to 120 minutes to act. Peak blood levels arrive at 2 to 4 hours. Effects last 6 to 8 hours, longer than inhaled cannabis. Oral THC bioavailability is 4 to 12 percent because of first-pass liver metabolism. A fatty meal can raise absorption and delay the peak.
how many mg of medical cannabis capsule per day
Groups that start lower
- Adults over 65
- People with no prior cannabis use
- Liver disease or heavy alcohol use
- Users of CYP3A4, CYP2C9, or CYP2C19 drugs, including some blood thinners, antifungals, and seizure drugs
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: no safe dose is established
What is not known
No standard conversion exists between smoked flower, tinctures, and capsules. State testing rules set label accuracy within a range, so a 10 mg label can vary by lot. Long-term dosing data for most conditions come from small trials.