Small amounts of THC start at 1 mg to 2.5 mg per dose. Inhaled THC produces effects in 10 to 30 minutes. Eaten THC produces effects in 30 to 120 minutes. No standard definition of a microdose exists. US labels list THC in milligrams per serving, so the label is the main measuring tool.
What counts as a small amount
- 1 mg to 2.5 mg THC: the range used by most low-dose products, per piece or per puff.
- 5 mg THC: a common serving cap in states with tighter limits.
- 10 mg THC: the serving cap in several states and the dose in many single edibles.
State rules differ. Package caps run from 100 mg upward depending on the state and the medical or adult-use market. Check the label and the state limit before you buy.
How Many MG of THC is in a Microdose?
Start low
A first dose of 1 mg to 2.5 mg is a starting point for most adults. Wait 2 hours before a second edible dose. Wait 30 minutes before a second inhaled dose. THC concentrations in flower rose from about 4% in 1995 to 14% in 2019, so old dose charts do not match current products. One puff of high-potency flower or concentrate can deliver more THC than 2.5 mg.
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Method changes timing
- Inhalation: onset 10 to 30 minutes, effect lasts 1 to 3 hours.
- Edibles: onset 30 to 120 minutes, effect lasts 4 to 8 hours.
- Tincture under the tongue: onset 15 to 45 minutes.
- Capsules and drinks: onset 30 to 90 minutes, based on stomach contents.
Edible THC passes through the liver and forms 11-hydroxy-THC. Food in the stomach slows onset. A full stomach can delay effects past 2 hours.
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Label math
Many chocolate bars and gummies score into 10 pieces. A 100 mg bar with 10 pieces holds 10 mg per piece. Half a piece holds 5 mg. A quarter holds 2.5 mg. A 10 mg gummy cut in four gives 2.5 mg per quarter. Buy products with 1 mg or 2.5 mg per unit when you want a small dose without cutting.
Tolerance and dose spacing
Daily use raises tolerance within days. Tolerance drops after 1 to 2 weeks without use. Spacing doses 48 hours apart keeps tolerance low. Store cannabis in a locked container, away from children and pets.
Side effects at low doses
Common effects: dry mouth, red eyes, slower reaction time, and a change in short-term memory. Higher doses raise the chance of anxiety, paranoia, rapid heart rate, and nausea. A placebo-controlled trial of low-dose THC reported no mood or cognition gains versus placebo. Some participants reported feeling high on placebo, which shows that setting and expectation change how a dose feels.
Legal points in the US
Adult-use sales require age 21 and older. Driving after THC use is illegal in every state, and low doses still slow reaction time. The FDA has not approved cannabis for medical use. Employers and drug tests do not measure dose, they measure THC metabolites, which stay detectable for days after a single low dose.
When to stop
Stop and get medical help for chest pain, vomiting that will not stop, or signs of psychosis such as hearing voices. These effects are rare at 1 mg to 2.5 mg. They are more common with edibles eaten at high doses.