It has occurred to me that some people might just get the wrong idea.

After all, I’ve written at least half a dozen stories here about various of my adventures involving overdoses of Medical Marijuana edibles, which left me in various states of highness, generally in the double digits (AKA “tripping balls“).

I’d like to categorically state that I am not, by any means, attempting to act as a role model, portraying this behavior in a positive light, or trying to “impress” anyone by publishing these stories. Rather, I’ve been attempting to illustrate the dangers of blindly consuming new edibles, and especially the dangers of over-consuming, especially intentionally (recreational users, I’m mostly talking to you here).

As is common in medically oriented literature, I use the word “overdose” here in its correct meaning: a dose that is higher than medically necessary. A mild overdose will simply get you high. “Overdose” does not imply “something that will kill you”, though the term “fatal overdose” does.

While even massive overdoses of cannabis are not themselves acutely life-threatening to healthy individuals, high doses of sativas and other THC-rich strains can induce temporary symptoms of paranoia or panic in some people, with accompanying rise in blood pressure and heart rate. Very high doses of any strain can also cause temporary loss of consciousness (“greening out”). Clearly, either of these effects could have serious consequences based on other factors, such as a pre-existing heart condition or simply falling and hitting your head.

So now I’d like to promote these five safety rules for cannabis edibles:

1. Try less than 1/8 of the recommended dose for any new marijuana edible.

2. If it smells strongly, it probably is seriously strong.

3. If it tastes strongly, it really is seriously strong!

4. Wait at least 2 (or up to 4) hours, or until you feel the effects, before adding another same-sized piece to your dose (assuming you decide you do want more).

5. Edibles always have a built-in time delay. Plan in advance what you’ll be doing and where you’ll be when they kick in (generally anywhere from 1/2 hour to 2 to 4 hours after eating).

Good luck and be careful!