​Finding the Right Dose For You

I want to say first that I'm not a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist regarding this post. I think of myself as an expert, but it comes with guardrails. Let's talk about a good dose for you: CBD, CBG, CBN, Compliant Delta 9, or Delta 8.

Here's the first tricky part of this conversation, everyone is different.

Some of the variety of factors to take into consideration are:

• Your weight
• The severity of the condition you're dealing with (sleep, pain, anxiety, etc.)
• Your tolerance level (this goes for CBD and THC)
• The potency of the product
• What you ate or didn't eat beforehand
• The bioavailability of the product you're using (gummies have to go through your digestive tract vs. smoking goes immediately into your bloodstream)
• Your metabolism

You realize that dosing is not a science but an individual thing. It is essential to start with a small dose and work your way up for that "perfect dose."

Non Intoxicating Cannabinoids

CBD

Here is an excellent recommendation for CBD from Dr. Dustin Sulak, an integrative physician, and leading cannabis clinician. "The idea is to start very low (i.e., 5mg per use) and increase daily usage by 5 mg every two days until you start feeling results. Then, stop increasing and keep using the same number of milligrams or drops. For many people, the amount that provides modest benefits in the first couple days will, after consistent use, provide more and more benefit over time."

Below is a chart for CBD that I've used since opening the store three years ago. It's a great way to find a range based on what you're dealing with. For example, I can keep my anxiety at bay by using 33mg per dose of CBD typically. During the height of COVID, I use up to 50mg.

Can you overdose on CBD? No. The biggest thing would be you take too much and get sleepy, but nothing ridiculous will happen. You might give your body the nice break that it needs.

CBN

Depending on how much my mind is swirling at night, I will vary my dose accordingly. Night time for me = CBN. It is a great cannabinoid that helps people with pain and sleep. Sometimes I can take 10mg and be good, but typically I use between 20-30mg to sleep and stay asleep.

Similar to CBD and any other cannabinoid, start small and work your way up to an optimum dose for you.

CBG

As a refresher, CBG research has shown it to be a muscle relaxant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and relief for IBS. There isn't a one size fits all amount of CBG to take for symptoms or relief similar to CBD or CBN. Remember to start with a small dose and work your way up to the correct dose.

Here's an excellent guide to go with:

• After a workout? Take 2.5 to 25mg of CBG to help your body recover from exercise.
• Stressed? Taking 2 - 5mg a few times daily can help calm your nerves throughout the day.
• Before bed? If you have trouble falling asleep at night, CBG might be able to help. Try taking 10 - 20mg of CBG an hour before bed to help your body unwind.
• What happens when I take too much CBG? You might notice dry mouth, drowsiness, and an increased appetite (yes, munchies), but nothing you can't handle.

Intoxicating Cannabinoids

Delta 8

We're now in the intoxicating category, so I can't stress enough that if you're not a seasoned user, start with a low dose. Delta 8 is about 1/2 as potent as regular Delta 9, but it still packs a punch.

Here is what we see with dosing at the store:

• Low tolerance 5-15mg per serving
• Medium tolerance 15-45mg per serving
• High tolerance 45-150mg per serving

One of the things that I want to share is the packaging on these products is a struggle in terms of conformity. You really need to make sure you understand what the per dose is. If you're using a smokeable, I would take a couple of puffs and see how you feel otherwise with edibles; read the fine print. Some products have a more prolonged onset, and you think you're not feeling anything and it's not working, and BAM, you're high.

Compliant Delta 9/HHC (simliar potency)

Marijuana is Delta 9, but at our store, it is Delta 9 extracted from the Hemp plant. It's strong, just like the regular stuff, and companies have figured out a way around the 0.04%THC. Because that percentage is in the 2018 Hemp Bill based on DRY WEIGHT, companieshave interpreted that it doesn't account for moisture and the weight of the gummy material or whatever is in the oil.

I saw a great explanation:

Make the gummies a little bigger, and voila! To make it easier, 0.3% THC is approximately 3mg/g of THC in any given product.

If the total gummy weighs about 4 grams, you can legally squeeze in nearly 12 mg of THC and still comply with the 2018 Hemp Farm Bill.

So now that you understand what you're dealing with, the main thing similar to the others is to start small. Remember the considerations at the beginning of this post.

Here is what we see with dosing at the store:

• Low tolerance of 1-5mg per serving is microdosing at its finest. You'll feel relief from stress, anxiety, and pain and may even feel focused based on what you're using.
• Medium tolerance 5-25mg per serving - this is where you want to feel more of a body high and euphoric.
• High tolerance 25-50mg per serving - this is for my seasoned users who want to feel stoned and have heavy effects.
• Epic Proportion tolerance - 100mg is someone who is experienced and wants to really push their limits.

When have I gone too far? With the Delta's, that's very easy to tell. You start to experience some adverse side effects: paranoia, impairment, increased heart rate, and even vomiting.

Combining Cannabinoids

Ratios

If you are an MMJ card holder, you know about purchasing products with ratios. Typically it’s 1:1, 2:1, 8:1 and 20:1 CBD/THC.

The idea is the entourage effect with cannabis compounds (cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and more) work best when used together, enhancing one another's effects to maximize therapeutic benefits. When it comes to using cannabis as a medicine, choosing a CBD: THC ratio significantly impacts the level of intoxication or "high" you experience.

We currently have products with these ratios (Tillman's Tranquils is a great example), OR you can purchase a Delta product and CBD product and do it yourself. Our products still have to stay with the 2018 Hemp Bill parameters, so you won't see anything "insane."

Here's an easy way to understand these ratios. The higher the CBD, the less high you will feel from the THC.

1:1 ratio is considered the "golden ratio" with equal parts CBD & THC. This is often recommended as the most effective option for new users. It has the right amount of THC to give medicinal effects but also plenty of CBD to lower THC's adverse effects. It typically provides mild psychoactive effects that are pleasant and leave the consumer able to be functional throughout the day.

2:1 ratio provides twice the amount of CBD as THC and can still provide a slight buzz. This ratio might be ideal for those looking to combat autoimmune disorders, anxiety, depression, or general aches and pains.

Here is an excellent chart from cannasouth that can help explain this.

Guess what? There are these ratios with CBG and CBN with Compliant Delta 9 or CBD. It is a test and learns, but we have products that you can already combine them.

I hope this blog post has helped you figure out what is best for you. Please feel free to message or email us if you have any questions.