Want a Fast-acting Edible that produces the same "high" as smoking?
Sales of cannabis edibles are currently outperforming the rest of the legal US market. Cannabis analytics specialists "Headset" reported that edible use grew by 60%, from $767 million in 2019 to $1.23 billion in 2020. That's an increase in market share from 10.65 to 11.07%. As a result, Cannabis companies are throwing money into product development to keep interest high and meet demand. New products under development include strain-specific edibles and, perhaps most interestingly, faster-acting edibles.
Traditional edible products and smoking deliver two different highs in response to how the body metabolises cannabis. When you smoke cannabis, the main active ingredient delta-9 THC is taken into the bloodstream quickly via the lungs, causing the onset of psychoactive effects to hit almost instantly and peak after about 10 minutes.
However, when you eat a cannabis edible, it takes anything from 1-2 hrs to feel the effects. The cannabis has to travel through the digestive tract until the liver breaks it down. The liver converts the delta-9 THC into a completely different chemical, —11 hydroxy THC. 11 hydroxy THC causes more intense, longer-lasting psychoactive effects, resulting in a more potent and lengthier high.
The unpredictability of how long edibles take to "kick in" and the strength and duration of the effects often deter potential consumers from exploring this route, especially those new to cannabis.
Innovative cannabis companies have, however, found a solution to this problem with "faster-acting edibles". The claim is that these edibles will work quickly and deliver a high that is more in line with a "delta-9 THC" smoking experience rather than the heaviness of a traditional "11 hydroxy THC" edibles experience.
The body absorbs Fast-acting edible products in other ways rather than through the liver. This is achieved via "nano-emulsion". Once the cannabinoids in the fast-acting edibles come into contact with your saliva and stomach acid, they react together and form tiny, water-soluble microscopic droplets that your body can then easily and quickly absorb.
Other new developments include tinctures, small sweets, and chocolates designed to dissolve or melt in the mouth. The Cannabinoids then absorb into the bloodstream through membranes in the mouth and digestive tract, bypassing the liver and the creation of 11 hydroxy THC.
This process is possible through the use of Lecithin. Lecithin is a fat used to bind ingredients that do not mix well, such as oil and water. Cannabinoids bind better to fats, so using Lecithin helps the cannabinoids absorb more efficiently into your bodies' water-based bloodstream. The THC can then take effect quickly with effects similar to those from smoking. Lecithin also allows your body to access and digest THC more efficiently as it helps distribute the cannabinoids more evenly throughout the product.
These fast-acting edibles give an excellent alternative for people who don't smoke or vape but want a similar experience. A fast-acting, reliably dosed edible is a real breakthrough. One that can only serve to fuel the growth of the edibles market even further.
