By Luke Sumpter

Edibles. Most cannabis users seem to love them or hate them. You’ll hear stories of people having either euphoric and dreamy experiences or downright waking nightmares. But how do people end up in the latter scenario? Below, you’re going to find out what constitutes an edible overdose, and what steps you can take to avoid such an occurrence.


Can You Overdose on Edibles?

Yes. The National Institute of Health publication MedlinePlus defines[1] an overdose as “...when you take more than the normal or recommended amount of something, often a drug”. When it comes to weed, THC holds the crown as the principal intoxicating constituent. When taken in an appropriate amount, this molecule invokes feelings of creativity and euphoria. However, exceed this amount even slightly, and you could find yourself experiencing paranoia and even panic attacks.

Compared to inhaled cannabis, overdoses from edible weed are notoriously unpleasant. The primary symptoms include:

  • Altered perception
  • Anxiety
  • Dizziness
  • Weakness
  • Slurred speech
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Low or high blood pressure

While overdosing on certain other drugs can prove fatal, the risk of death due to cannabis toxicity is negligible[2].

Edibles

How Edibles Work

Cannabis edibles are so potent because they work in a slightly different way than inhaled weed. After hitting a joint or vape, THC swiftly enters the bloodstream through the alveoli of the lungs. From here, it makes its way through the blood–brain barrier and latches onto CB1 receptors of the endocannabinoid system. This mechanism of action results in fast-acting effects that wane relatively quickly. Things are different with edibles.

After orally ingesting an infused brownie, cupcake, or other THC-infused edible product, it takes time for the stomach to digest the edible vessel and liberate the contained cannabinoids. Eventually, THC permeates through the gut and beelines to the liver. Here, our major detoxification organ converts most of the THC molecule into 11-hydroxy-THC. Like “regular” THC, this metabolite also binds to CB1 receptors in the brain, but it produces a much more potent and longer-lasting high.

How to Recover From Eating Too Many Edibles

So, you’re now aware that edible overdoses are possible. But what should you do if someone is too high on edibles, or you’re having a bad reaction to edibles yourself? A lot of the time, it simply involves accepting the position you're in, instead of struggling against it. However, there are numerous strategies that you can employ to make this period much more bearable. Below, we’ll detail several easy methods you can use to gently bring yourself back down to Earth.

1. Keep Calm

Keep Calm

It sounds obvious, but it helps. Despite feeling sensations of panic, paranoia, and impending doom, just know that everything is going to be just fine. Remember, your brain didn’t suddenly just break—you simply ate way too much of that brownie packed full of THC. In the middle of the chaos, try to tame the fight or flight response, and reactivate the rational regions of your brain. You’re literally just on drugs, and they’ll wear off eventually.

To shift your nervous system out of a sympathetic state (fight or flight) into a parasympathetic state (rest and digest), try out some deep diaphragmatic breathing, or simply go for a slow stroll with some relaxing music in your ears.

2. Hydrate

Hydrate

Feeling dehydrated sucks when sober, but it can have even more severe psychological consequences while you’re desperately riding the rugged waves of an edible experience gone awry. Remember the moment your red-eyed friend tried to blow your mind mid-smoke session by telling you that you’re “literally 60% water, bro”? Well, he was right. Water underpins all metabolic processes; staying hydrated therefore helps to ramp up the metabolism of THC and speed up its breakdown and excretion.

Because dehydration can amplify the effects of this intoxicating cannabinoid, it’s always a good idea to have a bottle of water or juice to hand when you take a plunge into edible land.

3. Try Black Peppercorns or CBD

Try Peppercorns

It might sound a little strange, but early research shows that black pepper might help to bring relief during a bad reaction to edibles. How is this possible? Because this spice contains high quantities of the terpene beta-caryophyllene. Also known as a dietary cannabinoid, this molecule binds to the CB2 receptors of the endocannabinoid system. Researchers are currently testing[3] the phytochemical in models of anxiety.

Likewise, ongoing trials are also pitching CBD, a non-intoxicating cannabinoid found in weed buds, for its ability to offset some of the effects of THC. For example, a study[4] published in the British Journal of Pharmacology sought to analise the effects of CBD on memory deficits caused by THC.

4. Distract Yourself With a Movie or Music

Distract Yourself With A Movie

Consuming too many edibles can leave you feeling awful. However, pouring all of your attention into how you’re feeling certainly won’t help. You need to pull your mind out of the loop of rumination and analysis. To achieve this, you need to direct your attention elsewhere. Start out by blasting some positive music. Not only will this help to release some feel-good neurotransmitters, but it’ll give you something enjoyable to focus on. If that fails, put on a film or show captivating enough to make you forget where you are (The Lord of the Rings never fails).

5. Wait It Out

Wait It Out

No matter what approach you chose to take (if any), it all boils down to simply waiting until the effects of an edible overdose start to naturally wane. None of the options mentioned above are magic bullets. Sure, they help to take the edge off, but your body needs time to process the drugs you just piled into it. Again, continue to remind yourself that this is the reason you feel so weird—you’re not feeling crazy for no reason.

How Much THC Is There in a Single Edible?

The answer to this question depends on the specific product or homemade preparation. Some edibles on the market are relatively unregulated and poorly manufactured, leading to unreliable dosing and possible edible overdoses. However, matters are improving. Numerous companies have released accurately dosed products that contain the exact same amount of THC per serving. In the US, for example, edibles typically contain 5–10mg per serving, though the amount per package varies greatly.

If you’re making your own edibles at home, be sure to use our THC edible calculator to avoid a bad experience.

CBD Gummies vs THC Edibles

If you’re not a fan of THC, or simply find that CBD produces more desirable and useful effects, then you don’t need to worry too much when it comes to edible overdoses. Because CBD doesn’t produce a high, you won’t suddenly find yourself completely overwhelmed and in a bad place. With that said, too much CBD can lead to side effects, including:

  • Dry mouth
  • Diarrhoea
  • Reduced appetite
  • Drowsiness
  • Fatigue

Also, keep in mind that CBD can interact with a wide range of pharmaceutical medications. Always consult with your medical professional before taking any cannabis-derived product.

Marijuana Edibles: A Great Time, as Long as You’re Prepared

Many cannabis users have an excellent time after consuming gummies, cakes, brownies, and even drinks infused with THC. They manage to achieve this by following the golden rule: go low and slow. If you’re new to edibles, take things easy and start off with small and sensible doses (2.5–5mg is often considered a good starting point). Even if you have experience with oral cannabis, you should always fire up the THC edibles calculator before making a batch of treats, to stay on the safe side.

DisclaimerWhen consumed, THC metabolizes into 11-hydroxy-THC, which enters the body through the stomach and liver, resulting in a significantly stronger effect due to its increased affinity for CB1 receptors in the brain.

Ensure accurate portion control. Begin with small doses and gradually increase to develop tolerance.

Remember: Set and Setting will help you deal with various situations.

Stay Cultivated.

Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: