There’s a saying popular with cannabis enthusiasts, “go low and go slow.” What that means is that you’re better off being conservative with your intake, so that you can gauge how any dosage is going to affect you before you ingest more. This is particularly true with edibles, as edibles are notorious for causing a delayed onset of effects. The reason for this is that it takes longer for THC to get into a user’s system when they eat it, as opposed to smoking or vaping it. The THC is metabolized by the liver instead of the bloodstream, which leads to stronger, longer effects.
Sometimes users, especially newbie ones, will get impatient after consuming an edible, saying they “don’t feel anything,” and eat another more. Then the inevitable happens – the user has consumed too much, and when the effects of the THC finally set in - which can take up to an hour or longer after the first dosage – they experience the greening out effect due to the compound dosages.
Greening out is very unpleasant, as your cell receptors go into overdrive. As a result, you might feel nauseous, anxious, or even paranoid. Not only can that happen when a user consumes too many doses, but it can also happen when a user underestimates the overall potency of the cannabis and the THC content.
If this happens to you, the best thing you can do is find a safe, quiet, comfortable place to wait it out with people you’re comfortable with. Listening to relaxing music, watching funny videos, or meditating are all effective methods at calming yourself and getting past these intense adverse effects. Regardless of how long it lasts, it will pass with time.
Sources: CTV News, Healthline, Weedmaps