You finally got your medical card. You’re finally at the dispensary, card in hand, and the budtender asks what you’re looking for. You glance at the display case. So many different THC products with different numbers on them. 5mg, 10mg, 25mg. You don’t know if 10mg will do nothing or knock you out for six hours.
Here’s the thing. This confusion is one of the biggest barriers between new patients and the relief they need. Too many people either quit after a rough first experience or spend months guessing and testing different doses. The good news? Cannabis dosing is simpler than you think when you follow a proven system. This guide walks you through the start low, go slow method that helps you find your personal sweet spot.
We’re going to cover why your friend’s perfect dose might be way too much for you (yes, body weight and tolerance make a huge difference). I’ll break down where to start with edibles, vapes, and tinctures so you’re not guessing. And I’ll show you a simple way to track what’s working so you can find your sweet spot in about a week.
| Consumption Method | Starting Dose (Zero Tolerance) | Onset Time | Duration | Key Advice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edibles (Gummies/Food) | 2.5mg – 5mg THC (2.5mg if under 150lbs) | 45 mins – 2 hours | 6 – 8 hours | Processed by the liver (stronger). Must wait full 2 hours before re-dosing. |
| Vaping / Smoking | 1 Small Puff (Approx. 1-3mg THC) | 1 – 5 minutes | 2 – 3 hours | Fastest relief. Wait 10-15 minutes after the first puff to check effects. |
| Tinctures (Sublingual) | 2.5mg – 5mg THC (Usually 0.25 – 0.5ml) | 15 – 30 minutes | 4 – 6 hours | Hold under tongue for 60-90 seconds. A “middle ground” between vaping and edibles. |
| CBD-Dominant | 10mg – 25mg CBD | Varies by method | Varies by method | Non-intoxicating. Can start at higher doses than THC products. |
Why Cannabis Dosing Feels So Confusing
You know how prescription bottles have clear instructions? Take one tablet twice daily with food. Medical marijuana doesn’t work like that. Two people can take the exact same 10mg gummy and have totally different experiences. Your body is going to respond differently than everyone else’s. Your body weight matters. Your metabolism matters. Whether you’ve ever used cannabis before matters. Even what you ate that day can change how it hits you.
The THC content in products varies wildly too. A 10mg edible from one brand might feel twice as strong as a 10mg edible from another. Different consumption methods deliver THC to your bloodstream at different speeds and intensities. That’s why the first rule of cannabis dosing is this – forget what worked for your friend. You need to find what works for your body.
Think of it like coffee tolerance. Someone who never drinks coffee gets jittery from half a cup. Your friend who drinks three espressos daily barely feels anything. Cannabis works the same way, except the stakes feel higher because nobody wants to spend hours too uncomfortable.
The Three Factors That Change Your Cannabis Dose
Before you take anything, you need to understand what’s actually happening in your body. Three main factors determine whether 5mg feels like nothing or feels like too much.
Consumption Method Changes Everything
How you consume cannabis affects how quickly it works, how long it lasts, and how intense it feels. This isn’t minor stuff – these differences are massive.
Smoking or vaping: THC enters your bloodstream through your lungs within seconds. You’ll feel effects in 1-5 minutes, peak around 30 minutes, and come down after 2-3 hours. This fast onset gives you control – you can take one puff, wait 10 minutes, and decide if you need more.
Edibles: THC goes through your digestive system and liver first, converting into a more potent form called 11-hydroxy-THC. You won’t feel anything for 45 minutes to 2 hours. When it hits, it hits harder and lasts 6-8 hours. This delayed reaction is why people make the classic mistake – they eat one gummy, feel nothing after 30 minutes, eat another, and then get way too high when both kick in.
Tinctures: When placed under your tongue, THC absorbs directly into your bloodstream through the tissue. Effects start in 15-30 minutes and last 4-6 hours. This middle-ground option gives you more control than edibles but lasts longer than vaping.
The method you choose should match your needs. Need fast relief from anxiety? Vaping works. Want all-day pain management? Edibles. Looking for something in between? Tinctures.
Body Weight Affects How Cannabis Distributes
THC is fat-soluble, meaning it binds to fat cells in your body. Someone who weighs 120 pounds will typically feel effects more intensely than someone who weighs 220 pounds taking the same dose. It’s basic distribution – the same amount of THC has less body mass to spread through.
This doesn’t mean heavier people need to take twice as much. The difference isn’t linear. But it does mean your starting dose should factor in your size. A 100-pound person should start at the absolute lowest dose. Someone over 200 pounds can start slightly higher without as much risk.
Tolerance Builds Faster Than You Think
Your endocannabinoid system adapts to regular THC exposure. Use cannabis daily and you’ll need more to feel the same effects within weeks. This is normal, not a problem – unless you keep chasing higher doses instead of taking tolerance breaks.
If you’re brand new to cannabis, your tolerance is zero. A tiny amount will work. If you used to smoke years ago but quit, your tolerance reset. Don’t assume you can handle what you used to – treat yourself as a beginner again.
Your Starting Dose for Each Method
Stop guessing. Here are the exact amounts to start with based on consumption method. These recommendations work for most people with zero or low tolerance. You’ll adjust from here, but starting here keeps you safe.
Edibles – Start at 2.5mg to 5mg THC
If you weigh under 150 pounds or have never used cannabis, start at 2.5mg. Between 150-200 pounds? Try 5mg. Over 200 pounds? You can start at 5mg too.
Most dispensary edibles come in 10mg pieces. Cut them in half or quarters. Yes, this feels excessive. Do it anyway. You can always take more next time – you can’t take less once it’s in your system.
Take your dose on a day when you have nothing important planned. Eat a small meal first – edibles hit harder on an empty stomach. Then wait a full two hours before deciding if you need more. Set a timer. Check your phone. Actually wait the full two hours.
If you feel nothing after two hours, you can take another 2.5-5mg. But I’d recommend waiting until tomorrow and trying 7.5-10mg instead. Building your dose gradually across days beats stacking doses in one session.
Vaping or Smoking: Start with One Small Puff
Take one 3-second inhale. Not a huge lung-filling drag – just a normal breath in. Hold it for a second or two, then exhale slowly. Wait 10-15 minutes.
This single puff delivers roughly 1-3mg of THC depending on the product. That’s all you need to start. If you feel good effects, stop there. If you feel nothing or want more, take another small puff. Wait another 10-15 minutes.
The beauty of inhalation is control. You can fine-tune your dose in real-time. Three small puffs over 30 minutes teaches you more about your needs than taking five hits at once ever will.
Tincture:- Start with 2.5mg to 5mg THC
Most tinctures come with a dropper marked with measurements. Check the label for total THC content, then do the math to figure out how much is in each dropper full.
For example, if a 30ml bottle contains 300mg THC total, each 1ml dropper contains 10mg THC. You want 2.5-5mg, so you need 0.25-0.5ml.
Place the tincture under your tongue and hold it there for 60-90 seconds before swallowing. This sublingual absorption gets THC into your bloodstream faster than if you just swallow it immediately.
Wait 30-45 minutes to assess effects. If you feel nothing, you can take another 2.5-5mg. If you feel something mild, stick with that dose for a few days before increasing.
CBD-Dominant Products: Start Higher
If you’re using CBD-only or high-CBD products (like 20:1 CBD to THC ratios), you can start with higher doses – 10-25mg CBD is common. CBD doesn’t create intoxication, so you won’t get “too high” from it. But start at the lower end anyway to see how your body responds.
Track Your Doses: The Week-Long Dial-In Method
You can’t find your perfect dose without tracking what you take and how you feel. Memory fails. “I think I took 5mg yesterday” doesn’t cut it when you’re trying to dial in a dosing schedule.
Grab your phone and create a simple note, or use the notes app. Track these five things every time you dose:
- Date and time: When exactly did you take it?
- Product and amount: What did you take and how much THC?
- Method: Edible, vape, tincture, etc.
- Effects and timing: When did you first feel it? What did you feel? How long did it last?
- Rating: Was it too weak, too strong, or just right?
Here’s what a good entry looks like: “Tuesday 8pm – 5mg edible gummy – felt mild relaxation starting at 9:30pm, peaked around 11pm, helped with sleep. Could probably go slightly higher. 7/10.”
Do this for one week minimum. By day seven, patterns emerge. You’ll see which doses worked best, which methods you prefer, and which timing fits your schedule.
The 48-Hour Rule for Adjustments
When you’re finding your dose, don’t change things every single day. Take the same dose for 2-3 days in a row before deciding to increase. This eliminates variables – maybe yesterday you felt less because you ate a huge meal first. Maybe today you feel more because you’re tired.
Wait 48 hours at a consistent dose. If it’s genuinely too weak both times, increase by 2.5-5mg. If it’s too strong both times, drop by 2.5mg. If one day felt perfect and one day felt like nothing, take it a third time.
What Your Tracking Should Reveal
After one week of consistent tracking, you should know your baseline dose – the amount that reliably produces the effects you want without uncomfortable side effects. You should also know your preferred method and timing.
For most new patients, this baseline lands somewhere between 5-15mg for edibles or 2-4 small puffs for vaping. That’s your maintenance dose. Once you find it, you can stick with it or slowly increase as your tolerance builds.
Warning Signs You Took Too Much (And What to Do)
Let’s address the elephant in the room. You might take too much at some point. It happens to almost everyone when they’re learning their limits. The good news? You cannot fatally overdose on cannabis. The bad news? You can spend several uncomfortable hours wishing you’d taken less.
Signs You’re Too High
You’ll know you overdid it when you experience any of these:
- Intense anxiety or paranoia: Your thoughts are racing, you feel panicked, everything seems threatening
- Rapid heartbeat: Your heart is pounding noticeably even though you’re sitting still
- Dizziness or nausea: The room is spinning, you feel queasy, you need to lie down
- Confusion or disorientation: You can’t follow conversations, time feels weird, you’re forgetting what you were doing seconds ago
- Extreme drowsiness: You can barely keep your eyes open, moving feels impossible
- Dry mouth and increased thirst: While common with normal doses, extreme cottonmouth can signal you took too much
With edibles, these symptoms can last 4-8 hours. With vaping, they’ll fade in 1-3 hours. Either way, time is the only real solution.
What to Do If You’re Too High
First – breathe. Remind yourself that this is temporary and you’re physically safe. Nobody has ever died from cannabis alone. You will come down. Your job now is to make yourself comfortable while you wait it out.
Find a safe, comfortable space. Go to your bedroom or couch. Get away from crowds, bright lights, and loud noises. Create a calm environment where you feel secure.
Drink water and eat something. Hydration helps. Light snacks can help too – some people find that food reduces intensity, though this might be placebo. Either way, it gives you something to focus on.
Try CBD if you have it. CBD can counteract THC’s intensity. If you have a CBD tincture or vape, use it. This isn’t guaranteed but many people report it helps.
Use distraction techniques. Put on a familiar TV show or movie – nothing scary or intense. Listen to calm music. Call a trusted friend who knows you’re using cannabis. Having someone talk you through it helps tremendously.
Smell or chew black pepper. This sounds weird, but black pepper contains compounds that interact with the same receptors as cannabis. Smelling or chewing 2-3 peppercorns can take the edge off anxiety. Worst case, it gives you something to do.
Sleep it off if possible. If you can fall asleep, do it. You’ll wake up sober and the whole experience will be over.
When to Actually Worry
Cannabis alone won’t hurt you, but certain situations require medical attention:
- Chest pain that feels different from normal anxiety – like squeezing or pressure
- Difficulty breathing beyond normal shortness of breath from anxiety
- Severe vomiting that won’t stop
- Loss of consciousness or inability to stay awake
- Confusion so severe you don’t know where you are or who you’re with
These symptoms are extremely rare from cannabis alone and usually indicate an underlying issue or contaminated product. But if they happen, call for medical help. Be honest with medical staff – they need accurate information to help you.
Advanced Dosing Tips After You Find Your Baseline
Once you’ve tracked for a week and found your comfortable dose, you can start optimizing. These strategies help you get more consistent effects and better value from your cannabis.
Timing Matters More Than You Think
Taking edibles on an empty stomach makes them hit harder and faster – but also more unpredictably. A full stomach delays and mellows the effects. If your dose feels inconsistent day to day, look at what you ate first.
For consistent results, eat a small meal with healthy fats 30-60 minutes before taking edibles. The fats help your body absorb THC more efficiently. A few crackers with peanut butter works perfectly.
Don’t Chase Your Tolerance Up
As you use cannabis regularly, you’ll notice you need slightly more for the same effects. This is normal. But don’t keep increasing every week or you’ll end up needing massive doses to feel anything.
When your current dose stops working as well, take a tolerance break. Stop using cannabis for 48-72 hours. Your receptors reset partially in just two days. After a week off, your tolerance drops significantly. After two weeks, you’re nearly back to baseline.
Regular users often do this monthly – use cannabis for 3 weeks, take a 3-5 day break, then restart at a lower dose. This keeps your tolerance manageable and saves you money.
Different Ratios Serve Different Goals
Most of this guide assumed you’re using THC-dominant products. But cannabis offers endless cannabinoid ratios, and different ratios work better for different needs:
- High THC, low CBD (20:1 or more): Strong effects, good for pain or sleep, higher intoxication
- Balanced THC:CBD (1:1 or 2:1): Therapeutic benefits with less intoxication, good for anxiety or inflammation
- High CBD, low THC (20:1 CBD): Minimal intoxication, good for daytime use, inflammation, and general wellness
- CBD only: No intoxication at all, purely therapeutic
Experiment with ratios after you’ve mastered THC dosing. Many patients find they prefer balanced products – enough THC for symptom relief, enough CBD to smooth out the edges.
Start Your Dosing Journey Today
Cannabis dosing isn’t a mystery once you understand the basics. Your body, your method, and your tolerance determine what works. Start low – lower than feels necessary. Go slow – slower than feels productive. Track everything for one week.
This gradual approach feels tedious, but it’s how you avoid wasting money on doses that don’t work or spending an evening too uncomfortable because you took too much. One week of careful tracking gives you months of consistent, reliable results.
Pick your method. Start at the recommended dose. Track your experience. Adjust every 48 hours based on what your notes tell you. Within seven days, you’ll know exactly what your body needs – and you’ll have the confidence to use cannabis safely and effectively for whatever relief you’re seeking.
You’ve got your medical card. You’ve got access to legal cannabis. Now you’ve got the dosing system that actually works. The only step left is to start.
