If you’ve ever gotten way too high because the delayed effects of cannabis edibles lead you to four or five magic brownies instead of the one that you needed, you’re not alone. But now, with new advancements thanks to legalization, several canna-businesses are looking to address that issue by creating “rapid delivery” edibles that take effect in only 15-20 minutes, making the experience closer to that of consuming alcohol.
Colorado edibles company 1906 introduced the first line of these “rapid delivery” edibles last year. According to founder Peter Barsoom, the edibles take effect quickly thanks to a proprietary lipid microencapsulation process that allows THC to “bypass the stomach and get into the small intestine faster.”
The process also reportedly allows more THC to get into the blood than a traditional edible. “People don’t have six hours to set aside for a date with an edible,” Barsoom explained.
California-based cannabis edibles company Kiva Confections has since realeased their own spin on rapid delivery edibles with products like mints or chocolates that melt under the tongue. Traditional edibles take a long time to take effect because they need to be fully digested, but an edible dissolved under the tongue will allow the THC to reach the bloodstream faster, providing a quicker high.
Michael Devlin, co-founder of Zoots Premium Cannabis Infusions, believes that the new delivery method will allow cannabis to be consumed in the way that alcohol is used in social situations. For those that don’t want to smoke, these new low-dose, fast-acting “consumption events will be nearly identical to those of alcohol,” Devlin explained, which will further help cannabis “fit within the fabric of our culture.”