Edibles 101: Start Low and Go Slow (BC Guide)

Edibles are cannabis products that you eat or drink. Their effects take longer to begin than those of inhaled cannabis, so Health Canada advises extra care with them. This guide explains what counts as an edible in Canada, how to read the THC amount on a package, and what Health Canada says about timing, alcohol and storage. It also explains why the usual advice for cannabis edibles is to start low and go slow.

Green Express is a delivery service for adults 19 and over in Surrey, Langley and White Rock. This guide is general information, not medical advice.

What counts as an edible in Canada

Under the federal Cannabis Regulations, edible cannabis is a product containing cannabis that is intended to be consumed in the same manner as food. Health Canada’s classification guidance looks mainly at the product’s format: gummies, chews, bakery products and ready-to-drink beverages in bottles, drink boxes or cans are edible cannabis.

Products that are swallowed but are not in a food format, such as a capsule or tablet swallowed whole, or an oil in a bottle that must be dispensed with a syringe, are generally classified as cannabis extracts instead. The limits are different: edible cannabis is capped at 10 mg of THC per package, while an extract taken in units such as capsules is capped at 10 mg of THC per unit and 1,000 mg per package.

The 10 mg limit and reading mg per piece

Under federal rules, an edible cannabis package contains no more than 10 mg of THC in total, no matter how many pieces are inside. The package must also be plain and child-resistant, and the label must show the standardized cannabis symbol and a health warning message in a yellow box.

According to Health Canada’s packaging and labelling guide, products sold as separate pieces show “Total THC per unit” in milligrams, while products that are not divided into pieces, such as a beverage, show “Total THC” for the whole container. CBD is shown the same way, next to the THC figure.

Because the cap applies to the whole package, the amount in each piece depends on how many pieces there are:

Some packages hold less than 10 mg in total, so go by the per-unit number printed on the label.

How long edibles take: what Health Canada says

When cannabis is eaten or drunk, THC is absorbed through the digestive system and processed by the liver before it circulates. Health Canada’s information for health care professionals notes slower onset and longer duration than smoking, with absorption that varies from person to person.

Health Canada’s consumer page What you need to know if you choose to consume cannabis gives this timeline for edible cannabis:

• It can take 30 minutes to 2 hours to begin to feel the effects.
• It can take up to 4 hours to feel the full effects.
• Effects can last up to 12 hours, and some residual effects can last up to 24 hours.

Health Canada notes that consuming more within that 4-hour window can increase the risk of adverse effects. Its impairment guidance adds that impairment can last more than 24 hours after cannabis use.

Start low and go slow, in plain terms

“Start low, go slow” is a short way of summarizing Health Canada’s advice for edible cannabis:

• Start low: if you are new to edibles, or want to lower your risks, Health Canada suggests looking for a product with 2.5 mg of THC or less.
• Go slow: Health Canada says full effects can take up to 4 hours, so wait that long before deciding whether to have more.
• Read the label every time, since the amount per piece differs between products.
• Health Canada advises caution with products containing 2.5 mg to 10 mg of THC, and the most caution with products containing 10 mg or more.
• Do not drive or operate machinery after consuming cannabis.

Why mixing edibles with alcohol is discouraged

Health Canada advises against consuming cannabis with alcohol, nicotine, other drugs or health products, because combining them can increase impairment and the risk of other adverse effects. Its impairment guidance is direct on this point: combining alcohol with cannabis greatly increases the level of impairment.

Store edibles away from children and pets

Edibles may be mistaken for regular food or drinks, and Health Canada describes accidental poisonings from edible cannabis as a serious risk to children and pets. Its safe storage advice and its page on cannabis poisonings in children come down to a few habits:

• Keep edibles in their original child-resistant packaging.
• Store them out of reach of children and pets, and locked away.
• Keep them separate from regular food and drinks.

If you think a child has consumed cannabis, Health Canada says to call 1-844-POISON-X, and to call 9-1-1 if the child loses consciousness or has difficulty breathing. The poisonings page also lists the signs to watch for.

How edibles count toward possession limits

In BC, adults 19 and over can possess up to 30 grams of dried cannabis, or its equivalent, in public, according to the Province’s possession and purchasing limits page. For edibles, the equivalency is based on product weight, not THC content. Using Health Canada’s public possession calculator, 1 gram of dried cannabis is equivalent to:

• 15 grams of solid edible product, such as baked goods
• 570 grams of cannabis beverage

Our guide to cannabis rules in Surrey, Langley and White Rock has the full equivalency list.

How Green Express delivers

Green Express delivers only to adults 19 and over at BC street addresses in our delivery area. Orders are for adults 19 and older, and products arrive in opaque, sealed packaging. How delivery works explains the full process.

You can browse the menu of edibles as a preview, or check your postal code to see whether your address falls within the delivery area. More answers are in our FAQ.

Edibles FAQ