How to use cannabis oil
Measure one dose with the dropper or syringe that comes in the package. Place the oil under your tongue, hold it there for 60 to 90 seconds, then swallow. Wait 2 hours before you take a second dose. THC taken by mouth starts to work in 30 to 90 minutes and lasts 4 to 6 hours.
Read the label first
Oil sold in a licensed store carries a lab result. Find four numbers: THC in milligrams per serving, total THC in the package, CBD in milligrams, and the number of servings in the bottle.
Math example: a 30 mL bottle with 300 mg of THC holds 10 mg per mL. One mL equals two 5 mg servings. A 1 mL dropper is 10 mg, not 1 mg. That mistake causes most bad first experiences.
Some states cap THC per serving. California limits edible cannabis to 10 mg of THC per serving and 100 mg per package. Ask the staff for the certificate of analysis if the printed label is hard to read.
Pick a starting dose
- First time, no tolerance: 1 to 2.5 mg THC.
- Week two, no side effects: add 2.5 mg to the same dose and hold at that number for a week.
- CBD oil: labels run from 5 mg to 50 mg per mL. Doses up to 100 mg per day appear in clinical trials. Ask a clinician about doses above that.
- Use the marked dropper. Kitchen spoons differ in volume.
Under the tongue or swallowed
Sublingual: hold the oil under the tongue for 60 to 90 seconds. Blood vessels there absorb part of the dose. Onset runs 15 to 45 minutes.
Swallowed: the oil goes through the stomach and liver. Onset runs 30 to 90 minutes, effects peak at 2 to 3 hours, and the total effect lasts 4 to 6 hours. Food in the stomach changes absorption. Fat can raise the amount absorbed.
Wait before the next dose
A second dose taken before 2 hours adds to the first dose. The result is a longer, stronger effect than the label predicts. Set a timer when you take the first dose. Do not add more until the timer ends.
If a dose feels too strong, sit down, drink water, and wait. Time passes. Oral THC clears on a fixed curve. Staying upright and calm is safer than taking another drug to counter it.
Track each dose
Write down the time, the dose in milligrams, the product name, and how you felt at 2 hours and at 4 hours. Keep the notes with the bottle. Notes tell you the dose that worked, and they are useful if you talk to a clinician later.
Storage and safety
- Close the bottle, keep it out of light, and store it at room temperature.
- Keep it away from children and pets. THC oil looks like cooking oil.
- Do not drive after a dose that causes impairment. Cannabis slows reaction time and coordination.
- Avoid alcohol and sedatives on the same day.
- Tell a clinician if you take blood thinners, seizure medicine, or benzodiazepines. CBD can raise the blood level of some drugs.
At the store
Ask the staff for the per-serving THC number in milligrams, the harvest date, and the extraction method. Compare the printed label to the lab report. If the numbers differ, return the bottle before you open it.