Cannabis edibles dosage chart: quick answer
A standard edible serving in regulated US markets is 10 mg of THC, and a full package usually tops out at 100 mg. Treat 10 mg as a reference point, not a target. People new to edibles start at 1 mg to 2.5 mg of THC, wait two hours, then decide whether to add more. Regular edible users often settle between 5 mg and 10 mg per sitting. Anything above 10 mg at once raises the odds of anxiety, a racing pulse, and several uncomfortable hours.
Dose ranges by experience level
- 1 mg to 2.5 mg: first-timers, people who react strongly to smoked cannabis, and anyone returning after a long break.
- 2.5 mg to 5 mg: occasional users who want a mild body effect without much head change.
- 5 mg to 10 mg: the common recreational range for people with some edible history.
- 10 mg to 20 mg: heavy tolerance only. Effects get longer, not just stronger.
- Above 20 mg: not a starting dose at any experience level.
How to work the chart for your own dose
Before you start
- You are 21 or older and in a jurisdiction where edible cannabis is legal.
- The package states total THC and THC per piece.
- You have a knife or the scored lines on the product to split a piece.
- You have two to three open hours and something to record notes with.
Steps
- Read the label and write down the total THC in milligrams for the whole package.
- Divide that total by the number of pieces to get milligrams per piece.
- Match your experience level to a row in the chart above.
- Cut the piece down to the dose you picked, using the score line as a guide.
- Eat the dose with a snack or a meal.
- Wait a full two hours before you judge the effect.
- Log the dose, the time you took it, and how you felt at the two hour and four hour marks.
- Raise the next dose by 1 mg to 2.5 mg only if the previous one felt too weak.
Why the wait matters
Swallowed THC passes through the liver before it reaches the bloodstream, so the curve is slower and flatter than with smoking or vaping. Onset runs 30 minutes to two hours, and the peak can land at the three or four hour mark. That lag is the reason so many bad edible nights start with a second dose taken at the 45 minute point. If you feel nothing at 45 minutes, that is expected. Wait.
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What changes your number
- Tolerance: daily users need more THC for the same result.
- Body composition: THC stores in fat tissue, so body weight plays a role.
- Food in the stomach: a fatty meal can speed absorption and sharpen the peak.
- Product form: beverages and tinctures hit faster than baked goods or gummies.
- Other substances: alcohol and some medications intensify the effect.
- Genetics and liver enzymes: some people convert THC faster than others and feel 5 mg the way a friend feels 15 mg.
If you take too much
- Stay put in a safe, familiar room.
- Drink water and eat something plain.
- Skip alcohol and any other cannabis.
- Use black pepper or CBD if you find those helpful.
- Call a poison control center or seek medical care if you have chest pain, severe vomiting, or thoughts of self harm.
A THC overdose is not lethal, but it can produce hours of panic, disorientation, and nausea. It ends. Time is the treatment.
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Label rules worth knowing
Regulated states such as Colorado and California cap each serving at 10 mg THC and each package at 100 mg. Canada caps an entire edible package at 10 mg. If a package has no milligram breakdown, do not guess. Buy from a licensed shop where the numbers are printed on the label, and dose from those numbers rather than from the size of the piece.