Why Dosage Charts Are Worth Reading
Cannabis dose tolerance varies more widely than caffeine or alcohol tolerance. A 5mg edible barely registers for a daily user and incapacitates a first-timer. The single most useful skill in adult-use cannabis is knowing your own personal dose range across formats. This guide gives you safe starting points and the framework to find yours. All recommendations assume a healthy adult 21+ with no contraindicated medications. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, certain heart conditions, and several psychiatric medications are contraindicated; consult a physician first.
Edibles Dosage by Experience Level
First-timer or first edible in 6+ months: 2.5-5mg THC. Occasional user (monthly): 5-10mg. Regular user (weekly): 10-20mg. Daily user with tolerance: 20-50mg. Anything above 50mg single-session: not recommended without significant tolerance, and not worth chasing. CBD-dominant or 1:1 edibles can start 1-2x higher because CBD reduces THC's anxiety risk. Always wait 90 minutes before considering a second dose, regardless of experience level.
Flower (Smoked or Vaped) Dosage
Flower is dosed in inhalations, not milligrams. One small inhalation from a joint or pipe delivers roughly 1-3mg THC depending on flower potency (typical Leafology shelf: 18-28% THC). One small puff from a vape pen delivers about the same. First-timer protocol: 1-2 inhalations, wait 5-10 minutes, decide. Most experienced users settle at 3-6 inhalations per session. The advantage of flower over edibles is the ability to stop the moment effect is sufficient.
Vape Cartridges and Disposables
Concentrate vapes (live resin, distillate) are stronger per puff than flower. A 510 thread cart at 80% THC delivers 3-5mg per pull. Disposables vary by brand and strain. First-timer: one short pull, wait 5 minutes. Most experienced users: 2-4 pulls per session. Vapes are the easiest to over-pull on accidentally because there's no visual cue to stop. Count pulls deliberately.
Concentrates (Dabs, Rosin, Wax)
Concentrates are the highest-potency cannabis format, typically 60-90% THC. Recommended starting dose: a rice-grain-sized portion (under 25mg, ideal for first-time dabbers). Experienced dab consumers may use 50-100mg per session. Concentrates are not the right entry-format for new cannabis users. If you are new, skip this section entirely and start with flower or low-mg edibles.
Tinctures and Oral Drops
Sublingual tinctures (held under tongue 60 seconds before swallowing) onset in 15-30 minutes, faster than gummies. Dose by dropper: most tinctures provide 1-5mg THC per dropper marking. First-timer: half a dropper of 1:1 CBD:THC. Regular: 1 dropper. Heavy: 2-3 droppers. The advantage of tinctures: precision dosing in milligram-level increments, predictable onset. The disadvantage: many users dislike the taste.
Safety: When to Stop and When to Worry
Stop adding cannabis if you experience: racing heart, anxiety, paranoia, panic, severe dizziness. None of these are dangerous, but all are uncomfortable. Hydrate, sit down, breathe slow, give it 30-60 minutes. THC has never produced a fatal overdose. Do not drive or operate machinery for at least 6 hours after edibles, 3 hours after flower/vape. Do not combine cannabis with alcohol until you know both individually. Do not give cannabis products to minors, pets, or unwitting adults.
