There is a passionate but small group that defends the super-strength edibles of cannabis. In certain cases, for instance, there is a wholly valid medical justification for a 1000-milligram brownie — but the truth is, marijuana-laced goodies are not for everyone and low-dose edibles seem to reign for those who partake.
This is especially true for high dosages.
It seems that when “extreme adverse reactions” from cannabis occur, an edible or a platter of them is the culprit. This is why most states with legalized adult-use cannabis have passed laws limiting the amount of THC in edibles, and why these limits haven’t been overturned.
Researchers have found that the brain is wired to prefer a gentle buzz over a long-lasting, edible-triggered psychedelic trip. This preference, according to researchers from Purdue University and Indiana University who conducted a recent study, appears to be wired in our brains. You can also find out more about The brains of mice are wired.
In a study, results of which were published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, researchers at the Department of Psychology and Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University – Purdue University in Indianapolis fed a cohort of mice dough infused with THC, in variable amounts.
Be aware of your limits
Doses in the dough ranged from 1 milligram of THC per kilogram of bodyweight to up to 10 milligrams of THC per kilogram. They also had “normal” water and food available to them, so it is unlikely that they were eating the dough because of hunger. If a 180-pound person were to eat the dough of a mouse, he would consume an edible that contained roughly 800 milligrams THC.
The mice ate the dough — as lab mice are wont to do — but the more powerful the dough, the less the mice ate, researchers found. When the dough was at 5 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg, some of the mice ate “significantly less” than 100%, suggesting there was something in that dough that disagreed with the mice.
The researchers concluded that “the simple fact” that the mice self-administered THC was proof that they found it rewarding. Inspection of consumption patterns suggests that THC may have been toxic at higher doses.
Some mice did not shy away from even the most powerful dough. No matter the strength, there were mice who ate every bit of dough. After eating the dough, effects included less movement and a decrease in body temperature — you know, typical stoned mice things. The researchers discovered that male mice were most affected by the dough.
Researchers noted that although the mice appeared very stressed, they were in fact perfectly normal, other than being very blazed.
This study is noteworthy for several reasons. Even among animals, there are limited data regarding self-administration. And since there are still legal and “ethical” barriers to performing such experiments on humans, as the researchers noted, mice — who, like rats, provide something of a yardstick for understanding biology and functions like the immune system in humans — are the next-best option. The researchers noted that this is one of only a few studies where an animal was given access to THC, which could then be used as a gauge of desire.
Eating too many edibles is not a good idea. But among the problems that have arisen during the cannabis legalization era, powerful edibles — and eating too much of them — has absolutely been one of the marijuana movement’s biggest challenges.
Labeling makes it easy for you to keep track of edibles. And if you are a human who prefers a microdose to a heroic macro-brownie, just know that you are not alone in the animal kingdom.