Different methods of taking cannabis can influence the specific user experience drastically, and smoking cannabis and consuming it through edibles are fundamentally two different methods for reaching the desired effects.

Onset and Duration

For smoking cannabis, the onset of the effects is nearly instantaneous as intensity peaks within minutes. This gives users the immediate sensation of onset effects, allowing them the ability to adjust dose in real-time. This means the effects will typically last for approximately 1-3 hours, making smoking cannabis an effective option for short-term relief or for recreational uses.

Edible cannabis usually requires a long onset period as much as 30 minutes to 2 hours before the individual starts feeling any effect. This creates complications around dosing, as users who are impatient may eat more before feeling their first effects. The upside of edible experience is duration, lasting 4-8 hours, yielding longer therapeutic relief for medical users, or for recreational use pleasures with friends.

Metabolism and Bioavailability

Cannabis smoking provides for a direct lung absorption of cannabinoids into the bloodstream without the need for digestive processing. This means a higher bioavailability from inhalation, as more active compounds and cannabinoids can reach the target receptors more quickly.

Cannabis edibles undergo hepatic metabolism, converting THC to 11-Hydroxy-THC, which is a more potent psychoactive compound.

Health

Cannabis smoking has combustion, which can produce by-products like tar and carcinogens. Although research suggests smoking marijuana is less harmful than tobacco, these respiratory irritation and long-term lung health concerns are still valid.

Vaporization provides a happy medium between smoking and eating cannabis by heating the cannabis below combustion temperatures, releasing cannabinoids while minimizing the health risk. Vaporization preserves the benefits of smoking, since absorption is rapid onset, with potentially less of the health concerns associated with smoking.

Edibles cannabis removes lung concerns entirely, making them great for users that may have lung sensitivity, or don’t want to inhale cannabis. The only concern is that liver processing may produce different effects for people with certain hepatic or liver disease.

Practical Considerations

While cannabis smoking may be ideal for occasions requiring quick relief, precise control, or a short duration of effects, medical patients often utilize smoking for breakthrough pain, to help relieve nausea episodes, or use to help manage anxiety attacks requiring immediate intervention. Social situations often favor smoking cannabis and a clearly shared experience. Further, the immediate onset of effects allows individuals to gauge how it is impacting the group and when to adjust consumption or change behavior.

Cannabis edibles are best suited for periods of consistent long-term management of symptoms or in occasions where discretion in use is paramount. Edibles are great to use in work environments, or situations requiring public settings, or nighttime use where prolonged duration may add benefit.

In medical applications, edibles can be used to offer sustained relief for chronic pain symptoms, insomnia, stimulate appetite, or any other condition needing sustained cannabinoids for optimal therapeutic benefit.

User Experience

Cannabis smoking produces an experience that is more cerebral, energizing, and functional with clarity. In comparison, edibles cannabis tends to produce stronger body effects, deeper relaxation, and a longer duration of altered state experiences.