Quicker Highs: What are Fast-Acting Beverages and Edibles?

Depending on your age and experience with weed, you may remember a time when taking a cannabis edible meant a lot of unknowns. You might’ve gotten blasted, or you might’ve spent the whole night figuring out if you even got a little bit high. Today, the edible experience is much more curated, with many carefully-dosed products boasting targeted effects for consumers. In the last few years, fast-acting edibles and beverages have become popular among consumers wanting a quicker, more predictable experience. This has left many to wonder: what are fast-acting beverages and edibles, anyway?

May 9, 2023

Regular edibles vs fast-acting beverages and edibles

Most edibles follow similar formulations to infuse foods and drinks with THC and other relevant cannabinoids. As such, consumers can expect similar wait times to feel high after eating an edible or drinking an infused beverage. Typically, it can take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes for effects to kick in.

While consumers may have a general idea of when an edible or infused beverage will kick in, the wait times can sometimes wreak havoc. Some people assume the edible isn’t kicking in and eat another, only to get way too high in the next hour. Others want to know how they feel so they can adjust their dose accordingly, but it can be tough to assess when effects don’t kick in quickly.

Up until fairly recently, typical edibles were the only option. You’d pop one in, the cannabinoids would travel through the digestive system before reaching the liver, and then they would break down and enter the bloodstream. At this point, users would finally feel high.

But it’s a new age for cannabis consumption, and several innovative companies have found ways to bypass the typical wait times expected of infused beverages and edibles. These products are still consumed in the same way as regular edibles, but the technology allows the cannabinoids to bypass the digestive system and head straight to the bloodstream, bringing effects much quicker than the average edible. These are known as fast-acting beverages and fast-acting edibles.

How fast-acting edibles and beverages work

The cannabis world is creative and competitive. This breeds lots of new technology, and has led to multiple ways to create a fast-acting product.

The first technique is called nanoemulsion, where cannabis oil goes through a high-energy ultrasonic process used to separate its compounds into much-smaller nano-particles. Those particles are then encapsulated, making them water-soluble and more available to the body.

Think about it this way: Water and oil don’t mix well. Cannabis oil, mixed with your body’s high water content, is not a match made in heaven. But when the particles are broken down into even smaller pieces and encapsulated for water solubility, they can be absorbed in your bloodstream without having to wait.

Microencapsulation is another process used to create fast-acting beverages and edibles. In this process, nanoemulsion is carried out first, followed by coating the cannabinoids with fat globules. This makes absorption in the body even easier.

What do fast-acting edibles feel like?

Individual products may differ slightly from one another, but in general, fast-acting edibles and beverages can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes to take effect. On the lower end, that’s not far off from, say, smoking a joint. Effects come on much quicker and they also fade out faster, typically lasting around three hours as opposed to the six to eight hours typical of regular edibles or infused beverages.

The feeling itself is different from a typical edible as well. Most people tend to characterize their experience with edibles as providing a sort of body high, one that feels notably different from their experience after smoking weed.

Fast-acting beverages and edibles, on the other hand, tend to create effects that feel more akin to smoking weed. Many consumers report that they feel more of a head high after taking a fast-acting edible.

Of course, everyone’s body and metabolism is different. Even if a product offers expected effects on the label, your body might react slightly differently. It’s always a good idea to start low and go slow, even if using a fast-acting edible. Fortunately, the time spent experimenting can be greatly reduced since effect onset times are so low.

Fast-acting beverages and edibles to try

Want to try out some fast-acting products? We’ve got you covered at Piece of Mind. Whether you’re looking for products at our Bellingham dispensary, Spokane pot shop, or Pullman weed store, we have a large variety of edibles and can happily point you in the direction of fast-acting products. Here are some of our favorites:

Green Revolution MAX! Wildside shots

These little bottles pack a powerful punch with 100 mg stuffed into a 2-oz bottle. One capful is plenty for many users, but it’s a great option for someone who wants a real quick, potent punch. These fast-acting beverage shots are single strain and made with live resin, offering a unique strain-specific experience that leaves customers coming back for me. Try mixing your preferred dose with some sparkling water and see where the day takes you.

Major beverages

The bottle may be a bit bigger than the previous, coming in at 6.7 ounces, but these Major infused drinks offer just as much of a potent punch as the last. With tasty fruity flavors perfect for welcoming spring, these high-potency, fast-acting beverages are delicious and perfect for mixing into a fun mocktail or just drinking on their own. They contain 100 mg of THC.

Stock up with Piece of Mind Cannabis

Ready to stock up on some fast-acting beverages or edibles? Or maybe you just need to grab some green, vape cartridges, concentrates, or pre-rolls to help celebrate spring. Whatever the case, we’ve got you covered. Stop by to shop our large selection of flower, edibles, concentrates, beverages, and so much more. We’re here to answer any questions and help you have a great experience. Our Bellingham dispensary, Spokane pot shop, and other locations are ready for you to stop by and say high today!

Piece of Mind Cannabis is a medical marijuana and recreational Cannabis dispensary with locations in North Spokane, South Spokane, Bellingham, and Pullman, Washington.