While inhaled cannabis is easier to administer and control, you’ll always have to reckon with the negative side effects of smoking, especially if you’re a regular consumer.

If you’ve been around the marijuana block, you know the ways in which you consume the plant can greatly affect your high.

While both edibles and flower contain THC, the highs they produce are different. While some enjoy a healthy mix of both methods, most people choose a path and stick to it. People who prefer edibles tend to be older, taking advantage of powerful results while avoiding the hassle and the damages that smoking causes. Those who smoke joints don’t need as much expertise or planning, resulting in a loose and less committed experience.

Here are 5 of the main differences between smoking flower and consuming marijuana edibles:

It’s all about THC

While smoking cannabis is like taking a walk through a vivid park, ingesting an edible is like eating an exploding glitter bomb. There’s a scientific explanation behind this bad metaphor. According to Green Entrepreneur, when cannabis is ingested the THC is metabolized by the liver, transforming itself into 11-hydroxy-THC. For some reason, this compound is up to four times faster in crossing the blood-brain barrier than average THC. This is why edibles are associated with intense, vivid and hallucinatory experiences.

Both require different dosages

Edibles require more experienced users because their dosage is so damn complicated. If you’ve ever prepared your own batch of edibles and have tried to figure out what’s in them, you know what I mean.

In legal markets 10mg is the standard dose for an edible, which typically delivers mild effects. It’s also important to account for your tolerance and experience.

Smoking weed kicks in way faster

An overdose on edibles is not the same as an overdose on flower. While the latter may force you to nap for a half hour in order to relax and escape a bout of paranoia, ingesting a large dose of edibles could result in a really unpleasant time. As mentioned before, the aftermath of edibles can last for a long time. If you overdose, you’ll be feeling awful for a while. Start off slow and take it easy.

There’s no clear “best” method

While inhaled cannabis is easier to administer and control, you’ll always have to reckon with the negative side effects of smoking, especially if you’re a regular consumer. On the other hand, while edibles are harder to manage, they’re also very discreet and won’t affect your health negatively. In fact, you could even stay away from sugary treats. Nowadays, there’s plenty of delicious cannabis salad and cannabis coffee recipes.