THC Gummies Side Effects: What Are the Side Effects of THC Gummies?

Trying something for the first time is always scary - especially when it has the potential to alter your perception and get you high. We get asked about the THC gummies side effects all the time, so we decided it was worth putting together this quick resource.

So, what are the side effects of THC gummies? You’ve probably heard about some of them already. Dry mouth (cottonmouth), the munchies, and of course, getting too high (AKA greening out). 

The good news is you can mitigate or perhaps even avoid all the negative effects of THC gummies with proper dosing. We’ll cover everything you need to know to feel confident trying our THC gummies here at Koi!

Key Takeaways

• The most common THC gummies side effects are dry mouth, red eyes, drowsiness, and an increased appetite. All are temporary.
• The big one people worry about is getting too high. This can lead to anxiety, paranoia, and nausea.
• Overdoing it on dosage is the easiest way to have a bad time. Always start with less than you need and slowly work your way up to the right dose.
• Make sure you buy lab-tested gummies from a trusted brand. THC gummies with CBD included can help keep the experience more balanced.
• Koi has delta 9 gummies for sale for every goal and tolerance level. 

Understanding THC Gummies

THC gummies have quickly become the most popular way to enjoy all that cannabis has to offer, be it a fun, euphoric high or something more therapeutic - stress relief, sleep support, aches and discomfort, etc. They’re incredibly versatile.

The reason edibles are so great comes down to dosing precision and sustained effects. You can take as little as 2.5mg of THC and slowly work your way up to find the sweet spot. Effects last between 4-8 hours, so you don’t have to constantly take more throughout the day.

It’s important to note that the THC gummies you see online here at Koi are made from hemp - this is how we’re able to sell them to you legally. Dispensary edibles use marijuana. But they’re the exact same thing at the end of the day. The THC is going to feel exactly the same.

How Edibles Work

Edibles are a very different experience from smoking or vaping cannabis. The gummy gets chewed and swallowed, making its way into the stomach. Then it travels to the small intestine, then to the liver where the real fun begins.

In the liver, THC gets converted to 11-hydroxy-THC. This is a metabolite that’s known for being more potent and longer-lasting than THC itself. That’s why an edible high feels so much more enveloping than flower or vapes. It’s also why the whole experience can last 4-8 hours, and why it takes anywhere from 45-60 minutes to start in the first place.

That delay is actually where a lot of the side effects of THC gummies come from. People don’t think the first dose worked after waiting half an hour, so they double up. Big mistake. 

Comparison With Smoking/Vaping

Smoking and vaping hit almost right away. You’ll feel the effects within minutes since the THC gets right into your bloodstream. But the effects fade faster, too - usually you’re back to baseline within 2-3 hours. That’s not to mention the toll smoking/vaping takes on your lungs.

It’s easy to see why people prefer edibles. Let’s take a closer look at some of the good effects of THC gummies before we get into what you need to watch out for. 

The Good Effects of THC Gummies

We already touched on how long effects last with THC gummies, and how much control you get over dosage. The convenience, precision, and practicality keep people coming back for more. But what does the actual experience of eating an edible feel like?

There’s the high, of course. That euphoric buzz where your mood changes and suddenly, nothing matters in the world. You’re totally chill. Things sound funnier, music sounds better, and food tastes yummier. Conversation flows more naturally, and all your worries fade into oblivion.

A lot of people use THC gummies for something more specific, though. 

• THC gummies for sleep can help quiet mental noise and ease physical tension, making it easier to fall asleep (and stay asleep). Especially with CBN in the mix.
• THC gummies for stress are a great way to unwind after a long, tense day when it feels impossible to mentally clock out. 
• THC gummies for focus can create this sort of creative energy where ideas come to you more easily, and crossing things off a to-do list becomes more fun.

We also have many customers who rely on our THC gummies for managing aches and pains, stirring up an appetite, and more. The list of reasons to try THC gummies goes on and on. But let’s look at the other side of the coin - what are the side effects of THC gummies? 

What Are the Side Effects of THC Gummies?

We want to preface this by saying most THC gummies side effects are what we’d classify as “mild.” They’re all temporary, too. The negative effects of THC gummies scale with dose, though. The more you take, the more intense they’ll feel. Here’s what most people experience:

• Dry mouth: AKA cottonmouth. This is one of the early signs the gummies are working for a lot of people. Easy to manage by keeping a drink close by.
• Red or dry eyes: THC can bring your blood pressure down a bit, in turn causing the blood vessels in your eyes to widen. This is usually the only way someone would notice you’re high. Eyedrops help. Or, just embrace it!  
• Drowsiness: Not always a side effect. A lot of people use THC gummies before bed, literally for this reason. But it can be disruptive if you still have stuff to get done.
• Appetite stimulation: Again, maybe a side effect, perhaps a benefit. All depends on your level of self-control! 
• Impaired coordination and reaction time: It’s no secret that THC can mess with your motor skills, so definitely don’t drive while stoned. 

None of these are a big deal. Nobody has ever felt these side effects and decided they were too much. The one negative effect everyone worries about is getting too high - and we get it. It’s not fun when it feels like your body is being pulled in different directions and your mind won’t stop racing. You feel paranoid, perhaps even nauseous. 

We want to remind you that this effect, like all others, is not “dangerous.” Nor is it permanent. It’s just uncomfortable, which sucks given how long the high can last. There are ways you can bring yourself back down to planet earth, and there are also ways you can avoid it in the first place.

So, Are THC Gummies Safe?

The negative effects of THC gummies are certainly real. But are delta 9 gummies safe? Absolutely - with a few caveats, of course: 

1. You have to buy them from a brand that lab tests its products for purity
2. You have to use them the right way

Nobody has ever overdosed on THC gummies and had to go to the hospital for a dose of Narcan. The worst that can happen is you’ll be uncomfortably high for a few hours. But even that is easy to avoid if you’re smart with how many gummies you take. 

There are exceptions, as with anything. If it wasn’t already obvious, THC gummies are only intended for adults over the age of 21. You probably don’t want to take them if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, either. 

Then there are the medication interactions that you have to watch out for. We’ve heard that THC can interact with blood thinners, sedatives, and anti-anxiety drugs. You should have a chat with your prescribing doctor just in case.

Mitigating (or Even Avoiding) the THC Gummies Side Effects

We don’t want the side effects of THC gummies to scare you away. They’re mild, temporary, and totally avoidable with the right game plan. Here are some tips on enjoying the good while avoiding the bad. 

Start With a Product You Can Trust

Head over to Koi for the best THC gummies online for any goal and tolerance level. We’re your one-stop shop for THC gummies made from legal, lab-tested hemp. You never have to worry about any nasty stuff in them, such as:

• Pesticides
• Heavy metals
• Solvents

Our lab testing protocols also ensure dosing is consistent from one gummy to the next, so you’re not off-guard by a sneaky THC bomb. 5mg of THC is 5mg of THC, every time.

We have some great THC gummies for beginners, including the Koi Complete Full Spectrum CBD Gummies. They have just 5mg of THC with 25mg of CBD per gummy, so the experience stays grounded. You can even cut one of these in half for just 2.5mg of THC if you’re really worried about overdoing it.

You’ll also gain access to formulas for more experienced users, such as the Koi Delta 9 THC Gummies with 10mg of THC and 20mg of CBD per piece. 

It’s important that there’s some CBD in the mix no matter what gummy you go with, because CBD tends to mellow out the harsher edges of THC that can leave you feeling a little overwhelmed. Whatever you order, though, it’s backed by our 90-day satisfaction guarantee.

Dialing in Dosage For Beginners

If you only take away one thing from our guide on the THC gummies side effects, let it be this. Start with a lower dose than you think you need. You can always take more next time, but you can’t go back in time and take less. By the time you realize you’ve overdone it, it’s too late.

2.5-5mg of THC is the perfect starting point. Even if you’ve got a little experience from smoking or vaping. The effects from edibles are different enough that you should consider yourself a complete beginner. 

Try 2.5mg of THC. You might not feel much - and that’s fine! You can try 5mg of THC the next day. Increase by 2.5mg of THC until you find the dosage that makes you feel exactly how you want. Then, stay there - don’t just increase dosage for the sake of increasing it.

Another important rule: do NOT take another dose in the same session. Say you took 5mg of THC and feel a little buzz, but not enough. Taking another 5mg an hour later could lead to really intense effects because you have 10mg of THC in your system at that point. It’s better to wait til the next day and take 10mg from the start so you get a more predictable experience. 

When Will They Kick In?

Famous last words: I don’t feel anything. 

We see our customers make this mistake all the time. They smoked or vaped before and felt high in just minutes. So after 30 minutes of waiting and still not feeling anything, they take a second dose. Then both hit 45 minutes later like a ton of bricks. This is where most of the negative effects of THC gummies come from.

Most edibles need at least 45-60 minutes before the early effects start creeping in. The peak takes another 30-45 minutes from there (1.5-2 hours from the time of taking the dose). So, be patient. 

Understand that your stomach contents and metabolism can impact the timeline, too. Eating edibles on an empty stomach when you have a fast metabolism might mean you feel something in 30 minutes or less. But the experience will fade faster as a result.

 

What if I Took Too Much?

Even with the best of intentions, it’s possible that you’ll overshoot your comfort zone and get too high. The negative side effects of THC gummies are never fun, but remind yourself a few things:

• They’re only temporary
• They’re not dangerous

The best thing you can do in the meantime is distract yourself. Sitting on the couch staring at the wall while you feel the G forces pulling on your body is only going to make it feel like it’s going on forever.

Movement helps. Take a little walk around the block, or go outside and play with the dog. Do some laundry. Literally do anything to distract yourself from how you feel. You want your mind focused on something productive, not how you feel.

Other things that can help include making a snack, sipping on your favorite beverage, listening to music, watching a show/movie, or playing video games.  

A lot of people keep one of our CBD vapes on hand (one with NO THC) for these instances, too. We mentioned earlier that CBD can help take the intensity down a notch when THC gets a little overwhelming. 

Final Words on the THC Gummies Side Effects

There you have it, everything you need to know about the side effects of THC gummies. In most cases, you’ll just feel some cottonmouth and see your eyes get a little red. Worst case, you overshoot your comfort zone and get too high - but this is easy to avoid with smart dosing.

Our blog has more tips on how many mg THC gummies for sleep if you want additional guidance on the dosage side of things. Otherwise, all that’s left to do is try our gummies at Koi now that you know how to mitigate the THC gummies side effects!

Frequently asked questions

Are there side effects of THC gummies?

Yes, but they’re mild and temporary when you are smart about dosage. Dry mouth, red eyes, loss of motor skills, drowsiness, appetite changes - some of these are closer to benefits than side effects. The big one is getting too high, which can be uncomfortable. Not dangerous. 

Are THC gummies ok to take every day?

Yes! Most of our customers do exactly this since they rely on THC gummies for their self-care regimen. Just know this can cause your tolerance to build up a bit, so you may need to take short breaks (just a few days) to reset back to baseline. 

Can edibles make you sick?

Only in two cases: you bought bad gummies on the grey market or took way more than you were supposed to. This is not a typical side effect from edibles purchased through a legal, lab-tested source when you mind your dosage. 

How do I avoid the THC gummies side effects?

Purchase from a trusted brand like Koi and be very careful with dosage. Less is more. Never stack doses in the same sitting because you didn’t feel the first one in time.