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Administration Routes

Pros and Cons of Medicinal Cannabis Edibles

Vaping vs Smoking

Administration Routes Comparison Table

Method

Inhalation

Ingestion

Sublingual

Topical

Forms

  • Vape
  • Smoke
  • Floss
  • Oil

  • Capsule
  • Oil
  • Juicing
  • Edibles

  • Drops
  • Spray
  • Lozenge
  • Wafer
  • Tincture
  • Oil

  • Cream
  • Gel
  • Salve

Absorption

Lungs

Stomach and/or small intestine

Through oral mucosa into bloodstream

At external local application site

Bioavailability

  • THC ~ 5-35%
  • CBD ~ 31%
  • Almost immediate

THC/CBD ~4-20% ~2-6 hrs after Ingestion

Studies of bioavailability not available

Studies of bioavailability not available

Onset

Rapid

90 mins

15-60 mins

unknown

Peak

30 mins

2-3 hrs

1-2 hrs

unknown

Duration

1-4 hrs

6-8 hrs

1-4 hrs

unknown

Comments

Vaping is recommended over smoking

Absorption impacted by stomach contents, carrier medium, type of capsule – some capsules designed to increase bioavailability

Important to hold under the tongue rather than swallow to increase absorption directly into blood stream

Can be used on rashes. Does not penetrate the deeper layers of the aqueous skin efficiently. Does not cause any ‘high’ related to THC.

Inhalation

Forms
  • Vape
  • Smoke
  • Floss
  • Oil
Absorption
Lungs
Bioavailability
  • THC ~ 5-35%
  • CBD ~ 31%
  • Almost immediate
Onset
Rapid
Peak
30 mins
Duration
1-4 hrs
Comments
Vaping is recommended over smoking

Ingestion

Forms
  • Capsule
  • Oil
  • Juicing
  • Edibles
Absorption
Stomach and/or small intestine
Bioavailability
THC/CBD ~4-20% ~2-6 hrs after Ingestion
Onset
90 mins
Peak
2-3 hrs
Duration
6-8 hrs
Comments
Absorption impacted by stomach contents, carrier medium, type of capsule – some capsules designed to increase bioavailability

Sublingual

Forms
  • Drops
  • Spray
  • Lozenge
  • Wafer
  • Tincture
  • Oil
Absorption
Through oral mucosa into bloodstream
Bioavailability
Studies of bioavailability not available
Onset
15-60 mins
Peak
1-2 hrs
Duration
1-4 hrs
Comments
Important to hold under the tongue rather than swallow to increase absorption directly into blood stream

Topical

Forms
  • Cream
  • Gel
  • Salve
Absorption
At external local application site
Bioavailability
Studies of bioavailability not available
Onset
unknown
Peak
unknown
Duration
unknown
Comments
Can be used on rashes. Does not penetrate the deeper layers of the aqueous skin efficiently. Does not cause any ‘high’ related to THC.

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