Understanding Dosage and Strength

Most products come in various options, like flavor and strength. Choosing the right strength is important so you avoid a negative experience. There isn't a single documented case of overdose by cannabinoid, though taking too strong of a dose can give you feelings of impending doom. This can be avoided by taking some time to learn about the impact of different strengths. The product packaging or website should outline the recommended usage, so this is a general overview.

Flower

The strength of a flower strain is measured by the percentage of CBD or THC (or both) found in the strain. If it was created as a federally legal CBD flower, the THC (delta 9) content will always be 0.3% or lower and have a CBD content that typically ranges from 10% to 30%. If it is medical THC, the THC percentages will be in the 10% to 30% range, with a few special outliers on either end. It's always best to start on lower percentages if you are unsure of what you can handle.

Vape Oil & Tinctures

These typically come in 30mL sized bottles with strengths such as 250mg, 500mg, 1000mg, etc. These numbers represent how much CBD is contained in the entire bottle. This is important to know when calculating how much CBD you're receiving from a dose. I'll use 500mg strength to explain the math.

The equation looks like this:

AMOUNT OF CBD IN MG ÷ BOTTLE SIZE IN ML = STRENGTH IN MG/ML

• Anything below 5 mg/mL (10%) is considered low strength.
• Anything between 15 and 30 mg/mL (15-30%) is medium strength.
• Anything between 30 and 60 (30-60%) is high strength.
• Anything else (60+%) is considered ultra-high-strength or classified as a concentrate.

If you have a 30mL bottle of 500mg strength: 500mg ÷ 30mL = 16.667mg/mL (medium strength)

If you have a 15mL bottle of 500mg strength: 500mg ÷ 15mL = 33.333mg/mL (high strength)

Notice that both bottles have a strength of 500mg, but you get twice the dose from the half-sized bottle! Keep this in mind when being shown a 10mL bottle of 1000mg strength. Armed with this new math knowledge, this should signal a red alert that it will be way too strong (and probably fake). If the bottle/packaging doesn't specify the strength, avoid the product.

So which strength do I need?

Since these types of products affect everyone differently, the easiest suggestion is to start on the lower to mid strength range. If your livelihood is in jeopardy and you need a precise answer, ask your doctor or seek the guidance of a professional.

NOTE: A 500mg tincture will most likely be more effective than a 500mg vape oil due to how differently they metabolize within the body.

NOTE: Mixing CBD vape oil with an e-juice that contains nicotine will cause the CBD to break down and nullify any benefits it could have given.

Pre-filled cartridges & Disposables

These are measured the same way vape oils and tinctures are measured, with a slight difference. Prefilled cartridges and disposables don't follow typical milliliter (mL) sizing. Instead, their capacity is measured in grams (g). Most cartridges come in either 0.5g or 1g sizes. The strengths vary in range, with the most common being found between 850mg - 1500mg. Keep in mind that these oils are concentrated and have a naturally higher potency. It's easy to produce huge clouds with CBD vape oil, but it's not necessary or recommended to do the same with these concentrated products. A little goes a long way.