When I made my first trip to the recreational cannabis dispensary in Chicago, I was interested in edibles.
- I prefer a consumption method that doesn’t require a lot of extra gear.
I don’t want to invest in rolling papers, trays, lighters or other paraphernalia. I also hope to avoid mess, waste, smoke and odors. I like that edibles are extremely simple. The label on the package provides a date for the sake of freshness and a clear indication of the amount of THC and CBD I’m getting. They make dosing easy. I was interested in gummies or brownies and wasn’t prepared for the huge selection of options. Just the array of gummies was a bit overwhelming. There are probably a dozen brands of gummies available in every imaginable flavor from grape and sour apple to passion fruit and watermelon. The shelves of the dispensary are a treasure trove of hard candies, mints, cookies, milk chocolates, white chocolates, dark chocolates, caramels and peanut butter cups. There is an entire menu of cannabis-infused beverages, including mocktails and cannabeer. I can buy drink mixes, popcorn, shrimp chips, cannabutter, cooking oil, marinara sauce and even granola. Some of the options are full-spectrum CBD while others are high in THC potency. I am aware that because of the absorption of cannabinoids through the digestive tract, the effects of edibles can take several hours to settle in. Plus, the effects tend to be more intense than with other consumption methods and can last longer. Every time I visit the dispensary in Chicago, I try a new type or flavor of edible.