Edibles vs. Tinctures: Which is Right for Me?

Some cannabis consumers are turning away from the traditional methods of smoking and vaping to avoid the harshness of inhalation. If you’re looking to get the medical benefits of cannabis without smoking, tinctures and edibles are a great alternative. 

Both of these consumption methods are convenient, discrete, and come with their own sets of pros and cons. In this guide, we break down the main differences between edibles and tinctures so that you can find the cannabis product that best fits your needs, lifestyle, and budget.

What Are Tinctures?

Tinctures are liquids that are great for medicating without smoking or vaping. They can be consumed on their own or added as a supplement to food and drink, often taken sublingually using a dropper under the tongue. 

Tinctures provide fast onset of effects compared to other consumption methods because the cannabinoids are absorbed directly into the bloodstream. While they’ve recently become more popular, tinctures were used frequently in the 1800s, popularized as a pain relief remedy for body and muscle cramping.

What Are Edibles?

Simply put, marijuana edibles are any food product infused with cannabis. The medicinal effect of edibles comes from added THC distillate, cannabis-infused oil, or “cannabutter”.

The oil is digested and then metabolized by the liver, sending cannabinoids to the brain and allowing the consumer to feel the effects of THC and CBD. Most people have heard of the “pot brownie,” but edibles can come in various forms like gummies, chocolates, and even infused drinks. 

Which One Should I Choose?

There are many important variables to consider when making a choice between edibles or tinctures. Price, convenience, and potency all play a major role when deciding which product to pick. 

Controlling Your Dose

If you require precise dosing, tinctures make it much easier for you to consume a controlled amount of oil and cannabinoids. 

Using a dropper sublingually yields a perfectly measured amount of THC every time and provides a medicinal effect extremely quickly. Most tincture bottles will also have labeling providing instructions, along with information on the amount of THC or CBD infused in each drop. 

Dosing can be a challenge with edibles. The exact dose of THC in each piece can be difficult to determine, making them somewhat unpredictable to use medicinally. The time it takes to feel effects is also much different, with edibles taking upwards of 30 minutes to an hour to digest, compared to around 15 minutes for a tincture dose. 

Eating edibles on an empty stomach can also have a much harder and more unpredictable effect on the user, so it’s important to be mindful of your diet before choosing to take that medicated gummy or cookie.

The Price

When it comes to getting the most bang for your buck, tinctures have a much better value. The price of an edible is less economical, factoring in not only the amount of cannabis but also the food or drink that it is infused into. A bag of edibles can range in price depending on the product’s strength, but on average, a pack of 100mg edibles will cost about $20-$30. 

While this is about half the cost of a 750mg tincture bottle, the tincture actually gives users more grams of cannabis for their dollar, making it a smarter and more efficient purchase in the long run. 

Not only do they have a much longer shelf life than edibles, but tinctures are the perfect size to fit right in your purse or pocket and can be taken anywhere on the go.

Final Thoughts

City Trees’ tinctures are expertly crafted to give a precise dose of THC and CBD. Each drop contains natural ingredients like Blue Agave and Cocoa, making them a great alternative to any natural sweetener.

Our agave and glycerin-based products are completely water-soluble, allowing them to be added right to any food, dessert, or drink of your choice. Check out our online shop to see our full selection of bottles ranging in several different CBD to THC ratios, perfect for either recreation or medicinal use.
We even created a guide for adding tinctures to coffee and other beverages, helping you create a tasty cannabis experience!