Please consume responsibly. This section is for adults 21 and older. Adult-use cannabis is legal in Massachusetts for adults 21 and older, and it is illegal to consume it in public places, including bars, streets, parks and in cars. Keep all cannabis products locked up and out of reach of children and pets. Do not drive after using cannabis, and do not combine it with alcohol. This is general information, not medical or legal advice.
Edibles are slow, and the slowness is the whole problem. The state's education site says they can take one to four hours or so to kick in, and effects can last longer than you expect.
Most bad nights start the same way: nothing seems to be happening, so someone takes more. Do not be that person.
Read the label
Massachusetts puts the key numbers on the package, so use them before you open it.
- Serving and total. The label gives the milligrams in each serving and the number of servings. A package is usually many servings, not one.
- The timing warning. Edible labels carry a notice that impairment can be delayed two hours or longer.
- Batch and test date. Look for a batch number, serial number or bar code plus test date and results. Our lab report guide shows how to use them.
How big is a serving
A single edible serving tops out at 5.5 milligrams, by the state's rules. A multi-serving package is capped at 20 servings or 110 milligrams.
Each serving in a pack must be easily separable. Take one piece, not the whole bar.
Start low, go slow
That is the state's own advice, and it adds that you should wait for the full effects before having more. Its tip sheet puts the wait at one to four hours.
- Take one serving, or less, then wait. Set a timer.
- A new brand is a new product. Do not assume it behaves like the last one.
- Plan the night around the slow end of that range.
Where and when
At home or another private place where it is allowed, and nowhere else. The state's line is that consuming in public is illegal.
Landlords and employers may have a say too, since employers, landlords, cities and towns can set policies. In a hotel, the state tells guests to ask about the policy before using.
Sort your ride before you start. Driving while under the influence is illegal, full stop.
Keep alcohol out of it. The state's guidance says mixing the two means greater impairment than either alone.
Storage
Edibles look like food, so store them like medication. The state says the best place is a closed, locked container, out of sight and out of reach of children and pets.
If a child or pet gets into one, the state's page lists the Poison Control Hotline, 800-222-1222. For a serious reaction, call 911.