Can you eat cannabis wax?

In this article, we will answer the question “Can you eat cannabis wax?”. In addition to this, we will also discuss the risks of eating cannabis wax and the side effects related to the consumption of cannabis products.

Can you eat cannabis wax?

Yes, you can eat cannabis wax. However, you should not eat cannabis wax, as they can bring many risks to your health. Several cases of intoxications have been reported after the ingestion of foods containing cannabis (1).

Are the risks of eating cannabis wax greater than inhaling cannabis?

The risks of eating cannabis wax or eating foods that contain cannabis wax are similar to the risks of inhaling cannabis products. However, the risks can be greater if the doses ingested are too high.

Usually the effects of ingestion of cannabis products differ from the inhaled forms of consumption, as they are not promptly noticed, inducing the consumer to a higher ingestion. As the effect is once perceived, the amount ingested has exceeded the individual tolerance, leading to intoxication, coma and even death (1,2,3).

When the cannabis wax is vaporized and the extracts are inhaled, the effects are experienced after 20 minutes and the duration remains for about 2 hours. When the same product is ingested, the effects are at a peak 3 hours after the ingestion and the effects dissipate within 24 hours.

This can lead to a higher ingestion of such products, increasing the risks of intoxications. 

What are the risks of eating cannabis wax?

The risks of eating cannabis wax or other concentrated cannabis products are the concentrated compounds extracted from the cannabis plant which can cause several negative effects to health. The ingestion of cannabis containing foods, the so-called edibles, is related to the following symptoms (1,2,3):

  • Cognitive and motor impairment,  muscular incoordination, dizziness, difficulty walking
  • Extreme sedation, difficulty concentrating, confusion
  • Agitation, anxiety, cardiac stress, tachycardia 
  • Psychotic symptoms, hallucinations 
  • Dry mouth, dysphagia, vomiting, loss of appetite, nausea

What are the benefits of eating cannabis wax?

Eating cannabis wax has been related to several health benefits. It was being used as a medicine to treat diseases (2). 

Cannabis wax which can be eaten is used to treat different medical conditions which may include the following:

  • Chronic pain 
  • Symptoms related to cancer
  • Anxiety 
  • Children epilepsy

Can you get sick from eating spoiled cannabis wax?

Yes, you can get sick from eating spoiled cannabis wax. Cannabis wax is produced by concentrating the extracted oils of the cannabis plant. In addition to the chemical compounds, D-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), other chemical compounds are also extracted and concentrated.

Some of these compounds are pesticides and heavy metals, molds and their toxins, which can negatively affect health (1,4). 

The long term health effect of pesticides is unpredictable. The accumulation of pesticides in food and the environment are related to causing many diseases, such as cancer, renal dysfunction, osteoporosis, and cardiac failure, as well as genetic disabilities and hormonal problems.

The ingestion of heavy metals can lead to higher risks of damage to the central nervous system and cause epilepsy, migraines and coma.

In addition, edible products made with cannabis wax are not free from pathogenic microorganisms and have been reported to cause events of food outbreaks. Salmonella, Escherichia coli and Clostridium botulinum are some of the pathogens found in food containing cannabis concentrates. 

Conclusion:

In this article, we have answered the question “Can you eat cannabis wax?”. Moreover, we have also discussed the risks of eating cannabis wax and the side effects related to the consumption of cannabis products. 

References:

  1. White, Alice E., et al. Cannabis-infused edible products in colorado: Food safety and public health implications. Am j public health, 2020, 110, 790-795.
  2. Barrus DG, Capogrossi KL, Cates SC, Gourdet CK, Peiper NC, Novak SP, Lefever TW, Wiley JL. Tasty THC: Promises and Challenges of Cannabis Edibles. Methods Rep, 2016, 10, 3768. 
  3. White AE, Van Tubbergen C, Raymes B, Contreras AE, Scallan Walter EJ. Cannabis-Infused Edible Products in Colorado: Food Safety and Public Health Implications. Am J Public Health. 2020 Jun;110(6):790-795.
  4. Alengebawy, A., et al. Heavy Metals and Pesticides Toxicity in Agricultural Soil and Plants: Ecological Risks and Human Health Implications. Biotechnology, 2006, 5, 1-4.

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