Fast-Acting Edibles: Another COVID-19 Innovation

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us in the cannabis community have been warned about of smoke inhalation. Simply put, the novel coronavirus attacks the lungs, and smoking anything is only going to make things worse.

With that said, some within this community have turned to other forms of cannabis consumption, such as edibles, beverages and tinctures. In fact, some manufacturers said that edible sales rose since the pandemic began.

However, many haven’t made the transition. There’s no denying that smoking cannabis is one of the fastest and, arguably, most effective ways of consuming cannabis.

Luckily, some companies are innovating to make cannabis edibles the “new normal.” Take the company as an example. They’ve recently developed a fast-acting edible that could become a stable through the coronavirus outbreak. Kushla’s R.E.A.C.T. stands for Rapid Effect Active Cannabinoid Technology. It’s a fast-acting edible ingredient, concentrated.

Though, that wasn’t always the plan.

“Many of us have the experience of eating one edible, waiting for an hour and then eating another, just to realize the first one hadn’t kicked in yet,” John Houstan, CEO of Kushla, . “When it does, the effects are much stronger than intended.”

When we consume cannabis through the digestive tract, it’s processed in the liver. There, it’s converted from delta-9 THC into a completely different chemical known as 11-hydroxy THC. Studies have found that this new chemical actually causes more psychoactivity than delta-9 THC.

Kushla—along with other brands like , and —have developed edibles that not only act quicker, but are formulated to absorb THC in a manner that won’t lead to over-psychoactivity. In other words, you’re less likely to get too high.

Brands are able to do this through a process known as nanoemulsion. “Once cannabinoids that are formulated with a nano-emulsifier hit your saliva and stomach juices, it spontaneously emulsifies into millions of microscopic ‘bubbles’ of emulsion droplets” Matt Elmes, Director of New Product Development for CannaCraft, explained to Forbes. “The cannabinoids reside inside tiny lipid droplets and they ‘trick’ your body into eagerly absorbing as much as possible, as quickly as possible.”

While this alternative is perfect for those who prefer smoking cannabis, it can also be ideal for newcomers. Without the overwhelming high edibles can sometimes cause, people have the ability to relax and enjoy stoned-state. And, in a time like 2020, that’s just what a lot of people need.