A cannabis microdose is 1 milligram to 2.5 milligrams of THC. That is one-tenth to one-quarter of the 10 mg serving sold in most US adult-use states. Start at 1 mg. Wait 2 hours. Add 1 mg if you feel nothing. Record the dose, the time, and the effect.
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What a microdose is
All numbers below are THC. Body weight, tolerance, liver enzymes, and other drugs change the result. Edible THC passes through the liver and converts to 11-hydroxy-THC, which is stronger and longer-lasting than inhaled THC.
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- 0.5 to 1 mg: below the threshold for most people. No reported high.
- 1 to 2.5 mg: mild. Users report focus, mood lift, or body ease.
- 2.5 to 5 mg: threshold dose. Perception changes. This is a small dose, not a microdose.
- 5 to 10 mg: standard retail serving in Colorado, California, and most adult-use states.
Oregon sells recreational edibles at 5 mg per serving and 50 mg per package. Colorado caps a serving at 10 mg and a package at 100 mg. Medical programs in some states allow higher limits.
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Doses by method
Edibles
A 100 mg chocolate bar cut into 20 pieces gives 5 mg per piece. Cut again for 2.5 mg. For 1 mg, dissolve the edible in a measured amount of liquid or buy a product printed with 1 mg segments. Homemade edibles vary from piece to piece. Lab-tested commercial products do not.
Tinctures
A 30 mL bottle with 300 mg THC holds 10 mg per milliliter. One milliliter is about 20 drops, so 1 drop is 0.5 mg and 3 drops is 1.5 mg. Hold the drops under the tongue for 60 seconds. Sublingual absorption starts in 15 to 45 minutes.
Vape and flower
One 3-second draw from a vape pen can deliver 1 to 3 mg THC. Device power and oil potency set the number. A 0.5 gram joint of 20 percent THC flower holds about 100 mg THC. One puff delivers about 1 to 3 mg. Inhaled effects start in 1 to 10 minutes.
A 2-week start
- Day 1: take 1 mg by edible or 1 puff by inhalation.
- Wait 2 hours for edibles, 15 minutes for inhalation. Rate the effect from 0 to 10.
- Day 2 and day 3: take no cannabis.
- Day 4: repeat the same dose. Confirm the result.
- Day 5 and day 6: take no cannabis.
- Week 2: raise the dose to 1.5 mg or 2 mg if week 1 gave no effect. Keep 48 hours between doses.
A common schedule is 3 to 4 days on, then 2 to 3 days off. Daily use for 1 to 2 weeks raises tolerance. Higher doses then produce weaker effects.
Timing
- Edibles: onset 30 to 120 minutes. Peak 2 to 4 hours. Duration 4 to 8 hours.
- Tincture under the tongue: onset 15 to 45 minutes. Duration 3 to 6 hours.
- Vape or flower: onset 1 to 10 minutes. Peak 15 to 30 minutes. Duration 1 to 3 hours.
- Food: a fatty meal delays stomach emptying and raises total absorption. An empty stomach raises peak intensity.
Track each dose
Keep a written log. Note the date, dose in milligrams, method, minutes to onset, effect score, duration, side effects, sleep, and mood the next morning. Two weeks of entries show your personal threshold.
Common mistakes
- Redosing before 2 hours pass. The first edible has not peaked yet.
- Calling a 5 mg edible a microdose. It is a standard small dose.
- Drinking alcohol with cannabis. Alcohol raises impairment and nausea risk.
- Copying another person's dose. Liver enzyme activity differs by person.
- Using a homemade edible with unknown THC content.
Safety and law
Cannabis is a Schedule I drug under US federal law. State rules differ. Adult-use sales require age 21 or older. Do not drive after any dose. Avoid cannabis during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Talk to a clinician first if you have a personal or family history of psychosis, heart conditions, or take sedatives or blood thinners. Keep edibles locked away from children and pets. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for a suspected overdose in a child.
Some users add CBD to a THC microdose. Clinical evidence that CBD blocks THC anxiety is mixed. Research on microdosing itself is limited, and most reports are user accounts, not trials.