How Long Do The Effects Of CBD Edibles Last?

How Long Do Edibles Last?

Have you taken an edible recently, and hours into the adventure, wondered to yourself, “How long is this going to last?” You’re not alone. Infused edible products can be sneaky. While the cannabinoids may take a while to enter your bloodstream, they take even longer to clear out and leave you clear-headed. There are a few reasons why that is, and we promise to cover them down below. We’ll also be exploring what CBD edibles are, how long they generally take to kick in, and any other factors that play into their effectiveness.

Key Takeaways:

• Edible products have to reach your stomach and small intestine before the cannabinoids enter your bloodstream. This can take anywhere between 45 minutes and two hours.
• When you eat cannabinoids, your liver transforms them into much stronger versions of their originals. This is why edibles feel much stronger than other forms of cannabis and hemp products.
• The effects of edibles generally last between 6 and 8 hours. This window can be extended if you double up on your dose.

What Are CBD Edibles?

CBD edibles are foods or drinks that have been infused with CBD extract derived from USDA-compliant hemp plants. Edibles, thanks to modern cannabinoid science, come in all shapes and sizes, including candies, baked goods, syrups, drink enhancers, pre-made beverages, and more. If you can eat it or drink it, the chances are someone’s figured out how to infuse CBD into it.

How Long Do Edibles Last?

Unlike other ingestion methods, CBD edibles are different due to their intensity, duration, and digestion methods. Before CBD edibles start to kick in, they first need to reach your small intestine before the CBD enters your bloodstream. This longer onset time results in longer-lasting effects. Edibles can last anywhere from 6 to 8 hours after consumption. Of course, some factors can extend those eight hours, like:

• Did you eat your edible on an empty stomach or after a meal? Eating an edible after a meal will delay the onset of effects, but will be a more gradual and enjoyable experience.
• Did you eat a second edible while waiting for the first to kick in? We don’t recommend doing this, but recognize that it does happen. Doubling up on your dose can extend your experience.  
• How strong are the edibles that you took? Sometimes your edible experience will be dose-dependent. For example, a 5mg edible may last eight hours or so, and a 100mg edible may last much longer. 
• Are you an experienced CBD edible consumer? If you’re familiar with edibles and have taken them before, your body may be less sensitive to the cannabinoids in your edible. 

Predicting how long the effects of your CBD edibles will last isn’t an exact science. A 2016 study analyzed over 100,000 tweets and found that edible “unpredictability” was one of the common adverse effects listed.1 But in general, you should expect the effects to last about eight hours.

How Long Does It Take For Edibles To Kick In?

Edibles start to kick in anywhere between 45 minutes and two hours after consumption— a big window. There are a whole bunch of factors that play into how fast edibles come on. 

We’ll talk about them shortly, but it is worth noting that, unlike THC edibles, if your edible is infused with CBD isolate, it won’t be intoxicating. CBD, by itself, is nonintoxicating and doesn’t cause the “high” typically associated with THC edibles. 

Type of Edible

Some edible products like hard candy, gum, and lollipops are examples of edibles that are ingested without actually being swallowed. Their CBD is absorbed through the mucus membranes in your mouth (known as sublingual ingestion— the same as taking a CBD oil tincture!) These edibles will take effect faster.

Edibles that pass through your digestive system, like baked goods, chocolate, and drinks, will take longer to take effect because the CBD is being absorbed in your digestive tract. When the CBD reaches your liver via your digestive tract, you’ll begin to notice some effects.

Your Metabolism

When in edible form, your CBD is going to be digested at the same rate as regular, non-infused food. If you have a higher metabolism rate, you’re more likely to feel the effects of your CBD edible more quickly than someone with a naturally lower rate. 

The flip side of this is that consumers with higher metabolism rates will experience CBD’s effect for a shorter duration of time.

Did You Eat Your Edible On An Empty Stomach?

It’s usually recommended that users take their CBD edible after or with a meal. That said, if you decide to eat your edibles on an empty stomach, the effects will come on quicker and much stronger. If you’re new to CBD edibles, definitely heed the advice.

Read more: The Dos & Don’ts of CBD Edibles

Do CBD Edibles Expire? 

While edibles are a great and tasty way to ingest your CBD, it’s also important to consider shelf life. Cannabinoids degrade over time, but not necessarily as fast as the butter turns rancid. 

Keep your edibles in the fridge if you want to extend their shelf life (or the freezer if you want to save ‘em long-term)

Sources:

1. Lamy, Francois R et al. ““Those edibles hit hard”: Exploration of Twitter data on cannabis edibles in the U.S.” Drug and alcohol dependence vol. 164 (2016): 64-70. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.04.029

Updated:

This post was originally published on September 6th, 2021, and updated by the original author on October 17th, 2025.