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Whether you’ve got your very first Delta-8 product in hand, or you’ve tried it before and didn’t get the results you had hoped for, you’ve likely arrived at the ever-important question—How much Delta-8-THC should I take?
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to give a straightforward answer because everyone’s dosing needs and THC tolerance is unique. Still, there are a few steps you can take to determine the best Delta-8 dosage for you, and we’ll cover them below.
Table of ContentsBefore we can answer questions like "how many mg of Delta-8 should I take?" we need to address the factors that affect Delta-8 dosage. Namely, we want to discuss why Delta-8 dosage is unique from other forms of THC. In other words, your experience with traditional THC products may not directly translate to your experience with Delta-8-THC. Here's why:
Before we can dig into Delta-8 dosage and how much you should take, we want to address one very important fact: Delta-8-THC is less potent than Delta-9.
It’s hard to say exactly how much less potent because research has yet to spotlight the issue, but one study concerning Delta-8’s therapeutic effects for nausea and vomiting suggested that it’s about half as potent as Delta-9. Other claims have suggested that the Delta-8 is up to 75% as strong as Delta-9.
In reality, there are no hard numbers here. Just keep in mind that Delta-8 is not the same as Delta-9 and the overall psychoactive experience is milder (and generally easier to control). That mostly matters for only two reasons:
Often when people try Delta-9-THC for the first time, they take doses as low as 5 mg (and sometimes even lower). You may find that the suggested starting doses for Delta-8 are higher, but it’s because the “potency” of Delta-8’s effects is lower, so don’t be alarmed. For instance, Delta-8 doses may start around 10 mg.
Another reason that you should consider the discrepancies between Delta-8 and Delta-9 is because your tolerance to Delta-9 will affect your tolerance to Delta-8, too. That means that if you’re a seasoned THC user, you may not get as much out of “beginner” Delta-8-THC doses, even if you’ve never tried Delta-8 before.
Still, we don’t recommend that you just jump straight to large doses, and if your tolerance is too high you may consider taking a Delta-8-THC tolerance break first.
We recommend always taking Delta-8-THC with food for more consistent and enjoyable effects, but keep in mind that it may slow the absorption down a bit. Read “Can I Take Delta-8 on an Empty Stomach?” to learn more.
Now that you know the potency and dosing factors that may affect your Delta-8 dosing experience, lets jump to the point:
If you’re just starting out with Delta-8, you may want to consider a beginner dose. Our low potency products offer a 10 mg dose of Delta-8-THC, which we think is a great place for beginners to start. Some products can even be cut in half (think gummies or caramels) to try a smaller dose if you want an even gentler start.
Our medium potency products are packed with 25 mg of Delta-8, which is a middle-ground dose for users who have some experience with Delta-8 or other THC products. Most people enjoy this dosing range for a mental and physical lift that is steady and manageable.
Our high potency products contain 50 mg of Delta-8, which is a substantial dose meant for experienced Delta-8 users. You don’t have to be a THC connoisseur to use high-potency products, but we suggest starting with a lower dose to get a feel for Delta-8’s effects first.
Now that you have an idea how much Delta-8-THC you should take, let’s talk about how to read potency labels and how to measure Delta-8 dosage by product type:
Delta-8-THC is typically measured in milligrams, and many dosing methods (like gummies and candies) offer the convenience of pre-measured doses, but there’s no industry-wide standard for how the potency is portrayed on the label.
It’s important to understand exactly how to read the label on the product you choose so that you know how much Delta-8 you’re actually ingesting in each dose.
In order to determine how much Delta-8-THC is in your product (and each dose), you first need to determine whether the labelled potency refers specifically to Delta-8 content or total hemp extract content.
Some products may contain other cannabinoids and terpenes and the labelled potency may refer to the total amount of hemp extract. If the hemp extract is only made up of, say, 60% Delta-8, then the product might actually be much less potent than the label implies.
Fortunately, many products are formulated with pure Delta-8-THC, or they display the exact potency of all cannabinoids on the label.
To ensure that you know exactly how much Delta-8-THC is in your product, look for third-party lab results. These test results should reveal the actual potency of Delta-8-THC that was found in the batch sample and will closely relate to the actual amount of Delta-8 in each product in that batch.
The Delta-8-THC dosing method you choose makes a difference—it affects the onset, duration, and possibly even the intensity of effects you will experience. Plus, it impacts the way that Delta-8 is measured and how easily you can adjust your dose each time.
Let’s break it down:
Delta-8-THC edibles are generally pre-measured doses, which means you don’t need to measure the dose each time. Edibles in the form of candies and chews may even come individually packaged. Gummies may come packed in a multi-count bottle, but a single gummy usually equates to one dose.
Our Delta-8-THC edible collection provides a variety of different potencies. For a mild, beginner dose, try the 10 mg Elev8 Gummies. For a stronger dose, we also offer Caramels and Hard Candies at dosages as high as 50 mg.
In some cases, you can break or cut edibles to adjust the dosage, but it may be more convenient to just buy edibles at the potency you need or just try a different, more malleable dosing method, like a Delta-8 tincture.
Delta-8-THC tinctures are a liquid product that usually come in a glass bottle with a dropper lid. This dropper lid usually holds 1 mL of Delta-8-THC oil when full. Check the label to determine the potency.
Delta-8 tinctures are convenient because you can adjust your dosage in small increments as long as you understand the potency of your tincture and how to measure it accurately.
For example, our Elev8 Tincture contains a total of 1,000 mg of Delta-8-THC and holds 30 mL of oil per bottle. That means that a 1 mL dose contains 33 mg of Delta-8-THC. Or, you can measure a ½ mL serving that offers a 16.5 mg dose of Delta-8.
If you want to take it even further to get more precise dosages, consider that one drop is approximately 0.05 mL, meaning there are 20 drops in a 1 mL serving. At 33 mg per mL, that means there is approximately 1.65 mg of Delta-8-THC in every drop of our Elev8 tincture.
Measuring the dosage of vaporizers is not an exact science since there’s no way to know exactly how much of the Delta-8-THC oil you’re ingesting in each “puff.” Still, vapes offer a convenient dosing method for beginners since they take effect quickly and the doses can be easily “stacked” until you reach the desired effects.
A Delta-8 vaporizer should take full effect in 10 minutes or less. You can easily take one puff at a time and wait a few minutes to see how you feel before deciding to increase your dose. Over time, you’ll get more comfortable with how much you need to puff to get the “lift” you need.
Dosing Delta-8-THC flower is pretty much identical to the way that you measure a Delta-8 vaporizer dose. If you’re unsure how much Delta-8 to take, start with one or two puffs at a time until you feel the boost you’re after.
The amount of time you should expect to wait to feel the full effects of Delta-8-THC depends on the type of Delta-8 product used.
For instance, Delta-8 vaporizers and flower usually produce near-instant effects, and you should feel the effects of each dose peak after only ten minutes.
Alternatively, standard Delta-8 edibles take a bit longer because they need to pass through the digestive tract before they can be metabolized by the liver. Edibles may take an hour or more to take effect and the effects usually peak around two hours after dosing.
Tinctures take effect much more quickly, generally in about 30 minutes.That’s because they are meant to be dropped under the tongue, a method called “sublingual dosing” which allows the Delta-8 to be absorbed by the mucous membranes in the mouth, bypassing digestion.
Edibles that dissolve in the mouth, like our candies, caramels, and chews, follow this same path.Because these types of edibles are meant to be savored and slowly dissolved in the mouth, they can be absorbed by the mucous membranes and take effect quickly.
You may also want to read “How Long Does a Delta-8-THC High Last?” for more information about what to expect from different dosing styles.
If you’ve taken a Delta-8-THC dose and you aren’t getting the effects you had imagined, you may wonder if, or when, you should increase your dose. The answer is, it depends.
If you feel the effects of Delta-8 but they aren’t as potent as you had hoped, first note that the effects aren’t ever going to be as potent as the effects from Delta-9. Delta-8 and Delta-9 are each unique, and Delta-8 is known for producing a mildly intoxicating, laid back experience.
If you aren’t really feeling the effects and suspect your dose was too low, you may want to increase your dose. Make sure that you’ve waited long enough to experience the full effects from your chosen dosing style (reference the section above to see how long you should wait).
If you decide you want to increase your dosage, it’s best to do so with a faster-acting dosing method. Try a vape, flower, or sublingual candy so that the effects kick in before your first dose wears off, and only increase your dosing in small increments.
Before you step into the Delta-8 experience, make sure you understand how to read the label and have a feel for the potency of the product you choose. Remember, everyone’s THC tolerance level is unique, and every person will metabolize and experience Delta-8 differently. What one person considers a “potent dose” may only scratch the surface for another, so you’ll need to feel out Delta-8 dosages for yourself.
When in doubt, take it slow. A smooth and mild ride is always better than one that’s too intense, and you can always up your dose the next time around. For new users who want to experiment with how much Delta-8 they should take, we recommend trying a Delta-8 tincture.
Our Elev8 Tincture can be measured in small increments to give you ultimate control over your Delta-8 dose so you can ease your way into a pleasant experience.
Everyone's Delta-8 dosing threshold will be different. Some people feel psychoactive effects after taking only 5-10 mg of Delta-8, while others need to take 20 mg or more for substantial effects. Your THC tolerance, weight, metabolism, and other biological factors will affect this.
Still, we recommend starting with low doses and increasing overtime until you find your dosing threshold.
Yes, 50 mg is more than enough to cause psychoactive effects in most people, including those with some THC tolerance. We recommend starting with a smaller dose if you do not have much experience with Delta-8 products.
Like other cannabinoids, it is impossible to fatally overdose on Delta-8. However, taking too much THC, especially in copious amounts, has been known to lead to adverse effects like tiredness, vomiting, or paranoia.
Typically, doses between 10-50 mg are plenty even for experienced THC users and will not cause serious adverse effects.
Delta-8 is a natural THC, so the entire Delta-8 content is considered to be the THC content. In other words, if the product contains 100 mg of Delta-8, it contains 100 mg of THC.
As for Delta-9, the content varies. Hemp products can only legally contain up to 0.3% Delta-9-THC. Because of the manufacturing process used to make Delta-8 products, they typically contain no Delta-9-THC at all.
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