Everything worth knowing first.
What the numbers mean, how much to take, and the one mistake almost everybody makes with edibles.
Start here
Cannabis is not one thing. The plant produces more than a hundred cannabinoids and several hundred aromatic compounds, in proportions that differ by variety, by grow and by batch. Almost everything confusing about buying cannabis follows from that.
If you read nothing else on this page, read this: start with a small amount and wait. You can always take more. The reverse is not available.
Cannabinoids
The two you will see most are THC and CBD. THC is the intoxicating one. CBD is not intoxicating and, in company with THC, tends to soften its edges.
- THC — the compound responsible for the high. Reported as a percentage in flower and concentrates, and in milligrams in edibles and tinctures.
- CBD — non-intoxicating. Often chosen for daytime use or alongside THC to take the sharpness off.
- CBN — formed as THC ages. Associated with heaviness rather than headiness, which is why it shows up in evening products.
- CBG, CBC — minor cannabinoids, present in small amounts, still being studied.
Terpenes — the useful part
Terpenes are the aromatic compounds that make one batch smell of lemon peel and another of damp earth. They are the single best predictor of whether you will enjoy something, and they are why two batches at identical potency can feel nothing alike.
| Terpene | Smells like | Commonly found in |
|---|---|---|
| Myrcene | Earth, cloves, ripe mango | Heavier indica-leaning varieties |
| Limonene | Citrus peel | Bright, daytime-leaning varieties |
| Caryophyllene | Black pepper, wood | Peppery hybrids; the only terpene that binds a cannabinoid receptor |
| Linalool | Lavender | Floral, calming profiles |
| Pinene | Pine needles | Sharp, clear-headed profiles |
| Terpinolene | Apple, herbs, fresh | Uplifting sativa-leaning varieties |
Our listings print the flavour profile for exactly this reason. If you liked something, note its top terpenes rather than its strain name — strain names are marketing, terpene profiles are measured.
How to read a label
Every Cannalab47 listing carries the same five things, in the same order:
- Format — flower, pre-roll, vape, edible, concentrate, tincture, topical.
- Size — grams for flower and concentrates, millilitres for tinctures, count and milligrams for edibles.
- Lineage — indica, sativa, hybrid or CBD-forward. A rough family resemblance, not a promise.
- Cannabinoid content — the reported figure, or "Not reported" where no plausible figure exists for that format.
- Flavour — derived from the terpene profile.
Where a supplier gave us a potency figure that its format cannot physically carry — rolling papers at 92% THC, tinctures above what a tincture can hold — we print "Not reported" rather than repeating it. Roughly 84% of the catalogue keeps a figure.
Dosing, without drama
Every format reaches you at a different speed, which is the main thing to plan around.
| Format | Onset | Duration | Sensible start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flower / pre-roll | 1–10 minutes | 2–4 hours | One or two inhalations, then wait ten minutes |
| Vape | 1–5 minutes | 1–3 hours | One short draw, then wait five minutes |
| Concentrate | Seconds | 2–4 hours | A rice-grain amount. These are potent |
| Edible | 30–120 minutes | 4–8 hours | 2.5–5 mg. Wait two hours before more |
| Tincture | 15–45 minutes | 4–6 hours | Half a dropper, held under the tongue |
| Topical | 10–30 minutes | 2–4 hours | Apply to the area. Non-intoxicating |
Storing it
Airtight glass, out of direct light, somewhere cool and dry. A cupboard beats a fridge — condensation is worse than warmth. Kept that way, flower holds its aroma for six to twelve months; the THC degrades slowly into CBN, which is why old flower feels sleepier than fresh.
Store everything locked and out of reach of children and pets. Edibles in particular look exactly like the confectionery they are modelled on.
Safety, plainly
- Do not drive. Impairment outlasts the feeling of being impaired, often by hours.
- Do not mix carelessly with alcohol. The combination is considerably stronger than either alone.
- If you have taken too much, you are not in danger, but you will be uncomfortable. Sit down somewhere familiar, drink water, and wait. It passes.
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, do not use cannabis.
- If you take prescription medication, ask a pharmacist about interactions before you start.
Nothing on this page is medical advice, and nobody at Cannalab47 is qualified to give it. It is what a careful shop tells a customer across a counter.
