Welcome to Baked Science, a new series of cannabis-infused edible reviews featuring test results from SC Labs.
Savory edibles aren’t as commonly available as sweet, cannabis-infused desserts, but enterprising edibles-makers are working to provide patients with diverse choices when it comes to salty snack items like pretzels, chips and crackers. Savory offerings help patients integrate cannabis foods successfully into a healthy, everyday lifestyle, and so I was happy to see several savory offerings at Harborside Health Center, including a few options from Auntie Dolores including Chili Lime Peanuts and Cheese Crackers, but also Kief Chips from Wish Edibles.
These crispy bagel chips are flavored with garlic and cheese, and “fortified with kief,” as the package claims. Retailing for $13, the package contains 12 small bagel chips looking not unlike similar mainstream items. I found myself wondering if these bakers had simply dripped cannabutter on previously purchased bagel chips!
My first round of constructive criticism concerns the packaging and labeling. The THC potency lists 120 milligrams, but it’s very small at the bottom of the front label. No dosage advice is offered, which would be helpful for patients. With 120 mg of THC supposedly spread amongst 12 chips, reasonable advice could include “Eat one chip for a small dose of approximately 10 mg of THC. Do not consume more than two or three chips in one serving, and wait two hours before consuming any more cannabis food.”
There’s no website, 800 number, or any way for consumers to contact Wish Edibles with any questions or concerns, which should always be possible when selling a product to the public. The label also lacks nutrition facts, and allergy warnings for gluten, dairy, nuts and seeds.
Appreciated information included the strain name that the product had been infused with—Sour Diesel / Durban—listed as aSativa Hybrid. Being able to choose between the differing effects of Indica versus Sativa is important for users seeking a daytime-appropriate experience, while strain specific edibles allow for much greater ability to custom tailor a treatment plan for specific medical needs.
Upon tearing open the standard tamper-resistant bag, I was greeted with the pungent smell of garlicky bagel chips, complimented by a hint of telltale cannabis aroma. Coated with poppy and sesame seeds, bits of dried garlic and Parmesan, the chips are delicious and would be a perfect accompaniment to an olive tapenade or spinach artichoke dip. The cannabis flavor blended nicely with the cheese, garlic and nutty toast flavor of the chips.
I munched three Kief Chips at 6:16 p.m., seeking my usual initial dose of 30 milligrams of THC. Whenever I first sample a cannabis-infused product for the first time, I start small with a low dose and wait the appropriate amount of time before trying more. About an hour later, by 7:25 p.m., I was starting to notice slight effects as my visual field become sharper and more vibrant. I continued to work at my computer, and by 7:55 p.m., I had more subtle psychedelic effects, as my peripheral vision seemed to vibrate and my mental chatter increased. The distinct experience of Sativa was evident, and instead of feeling tired or relaxed, my pain was dulled while my mind was pleasantly occupied.
By 8:22, about two hours after my initial consumption, I consumed another Kief Chip since I wasn’t feeling the intensity of effects that I desired. After another hour passed, I was feeling energized and high, noting at 9:38 that my cramps had subsided and I felt too distracted to continue working. By 10:35 p.m., a full 4 hours after my first dose and two hours after the supplementary dose, I still wasn’t feeling much body relaxation, as expected for a Sativa-infused food, but my mental alertness was good and I had intense focus. I would recommend Kief Chips for anyone seeking a daytime-appropriate edible that can help users dull pain while maintaining alertness and increased attention.
The package contents could conceivably contain 3 doses of 4 chips each for someone with my needs and tolerance. After receiving lab test results from SC Labs, I understood why I felt the initial dose had such a subtle effect. The bag of bagel chips tested at 27.87 milligrams of THC and 38.36 mg of THCa for a combined total of 66.17 milligrams, considerably less than the label claims of 120 mg of THC. The high content of THCa, the non-psychoactive acidic form of THC, means that the cannabinoids were not efficiently activated. There was very little CBN, only 0.86 mg, which helps explain the lack of sedation achieved by this product.
When I was expecting a dose of 30 – 40 mg THC over 4 chips, I was receiving about 7 – 9.25 milligrams, or approximately 2.32 mg per chip. With more accurate labeling, I would have known to consume the entire bag of chips to reach a higher dosage level. At the $13 retail price, that’s about $0.46 cents per milligram of THC.
Wish Edibles should be saluted for providing savory options for patients, but they need to upgrade their labeling, dosage advice, and take steps to ensure consistent manufacturing, proper decarboxylation and quality control that will allow their products to match their label claims. That said, the Kief Chips are a tasty option I would happily eat again, especially knowing their true THC content so I can have a predictable experience.
High Times is proud to work with SC Labs to create a new series of cannabis concentrate and edibles reviews written by Elise McDonough, author of The Official High Times Cannabis Cookbook and Marijuana for Everybody! Featuring lab-tested results will allow us to inform and educate consumers of cannabis-infused products as to their potency, efficacy, safety and value. We look forward to providing this valuable service together for the millions of readers of hightimes.com.
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