10 mg
THC limit per edible serving in California
100 mg
THC limit per edible package
2 hours
how long edibles can take to begin, per the DCC
4 hours
how long full effects can take, per the DCC
Types of edibles and their effects come down to two things: the format and the clock. California caps adult-use edibles at 10 milligrams of THC per serving and 100 milligrams per package, so every gummy, chocolate, baked good, drink and powder on a dispensary shelf works inside the same limits. What changes is how each one is portioned and how easy it is to take more than you meant to.
The clock is the same for all of them. The DCC says your body processes edibles more slowly than inhaled cannabis, so they can take up to two hours to begin and up to four hours to reach full effect. Start low, and wait before having more.
Last reviewed: November 2026.
Types of edibles and their effects: what all five share
Every edible is swallowed and digested, which is why edibles feel slower than smoking or vaping. California’s labels say so too: under section 17406 of the DCC regulations, every manufactured product carries a warning that the intoxicating effects of cannabis products may be delayed up to two hours. That delay is the most common reason people take a second piece too soon.
The format does not set the strength. A 5 milligram gummy and a 5 milligram square of chocolate contain the same THC. The label tells you the milligrams per serving and per package, and that is the number to compare. Effects vary from person to person, so a new product deserves a small first serving no matter what form it takes.
The timeline below walks through the first four hours.
The edible clock
Up to 2 hours to start. Up to 4 to peak.
- 0 to 2 hours: effects may not have begun. This is when people often take a second serving too soon.
- 2 to 4 hours: full effects can take this long to arrive. Timing varies with the product and the person.
One 100 mg package = ten 10 mg servings
Gummy, chocolate square, cookie portion or drink: the label sets the milligrams, not the format. How fast each one acts can differ.
Timing: DCC regulations section 17406 warning and DCC edibles guidance. Limits: DCC section 17304. Effects vary from person to person.
Gummies and soft chews
Gummies are the easy default. Each piece usually holds a set amount of THC, so portioning is simple: the package says how many milligrams are in one piece and how many pieces are inside. Pieces in different products can hold different amounts, so go by the milligrams per serving on the label, not the piece count.
California shapes them plainly on purpose. Section 17300 of the DCC regulations bans cannabis products shaped like a person, animal, insect or fruit, so you will see squares, rounds and drops on the shelf. Flavors still run the range from fruity to sour. Keep them in the original resealable, child-resistant package, since a gummy is easy to mistake for an ordinary snack.
Chocolate
Chocolate is the edible you break apart. A bar can hold up to 100 milligrams, the package limit, divided into squares that each count as a serving. Check the label for the milligrams per square before you snap one off, because eating the whole bar means taking every serving at once.
Read the ingredients too. Milk, nuts and other allergens appear on the ingredient list, which California requires on every manufactured product in descending order by weight.
Baked goods
Brownies and cookies are the largest edibles to look at, and the hardest to judge by eye. One cookie can contain several servings, so the label, not the size, tells you how much to eat. If a baked good is meant to be split, cut it into the labeled portions before you start.
Dispensary baked goods are shelf-stable by law. Section 17300 bars cannabis products that need refrigeration, such as cream- or custard-filled pastries, and it bans dairy products such as milk or cheese, with an exception for infused butter. Milk can still turn up as an ingredient, in milk chocolate for example, and DCC’s allergen guidance says it must then be declared on the label. That is why you will find brownies and cookies on the shelf and no cheesecake.
Drinks
Drinks are the easiest edibles to finish without thinking. A bottle or can might hold one serving or several, so read the label before your first sip. Under the DCC packaging rules, any edible with more than one serving has to come in a resealable package, and cannabis beverages are the one edible allowed in clear glass.
Some drinks are marketed as fast acting. Treat that as the maker’s claim and follow the DCC timing anyway: wait at least two hours before having more.
Powders and dissolvables
Powders and drink mixes come in single-serving packets or tubs that you stir into a drink. Read whether one packet is one serving, and follow the maker’s directions for mixing. Once it is in a glass, label the glass or finish it yourself, so nobody else drinks it by mistake.
Tinctures, which the DCC defines as cannabis extract dissolved in alcohol, glycerin or vegetable oil, sit in a separate category. They come with a dropper for measuring servings. If you are comparing a tincture with an edible, compare milligrams per serving on both labels.
Reading the 10 mg and 100 mg limits
Section 17304 of the DCC regulations sets the adult-use ceiling at 10 milligrams of THC per serving and 100 milligrams per package. Those are maximums for the product, not a suggested amount. A package at the 100 milligram limit with 10 milligram servings holds ten servings, and many products contain less per serving than the cap. A narrow exception allows up to 500 milligrams in certain dissolving products, such as lozenges, labeled for medical use only. This is general information, not legal advice.
One package at the legal limit
A 100 mg package with 10 mg servings, read three ways.
100 mg
Package total
The most THC an adult-use edible package can hold under DCC section 17304.
10 mg
One serving
The most THC one serving can hold. Many products use smaller servings.
10
Servings inside
100 divided by 10. Some packages hold a single serving, so check the count on yours.
CBD edibles follow the same label rules, and some contain THC as well. Under section 17407, an edible’s label shows THC and CBD in milligrams per serving and per package, so check both numbers. The FDA’s CBD guidance warns that CBD can affect how other medicines work, so talk to your doctor if you take any.
| Format | California rule worth knowing | Section |
|---|---|---|
| All edibles | Up to 10 mg THC per serving and 100 mg per package | 17304 |
| All edibles | Package must be opaque, child-resistant, and resealable if it holds more than one serving | 17411 |
| Gummies and chews | No shapes of a person, animal, insect or fruit | 17300 |
| Baked goods | No products that need refrigeration, such as cream- or custard-filled pastries | 17300 |
| Drinks | May be packaged in clear or colored glass | 17411 |
| Tinctures | Extract dissolved in alcohol, glycerin or vegetable oil; alcohol-based ones come with a measuring dropper | 15000 and 17303 |
Storage, safety and shopping
Keep edibles in their child-resistant packaging, out of sight and reach of children and pets. The DCC warns that cannabis affects children more than adults, especially with edibles. If you think a child has eaten one, call California Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, or 911 in an emergency. Never drive after using cannabis.
To see what is in stock, check the edibles menu at your Vibe store and ask a budtender about the milligrams per serving. For edible prices and taxes, the excise and sales tax work the same way as for flower, explained in our guide to cannabis prices and taxes.
Frequently asked questions
Foods and drinks made with cannabis, such as gummies, chocolate, baked goods, drinks and powders. In California each serving can hold up to 10 mg of THC and each package up to 100 mg. They can take up to two hours to begin working.
Some do. California labels list THC and CBD in milligrams per serving and per package, so check both numbers before you buy.
Like the flavor on the package, often fruity, sour or sweet. California rules keep the shapes plain: no fruit, animal or people shapes.
Not by format. Both follow the same 10 mg per serving and 100 mg per package limits. A chocolate bar often holds more servings in one piece, so read the milligrams per square.
Edibles made with CBD, often in the same formats as THC edibles. Some also contain THC, which the label lists in milligrams. Talk to your doctor before using CBD if you take any medication.
Sources
- DCC: responsible cannabis use
- California DCC: text of regulations (sections 15000, 17300, 17303, 17304, 17406, 17407, 17411)
- DCC: manufactured-product labeling checklist
- FDA: CBD consumer guidance
For adults 21+ (18+ with a physician’s recommendation in California). Keep out of reach of children and pets. Do not drive or operate machinery after use.
Browse edibles at your Vibe store
Pick your location to see today's gummies, chocolates and drinks, and ask a budtender about milligrams per serving.