Note: This is a generic prescription advice based on scientific literature and average values from the general population. This generic prescription advice should be considered as a guideline to healthcare professionals. For a personal prescription advice, please consult your physician.
Although cannabis extracts contain many active ingredients (cannabinoids and terpenes) virtually all therapeutic evidence is based on THC, which is psychoactive, and CBD, which is not.
Likewise, there are many routes of administration cannabinoids/extracts, but most is known about sublingual application through the mucous membranes of the mouth.
Therefore this generic prescription advice focuses on the sublingual application of CBD and THC in edible oil (e.g. olive oil).
CBD:
Background information
CBD is not psychoactive and not toxic. In clinical trials chronic doses up to 1500 mg/day have been used without side effects.
CBD is legal in many countries. However, due to restrictions in the allowed amount of co-extracted THC, CBD oils are often limited to 2.75% which means that 1 ml of oil contains 27.5 mg of CBD.
As a rule of thumb, one drop typically is ±50 microliter meaning 1 ml of oil contains ±20 drops. Actual drop size depends on the used dropper.
CBD can be used on its own as primary therapeutic agent and in conjunction with THC to shield the psychoactive properties of THC.
Dosage as primary therapeutic agent
In principle there is no psychological or physiological/toxicological upper limit to the safe usage of CBD.
The actual therapeutic dose depends on the person (genetic constitution), disease and route of administration. The ideal dose has to be determined by dose-escalation.
Start with 1-2 drops per dose and increase dose by 1-2 drops until the desired effect is reached.
Dosage in conjunction with THC
CBD can be used to shield the psychoactive properties of THC. Typically, 6-10 mg of CBD co-administered with each mg of THC should prevent psychoactive effects.
Please note that CBD is a strong inhibitor of cytochrome P450 enzymes, which are responsible for cannabinoid degradation in the body. Therefore, CBD can prevent THC degradation and paradoxically increase psychoactivity by THC, especially when CBD is taken before THC. The actual psychoactive effect of THC/CBD combinations has to be determined on an individual basis.
THC:
Background information
THC is not toxic from a physiological point of view but it is psychoactive which limits its therapeutic applications. Psychoactive effects can be noticed from as little as 1 mg THC. The typical therapeutic dose is in the low mg range. If an oil contains 10% THC then 1 ml oil contains 100 mg THC. With a typical drop size of 50 microliter, 1 drop would contain 5 mg of THC. Apart from psychoactive effects, THC can also elicit undesired side-effects such as tachycardia, hypothermia, hyperventilation, dizziness or drowsiness, which can limit its therapeutic applications.
Dosage
The actual therapeutic dose depends on the person (genetic constitution), disease and route of administration. The ideal dose has to be determined by dose-escalation.
Depending on oil composition, even 1 drop can induce psychoactive effects.
To minimize disruption of daily activities, start by taking 1 drop before bedtime.
Try this dose for 1-3 days to see if psychoactive effects subside.
If the psychoactive effects do not subside or are intolerable, CBD can be co-administered with THC (6-10 mg CBD per 1 mg THC).
As long as psychoactive effects are absent or tolerable, increase the dose by 1-2 drops every 1-3 days.
Increase the dose until the desired effect is reached or until the (psychoactive) side-effects become intolerable.