Overview
Most commonly, “edibles” reference cannabis products that can be consumed the same as any food or drink item. The most popular edibles tend to be candies like gummies, baked goods like cookies and brownies, and other products that are based in fats like butter and oils in order to bind to the THC that produces psychoactive effects.
History and Etymology
Some forms of edibles have been around for thousands of years. Bhang is a traditional drink in India used for spiritual festivals like Holi that mixes ground cannabis paste, milk, ghee, and spices.
Anecdotally, a grand-aunt of mine in India was once heading to the market on Holi to pick up groceries and accidentally (no, seriously, this was a reserved temple lady very orthodox conservative environment) picked up Bhang instead of normal milk on the way back. She drank some and didn’t notice that it was spiked, so she went about her day in preparation for the evening’s ceremonies. It’s normal for Hindu homes to have a mini-temple or shrine set up to pray to deities and ancestors, and a family’s elderly women would often have the ritual responsibility of organizing the religious events and prayers. When she sat down in front of the shrine to pray with clasped hands, no one thought anything of it. Then an hour passed, and another hour passed, and she was still seated in front of the shrine. The family at first thought she was simply feeling very devotional that particular Holi, but they grew concerned after the second hour passed, and they tapped her on the shoulder to make sure she was alright. She replied with fear and wonder in her eyes: “I can’t pull my hands apart.”