Short answer
Begin at 1 mg to 2.5 mg of THC per dose. Keep the liquid under the tongue for 60 to 90 seconds, then swallow. Wait 2 hours before another dose. Add 1 mg to 2.5 mg every 2 or 3 days until pain drops or side effects start. Stay at the lowest dose that works.
Read the label first
Labels list milligrams of THC per milliliter, not per drop. A 30 mL bottle with 300 mg of THC holds 10 mg per mL. A 1 mL dropper holds about 20 drops, so one drop is 0.5 mg of THC. Count drops or use the marked dropper. Do not guess from bottle size.
Most tinctures use alcohol, glycerin, or MCT oil as the carrier. Alcohol crosses the mouth lining faster. Oil carriers absorb slower. The carrier changes timing, not the milligram count.
THC Tincture Dosing: How Much to Take, Timed Right
Onset and duration
- Held under the tongue: onset 15 to 45 minutes. Peak 1 to 2 hours.
- Swallowed: onset 30 to 120 minutes. Peak 2 to 4 hours.
- Duration: 4 to 8 hours for both routes.
Swallowed THC passes through the liver and converts to 11-hydroxy-THC. That metabolite is more potent than THC. This is why a swallowed dose can hit harder than the same dose held under the tongue.
CBD Tincture Dosing: A Practical Guide for Beginners
Titration plan
- Days 1 to 3: 1 mg THC, once in the evening.
- Days 4 to 6: 2.5 mg THC, once in the evening.
- Days 7 to 9: 2.5 mg twice per day, morning and evening.
- Day 10 and after: add 1 mg to 2.5 mg per dose each week until pain relief or side effects appear.
Keep a log. Record date, time, milligrams, pain score from 0 to 10, and side effects. Bring the log to a clinician.
What studies show
Trials of oral THC for chronic pain use 2.5 mg to 20 mg per day, split into 1 to 3 doses. A 2015 review in JAMA looked at 79 trials and 6,462 participants. It found moderate-quality evidence that cannabinoids reduce chronic pain. Oral THC bioavailability runs 4% to 12%. Food, carrier, and liver enzymes all change that number. Blood levels at the same dose can differ 3-fold to 5-fold between two people.
Side effects and limits
- Dry mouth, drowsiness, dizziness, faster heart rate, lower blood pressure, short-term memory changes.
- Anxiety and a racing heart are signs the dose is too high.
Do not drive after a dose. Stop or lower the dose if side effects appear. The FDA has not approved cannabis for pain. Two synthetic THC drugs, dronabinol and nabilone, are approved for chemotherapy nausea. Epidiolex, a CBD drug, is approved for certain seizures. State medical cannabis programs set their own rules. A tincture sold in one state may be illegal in another. Ask a clinician before mixing tinctures with opioids, benzodiazepines, or blood thinners.