The main attraction with edibles is that it is a great way to consume cannabis for those who enjoy cannabis but aren’t a fan of smoking.
Edibles have many advantages as well as disadvantages, one reason many people enjoy them is because they are very low effort and you can dose them as your day goes on.
This new seat for cannabis in our society means that there are now more productive stoners than ever, often functioning at the highest level.
Yet, one thing that causes many concerns for fans of edibles is that, just like toking on a spliff, they can make your eyes go red.
Often, these functional stoners don’t want people to necessarily know they are high, it’s certainly their right.
To know why cannabis causes our eyes to go red can help us figure out why the same occurs with edibles as it does with smoking cannabis.
We’ve provided a guide to this phenomenon as well as some solutions.
What Is An ‘Edible’?
An edible is essentially a way to consume cannabis without having to smoke anything.
The THCA has already been converted into the THC necessary to ‘get high’ through a process known as decarboxylation.
So, in simple terms, the hard work is done for you, no making cannabutter yourself or stinking your kitchen out, or finding the perfect temperature to decarboxylate, simply buy a pack of gummies and munch on them like Haribo’s.
One thing to note is that as the THC is being absorbed directly into your bloodstream, smoking is a little less direct and efficient with delivering a dose, edibles are often a lot stronger than smoking.
A lot more caution should be taken when eating edibles, as you can give yourself a high dose very quickly, and those not experienced with cannabis may find this overwhelming if they bite off more than they can chew.
Why Does Cannabis Lead To Red Eyes?
Many people used to believe that the red eyes were caused by smoke getting into your eyes or irritating your eyes as you smoke, the opposite is actually true as edibles lead to red eyes much more than smoking does. Let’s explore this.
Consuming any form of THC, vaping, smoking, eating, intradermal, it doesn’t matter; the nature of THC consumption will always lead to red eyes or ‘bloodshot’ eyes.
But you may be surprised to learn this isn’t always a bad thing, but more on that later.
What causes red eyes is a combination of a temporary increase in blood pressure and a phenomenon known as ‘vasodilation’.
In almost every part of our body we have blood vessels which act like balloons that can inflate and deflate depending on the presence of different things in the bloodstream.
Your eyes are of course full of these blood vessels, so when they are affected by the numerous things we consume it is more visible than the dilated blood vessels within our body.
This is a totally natural process caused by the presence of a mechanism known as vasodilators. Vasodilators are present in cannabis as well as many other plants you will also consume regularly.
A vasodilator essentially opens up your arteries and increases the surface area of your blood vessels.
As these blood vessels increase in size, your blood pressure will temporarily increase and as more blood goes to that area, in this case your eyes, the increased blood flow leads to the appearance of red eyes.
As this is a mechanism triggered by the presence of THC, the more THC you consume, then the more red your eyes will be.
Although there are potentially many factors that can lead to different degrees of ‘red eyes’ depending on your own biological make up.
How To Get Rid Of ‘Red Eyes’?
As we mentioned, edibles are a much more efficient way to deliver a dose of THC into your bloodstream, and this form of consumption also means the THC will stay in your bloodstream for a longer period of time as it slowly passes through your gut.
So, one way to reduce this would be to consume fewer edibles, or consider a smaller dose, as red eyes will almost always occur with edibles whereas it is less severe when smoking.
Most reports suggest that red eyes peak at around three hours after you have consumed THC, and can last anywhere from four to twelve hours, so waiting them out isn’t really a good option and this period of time can vary greatly.
Certain reports would suggest that if you consume your cannabis edibles alongside one of your main meals, the likelihood of red eyes can be reduced, but this isn’t so cut and dry.
For instance, if you eat a kale and beetroot salad, two of many plants which contain similar vasodilators to cannabis, alongside your edibles then you will get some serious red eyes.
Yet, it is THC that is the main culprit for red eyes, so if you consumed a CBD edible, something very common these days, then you won’t get red eyes.
One simple and relatively effective way to reduce red eyes is to simply splash your face with cold water. This helps soothe your face and help reduce the dilation of your blood vessels.
However, your best chance of getting rid of the red eyes are with eye drops that are a very common product in the cannabis paraphernalia market, you can probably buy them at your local head shop. Here is a popular brand that you can order online.
Our Conclusion
What is evident is that vasodilators and temporarily increased blood pressure can lead to what people term ‘red eyes’ which is in fact due to the increased surface area of blood vessels which cause a temporary increase in blood pressure.
While this happens all over your body, as well as with many other plants such as kale or beetroot, it is most visible on the eyes where the blood vessels remain close to the surface.
This is a totally natural reaction to common plant mechanisms, which you shouldn’t worry about in terms of health, only what people may think of you.
Although we are sure that this is probably overthinking, it would be rather unreasonable to call someone out for having ‘red eyes’ – they may have just eaten some kale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Red Eyes Cause For Medical Concern?
No, as we discussed, this is a natural reaction your body has to particular plant chemicals and mechanisms which are present in many plants including kale.
Some research does actually suggest that this operation of vasodilators can potentially reduce pressure in your eyes by 30%, which could offer relief for glaucoma sufferers.
If your eyes weren’t turning red, there would be some concern about your hematology.
Hello, my name is Tom Bowler and I have been interested in the studies of cannabis for years. My brother and I have been testing out different strains and smoking techniques since we were in our early 20s, so we have some knowledge to impart on anyone willing to listen.
This website is a safe space for people genuinely interested in cannabis to learn in a judgment-free zone. We’ll look at the different ways it can be smoked, rolling techniques, strains, and much more.
So, stay a while and get acquainted with the world of cannabis - it’s not as dark and scary as the rest of the internet would have you believe.
