Cannabis-infused foods are an integral part of the booming pot market, with new innovative edibles hitting the shelves of dispensaries every day. Luckily for new users, manufacturers increasingly design their products for lightweights, introducing options with THC levels as low as 10 or 25 milligrams. At these doses, the effects of THC are usually noticeable and significant for people who don’t smoke weed often.

If you’re a cannabis virgin trying edibles for the first time, start with a very small amount and wait two hours before eating more pot food. Even if you barely feel the effects of a 5 milligram dose, you’ll avoid a possible negative experience caused by over-consuming. Plus, you can always eat more cannabis later.

For weed eaters who are accustomed to handling a large dose, there are still plenty of products available with dosage levels exceeding 100 or 500 milligrams. It’s nice to see a shift in the marketplace that allows more people to enjoy pot products without fear of getting Dowded. After all, no one wants to cut a chocolate truffle or cookie into 10 pieces! Diversity in dosage levels allows every patient to find the amount of THC that works for them in a satisfying portion size.

While cannabis-infused chocolates still reign supreme due to the ease of homogenizing the medication and long-term shelf stability, more health-conscious products have infiltrated dispensaries as well. Serving patients with dietary restrictions increases the healing reach of our favorite herb, allowing vegans, diabetics and celiac sufferers to enjoy the benefits provided by cannabis.

A Note on the Results: Scores are achieved when judges rate entrants from 0 to 5 in the categories of Taste, Appearance, Potency, Originality and Healthiness. Specific questions about packaging also allow competitors to earn points. The aggregate average scores from individual judges make up 70 percent of the final score, with 30 percent of the final score based on lab results.

1st Place  – 180 mg Cherries & Cream Chocolate Bar by Bhang

Long the industry leader, Bhang has a well-earned reputation for consistently dosed cannabis chocolate that arrives in a professional package on par with any high-end chocolatier. This bar contains chunks of real cherries for a blast of fresh fruit flavor with every bite. Each segment is 45 mg of THC, and there are four segments, but it would be nice if Bhang could adjust for new users by dividing the bar into 8 segments of about 22.5 mg each.

2nd Place  – Raspberry Macaroons by Utopia Farms

This tasty, healthy treat is full of real raspberries, along with coconut, almond flour, agave nectar, coconut oil, vanilla and Himalayan crystal salt. The simple ingredients are almost all organic, combined to create a treat that’s absolutely delicious, while also gluten-free, raw, vegan, non-GMO and kosher. The professional, nicely designed packaging conveys all relevant dosage information, with 50 milligrams of THC per macaroon for a total of 200 mg THC per package. Overall, these macaroons represent a fantastic effort from a new cannabis edibles company committed to eco-friendly values.

3rd Place – Altai Sea Salt Caramel Bon Bons 25 mg Sativa by Indus Holding Co.

Newcomer Altai has arrived in the cannabis space with precisely dosed, hand painted chocolates guaranteed to delight California patients. Reusable tin packaging is tastefully branded and lists the THC potency at 25 milligrams per bon bon with a total of 100 mg per package. The sativa effect is pronounced, making these treats appropriate for daytime use and providing an energetic, creative high. High-quality ingredients lend intense flavor to these chocolates, with barely any noticeable cannabis taste in the creamy, smooth caramel filling. Adding dosage advice such as “Eat no more than one-half of truffle to start. Wait 2 hours before consuming any more cannabis food,” would be helpful for the novice user, otherwise this is a fantastic product perfect for ganja gourmets.

Honorable Mentions

Tangy BBQ Tree Hugger from OM All Female Collective and Gold Drop

Om Edibles is a strong contender, having captured a Third Place Award last June at the Bay Area Cannabis Cup for their Cinnamon Maple Tree Hugger glazed nuts, but this time their entry was edged out of the winner’s circle. Containing approximately 100 mg of THC provided by Gold Drop solvent-free cannabis oil, the coated nuts are best consumed as four 25 mg servings of THC, or ten 10 mg servings. It’s tough to stop munching however, because these vegan, gluten-free, Paleo treats have such zesty barbeque flavor. Package labeling contains helpful dosage advice, recommending patients eat no more than one quarter of the container.

Bonus: Try Om Edible’s Superfood Oatmeal recipe at home!

Caramel Marshmallow Bar from The Muffin Man

Created by Amsterdam’s legendary Muffin Man, this skillful combination of milk chocolate and marshmallow with toasted walnuts and pecans has a pleasant chewy texture and wonderfully rich taste. This beautiful confection is made of layers of caramel and marshmallow enrobed in chocolate, packing 50 milligrams of THC into a satisfying portion size that could easily be shared amongst two people. Tasteful packaging wisely advises inexperienced patients to “start with 10 – 20 mg and wait 2 hours before consuming more. Remember, a little goes a long way!”

Dante’s Dreamsicle from Beezle’s Creamery

Winner of two awards for edibles at last February’s Cannabis Cup competition in Southern California, Beezle’s Creamery returns with a luscious orange push-pop containing 50 milligrams of THC. With bright citrus flavor and a smooth creamy texture, this product was a joy to eat, evoking nostalgic recollections of frozen treats from the neighborhood ice cream truck.

Beezle’s labeling includes solid dosage advice, although it’s in very small print: “Recommendation: Consume 1/2 of package and wait at least 2 hours to experience full effects of medicine before consuming more.”

Bonus: Make Beezle’s decadent hash-infused crème brulee at home!

Caddy Snack from Kind Bill with Highly Edible Medibles

This medicated candy bar contains 85 to 95 milligrams of THC, along with roasted peanuts, chocolate and gooey caramel, much like a Snickers or 100 Grand bar. Caddy Snacks taste great, but could benefit from upgraded packaging and dosage advice so patients are clear on how much to consume. The label states “recommended dose is 10 mg of THC,” but it doesn’t specify that each piece is about 42.5 to 47.5 mg of THC, so you’d have to cut one piece into four quarters to eat the recommended dose. It would be better to state “Recommended serving size is 1/4 of one piece, about 10 milligrams of THC.”