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The Charter of the French language and its regulations govern the consultation of English-language content.
By SQDC.ca | Published on April 4th, 2023
Oral cannabis strips, also called sublingual strips, have been authorized for sale in Québec since December 2019. And this product category has now joined the ranks of SQDC products intended for sublingual use, alongside oils and oral sprays.
What exactly is an oral strip? How do the strips differ from edibles and beverages, which are also consumed orally? What’s the right way to use these products? Read on! You’ll find answers to these and other questions in this article.
Though they’re called strips, these products are actually best described as a thin oral film, sometimes smooth, sometimes textured, that resembles a breath strip (for freshening your mouth). Flexible and easy to handle when dry, the strip becomes soft and sticky when exposed to moisture, which helps it dissolve when placed under the tongue.
In Québec, oral cannabis strips are unflavoured, uncoloured and tasteless and can contain no more than 10 mg of THC per unit. That said, the starting dose recommended by Health Canada is 2.5 mg THC.
Important to know: the cannabinoid extracts are added at the very start of the manufacturing process, which helps ensure they’re distributed evenly throughout the product. In other words, dividing a legally acquired sublingual strip into several pieces in order to consume a smaller quantity of cannabinoids is safe.
Properly used, the strip should be placed under the tongue and kept there until it has completely dissolved. Below we take a detailed look at why this matters.
Step 1 - Dry out
Dry your mouth as much as possible by swallowing your saliva
Step 2 - Place
Remove the strip from its packaging and place it under your tongue. If you prefer, the strip can also be placed against the inside of your cheek.
Step 3 - Dissolve
Keep your mouth closed until the strip has completely dissolved, which should take between one and five minutes more or less
Step 4 - Absorption
Once the strip has completely dissolved, it’s a good idea to avoid drinking and eating for the next 15 to 20 minutes. This keeps the product from entering the digestive system and allows it to be fully absorbed by the lining of the tongue and cheeks.
Oral strips are classified as solid cannabis extracts and not as edibles. And while strips and edibles are both consumed orally, there are some very significant differences.
Activated cannabinoids that are ingested (edibles, cooking ingredients and beverages, for example) travel through the digestive system before heading toward the liver. It is only then that they enter the bloodstream, reach the brain and begin producing psychoactive effects. The entire process can take from 30 to 60 minutes and the effects may last up to eight hours.Learn more about edible cannabis.
Sublingual products, on the other hand, have a completely different path. Once placed under the tongue (or against the inside of a cheek), the cannabinoids are absorbed through the mouth’s mucous membranes. These soft, extremely permeable tissues let the cannabinoids enter the blood stream swiftly and skip the slower metabolization of the digestive system. As a result, the psychoactive effects related to sublingual cannabis consumption typically appear in 15 minutes to one hour and may last three to six hours.These timings are approximate and differ from person to person, which is why caution should be exercised when using these products.
Ultimately, it comes down to this: the psychoactive effects of ingested cannabis are considered more intense than those of cannabis consumed by inhaling or through the lining of the mouth.
The main agent of change? A metabolite, 11-hydroxy-THC, that is more powerful and longer lasting than its basic metabolite, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (commonly called THC), the main cannabinoid in cannabis.
According to the latest research on the subject, the liver, as part of the digestive system, is responsible for metabolizing THC into 11-hydroxy-THC. This explains why the psychoactive effects of edible cannabis are often perceived as more intense and persistent than those of cannabis consumed by other methods, such as smoking, vaporizing or sublingual use*.
Setting the scientific jargon aside, the take-away here is that the psychoactive effects of sublingual use are more like those produced by inhaling because the THC bypasses the digestive system and, as a result, doesn’t metabolize into 11-hydroxy-THC (or, if so, in much smaller quantities).
*The effects of cannabis can vary from person to person in several ways. Learn more about the effects of cannabis.
Oral strips provide an alternative that is smoke and vapour free and therefore less potentially dangerous for lung health. But while they also provide better control over the quantities consumed, caution is always advised. Each person’s endocannabinoid system is unique, which is why you should never base your personal use decisions on the experience of another person. We always recommend starting with a low dose (2.5 mg THC) and waiting at least three hours before consuming more (if desired). We also recommend never consuming cannabis in combination with alcoholic beverages. Learn more about responsible cannabis use.
Do you still have questions? Feel free to speak with our advisors in stores or online.
The starting dose recommended by Health Canada is 2.5 mg of THC. Wait at least three hours before consuming more (if desired).
The psychoactive effects of cannabis consumed sublingually appear faster (in 15 minutes to one hour) than the effects of ingested cannabis (edibles, oils and beverages). They also don’t last as long (three to six hours).
It’s a thin oral film, sometimes smooth, sometimes textured, that resembles a breath strip (for freshening your mouth). Flexible and easy to handle when dry, the strip becomes soft and sticky when exposed to moisture.
Cannabis users seeking an alternative that: