LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — For some, it takes just a few milligrams to get high. For others, it may take 100 milligrams.
The way THC interacts with your body is different for every person. For that reason, medical experts advise using caution when it comes to the cannabinoid, which is the primary psychoactive substance in marijuana.
Several people who believe their food from a local restaurant was laced with THC this weekend didn't have the option to be careful. Multiple people reached out to 13 Action News to report experiencing hallucinations and other adverse effects after consuming food from Secret of Siam, a Thai restaurant in Centennial Hills. One woman, who has a heart condition, went to the ER after eating her takeout curry, and says doctors told her she had high levels of THC.
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So, how much is too much when it comes to THC consumption? It's a question many have — and right now, there's not a clear scientific answer.
"Each one of our metabolisms is different, so it just really depends on the person," said Onyx Figueroa, who works as a consultant at the Nevada Wellness Center, a local dispensary.
Some people might feel "high" after consuming 5 milligrams of THC. It just comes down to each person's tolerance, she says.
"There are people that don't consider how much is too much, but then there are people that are very sensitive to marijuana," Figueroa explained.
How "high" a person gets can also depend on what form of marijuana they're consuming. When you ingest cannabis orally — whether in food or candy — the high can be stronger, Figueroa said. The THC first goes through your stomach, then it hits your bloodstream before it makes its way up to your brain.
"It lasts longer," she said. "It can go anywhere between four to 12 hours of a high."
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For someone who's not used to eating marijuana products, 50 milligrams of THC could easily make them feel high and even paranoid, Figueroa said.
If you end up consuming marijuana unintentionally, or getting higher than you planned, the first thing you must try to do is stay calm, said Dr. Marc Jeser at Summerlin Hospital.
Next, get yourself into a safe place without a lot of audio or visual stimulation, Jeser said.
"If it gets too much, the best thing to do is get yourself to an emergency department to make sure there are no other problems that are happening," he said.
He agreed with the consultants at Nevada Wellness Center: it all comes down to body chemistry when you're trying to figure out how much THC is too much.
"Someone can be OK with eating 2 milligrams — which is not much at all — but all bodies are different," Figueroa said.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Southern Nevada Health District are investigating the reports of "adulterated food" from Secret of Siam. As of Tuesday, there were no updates from either agency on the progress of the investigation.
Multiple calls to the restaurant's listed owners were not returned, and no one answered the door at an associated address when 13 Action News anchor Tricia Kean tried to reach the owners there.
