Edibles. Oh how far they’ve come from my college days when special brownies could either have zero effect or knock you into a couch-coma depending on which bite you chose. That said, most edibles today still come in fairly high doses, making it difficult to control your high with precision.  Check out my full review of these Kiva Petra Mints.

I understand those with higher tolerances can handle—and oftentimes require—larger doses. I’ve seen chocolate bars and hard candies that have as much as 75mg of THC a pop, which can be great for medicinal users. But to give you a little context, I consider myself an active cannabis consumer who can still only consume between 5-10mg of THC at a time. Much more than that and I risk feeling paranoid and overwhelmed. Luckily, Kiva products are leading the way when it comes to microdosing and I couldn’t be more excited about it. As many of us already know, edibles can be a healthier alternative to smoking cannabis because you don’t need to worry about the consequences of filling your lungs with hot smoke. And now, with microdosing, you can have the same control you typically get from smokeable products. It’s a win-win.

“The aroma was delectable with subtle earthy, minty tones.”

After a stressful Monday at work, I decided to test out Kiva’s Moroccan Mint Petra Mints (2.5mg THC each) to see if I could detect any noticeable difference in my mood.

Like all practiced cannabis consumers know, you should be very careful with edibles. Everyone has “that” edible story, whether you are 18 or 68. Since I had never tried these mints before, I started off with three. At 2.5mg of THC per mint, that’s a safe 7.5mg of THC for me. The aroma was delectable with subtle earthy, minty tones. The flavor did not disappoint either. I couldn’t detect any hint of cannabis taste as I put the mints in my mouth. When you bite into them they release a fresh, icy flavor. The lingering taste is so enjoyable it made my mouth water. Warning: These little guys are so tasty you’ll be tempted to keep popping them.

I had to remind myself that the Petra Mints are not solely designed to provide minty-fresh breath—they do include a bit of a buzz. Still, I failed to resist and after about 10 minutes, I had one more. This time I let the mint slowly dissolve in my mouth. Yum.

About 30 minutes into my experience, I started to feel the effects. It was a break from the standard (and deceiving) 1.5 hours I’ve come to expect with weedy baked goods. There was a light feeling in my head, not to be confused with lightheadedness. I felt lifted from the crown of my head, reminiscent of a deep massage that leaves you with a pleasant, tingly feeling. I even kept trying to fish remnants out of my back molars, but no luck. These mints dissolve quickly. I felt confident about my high, and despite a warning from my wife not to overdo it ("You’re doing exactly what you’re not supposed to do with edibles."), I took one final mint before closing out my dosage at 12.5mg. 

These mints are good. And I mean real good. A bask in the sun and listen to a band you’ve never heard of in the afternoon at Coachella kind of good. Very quickly the stresses of the day melted away, the tension in my neck eased, and my mind was heavy with relaxation.

With summer on its way and daylight extending into the evening, I took advantage of this wave of joy and headed into the backyard. I started pulling weeds—the annoying, resilient kind—with a carefree air and played fetch with our dog, Lincoln. I felt like I was floating slightly above myself. Kiva’s Moroccan Petra Mints quickly turned a high-strung workday into a wonderful, pleasant evening at home. Typical household chores turned into fun activities.

After this initial experience, I was excited to try them again on a weekend. I have a traditional Monday-Friday career, so my weekends are precious. By far, my favorite type of high is a productive Saturday buzz and I had an inkling that Kiva’s mints would be up for the challenge.

On a Saturday around noon, I decided to chew on four mints while making homemade firestarters for camping. The delightful flavors kept begging me to have more, so about 25 minutes later I sucked down one more mint for a total dose of 12.5mg of THC. Since my initial experience did not impact my ability to be productive during the week, I was ready with my Saturday to-do list as I began to feel the slow onset of the light, lifted buzz.

“I was quickly reminded why budtenders are always telling us to go low and slow.”

I was quickly reminded why budtenders are always telling us to go low and slow. About 45 minutes after taking the first batch of mints, I started to feel heavy. Instead of planting our new herb garden, I ended up listening to singing birds from our couch in the garage. Don’t get me wrong, this was still a delightful high but not nearly as productive as a smaller, more gradual dose. The motivation to do anything other than enjoy the LA sun and listen to the neighborhood kids play melted into the warm air.

I cannot emphasize enough how effective microdosing can be in the search for your perfect dose. While I overdid it to start, the heavy feeling quickly passed within another 30 minutes and I was up and about in no time. I found that Kiva Mints work best for me when I take three mints (7.5mg) to start, regardless of how tasty they may be. From there, I can take one (2.5mg) mint every 30 minutes for as long as I want the high to continue. 

Across the board, Kiva’s products are first-class. I’ve been a fan of their edible lineup for quite a while now, and I highly recommend Kiva’s Terra Bite Espresso Beans. These chocolate-covered treats have been my go-to edible. At a mild 5mg per bean, they were the perfect antidote to wedding day stress and nerves. A single espresso bean an hour kept me relaxed throughout the day. All in all, Kiva’s Petra Mints are delightful and confirm my belief that microdosing is the best way to consume edibles. Just remember to keep track of what dosage and timing works best for you.