An edible, is a food or drink item (either homemade or produced commercially) that contains decarboxylated cannabinoids (cannabinoid acids converted to their orally bioactive form) from cannabis extract as an active ingredient.

Unlike smoking, in which cannabinoids are inhaled into the lungs and pass rapidly into the bloodstream, peaking in about ten minutes and wearing off in a couple of hours. Some of the THC is converted into a stronger, more potent 11-Hydroxy-THC.

Cannabis edibles may take hours to digest, and their effects may peak two to three hours after consumption and persist for around four to six hours. Rather than being filtered through the lungs, during inhalation, THC travels through the digestive tract, and is metabolized by the liver before it reaches the bloodstream. When consuming edibles, a significantly more amount of THC is converted to the stronger, more potent form. Thus the reason for edibles come on with more power. 

*Fun fact: The food or drink used may affect both the timing and potency of the dose ingested. Liquids being the quickest form of delivery.