Most of the cannabis-shopping advice you'll find focuses on one number: THC percentage. But walk a Vermont shelf and you'll see another kind of number on a lot of edibles, tinctures, capsules, and some vapes and pre-rolls — a ratio like 1:1, 2:1, 5:1, or 20:1. It's one of the most practical things on the label once you know how to read it, and almost nobody explains it at the counter. This guide does: what the ratio actually describes, the one thing people get wrong about it, how balanced and THC-forward products tend to differ, and how to turn all of it into a confident pick.

What does a CBD:THC ratio actually mean?

A ratio is simply the proportion of two cannabinoids in a product — most often CBD and THC, the two you'll see most. It's not a dose and it's not a potency percentage; it's a recipe. A 1:1 product has roughly equal amounts of the two. A 2:1 has about twice as much of the first cannabinoid as the second. A 5:1 has five times as much, a 20:1 twenty times as much, and so on. A product listed with only THC and no CBD is what people loosely call "high-THC" or THC-forward — the traditional style, where THC does essentially all the work.

Think of it like coffee drinks. A THC-forward product is an espresso; a 1:1 is more like a cortado, cut evenly with something milder; a 5:1 or 20:1 leans further toward the gentler side. The ratio tells you the blend, not how big the cup is — and, as below, the size of the cup matters just as much.

Which number comes first — CBD or THC?

This is the part that trips people up, and it's worth slowing down on. There is no universal convention for which cannabinoid gets listed first. Some brands write ratios as CBD:THC, others as THC:CBD. That means a plain "5:1" is ambiguous on its own: written as CBD:THC it's a mellow, CBD-heavy product; written as THC:CBD it's a potent, THC-heavy one. Same digits, opposite product.

So the rule is simple: read the words, not just the numbers. A well-made label spells it out — "5:1 CBD:THC" or lists the actual milligrams of each cannabinoid, which removes all doubt. If a package only shows bare numbers with no labels, that's your cue to ask a budtender to confirm the order before you buy. When in doubt, the mg-per-serving line (covered below) is the tiebreaker.

What's the difference between CBD and THC?

Both are cannabinoids — compounds the cannabis plant produces — but they behave very differently for shopping purposes. THC is the intoxicating one: it's what produces the classic "high." CBD is non-intoxicating — on its own it doesn't get you high. That single distinction is the reason ratios exist as a category: they let a product dial the proportion of the intoxicating part up or down while keeping some cannabinoid content either way.

What CBD does to the overall *experience* of a product that also contains THC is something people describe in a lot of different ways, and it depends heavily on the individual, the amount, and the other compounds present — including the terpenes. This guide sticks to what's on the label and how shoppers commonly talk about these products; it makes no health or medical claims, and neither should any budtender.

How do balanced and THC-forward products commonly feel?

Effects vary from person to person, so treat this as a general shopping map, not a promise. That said, here's how shoppers commonly describe the difference, in plain non-medical terms:

• THC-forward (no listed CBD): the most intense and most familiar style. This is the category where potency runs highest and where the classic effects are strongest — and, for the same reason, the easiest to overdo if you're new or taking a break.
• 1:1 (balanced): many people describe an even, more rounded experience than a comparable THC-only product at the same THC amount. Popular as a middle-ground starting point.
• 2:1 to 5:1 (CBD-leaning): as the CBD share grows relative to THC, shoppers commonly report a milder, gentler character. Still contains THC, so still intoxicating — just less THC-dominant.
• Beyond 5:1 — 10:1, 20:1 and up (CBD-forward): the least THC-dominant style, often chosen by people who want minimal intoxication while still buying a licensed cannabis product. There's still some THC in most of these, so "CBD-forward" is not the same as "THC-free."

Why does mg per serving matter more than the ratio alone?

Here's the trap: the ratio tells you the blend, but not the size. A 1:1 product isn't automatically "mild" — if each serving carries a large amount of THC, a balanced ratio can still be plenty strong. Two 1:1 gummies can be worlds apart if one has a few milligrams of each cannabinoid per piece and the other has many times that.

So read two lines on any edible, tincture, or beverage: the ratio (the blend) and the milligrams per serving (the size). For example, a package might read "1:1, 5 mg CBD / 5 mg THC per gummy." The 1:1 tells you the character; the 5 mg THC tells you the strength of one serving. A newer shopper generally wants both a gentler ratio and a small per-serving THC amount — and then to take a single serving and wait. Our beginner's guide to edible dosing walks through the milligram math and the all-important waiting part in more depth.

A quick tour of the common ratios

Put together, here's the shelf at a glance — from most THC-dominant to least:

1. High-THC / THC-forward — no listed CBD. The strongest, most familiar style; the one to respect if you're new or tolerance is low.
2. 2:1 THC:CBD — mostly THC with a supporting amount of CBD; a small step toward balanced while staying THC-led.
3. 1:1 — equal parts CBD and THC. The classic balanced middle ground and a common first stop for people exploring ratios.
4. 2:1 to 5:1 CBD:THC — CBD-leaning; still intoxicating but less THC-dominant.
5. 10:1, 20:1 and beyond (CBD:THC) — CBD-forward, with minimal THC; the gentlest end of the ratio spectrum (still usually not zero THC).

If some of the other label vocabulary — indica, sativa, hybrid, full-spectrum — is also new, our beginner's cannabis glossary defines the terms you'll see alongside the ratio.

Which ratio and format should I start with?

Because Float On stocks Vermont craft growers and brands, the exact products and ratios on the shelf rotate — so the reliable move is to shop by *ratio and format*, then let the budtender match today's inventory. No menu snapshot needed; here's how to think about it by format:

• Balanced edibles or tinctures (1:1): the most common way to try a ratio deliberately, because the milligrams of each cannabinoid are printed right on the label. Look for a 1:1 gummy or tincture with a low per-serving THC amount if you want an even, easy-to-measure starting point.
• CBD-forward options (5:1 and up): if you want the gentlest end, ask for a higher-CBD tincture, capsule, or gummy and check the mg line to confirm how little THC is in a serving.
• THC beverages: many come in defined, often lower-dose servings and are an easy, sippable way to keep things measured — see our THC beverage beginner's guide. Ask whether any are balanced or CBD-forward.
• Vapes and pre-rolls: most flower-based products are THC-forward, but some balanced or CBD-blend vapes and pre-rolls exist. Since inhaled formats come on fast, they're easy to pace — start with one small draw. Not sure inhaling vs. eating is right for you? Our flower vs. vape vs. edible guide compares them.

Whatever you're after, you can see what Vermont growers and brands are in on the live menu before you come, or ask when you visit us in downtown Burlington. A budtender can point you to whichever ratios are actually in stock and confirm the mg per serving.

What Vermont rules apply however I shop?

The basics are the same across every format and ratio. Cannabis in Vermont is adult-use for ages 21+, so bring a valid government-issued photo ID — no medical card needed. Public consumption isn't permitted anywhere in Vermont, so whatever you buy leaves the shop sealed and is for private use at home, and it can't legally cross state lines. Keep it sealed, stored cool and dark, and well away from kids and pets. The ratio on the label is a tool for picking a product you'll enjoy; the rules for using it don't change with the numbers.