I'm not sure but it seems like if you ate a bunch of it some of the thc would get into your blood. The simple way to release it is to grind the bud to a fine powder and then saute it in butter on low heat, or so I've been told. You can then bake with that butter or just spread it on some toast, or so I've heard.

I haven't seen hash in years but you can eat hash and it will get you stoned, maybe because it's already processed?

A friend of mine who is a lifetime runner had a bout with cancer and the chemo made it nearly impossible for her to eat, and she was quite lean to begin with. Her oncologist suggested she try some edibles but he couldn't help her get it. She had never used thc before but she got some tablets and it helped her immensely.