If you have never smoked cannabis before, some information that is most commonly requested is how long the high will last. The truth of this is that the answer will depend on a variety of factors.
However, it should be noted that a cannabis high can last up to 10 hours, and the main factors this depends on are the amount you are ingesting, the method of consumption you are using, the THC content, as well as your weight and metabolism, amongst other factors.
Knowing the factors helps a lot as they can all be taken into consideration when it comes to choosing when and how you want to smoke cannabis.
One aspect of cannabis that is often overlooked by beginners are the 113 compounds that are in cannabis, and these are called cannabinoids, the specific cannabinoid that makes you high is THC also called Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol.
The high could go up to 10 hours, but it could be as little as 2 hours, so let’s have a look at the timeline and how to have better control over your high!
How Long Does It Take To Kick In?
One thing that should be taken into consideration when getting high is knowing how long it will take for the high to kick in. This will actually depend greatly on the method of getting high you are planning to use.
Firstly, if you are getting high from smoking or vaping, then you will start to feel the effects of the cannabis as early as 2 to 10 minutes after you are smoking. This is because it enters your bloodstream quickly through your lungs.
Then if you are eating using edibles, then this could take longer to kick in, usually between half an hour and an hour, but this could take up to 2 hours, so keep this in mind when choosing to eat another edible.
And finally, if you are dabbing, this is using a more concentrated form of marijuana, and since this has a much higher THC content, this will kick in close to instantaneously, so there is no waiting.
How Long Do The Effects Last?
This is the main question, and the answer depends a lot on a variety of different factors, most of which depend on the dosage, as well as the potency.
Generally speaking, the more you are using, and the higher the THC content is, the longer the effects of the high will stick around for you. And like in the previous section, the method of consuming the cannabis, as well as personal factors will also impact how long the high lasts for.
So, if you are smoking or vaping your cannabis, then the effects will peak at around 10 minutes after you have consumed it, and the high will last between 1 and 3 hours, but it can linger up to 8 hours.
Now if you are using edibles, then the high will peak about 2 hours after it has been consumed, and the high itself can last up to a whole 24 hours after it has been eaten.
The high from dabbing is pretty similar to the one from smoking with the effects lasting for about 1 to 3 hours, however, the higher the concentrate, the longer you will be feeling the effects and this can last for up to a day.
Another factor that is often overlooked is how cannabis can hit everyone differently, so even if your high might only last a couple of hours, your comedown and after effects can affect you for quite a while. This is why, if you are new to cannabis, we recommend that you go low and slow!
End Your High Faster?
Something that comes up quite commonly when it comes to consuming cannabis is if you want your high to only last for a certain length of time, what can you do to cut it short if you need to.
When reading this section, keep in mind that these tips are not always going to work perfectly, and they are more designed to lower the effects, and are unlikely to stop the effects altogether.
Because of this, you will still have some lingering effects, like the reduced reaction time, and this is why you will still want to avoid activities like driving, even if you have tried following these pieces of advice.
One of the most common things people try to attempt and cut their high short is to take a nap. Sleeping is quite common for helping you relax your high, especially if you are feeling paranoid or anxious when high.
The sleep will help your body more efficiently process the cannabis and eventually eliminate the effects. So, when you eventually wake up, you will feel a lot more refreshed as well as a lot more alert.
A more specific piece of advice that you might not have heard of is trying to consume some black pepper.
There have been studies that have shown that caryophyllene which is a compound that is found within peppercorn will increase the sedative effect of the THC and this will calm you. You do not have to actually consume the peppercorn, just have a sniff without inhaling it.
However, some people like to chew on peppercorn using a different method. Something else you could try eating is pine nuts.
There are other studies that show that pinene, which is a compound commonly found in pine nuts, also has a calming effect and this helps with improving your clarity, something which can be an issue when you are high. Of course, avoid this method if you have a tree nut allergy.
One method that some people do not believe because of how counterintuitive it sounds is trying some CBD. While this may sound weird, it usually counters the effects the THC is having, so while they are both cannabinoids, they can cut each other out.
The calming effect you get from the CBD is likely to counter the high from the THC. A final method that works for a lot of people is to have some lemon peel.
The peel of the lemon specifically contains some compounds that have a more calming effect, and this is likely to counter the more psychoactive impact of the THC and this is what helps you come down from a high.
For a simple way to consume the lemon peel, try steeping the peel in some hot water for just a few minutes, then you can remove it and sip on the water.
Extending Your High?
Then, there is the opposite, what if you want your high to last for longer instead of being cut short, then there are also a few things that you can try.
One of the top pieces of advice for this is to stick with edibles, because even though they take a bit longer to kick in, the effects and the high will last longer too. This is a good idea if you are specifically using your cannabis for medical reasons as well.
Some people will also re-dose if they want the high to last longer, or they might try a strain with a higher THC content as well as this creates a longer high. However, this means that the effects of the high are more likely to be more intense as well.
However, if you consume cannabis, this should not cause any issues, however, if you are new to it, then consuming that much cannabis could have some inverse effects and simply be too much.
There are some other methods that are more based on rumors that are thought to help with increasing your high, one of the most common ones being to eat manga, while you can try this, there is very little evidence for this.
Some advice you might hear is that you can drink alcohol with your cannabis as a method to increase your high, but we strongly recommend against this.
Drinking just a little with your cannabis is thought to increase the potency of the THC, however, it also leads to a lot of unpleasant symptoms as well as nausea, dizziness, sweating, vomiting, as well as overall increased impairment as well.
This is an unpleasant experience that can have negative effects and we generally do not recommend mixing alcohol with marijuana, or any other drugs like it.
Tips For A First Timer?
As you have seen throughout this guide, there is a lot to keep in mind when it comes to considering the length of the high, because of this, we have put this section together to make it easier for those new to marijuana to have some simple advice to follow.
One of the main ideas is to start with a lower THC strain, this will generally give you more control over the high and will make the high more manageable if you have never been high before.
On top of this, we recommend keeping your dose low, and only re-dose if it has been 2 hours since the last dose, especially if you are eating edibles as it is easy to take too much while waiting for the effects to start.
We also recommend dedicating specific chunks of time to getting high, you can never be sure how long the high will last, so making sure that you will not be high when you need to not be high is important.
It is also good to make sure that you have water handy as well, this aids in avoiding dry mouth as well as a cannabis hangover. You should also eat something before getting high and also have snacks on hand for when you are high because getting the munchies is definitely not a rumor.
Do not mix cannabis with any other substances, and try to have a friend nearby in case you have a bad reaction and need someone to talk to.
What Affects The Length Of The High?
As we mentioned in the introduction, there is a massive range of factors that will impact how high you get and how long the high lasts. There are some we have covered already, like the type of weed and its THC content, as well as the method of consumption.
However, there are other factors as well that should be taken into consideration! For example, your metabolism has a strong impact on how long you stay high for as if you metabolize quickly, you are going to process the cannabis out of your system quicker as well.
There are some foods that can increase the length of your high, while others tend to decrease it too. There is also your tolerance, and if you consume cannabis more often, you will simply build up a tolerance, this is why a lot of people have tolerance breaks.
Summary
Hopefully this guide has given you all the information you need about getting high and how to be more in control of the length of your high.
It is always worth remembering that your body will not always react the same as it did previously, or the same as it does for friends, because of this, it is hard for things to stay consistent.
This is why we recommend blocking time off to be high so it is not impeding on other activities and you are not trying to rush your high to end. A lot of the advice works for some people but not for others, so keep this in mind!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 10 mg Edible Too Much For A Beginner?
You will find with edibles that the standard dose is usually 10 mg of THC, however, if this is your first time, then we recommend going for something lower like an edible with 5 mg or less of THC.
What Does An Edible High Feel Like?
The most common feeling of an edible high is like being more relaxed, and generally less anxious. However, everyone reacts slightly differently to THC and edibles, so keep this in mind.
Hi, I’m Zack Finch and I work as a Budtender for a Health & Wellness center here, in sunny California. I have been using marijuana recreationally for around 6 years now, and have many a time enjoyed the benefit that weed has to offer.
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