Finding the right balance when using marijuana can be tricky for regular smokers and beginners alike. With flower becoming more potent and concentrated substances like oil and wax growing in popularity, finding the perfect Cannabis high takes patience and practice.
While large amounts of flower might require high-tolerance users to catch a buzz, it’s easy for anyone to overindulge in edibles or extracts. Below, we’ve created the ultimate guide to finding your ideal Cannabis high. Regardless of your THC tolerance level or preferred ingestion method, you can dial in your experience with these helpful tips.
Tips for Flower Users
Although THC content in flower has grown, there are ways to pace yourself and specific strains to pick to achieve the desired feelings. Small pipes like spoons and chillums are the best way to start smoking flower. Hits are more manageable for beginners, and they won’t be as concentrated as bong or bubbler tokes.
Strains will also play a large role in having mind and body effects. Newcomers should gravitate towards lower THC content strains like Blue Dream or Jack Herer, with THC percentages typically in the teens. If your tolerance is low, stick with pipes and take one or two hits every 10 to 15 minutes – this will allow plenty of time to feel the effects and moderate the experience.
Avid smokers pay close attention to THC content, and top-shelf options are now pushing 30%. Look for classics like Kosher Kush and GSC when in the market for potent plant material, and grab the bong for instant intoxication.
Sativa-dominant strains like Durban Poison will sub-in well for your morning cup of coffee, providing an uplifting, energetic high. Indica-dominant varieties are best suited for evening use. Kosher Kush, mentioned above, and Death Star are famous indicas that provide heavy sedation effects and relax body highs.
Finding the Perfect Edible High
The edible market is growing faster than any other industry segment, but proper consumption of these products remains extremely misunderstood by most of the public.
When Cannabis is consumed by smoking or vaping, the cannabinoids act directly with receptors in your brain to create instantaneous results. Edibles must be digested and processed by the liver, taking much longer to kick in and often lasting longer than other ingestion methods.
Newcomers to THC and edibles will want to take a cautious approach during the first couple of attempts. Start with a small dose, typically under 5mg, and wait a few hours before ingesting more. Eating fatty foods about an hour before can help speed up the digestive process and will provide cannabinoids more surfaces on which to bond.
Most pre-made edibles contain 10mg of THC per item, but stronger options exist for higher-tolerance users. It can often take 100mg, or more for heavy users to get their desired high, but lower dosing and adding on are still recommended in these cases. Taking edibles on an empty stomach will significantly delay results, so plan consumption around planned meals.
If common edibles aren’t enough, consider extract capsules for the market’s most potent and discrete option. These capsules are similar to gelcap pills and deliver enormous amounts of THC in a small package.
Photo: Joshua Resnick via 123RF
Tips on Coming Down from a Cannabis High
Almost every consumer of marijuana has a story of the time they used too much. Luckily, these stories typically end with long naps, and it’s important to remember that although you feel way too high, you’re not in any real danger.
There are also quick and easy ways to mellow out the experience if you’ve gone too far. CBD tinctures and vape products have essentially become the antidote to getting too high. With a couple of drops under your tongue or a quick hit, CBD will bond to your brain’s cannabinoid receptors and limit their interaction with the THC in your system. These products’ effects aren’t immediate, but many users feel better after just a few minutes.
Other ways to come down are a bit more traditional and are most effective when you’ve smoked or vaped THC. Eating a large meal will often dull the effects of THC and help users feel more like themselves. Taking a shower or swimming is popular with avid smokers. The water can intensify effects at times, but most users feel back to normal upon exit. Physical activity also takes your mind off the impact, and working up a sweat is almost guaranteed to bring you down.
With so many products to choose from, some experimentation and trial and error will be required. Thoroughly research strains and their effects before buying and keep doses low and slow when starting. With some practice, you’ll find the perfect high every time you toke.
