First-time Guide and Safety Precautions for Smoking Cannabis

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What are the effects of marijuana?

Marijuana as a stimulant can stimulate dopamine in the brain, producing a sense of pleasure. Additionally, the main component of marijuana, THC, can also affect neural transmission in the brain, producing mild hallucinations and altered perceptions. However, the effects of marijuana use vary from person to person.

 

• How long does it take to take effect?

If you are smoking marijuana, you may feel its effects within 10 minutes to half an hour. However, if you are consuming marijuana, you need to wait at least 30 minutes (up to two hours) to feel its effects.

 

• How long does the marijuana high last?

The high from marijuana usually lasts for 2 to 3 hours, and it may reach its peak within 10-15 minutes after starting to use.

 

• How long does marijuana stay in your body?

According to research, THC metabolites usually take about 4.9 days to completely leave the body. However, this depends on various factors such as frequency of use, dosage, and individual metabolism speed.

Now, let's assume you are doing this for recreational purposes, not for any other reason. Before you enter that altered state for the first time, there are some things you need to keep in mind.

 

Important safety guidelines for first-time marijuana users

Whether you're learning how to ride a bike or trying marijuana for the first time, it's important to consider safety measures and the best way to learn. This is to ensure that your mind and body are prepared for a completely new and eye-opening experience. Here are some important tips to keep in mind before experiencing the pleasurable effects of marijuana.

 

1. Choose the best time

As a rookie in the game, choose the best time of day that suits you. So, after crossing off everything on your to-do list, sit back and relax with a joint in the evening. Avoid scheduling any activities after smoking, as you may not be able to do anything, especially when you're high.

Instead, take some time to familiarize yourself with this feeling and how it affects your overall state of being. It may feel like entering uncharted territory at first, but as you progress, the journey will become smoother.

 

2. Choose the best environment

This includes choosing the right music, preparing the atmosphere with lighting, and having delicious treats on hand for when the munchies hit. It's important to be in a comfortable, safe environment during your first experience with marijuana, where you feel at ease. Your environment will play a huge role in the process of exploring the unknown world of marijuana.

 

3. Stay hydrated

One of the initial symptoms of consuming cannabis is "cottonmouth." As the name suggests, the inside of your mouth may feel thick and dry, like a cotton ball has been stuffed in there. For some people, this can be a very uncomfortable and painful sensation.

The best way to prevent dry mouth is to stay hydrated. Keep a bottle of water nearby when you start to feel the sensation. Sugary drinks like juice or soda can also be effective.

In addition to keeping your mouth hydrated, drinking water can also help flush out THC from your system. This can help reduce the intensity and duration of the high.

 

4. Prepare snacks in advance

When you suddenly have the urge to eat everything in your pantry, you know that the weed has taken root. My friends, this is where snacks come in. In short, the psychoactive chemical THC in cannabis can trick your brain into thinking you need more food, leading to seemingly endless increases in appetite (at least for the next hour or so).

Prepare a bag of your favorite chips or other simple snacks to greet the arrival of the munchies. Eating can actually help alleviate some of the more uncomfortable side effects of being high. But like all good things in life, moderation is key.

 

5. Have a Snack Before Starting

Drinking on an empty stomach can lead to faster intoxication. This is because food helps to slow down the absorption of alcohol as it passes through the small intestine.

You can apply the same theory to smoking weed. Having a couple of cookies before diving in is just to slightly slow down the high. Ultimately, this allows you to fully enjoy the entire experience.

 

6. Start with Joints

Everyone has their preferred way of smoking weed. However, if you're a beginner, it's best to start by hitting a joint or blunt a few times.

Using a bong or pipe involves some skills that you may not be familiar with, whereas hitting a joint is similar to sucking water through a straw. It also provides a more consistent flow of marijuana, and personal dosages are usually lower compared to hitting a pipe every few minutes.

 

7. Choose a Strain with a 1:1 CBD:THC Ratio

Smoking strains high in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can get you to the high you desire. However, to avoid floating too far into space, you may need some cannabidiol (CBD) to balance everything out.

Therefore, if you're looking for the perfect first buzz, choose a strain with a 1:1 CBD:THC ratio. By striking a balance in the middle, the high will be milder and easier to "control." You'll still feel that pleasant feeling, but it won't take you to another dimension.

 

8. Choose the Right Partner

In addition to the environment you're in, the people around you can also affect the quality of your cannabis experience. If you're with Debbie Downer, don't expect a good time. However, if you're with someone who's mentally uplifting, you'll also feel that energy.

Moral of the story: choose an ideal partner to smoke with. Ideally, they're someone you trust deeply and enjoy being around.

 

9. Don't smoke alone.

Building on the previous point, while there may not be any legal issues with smoking alone, it's definitely worth having trusted friends around during those initial smoking sessions. They can provide enjoyable company and help you regain your senses if needed.

Just like learning to drive, you need an experienced person to guide you through the ropes. You're facing a completely different experience here, so save solo flights for your fifth or sixth time smoking.

 

10. Don't mix with other substances.

As a first-timer, you want to have a pure, unadulterated experience on your maiden voyage. So if you're thinking about having a few cocktails to warm yourself up, think again.

Adding alcohol to the mix will only exacerbate the situation. It can cause your head and the world around you to spin, leading to nausea and vomiting. Who wants that? You don't want alcohol to be the factor that keeps you away from marijuana.

 

11. Don't smoke too much.

We've all heard the stories of people trying to show off by smoking an absurd amount on their first time. As expected, their experience doesn't end well.

Don't be that person. Take it slow, enjoy the moment, and smoke in moderation. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

 

12. Don't get up too quickly.

Assuming you're in a very comfortable position while smoking. You might be sprawled out on the living room carpet or slumped in a La-Z-Boy when suddenly the urge to use the restroom hits you.

Advice: don't get up too quickly. It can cause your world to spiral out of control, leading to unnecessary and unwanted worries. Save yourself the trouble on your first time, okay?

 

13. Patience is Key

All experienced cannabis users know that some people may question everything after their first time using drugs. "Why am I not feeling anything? Is your stuff even real?" Be patient and give it some time. When you least expect it, the high you've been searching for will sneak up on you like a thief in the night. When it happens, buckle up and get ready to

 

14. Learn

Do you remember when you first started drinking alcohol? Understanding your limits may take some time. Do the same thing for your weed smoking. It may take some time (or it may not), but you will get there.

 

15. Don't Drive

Not even a few hours after smoking. It's highly likely that your brain hasn't fully matured, and you haven't come down from the ether yet.

If you really need to go somewhere, let someone else drive for you. Don't do anything stupid that could put yourself and others in danger. It's better to stay put. You'll thank yourself for making that decision later.
Eating Cannabis is a Completely Different Ballgame
Needless to say, smoking cannabis and eating cannabis are two entirely different things. The herb enters your body in different ways, ultimately leading to different experiences.

 

16. Eating marijuana is a completely different realm.

Eating cannabis can have roughly four times the impact on your psyche as smoking cannabis, as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is converted into highly potent 11-hydroxy-THC after digestion. Therefore, if you choose to eat edibles or it's your only option, start at a very slow pace and consume small doses. It will hit you hard before you know it.

 

17. Accidentally picked a CBD strain!

Not all cannabinoids will get you high. CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that has multiple medical and health benefits. Unlike THC, CBD doesn't produce a euphoric high but instead creates a relaxing and calming effect. However, if you're looking to get high for the first time, you need at least some THC in your strain. If you didn't feel any excitement at all on your first smoke, you might have accidentally chosen a high-CBD strain.

The article goes into more detail. Some strains contain equal levels of THC and CBD. These balanced strains are recommended for beginners as they provide noticeable highs while reducing the chance of anxiety or being overwhelmed. Other CBD strains have very low levels of THC, even negligible, and are primarily used for CBD's medical benefits.

 

18. Not enough smoking

Beginner smokers should take it slow. Take one hit at a time, wait a few minutes, and see where it takes you. This will help prevent overdoing it. However, some first-time smokers can be too cautious.

Cannabis affects everyone differently. Some people may get hit after one or two clicks, while others may need twice as much to feel the same effect. Since the effects of smoking cannabis will show up within minutes, if you don't feel anything, you can cautiously take a hit every few minutes. Keep smoking until you reach your sweet spot.

However, please remember that a bland experience on your first weed outing may be better than an overwhelming experience, so we always advise you to proceed with caution.

 

19. The body will come around

The endocannabinoid system itself may at least partially contribute to your inability to get excited on your first try. Some theories attribute it to a lack of expression of CB1 receptors in the novice brain.

Once your brain gets used to the presence of THC, the nervous system will start up-regulating the number of CB1 receptors (to some extent), allowing you to feel the full potential of excitement.

This means that you may not feel much on your first hit, but your nervous system will quickly adapt and allow you to truly feel excited.

 

20. Mindset is important

Feeling nervous or overly excited can affect the pleasure of your first few hits. A mixture of adrenaline and cortisol can inhibit the effects of THC. When you learn to relax and unwind, you will feel THC's effects become more apparent.

Luckily, new users usually don't need much preparation to enjoy the full THC experience without any hindrance.

 

21. Low-quality weed

Not everyone has the privilege of living in a cannabis-legal area. While those lucky enough to live in such areas can waltz into a pharmacy or coffee shop and buy professionally grown buds, those in prohibited areas will encounter a different situation.
Most novice smokers face the latter situation. They become curious about cannabis, their friends introduce them to a local dealer, and they end up with a poorly grown weed bag full of seeds, stems, and sometimes even mold.

This type of bud contains subpar levels of cannabinoids, tastes bad, and provides a generally poor first experience. Sometimes, these buds won't even produce a psychoactive effect at all.

 

22. Incorrect inhalation technique

Learning how to inhale cannabis smoke correctly may take some time to get used to. Some beginners master it in the first few hits, while others may take a few days or weeks to master the correct technique.
Many beginners find the sensation of smoke entering their mouths and lungs to be strange or even uncomfortable. Usually, they simply hold the smoke in their mouths and exhale, rather than inhaling it into their lungs. While this method may work with cigars, it won't get you high.

You will find yourself coughing the first time you smoke weed, and the hundredth time you'll still cough. Any kind of smoke will irritate the lungs. To minimize coughing, gently inhale and exhale. If you have a coughing fit, have some water nearby to help alleviate the symptoms.

 

Through our list above, we hope to have informed you of some important safety measures and best practices to consider when using for the first time. Even experienced drug users will keep this advice in mind because everyone experiences unpleasant cannabis experiences from time to time. Take it slow, engage in moderate exercise, and immerse yourself in a positive environment.