cannabis marijuana leaf closeup auto x1 colored toned light

cannabis marijuana leaf closeup auto x1 colored toned light

How Long Does A Weed High Last?

Byking_adm on June 20, 2021

It doesn’t matter if you’re brand new to consuming cannabis or are a seasoned veteran, it always helps to know how long the high will last. How long does a weed high last? There are a number of factors to consider when you’re trying to figure out how long a week high will last. It depends on things like:

• The method by which you’re consuming the weed
• How fast your metabolism is
• How heavy you are
• Your age
• The strength of the strain of cannabis you’re consuming

Because of all of these different factors, it isn’t easy to just put a blanket number on how long the high will last. That would be very beneficial if you could, but you can’t. If you’ve been consuming cannabis for 20 years, then there is a good chance that you won’t feel as high for as long as someone that just started consuming it last week.

Factors That Determine How Long Your Cannabis High Will Last

There are times that you’ll feel higher for a lot longer, and times where the high won’t last as long as you might like. Sometimes taking a rip out of a bowl will result in a high that will last for hours and hours and you’ll wonder if it will ever dissipate.

THC Content

If you’ve ever been to a dispensary before, you’ll typically notice a percentage number on the package that contains your cannabis. This number is the potency of the cannabis you’re consuming. The majority of cannabis strains range from 10 to 20%, but with specific breeding techniques, there have been strains that range from 25 to over 30% in THC content.

The higher the THC content of your cannabis, the stronger and longer of a high that you’ll get when you go to consume it. If you’re completely brand new to consuming cannabis, you’ll want to exercise some caution with the stronger strains. Consuming too much too fast can result in a high that might be a little uncomfortable.

Amount Of Cannabis Being Consumed

Another more obvious factor that will determine how long your weed high will last is how much of the weed you smoked in a certain period of time. If you smoked a full gram in a period of an hour, then you’ll feel higher for a long longer than if you only consumed a single bowl of it. If you consumed a massive bowl of weed that is 25% in THC content, you can expect to feel high for a good couple of hours depending on your tolerance.

If you keep smoking weed, you’ll stay higher for a longer period of time. THC gets into your blood through your lungs. Once it gets through the blood-brain barrier and into the receptors in your brain, you’ll experience the psychoactive effects. If you inhale a ton of THC, then it will affect many neurotransmitters in your brain because more receptors will be activated. The longer that you smoke, the more engaged your CB1 receptors will be.

Consumption Method

There are a couple of different ways that you can consume weed, and all of them result in a high that differs in duration from one method to the next.

Smoking Or Vaping

If you’re smoking or vaping cannabis, the onset of the high is pretty quick. You’ll typically feel high for anywhere between half an hour to one hour, but don’t be surprised if the high extends a bit longer.

Edibles

With edibles, you can expect to feel high anywhere between four and six hours. The high from ingesting edibles take about an hour to start feeling anything, and because of that, some people might consume more edibles because they don’t think it’s working. It’s advised to start low and go slow with this method of consumption.

Sublingual

If you’re ingesting cannabis sublingually under your tongue, the onset is fairly quick, similar to smoking or vaping cannabis.

Tolerance Levels To Cannabis

Tolerance to cannabis plays a big part in how much it will affect you. Someone that is smoking weed for the first time will have a completely different experience in comparison to someone that smokes daily. The beginner will experience the higher for a much longer duration of time, and the experienced smoker will require more cannabis a few minutes after consumption.

This is because the experienced smoker has a higher THC tolerance because they have been repeatedly exposed to it. When you expose your brain to THC repeatedly, the brain will begin to lower the amount of CB1 receptors. That means that THC won’t have as many receptors to bind to, and that means the high won’t be as strong or as long.

With a beginner, there will be CB1 receptors everywhere, and that means that it won’t take nearly as much THC to start feeling the effects of it. People that smoke often will have to stop smoking for a good chunk of time so that they can feel like a brand new cannabis smoker again.

Metabolism

Everyone has a different metabolic rate, and your metabolism is your body’s ability to burn energy and calories consumed through eating. Some people with fast metabolisms can eat and eat without ever gaining weight. Others will put on weight at a much faster rate even if they’re barely eating anything.

The length of time that you’re high for after consuming cannabis depends partly on your metabolic rate. If you have a fast metabolism, then THC will be processed through your body at a quicker rate in comparison to someone that has a low metabolism. The impact of your metabolic rate becomes more apparent if you’re consuming edibles.

Age

Age doesn’t really play a huge role in how long you’ll stay high, but if you’re consuming cannabis often as the years go by, then you’ll develop a higher tolerance to it.

Weight And Height

The height or weight of an individual doesn’t really matter when it comes to determining how long you’ll stay high for. The majority of the processes related to cannabis originate in the brain, so it doesn’t matter if you’re 6’9 or 5’5.

That being said, if someone is extremely overweight because their metabolism is extremely slow, then their high from consuming edibles might last longer in comparison to someone with a fast metabolism. That’s because their body isn’t metabolizing the cannabis as quickly.

Duration Of Your Cannabis High

The main factor that determines how long you’ll stay high is the method of your consumption. You’ll always want to know what consumption method results in the strongest and longest high before consuming so that you roughly know what to expect. No one wants to experience an uncomfortable high that lasts for hours if they have plans in the evening.

Smoking/Vaping Cannabis

Smoking or vaping cannabis gets THC into your blood pretty quick, and you’ll typically feel the highest about ten minutes after consumption and can expect the high to last up to three hours in duration. After the high starts to wear off, some after-effects can last up to 8 hours.

Edibles

Because everyone has a different metabolic rate, edibles will affect everyone differently. For edibles to begin taking effect, the THC will have to go through the digestive system and liver before it has a chance to get to the brain and interact with the CB1 receptors. This entire process takes up to an hour before you’ll begin feeling effects. The high will peak at around the two-hour mark before slowly dissipating for the next four hours.

Concentrates

With concentrates that are dabbed through rigs or bongs, you’ll get a potent high that will last quite a long time. The effects will peak after about ten minutes, and you’ll stay high for about three hours.

What Are Some Ways To Make A High Last Longer?

There are a couple of different methods by which you can try to make your high last just a little longer. If you’re out getting high with a few buddies, the last thing you want is your high to start wearing off.

Use Edibles

Edibles last for a longer period of time in comparison to consuming weed through inhalation. You’ll want to ensure that you’re ready for the longer duration of high. It’s important to dose accurately when it comes to edibles.

Try Mango

While there might not be much evidence to support this advice, a lot of weed users have stated that consuming fresh mango makes their high last longer. Mangoes contain myrcene, and this is a terpene in weed that creates the feelings of relaxation that people experience after consumption.

Try Some Beer

Another tip that people try to extend their high with is beer. A lot of people refrain from mixing the two substances, but others like to mix them to extend how long they feel high. Some research indicates that beer increases the absorption of THC.

What If I Want To Stop My High In Its Tracks?

There are times when people experience a high that is beginning to last too long. Maybe they have to get to work or they are getting a little anxious. Following these might put an end to your high.

Black Pepper

Nibbling on a few peppercorns is a good way to diminish your high because of the caryophyllene in the pepper. This terpene is known to bring feelings of relaxation in people, and you might want to try it if you’re experiencing any increased nerves from smoking weed.

Pine Nuts

Consuming pine nuts are another effective way to lower your high because of the pinene found in them.

CBD

CBD is a cannabinoid that doesn’t cause psychoactive effects in users. Many people consume CBD to reduce their high.

Lemon Peel

There are terpenes found in lemon peels that are known to bring feelings of tranquility. Try sliding some lemon peels into your tea if you want to escape your cannabis high.

Take Things Slow With Your High

If you’re not an experienced cannabis user, you’ll want to start low and go slow. No one wants to go through a bad trip when they are smoking weed. That would eliminate the entire purpose of consuming it. It’s supposed to be an enjoyable and relaxing experience, not an anxious and nerve-wracking one.

All in all, it’ll take some experimentation with different strains, methods of consumption, and potencies before you find out the exact dynamic that brings you a high for just the right amount of time.