First, feel free to use our totally unofficial, not totally scientific calculator. This will provide a very rough estimate as to how long your high will last.
Determining how long a high lasts is contingent on a combination of different factors, but it’s rooted mainly on our biology.
FACTORS AFFECTING HOW LONG A HIGH LASTS:
The Medium of THC Consumption – The form through which you consume cannabis plays a huge role in determining how long your high lasts for. Some forms of consumption, such as smoking or vaping, are more potent and fast-acting than others. These forms give euphoria with a quick onset, but shorter lengths. Other forms of consumption like edibles take a while for the high to kick in because they have to be digested and metabolized first. This results in a high that is longer lasting.
Amount of THC – This is arguably the most obvious of all the factors that influence how long a marijuana high last for. Consumption of larger quantities of cannabis is directly correlated to longer periods of euphoria and vice versa.
Degree or Quality of Consumption – Those who are new to smoking weed often do not fully inhale. Inhaling minimal cannabinoids due to ineffective smoking results in a shorter high compared to cannabis smoked and inhaled properly. This factor is bypassed completely in modes of consumption like edibles, so if you are not a good smoker, it might be more beneficial for you to opt for this. (Assuming you can handle the more potent effects of an edible)
Strain and Terpenes – There are several strains of cannabis available, all with different constituents and levels of potency. And concurrently, stronger and more potent cannabis strains give longer periods of elation.
Tolerance – An individual’s level of tolerance to cannabis is also a major factor that affects the length of a high. When your body gets used to cannabis and the high starts to diminish, one may feel that they have to smoke larger quantities to get an equally fulfilling high. This is similar to building up a tolerance for alcohol, but probably more noticeable.
Mindset – An individual’s mindset also plays a major role in how long a high last for. Studies show that users who are constantly conscious of their euphoric state tend to experience the high feeling for longer periods of time.
Environment – The effect environment plays in how long marijuana high lasts cannot be overemphasized. Smoking in the same spot every time causes your brain to process the experience as being routine. Breaking this routine and changing locations will allow you to extend the feeling of being high.
Metabolism – As mentioned above, the rate of an individual’s metabolism greatly influences the length of a high. Individuals with slow metabolic rates tend to enjoy euphoria for longer periods of time. This is because it takes their body a longer time to metabolize the psychoactive chemicals of cannabis. The opposite is true of people with fast metabolic rates.
The Addition of other Psychoactive Drugs – This is a self-induced factor. In order to lengthen the periods of a high, some users add other psychoactive substances like Adderall and alcohol to their marijuana. Although this method is usually associated with some side effects, it really increases the potency and length of euphoria experienced.
Physical Attributes – An individual’s age, height and weight play a role in how long a marijuana high last for. Although the role of these attributes is relatively minor compared to one’s metabolism, they still do their part.
The Role of Delivery Systems
Delivery systems (the method of which you intake cannabis) all affect the body differently. Those that involve inhalation bypass metabolism and as such are more potent and faster-acting than other methods. But regardless of the medium of delivery, the body’s reaction with cannabinoids is relatively the same. At the basic level, we feel a high from marijuana when the chemical THC enters the bloodstream, triggering a series of different bodily reactions. This reaction is caused by THC binding with different receptors in the central nervous system and spreading throughout the body from the bloodstream. This explains why smoking a joint or consuming an edible makes your entire body feel the effects of the high.
In addition, the relationship between the bloodstream and the rest of the body is part of the reason why different forms of marijuana may trigger a high at different stages. For example, one of the common pieces of wisdom given to first-time marijuana users is to give edibles time for them to take effect. This is because in order for THC to enter the bloodstream, the edible needs to be digested first. By comparison, when smoking weed, the THC enters the bloodstream via the lungs, which means you feel the effects more quickly. The high will end when the body is finished processing the THC, which again, can vary. As much as people love to get high, having it last a long time is not always what users are looking for. At the same time, if your high ends sooner than expected, you may feel that the marijuana you bought or grew is of poor quality. With that said, knowing what to expect regarding the length of your euphoria (and the factors that can impact this length) is very important.
As cannabis continues to grow in popularity and R&D continues to drive innovation, there are more delivery systems being created by the day. Each method brings THC to the bloodstream in a different fashion, which can affect how long a high will last. Below is a chart on a few delivery methods to take in THC, and around how long you can expect the high from each one to last:
Estimating how long a marijuana high lasts can arguably be mot impacted by dose and concentration. To maintain potent dosage levels, opt for smoking or vaping. To turn this up a notch you can smoke or vape in intervals. This helps you maintain a constant potent dosage throughout the periods in which you want to feel high. Generally speaking, the high received from inhaling cannabis lasts for about 1–3 hours while that from edibles and pills last for about 4-8 hours. But due to the underlying fact that each individual’s experience is unique, it is possible that what you feel doesn’t conform to this general data. To better assist you in getting more accurate results, use our cannaplayground.com calculator at the top of this page. This will help to provide you with a rough estimate as to how long your high will last. This is not a totally precise or scientific calculation as there are many factors that can sway the result as mentioned in prior sections of this article.
How to Increase the Length of Your High
How long a marijuana high lasts is contingent on the amount of THC present in the bloodstream. The blood being the primary medium of transport in the body is the vehicle that moves THC across different cell receptors of the endocannabinoid system where it binds and exerts its psychoactive effects. The higher and more potent the THC in the blood the longer you will experience euphoria. Taking this underlying factor into consideration, you can increase the length of your high by increasing the amount of THC you’re consuming or by opting for a more potent strain. A more potent strain means there is higher THC content in the cannabis. Another way to get longer periods of high is by opting for edibles since the body requires the THC to be fully metabolized.
It should be noted that many experts have said that regardless of the potency or quantity of weed consumed, you can only get as high as your body can take. This is often called the ‘ceiling effect‘, a peak where no matter your action you can’t go higher according to some scientists studying cannabis.
Finally, this should go without saying, but if you are beyond a mild high, DO NOT engage in any risky behaviors. This includes but not limited to driving a vehicle of any kind, being outdoors or in an unknown environment, and many more. Being indoors in a comfortable and safe environment is the best place for a strong high.
How to Bring Down Your High?
As good as water is to nature, excess of it can be really devastating and the same can be said of taking in too much THC. There are several techniques that you can apply if you have taken in more cannabis than you are comfortable with, but before we explain them, remember that a high will pass with time. There have only been a few known cases of reported deaths from marijuana overdose. With that being said, here are some efficient techniques that can help bring down your high or at least make you feel more comfortable:
Shower – This has been proven to be an effective means to bring down a high. To get better and faster results, cold water is preferable.
Take a Stroll – Never underestimate the power of fresh air. If you’re feeling too high, take a stroll out in the open and inhale fresh air as deeply as you can to fill up your lungs and system with a fresh circulation of oxygen.
Food – There are reports that claim that the consumption of food helps wake up and speed up the body’s metabolism rate and by so doing reduces euphoria.
Water – Consuming water is the most efficient means of hydration available. And being hydrated helps a lot in managing the effects of being high.
Black pepper – Consuming black pepper is also believed to be an effective way to reduce euphoria. Add a healthy amount to some food to consume.
CBD Oil – A lot of experts claim that the consumption of CBD oil can help counteract the psychoactive effects of THC thus bringing down the levels of high.
Although these various techniques play a part in bringing down the levels of euphoria, the most efficient and trusted way of reduction is TIME. No matter how high you are, give it time and you’ll be back to normal before too long.
Bottom line
The length of a marijuana high varies with each person because we are all unique in our own way. And for all new consumers of weed reading this, the importance of knowing your limit cannot be stressed enough. As a rule of thumb, it’s advisable you sober up before engaging in activities that involve high risk.
Finally, for the most crucial aspect please share below how long your high lasts. It’ll be perfect if you can also include the strain you take and how much of it you consume. This wouldn’t take more than a minute so please contact us if you can!