How Long Does a Weed High Last? A Cannabis Consumption Guide

Whether you are at a party, chilling at home or trying out a different strain, you should know how long a weed high will last. If you have consumed cannabis products, you may have noticed that the effects vary depending on numerous determinants, like from one person to another. Different factors play a role in how high you can get and how long the feeling will last and, it can be tricky to pin down the duration of the calming or intoxicating effects.

Of course, finding out how long you have before you regain your sobriety is vital if you have responsibilities to attend to afterward. But, before we try to answer that question, we should first understand how a cannabis high is achieved.

How Do Cannabis Products Get You High?

The neurons in your brain, the cells that process information, use neurotransmitters to send signals from the axon of one to the dendrite of the other. The signal causes the subsequent cell to get excited or inhibited, which changes the neuron’s electrical charge to either pass on the message or stop it in its tracks. When you multiply this effect across the 85 billion cells that share over 100 trillion links between them, you get brain functions like motor control, thoughts, feelings, memories, desires, fears and reasoning.

The cannabinoid molecules found in weed are also naturally produced in the brain but in subtle quantities within the endocannabinoid system. These specialized neurotransmitters are produced by neurons that have just fired to keep the cells from being too dominant or overreactive. Consequently, your brain functions in a calm and controlled way.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a type of cannabinoid that causes the intoxicating kind of weed high by hijacking the endocannabinoid system to disrupt the controlled functioning of your brain. Since the molecule looks a lot like Anandamide, one of the natural neurotransmitters found in the brain, it can interact with your neurons. THC tells your brain cells to keep firing which magnifies your thoughts and keeps you on the same trail while forgetting where it originated from or where it was going. The marijuana high takes you from one tangent to another, making each seem profound and significant.

Moreover, other cannabinoids alter the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, making you feel relaxed, euphoric, anxious and enhances your experiences. Since cannabinoid receptors are found in brain areas responsible for coordination, controlling movements, higher cognitive functions, memory and learning, these functions are also affected.

How Long Does it Take to Feel a Cannabis High and How Long Will It Last?

Generally, when the cannabis high kicks in and how long it lasts depend on the delivery method. So, before you pick up that joint because you don’t think the gummies will hit, check out the explanation below. Hopefully, you will find this article helpful in ensuring you do not have a bad trip by taking higher doses that last longer.

1. Smoking or Vaping Weed

Most people experience their first weed high from smoking. From grinding the cannabis flower, rolling a blunt to sitting in a circle and passing it ceremoniously to the left, the entire thing can seem divine, especially when you do it at the auspicious time of 4:20. However, although this delivery method is popular with weed users, the smell produced can be off-putting for people who want to be inconspicuous with their cannabis consumption.

On the other hand, vaping requires using cartridges that contain either THC or CBD oil. Still, some vaporizers can either burn a dried cannabis flower or concentrates. Fortunately, these gadgets can help you with maintaining a low profile as you get your weed high.

Whether you want to vape or smoke cannabis, the two ways of consumption reach the brain via the same pathway. Once it reaches the lungs, THC and other cannabinoids enter the bloodstream and get transported to the brain. As soon as the molecules cross the blood-brain barrier, they can start interacting with your neurons and make you high.

The entire process can take about 2-10 minutes after you start. Consequently, vaping or smoking cannabis is best for beginners since people can control how much weed they consume by stopping when they feel the THC levels in their systems are getting too uncomfortable.

You can expect this weed high to last for about 1-3 hours after smoking or vaping. Using a high THC concentrate, a more potent strain, your tolerance or merely tweaking the dosage has a significant bearing on the duration of the marijuana high.

2. Cannabis Edibles

Avid cannabis users share a common story when it comes to consuming edibles. The familiar tale starts with you and your friends taking the required portions of the weed brownies, cookies, gummies or sweets. Then, after two hours, when you do not think the effects of THC will kick in, you increase your dosage. Unfortunately, merely 30 minutes later, you are all quite high, and you immediately regret taking the extra helping.

Smoking marijuana can have adverse side effects because there is a risk of inhaling carcinogens. As a result, consuming cannabis edibles is a better way to get high minus nasty stuff getting into your body. Unfortunately, this delivery method makes it very difficult to estimate how much cannabis you are ingesting, making taming THC much more difficult for their bodies.

Edibles reach the brain of cannabis consumers through their digestive systems. Once the delectables reach the stomach, they are taken to the liver to get broken down, and a more potent form of THC is produced: the dreaded 11-Hydroxy metabolite. This molecule is more pervasive than the products derived from smoking marijuana. It enters your brain much more quickly and is more potent, leading to the potential cannabis synergy getting out of hand.

The entire process takes about 2-3 hours for the THC effects to start showing. If you have a high body metabolism, the process may take anywhere from half an hour to about 90 minutes for the marijuana effects to kick in. Additionally, you should not consume cannabis products like this if you have a day filled with responsibilities, as the typical edible high last is about 8 hours, while some can keep you on cloud nine for 24 hours.

Since it is very difficult to regulate the edible high, you will only find out if you have taken an excessive amount of THC once you are soaring in the clouds. Luckily, there are numerous government regulations on the potency of any eatable cannabis product to about 10mg of THC per package. On the downside, people who want their minds blown might need to make it themselves or buy other forms in bulk to get the desired potent high.

3. THC Concentrates

THC concentrates are colloquially referred to as the tequila shots of the weed world because of how potent they can be. The product is made by careful and effective extraction of cannabinoids and terpenes from the cannabis plant. The resultant products can have as much as 90% THC content which is a far cry from the 30% you can get from smoking one of the most potent strains.

This form of cannabis use requires specialized equipment, making it the preferred delivery method for those looking to reach much further than the clouds. Plus, once you dab the cannabis product, you can expect it to hit almost immediately.

Luckily, you may be fine after three hours, but the high could remain in your system for way longer than that, especially when you go overboard with the dose x concentration permutations. Although the weed high last is not clearly defined and varies from person to person, you can regulate the amount of THC you consume by going easy on this consumption method.

Factors Affecting the Duration of Your High

1. The Particular Strain

Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica are the two most recognizable subspecies of the cannabis plant. Admittedly, some hybrid variations, bred from combining features in both strains, are available for use. In addition, there are over 700 different strains that you can potentially get your hands on for a unique weed high experience.

Many academic research institutions are focussing on the relationship between THC and CBD to figure out the effects of their different levels on the brain. Typically, more THC means a much stronger psychoactive experience which translates to intense paranoia and anxiety. On the other hand, CBD will not leave you intoxicated but will have some mild psychological consequences. In addition, medical marijuana has higher concentrations of CBD for helping with pain, nausea and vomiting.

Figuring out the THC percentages can be tricky, especially when the cannabis products you buy do not come from a supplier with strict sourcing guidelines. Plus, determining the THC content requires intensive testing of the cannabinoids present. So, if you are looking for a strain designed for medical purposes, you may need to do more research to find out whether the CBD and THC levels are meant for making you high or helping you cope with some symptoms of ill-health conditions.

2. How You Consume Cannabis

As mentioned above, how long the effects of THC last hinges on how you have consumed cannabis. Smoking or vaping has the shortest duration, while you can experience a concentrate or edible high for up to three times as long.

3. Your Metabolism

Your body weight, body fat percentage, and digestive system’s metabolism rate determine how quickly you will experience the cannabis highs and how long they will last. If you can break down the THC consumed quickly, you will not be in an altered state of mind for very long. However, smoking weed will lead you to experience the same effects for the typical duration mentioned above.

4. Your Tolerance to Cannabis

Regular cannabis users have a higher tolerance which means they may need larger quantities to get the same THC high as a beginner. If you are in this category, smoking more weed can help you get as intoxicated as your friends, and you can enjoy the entire experience.

Nevertheless, it may be crucial to source your cannabis from a reputable website to avoid guessing how much THC you need to consume. Plus, the process could be quite expensive.

5. Are You Drinking Too?

Combining marijuana with other substances like alcohol can lead to feeling the effects for much longer. In addition, drinking is a sure way to slow down your metabolism, which reduces the rate your body expells the cannabinoids you have taken. However, since going through the motions of a weed high is a personal experience, you should avoid overdoing the two as it can have some adverse effects.

6. Food

Other factors like taking certain foods have plenty of anecdotal evidence to support how they can affect the high you experience. For example, eating mangoes is said to increase the duration of your weed encounter. On the other hand, taking foods rich in fat can reduce the time you remain high.

Conclusion

How long weed lasts in your system is a consequence of numerous factors, aside from it being a strictly subjective experience. Of course, taking more cannabis can help if you have built up a tolerance, but you can dabble with different forms of consumption to enhance and prolong your high.

If you want to avoid becoming a cautionary tale on how bad an edible high can be, do not increase the amount you have consumed until three hours after you took the first bite. A cold shower or shocking your senses with things like black pepper can assist in calming down your high in case you have a bad trip.

Nevertheless, overdosing is virtually impossible since you need to consume an insane amount in a short period. In other words, you should try to ride out the high by taking a nap as the experience will eventually end.