How Long Does a Weed High Last?

If you’re interested in the benefits of cannabis, but you have some reservations about its intoxicating effects, you probably have some questions. You should have a thorough understanding of what you’re getting yourself into. 

Your body, your experience with cannabis, the form of cannabis you use, and the amount of cannabis you use will all play a role in shaping your “high.” 

If you’re currently high and you don’t want to be, we’ve got answers for you. There is no foolproof off switch for a high, but there are a few things you can do to reduce its impact and inspire a soft comedown. 

How Do You Intend to Use Cannabis?

Cannabis will take effect at different times, depending on how it enters your body. Your body will process each form of cannabis in a slightly different way, which can dictate the duration of your high. 

Smoking

When you smoke cannabis, it takes an average of five minutes to feel the effects. Some strains come on very quickly, while creeper (slow onset) strains can take up to ten minutes to begin to work. The results build with time and peak about ten to 15 minutes after they start. You’ll ride the wave for an hour or so before you begin a slow descent back to earth. For most people, the effects essentially disappear after three to four hours. 

Vaporizing a Concentrate

Dabs and highly concentrated cannabis derivative products are highly potent. It’s not unusual for them to begin working almost immediately. Like smoking cannabis, the high lasts from one to three hours. The most significant difference between a high from dabs and a high from smoking is that concentrates tend to produce profound effects rapidly, making the high more intense rather than more prolonged. 

Eating Edibles

When you ingest a THC edible, your body has to digest and process it in a way similar to medicine. Your liver converts the THC to 11-hydroxy-tetrahydrocannabinol, a form of THC that’s very easy for your body to use. It can take anywhere from 45 minutes to three hours to begin to feel the effects of edibles. There is no surefire way to predict when they’ll come on.

A steady stream of 11-hydroxy-THC courses through your body, creating a high that can last anywhere from six hours to an entire day, depending on your metabolism. 

Factors That Impact How Long Your High Lasts

Cannabis affects everyone differently at different times. We refer to this as dose, set and setting: Your differences play a significant role in how long your high will last. 

Dose: 

• How much cannabis you used 
• The amount of THC you ingested (almost exclusively with edibles)

Set: 

• Your metabolism 
• Anything else that was in your system
• Your body weight and digestive system (particularly with edibles)
• Your personal tolerance
• Your mood

Setting:

• Whether you are consuming alone or with friends

People with high tolerances will feel the impact of a high for a much shorter period of time than someone who is still relatively new to cannabis. Let’s assume that you’re a new cannabis user, and that’s the reason why you’re searching for information. 

How much cannabis you use will impact how long you’re feeling high. If you were to use one small inhalation, the effects would still peak within ten minutes. As they started to wear off, they would become less perceptible much sooner. You might find that after 45 minutes, you essentially feel back to normal. 

Higher THC products do not generally make your high longer, except in the case of edibles. Your body processes edibles in a stream, and it will continue to find more THC and reignite the effects. This doesn’t happen when you smoke, dab, or vape cannabis.

High THC strains create a high that feels more powerful, which in turn makes its aftereffects feel more powerful. The majority of the high will still pass in about 3 hours, but you may feel hungry, sleepy, or a little “off” for a few hours after that. 

If you consume cannabis in conjunction with alcohol, the effects are amplified and become prolonged. For many people, even experienced drinkers or cannabis users, this experience isn’t good. Save the wine for a different night. Keep your wine and your cannabis separate. 

What If I Want to Sober Up Quickly?

Cannabis runs its own agenda. When you smoke or vaporize, you have some semblance of control over when your high begins. The effects are only minutes away. You don’t have the same luxury when it comes to deciding when your high stops.

This is something you’ll want to keep in mind before you use cannabis. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying cannabis in minimal doses. In fact, micro-dosing is the preferred method of many daily cannabis users. 

If it’s already too late, or if you take comfort in having a backup plan, you have a few options for de-escalating your experience. 

Snack on Some Pepper

Black pepper is naturally very high in a terpene called beta-caryophyllene that also exists in cannabis. Beta-caryophyllene helps to dampen the effects of THC. 

The best way to use beta-caryophyllene to diminish your high is to hold fresh peppercorns close to your face and deeply inhale the aroma for a minute or two. Afterward, pop them in your mouth and chew them up one or two at a time. Ten peppercorns should be more than enough. 

If you can’t bring yourself to eat raw peppercorns, grind fresh black pepper on something you can eat. Foods with textured or sticky surfaces, like bread, pizza, eggs, or avocado, tend to hold onto pepper a little bit better. 

Use CBD

Every cannabinoid plays a different role. People usually turn to CBD for its wellness benefits. Most people don’t realize that they can turn to CBD to ward off THC. CBD naturally prevents excessive amounts of THC from causing many side effects, including feelings of stress and tension. They’re in a constant game of cat and mouse, and CBD always wins.

It helps to keep a CBD isolate vape cartridge handy for occasions where someone needs their high to let up a little bit. CBD will begin to work within ten minutes, and at that time, it will start to protect your high from unwanted side effects.

Eat a Well Balanced Meal

Eating a well-balanced meal won’t reverse your high, but it may make you feel a little bit better. 

If you haven’t eaten a sufficient amount, you’re dealing with a high on top of being “hangry.” When your blood sugar is low and your body needs to be fed, you may feel frantic or irritated. This can send your high in the wrong direction.

The best thing to do in this scenario is eat something that would constitute a balanced meal. Quick-fix empty carbs and sugary snacks will leave your body wanting. Instead, eat something that will genuinely nourish your body. 

Go to Sleep

When all else fails, sleep it off. You’re unlikely to wake up high unless you use edibles. Suppose it’s too early to call it a night, set your alarm, and take a two-hour nap.

Using Cannabis For Relief

The desire for sustained effects is common among medical cannabis patients who need their cannabis for relief. The longer their cannabis works, the longer they feel elevated. People looking to extend their experience should stick to edibles. 

Eating a modest dose (5mg to 10mg THC) every 12 hours can keep effects sustained with minimal interruption and without the risk of feeling too intoxicated. 

Setting Yourself Up for the Perfect Experience

If you’re new to cannabis, here are the wisest words anyone will ever tell you about smoking it: you don’t have to smoke it all at once. You can smoke the world’s tiniest amount of cannabis and see how you feel after ten minutes. If you want to smoke a tiny bit more, go back and get it. If you don’t, save it for another day.

Stori makes it easy to navigate the world of cannabis. The Stori case comes with six colour coded pods and tubes with childproof lids. These pods and tubes are designed to keep your cannabis fresh for up to 14 months , especially if they’re equipped with a Boveda packet. 

Don’t race to the finish line. Stori will keep your weed safe and fresh until you get around to using it. Stick to small amounts until you find your footing. 

Sources:

Volatiles of Black Pepper Fruits (Piper nigrum L.) | NCBI

Adverse Health Effects of Marijuana Use | NCBI 

Tasty THC: Promises and Challenges of Cannabis Edibles | NCBI