How to prepare for your first time smoking cannabis
Take one puff, then stop. Wait 15 minutes before you decide on a second. Inhaled THC reaches the brain in seconds and peaks in about 10 to 30 minutes. A first session runs 1 to 3 hours. Plan for that whole window.
Start with a low amount
Licensed shops label flower with THC content. Most flower tests between 15 and 25 percent THC. One puff of flower is a small dose. Half a joint is not. Skip dabs, concentrates, and high-potency vape carts on the first try. Those products can carry 70 to 90 percent THC.
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Smoking and edibles work on different clocks. An edible can take 30 to 90 minutes to hit. Do not eat more because "nothing happened yet."
Pick a place and a person
Stay home or at a friend's place. Sit down. Keep water within reach. Have one person in the room who is not using cannabis. Tell that person what you took and when you took it.
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Do not mix with alcohol
Alcohol and THC both raise heart rate. Together they cause nausea, dizziness, and short-term memory loss. Pick one.
How to inhale
Draw smoke into your mouth, then take a short breath of air to pull it into the lungs. Exhale within 2 or 3 seconds. Holding smoke in does not raise the effect. It adds tar to your lungs.
What you may feel
Common effects: dry mouth, dry eyes, hunger, a slowed sense of time, and relaxed muscles. Some people get anxiety, a fast heartbeat, or paranoia. Dose drives that. So does setting.
Heart rate can climb 20 to 50 beats per minute for up to 3 hours. Talk to a doctor first if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, or a history of psychosis.
If you feel too high
Sit down. Drink water. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. The effect fades as THC clears. Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, or panic that does not settle. US Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222.
Know the law where you are
Cannabis is illegal at the federal level in the US. Rules come from your state. Buy from a licensed store so the product is tested for potency and contaminants. Carry ID. Do not drive after use.