How long does the weed effect last?

Weed is what people use as a nickname for a psychoactive plant, Cannabis sativa. It has the ability to make you high, especially from one of the hundreds of cannabinoids that the plant produces known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the main psychoactive cannabinoid delivering intoxicating effects.

Prepare yourself to delve into the world of cannabis connoisseurs. Here’s a closer look at all the details of how weed would make you feel, how to reduce the effects and more. 

Key Takeaways

• Weed type, consumption method, metabolism and tolerance, some food, and alcohol are the factors that can determine the high duration.
• Smoking and vaping weed can kick in quickly compared to eating edibles which take longer time.
• Smoking and vaping last 1-4 hours, eating edibles last up to 24 hours, while dabbing can last the whole day.
• Weed usually makes you uplifted and happy, however, it may cause some people to feel anxious, unmotivated, and paranoid.
• Environment, mood, amount of cannabis, and frequency can affect how you feel after cannabis consumption.
• Some methods to reduce the high are sleeping, eating food such as lemon, pine nuts, and black pepper, and taking a cold shower.

What factors influence the duration of the high?

There are a lot of reason that could affect how long the high lasts, including:

Weed Type

The type of high mostly depends on the THC and CBD content that the weed produces. Cannabis in sinsemilla and hashish forms contain high THC levels making them stronger than in other strains – and that’s why they are likely to deliver longer high sessions. Nowadays, weeds are stronger than earlier due to the weed growers’ tendency to create as high THC levels as possible in their plants causing the plants to induce more potent highs.

Consumption Method

Different ways to take weed can determine how long for weed to kick in and how long you will feel high. The most common methods weed lovers would normally go for are smoking, vaping, and edibles.

THC reaches the bloodstream quickly when a person smokes cannabis which causes the body to absorb this compound quickly triggering mind-altering effects, creating a high that lasts approximately 1-4 hours. Vaping cannabis can deliver similar duration effects, however, the substance effects are stronger as the vapor contains cannabis resin that forms when the cannabis is heated. Despite the vapes, cannabis products that create vapor can include water pipes or bongs and the effects depend on the size and cannabis content.

Consuming cannabis edibles, like brownies or gummies, can deliver different effects compared to the inhaling method. The effects of edibles can stay in your body for more than 6 hours.

Metabolism and Tolerance

Each individual’s body is different, of course, each person has different tolerance levels and metabolism rates. Those with a high metabolic rate will feel the cannabis more quickly, although the high durations will not last as long. The same applies to tolerance, some may find their tolerance levels impact the intensity and duration of cannabis effects. Frequent users are more likely to have a greater tolerance than occasional users and may find effects weaker with less duration.

Food You Eat

Some food you eat, such as mangoes, may contain chemicals that can strengthen and extend the effects of cannabis. Meanwhile, food abundant with fat may reduce the high duration.

How long does it take to kick in and how long do they last?

• Smoking and Vaping: The effects would kick in quickly within 2 to 10 minutes as THC enters the bloodstream through your lungs after inhaling the smoke. It will reach its peak around 30 minutes to an hour after consumption and it can last 1 to 4 hours but can stick around for up to 8 hours.
• Eating Edibles: It may take a while for your digestive system to metabolize edibles after you eat them. It usually takes 30 to 60 minutes to kick in but sometimes it could take up to 2 hours and can last up to 24 hours.
• Dabbing: Dabbing is known for its potency with high THC content. The effects are intense and kick in almost instantly; users may feel the effect for the entire day.

How does weed make you feel?

The effects of weed can vary, each person may experience quite different effects. Some reported that they feel happy and euphoric when they are high while others may find themselves chatty and giggly. Sometimes, people may feel the complete opposite of feeling happy which is lethargic and some may become unmotivated, paranoid, and anxious.

However, some factors can determine how weed would make you feel:

• Environment 
• Mood
• Amount of weed you take
• Frequency

For example, if you don’t feel comfortable with the place you’re in while consuming cannabis, it’s more likely to make you feel anxious or paranoid. Also, if you’re feeling down, weed will probably make you feel worse. What’s more, weed can make you hungry or ‘munchies’, or make you feel sick as well as drowsiness and sleepiness.

How can I get rid of feeling high?

Please note that the following information can only help alleviate the effects of cannabis, not eliminate it. Therefore, you might still feel some effects lingering around.

If you wish to reduce THC’s effects, some methods may help:

• Sleep is the best way to wear off weed effects which will make you feel refreshed and more alert after waking up.
• Taking a cold bath or shower will make you feel less high and induce alertness.
• Eating lemon, pine nuts, and black pepper which contain terpenoid compounds that have the potential to help reduce the high.

Conclusion

There can be many factors that might impact how long the high can last after taking weed such as weed type, methods to take weed, metabolism and tolerance, what you eat, and alcohol. The most common methods to consume cannabis are smoking, vaping, and eating edibles. 

Usually, smoking and vaping weed start to kick in after 2 to 10 minutes and generally last 1 to 4 hours. In contrast, edibles take longer to kick in, typically take 30 to 60 minutes, and definitely will stay in your body longer than smoking cannabis. People will feel the effects of cannabis differently as some might find it relaxing and happy, while some might feel anxious or paranoid. There are a few ways to reduce high feelings including sleeping, taking a cold shower, and eating food with terpenoid compounds such as lemon and pine nuts.