Have you ever been too high? Sure, it can be fun every now and then, but it isn’t a “fun” experience for everyone. Thankfully there are a few things that you can do should you over-indulge and get too high. If you’re new to cannabis, this is pretty easy to do since you probably don’t know your tolerance yet.
Sometimes you might choose a strain that has a median THC concentration in the teens and might think, “This won’t be too strong”. Then you try it and are way higher than you thought you’d get. It happens. Why? Terpenes and cannabinoids. The various combinations and concentrations of cannabinoids in a cannabis strain play a role in what effects you’ll experience. It doesn’t have to be a 30% THC strain to get you too high.
The 3-Hit Test
Try the 3-hit test anytime you are trying a strain for the first time. Wait 30 minutes after you took your last hit and see how you feel. Three hits gives you a good idea of what effects the strain will produce and how strong they’ll be for you.
You and your friends can smoke from the same pipe or bong and have entirely different experiences. This is because cannabinoids act differently in everyone’s bodies. Everyone has a different tolerance level.
Another place that the 3-hit test comes in handy is if you are trying a strain that is new and doesn’t have any information available. While avoiding these might be best for those that don’t want to experience paranoia, anxiety or other effects, sometimes the name and smell of a strain are too good to pass it up. There’s nothing wrong with trying a strain that you can’t find information on. Ask your budtender if they tried it and what their experience with it was. While your experience might not be the same, it’ll at least give you an idea of how it worked in their body.
Using the 3-hit test, especially on new-to-you strains, might help prevent you from experiencing being too high.
Get Active
It can be really hard to do anything at all when you’re too high, but activity is a good idea. By activity, we mean take a walk or play a game like Dance, Dance Revolution. A safe activity!
Being active will help metabolize the THC out of your body a little faster. Don’t partake in activities that involve biking, swimming or anything that could lead to a poor outcome or injury. When you do go for a hike, don’t go hiking in the mountains – you could get lost or fall. Stay close to home – walk around your neighborhood or somewhere safe.
Do not drive if you are too high – this just isn’t a good idea.
Drink Lots of Water
Staying hydrated is important if you are too high. While it won’t really reduce your high, it’ll help prevent dehydration. Just plain water or something with electrolytes is ideal.
Cottonmouth is real and can get bad when you’ve had too much of a strain that induces it. Think ahead and have extra cold beverages in the fridge waiting for you. If you typically experience cottonmouth, keep hard candies on hand. These provide moisture to your mouth and help it feel less dry.
Eat Something
Eating can help. When you’re too high, you might have the munchies anyways. Don’t cook if you are too high though, that could be dangerous or you could entirely forget about what you’re cooking (I’ve done it!).
Think ahead if you are planning to smoke with friends casually or are trying a strain that’s stronger than you’re used to. Make food sober. Wrap it up and leave yourself a note that there’s food in the fridge. All you’ll have to do is pop it in the microwave to warm it up.
Make snacks ahead of time. Order food when you start smoking. Try to think ahead.
If you are too high, something with a little more carbs might be helpful. You want something that will be satisfying but not overly heavy.
Sleep
Sometimes the only remedy to being too high, especially if it’s unpleasant, is sleep. You might be knocked out for 8 hours, but you won’t be high when you wake up. If the high is making you sleepy, don’t fight it. Make sure you’ve had a big glass of water and a snack, then find your bed and crash.
If there is a sober person in the house and you’re really overly medicated, ask that they check on you periodically.
Don’t Panic!
It’s so easy to freak out and panic when you’re too high. The ER can’t do anything for you except give you fluids and tell you to go home and sleep and/or have a snack. The 911 operator is likely to just laugh at you, but will still send help.
If you aren’t using cannabis legally – calling 911 could result in criminal charges being filed, even though they will get you some medical attention. Some strains of cannabis, mostly in the sativa family, might give you energy – which can also increase your blood pressure and heartrate. This is something to be aware of if you have a heart condition. If you think, however, that it’s out of control – seeking medical attention might be a smart move.
Do your best to remain calm. Put on a movie, grab a snack and a couple of bottles of water and just relax. It’s easier said than done if you’re experiencing effects that you don’t want to be experiencing anyway, but you can also try using some CBD that includes terpenes with calming properties. It might help and might be something to keep on-hand just in case.
Closing Thoughts
Don’t get me wrong, getting too high isn’t always a bad thing. A lot of the time it’s a ton of fun. You might laugh harder than you’ve ever laughed in your life. You might come up with the best idea ever. You might sit and watch something on Discovery channel and not be able to stop watching even though it’s boring. You might create the best snack ever. But for some, it’s overwhelming, scary and not something they want to experience. We’re not saying don’t overmedicate or don’t over-partake with your friends – just be prepared and know how to handle it should the situation arise.
Let Us Be Blunt 