Each cannabis consumer has a different tolerance level. For some, a puff of a joint could be enough for a giggly high. For others, it can take more consumption by smoking or with edibles. As such, many individuals who experience higher tolerances search for different and new ways to enhance their high and make it last longer.
A tolerance break is always an option. However, for many who use the plant for medical purposes, taking a tolerance break is not always an easy option for managing their overall well-being. Below, we’ve listed 13 tips and tricks to enhance your high for long-lasting effects.
If you’re looking for ways to make weed highs last longer, you’ve come to the right place. Low-energy routines can sometimes cause a lull in how you are feeling with your everyday cannabis experiences.
The way you choose to store your cannabis matters. It can affect the product’s potency and, ultimately, the length of your high. When purchasing weed products, note the expiration date and make sure to store each type of cannabis product properly.
Try to avoid storing cannabis in plastic containers, as they have been known to destroy the trichomes of the plant. If you want to make your weed stay potent for longer, keep your buds in glass or steel jars and store them in dark and cool spaces.
One of the best factors for enhancing your high is considering timing when you consume. Many weed consumers choose to partake before or after a workout for more prolonged effects.
You may have heard of a ‘runner’s high’ before. A runner’s high is caused by anandamide, which creates a euphoric feeling and pain relief during exercise.
A study was published in 2013 that examined THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) blood levels in 14 cannabis users after 35 minutes of exercise on a stationary bike. The results showed that “exercise enhances plasma THC levels in regular cannabis users.” The rise may be coming from releasing THC from fat stores, and is correlated with body fat. This is further supported by a 2014 preclinical study that also showed exercise and fasting can increase cannabinoid levels in blood plasma in THC-pretreated mice.
So, reward yourself with some great weed the next time you make it through that workout.
When dispensary shopping, you may notice the typical hype surrounding high THC strains. Did you know that these are not always the strains that will give you the most potent highs and could actually lead to adverse effects?
The entourage effect is a theory that explains the synergistic effects of combining phytonutrients, cannabinoids, terpenes, cannflavins, and hundreds of other plant compounds. Terpene profiles are a source of diversity among cannabis plants, creating many unique strains and products.
Recently, a 2023 study shows that over a dozen of our favorite cannabis terpenes can activate the CB1 receptor. In doing so, many common terpenes like linalool, limonene, and more can increase the high of THC. This is not to mention all the other potential additive benefits they share and contribute to.
These synergistic effects create a more optimal, therapeutic, and harmonized experience. The next time you shop for cannabis, consider finding strains or products that detail their cannabinoid and terpene profiles – rather than isolates just showing one high THC percentage.
A simple change of routine or scenery can be beneficial for maintaining a potent weed high. If the first thing you like to do in the morning is take a hit off a bong (no judgment here), getting chores done first or jumping straight into your day can prolong the first sesh of the day.
If you consistently like to smoke cannabis on our couch, try getting outside on a porch or taking a short walk before you head back inside to spark up. Camping or smoking on a hike (legally and safely) can help elevate the moment and keep things fresh.
If you only smoke cannabis and just don’t feel like you’re getting the same effects anymore, or you notice that it takes more weed than usual to achieve the same high, it could be time to change things up.
Let’s look at a few popular ways to change it up with your consumption methods to try to increase the effects of cannabis.
Let’s say that you’re a bong lover: you take hits from the bong every day. Believe it or not, even if you switched to a smoking method like one-hitters or just a small dry bowl, you may notice a change in how the cannabis typically feels from your average session setup.
If the opposite is true, bongs are a great way to enjoy a sesh, and if you mainly consume out of one-hitters or small bowls, a bong could be perfect for switching things up.
Vaporizers are a simple and easy way to change up your consumption. If you aren’t a fan of smoking dry flower, dry herb vaporizing may be a more suitable option. You can also try a concentrate vaporizer if you prefer convenience and ease.
Some vaporizers can handle both concentrate and flower, though not simultaneously. Wax extracts are highly concentrated in THC content, meaning that fewer or even half the puffs can deliver the same amount of cannabinoids as an entire cannabis flower session.
Bear in mind that regularly consuming concentrates can skyrocket your tolerance, so if lowering your tolerance is your goal, concentrates may not be the way to go.
Maybe just taking some time away from smoking and pursuing edible products could do just the trick for changing up your tolerance levels. Edibles interact with the body differently than if cannabis is consumed through inhalation methods, such as smoking a bong.
When cannabis is ingested, it must be processed through the liver. This process makes it much longer for the effects to be felt, taking around an hour. However, when the body breaks down THC, it can offer substantially longer and more intense weed effects.
If you want to learn more about homemade edibles, check out our guides on infusing cannabis butter and coconut oil.
An interesting effect of consuming THC beverages is that they can offer a distinct type of weed high. Some consider THC drinks to deliver the impact quicker than other ingestibles like gummies. This is because the active ingredients are absorbed more rapidly and efficiently into the bloodstream.
Many onset times can range from 15 to 30 minutes. By contrast, edibles need to be broken down in the digestive system before the THC can be absorbed, and so take at least two to three times longer. The liquid form of THC allows you to digest it quicker, more effectively, and absorb it faster.
THC beverages can be easier to predict and are timely for those who don’t want to inhale cannabis but also want a rapid effect.
The duration of a weed high can vary. Typically, many find that it lasts between one and six hours.
Different methods of consumption, as mentioned above, can have different effects on the onset time. For example, vaping can result in a quicker onset (1-3 minutes) but a shorter duration of a high (1-2 hr). Edibles need time to digest in the body before a high can be produced, causing up to 4-6 hours of impairment. And smoking cannabis can have an onset time that is either instant or within a few minutes, like vaping.
Cannabis interacts with the body primarily through the endocannabinoid system, a unique communication system that maintains a state of balance, also known as homeostasis.
The most natural way for consumers and medical patients to increase their THC intensity, as well as the longevity of the way effects, can be connected to food.
If you’re curious about how food can help amplify the benefits of cannabis, keep reading!
This fruit is one of the most talked about foods regarding different types that can elevate your weed high. There is some preclinical scientific evidence that is responsible for this, by potentially activating CB1 directly and perhaps increasing delivery of cannabinoids to the brain.
Mangoes contain a high concentration of myrcene, a terpene that offers various benefits, such as euphoria, relaxation, pain relief, couch lock, and joy. When consumed in combination with THC, these effects are believed to be heightened, creating a more intense high.
Myrcene has been proven to have effects related to relieving pain, is used as a sedative, and offers anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties. Because of these medical benefits, it could be interpreted that the cannabis effects will increase. However, this is likely a direct effect of the terpene, which is found not only in cannabis strains but in mangoes as well.
Some suggest that if you are using mangoes to intensify your weed high, try consuming mangoes or mango juice around 45 minutes before cannabis consumption.
Broccoli is a food that has been shown to increase the effects of cannabis. It is packed with a terpene called beta-caryophyllene, which may enhance the high experience by also increasing cannabinoid transport across the blood-brain-barrier and through the mouth.
Like many cannabinoids, this terpene works with the endocannabinoid system and the brain to provide various effects, such as pain reduction and anti-inflammatory properties.
Beta-caryophyllene is claimed to be a terpene that can also provide a strong sensation of relaxation when consumed with THC. But, it does not get you high on its own because it doesn’t hit CB1.
These root vegetables have plenty to offer – both in nutrition, digestive health, and may impact your cannabis session. Sweet potatoes are packed with vitamin E and vitamin B. These sweet treats also produce a feel-good chemical in the brain called serotonin.
Vitamin B6, found in sweet potatoes, can help regulate emotions. When consumed in combination with THC, the effects of these vitamins, minerals, and serotonin production can elevate the feelings of euphoria during your weed sesh.
Awesome, right? Chocolate contains a neurotransmitter and endocannabinoid called anandamide, which is also naturally produced by the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). Anandamide is sometimes called a “bliss molecule” because it binds to the CB (cannabinoid) receptors in the body. This can stimulate a state of bliss and joy.
By eating some chocolate before consuming cannabis, the thought is that you might be increasing your anandamide levels while also stimulating the CB receptors that THC binds to. However, the evidence isn’t quite there yet. Still, anecdotally, the result is a natural yet more intense feeling of well-being while having them last longer.
The combination of chocolate with THC can help with relieving pain, regulating mood, boosting memory, appetite control, fighting against anxiety and depression, and anti-nausea effects.
Both green and black teas contain high concentrations of a compound known as catechin. The compound is actually a flavonoid, widely known and used for its antioxidant, relaxing, and sedative effects.
When drinking tea, mainly green tea, before consuming cannabis, it may help to counteract feelings of paranoia or anxiety if these are feelings being experienced during a weed high.
The relaxing effects of teas with catechin, combined with the euphoric effects of cannabis, can lead to a strong impact from both. Note, however, these teas also have tannins which can cause or worsen dry mouth, like THC.
Nuts and eggs are high in omega-3 fatty acids. These omega-3 fatty acids can bind to cannabinoid receptors and help cannabinoids like CBD (cannabidiol) and THC move through the body faster.
Research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids help in reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
When combining the consumption of cannabis with nuts or eggs, it is believed that the omega-3 fatty acids increase the absorption and therefore the effects of the plant, as well as potentially extend the length of the experienced high.
Caffeine is an active ingredient in coffee that, at high doses, promotes reinforcing interactions between CB receptors and adenosine. Preclinical research also shows that caffeine can have an impact on worsening the short-term memory of a THC high through these receptor interactions.
Another study found that over a hundred metabolites are connected to caffeine intake, including metabolites that map to the endocannabinoid system. Because of this, coffee could modulate the ECS.
Considering these impacts, it is possible that drinking coffee before cannabis consumption could lead to more potent effects.
This one is a bit of a curveball for our list. While it is essential to be cautious about consuming alcohol alongside cannabis, it is known that the two boost the euphoric effects of one another when consumed at the same time.
In general, alcohol is known to slow down the enzyme that also breaks down THC. Therefore, it boosts the intercity and duration of both elements in your system.
Many call the combination of consuming alcohol with cannabis to be known as being ‘cross-faded.’ Effects like sedatives and drowsiness could be amplified by taking both and further increased by certain medications (e.g., benzodiazepines, muscle relaxants, barbiturates), which can be unsafe.
Beer is made from hops, which contain high concentrations of terpenes, including myrcene. Consuming beer alongside a blunt or bowl of a suitable strain could have similar effects to consuming mangoes before cannabis.
Infused cannabis beverages made with coffee, tea, kombucha, non-alcoholic cider, or even alcoholic drinks are becoming more mainstream.
If you’re wondering if weed can help in the bedroom, it depends. According to studies, men are more likely to report increased time of intercourse when high on cannabis compared to women. It may also increase the perception of time spent during sex, too.
Another 2020 study found a connection between the frequency of cannabis use and increased sexual function for men. More consistent users report improvements in erectile function and orgasms.
Greening out is when a person consumes too much cannabis. It typically causes reactions like nausea, dizziness, paranoia, or anxiety.
The immediate action is to drink lots of water, take deep breaths, get comfortable, and rest. If being still is discomforting, a short walk or spending time outdoors could help ease the THC high quickly.
If you are smoking flower or dabbing concentrates, a high could range from 1 to 4 hours on average. If consuming edibles, it will be dependent on the THC strength that is digested and could last from 2 hours to up to 24 hours in some extreme cases. Particularly if the user is a beginner and the dose was too strong (>20–50 mg THC).
Some people report feeling high the next day after consuming cannabis, but there is actually little to no good quality evidence of impairment the next day. High levels of THC in the blood the morning after using weed could cause a person to feel still high.
Cannabis is well-known for helping many people sleep. In a study, out of 1,000 adult-use customers, 74% report taking cannabis to help them fall asleep and stay asleep longer.
High doses of THC can be sedating to the user. Indica strains are known for promoting sleepiness, and there are products, such as gummies, formulated specifically to help those looking to sleep longer when high before laying down for sleep.
Depending on body composition and metabolism, on average, edible highs can take 30-90 minutes to set in.
If you are looking to get high faster from THC edibles, there are a few things to consider. First, taking edibles on an empty stomach can help them digest faster. But you’ll also want to consider the potency before consuming without food in your stomach.
Next, be sure to consider the THC dosage of the edibles and what your own personal tolerance level tends to be. Some edible products are made with nanoemulsified cannabinoids, which process THC faster because more of it bypasses the digestive tract, entering the bloodstream quicker. Regular cannabinoids rely on standard digestion and the presence of fats.
High-quality, whole-plant cannabis products. Start researching terpenes that impact you, THC potencies, and the method of consumption that you use when attempting to get high and stay high for a while.
While flower and concentrates can get you high quicker, the high may not last as long as desired. Therefore, we need to consume more to achieve the desired effect. Edibles take longer to set in but tend to have more prolonged highs.
Considering the tips above on lifestyle tips, beverages, and food can help promote more potent and extended-lasting cannabis highs for an excellent experience.
Note: The content on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be professional medical advice. Do not attempt to self-diagnose or prescribe treatment based on the information provided. Always consult a physician before making any decision on the treatment of a medical condition.
Great article ?
Thanks, Lauren, for always sharing the best and useful articles for us. One of the easiest recipes though it time-consuming, the results are worth it. This is the best time to practice our cooking skills while staying at home. I know many for the cannabutter recipes, but I have always failed to get the perfect results. The dosage is very tough to maintain, and I am not a professional. I tried making it with a without lecithin, but there is never such perfection. I used lecithin in gel form and noticed extra liquid in that. I don’t know what the tricks to get professionally cooked butter with or without water are. I’m so confused about where I’m lacking. I think it is due to the concentration issue. Plus I want to know is there any harmful effect of overdosing? And can I give cannabutter to my pet? I read many articles saying cannabis can treat anxiety and seizures in dogs. Thanks. I hope to see another new amazing recipe from you.
Usually I go for chocolate and sweet drinks after smoking a blunt… From this post came know about mangoes , made sense.. 👍🥭🥭🥭.. and in this time due to the lockdown not getting a good stuff ( leaf’s)…
Yes manger juice with an edible is g
Awesome by the time you shower and prepare your dinner you’ll be blazed
Try clearing your lungs out before doing a bong/dab. Several slow deep breaths followed by a puff on an ABUTEROL INHALER. Wait about a minute then take a hit. Works every time.
This is a good idea. Thanks.
Great and informative!! Ty
Do you know whether it is common for cannabis tinctures to cause throat pain. I know some tinctures are made with alcohol or coconut oil. But, I’m wondering whether some of the terpenes present in cannabis or the distilling process to make tinctures can cause irritation of the throat. Thanks
I have extreme anxiety and i thought that cannabis would help but only made it worse . I have tried multiple different types of flower and edibles . I really wish I could make cannabis work for me I Don t want to take pharmaceuticals.
You should try a 100 percent straight indica. Sativa gives me horrible anxiety. If that doesn’t work, THC may just not be right for you. Try some minor cannabinoids. I suggest CBG, CBN and CBC. Please look into them. Wyld is a great brand.
Is eatables legal in Texas ?
I had a 3.5 oz bar of 90 percent cocoa dark chocolate last night before smoking a blunt. It gave me one of the strongest highs I’ve had. I’m going to try broccoli next time.
Try rolling with a banana peel it helped me a lot
I found reducing my intake by cutting back skipping my morning sessions 3’s a week …etc
BOY OH BOY GAME CHANGER change it out for dabs as well🙏
My height is so short so how to increase my height.please give me some ideas.
dextromethorphan can increase and make a better high but you have to start off slowly to test your tolerance level so take 5-6 soft gels caps prior to vaping give it 30-45mins then consume your favorite strain and by then if you don’t feel anything increase the dose by 2 gel caps. They come in 15-20mg soft gel caps.
ok no judgment but let’s not promote the use of DXM to increase your high when DXM is its own drug experience all on its own
I want weed
How long should I wait between each smoke sessions & how to fix my tolerance
i also used a different email, cant let anybody see me on here lol. but i really appreciate what your doing around the world, you are making such an amazing impact and i love to see someone like you work to legalize marijuana, thank you for that.
This is amazing so wonderful thanks for sharing this to the world is great
I like the knowledge
5stars
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