Have you heard the common stoner rumor that holding in cannabis smoke longer will get you higher? Unfortunately, this may only be causing you harm in the long run.
While it seems like it would work at first glance, we decided to explore the science behind this belief to find out whether or not it’s actually helpful — or whether it’s just another silly urban legend. Read on to find out more!
Some consumers claim that they feel higher when they hold their cannabis smoke in for longer. However, you will not feel stronger effects from doing this. The feeling of getting higher from holding in smoke has nothing to do with the cannabis itself; what you’re actually feeling is the deprivation of oxygen to your brain.
Depriving your brain of oxygen can easily make you feel lightheaded. The more you hold in the smoke, the more elevated your heart rate gets. As a result, your blood pumps faster to compensate for the low oxygen levels, contributing to the feeling of getting more out of your smoke.
Of course, there’s always the placebo effect, too. If you believe you’re going to feel higher from holding the smoke in for longer, you’re likely to perceive your high as being stronger.
A small study of 8 cannabis smokers investigated the correlation between breath hold duration and users’ response to cannabis.
Participants consumed a controlled amount of cannabis and held it in for either 0, 10, or 20 seconds before exhaling. Researchers found that “there was little evidence that response to marijuana was a function of breath hold duration.”
Since most of the THC is absorbed immediately after inhalation, it makes no difference how long you hold your smoke in — except for some potential negative consequences.
Holding in cannabis smoke for longer than necessary results in the absorption of unwanted smoke and tar. Combusting cannabis produces tar, and the longer you hold the smoke in, the more tar will stick to your lungs. Tar buildup can lead to serious health issues like lung cancer or emphysema, so getting a little higher is not worth the risks.
It’s only truly necessary to hold your cannabis smoke in for a second or two. By this point, your body will have absorbed the THC necessary to achieve your desired high.
Holding your marijuana hit longer does not get you higher. THC is absorbed nearly instantly upon inhalation.
Holding in cannabis smoke longer than a second or two does not make any difference. Despite popular belief that holding in the smoke increases your high, all it does is deposit more tar into your lungs.
Side effects of secondhand smoke include intoxication and potential anxiety or sedation. Always smoke in a well-ventilated area.
You only need to hold your marijuana hits in briefly (one to two seconds) before exhaling. Holding your hits in for too long increases your risk of lung damage.
Thanks! Always wondered about this!
I love you, bud fairy!
This isn’t even pseudoscience because it doesn’t pretend to be scientific, it’s just wrong. How would you possibly absorb 90% of the THC instantly while barely absorbing carcinogens? That’s not how smoke works, it’s all the same smoke. There isn’t a 1 second rule where the carcinogens wait a full second before going in to your lungs, that’s like saying you can eat food off the ground if you pick it up in 5 seconds, 5 second rule dude! The only thing this partially gets right is that around 90% of the thc is absorbed quickly, not instantly but in 1-3 seconds (everyone has slightly different lungs). Anything past 5-7 seconds is pointless because after that your body is getting a negligible amount of thc, it’s already absorbed virtually everything it can.
Recommending people to blow out their hit as fast as they can isn’t wise. You won’t get nearly as high if you don’t even give your lungs a second to breathe, that’s called hyperventilation or gasping when it’s oxygen and it isn’t healthy either. You’ll just have to smoke more weed to get the same effect. Vaporizers usually suck pretty bad unless you can afford a 300+ dollar one, which most people can’t.
My advice: use a bong or water pipe and smoke in moderation.
Thanks Chane, I wish in my younger years, I didn’t hold all those big bong hits in so long till exploding into coughing fits.
Nice Piece!
Read this carefully. I’ve been doing delta 8 for a couple months now and thought you had to hold it in for as long as you could. After reading this I thought this was bs because I would take really fast hits and very little effect. Then I re-read this and realized it said to Hold it for 3 seconds max. Also don’t forget forget to keep your vape clean and clean the connectors on the battery + cartridge with alcohol.
How can you tell me that I’m not going to absorb more THC by holding my hit in I can hold that hit in until I have absorbed every bit of that smoke and I blow out no smoke I have therefore absorbed every bit of it!
?????????
Sir, smoke ≠ THC. The body absorbs 90% of the cannabinoid content instantly upon inhalation. But if you enjoy holding it in, then do it! 🙂
the smoke itself isn’t thc. the thc is suspended in the smoke bc it’s a tiny molecule that you cant see with your eyes. the visible smoke itself is the carbon tar oils and ash as a result of burning the plant.
If I put a bud under my pillow will the Bud Fairy come to get it?
Better leave me $50…lmao
thank you 💚
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