FAQ: Smoking Weed and Recreational Use of Marijuana

If you are new to the recreational smoking of weed, there could be some questions that are bugging your mind. You've already seen friends taking pot, and it's only a matter of time before they roll another one with you. Or, you've already smoked, and now you want to make a purchase for your secret stash.  In this article, we've compiled a list of frequently asked questions about the recreational use of marijuana. Smoking weed should be a fun and enjoyable experience, and knowing the answers to some key questions should help you optimize your 'high' times. In case we don't answer your questions with the Q&A below, hit the reply button at the end, and don't be shy to ask.

1. What to anticipate when you smoke weed for the first time?

You can't know until you try. There could be several reactions. Ideally, you will get really high, and you'll enjoy the experience. You may feel uplifted and euphoric, and you may also burst out laughing. This is what most recreational users love about marijuana. You'll even notice that your senses are augmented; hence, colors, sounds, or smells may become more distinct or at least slightly different. If you felt nervous before smoking, you'll notice quickly that now you feel at ease. Unfortunately, you can also experience high that will not be so entertaining, like entering a panic mood and acting paranoid. In this case, it helps to change the setting. You can play some music, drink some juice or watch funny memes on your smartphone until the 'bad' sensations go away. The different sensations we get from smoking weed owe to the fact that everyone is differently affected by it, as well as that different strains of weed give different effects. Finally, if you are smoking weed for the very first time, there's a chance that nothing special happens. Nothing is a commonly reported reaction among newbies, so it may take a second or third round of smoking before you feel any high.

2. How much weed should you take as a new user?

As a newbie, you don't need much to get high. If you are new to this, always start with small doses and see how it feels. Low doses are ideal for testing how you react to marijuana as each person is different. With small doses, there's also less "danger" that you experience any negative sensations that might come from smoking weed. After a certain period, you will definitely be able to find your perfect dose of weed, where you'll know that after three hits of six hits, you feel relaxed and happy. Alternatively, you may realize that you just plain don't like smoking weed, and that's okay.

3. What about edibles and "advanced" smoking methods?

If cannabis is still uncharted territory for you, you may want to stay away from edibles such as space cookies, which may be tainted with a lot of THC, the primary psychoactive compound of cannabis. You may also want to avoid progressive smoking methods like smoking out of bongs or dabbing. In the beginning, your body is just getting used to the intake of cannabis, and it's best not to shock the system with significant doses of THC.

4. What's the difference between ingesting and inhaling marijuana?

When you take an edible, you catapult THC straight to your stomach, which is then absorbed in the blood. Edibles that are high on THC enable a superior sensation of high for the consumer, which may be too much if you munch out the whole thing. You may find out that you are too high only an hour later, as there's a slight delay when you take edibles. Your stomach first needs to process the snack. And if you drink alcohol in the meantime or smoke a joint just because, it's easy to assume you'll wake up with a weed hangover the next day. When you inhale marijuana, such as when you smoke a joint, you are better able to control how much THC enters your body. You are better able to control when it is enough for you and save what's left for later. Of course, you can always overdo with smoking and wake up with a weed hangover the next day again.

5. Is smoking weed every day, okay?

There's no easy answer to that. Smoking weed every day may be perfectly okay; however, it depends on how much weed you are taking, and at what time of the day. It shouldn't be a matter of concern if you are prone to take a little or moderate amount of cannabis in the evening for several weeks. It's always a good idea to take a break and skip for a day or two, however. No matter how much you smoke, you'll eventually develop weed tolerance, i.e., you'll see that a small chunk for each evening is not enough and that you need another chunk to experience euphoria. Noticing that you are becoming tolerant to weed is a good signal to know when you should take a break from daily smoking. 

6. Is mixing alcohol and weed, okay?

It's a common combo that a lot of recreational users of marijuana do. Mixing weed with alcohol is fun and something that all of us want to go for. Crossfading, as the combination of these two substances is known, is totally fine if it's something occasional; however, it's worth remembering that any alcohol dose increases the blood's THC levels. Therefore, it's good to be mindful of how much you drink when you smoke. If you drink one glass of beer and then smoke, make it count like two glasses of beer.

7. How long does it take for weed to wear off from the body?

THC, the principal psychoactive compound of cannabis, remains in the body long after you smoke. The more you smoke, the more THC accumulates in the body. It also depends on the person; in some individuals, weed will wear off faster, in some over a more extended period.  Studies suggest that cannabis can stay and be traced in your body from one to 30 days. In the hair, it can be caught for several months after cannabis has entirely left the system, although it's unlikely someone will touch your hair to find out if you smoked weed. Urine testing is one of the most common ways to detect the usage of cannabis. It may take up to three days for occasional users who smoke up to three times a week, for cannabis to wear off from the body. It may take up to a week for moderate users who smoke four times a week, up to 15 days for chronic users who smoke daily, and up to a month or even more for heavy users who smoke weed several times each day.

8. Can I overdose from smoking marijuana?

You can't overdose from weed, but you can still overdo it.  There's a dispute around this question even among those who regularly smoke weed and are well acquainted with all effects it can generate in the human body. Some people assume that pot is equally dangerous as stimulant drugs and opioids, while others say it's totally safe to use and that there's no harm from taking. You can always abuse weed by taking too much, and experience side effects and unwanted sensations that can range from exhaustion to dry eyes, and from paranoia to hallucinations in rare cases. Nevertheless, to clear the slate, you can't overdose on cannabis in a way that you can overdose on much heavier substances.  According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are no reported deaths that resulted alone from taking cannabis. Unlike cocaine, heroin, or opioid painkillers, all of which appear on the list of common drugs that have led to tragic deaths from overdosing, according to CDC.

9. Are there any consequences of long-term recreational use of marijuana?

Recreational use of marijuana is unlikely to cause any long-term harmful effects on the brain or the body as other substances, including alcohol. Studies suggest that frequent use of marijuana may cause some short-term impact on learning and memory, although these abilities are quickly recovered after taking a break from smoking. Sticking to microdoses or taking just enough to make you feel comfortable and relaxed, is also advisable. When to raise the alarm? Studies suggest that morning users of marijuana have reported a lot more health-related issues than non-morning smokers. Similarly, like morning use of alcohol in an alcoholic-dependent person is problematic, morning use of marijuana in a marijuana-dependent person should also raise the alarm. Regarding marijuana impact on your lungs, no, you probably don't have lung cancer. The cough is likely just another signal you should take a break from smoking. The cough is likely to go away after you take a break from smoking for a while.

10. Should I tell mom and dad I am smoking weed?

Probably not.