What to Do If You Get Too High
Cannabis Survival Guide: What You Need to Do If You Accidentally Get Too High
Being more stoned than you can handle is truly one of the worst feelings ever — especially when you're around strangers or in a public space. While you can't necessarily reverse your high, you can take steps to make the situation more bearable. It's also largely preventable if you familiarize yourself with best practices. One rule to always follow: start low and slow and build as needed.
When it comes to smoking or vaping flower, look for strains that are within 10 to 20 percent THC (a psychoactive cannabinoid). Edibles are a bit trickier to measure because they don't all come in precise doses. For example, you wouldn't eat an entire cookie containing 50mg of THC (unless you have a high tolerance), making it more difficult to determine the right portion for you. Stick around two to 10mg of THC if you'd rather eat than smoke. It's also not the best idea to eat an edible on an empty stomach as it can speed up and strengthen its effects.
How Can I Tell If I'm Too High?
Oh, you'll know. Although cannabis can produce amazing results like relaxation and anti-anxiety, you can actually experience the exact opposite of those things if you ingest more THC than you can take. You may feel anxious, paranoid, nauseous, and/or dizzy. But the good news is that nobody has ever died from a cannabis overdose. Working off of dehydration and an empty stomach can also worsen symptoms, so make sure you drink plenty of water to prevent lightheadedness and cotton mouth. Cotton mouth won't harm you, but it does suck.
What Should I Do If I'm Too High
Unfortunately, the only thing you really can do is to ride it out or sleep it off. While it's said that CBD (a less psychoactive cannabinoid) can counteract the high-producing effects of THC, there's not enough research to provide a definitive answer. What you can do, however, is to make yourself as comfortable as possible. If you're at home, change into loose-fitting clothes if you're not already in some, reduce any stimuli (turn down/off your music, TV volume, etc.), and lay in bed or sit on your couch. If you're at a party or a public space (Ugh, I feel for you), take a breather outside or step into a quiet room or the bathroom. Drink water and try to control your breathing to get your heart rate down. Some people also find it reassuring to by saying affirmations out loud: "I'm OK," "This will wear off," etc.
How Long Will This Last?
Smoking or vaping produces an almost instant onset of effects, but it also means it wears off sooner than edibles. The intense, overwhelming sensation can last anywhere between a few minutes to half an hour. You will continue to feel "high" for up to two to four hours, but it will feel more manageable as it wears off. Edibles on the other hand take much longer for your body to absorb (30 minutes to two hours), and therefore, take you longer to come down (three to six hours). Most newbies accidentally overdose on edibles — either because they don't know how much to take or keep take another bite after "not feeling anything" — which is why I never recommend them to beginners unless they're extremely low-dosed.
Overall, just try to stay calm and you'll be OK. Promise!
