So, you’re sitting down with a joint, and you’re about to try marijuana for the first time. It can be an interesting experience. Whether or not interesting translates as good is all up to you.
There are a lot of mistakes that first-timers who don’t look up a smoking guide will make. That includes using one of the more heavy-hitting consumption methods right out of the gate. You’ve also got to make sure that you’re in a safe environment, and don’t forget to have plenty of water and snacks on you.
If you don’t keep yourself hydrated, you’re going to regret it. These are only a few tips that you should keep in mind. Keep reading to learn more.
Drink Water
When you smoke weed, THC binds to the glands in your body that are responsible for creating saliva. By bind, we mean that it can make them stop working.
As you can imagine, it can give you a serious case of cottonmouth. It’s nothing that you have to worry about. Once the effects of THC wear off, those glands will start right back where they left off.
Until that happens, you might want to have a few cups of water handy. Not only will it help with dry mouth, but it will also control the burning in your throat associated with cannabis and prevent you from coughing as much.
Talk to a Professional
If you have a local budtender near you, it’s a good idea to go talk to them before you smoke weed for the first time. They’ll be able to suggest various strains that won’t overwhelm you.
They’re not only knowledgeable when it comes to smoking weed recreationally. If you’re using it for medical reasons, they’ll be able to name off a few stains that will help with whatever ails you.
Don’t Smoke Alone
We recommend that you surround yourself with other weed smokers. You’re trying out a brand new substance. You have no idea how it’s going to affect you.
If you have a bad reaction to the weed, you’ll have someone there who can keep you grounded and get you through it. They’ll also be able to cut you off and tell you when you’ve had enough.
As you gain experience with cannabis, you can branch-off and have smoking sessions on your own. When you’re first starting out, though, stay around friends you can trust.
Since you are smoking with other people, you’re going to have to practice a little etiquette. The number one rule is to not hog the joint for yourself. Inhale deeply, and pass it on to another person.
Put Yourself in a Safe Environment
You want to make yourself as comfortable as possible before you start smoking. That means you should be on your couch in your living room and not sitting in the back of an alleyway surrounded by a bunch of strangers.
Get a few pillows and find a soft spot to relax. Listening to music is a great way to get yourself in the right mindset for smoking weed. Something upbeat will keep you awake while also helping you unwind.
Clear Out Your Schedule
Right after smoking weed, you’re not going to be able to do much. Most people feel a bit heavy and fatigued after a session. Some first-time smokers even pass out.
That’s why it’s so important that you clear out your schedule for the day. The effects won’t be so bad that you won’t be able to go into work the morning after you smoke, but as far as the day of goes, you’re not going anywhere.
Have Plenty of Snacks Available
For the most part, the old stereotype that weed will give you the munchies is true. Cannabis acts as an appetite stimulant, so you’ll want to have stuff around your home that you can snack on.
Shopping ahead of time will prevent you from trying to do something risky, like hop in your car and head to the nearest Taco Bell. It will also save your wallet. DoorDashing a bunch of goodies from your nearest convenience store isn’t exactly cheap.
Choose a Beginner Friendly Method
There are many different methods for getting your dose of cannabis. The idea is to start small because you have no idea how well your body is going to adapt to it.
That means you shouldn’t start with bongs or dabs. If you do, you’ll most likely end up overdoing it and making yourself sick. Our recommendation is to begin with the classic joint.
It’s a small amount of marijuana wrapped in a thin piece of rolling paper. If you go this route, let someone a little more experienced prepare your joint for you. Since this is your first time, you probably won’t do it right.
If you don’t want to use a joint, you can try out a blunt. It’s a cigar that’s filled with marijuana. The amount of cannabis packed into one of them equals up to about 6 joints.
There are also bowls. They are small smoking pipes that you can pack weed into.
Consuming edibles isn’t a bad way to try marijuana for the first time, but you’ve got to be careful. Since it has to pass through your digestive system first, it may take an hour or so before you feel anything. If you eat multiple brownies to get more of an effect, it will catch up to you, and you will have a bad time.
Do a Deep Inhale
So, you’ve chosen your smoking option and are ready to sit down and begin. A mistake that many beginners make is only taking a small puff before passing it on to someone else. These people end up complaining because they didn’t get anything out of their first smoking experience.
You’ve got to inhale it into your lungs. When you move the joint away from your mouth, breath in a little fresh air without letting the smoke leave.
Hold the smoke in your lungs for a few moments before you exhale it. You’re most likely going to cough a bit. It’s a completely normal reaction that a little water will clear up.
Pace Yourself
One of the principles of responsible cannabis use is learning your limits. If you take a puff and don’t feel anything, don’t take another. Give it a bit to kick in.
Smoking is a leisure activity that should take a few minutes. If you rush through it and try to take as many hits as possible, you’re going to make yourself sick.
Prepare for the After Effects
Smoking weed doesn’t come with the same level of hangover that drinking alcohol does, but there are some after-effects. Cannabis has the habit of relaxing you, so you’ll feel a bit of fatigue that may keep going until the next day.
Sometimes you’ll wake up with cottonmouth. If that’s the case, you can clear it up with a little water. You may experience a bit of a headache and a small amount of nausea, but that’s nothing that a shower and delicious breakfast can’t cure.
What to Do If You Experience a Bad High?
There is a chance that your body could have a bad reaction to cannabis. If this happens to you, you may experience anxiety, panic, an increased heart rate, delusions, hallucinations, high blood pressure, paranoia, nausea, vomiting, and confusion
When the symptoms set in, the best thing you can do is retreat to a quiet place. Sit down and make yourself comfortable to wait things out.
Don’t get into your car and drive. Remember that the panic you’re feeling is temporary. If you’re smoking alone, call a friend and ask them to come over to help calm you down.
Be Prepared to Not Experience a High at All
You can go through an entire smoking session without feeling anything at all. It’s so common that you should be prepared for disappointment.
Don’t let it stop you from giving it another try, though. You may not have gotten anything out of it this time, but that doesn’t mean you’ll strike out again.
Your Complete Smoking Guide
As you can see, there’s a lot that you have to keep in mind before you try cannabis for the first time. If you don’t follow the pointers in this smoking guide, you could end up having a horrible first experience. There’s nothing that can ruin marijuana for someone quite like getting sick.
For more tips that will make smoking weed a little easier, visit the Lifestyle section of our blog.
