As with most things in life, weed is best consumed in moderation. While the core purpose of weed is to slightly alter your sensations, it’s also important that you don’t get too high and start making careless decisions. With this, it’s incredibly important to know your weed tolerance level—especially if you intend to make cannabis a regular part of your everyday life.
Generally, it’s best to start low on your doses until you determine your threshold. Most of the time, your comfortable dosage depends on your method of consumption, the potency of the product, and your personal biology. With all the factors that contribute to your tolerance level, you may be asking if it is possible to know in advance how much weed you can consume without getting stoned out of your wits. This article will give you some insight into that matter, and hopefully help you determine how much is too much.
Typically, your body will develop a higher tolerance for weed the more you consume it. If you go for days without consuming weed, the lower your tolerance will be. However, it’s also important to note that your first hit of the herb is the most sensitive on any given day.
That said, it’s also vital to be mindful of the frequency of your weed intake, especially smokeables. As with smoking tobacco, heavy cannabis smoking renders your body vulnerable to lung diseases over time. To maintain healthy weed consumption habits, veteran enthusiasts recommend taking tolerance breaks or 1-4 weeks of abstinence to reset your tolerance and refresh your endocannabinoid system (ECS).
With that in mind, it’s best to consume weed at your own pace and avoid overly relying on the herb. It would also do you well to opt for safe and effective products from a legitimate marijuana dispensary to avoid potential risks to your health.
A core part of determining your weed tolerance is being attuned to what your body is saying. Weed experts generally recommend starting small and giving your body time to respond accordingly. It’s also best to avoid edibles, which take hours to produce effects, and consume weed in a safe and familiar area. It would also be ideal if your weed does not make you feel too drowsy.
Upon taking the weed, ask yourself about the thoughts that pop up in your head and how you are feeling. Do you feel as though you’re glued to the couch, or are you pumped up with energy? If you start to feel relaxed, energized, and creative, it’s a sign that the effects are kicking in. As such, it’s best to reserve another hit for when the sensations fade away. Usually, this can take at least 15-20 minutes.
If you start to feel anxious or paranoid, it might be because you have inhaled too much. Alternatively, it could be because the CBD and THC content of your weed does not match your system. For your next weed purchase, it may be ideal to check with your dispensary about exploring less intense strains and lower doses that suit your biology.
THC is the main psychoactive ingredient in weed, so it’s best to pay attention to this when shopping around for weed. A good dose for starters would be 2.5 milligrams or less of THC and a higher CBD content. For vapes and flowers, a 1:1 THC to CBD ratio is a good baseline.
Normally, cannabis strains contain 14-21 percent THC. Strains with THC levels higher than that might open the door to negative side effects, especially for first-timers. In terms of CBD levels, anything more than .02 percent would be fine.
For edibles, the average THC content is 10mg. After consuming a piece, wait for around 45 minutes to observe your body’s response. The effects of edibles can last long, so you need to avoid taking one after the other to mitigate adverse effects.
Although everybody’s metabolisms are different, how quickly THC is absorbed by your body depends on the route of administration. For example, weed can be:
Inhaled through the Lungs
Smokeables such as dabs, vapes, and flowers are absorbed through your lungs. Effects and uptake are usually quick with this method of consumption.
Held Inside the Mouth
Sublingual weed products such as tinctures must be held under your tongue and not swallowed immediately like an edible. Generally, sublingual consumption methods are a good balance between fast-acting smokeables and slow-effect edibles.
Ingested and Absorbed by the Liver
Edibles are processed inside your liver, which metabolizes the THC for quite some time. Because the edibles stay longer inside your body, the effects are often stronger and longer. On average, an edible can take effect after 30 minutes to 2 hours.
As mentioned earlier, too much cannabis in your system can lead to adverse effects such as anxiety, paranoia, and even headaches. Sometimes, too much weed can also keep you paralyzed in place, lull you to sleep, or zone you out. If this happens to you, take this experience to heart and consume lesser amounts of cannabis next time. Once you start feeling too high, make sure to find a comfortable spot, eat food, and let the effects die down.
Identifying your threshold for weed consumption is a matter of trial and error. However, that doesn’t mean you can take hits on a whim and carelessly experiment with edibles as you would with regular gummi bears. You should never discount the fact that weed can alter your body’s response and state of mind, so it’s best to proceed with caution and revolve your exploration around your system’s unique responses. At the end of the day, you know your body more than anyone else. It’s only right that you trust what it tells you regarding whatever you intend to consume.
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