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- Anxiety disorders
- Delirium
- Depression
- Panic disorder
- Reduced attention span
Frequently, we hear nightmare stories about people taking edibles, only for them to end up feeling like they are dying an hour later. Similarly, people taking cannabis concentrates for the first time often report times when they felt like they had accidentally taken too much and felt locked into the high for an eternity.
The term 'greening out' describes the stage at which too much cannabis has been taken - it is so unpleasant that it can turn off even the most devout cannabis lover from picking up the joint again. So here's our advice to help you return to good health as quickly as possible so you can start enjoying cannabis again if you feel yourself reaching the edge of greening out.
How Long Does It Take For Cannabis To Leave Your System?
To understand how long cannabis stays in our system, we must look at cannabis toxicity studies. Systemic absorption is relatively slow, resulting in maximum THC absorption within 1-2 hours of consumption. The duration that cannabis stays in the system is considerably longer and unpredictable for edibles.
Depending on the type of cannabis product used, the half-life of cannabis for an infrequent user is 1.3 days, and for frequent users, 5-13 days.
Many factors affect how quickly cannabis will leave your system. Each of us has a unique endocannabinoid system and propensity to absorb and retain cannabinoids in our fatty cells. So if you typically eat a fat-rich diet, there's a high chance that you'll have longer-lasting highs than someone that consumes very little fat.
We can also determine how long cannabis will stay in the system by looking at the type of products taken. Concentrates, the most potent variety of cannabis products, are known to linger in fatty cells for the most prolonged period. Then edibles, which pass through the liver. Finally, we see vaped/smoked cannabis flower as the fastest way to consume and pass the effects of cannabis from the system.
What Happens When You Get Too High?
It's essential to remain calm in the event of cannabis overconsumption. Countless cannabis enthusiasts have experienced the deathly feeling of being too stoned, often believing that they might die or need to go to the hospital.
It can help to visualize the effects biologically. For example, when we consume the primary cannabinoid in weed, THC, we stimulate the CB1 endocannabinoid receptor in the brain. This temporary effect is harmless and certainly cannot kill you. We recently wrote about if you can take too much CBD and discovered that lethal doses are impossible to consume. We come to the same conclusion about THC.
5 Tips On How To Sober Up From Weed
1. Don't Panic; Focus On Breathing
The initial effects of 'greening out' might make you anxious and stressed. It's essential to recall the biology of what is happening. Your CB1 receptors are overstimulated, something that will subside shortly and is clinically proven to have no long-term adverse effects. Try not to give in to the anxiety a 'green out' can induce; instead, focus on your breathing and attempt to calm yourself by taking the attention away from the high.
2. Stay Hydrated
One of the most common side effects of cannabis is dehydration. It's not the cause of all adverse reactions, but it certainly exacerbates any bad trips.
We often forget to keep ourselves well hydrated after a hefty dose of cannabis due to its effects on our memory and the distraction that a bad high can cause. So if you feel yourself slipping into a bad high, a bottle of water should be one of the first things you prepare yourself.
3. Black Peppercorns Can Make You Less High
You might have heard of terpenes before. They are the building blocks of essential oils found in cannabis and give strains their unique flavour profiles. For example, the terpenes found in black peppercorns are pinene and caryophyllene, both known for their anti-anxiety properties.
If you feel the adverse effects of cannabis consumption creeping in, try chewing on a few black peppercorns to release their terpenes and assist in reducing some of the unpleasant effects of a 'green out'.
4. Take A Shower Or A Bath
If you have access to a shower and can feel the uncomfortable effects of getting too high, a shower or bath can help. Showering isn't a scientifically backed method; we know from experience that this has helped us in the past.
We believe showering/taking a bath can help us relax, meditate and turn an unpleasant high into one that most can enjoy.
5. Take CBD To Reduce Brain Overstimulation
Our favourite method for reversing the effects of THC overstimulation is to take CBD. Studies have shown that CBD can act as a CB1 antagonist, meaning that it reverses the stimulation that THC can cause on the brain.
It would help if you took CBD in large doses to reduce brain stimulation; we recommend using a high potency product like a CBD vape pen, CBD flower or CBD concentrates.
These products deliver a high potency of CBD quickly into the bloodstream to help counteract the adverse effects of consuming too much THC. You can take them after experiencing the initial signs of cannabis overconsumption or take them before a session to mitigate the risks.
Summary
Learning how to overcome the effects of a cannabis 'green out' is essential for cannabis users of all experience levels. We're all built differently, and cannabis products often come without dosing instructions due to the lack of regulations in this space. There's no need to feel stigmatized just because your experience with cannabis doesn't fit into how the culture depicts it.If you are still concerned about your health after consuming a large amount of cannabis, you should always feel comfortable seeking help from a health care professional. Be honest with doctors about what you've taken so they can offer support to detox unwanted effects.
