Everyone starts out their cannabis journey as a beginner. No matter how experienced your dispensary agents or cannabis enthusiast friends are, they still had to smoke cannabis for the first time at one point. There’s no need to be embarrassed about not knowing how to smoke cannabis right away!
We created this guide to make smoking cannabis for the first time as simple and stress-free as possible. Once you’re done reading, you should be ready to head to our Massachusetts dispensary to buy your first products!
Preparing to Try Cannabis for the First Time
Start by asking yourself why you want to try marijuana. There are many reasons for smoking weed, including medical and recreational. Once you know what you want to get out of smoking cannabis, it can be easier to figure out the next steps.
Choosing Your Products
Smoking cannabis can be a complicated process, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many different ways to smoke weed, including using a pipe or bong. You can also roll your own joints. However, using these pieces or rolling a joint can take practice, and might not be best for your trying marijuana for the first time.
We recommend that new users purchase a pre-roll. These are joints that have already been professionally rolled, so you don’t have to worry about learning the technique right away. All you have to do is light up the end of the joint and smoke it like you would a cigarette.
When choosing your pre-roll, you’ll be able to choose between strains. The main categories are sativa, indica, and hybrid. Generally, sativa strains will energize you, indica strains will calm you down, and hybrid strains have effects that blend the two. If you want more information about cannabis strains, we have a longer post about the differences between sativa vs indica.
Not sure about inhaling smoke into your lungs? You could also use a disposable vape, eat an edible, or use a tincture. Our budtenders can help you explore these alternative options.
How to Dose Cannabis
Everyone has a different natural tolerance to cannabis. We generally recommend a dose between 0.25-0.5g of dried bud. Most pre-rolled joints contain about 0.5g of cannabis flower, which will help you keep yourself from overindulging.
It’s important to note that many people don’t need nearly this much THC when they’re trying marijuana for the first time. Just one or two hits may be enough to get you high.
Since it only takes 5-10 minutes for the effects to fully hit after smoking cannabis, take one or two hits off your joint, then wait. If you’re still not feeling anything or want a stronger experience, you can repeat until you’ve found the sweet spot.
Picking the Right Setting
Think about where and when you’ll smoke cannabis for the first time. Choose somewhere you’re familiar with and where you’ll feel comfortable. You’ll probably want a space with a couch or bed to relax on.
We recommend having a friend around when you smoke weed for the first time. They can assure you that everything is okay if you start to get nervous and help you out if you feel like you’ve smoked too much.
Prepping Your Space
You should have everything ready before you start smoking. You might not want to get up off the couch once the weed kicks in! Make sure you’re in a safe, comfortable place where you feel comfortable chilling and hanging out for several hours. Everyone’s needs while smoking are different, so think about your ideal setup.
In addition to your smoking essentials like an ashtray and lighter, some things you might want to have on-hand include:
- Water
- Journal
- Tasty, indulgent snacks (both sweet and savory)
- Entertainment (movie, TV, music, friend to talk to)
- Cell phone and charger
What to Expect When Smoking Cannabis for the First Time
If you’ve never tried cannabis, it might be hard to imagine what it will feel like. Let’s talk about the effects of cannabis and how to know if you’re high.
Effects of Smoking Cannabis
When you smoke enough cannabis, you’ll get “high.” Once you’re high, the feeling will be easy to recognize.
While you’re high, you might feel:
- Euphoric
- Relaxed
- Energized
- Amused
- Giggly
- Creative
- Hungry
- Thirsty
- More sensitive
In addition, medical patients might feel relief from their conditions, including pain relief, nausea relief, and decreased anxiety or depression symptoms.
How Long Will I Be High?
You’ll experience your peak high around 10 minutes after smoking. Effects will usually linger for 1-3 hours, but could stick around for up to 8 hours. We recommend clearing your schedule for the rest of the day until you know how cannabis affects you.
Journal About Your Experience
It’s a good idea to journal about your first cannabis experience. It will allow you to reflect on how you’re feeling and how marijuana affects you. Since there are so many different cannabis strains, journaling lets you keep track of how each one affects you and helps you remember your favorite strains for the next time you’re shopping for cannabis. You can also track the sensations you’re enjoying so you can make more educated decisions when you’re buying cannabis in the future.
How to Stay Safe When Trying Marijuana for the First Time
Smoking cannabis is incredibly safe, but it’s still important to take some precautions when trying marijuana for the first time.
What Should I Do If I Smoke Too Much?
If you continue to smoke after you’re already high or smoke too fast, you might start to feel uncomfortably high.
According to Web MD, signs of a negative reaction due to smoking too much weed include:
- High levels of anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Rapid heart rate
- Difficulty speaking
- Poor coordination
- Nausea and vomiting
- Extreme confusion
- Paranoia
- Hallucinations
Luckily, you aren’t in any danger when you get too high. Once you sober up, you’ll be back to normal, as long as you don’t do anything dangerous while you’re high. That’s one of the reasons that getting high with a friend is a great idea.
If you want to sober up quickly, consider chewing on or smelling whole black peppercorns. You can also suck on a lemon or drink lemon water. These remedies can be effective because they contain terpenes that may calm the effects of cannabis.
What to Avoid While Smoking Cannabis for the First Time
It’s important to act responsibly when you’re trying marijuana for the first time. Here are some guidelines to keep you safe:
- Only buy legal cannabis to make sure that you’re getting safe weed.
- Don’t smoke cannabis if you’re under the age of 21.
- Don’t smoke cannabis if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Talk to a doctor before using cannabis if you have a history of psychosis or schizophrenia.
- Avoid mixing weed with alcohol or other drugs.
- Avoid driving or using heavy machinery for at least four hours after smoking.
- Avoid working any safety-sensitive job for 24 hours after trying marijuana for the first time.
- Have water on-hand in case you can’t stop coughing.
Have more questions about trying marijuana for the first time?
Visit the helpful, attentive dispensary agents at Blackstone Valley Cannabis! Our staff will tell you everything you need to know about cannabis and set you up with the right supplies to start your journey with the plant right away.
Happy smoking!
