What to do if you get too high.
Saturday, December 1st, 2018
We’ve all been there, me included. I’ve found myself under the covers in a little ball after too many edibles; I’ve been out with friends after a dab too many thinking that the world was out to get me. Everyone I know has a “dude, I got way too high this one time” story because it’s difficult to find that perfect high without crossing the line at least once (one of my coworkers ended up in a tree). And yes, when it comes to cannabis, moderation is the key just like it is with everything else, but that’s the kind of platitude that doesn’t do anything after the fact. So, this week, I figured it’d be a good idea to give you a few tips on what to do if you have one hit or one cookie too many; here we go…
1.) Don’t panic, because that just makes the experience worse. Remember, cannabis is comparably safe—after all, you can overdose on water and die if you drink too much, but even a ludicrous amount of pot won’t kill you. If you get too high, simply remind yourself that everything is going to be okay and breathe deeply.
2.) Eat. You get munchies after smoking for a reason (your body knows what it needs), and if you get too high, I’d recommend giving into the urge to stuff your face. Just like with other intoxicants, I’ve found that a belly-full of food takes off the edge. And please take this with a grain of salt, but Neil Young swears that black pepper takes away some of the high, or at least the anxiety, so try seasoning your food liberally if you’re eating to combat a high.
3.) Drink water. Frankly, this is good advice even if you’re not too high, but water helps to flush everything out of your system, not just THC, so stay hydrated!
4.) Try taking some CBD. I wrote an entire blog about marijuana myths that you can read HERE because a lot of people think that CBD cancels out a THC high, but it doesn’t. If you take CBD in concert with THC, it adds something to the high rather than taking away from it, but the calming effects of CBD can definitely take the edge off; this is the stoner’s version of “hair of the dog.”
5.) Take a bath. There’s something about hot water that seems to fix everything, and it’s no different when it comes to cannabis. If you get too high, try taking a hot bath or a long shower. Worst case scenario, you’ll be too high in the shower, which is way better than being out in public with all the crazies.
6.) Find something to do. Most of the symptoms associated with an extreme high are in your head (just like the rest of life’s harmless nonsense), so if you distract yourself with a movie (“The Princess Bride” is my recommendation), you’ll be able to think about something else until sobriety comes your way.
7.) Exercise. The cannabinoids in your system are metabolized just like anything else you take in to your body, so if you want to get through it more quickly, go for a brisk walk—you’ll burn calories while sobering up, which is a win-win. Of course, there’s another side to this coin: if you want to hold onto your high because it’s just right, sit on the couch and enjoy the ride.
8.) Find a friend. Most of the issues that stem from an insane high are psychological, so if you get paranoid and anxious, call a friend (if they get annoyed, blame it on me). Having someone to talk you down and soothe the insanity can really help. Hell, if you don’t have a friend, give us a call at (970) 403-3710 and one of our budtenders will chat with you.
And that’s that. As I said in the beginning, it’s best to not to overindulge in the first place. Actually, it was Benjamin Franklin who said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” but that axiom might not relate to our industry because an ounce of anything we sell would definitely be too much of a good thing. But what makes our Durango dispensary different is the fact that we’ll actually tell you to take it easy when you’re shopping here as opposed to selling you as much pot as possible. We’ve trained our budtenders to explain edible serving sizes, and the THC percentage associated with every strain we sell is listed clearly, so you’ll never end up with something more potent than you can handle. The pleasant experience you have with the products we sell is just as important to us as the experience you have while you’re in our store, because after all, We’re Your Best Buds!