Beginner’s Guide to Getting High for the First Time

You have a lot of friends who enjoy firing up a blunt just as much as knocking back a cold one, or perhaps they prefer smoking marijuana over drinking at all. You hear a lot of good things about smoking marijuana in general. You may even have medicinal curiosities about the benefits of the best herb on the planet.  

The only problem is, you’ve never been high, and the whole idea of smoking weed for the first time leaves you with a lot of questions. Watching That 70s Show and a few Snoop Dogg interviews gives some insight, but nothing beats getting the straight-up facts about first-timer toking.

Luckily, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s what you need to know…

How much marijuana will you need to get high?

If you are planning to smoke for your first high-times experience, you really shouldn’t need a whole lot of bud to get the job done. You can probably pick up a gram or two and have all you need—as long as you have good quality product.

A gram of marijuana is really not a lot. If you buy your marijuana from a reputable seller or dispensary, you’re probably going to have two or three coin-sized pieces, but this is well enough to fill your bowl or roll a joint. The amount you smoke to get you high is going to vary according to a few different things:

• The quality of the marijuana
• The strain of marijuana you have
• How your body reacts to the THC
• Which way you smoke or consume the marijuana

Because there’s no exact science and so many variables involved, it’s best to start slow. If you’re smoking, take a few hits and wait a few minutes to see how you react. Some newbies make the mistake of smoking a whole bowl or joint before they realize they didn’t need that much, and this can scare you away from actually enjoying the experience. You should feel a little effect almost right away as the smoke gets into your lungs and travels through your bloodstream, but full effects can take a little longer to kick in.

Should you get high alone?

Getting high for the first time can be a little intimidating, so it’s best if you enlist a good experienced friend for some sense of support through the process. Make sure the person you choose to guide you through this first-time experience is trustworthy and has enough experience to help you understand what to expect, how much to smoke, and so on.

Where should you smoke?

Ask a handful of experienced weed smokers what they recommend for a newbie as the location of the first high experience, and you will probably get different answers. Some people say that the first experience is best indoors since there can be so many variables outside, and you may feel a little paranoid once you do get high. However, just as many weed smokers claim that smoking outdoors heightens the experience.

You are going to be more alert to things like colors, sounds, and even smells, which means there is a lot to experience outside in the open air. On the flipside of that though, being outside in an open space may make you feel a little uncomfortable. Think about what you think will be the most comfortable setting, and go from there. There’s nothing saying you can’t smoke your marijuana in the house, and then go outside to also see what there is to experience beyond your front door when you’re a little high.

What feelings should you expect?

The particular strain of marijuana you pick will have a lot to do with exactly what feelings you experience when you are high. For example, Sativa-based strains are more likely to leave you feeling a bit more energetic and maybe even talkative, whereas a good Indica will have you completely relaxed, possibly more zoned out. There are some pretty usual commonalities with physical symptoms no matter what strain you smoke, including:

• Cottonmouth (dry mouth)
• Red or dry eyes that feel a bit itchy or tires
• Increased appetite, more commonly known as the munchies

Psychologically, your high can affect you in a lot of different ways. For the most part, people feel a little giddy and a little giggly when they’re high. You’ll find things comical that may otherwise barely evoke a smile. Small things will be more fascinating, such as the colors on your tie-dye shirt or the way a word sounds when you say it.

Because marijuana heightens your senses, you’re likely going to experience things like music or visual arts in a different way. Food can taste somehow better, which is a good thing because you’re likely going to get the munchies. Even your sense of touch can be increased, so being high and getting a massage or combing your hair can be a wonderful experience.

How should you prepare beforehand?

• Pick a place where you will feel safe and comfortable about smoking. Remember, being high can make you feel a little paranoid, so don’t pick a place where something could exacerbate that problem.
• Pick up some good snacks at the grocery beforehand. You will likely raid your fridge or pantry at some point because you have the munchies. It’s always better if you have some good snacks on hand to just grab when the munchies strike. If you’re health-conscious, pick up some low-calorie snacks that you can safely consume without beating yourself up after you come down.
• Plan to have some entertainment. The best experience of being high for the first time will come from experiencing the things that marijuana can make even better. So you’re going to want some good tunes, something fun to watch, and something to entertain you, make you laugh, or focus your attention on in the moment.
• Make sure you plan to get high at a time that is most convenient. Smoking marijuana is likely to leave you feeling relaxed, so most first-timers will choose to try bud at the end of the day or late in the afternoon, not when you have to be somewhere anytime soon after.
• Grab a few bottles of water to keep your mouth moistened—you’re going to need it because dry mouth is almost a guarantee. Soft drinks, tea, and other sweetened beverages can actually make dry mouth worse.

How long does the high last?

The high will usually last between one and three hours. The intensity will peak within that first hour and gradually wane after that. Of course, you may feel some effects for a little longer than the three-hour mark, especially if you smoked top-quality marijuana.

If something happens and you don’t like the way marijuana is making you feel, (such as being overly paranoid or spaced out), you can usually combat the effects by drinking a hot cup of coffee or tea, eating, taking a nap, getting plenty of fresh air, or even chewing on black peppercorns to neutralize the THC. Some people also claim that taking a hot shower also helps overcome a marijuana high—the steamier the better.

What should you expect when coming down?

Coming down from marijuana is not like coming down from most other recreational drugs or even alcohol. You will probably feel pretty chill and relaxed, most likely a little tired or sleepy. Some frequent marijuana smokers feel what they call “burnout,” which basically means feeling groggy or unable to focus. However, burnout usually only occurs if someone has consumed a lot of weed frequently or on a regular basis. As a newbie, you should probably just plan on heading to bed soon after the effects wear off, and you will likely sleep very well. As you drift off to sleep, check out our favorite weed memes for a late night laugh.