"Is this reality?”
That’s when I realized my friend Kam had gotten TOO high.
A very light, occasional cannabis user by most standards, Kam was from the UK. The cannabis she was familiar with was FAR LESS potent than what we get here in New York City — and even then, it was typically mixed with tobacco.
Just two small hits of Sour Kush and Kam was lying under the coffee table in a semi-fetal position, petting an imaginary cat and demanding to know if this was, in fact, reality. It was, I told her; the good news is that this was just a moment in time and it, too, would pass. Even if it seemed to be passing very, VERY slowly at that moment.
Kam was experiencing the effects of a “Green Out,” what experts refer to as the negative after-effects of having consumed too much THC, including, dizziness or nausea; or like my friend Kam, anxiety and confusion.
For Kam it only took a couple of small puffs. Everyone’s body chemistry and tolerance levels are different.
But regardless of where you’re at in your journey — whether you’re brand new at using cannabis or you’re the most highly seasoned cannabis aficionado — if you ever find yourself feeling ‘too high,’ what follows are some tips for crawling back out from under the coffee table and away from the imaginary cat.
HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?
Unlike a “Black Out,” which is commonly associated with having consumed too much alcohol, a Green Out will not cause you to lose consciousness or blot out large parts of your memory, and will not have any longer term negative effects on your body.
How long it lasts depends on a lot of things, including body weight, personal tolerance levels, different cannabis strains and variations in form and potency, and even when you had your last meal — like drinking alcohol, consuming cannabis on an empty stomach will definitely increase the effect, and not in a good way.
As a baseline, studies indicate that the typical “window of impairment,” or the duration of time in which a person is “high,” ranges anywhere from three to 10 hours. And generally speaking, while you may still feel some effect from the high, you can expect that period of extreme uneasiness to end in a few hours. But again, this is based on a number of factors.
Keeping the science as simple as possible for this discussion, let’s take cannabis-infused edibles versus smoking or vaping.
Since edibles metabolize much slower in the body, passing through the stomach and liver before THC begins to enter the bloodstream, the effects can take as long as two to three hours to kick in, and the high can last as long as six to 10 hours. By contrast, when smoking or vaping, THC enters the blood much more quickly through the lungs, and reaching the brain within minutes of consumption; the high hits you almost instantly and tends to run its course in about three hours.
And, it’s worth noting that Greening Out doesn’t necessarily imply being too stoned to detach from the sofa, unable to move or form a sentence, and incapable of any coherent thought. Depending on the strain of cannabis consumed, it could be quite the opposite. You might find yourself bouncing off the walls, teeming with way too much energy, your mind — and possibly your mouth — racing at a million-thoughts-per-second, all of which seem brilliant to you but are nonetheless incoherent to anyone who might be around you.
WHAT TO DO IN THE MEANTIME
While it’s nice to know how and why you came to feel the way you do, what’s more important when you’ve gotten yourself too high is knowing how to come back down.
Following are 9 things you can do to help fight the Green Out effect. We recommend making a cheat sheet to have on hand, something short and simple that can fit on an index card and won’t be subject to the interpretation skills of a mind that is too stoned to deal at that particular moment. Maybe keep it with your stash…;)
1. Don’t panic. Find a distraction.
First, fear not: No one HAS EVER died of a marijuana overdose. Never. Not. Once. So, relax knowing this will pass.
In the meantime find a distraction. Turn on the TV and find something funny to watch for an hour or two; play a video game; pick up a brush and some water colors, or even try an adult coloring book…anything that will help get you outside of your head until the uneasy feeling passes.
Can’t sit still? Clean the house. Do some laundry. Reorganize your sock drawer; then, dump it all out and reorganize it again. The key is to keep your mind focused on something simple — even the most mundane of tasks — rather than how stoned you happen to be.
2. Chill out.
Try turning the lights off and laying down for a bit. Take a nap if you can and sleep it off; but don’t try to force it as this will only further feed your anxiety.
Try “yoga breathing,” sitting up tall with an erect spine, breathe deeply through your nose and exhale out of your mouth, slowly to a count of five. If you’ve never done breathing exercises before meditation apps like Calm or Headspace can help.
3. Drink fluids.
Just not alcohol — it will not help you and will only make you feel MUCH worse later. And try to stay away from caffeinated beverages as well, as these may only intensify whatever lousy thing you’re already feeling.
Water is always a safe bet, as are most fruit juices. Though there is some anecdotal evidence that suggests that Vitamin C can help to either enhance or even out your high, there is no real science to support either theory. That said, a little extra vitamin C certainly won’t hurt. The key is really to get your body hydrated and keep it hydrated. And if you’re feeling nauseous, sip more slowly.
4. Feed your head.
If you happened to consume too much cannabis on an empty stomach, having something to eat could go a long way to bringing you back down to planet earth. Like fighting a hangover, some people swear by a big, fatty meal like a greasy cheeseburger; others prefer healthier, more nutrient-rich foods that are much lighter to digest.
That said, if one of the issues you’re having as a result of getting too high is nausea, then you probably want to stick to lighter, simpler choices, like a bit of fruit or even a bit of cheese; certainly don’t strap on the feed bag if you’re stomach’s not up to it.
If you do grab a bite, remember that certain foods will actually enhance the effect of cannabis, and make you feel even worse. Some foods to avoid would include mango, sweet potatoes, broccoli, dark chocolate, raw nuts and eggs.
5. Chew peppercorns.
This is not some crazy TikTok challenge — there is real science to support it. Black pepper contains the natural substance caryophyllene (an organic aromatic compound known as a terpene), which has been demonstrated to reduce anxiety and promote calming. Simply chewing on two or three whole peppercorns helps to enhance the natural relaxing, stress-reducing properties of cannabis. Similarly, sucking on a wedge of lemon, or chewing on a lemon peel, could also help; lemon contains limonene, which helps promote a sense of euphoria and elevate mood. Chewing on pine nuts or pistachios, which contain pinene and help reduce stress and anxiety.
6. Try countering with some CBD.
In terms of a silver bullet, many believe in the power of CBD — the non-psychoactive component also found in cannabis as well as the hemp plant — to help take the anxious edge off when they are too high. Science indicates that CBD may have a significant role in mitigating the high from THC, and helping to mellow the Green Out effect.
If you do choose a CBD product, you’ll want a higher dose and be careful to stay away from products that have a THC concentration higher than .03% — most hemp-based CBD products should fit the bill. And just like the difference between ingesting cannabis versus smoking it, form matters. Smoking or vaping CBD will work faster to even out your high than will an edible product. That said, sublingual drops, which are absorbed under the tongue, also have a fast rate of absorption.
7. Hit the showers.
Just as it might after a long slumber, a nice brisk shower will awaken your senses and bring you back down to earth. Alternately, a hot shower can help relax you, if you’re feeling more manic.
Some might prefer to soak in a hot bath, and certainly aromatherapeutic bath salts or oils such as lavender are great for relieving stress, but if you’re already feeling slow or sluggish, we advise against it — on average more than 300 people die each year from drowning in their own bathtub.
8. Change your environment.
If you’re not feeling light-headed, dizzy or disoriented, perhaps go for a walk — NOT a drive or a bike ride!!! Even just a short walk can be enough to jumpstart your metabolism and clear out the fog. But be aware of your environment; resist the urge to strap on your headphones and tune out the world around you, particularly, if you live in an urban area. The same goes if you happen to live closer to nature; in general you should never hike alone anyway, so certainly don’t go down any unfamiliar trails and keep your eyes on the ground in front of you.
Don’t think you’re up for a walk? Try just sitting on a bench outside somewhere and breathe in (see step 2) the fresh air, feel the sun — or even the rain — on your face and immerse your focus on the simple things around you (see step 1); that bird pecking away at a crust of bread on the ground, the shapes of the clouds or even just count the cars that roll by.
9. Call a friend.
Particularly, someone you really trust, who’s non-judgmental, and isn’t going to lay a guilt trip on you or make you feel like you did anything wrong; don’t call your Aunt Gladys who always warned you ‘not to take the pot.’ The conversation alone will help distract you from the way you’re feeling (see step 1), but having a friend who’s “been there, done that,” who can reassure you and help guide you back down safely goes along way. Just ask my friend Kam…;)
So, what happened with Kam? After about 90 minutes, she felt like her old self again. Because I was there to help reintroduce her to reality and get her out from under the coffee table, she didn’t come away from the experience scarred forever. About a week later we smoked together again; this time she started with just one puff, and she had a much — MUCH — nicer time.
At Upleaf’d we have always believed in the Salt Principle. Like salt, a little bit of cannabis makes everything in life a little better, but just a little bit of cannabis; too much and you drown out the flavor and ruin the experience. But in the event you ever find that you’ve “over-salted” yourself, these steps should help.
Still have questions? Feel free to email me — just hit the “contact us” button and we’ll do our best to get back to you within 24 hours.
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