A Beginner’s Guide to Weed Consumption

In this article, you will learn what you need to do to make your first marijuana experience a success.

Smoking marijuana for the first time can be an experience that will change your whole life. Or maybe nothing will happen at all. You’ll wait hour after hour for the effect, but you’ll remain deadly sober, and you’ll be staring at an unsolved bag of chips.

And yet it’s worth a try.

I will give you some tips on how to smoke weed and get the most out of it.

Pick a device

You can spend hours watching Youtube videos on how to roll a joint, but just like you can’t cut your hair properly the first time, you can’t do anything without a certain training. Weed stores and pharmacies in the U.S. sell ready-made joints, next to which your masterpiece will look like a monster Frankenstein. Such joints necessarily have a “whistle”, which prevents you from sucking the hemp crumb in your mouth. So when you’re wrapping up the joints yourself, don’t forget about it.

If you’re thinking of buying a glass device, walk past a giant bong in the form of a “pirate ship”. For the first time, a spoonful of bong is enough. It will form the basis of your future collection anyway. Besides, it’s easier to handle and carry with you.

Make sure that the spoon-shaped tube has a ” carriage” – an opening that you cover with your finger, lighting up the cones. You may have to put a mesh at the bottom of the tube, as through the stem of the non-smoked tube crumbs will get into your mouth, burning your throat – a terrible feeling, especially for a beginner! Finally, don’t forget to give your device a name – especially creative ideas come during the process. However, you should remember that using cannabis in certain ways can increase the risk of spreading salivary diseases such as mononucleosis and intestinal viruses. To avoid infection, never share a cigarette or water tube/bong with others, or if you do, try not to touch the cigarette or tube with your lips. Wash the pipe or bong thoroughly before using it.

Water tubes, which are often not washed, can become a hotbed of pathogens for various diseases, as many bacteria and mold fungi like a humid and warm environment. Homemade plastic tubes can cause especially many problems, as toxic substances that are released from plastic when heated also enter the lungs together with smoke.

In recent years, the use of vaporizers, or evaporators, has become more common as a means of using cannabis, and they form much less combustion residues. This means that when they are used, the THC-to-tar ratio is higher than when smoking, and less tar is injected into the body to get the desired dose of THC. A comparative analysis of four ways of using cannabis in California in 2018 showed that when smoking a joint with a filter, you get 30% more tar in the lungs, in terms of the number of cannabinoids, than smoking filter-less joints, and that of the four methods, the most harmful is the use of a water tube, one puff of which contains 180% more resin than filter-less joints converted to the same amount of cannabinoids.

Buy everything you need in advance

A warning: Don’t even think about driving and going somewhere after you’ve finished. Even public transport or Uber can be overwhelming, and simple things like cash or cards can become completely outrageous. Communicating with people you don’t know can make you paranoid.

It is wise to refrain from using cannabis at least one day before performing important and complex tasks that require cognitive effort. It may also be useful to reduce the amount or frequency of use. To ensure that your body has time to remove residual cannabinoids from your body, try to pause your cannabis use at least occasionally for a few days or weeks.

Consider the environment and mood

The author of the formula “set and setting” is psychoanalyst Norman Zinberg. By set is understood a mental reality in your head, and by setting – physical reality outside of it. If you are tired of a long working day or thinking about where to get money for rent, your first experience is likely to be negative. The same if you eat a handful of mushrooms and then fly for four hours on a plane. Create the most pleasant environment, and if something is bothering you, do not be afraid to change it.

That’s it! Smoke up!

It’s time. You shredded the cones, stuffed the bong, or set your joints on fire. And here it is, the moment of truth. Take a deep breath, and then take a little air so that the smoke doesn’t stay in your mouth because only what gets into your lungs will work. Considering the above, keeping the smoke inside for a long time, you will add a bit to the effect. Well, except that the brain will experience oxygen starvation, which also has a kind of effect. Well, exhale when you like it. If you take a few puffs, stop. It’s like salt: you can always add more, but if it’s too much, the soup is ruined.

Prepare the entertainment

Weed is famous for its ability to turn a familiar and even a slightly annoying album or movie into an unexpected holiday. Prepare several options at once, so that you can get into any mood. If you like, say, “A Clockwork Orange”, perhaps it’s better to choose something simpler. Either way, choose something familiar, or even “Fast Furious 7” may seem like the same puzzle as “Inception”. As for the music, you probably already have a good playlist somewhere. And still, be ready to satisfy your sudden desire to listen to all the songs of a band you used to know only one hit.

Eat your favorite food

Even science confirms that weed improves the taste of food, which I actively used when I was a freelance journalist and lived on dull street food. It’s gonna be hard to cook, so set the table in advance. Although junk food may be a good option. I happened to eat a whole jar of Nutella, and it seemed like a great idea – no, a brilliant idea. The main thing is not to be left alone with an empty fridge! This could be a real pain!

Smoke in a good company

Cannabis is a social thing, so use it in a warm, friendly company, not among casual people who want to make fun of you. Especially a good company of experienced smokers – they will help you if you have melancholy and bad moods. And while society is definitely good, too many people are not the best option.

You should also keep in mind that people’s susceptibility to the effects of cannabis varies greatly and depends on previous experience – if you yourself use it regularly and are in the company of a less experienced person, do not put pressure on him/her or force him/her to use it. If you are a strong smoker, one or two puffs may be enough to get intoxicated. If you accidentally consume too much cannabis, try to find a quiet place to calm down and rest until all the negative effects have passed.

The experience of some people who use cannabis helps to understand that, thanks to the terpenes contained in the pepper, in order to get rid of anxiety, fear, and obsessions that arise when using cannabis, it is enough to chew a couple of black peas. If after smoking cannabis intensive exposure lasts more than 12 hours after consumption, you should definitely think about visiting a psychiatrist.

If problems arise, most people who use cannabis can reduce or stop using it without serious withdrawal symptoms even after a long period of regular use, while for some people the risk of developing serious chronic addiction is much higher. A common assessment is that about one in ten people who use cannabis is at risk of becoming addicted to the substance.

Undoubtedly, it should be remembered that for minors whose brains are still in the process of development, all the cognitive and psychological dangers associated with cannabis use can be much more serious than for adults, so it is reasonable to wait until at least 20 or even better, 25 years for experiments. A common elementary rule of thumb is that the earlier a person starts using cannabis, and the more they use it, the more serious the health risks they may pose. In addition, it should also be mentioned that women may be more likely to be affected by cannabis use than men.

Try an orgasm

Your brain is basically testing it already. While most of the activities on our list require a company, this item can also be done on your own. Do not be fooled by the myth that once you experience an orgasm under the weed, you will never feel it again: believe me, it is not so! Just bear in mind that the first time under the weed it will be a bit difficult for you to communicate with strangers, so forget about the pickup relations. Also, check out our post on the best strains for sex.

Take a walk in the countryside

As a rule, it is not combined with the previous paragraph. Although I am a big nature lover, I must admit that nature is a little bit different without weed. I only went camping once after I moved to Colorado. Just wandering around the neighborhood with a dog will give you a lot of stimuli for your soul and bodywork.

Stay calm

Take care of yourself for the duration of smoking. Psychoactive substances can give an unexpected reaction to a beginner. There have been cases where the effect has not been good on an existing mental disorder or has not worked well with other substances the person has used before. Cases of allergies have also been described, so do not be afraid to consult a physician when something really serious has happened.

If you are not aware of the joint effects hemp can have on your body in combination with the medicines you are taking, ask your doctor for advice. To understand if your cannabis use affects the efficacy of other drugs, take a pause in your use, and carefully observe any changes in your health.

You should avoid using particularly strong hemp concentrations, as the intensity of their effects can often be quite unexpected.

With this in mind, if you feel intense fear or paranoia, squeezed in the chest and difficult to breathe – it is quite frightening, but generally harmless panic attack. It’s better to focus on your breathing, and it’s better if there’s someone nearby who can calm you down. There are also home remedies to defeat paranoia: musician Neil Young recommends chewing black pepper, and football player Ricky Williams – to eat more sweets. But the main thing – breathe measuredly to prevent hyperventilation.