First Time Smoking Weed: What to Expect and How to Do It Safely

So, you decided to try out weed for the first time, and you’re unsure how to proceed. Well, worry not because this piece is here to help you out.

Trying out cannabis for the first time is a big topic, even if people don’t treat it as such; for me, it was catastrophic. I did everything wrong: I did zero research about what I was consuming, I passed a joint in an empty lot while it was beginning to get dark, and nobody told me how much I was supposed -or not supposed- to inhale. Long story short, I spent the worst three hours of my life being the most anxious and paranoid I had ever been.

But you know what? I learned a lot from that night, mostly what I should have never done in my first experience with weed. Now I’m here to tell you everything I know so you can make sure it doesn’t happen to you. 

There are more than ten ways to consume marijuana, from rolling a joint to lighting up a bong to vaping with a pen, smoking from a pipe, or eating an edible. 

Every style has its pros and cons, but people who consume marijuana in different ways have pointed out that starting your cannabis journey by smoking a joint is an excellent way to do it. The pros: You can see and control how much you’re inhaling, it allows you to share it with your friends, and best, you can take it slow and at your own pace. 

If smoking a joint sounds good, the only thing you need -besides the weed itself- is a lighter and some rolling hemp papers, here is a good option for you.

Jackie Bryant, a freelance writer who focuses on cannabis, stated in Healthline that it’s essential to eliminate the high vs. not high binary. 

“In reality, cannabis’s effects fall along a spectrum,” she writes. “How you’ll feel those effects depends on a lot of things, including the product you’re using, your surroundings, and your emotional state that day.”

Way of Leaf notes that cannabis affects its users differently, and for some first-time smokers, it will not affect them at all. Keep in mind that this is entirely normal and extremely common.

I know this may sound a bit discouraging, but it’s important to know that weed affects people in very different ways. While your friend may be crying their eyes out because of something remotely funny somebody said, you could be spaced out and relaxed sitting on your couch for a couple of hours. 

With cannabis, there also comes a range of emotions that you can feel as you consume it; you name it: euphoric, relaxed, giggly, amused, creative, hungry, and even more sensitive than you usually are. 

Healthline notes that the duration of a marijuana high, like all things related to cannabis, depends on various factors. There are two extremely considerable: dose and potency. However, a 2017 PubMedCentral review identified the following times for the onset, peak, and total duration of a marijuana high.

With other methods, the onset, peak, and duration may vary. It is important to note that adverse reactions are more common when you’re inexperienced or when you take too much. Remember: potent cannabis can trigger a stronger reaction.

If you are a beginner, you would want to make your life easier with a pipe with the best filters on it so it would prevent you from coughing; the best one in the market is KØL 2.0 or KØL mini if you want to take it everywhere! Great choice to start with, easy to smoke and easy to clean.

Thanks to cannabis being more and more explored around the world, the internet has been offering a lot of information about different aspects of marijuana. Look at online resources such as Leafly, a website that provides a directory of various strains and their intended effects.

For your first time, experts recommend a strain that's high in CBD and low in THC, the two famous components of cannabis. This combination is often an excellent place to start because it won’t have a strong psychoactive effect.

Look for a place where you feel comfortable, like a private area in your home or a friend’s house, that you can trust. Being in a comfortable space with people you feel safe with is extremely important, so stick with friends you know and trust.

Pro tip: If you can share your first time smoking weed with somebody who has previously rolled a joint and smoked it before, let them be in charge of moving it!

The case of the munchies and dry mouth are real, so eat some snacks before getting high, bring some along for the ride and keep a bottle of water at arm’s reach. 

Cannabis users recommend trying it out for the first time when you have time to “ride out the high.” You should keep your dose low and wait at least 2 hours before re-dosing, so if you smoke and don’t feel the effects immediately, sit back and wait for it. 

Remember that the idea is to sit back, chill and enjoy the effects. Cannabis users have reported that music helps, so if you have a special song, a particular album, or your favorite playlist, set the mood! It will add a new dimension to your experience, Way of Leaf recommends.

Whether you need a friend to help you get back home or mark a clear pathway to the couch, be prepared for things to go wrong. Unpleasant emotions and physically adverse outcomes can include side effects such as anxiety, hallucinations, racing heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, panic, and paranoia.

If things get uncomfortable, mentally or physically, Dr. Jordan Tishler, president of inhaleMD and Harvard Medical School professor, recommends this easy tip:

“The best advice if you do get too much is to relax with the support of your special people, watch some lighthearted TV, and go to sleep. You’ll be fine in the morning,”

And that’s it, everything you need to know about your first marijuana experience.

It’s probably a lot of information, but do not overthink it. The best thing you can do is research! Prepare yourself mentally to explore the effects that cannabis has to offer, let go of expectations that you may have, and be open to a series of possible outcomes that will unfold before you.