How to Get High

Trying something new can be intimidating, especially when no one tells you how exactly it’s supposed to be done. Smoking weed and getting high are no different. Someone can hand you a joint or a blunt, but how do you roll one? If you get some edibles, how do you know how much to take? How does getting high even work? All fair questions. All easy to answer. In this article, we’ll give you a crash course in all you need to know about getting high. Let’s spark it up.

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How Does Getting High Work?

If you’re new to getting high, there are probably some things you want to know about what’s happening when you smoke, vape, or consume a hemp or cannabis-based product. Both hemp and cannabis are rich in naturally occurring chemical compounds known as cannabinoids. When you smoke, vape, or ingest a cannabis product, the cannabinoids it contains are going to make their way into your bloodstream. From there, they interact with the receptors in your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). 

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Ways to Get High

Getting high using cannabis or a hemp-based product is not a one size fits all experience. There are enough options to make sure every Stonerella finds their grass slipper. Let’s look closer at the different options you have for getting high, and how they differ.

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Smoking

The tried-and-true classic when it comes to getting high is smoking flower. It’s iconic, it’s visceral, and it’s fun. If you ask five different weed smokers about their favorite way to smoke weed, you may very well get five different answers. Let’s look at the most popular methods. 

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• Bowls – Your most basic form of a cannabis pipe is a bowl. They are named for the concave shape at the head of the pipe where the flower is packed. The flower is then lit while the smoker inhales from the mouthpiece. Bowls often have a third hole known as a carb that allows smoke to be cleared from the chamber of the pipe. If your bowl has a carb, hold your thumb over it to fill the chamber then lift your thumb to clear the smoke from the pipe to your lungs.

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• Bongs – Also known as water pipes, bongs allow the smoke to pass through water, allowing for some amount of cooling and filtration before the smoke is inhaled. The flower is packed into a slide and the slide is removed when the chamber of the bong is ready to be cleared.

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• Joints – Joints are ground or separated flower rolled inside a rolling paper. Rolling paper is typically made of hemp or flax and is between 3 to 4 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. 

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• Blunts – Blunts are like joints, but the flower is wrapped in a blunt wrap rather than a rolling paper. Blunt wraps are usually made of tobacco leaf and are much larger than rolling papers, so it takes more flower to fill a blunt than it does a joint. For a more detailed explanation of the difference between joints and blunts, check out our article here.

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Smoking weed is a simple and convenient way to get high. Even if you’re brand new, you can easily enjoy some flower by any of these methods. We even have step-by-step breakdowns of everything you need to know about how to pack and smoke a bowl or how to roll a joint. Still, I’ll give you the basics. 

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How to Pack a Bowl or Bong

1. Break up the flower with a grinder or by hand. You want an even consistency without being too fine.
2. Pack the flower in the bowl head or slide. Looser packing near the bottom leading to a progressively tighter pack at top will help promote a smooth smoke.
3. Light the bowl and inhale. If the bowl has a carb, remember to cover it with your finger before you apply the flame, inhale, then remove your finger from the carb to clear the chamber. If you’re smoking a bong, once the chamber is full, lift the slide out of the down stem to clear the smoke.

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How to Roll a Joint or Blunt

1. Break up the flower. Whether by hand or with a grinder, the key again is even consistency.
2. If using a filter or crutch, place it at one end of the rolling paper, then fill the rest of the paper or blunt wrap with your broken up flower.
3. Form the flower in the channel of whichever paper or wrap is being used.
4. Pinch the paper or wrap and gently but firmly roll it around the flower with your thumb and forefinger to form the appropriate shape.
5. Lick the gumline or wrap edge to seal the seam of the joint or blunt closed.
6. Light the end, inhale, and enjoy.

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Vaping

Next on our list is vaping. Because it is so convenient, portable, and discreet, vaping cannabis is becoming more and more popular. Vaping involves rapidly heating either cannabis flower or some kind of cannabis extract until the cannabinoids are vaporized. Vaping weed creates less odor, and some describe it as having a cleaner flavor. Also, because extracts can be vaped, it is possible for vapes to have a significantly higher cannabinoid concentration than flower. There are a few varieties of vapes that we see most often.

• Disposable Vape Pens – Arguably the easiest and most convenient way to get high, a disposable vape pen contains a certain amount of cannabis or hemp extract and when it is gone, you simply throw the pen away. They are either button activated or draw activated, so you simply inhale and enjoy.
• Vape Cartridges – Cartridges that contain cannabis or hemp extract can also be purchased and screwed on to a rechargeable battery. Once these cartridges are spent, you can replace them with a new one. One of the major advantages of cartridges is that you can use a battery that can control the temperature, allowing you to customize your vape experience
• Dry Herb Vaporizer – If you find you love flower, a dry herb vaporizer may be perfect for you. Ground flower is loaded into a chamber and heated to just below the point of combustion, allowing the essential oils to vaporize. They come in table-top and pen form but are more expensive than disposables and cartridges.
• Box-Mod Vaporizer – Box-mod vaporizers are less common in the cannabis world, mainly because it is not as common to see cannabinoid enriched e-liquid. Box-mods allow for the most customizable vaping experience.

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Dabs

Dabs are what we call a category of concentrates that are exposed to extremely high temperatures so that a large quantity of cannabinoids can be inhaled at one time. This makes the high you experience much more intense. A dab is done by super-heating a ceramic or titanium service (called a nail) and using a tool to apply the concentrate while inhaling. Dab is an all-encompassing term but there are many kinds of dabs. Because of the intensity of the high, dabs are not recommended for the uninitiated or faint of heart. If you’re ready to give them a try, you’re going to need some kind of rig. A rig can resemble a bong or be electronic and function like a vaporizer. Because of the high temps and open flames, I recommend you read up on exactly how to smoke a dab before you get started.

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Edibles

Edibles are another easy and convenient way to get high. Cannabis or hemp extracts can be added to sublingual tinctures, gummies, chocolate, candy, or baked goods so that getting high is as simple as consume and enjoy. Because the cannabinoids are being introduced to the bloodstream through the digestive system rather than the lungs, the onset of your high is going to take longer. You should wait at least 60 to 90 minutes after taking an edible to allow your high to take effect. If you're new to edibles, you want to make sure you dial in the right dose. I suggest you read a full guide on dosing edibles here, but I’ll also provide you with some guidelines.

• Microdose, 1 to 2.5 mg – Unlikely to intoxicate but may provide mild relief to symptoms of pain, nausea, or anxiety.
• Low dose, 3 to 5 mg – Good starting dosage for new users, may feel mild euphoria and intoxication.
• Moderate dose, 10 to 15 mg – Often considered the range of a recommended dose for experienced users, this amount will likely result in a high that includes euphoria but may impair coordination.
• High dose, 20+ mg – Higher dosages are only recommended for experienced users or those with acute medical conditions that require more powerful symptom relief.

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What Does Getting High Feel Like?

Now you know how to get high, but what should you expect if you decide to? There are several variables that will impact what a person might experience when getting high, both internal and external. The most important variable include:

• Strain, dosage, and potency
• Frequency of use
• Manner of usage (smoke, vape, dab, or edible)
• Age, gender, and physiology
• The presence of other chemicals

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After using cannabis or a hemp-based cannabinoid, you’re likely to experience several different effects. These effects are what make up your high. Some of the most common effects are:

• Amusement
• Laughter
• Hunger
• Euphoria
• Creativity
• Focus
• Relaxation
• Pain-relief

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It is important to listen to your body when using cannabinoids, especially if you are new to getting high. It is best to start with small doses, like a single hit from a pipe or vape, or a low dose of an edible, then wait to see how you are affected. Consuming too large of a dose can result in less positive effects, for example:

• Nausea
• Paranoia
• Racing heartbeat
• Confusion
• Impaired coordination

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If you take your time, listen to your body, and follow the recommended dosages, you should have a great time enjoying the effects of cannabis.

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Wrap Up

Being unfamiliar with getting high is no reason to be intimidated. It just means you can decide what is the best option for you, and you have plenty available to choose from. It may be the classic puff of smoking flower or the ease and convenience of a vape pen. Perhaps you prefer the portability and dosage control of an edible like a gummy or chocolate bar. Maybe you get your feet under you, you find that you love the power and intensity of a dab. Whatever high you decide on, The Green Dragon has everything you need to enjoy it. Feel free to browse our product pages, every product comes with a full description as well as third-party laboratory results, so you know you’re only getting the finest products. We also have friendly and knowledgeable associates standing by to answer all questions you may have about what product is best for you, reach out through our contact page or leave us a message in the comments below. Now you’re ready to have a good time.

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