Feeling good right now but have some stuff to do later?
You may be wondering how long does being high last.
The answer to this question depends on a variety of factors and can greatly differ from person to person. In theory, your high will last as long as THC is interacting with your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). Factors such as personal tolerance, metabolism, method of consumption, and potency of the product can all affect how long your high will last, and even how strong it will be.
Keep reading to find out exactly how these factors come into play and how they can best be managed!
How Long Does Being High Last?
For most people, a marijuana high lasts somewhere between 2-3 hours, but for others, it can last much longer.
Your personal tolerance to cannabis is one of the primary factors in determining how long your high lasts. If you’re a regular user with a high tolerance to cannabinoids, you’ll experience a less intense, shorter high.
If you’re a beginner smoker, you may want to book a solid 5-6 hours off to enjoy your cannabis experience. Because your body has built up very little to no tolerance to cannabis, you should expect your high to be more intense and to last longer.
Your Method of Consumption Will Affect The Length of Your High
Another very important factor to consider is how you’re consuming your cannabis. Each method of consumption has a different bioavailability rating that determines exactly how much THC actually makes it into your system.
For example, when applying sublingual THC tinctures, roughly 40%-50% of the THC actually makes it into circulation. However, studies have shown that when vaping cannabis, something like 50%-80% of the THC consumed will enter your bloodstream to produce effects. As such, if you are truly looking to get as high as possible for as long as possible, a vaporizer or a bong may be a better solution than tinctures or even joints.
Consuming THC edibles will produce a much longer high than any other method. This is because edibles have to be digested and metabolized before they can produce effects. The digestion process can take a significant amount of time, leading to a slow-drip of THC into the circulatory system. Because of this, many people find that the effects of an edible high can last for over 6 hours.
How Your Metabolism Affects The Length of Your High
A common misconception is that an individual’s weight will affect the intensity and length of their high. However, it’s actually their metabolism that affects the high.
Metabolization is how the human body processes ingested compounds (including THC), breaking them down for use and expelling what it doesn’t need. The speed at which this process takes place can differ from person to person. If you have a higher (read: faster) metabolism, you should expect that your high will be shorter since your body is processing THC more quickly.
Want To Get High For Longer?
Buy more potent cannabis products! The cannabinoid content of your product can directly influence how much THC actually enters your system and how long it takes to process. Otherwise, you could also consider consuming more of a less potent product in order to load up on THC that way.
