Before getting started with weed, you should know what to expect from your first session. Pot may not be as psychedelic as magic mushrooms, but it’s still a psychoactive substance. If you aren't careful with smoking weed on your first session, you could get turned off from this herb for life. Plenty of “THC tourists” swear off weed after a bad first trip, so you need to be smart about scheduling your first session.
A Few Tips For First-Time Tokers
Getting started with weed for the first time may feel a bit scary, but there are tips you could use to increase the odds of your initial experience being enjoyable. Rather than lighting the first cannabis strain you find in a dispensary, please take some time to organize your first session.
Bad News First: Prepare For Pot Paranoia
First, let’s get the most negative aspect of weed out of the way: paranoia.
Hopefully, you’ll never have to experience this scary sensation during your marijuana session. However, many scientific studies clearly show that people can experience psychosis after smoking pot. It’s unclear why THC affects people differently, but many reports suggest everyone has a unique genetic predisposition to this cannabinoid. Unfortunately, you won’t know how delta-9 THC affects you until you try weed for the first time.
If you’ve never had THC before, you need to know that paranoia is a real risk factor. Also, your odds of experiencing paranoia are higher if you have a history of anxiety or panic attacks.
For your safety, it’s best to stick with a cannabis strain that has low levels of delta-9 THC so you can “test the waters.” Interestingly, a few trials suggest lower levels of THC have a more positive effect on anxiety versus moderate to high levels. Even if you experience paranoia after your first joint, it’s less likely you’ll have a severe panic attack if you take less weed.
Even if you put all of these precautions in place, there’s a chance you could experience intense fear, uncontrollable shaking, and other unpleasant symptoms when trying marijuana. As long as you keep your THC dosage low, there’s minimal chance marijuana will kill you. Please try to focus on your breathing and know that the paranoia will pass.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to “cure” a predisposition to THC paranoia. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy weed’s benefits if you react negatively to THC. For instance, you could switch to CBD-rich strains. Unlike THC, CBD is non-psychoactive. Plus, studies suggest CBD can block THC’s psychoactive properties, which should help THC-intolerant tokers.
Hit The Books Before You Buy — Research Reputable Strain Reviews
You’ll often hear that weed affects everyone differently, which is true. However, certain weed strains tend to have similar effects on most tokers. Also, if you use a device like the tCheck THC Potency Tester, you can accurately gauge the intensity of your cannabis extract, flower, or edible.
Knowing the average effects and cannabinoid percentages in your cannabis strain can better prepare you for getting started with weed. In general, sativa-rich strains with high THC percentages are only fit for experienced tokers. So, it’s always better to start with strains that have a reputation for relaxation and low THC levels.
Check out our Best Cannabis Cultivars For Anxiety for some beginner-friendly strain inspiration.
Get Your Work Done Before Getting Started with Weed
The primary reason most people take pot is to de-stress. Therefore, you should ensure all potential stressors are taken care of before your weed session. Since you don’t know how weed will affect you before you take it, it’s safest to experiment with a strain later in the day when you have nothing on your schedule.
True, some people microdose cannabis to help boost their productivity, but it’s not a great idea for newbies to try this strategy. Again, there’s no knowing how you’ll react to THC until you try it, so why put yourself at risk of extra stress before a big deadline?
Create A Relaxed Ambiance For Reefer
Piggybacking on the last point, it’s a good idea to create a “safe smoking space” for your first session. Make your room as cozy & comfortable as possible to enhance weed’s relaxing properties. Play some soothing music in the background, or put on one of your favorite movies. Whatever helps you feel at ease will help reduce the odds of experiencing paranoia the first time you give THC a go.Make Some Space for Snacks and Hydration
It’s well known that THC can cause an intense desire for treats (aka “the munchies”). However, when you’re in the throes of a marijuana high, chances are you won’t want to get up to grab a bag of your favorite snacks.
To help satiate your “munchies,” it’s a good idea to place a few of your favorite foods on a nearby table. Once your “hunger hormones” kick into overdrive, you’ll only have to lift a few fingers to satisfy your roaring tummy.Furthermore, coughing fits and dry mouth are part and parcel of being a pot smoker. There’s no way you could 100 percent avoid these issues, but extra hydration helps.
Before your planned weed session, it’s a good idea to increase your water intake to mitigate these symptoms. You might also want to keep a bottle of cool water nearby to help ease these annoyances during your smoke session.
Play It Safe On Your First Session With A tCheck Scanner
No matter how reputable your cannabis brand is, it’s never ideal to trust a company’s posted cannabinoid concentrations.
The only way first-time smokers can prepare for their first session is to use an at-home device like the tCheck THC Potency Checker. Our award-winning scanner can give accurate readings on any cannabis product you’re interested in. Whether you’re into edibles, vape juices, or flowers, you can use a tCheck scanner to determine whether your item is suitable for you.
Learn about the tCheck THC Potency Tester’s impressive accuracy score.
