The Straight Toke - THE Marijuana Blog

When I wrote my primer on how to smoke weed for first time smokers, I got an e-mail from a fellow webmaster (he runs the Amsterdam Logue, a comprehensive Amsterdam travel guide) with the suggestion that I cover the common belief that "you don't get high the first time you smoke." So I shall.

Simply put: it's a myth. There is no reason that one's brain will not react to the cannabinoids present in marijuana the first time one smokes. Unlike some other substances (Kanna comes to mind), there is no 'sensitization' period necessary to 'prime' the appropriate receptors. Your brain will have more or less the same response to THC whether you're a lifelong pothead or a first time smoker.

So why then does this myth keep circulating? Well, that's because a lot of people don't get high the first time they smoke. Hold on... didn't I just say that it's a myth? Allow me to explain: while there's no technical reason why one cannot get high the first time they smoke, many people find that they do not in fact get high their first time. This is usually due to a combination of paranoia and incorrect technique.

Those who have not smoked cannabis before often the action of taking smoke into their lungs to be somewhat unnatural (which it is), and therefore only hold the smoke in their mouth. Unfortunately, THC has a very low oral absorption rate -- so these people never get any perceptible effect from their hits. (This is why my "learn how to smoke pot" guide has a special note on how to inhale correctly.)

In addition to incorrect technique, there's also paranoia (a lesser reason, but still a factor for some.) The first time many people smoke, they don't take very large hits, and if they do, they don't tend to hold them in for long. As a result, their dose of THC is fairly minimal. Now THC is an interesting substance. In low doses, it's not an intoxicant per se -- in fact, it produces a psychological response that can (to some extent) be overcome by a sufficiently focused mind. Many first time smokers are so concerned about the experience that they don't relax enough to really notice the effects. Combine that with the fact that many people smoking for the first time are doing so in a 'weed-hostile' environment (behind a school, for example), and you have the perfect setup for an adrenal response that more or less cancels out the immediate effects of the THC.

So how can you, as a first time smoker, ensure that you do get high? First, learn the correct pot-smoking technique. Second, make sure that you don't try to "fight" any sensations you may experience (just remember: THC is a exceptionally safe drug -- no matter what you feel, it's not harmful). Third, smoke in a relaxed setting with experienced friends and no urgency. Enjoy your first experience, and take comfort in the fact that you're taking part in a custom shared by millions of human beings throughout the world.

As a way of saying thanks to the helpful webmaster who brought this myth to my attention, you might want to check out the Amsterdam Coffeeshops FAQ. It's an interesting read, and a very useful guide if you're thinking about traveling to Amsterdam.

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 10th, 2008 at 5:52 pm and is filed under Misc., Q/A. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.