Cannabis, Mary Jane or the Wacky Tobacky. No matter what you like to call it, one thing is certain: cannabis is a fascinating plant. With cannabis laws changing around the world, more people are encountering it for recreational or medical purposes. However, cannabis is a mind-altering substance and using it is not completely risk-free. If you choose to consume cannabis, here are eight things to consider when thinking about how to use cannabis safely and responsibly.
Start Slow and Low
If you are trying cannabis for the first time, starting with a lower amount is particularly important. Inhaled cannabis can begin producing effects within seconds or minutes, while the strength of those effects can depend considerably on THC content, tolerance and the individual.
Cannabis affects everybody differently, so give yourself time to understand how you respond before consuming more. Higher-THC products can increase the likelihood of unpleasant effects such as anxiety, panic, confusion or excessive intoxication.
Stay Hydrated
Keeping hydrated is sensible, particularly because cannabis can cause a dry mouth. Having water nearby before and during your experience can therefore make things more comfortable.
However, there is no good evidence that drinking more water makes cannabis stronger or causes the effects to last longer. Hydration is simply part of looking after yourself rather than a way of enhancing the effects of cannabis.
Understand Your Limits
As with any intoxicating substance, you don’t want cannabis negatively affecting your day-to-day life. While serious fatal poisoning from cannabis alone is uncommon, consuming too much THC can still produce extremely unpleasant reactions and, in some cases, require medical attention.
Everyone’s tolerance is different. What feels manageable to one person may be overwhelming to another, and cannabis products can vary dramatically in THC strength. Pay attention to how much you consume, how frequently you use cannabis and how it affects your mood, responsibilities and everyday activities.
Don’t Overdo It
While some cannabis advocates portray the plant as completely harmless, this isn’t supported by the evidence. Like many substances, cannabis carries risks, particularly with frequent use and higher concentrations of THC.
Regular or heavy cannabis use can be associated with problems including dependence, impaired memory and attention, respiratory symptoms when cannabis is smoked and an increased risk of mental-health problems in some people. The likelihood of developing cannabis use disorder also increases with more frequent use.
If you notice yourself needing progressively more cannabis to achieve the same effect, struggling to cut down or allowing cannabis to interfere with work, relationships or everyday responsibilities, it may be worth reassessing your use.
Pick and Don’t Mix
Cannabis and alcohol are often consumed together socially, but combining them can increase impairment compared with using either substance on its own.
This can make problems with judgement, coordination, dizziness, nausea and other unwanted effects more likely. Cannabis can also interact with some medicines and other drugs, particularly substances that cause drowsiness.
If you choose to consume cannabis, avoiding alcohol and other intoxicating substances at the same time is a straightforward way of reducing unnecessary risk.
When It Gets Too Much…
Consuming more cannabis than you intended can be an unpleasant experience. High doses of THC can cause symptoms including anxiety, panic, paranoia, confusion, nausea, rapid heartbeat and significant drowsiness.
If you feel uncomfortably high, try to stay somewhere calm and safe, avoid consuming any more cannabis or alcohol and remind yourself that the effects will usually reduce with time. Sitting or lying somewhere comfortable, drinking some water and being around someone you trust can help make the experience less stressful.
Claims that chewing black peppercorns can reliably reverse a cannabis high are not supported strongly enough to recommend this as a treatment.
If someone develops severe confusion, becomes unresponsive, has difficulty breathing, experiences a seizure, severe chest pain or another worrying reaction, seek urgent medical assistance rather than simply waiting for the effects to pass.
Be Extra Cautious with Those Brownies
Starting slowly is especially important with edible cannabis because its effects are much more delayed than inhaled cannabis. Effects can begin anywhere from around 30 minutes to two hours after eating cannabis and may take as long as four hours to reach their full intensity.
The effects can also last considerably longer than those from inhaled cannabis. This delay is one of the main reasons people accidentally consume too much: they assume the first serving hasn’t worked and take more before it has reached its full effect.
Rather than judging an edible by its physical size or taking an arbitrary fraction such as a quarter, check the labelled THC content where regulated products are available, choose a lower-strength product and allow plenty of time for the effects to develop before considering any more.
Edibles should also be stored securely and kept well away from children and pets, particularly where they resemble ordinary sweets, chocolates or baked goods.
Don’t Dab and Drive
This one should be straightforward: never drive or operate machinery while impaired by cannabis.
THC can slow reaction times, impair coordination, affect concentration and alter decision-making, all of which are important skills for safe driving. Combining cannabis with alcohol can increase impairment further.
Don’t assume that feeling capable of performing normal everyday tasks means you are safe to drive. If you intend to drive, the safest option is not to use cannabis beforehand and to arrange alternative transport whenever there is any possibility that you remain impaired.
Ultimately, learning how to use cannabis safely and responsibly is largely about understanding that cannabis is not risk-free. Product strength, frequency of use, method of consumption and your own response can all influence the experience.
If you choose to use cannabis, starting cautiously, avoiding mixing substances, keeping away from the driver’s seat and recognising when cannabis is beginning to interfere with everyday life can substantially reduce unnecessary risks.
