How Long Does Weed High Last: The Definitive Answer

If there’s one question that everyone seems to wonder about — but no one knows the answer to — it’s, “How long does weed high last?” If you’re new to the world of marijuana, don’t feel bad asking this question. Even many long-time cannaseurs have a hard time giving a conclusive answer.

But not us! We know what you want to hear. So in this article, the cannabis experts at Honest Marijuana give you the definitive answer to the question how long does weed high last.

How Long Does Weed High Last?

The best way to answer that question is by saying, “It depends…” We know that’s not very definitive, but let us finish. Before you get angry and storm off, the duration of your weed high really does depend on the way you consume your THC.

What that means is that you can tailor your experience by choosing from among the many different methods of getting THC into our body. Once you decide that, we can give you a much more definitive answer to your question.

Here’s how the durations break down based on method of consumption.

Smoking

Smoking is one of the most common ways to get your ganja on. The tools used for smoking are literally legion and include:

Basically, any time you inhale the smoke or vapor from a marijuana product, you’re smoking.

How long does a smoking weed high last? 1-3 hours

Edibles

There are so many ways to make your marijuana into edibles that you’re really only limited by your creativity. Our favorite edibles include:

Yes, that’s right. Milk, tea, and pills are included on this list. Basically, anything that you put in your mouth and swallow can be considered an edible.

How long does an edibles weed high last? 4-6 hours

Some stoners have even reported tripping for as long as 12 hours off a high-quality edible, but those claims are largely apocryphal.

Topical Application

Topical application (on your skin) is becoming a very popular method of consumption among those looking for medical benefits from their cannabis. There are even multiple means of applying topical marijuana to your skin. They include:

The key thing to remember about topical applications is that they won’t cause a weed high. This is because your skin absorbs the cannabinoids very slowly.

So by the time the THC reaches your bloodstream after traveling through the layers of your skin, its potency has been reduced significantly (enough not to cause any psychedelic effects).

How long does a topical application weed high last? It doesn’t.

Sublingual Administration

Sublingual is the scientific word for “putting something under your tongue and letting it dissolve.” After a few minutes, that substance — in this case, some type of cannabis product — is absorbed into your bloodstream through the arteries in your jaw, where it travels directly to your brain.

Sublingual consumption of marijuana is one of the easiest, fastest, and most discreet methods available today. Products for sublingual consumption include:

How long does a sublingual administration weed high last? 2-4 hours

A Special Situation (Wink, Wink, Nudge, Nudge)

Yes, we’re talking about sex here (that’s what the winks and nudges were for). Bet you didn’t know there was a cannabis product made especially with that in mind. It’s called cannabis lube, and it’s designed with her in mind (meaning guys don’t use it).

Cannabis lube doesn’t get you high, but it does get things working and relaxed down there (if you catch our drift). That makes for better, more enjoyable intimacy on both sides of the equation.

How long does a special situation weed high last? Technically, you won’t get high at all, but you might feel euphoric in other ways.

Now that you get a general sense of how long a weed high lasts based on the method of consumption you choose, let’s examine some other factors that affect duration.

Other Factors That Affect How Long A Weed High Lasts

1) Quality

Quality plays an important role in determining how long a weed high lasts. High-quality, organic marijuana that’s rich in cannabinoids, terpenes, and trichomes will provide a much more satisfying high than the low-quality mids or regs you might be used to.

It’s worth the extra money for the chance to stretch your weed high out just a little bit longer.

2) Strain

The strain you choose can also have an impact on how long your weed high lasts. Stronger strains can make it seem like your high lasts longer because the effects are so much more dramatic.

But before you rush out to buy the strongest weed strain money can buy, keep in mind that with extreme highs come extreme lows and side effects.

Because strong weed strains are bred for high THC and low CBD, there are fewer cannabinoids to counteract the negative effects of THC (e.g., paranoia, anxiety, etc.).

3) THC Content

THC content plays a large role in the quality of experience you can expect from your marijuana product. Breeders are growing whole bud that contains 25-percent THC.

THC extracts are even pushing the coveted triple-digit THC percentage (that’s 100-percent, boys and girls).

With these big-number products, weed highs may seem longer because the “distance” you have to travel from peak high to normal is so much greater.

4) Experience

Your experience dating Mary Jane also plays a big part in how long a weed high lasts. Think of this as your tolerance to the cannabinoids that marijuana has to offer.

As with any drug, your body will eventually get used to processing the THC in your joint, so you’ll need more just to feel the same effects.

That can have a dramatic impact on the duration of your high. If you’re a brand-new cannaseur, you’ll likely trip balls for quite some time after just one or two tokes.

But if you’re a seasoned canna-warrior, you may only feel high for 10 minutes on the strongest weed strain available. That’s the benefit and the curse of experience with the wacky weed.

5) Amount Consumed

The amount of pot you consume has a direct effect on how long a weed high lasts.

Think about it: if you take two drags on a blunt over the course of five minutes, your weed high isn’t going to last anywhere near as long as if you take 20 drags on several blunts over the course of 45 minutes.

Even smoking two blunts (or joints or whatever) in 20 minutes is going to bring on a high that lasts longer than those initial two tokes in five minutes.

6) Your Metabolism

The speed with which your body processes food, drink, medications, and other “foreign” substances (your metabolism) also affects how long a weed high lasts.

If you have a fast metabolism, your body processes outside materials very quickly. That means the THC will spend a shorter time in your brain and blood (which results in a short high).

If you have a slow metabolism, your body processes outside materials slowly. That means the THC will spend longer in your brain and blood (which results in a long high).

7) Environment

No, we’re not talking about global warming here — it’s not that type of environment. The environment in this case refers to whether or not your surroundings are relaxing and familiar or tense and strange.

If you’re at home in your favorite chair with a classic stoner movie on the tube or playing a fun weed game, your high is going to last quite a long time.

But if you’re hunkered down behind a dumpster in some strange alley on the opposite side of town, your nerves are going to decrease the weed high substantially.

For the best experience, find a relaxing environment where you can chill for a while without worrying about what’s going on around you.

Want more ways to improve your weed high? Read on.

Maximize Your Weed High With These Helpful Tips

1) Always Use High-Quality Cannabis

To get the best and longest weed high, always use fresh, high-quality, organically grown cannabis whenever possible.

We can’t stress this enough, so we’ll say it again: Always use fresh, high-quality, organically grown cannabis whenever possible. Anything else and you run the risk of having a bad trip. And no one wants that.

For an upbeat, daytime high, try a sativa or sativa-dominant hybrid. For a relaxing, mellow-out-after-a-long-day high, try an indica or indica-dominant hybrid.

If you’re fortunate enough to live in a state where marijuana is legal, visit a local dispensary and ask the budtenders there to help you pick a fresh, high-quality, organically grown strain to fit your mood.

2) Only Buy From A Reputable Source

Never buy marijuana from someone you don’t know. It may be cheap and easy, but you really never know what you’re getting.

You wouldn’t take candy from a stranger — especially if they ask you to go for a ride in their van — so why would you take weed from one?

You can avoid these problems completely by buying your cannabis from a licensed dispensary in your area. Even if you have to drive a bit to get there, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

3) Be Safe

Whether it’s your first time getting high or your hundredth, make sure you’re safe when the THC kicks in.

First and foremost, never — and, again, we mean NEVER — toke and drive. It’s just not worth the risk. Instead, call an Uber or a Lyft. That’s why they were invented, after all (true story).

Next, try to avoid smoking in an unfamiliar place if at all possible. The anxiety of it all can harsh your buzz and reduce how long your weed high lasts.

Finally, don’t consume cannabis with people you don’t know or at least trust with your wellbeing.

Remember, you’re going to be high in a matter of minutes. You don’t want someone with bad intentions doing things to you or pointing you in the wrong direction.

Don’t put yourself in a vulnerable situation. Be safe out there, boys and girls.

4) Relax & Get Comfy

Weed is a great way to unwind after a stressful day — or any kind of day, really — but it can also amplify any residual anxiety you may feel.

That anxiety can be like a bucket of cold water on the length of your buzz (that sounds vaguely dirty, doesn’t it?).

To maximize your weed high, finish your chores, pay your bills, and take care of any tasks that are weighing on your mind before you get high. When you’re in a good mood to start with, your experience with Mary Jane will be so much better.

You can also improve your high by preparing a couple of comfy places to perch while riding out the psychedelia.

Sure, the floor will do in a pinch, but a couch, recliner, or patio lounge chair are infinitely better (we’ve measured) and will help keep you comfy, relaxed, and flying high for longer.

5) Keep It Easy

Trying to be too fancy — like rolling a cross joint or hitting a random homemade bong — can ruin your weed high before you even get started.

Instead, keep it easy and opt for the simplest consumption method possible. Your local dispensary is probably rife with pre-rolled joints and blunts. Take advantage.

Or, if glass is more your thing, try a one-hitter or a simple bong.

Keeping things simple will allow you to focus more on the good vibes instead of on the process of getting the cannabinoids into your body.

If you want to try something new — like rolling your own blunt or making your own hash — practice when you’re sober so you can do it lickety-split when you’re high.

6) Don’t Overdo It

One of the best pieces of advice we ever received in regard to making our weed high last longer is this: Everything in moderation.

Don’t smoke a ton of weed in the hopes that you’ll be flying high for days. That’s just a recipe for a bad trip. Instead, start slow and enjoy the ride.

Take one puff at a time and see how that affects you. Give yourself time to feel it out. If after twenty minutes you still don’t feel high (or high enough), take another puff. Increase as necessary.

Just don’t smoke your whole supply all at once thinking that will make it better. Ease into the high. That will prevent you from hitting the high as if you were running full steam into a brick wall.

7) Keep Yourself Entertained

There are few things better than getting high and watching a movie. But other forms of entertainment can heighten and prolong the mood as well.

Here are some of our favorite suggestions for keeping yourself entertained while you trip the light fantastic.

Dance
Read a book
Surf the web
Yoga
Meditate
Play video games
Play weed games
Make some art
Binge-watch your favorite show
Practice smoke tricks
Write
Play board games
Play Dungeons & Dragons
Build with Legos

Whatever you do, try to avoid activities with permanent repercussions, like cutting your hair, shopping, operating heavy machinery, math of any kind (making change and leaving a tip are the worst), and talking to authority figures.

8) Toke With Friends

Toking with friends is a seriously good time. We recommend it whenever possible.

But it also requires a little effort on your part — especially if you’re the host. Here’s how to make the buzz last as long as possible when smoking in a group.

Make everyone feel welcome
Don’t freak if someone doesn’t want to partake
Don’t puff when you’re sick
Let your buds know what bud they’re about to smoke
Offer your guest the first hit
Ash the roll before you pass
Don’t bogart the MJ
Avoid discussing sad or depressing topics

For more advice on how to make your smoke circle better, check out this helpful article: Puff, Puff, Pass: The Complete Weed Etiquette Guide.

Focus On The Effects, Not The Duration

Most marijuana highs will peak after 30 minutes (on average) and then start to trail off. You’ll still feel the effects for another hour or two, but they’ll gradually get less and less intense.

And what’s more, they all pretty much last the same amount of time (give or take an hour or two).

So rather than worrying overly much about how long a weed high lasts, focus instead on the effects you experience. Ask yourself:

Was the high too harsh?
Was it too weak?
Did the weed high make you sad?
Did it make you paranoid?
How did you feel coming out of it?
Were the munchies really intense?

If you can find a strain or potency that gives you all the good without the bad, that’s worth its weight in gold. A totally pleasurable experience that only lasts for two hours is much better than an unpleasant experience that lasts for six.

Focus on the effects, not the duration, and you’ll be a happy canna-camper just like us.

For more information on all things cannabis and to check out our 100-percent all-natural marijuana products, visit HonestMarijuana.com today.