Best High: How to Get the Most Out of Your Weed

In an age of efficiency and productivity, it only makes sense for cannabis consumers to ask how to get the most out of the weed products they buy. 

For many consumers, questions about how to get the best high used to revolve around product potency. But there are a wide range of factors that shape your experience, extending well beyond flower quality and method of consumption alone.

In this article, we explore 13 ways you can improve your experience and learn how to get the most out of your weed.

What Affects Cannabis Enjoyment?

While it might seem obvious to a veteran consumer, a user’s experience is about more than a strain or product’s flavor and strength. Variations to the product, method of consumption, your smoking environment, and even your daily diet and hydration can all alter the experience.

Some of the most common factors that can make or break your next cannabis experience include:

• Weed strain and quality: As the saying goes, “Quality in, quality out.” 
• Freshness of the weed: Just like any other product, pot has an expiration date you need to be aware of
• Method of ingestion: Smoking, vaping, edibles and other methods all have various onset times and dosage effects.
• Weed tolerance level: Every person requires a different dosage to achieve the best effects.
• Interactions with other substances: Mixing cannabis with other substances, like antibiotics or tobacco, will impact the effects you experience.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Weed: 13 Practical Tips

Getting the best high from your weed requires a range of considerations. From beginner advice to pro tips about microdosing and best food pairings, here are 13 of our favorite tips to help you get the most out of your next cannabis dose.

1. Familiarize yourself with different methods of consumption

Every method for cannabis consumption has its own pros and cons. While it can be tempting to stick with the same approach every day, think about how each method could affect you – including how long it takes to feel the effects and how long those effects will last.

Smoke: This timeless method allows consumers to feel the effects near instantly. While THC levels have increased over the years, smoking is still considered a less intense high than most options below. 

Vape: Vaping is similar to smoking, but instead of inhaling smoke, it's cannabis vapor. Consuming extracted cannabis oil means that the potency of the hits will increase substantially compared to flower. Some vaping devices also allow for vaping dry herbs: it's a great way to consume flower for consumers who don't want to smoke but who may prefer to avoid strong extracts, dabs or oils. With effects hitting almost instantly, newcomers should be prepared for a considerably more potent experience with vaping than they might encounter with smoking.

Dab: Dabs also use extracted cannabis oil. Like vaping, dabs deliver a high potency dose to consumers with near-instant effects. The experience is similar to smoking or vaping, but offers a much more substantial high that may be too much for new consumers.

Edibles: Passing through the digestive system, edibles can take up to two hours to feel the full effects. This digestive tract journey will also likely increase and prolong the impact of the high for most consumers.

Sublingual: Rather than smoking, vaping or eating cannabis, consumers can use a dropper to deliver a dose of cannabis oil or tincture under the tongue. Unlike eating or drinking an edible, consumers hold the infused oil or alcohol under their tongue until it is absorbed into the body. Onset times vary, but effects typically occur in 15 to 30 minutes. 

2. Avoid using wraps or papers 

Joints, wraps, and blunts are some of cannabis consumers' favorite ways to smoke pot. We're not knocking the process but it can sometimes mask how much weed is left. 

When alone, this predicament isn't much of a concern, as you can simply put the cannabis cigarette down at your leisure. But when smoking in a group session, some consumers may feel pressured to keep smoking to maintain pace with the group. 

Those struggling to keep up with friends or decline another hit (and there is no shame in saying you’ve had enough), may want to avoid joints entirely. That’s doubly true for blunts, as those types of wraps often burn the slowest. 

3. Store the weed properly

Cannabis will eventually go bad, but you can extend its longevity for as long as possible. The best way to preserve flower quality is by keeping it away from exposure to sun and oxygen. Keeping your cannabis stored in an airtight, UV-protective container and in a cool, dark place is the best place to start.

4. Rehydrate dried weed properly before using

Drying and curing harvested cannabis flower is essential to the production process. However, sometimes flowers become too dry along the way, diminishing the plant’s terpene count. It should be noted that rehydrating cannabis will help slow down further terpene loss, but it won’t return terpenes that were already lost to drying out.

You can rehydrate your weed using various methods, including:

• UV packs
• Damp tissue or cotton
• Bread
• Fruit peels
• Lettuce

5. Avoid newbie mistakes like these

To get the best experience, you'll want to avoid common newcomer pitfalls. Familiarize yourself with the cultivar and consumption method that you'll be using. And, while you can enjoy cannabis almost anywhere (where it’s legal), most would agree that being in a comfortable environment is best.

6. Know your weed tolerance

Each person experiences cannabis effects differently. What works for you may not work for the person next to you. Numerous factors play a part, including:

• Body size
• Metabolism
• Experience with cannabis
• Cultivar chosen
• Plant quality/freshness
• Amount of foods and beverages you’ve consumed that day

If you find yourself needing more and more cannabis, consider taking a tolerance break. Or check out our tips for how to lower your tolerance. 

While many consumers report the benefits of tolerance breaks, some individuals may experience cannabis withdrawal symptoms that primarily affect mood, behavior and may lead to a temporary and moderate sensitivity to light.

7. Pair with foods that enhance the effects

Select clinical studies and scores of anecdotes throughout the decades have identified various fruits, vegetables and other foods as potential amplifiers of cannabis effects. Through their own naturally occurring terpenes and other beneficial effects, these foods may enhance the cannabis consumption experience:

• Beer (exercise caution when combining cannabis and alcohol as the effects can be overpowering for even experienced consumers)
• Broccoli  
• Coffee 
• Dark Chocolate 
• Eggs 
• Green and Black Tea 
• Mangos 
• Nuts  
• Sweet Potatoes  

8. Practice microdosing

Sometimes less is indeed more. Consider lowering your dosage if you struggle with high-potency THC, CBD or other cannabinoids. Many consumers are better able to achieve their desired effects by using regular and smaller doses.

9. Stick to high quality batches

Unfortunately, not all weed is created equal. Old, dried out, or moldy cannabis can affect the flavor, aroma, and effects – and could represent a health risk for some consumers. Thankfully, there are simple ways you can tell if you have a good or bad batch of cannabis.

10. Know how to decarb properly

To experience the effects of THC and cannabis, you must heat or decarboxylate your cannabis. This method occurs naturally as part of the smoking process, so it won’t require any extra steps. However, if you are planning any DIY cannabis cooking, take a moment to brush up on how to decarb your marijuana before adding it to your favorite recipe.

11. Take steps to avoid weed hangovers

Hangovers of any variety are no fun – and while cannabis hangovers are considered far less severe than those of alcohol or other drugs, they can still lead to uncomfortable symptoms you’d rather avoid.

• Body pain or discomfort
• Dry mouth or dehydration
• Exhaustion
• Headache
• Increased thirst 
• Light sensitivity
• Nausea
• Sweating

Steering clear of a weed hangover typically involves keeping consumption levels in check, staying well hydrated, and avoiding other substances like alcohol, medications or other drugs while enjoying your cannabis.

12. Be aware of the entourage effect

The entourage effect is the belief that cannabis consumption experiences are best felt when the entire plant profile is consumed. Proponents of the entourage effect prefer flower or other products that contain as much of the plant profile as possible. These products are believed to be the best at delivering THC, the plant's terpenes, cannabinoids, and other essential compounds. 

Select lab studies have explored the issue, and many consumers swear that full-spectrum cannabis is more effective than THC isolate. But additional clinical studies are required before making any definitive statements. 

13. Apply for a medical marijuana card

A medical cannabis card won't guarantee a better consumer experience. Still, it will help ensure that you’re able to access high quality cannabis that is lab-tested and grown using state compliance measures. Depending on the state, benefits of having a med card can include the following:

• Reduced or eliminated taxes
• Access to higher potency products
• Increased purchase and possession limits
• Ability to grow (or grow more) at home
• Increased legal protections (possibly including employment, parental rights, and organ donation/transplant protections)
• Priority purchasing over adult use consumers

Contact the experts at NuggMD to learn more about getting a medical cannabis card in your state today.

Conclusion

In the end, the best way to consume cannabis depends on your unique needs, goals, and preferences. So try a few of the tips above and find what works for you.

It is recommended that any cannabis patient consult with a medical professional before altering their consumption methods or treatment plans. 

The information in this article and any included images or charts are for educational purposes only. This information is neither a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional legal advice or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about laws, regulations, or your health, you should always consult with an attorney, physician or other licensed professional.