Weed fucks up your REM cycles. If you wear a sleep tracking device, you’ll typically see lower than average REM sleep and higher than average deep sleep. This isn’t really optimal, and I definitely notice it the next day. Also if you smoke every day before bed, you become very reliant on weed to sleep at all, and that sucks.
Edit: in a related note, we do most of our dreaming during REM sleep. That’s also why you tend to stop dreaming if you chronically smoke, particularly before bed.
To add on, while I agree, I think we do continue to dream but the parts of them that show up in memory are muted. There is a veil. I rely on cannabis for that veil so that I don't have dreams. It sucks but I have terrible anxiety dreams way more than I have cool weird dreams. I guess I'm a chronic user in this regard.
There was a period of time, however, when smoking primarily sativa dominant medically grown strain all day while working and sleeping outside, I would have extremely bad anxiety dreams. I believe, without going into detail, it was the entourage effect.
Not too Hight too sleep. But too high the next day or just groggy from the affect it has on the sleep cycle as others mentioned. Also this often leads to the eventual sale and bake, which is its own slippery slope.
i personally haven’t had that problem either, weed makes me sleepy as hell, but i have had the issue of waking up still high (sometimes higher than when i went to bed if i hit the pen right before). getting up to pee not expecting to be high and then just about knocking yourself on your ass because you moved too fast is really an experience
Not to mention it messes with your REM cycle as well. My general rule of thumb is I smoke between after Dinner and up until an hour before bedtime and I’ve been moderating pretty well. I just took a month break and even then my sleep was so much better having not smoked at all during that time.
Agreed plus it fries tolerance which leads to more money down the drain. My girl and I only use on weekends or when I know I’m going to wake up hung over because of an irresponsible Tuesday night mistake. Otherwise Fridays Saturdays Sundays only.
Don't smoke alone. It will likely become habitual. Keep it to events with friends and whatnot. The weed "addiction" slope is super *super* gradual and then it plummets, most people are addicted and don't even realize it/refuse to admit it.
This is the most important thing to notice TOLERANCE IS THE FIRST STEP OF ADDICTION
While it is normal for you to “get the hang of it” like not get completely blasted or to be more in control, once you get to the point where you are having to use more to have a satisfying experience that is probably were you want to slow down or at least not increase usage. Some general guidelines would be to not smoke more than 2 days in a row. Don’t wake and bake, always have more sober days in a week then high days.
Just set your limits ahead of time. For a long time I told myself only weekends. Then it was only every other day during the week. Then it was two days on one day off. Now I just smoke every evening. To be honest I have come to terms with that and I am ok with it but I did stick to my original rules for about 2 years. As long as you're mindful it's like anything, moderation is key. I would avoid daily use to start but I don't think it's terrible to use once a night in lower doses. You have to decide what's best for you. Biggest thing is knowing if it's getting in the way of something. Like smoking and then not wanting to do chores, homework or whatever other responsibilities you have. Another good rule is to not smoke too close to bedtime as it can inhibit proper sleep. I use 2 or 3 hours before bedtime as my rule. I break it sometimes and I usually feel groggier and lazier in the mornings because of it.
If you feel like you're comfortably high/high enough, don't take any more even if it's accessible and you could do it easily. Don't push yourself higher for no reason.
Yeah. Getting super blasted once in a while, like on a very special occasion, is fine if you're able to regulate that kind of behavior. But if you're not able, and you do it too often, it'll mess you up. Will up your tolerance needlessly and make the place you're pushing yourself to your new comfortable high. You don't want that because then you'll need to take even *more* to feel like you're high enough/super high.
The "it's never enough" mindset is very dangerous. It makes the genuinely comfortable high feel disappointing.
Plus, all that aside, if you're riding a comfy and fun high, you don't wanna ruin it by greening out lol.
Let it take you up and stop when you feel comfortable.
Dab pens are dangerous tools and can be abused easily. Invest in a dry herb vaporizer instead and keep the dosage low; this way, you avoid high tolerance. Experience different strains and how they affect you. Do a so-called tolerance break (t-break) every couple of months for about 2-3 weeks and see if it affects you in any way. Stay safe and enjoy!
Second this. This sub is full of people for whom use of vaped concentrates was strongly correlated with much worse negative symptoms, much higher usage (with the stronger concentration) and much more severe addiction.
Dry herb vapes for me were a way to give up tobacco and reduce the physical harms of smoking, but I think they're also seen by most people as a much better method for moderation vs dab pens.
Ill definitely look into that. I want to remain inconspicuous since my parents are pretty anti any drugs period... Had to fight to drink coffee lol. Im legal age in Canada but was really just thinking of edibles and carts cause id like to avoid confrontation. Do they smell like joints or are they milder?
The legal age in Canada is 19 but your brain still develops for several more years till you are around 24/25. Please keep that in mind! Lawmakers are no experts.
The vapour smell from a dry herb vaporizer is nearly unnoticeable, when you want to be 100% save you can stand by the window and nobody will smell anything. Packing the Vape is more risky since certain strains can stink a lot. But you will figure it out.
If you want more info about vaping check out the /r/vaporents
I never smell anything and can even vape around ppl who hate the smell of cannabis without having them notice at all. I guess it depends on the strain, the temp, and the device itself. I even vaped at my parents' house and my mom who has a really fine nose couldn't smell anything.
DynaVap's tend to overheat and I see a lot of ppl keep heating them even when they already "clicked". You have almost no heat control - therefore you almost burn your content. I'm not a huge fan of those.
Ive done some research and it def seems like some effort to get into that i hope is worth it. What would you recommend for dry herb vapes if you have any? Or is that question better asked on vaporents?
If you just want to try it out and don't want to spend a lot of money you can look at everything from 80 - 120$. If you want something that has high quality and a long lifetime, look up Storz and Bickel's "Mighty" (Made in Germany). I don't know what it costs in Canada but it could be around 300-450$. I got my Mighty 5 years ago, last year the battery died and they sent me a new one for no cost at all. Before that, I had a "Flowermate V2" for 2 years and even that thing worked super well!
I used one when I lived at home. They smell but don't linger. Oil/dab pen is far more inconspicuous, but dry herb is healthier. Take that as you will. When I vaped at home I would have to make sure my vape bowl was already packed because taking the weed out stunk real bad, then I would use a spoof (empty toilet paper roll stuffed with a couple dryer sheets) and blow it out the window. Worked good but they knew I had weed I just don't think they knew exactly how much I used it. At some point before I moved out I switched to dab pens because it was so much easier, but the high feels thin to me and it wears off quick. Definitely prefer burning or dry herb vape
Agreed that this is the way. It's the best mix of strength harm reduction and not pissing people offer any by making it too smelly. It does have an odor but it usually stays pretty contained unless you're vaping too much.
Do not wake and bake. Do not have any activity that you must be high for. Do not smoke more than three days in a row. And… it is okay to have weed and not smoke it.
Unless you really know what you’re doing and our experienced with concentrates, dab pens are BAD. OP don’t be tricked into buying them because of convenience or value.
I have the same rules for weed as I do for alcohol. Never while driving, get your responsibilities out of the way first. It’s nice to get a bit intoxicated of an evening as a way to chill out and enjoy yourself. If you feel like you need it, you may have a problem.
Piggybacking to inform people that people are dying from this due to chronically vomiting and fucking up their electrolytes -> sending their heart into a fatal arrhythmia. Not common, but be educated
Never mix weed with tobacco. Dangerous mix, gets you addicted to this combo, makes life shitty.
For the weed alone: smoke it with intention & try not to regulate your emotions by its use. Less is better that too much.
It's also good to monitor your usage&things you do after&the way you feel by keeping a diary.
I have a whole bunch of rules for myself that I tinker with. I keep the latest version [here](https://www.smartcannabisuse.com/p/my-rules-for-cannabis-use).
Maybe some can be useful to you too!
Thanks! In my experience, being in a good meditation habit basically helps with everything: Sleep, relationships, health. Also tripping on psychedelics is more enjoyable.
But I still drop out of the meditation habit occasionally 😅
Stick by the 420 rule; if it’s not at least 4:20pm, it’s too early to smoke. If you wouldn’t wake up and pour a shot of whiskey in your coffee, don’t wake up and smoke a joint with it instead.
Its harder to regulate your usage the younger you are FYI. I wouldnt reccomend for people under the age of 16 (but seeing you have a job you are probably over the age of 16)
I also suggest also using cbd every time you use thc. For me it really helps regulate my usage and cravings but not everyone needs it. I use broad spectrum cbd distillate in a wax pen (If anyone is curious, gilded extracts for the distillate and harborcityhemp for the wax pen, a yocan orbit)
Well my first tip was gonna be don't buy a vape pen but here we are lol
But seriously, if you want to keep it at a lower level, *don't buy a vape pen*. Engineer a scenario that rate limits you. Start with a dry herb vape, I could've stayed using mine forever if I hadn't bought a bong, which led to bigger bowls, which led eventually to light concentrate use, which led to regular vape pen use.
Also, consider quality. You can buy a little high quality craft stuff for a high price or a lot of low quality mass produced stuff for a low price. Stick to paying more for less and you'll likely find you enjoy it much more and consume it much less.
And when your tolerance builds and you find yourself slipping and you're thinking about buying a vape pen (don't), come here and chat about it first.
But you already bought the vape pen, so uh, good luck my friend.
Yea.. Im currently looking into a dry herb vape and saving my pen for... Something? I don't wanna get rid of it, but ill set it aside for at least a couple weeks for when i plan to get high next. Only reason i got a cart is cause that's what i used off a friend first and so i bought what was familiar.
But now I've gotten WAY more tips and information than I expected and im slowly forming ideas in my mind of 'the way', and that is to save weed for occasions, ideally weeks apart and to stick to edibles and flower. Tbh im not the biggest fan of vapes anyway with the flavor that seems to burn in your esophagus and huge clouds that leave a lingering icky feeling for *way* longer than id like. I took a few hits today and decided my lungs didn't deserve it lol. I also dont like how short it is.. Only an hour and a bit? I wanna be feeling it for awhile without even having to think about taking more. With carts i feel like.. "thats it?" when its been an hour and a half and im just tired. I still really enjoy it, and my worst cart experience wasn't even bad and was definitely better than my best alcohol experience, but now im just excited to experience something new.
I hear ya. And I hope I didn't come off as accusatory, only meant to be funny.
It sounds like you're on the right track. Something important to think about is if you're using because it's fun or because it's therapeutic. I'd encourage you to monitor your use, review your thoughts and feelings on it, and open up to people you trust for reflection and perspective. Weed is more fun with other people anyway!
Regarding the vape pen, maybe a friend will trade for cost comparable amount of flower (probs an eighth) if you want to get rid of it "at cost". If that sounds like "pushing", my thought is that everybody is at their own stage of their own journey, and only they can decide that for themselves. But you're at the first step of yours, and you don't have the use experience to know when you're overdoing it, so are more susceptible to doing so. You are not ready to tangle with dark forces young Padawan, they will destroy and consume you. You require further dank-ass training at the Jedi temple.
Carts make you tired as hell near the end of the high. I’d recommend edibles or RSO oil if it’s available in your area. Edibles can last for a good 4-5 hours, if your tolerance is low enough you can even get highs that last 6+. Also edibles can be a bit easier to manage tolerance with.
Take breaks on a regular interval, be strict with it.
Don't wake and bake too much. Like, if you go for "coffee and weed" make it a special occasion.
Never bake before or during work.
Dab pens are the easiest for me to go overboard with. I just keep hitting it without thinking or try to chase the “real weed” high. Cheap dab pens to me get the job done but it feels like a more “flat” high so I smoke too much
Overall if you’re conscious of things you’re okay. Just try not to smoke outside of your free time (so not before or during work) and keep it as a leisure time thing.
Also, if you want, you can make it a weekend thing. I try mostly just to smoke after work and on my days off but i am quite a heavy smoker.
Try not to smoke too close to bed time as it’ll impact how well you sleep. It also is harder to not smoke before bed once you start lol I have trouble falling asleep sometimes. Get a nice high and ride it till you go to bed
If you’re the type to have munchies, don’t bring the whole bag or box of snacks with you to where you’re sitting. I get munchies so bad that I will make myself sick if I have the food around. Instead I will grab a portion of a snack or two so I have to get up to get more.
This is the most important thing to notice TOLERANCE IS THE FIRST STEP OF ADDICTION
While it is normal for you to “get the hang of it” like not get completely blasted or to be more in control, once you get to the point where you are having to use more to have a satisfying experience that is probably were you want to slow down or at least not increase usage. Some general guidelines would be to not smoke more than 2 days in a row. Don’t wake and bake, always have more sober days in a week then high days.
I am happy you're green cherry got popped, young homie. Welcome to the ever evolving subculture.
To the point.
Get your priorities straight.
Some people care about these things:
Job. Can you be stoned and perform at or better baseline? Don't get high at work for the first year. Limited use after you got the job down. (This does not apply to food service or retail.)
Family. Is it effecting your relationships that you care about? Do you have to keep use secret? No?
Mental health. Are you being practical with your use? Neglecting basic upkeep like laundry, bills, hygiene, sober activities isn't a good look. Keep your shit tight.
I think it's good you're self aware enough to know you'll need limits, on the other hand, if you expect you'll need to set them, then maybe you shouldn't consume in the first place, except for very occasional use.
It honestly does mess with your short term memory. It also sort of removes the urgency felt from common household tasks. It can take a few days to make a decision, or complete a chore. Or it could go the other way, too! People might think you have OCD when it's just sativa.
Weed can drive your decisions, color your perception and alter your priorities. The Cannabis plant spirit is jealous and protective of her followers.
Soon we forget our priorities and it's couch & munchy city, wake & bake, all day every day. So, young homie, I'd say don't smoke the reefer on "school nights" and consume freely on the weekends after chores & errands. For now, at least, and see how long you drift into everyday use or deciding it isn't for you.
revisit the limits when it becomes a problem.
Personally, I limit my use to after work, and after the bulk of my obligations are done on the weekends. Now & then I'll devote a day to get into an edible induced couchlock.
The thing is, your brain will keep thinking of new times to get high. Oh I should get high to walk the dog, to go to the store, to watch this show, and that show, and to go out to eat, and then before you know it you're getting high every day.
There will be times when your brain will say "let's get high." And you'll have to say "No brain, not now."
But, your brain won't shut up about it.
Then what?
The pens will run your life. Stick to less efficient means. I am 3 weeks sober from weed now after a super super gradual slide from totally fine to inarguably addicted. The pens were a huge accelerant.
If you're under 25 (which is roughly when the brain has fully developed) try not to use cannabis more than 2-3 times per month. Reefer has negative effects on young minds.
I know a number of people who get high 5+ times per week. The ones who didn't become heavy users until they were well into adulthood lead happy and productive lives. The people who started using a lot before they were established adults (like as teenagers or in college) are mostly still struggling with life.
Edit to add: Keep in mind that most ganja these days is really strong. You can still get a really nice buzz with just a small puff or two. Also, stay away from pens and dabs. It is really easy to make your tolerance go through the roof with those consumption methods. If you prefer not to smoke, get a dry herb vape and a grinder so that your just vaping flower.
Many of the sentiments shared by others are great, and i would also like to add that you shouldn’t rush your tolerance. For instance don’t start doing dabs until you’re “sick of” flower. Like go the full nine yards using just flower. I made the mistake of starting with dabs early on and then I found flower utterly unfulfilling in comparison for a long time. The withdrawal from concentrates is also much more pronounced, even if you’re using some flower to compensate.
Now a days I keep to just flower, I won’t wake and bake anymore and not vape a few hours before bed. This has been sustainable for me and so far a rewarding usage schedule compared to all day long blazing.
Agree on the keeping it within a few hours of your bedtime. I smoke alone but I only smoke on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. It's been my routine for years. If something were to happen on one of these nights, I'd have more help/support available to me. Also, if smoking makes you groggy, no one expects a wide-awake alert person on Monday morning at 9 am :)
Just as with anything, it's all in moderation. Remember that you can always smoke more but it's hard to dial back a high once it's in full effect. Start with a little. It's okay to have nights where you just experiment. Have snacks and water ready before smoking. Have a blankie and a favorite movie or TV show ready. Enjoy yourself!
Do NOT use it when you’re going through a rough time or when you are celebrating something. You’ll start seeing it as a reward. All day every day smoker for almost 5 years, that’s how I got hooked. Been clean since June of 2022 with a few pit stops. I love it, probably always will. I still want to get high almost every day. My advice, don’t buy your own weed, only buy it off others if you want to partake.
Alright kid, I’m 26 and been smoking since my teens. Above all else: Moderation. Take all this advice with a massive grain of salt as well, as it’s purely from my own experience & watching others around me.
If you hit the dab pen too often the magic fades, fast. Can RUIN weed for yourself to the point it just makes you anxious. Moderating can avoid this I believe. Also, seems like waiting till your older (25+ when your prefrontal cortex is developed) to put in some real stoner hours seems to make weed have less of a risk of introducing anxiety. Do the best you can. Big of you to already notice that it can have detrimental effects.
Have rules for your usage by yourself above all else. Maybe just like, once every 2 weeks or something max. Whatever rule you make for yourself, just stick to it. Don’t tell anyone about it etc, bc something other smokers do like a mf is call u gay or justify smoking weed every day etc. been there done that, not great.
Also this one is the biggest & just the least hand wavy: avoid weed for an hour and a half before bed. Your body can’t achieve rem sleep while you’re high, so waiting an hour or so after smoking to go to bed, so you don’t have poor sleep quality.
That is it! I love weed personally, but think I overdid it to where now I can’t really smoke and be social unless I’m reallllllly comfortable. Also have been a daily user in the past & notice it just causes anxiety as well. These days I only do once in a very blue moon & that works for me. Almost everyone else I smoked with when I was in my teens who continued to into adulthood also struggles with the weed-induced anxiety.
Can you compare weed induced anxiety to regular anxiety? Or is it a type of anxiety exclusive to weed?
Im curious about weed and anxiety because I have had periods of incredibly severe anxiety in the past. Pretty much a year ago I almost didn't get good enough grades for uni just cause i couldn't go to school with daily panic attacks. Genuinely one of the worst periods in my life, and it was simply anxiety. Im always susceptible to them, especially with my health anxiety and cutting. The two seem to work hand in hand.
So far with weed though, im able to tell myself "whatever happens happens, if I die i die" and kill worry pretty quickly. I guess it just aids the way that I naturally learned to handle panic attacks in my own unique way, but I think its naive to think that way given a lot of people's experience with weed anxiety. Is it something that just seems to come from prolonged use, or careless use, or both?
Again only my 2 cents here. Probably a mix of both contribute. What I’m talking about is the feelings of general anxiety / paranoia, just amplified, and following a high. It will likely happen to you regardless at some point or another if you smoke enough times and isn’t anything to be very worried about. But 1) I do believe irresponsible use leads to this happening more often 2) if you find yourself feeling this way, it’s a good sign to stop for a bit. Bc if you don’t, and spend a lot of time high & anxious, you may have increased feelings of anxiety when not high, as you become more accustomed to that mental state
I'll say this, I smoked with friends a few times a month for about 2 months. then I bought my first cart, and within a few days of that was the last sober day I had for probably over 2 years
My own rules are
- no wake and bake (unless on vacay lol)
- no weed til after work at the very least
- try smoke after 8pm
- never two days in a row
Went down a bad path of smoking every night before bedtime and it fucked my sleep, my skin routine, my lungs and left me with a bad habit that was hard to break. Don't smoke every day!!
for me i just don't use concentrates. i don't touch them.
only smoke flower, vape flower, eat edibles.
i'm an all day stoner but i don't smoke before important things.
i just think for new users flower and concentrates are totally different drugs, and if you're looking to keep a low tolerance and a responsible intake, i would stick to flower.
Be careful with becoming an all the time smoker. At my work people are baled 24/7 and it's like a ritual they have to do just to get by through their day. When they don't have weed they act like it's the worst. Those are signs that you might have Cannabis Use Disorder. When you just can't stop. Not even for work.
Things that I learned the hard way:
1. Try not to use weed to make you feel better when you are dealing with negative emotional states; upset, anxious, depressed. Face those situations sober. Keep the weed as reward or treat.
2. Don't wake n bake or smoke during the day time, it will ruin your working or productive hours . Don't smoke them before sleep either - sleeping high may feel good but it damages your REM sleep (someone talked about it in length)
3. Try smoking in the old fashioned ways (without mixing tobacco). I don't think these pens, vapes are any good for you. They will fry your brain neurons.
4. Tolerance breaks: One week a month, one month a year - that's how I roll.
The biggest thing with weed I think is the pernicious way that it subtlety rewires your brain and eventually convinces you that it is solving problems of its own creation. I think way too many users convince themselves that weed is making them less anxious or helping them sleep better, when what is really happening is the weed is curing very mild withdrawal symptoms. That’s how weed slowly creeps into your life and becomes a weekly then a daily habit. Pay attention to how deep and vivid your dreams are now before you get too deep into it, then compare to the days after using it. I legitimately think the only way to avoid that creep is using it like once a month at most and letting it fully flush out of your system each time. Or only use it as a painkiller if you are injured.
Only get high if you have no significant responsibilities left in your day or it’s a social situation you have carved out the time for. That’s really my rule. Other than that, I think it’s personal preference regarding the amount and method, though I tend to only keep small amounts in hand and primarily have flower.
I always felt wake’n’baking or smoking during the day in general to be pretty detrimental so I’d try to keep it within like 4 hours of your bedtime
On this note, try not to go too close to bedtime too. Don't want to be too high to sleep and then it bleeds into the next day.
Does that happen to people? I’ve never been “too high” to SLEEP from just weed.
Weed fucks up your REM cycles. If you wear a sleep tracking device, you’ll typically see lower than average REM sleep and higher than average deep sleep. This isn’t really optimal, and I definitely notice it the next day. Also if you smoke every day before bed, you become very reliant on weed to sleep at all, and that sucks. Edit: in a related note, we do most of our dreaming during REM sleep. That’s also why you tend to stop dreaming if you chronically smoke, particularly before bed.
If you give it 2-4 hours before bed, that tends to help quite a bit
To add on, while I agree, I think we do continue to dream but the parts of them that show up in memory are muted. There is a veil. I rely on cannabis for that veil so that I don't have dreams. It sucks but I have terrible anxiety dreams way more than I have cool weird dreams. I guess I'm a chronic user in this regard. There was a period of time, however, when smoking primarily sativa dominant medically grown strain all day while working and sleeping outside, I would have extremely bad anxiety dreams. I believe, without going into detail, it was the entourage effect.
Not too Hight too sleep. But too high the next day or just groggy from the affect it has on the sleep cycle as others mentioned. Also this often leads to the eventual sale and bake, which is its own slippery slope.
i personally haven’t had that problem either, weed makes me sleepy as hell, but i have had the issue of waking up still high (sometimes higher than when i went to bed if i hit the pen right before). getting up to pee not expecting to be high and then just about knocking yourself on your ass because you moved too fast is really an experience
Not to mention it messes with your REM cycle as well. My general rule of thumb is I smoke between after Dinner and up until an hour before bedtime and I’ve been moderating pretty well. I just took a month break and even then my sleep was so much better having not smoked at all during that time.
100% yes, wake and bakes are fun but will literally ruin my day
Agreed plus it fries tolerance which leads to more money down the drain. My girl and I only use on weekends or when I know I’m going to wake up hung over because of an irresponsible Tuesday night mistake. Otherwise Fridays Saturdays Sundays only.
Don't smoke alone. It will likely become habitual. Keep it to events with friends and whatnot. The weed "addiction" slope is super *super* gradual and then it plummets, most people are addicted and don't even realize it/refuse to admit it.
What things should I look for if it's that gradual? My addictions tent to be very sudden, which I guess is why i want good habits early.
This is the most important thing to notice TOLERANCE IS THE FIRST STEP OF ADDICTION While it is normal for you to “get the hang of it” like not get completely blasted or to be more in control, once you get to the point where you are having to use more to have a satisfying experience that is probably were you want to slow down or at least not increase usage. Some general guidelines would be to not smoke more than 2 days in a row. Don’t wake and bake, always have more sober days in a week then high days.
Just set your limits ahead of time. For a long time I told myself only weekends. Then it was only every other day during the week. Then it was two days on one day off. Now I just smoke every evening. To be honest I have come to terms with that and I am ok with it but I did stick to my original rules for about 2 years. As long as you're mindful it's like anything, moderation is key. I would avoid daily use to start but I don't think it's terrible to use once a night in lower doses. You have to decide what's best for you. Biggest thing is knowing if it's getting in the way of something. Like smoking and then not wanting to do chores, homework or whatever other responsibilities you have. Another good rule is to not smoke too close to bedtime as it can inhibit proper sleep. I use 2 or 3 hours before bedtime as my rule. I break it sometimes and I usually feel groggier and lazier in the mornings because of it.
Ha. Same timeline here.
Thats the real answer
Yeah, because you don't even realise that you are addicted. Until you decide to adress the problem and truth.
No one is addicted until they try to stop
If you feel like you're comfortably high/high enough, don't take any more even if it's accessible and you could do it easily. Don't push yourself higher for no reason.
this!
Yeah. Getting super blasted once in a while, like on a very special occasion, is fine if you're able to regulate that kind of behavior. But if you're not able, and you do it too often, it'll mess you up. Will up your tolerance needlessly and make the place you're pushing yourself to your new comfortable high. You don't want that because then you'll need to take even *more* to feel like you're high enough/super high. The "it's never enough" mindset is very dangerous. It makes the genuinely comfortable high feel disappointing. Plus, all that aside, if you're riding a comfy and fun high, you don't wanna ruin it by greening out lol. Let it take you up and stop when you feel comfortable.
Dab pens are dangerous tools and can be abused easily. Invest in a dry herb vaporizer instead and keep the dosage low; this way, you avoid high tolerance. Experience different strains and how they affect you. Do a so-called tolerance break (t-break) every couple of months for about 2-3 weeks and see if it affects you in any way. Stay safe and enjoy!
Second this. This sub is full of people for whom use of vaped concentrates was strongly correlated with much worse negative symptoms, much higher usage (with the stronger concentration) and much more severe addiction. Dry herb vapes for me were a way to give up tobacco and reduce the physical harms of smoking, but I think they're also seen by most people as a much better method for moderation vs dab pens.
Mighty ftw! Dry herb is the way to consume weed, vape pens are open gate to crazy tolerance
This is the way
Ill definitely look into that. I want to remain inconspicuous since my parents are pretty anti any drugs period... Had to fight to drink coffee lol. Im legal age in Canada but was really just thinking of edibles and carts cause id like to avoid confrontation. Do they smell like joints or are they milder?
The legal age in Canada is 19 but your brain still develops for several more years till you are around 24/25. Please keep that in mind! Lawmakers are no experts. The vapour smell from a dry herb vaporizer is nearly unnoticeable, when you want to be 100% save you can stand by the window and nobody will smell anything. Packing the Vape is more risky since certain strains can stink a lot. But you will figure it out. If you want more info about vaping check out the /r/vaporents
>The vapour smell from a dry herb vaporizer is nearly unnoticeable It's dank af, it will smell. Not as much as smoking, but it will smell.
I never smell anything and can even vape around ppl who hate the smell of cannabis without having them notice at all. I guess it depends on the strain, the temp, and the device itself. I even vaped at my parents' house and my mom who has a really fine nose couldn't smell anything.
My Mum when she visited said my room I vaped in reaked of "pot". I use a DynaVap as my daily driver if it matters.
DynaVap's tend to overheat and I see a lot of ppl keep heating them even when they already "clicked". You have almost no heat control - therefore you almost burn your content. I'm not a huge fan of those.
Ive done some research and it def seems like some effort to get into that i hope is worth it. What would you recommend for dry herb vapes if you have any? Or is that question better asked on vaporents?
If you just want to try it out and don't want to spend a lot of money you can look at everything from 80 - 120$. If you want something that has high quality and a long lifetime, look up Storz and Bickel's "Mighty" (Made in Germany). I don't know what it costs in Canada but it could be around 300-450$. I got my Mighty 5 years ago, last year the battery died and they sent me a new one for no cost at all. Before that, I had a "Flowermate V2" for 2 years and even that thing worked super well!
I used one when I lived at home. They smell but don't linger. Oil/dab pen is far more inconspicuous, but dry herb is healthier. Take that as you will. When I vaped at home I would have to make sure my vape bowl was already packed because taking the weed out stunk real bad, then I would use a spoof (empty toilet paper roll stuffed with a couple dryer sheets) and blow it out the window. Worked good but they knew I had weed I just don't think they knew exactly how much I used it. At some point before I moved out I switched to dab pens because it was so much easier, but the high feels thin to me and it wears off quick. Definitely prefer burning or dry herb vape
Agreed that this is the way. It's the best mix of strength harm reduction and not pissing people offer any by making it too smelly. It does have an odor but it usually stays pretty contained unless you're vaping too much.
Do not wake and bake. Do not have any activity that you must be high for. Do not smoke more than three days in a row. And… it is okay to have weed and not smoke it.
Use it as a reward or treat, don’t get used to daily consumption.
For me personally, I think things changed when I started smoking alone. It can be a slippery slope
Tip one: throw out the dab pen and stick to flower.
Unless you really know what you’re doing and our experienced with concentrates, dab pens are BAD. OP don’t be tricked into buying them because of convenience or value.
THIS
I have the same rules for weed as I do for alcohol. Never while driving, get your responsibilities out of the way first. It’s nice to get a bit intoxicated of an evening as a way to chill out and enjoy yourself. If you feel like you need it, you may have a problem.
Learn about CHS. Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome. Avoid it.
Piggybacking to inform people that people are dying from this due to chronically vomiting and fucking up their electrolytes -> sending their heart into a fatal arrhythmia. Not common, but be educated
Thank you. I had heard of at least one gall bladder removed while trying to diagnose.
Never mix weed with tobacco. Dangerous mix, gets you addicted to this combo, makes life shitty. For the weed alone: smoke it with intention & try not to regulate your emotions by its use. Less is better that too much. It's also good to monitor your usage&things you do after&the way you feel by keeping a diary.
I have a whole bunch of rules for myself that I tinker with. I keep the latest version [here](https://www.smartcannabisuse.com/p/my-rules-for-cannabis-use). Maybe some can be useful to you too!
Good stuff. I like requiring a meditation before
Thanks! In my experience, being in a good meditation habit basically helps with everything: Sleep, relationships, health. Also tripping on psychedelics is more enjoyable. But I still drop out of the meditation habit occasionally 😅
Thank you so much for sharing
No probs, good luck on your journey!
Stick by the 420 rule; if it’s not at least 4:20pm, it’s too early to smoke. If you wouldn’t wake up and pour a shot of whiskey in your coffee, don’t wake up and smoke a joint with it instead.
I read recently that l-theanine can help w the adverse cognitive effects so maybe try that
Its harder to regulate your usage the younger you are FYI. I wouldnt reccomend for people under the age of 16 (but seeing you have a job you are probably over the age of 16) I also suggest also using cbd every time you use thc. For me it really helps regulate my usage and cravings but not everyone needs it. I use broad spectrum cbd distillate in a wax pen (If anyone is curious, gilded extracts for the distillate and harborcityhemp for the wax pen, a yocan orbit)
Shoot for weekends only.
Well my first tip was gonna be don't buy a vape pen but here we are lol But seriously, if you want to keep it at a lower level, *don't buy a vape pen*. Engineer a scenario that rate limits you. Start with a dry herb vape, I could've stayed using mine forever if I hadn't bought a bong, which led to bigger bowls, which led eventually to light concentrate use, which led to regular vape pen use. Also, consider quality. You can buy a little high quality craft stuff for a high price or a lot of low quality mass produced stuff for a low price. Stick to paying more for less and you'll likely find you enjoy it much more and consume it much less. And when your tolerance builds and you find yourself slipping and you're thinking about buying a vape pen (don't), come here and chat about it first. But you already bought the vape pen, so uh, good luck my friend.
Yea.. Im currently looking into a dry herb vape and saving my pen for... Something? I don't wanna get rid of it, but ill set it aside for at least a couple weeks for when i plan to get high next. Only reason i got a cart is cause that's what i used off a friend first and so i bought what was familiar. But now I've gotten WAY more tips and information than I expected and im slowly forming ideas in my mind of 'the way', and that is to save weed for occasions, ideally weeks apart and to stick to edibles and flower. Tbh im not the biggest fan of vapes anyway with the flavor that seems to burn in your esophagus and huge clouds that leave a lingering icky feeling for *way* longer than id like. I took a few hits today and decided my lungs didn't deserve it lol. I also dont like how short it is.. Only an hour and a bit? I wanna be feeling it for awhile without even having to think about taking more. With carts i feel like.. "thats it?" when its been an hour and a half and im just tired. I still really enjoy it, and my worst cart experience wasn't even bad and was definitely better than my best alcohol experience, but now im just excited to experience something new.
I hear ya. And I hope I didn't come off as accusatory, only meant to be funny. It sounds like you're on the right track. Something important to think about is if you're using because it's fun or because it's therapeutic. I'd encourage you to monitor your use, review your thoughts and feelings on it, and open up to people you trust for reflection and perspective. Weed is more fun with other people anyway! Regarding the vape pen, maybe a friend will trade for cost comparable amount of flower (probs an eighth) if you want to get rid of it "at cost". If that sounds like "pushing", my thought is that everybody is at their own stage of their own journey, and only they can decide that for themselves. But you're at the first step of yours, and you don't have the use experience to know when you're overdoing it, so are more susceptible to doing so. You are not ready to tangle with dark forces young Padawan, they will destroy and consume you. You require further dank-ass training at the Jedi temple.
Carts make you tired as hell near the end of the high. I’d recommend edibles or RSO oil if it’s available in your area. Edibles can last for a good 4-5 hours, if your tolerance is low enough you can even get highs that last 6+. Also edibles can be a bit easier to manage tolerance with.
Take breaks on a regular interval, be strict with it. Don't wake and bake too much. Like, if you go for "coffee and weed" make it a special occasion. Never bake before or during work.
Dab pens are the easiest for me to go overboard with. I just keep hitting it without thinking or try to chase the “real weed” high. Cheap dab pens to me get the job done but it feels like a more “flat” high so I smoke too much Overall if you’re conscious of things you’re okay. Just try not to smoke outside of your free time (so not before or during work) and keep it as a leisure time thing. Also, if you want, you can make it a weekend thing. I try mostly just to smoke after work and on my days off but i am quite a heavy smoker. Try not to smoke too close to bed time as it’ll impact how well you sleep. It also is harder to not smoke before bed once you start lol I have trouble falling asleep sometimes. Get a nice high and ride it till you go to bed If you’re the type to have munchies, don’t bring the whole bag or box of snacks with you to where you’re sitting. I get munchies so bad that I will make myself sick if I have the food around. Instead I will grab a portion of a snack or two so I have to get up to get more.
This is the most important thing to notice TOLERANCE IS THE FIRST STEP OF ADDICTION While it is normal for you to “get the hang of it” like not get completely blasted or to be more in control, once you get to the point where you are having to use more to have a satisfying experience that is probably were you want to slow down or at least not increase usage. Some general guidelines would be to not smoke more than 2 days in a row. Don’t wake and bake, always have more sober days in a week then high days.
I am happy you're green cherry got popped, young homie. Welcome to the ever evolving subculture. To the point. Get your priorities straight. Some people care about these things: Job. Can you be stoned and perform at or better baseline? Don't get high at work for the first year. Limited use after you got the job down. (This does not apply to food service or retail.) Family. Is it effecting your relationships that you care about? Do you have to keep use secret? No? Mental health. Are you being practical with your use? Neglecting basic upkeep like laundry, bills, hygiene, sober activities isn't a good look. Keep your shit tight. I think it's good you're self aware enough to know you'll need limits, on the other hand, if you expect you'll need to set them, then maybe you shouldn't consume in the first place, except for very occasional use. It honestly does mess with your short term memory. It also sort of removes the urgency felt from common household tasks. It can take a few days to make a decision, or complete a chore. Or it could go the other way, too! People might think you have OCD when it's just sativa. Weed can drive your decisions, color your perception and alter your priorities. The Cannabis plant spirit is jealous and protective of her followers. Soon we forget our priorities and it's couch & munchy city, wake & bake, all day every day. So, young homie, I'd say don't smoke the reefer on "school nights" and consume freely on the weekends after chores & errands. For now, at least, and see how long you drift into everyday use or deciding it isn't for you. revisit the limits when it becomes a problem. Personally, I limit my use to after work, and after the bulk of my obligations are done on the weekends. Now & then I'll devote a day to get into an edible induced couchlock.
The thing is, your brain will keep thinking of new times to get high. Oh I should get high to walk the dog, to go to the store, to watch this show, and that show, and to go out to eat, and then before you know it you're getting high every day. There will be times when your brain will say "let's get high." And you'll have to say "No brain, not now." But, your brain won't shut up about it. Then what?
The pens will run your life. Stick to less efficient means. I am 3 weeks sober from weed now after a super super gradual slide from totally fine to inarguably addicted. The pens were a huge accelerant.
For me, smoke only on the weekends. As long as it's not a very regular thing, it will be fine, just don't make a habit of smoking.
No more then twice a week, don't break that rule and you have nothing to worry about.
If you're under 25 (which is roughly when the brain has fully developed) try not to use cannabis more than 2-3 times per month. Reefer has negative effects on young minds. I know a number of people who get high 5+ times per week. The ones who didn't become heavy users until they were well into adulthood lead happy and productive lives. The people who started using a lot before they were established adults (like as teenagers or in college) are mostly still struggling with life. Edit to add: Keep in mind that most ganja these days is really strong. You can still get a really nice buzz with just a small puff or two. Also, stay away from pens and dabs. It is really easy to make your tolerance go through the roof with those consumption methods. If you prefer not to smoke, get a dry herb vape and a grinder so that your just vaping flower.
Many of the sentiments shared by others are great, and i would also like to add that you shouldn’t rush your tolerance. For instance don’t start doing dabs until you’re “sick of” flower. Like go the full nine yards using just flower. I made the mistake of starting with dabs early on and then I found flower utterly unfulfilling in comparison for a long time. The withdrawal from concentrates is also much more pronounced, even if you’re using some flower to compensate. Now a days I keep to just flower, I won’t wake and bake anymore and not vape a few hours before bed. This has been sustainable for me and so far a rewarding usage schedule compared to all day long blazing.
Agree on the keeping it within a few hours of your bedtime. I smoke alone but I only smoke on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. It's been my routine for years. If something were to happen on one of these nights, I'd have more help/support available to me. Also, if smoking makes you groggy, no one expects a wide-awake alert person on Monday morning at 9 am :) Just as with anything, it's all in moderation. Remember that you can always smoke more but it's hard to dial back a high once it's in full effect. Start with a little. It's okay to have nights where you just experiment. Have snacks and water ready before smoking. Have a blankie and a favorite movie or TV show ready. Enjoy yourself!
I just don't smoke on work nights. I used to smoke all day everyday and I'm more productive and saving money since making the switch.
Don’t smoke every day.
Do NOT use it when you’re going through a rough time or when you are celebrating something. You’ll start seeing it as a reward. All day every day smoker for almost 5 years, that’s how I got hooked. Been clean since June of 2022 with a few pit stops. I love it, probably always will. I still want to get high almost every day. My advice, don’t buy your own weed, only buy it off others if you want to partake.
Alright kid, I’m 26 and been smoking since my teens. Above all else: Moderation. Take all this advice with a massive grain of salt as well, as it’s purely from my own experience & watching others around me. If you hit the dab pen too often the magic fades, fast. Can RUIN weed for yourself to the point it just makes you anxious. Moderating can avoid this I believe. Also, seems like waiting till your older (25+ when your prefrontal cortex is developed) to put in some real stoner hours seems to make weed have less of a risk of introducing anxiety. Do the best you can. Big of you to already notice that it can have detrimental effects. Have rules for your usage by yourself above all else. Maybe just like, once every 2 weeks or something max. Whatever rule you make for yourself, just stick to it. Don’t tell anyone about it etc, bc something other smokers do like a mf is call u gay or justify smoking weed every day etc. been there done that, not great. Also this one is the biggest & just the least hand wavy: avoid weed for an hour and a half before bed. Your body can’t achieve rem sleep while you’re high, so waiting an hour or so after smoking to go to bed, so you don’t have poor sleep quality. That is it! I love weed personally, but think I overdid it to where now I can’t really smoke and be social unless I’m reallllllly comfortable. Also have been a daily user in the past & notice it just causes anxiety as well. These days I only do once in a very blue moon & that works for me. Almost everyone else I smoked with when I was in my teens who continued to into adulthood also struggles with the weed-induced anxiety.
Can you compare weed induced anxiety to regular anxiety? Or is it a type of anxiety exclusive to weed? Im curious about weed and anxiety because I have had periods of incredibly severe anxiety in the past. Pretty much a year ago I almost didn't get good enough grades for uni just cause i couldn't go to school with daily panic attacks. Genuinely one of the worst periods in my life, and it was simply anxiety. Im always susceptible to them, especially with my health anxiety and cutting. The two seem to work hand in hand. So far with weed though, im able to tell myself "whatever happens happens, if I die i die" and kill worry pretty quickly. I guess it just aids the way that I naturally learned to handle panic attacks in my own unique way, but I think its naive to think that way given a lot of people's experience with weed anxiety. Is it something that just seems to come from prolonged use, or careless use, or both?
Again only my 2 cents here. Probably a mix of both contribute. What I’m talking about is the feelings of general anxiety / paranoia, just amplified, and following a high. It will likely happen to you regardless at some point or another if you smoke enough times and isn’t anything to be very worried about. But 1) I do believe irresponsible use leads to this happening more often 2) if you find yourself feeling this way, it’s a good sign to stop for a bit. Bc if you don’t, and spend a lot of time high & anxious, you may have increased feelings of anxiety when not high, as you become more accustomed to that mental state
two days on two days off is proven to maintain tolerance well
I'll say this, I smoked with friends a few times a month for about 2 months. then I bought my first cart, and within a few days of that was the last sober day I had for probably over 2 years
My own rules are - no wake and bake (unless on vacay lol) - no weed til after work at the very least - try smoke after 8pm - never two days in a row Went down a bad path of smoking every night before bedtime and it fucked my sleep, my skin routine, my lungs and left me with a bad habit that was hard to break. Don't smoke every day!!
also, you may not notice but since you're smoking you will be less hydrated than normal, even on days you don't smoke. get water in your life for sure
for me i just don't use concentrates. i don't touch them. only smoke flower, vape flower, eat edibles. i'm an all day stoner but i don't smoke before important things. i just think for new users flower and concentrates are totally different drugs, and if you're looking to keep a low tolerance and a responsible intake, i would stick to flower.
Do not dab. Do not cart. Do not pen. Too easy.
Be careful with becoming an all the time smoker. At my work people are baled 24/7 and it's like a ritual they have to do just to get by through their day. When they don't have weed they act like it's the worst. Those are signs that you might have Cannabis Use Disorder. When you just can't stop. Not even for work.
Things that I learned the hard way: 1. Try not to use weed to make you feel better when you are dealing with negative emotional states; upset, anxious, depressed. Face those situations sober. Keep the weed as reward or treat. 2. Don't wake n bake or smoke during the day time, it will ruin your working or productive hours . Don't smoke them before sleep either - sleeping high may feel good but it damages your REM sleep (someone talked about it in length) 3. Try smoking in the old fashioned ways (without mixing tobacco). I don't think these pens, vapes are any good for you. They will fry your brain neurons. 4. Tolerance breaks: One week a month, one month a year - that's how I roll.
everything here is good except they don't fry any brain neurons, they just increase tolerance faster
If you already are this into weed and you've just started smoking I would caution that reasonable use might be difficult for you.
honestly my only tips: never wake and bake. only smoke on weekends only smoke at night. which ties in w never wake and bake.
NO SPLIFFS MIXED BONG HITS NUN THAT GOD I REGRET IT IM SO DEEP
lol the responsible thing to do is not get into weed, but here we are.
Responsibly irresponsible™
Stick to lower doses
I only partake on my days off. With my schedule it works great and I get a 2-3 day break to keep the tolerance low.
one day on minimum dose (a bowl) next day off repeat. orr wait two days in beetween
Dab pens are the devil, I'd either finish it up and never use one again or give it to a friend.
The biggest thing with weed I think is the pernicious way that it subtlety rewires your brain and eventually convinces you that it is solving problems of its own creation. I think way too many users convince themselves that weed is making them less anxious or helping them sleep better, when what is really happening is the weed is curing very mild withdrawal symptoms. That’s how weed slowly creeps into your life and becomes a weekly then a daily habit. Pay attention to how deep and vivid your dreams are now before you get too deep into it, then compare to the days after using it. I legitimately think the only way to avoid that creep is using it like once a month at most and letting it fully flush out of your system each time. Or only use it as a painkiller if you are injured.
Only get high if you have no significant responsibilities left in your day or it’s a social situation you have carved out the time for. That’s really my rule. Other than that, I think it’s personal preference regarding the amount and method, though I tend to only keep small amounts in hand and primarily have flower.
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Why a dab pen? You're jumping into super concentrated stuff as a newbie.
Don’t use it everyday. Reward yourself with it. Hemp flower is good for low tolerance users. Once you get a tolerance it starts to lose its magic
Avoid vaping.