So You Are Too High – Now What? A Guide for Bringing You Back to Earth

My uncle Mark said there are only three certainties in life: Death, Taxes, and One Day Despite All Your Best Efforts Will Be Way Too Stoned. Besides the fact that he stole most of the quote and it didn’t really roll off the tongue, the sentiment behind it is hard to argue with.

We are a very creative species. You could even say we are perfectionists. This special trait, coupled with our curiosity, has allowed us to crossbreed different cannabis strains, chasing after that one perfect phenotype.

By crossbreeding different cannabis strains, we are able to manipulate the genetics of cannabis to create strains that perfectly suit our needs.

As more new strains are introduced to the market, as well as creative ways to ingest cannabis such as edibles, sprays and even THC water, it is likely that many newer users, and even some more experienced ones, will inevitably get too stoned.

Don’t think it can happen to you? I thought the same. As a daily smoker for years, I thought the possibility of getting too high was something I’d never have to worry about again. Then I took a very large dose of edibles while visiting with my inlaws. The fact that I was trying to keep it together in front of my Mother in law did not help, but I quickly found myself way too high. I began to panic. I had recently written about edibles, their effects and possible risks to consider, however at that moment, none of that mattered.

With the help of my partner and a lot of water, I came back to earth and pulled myself together. That night, I decided I had to write a more detailed guide on how to deal with being too high.

Knowing your experience and tolerance is imperative when using any substance. If you have had a negative experience in the past, you have to keep that in mind, lest you make the same mistake again. In the case that you know that you are sensitive to high THC, search for high CBD strains. If you know that edibles don’t sit well with you; don’t take them.

Being too high can be avoided most of the time. Even in my recent case, I had an empty stomach, had not slept a lot, and had not used THC all day as I was with my in-laws. If I had taken these things into consideration I could have paced my dosing more appropriately and therefore avoided the whole situation in the first place. Proper precautions before consumption can help.

However, let’s say that despite your best planning, it happens. You feel that an unfamiliar rush of disorientation and anxiety rush over you.  How do you get rid of a high?

There are several methods people suggest for trying to reduce your high. Some are backed by science, whereas others only have anectordal evidence to back them up. Regardless, here are some of the most recommended ways to combat a negative high:

Most people have black pepper at their house and in the case that you find yourself too stoned, it may be your new best friend. All have to do is to chew three to five little kernels of black pepper. The flavor may be overpowering at first, but when you get used to it, you’ll feel yourself coming down from your high. Some people even suggest that taking a few sniffs of black pepper can already help you stop being so high.

Dr. Ethan Russo, who we discuss in our blog For Better or Worse: The Biggest Influencers in Cannabis, has spent countless hours studying the effects of naturally occurring terpenes on the body.

He explains to Leafly, “Cannabis and pepper have very similar chemical traits; pepper has a “phytocannabinoid-terpenoid effect,” which is known to help with pain, depression, addiction, and anxiety. The terpenes in pepper, such as beta-caryophyllene, interact with the THC so calm anxiety, allowing you to feel more like yourself.

Black peppercorn is also rich in terpenes such as pinene. Pinene has calmative and anxiolytic properties and is also known to enhance memory. This effect can counteract the short-term memory impairment induced by THC.

Black peppercorn method works best for cannabis-induced anxiety. This can also help control paranoia caused by high-THC strains and should work for both edible and smoking-induced green outs.  Even Canadian royalty Neil Young, explains “try black pepper balls if you get paranoid. Just chew two or three pieces.”

If Neil says it works then you best believe it works because the dude performed at Woodstock and can barely remember it. 

CBD Method

CBD is a very popular method for combating an overwhelming high, however, take note that using CBD may pro-long the feeling of intoxication, as you are still ingesting additional cannabinoids, although it should be reduced to a more manageable feeling.

We recommend trying the following CBD products:

ActiHemp Pure CBD Gel Caps
These gel caps are incredibly popular among both the staff and our clients. Simple, pure ingredients make an effective capsule.

This spearmint variety can also help with upset stomach sometimes associated with greening out.

Perfect for when you’re just a little too high to be out of the house!

If all else fails, you should try the age-old method to get rid of a high – drinking lots of fluid and sleeping it off. The side effects of cannabis, however unpleasant they may be, will go away after a few hours. You only need to wait and let the effects wear off. So sleep if you must, and when you wake up, you’ll feel better.

Drinking plenty of water also helps control the cottonmouth and dry eyes sensations caused by cannabis. Cannabis doesn’t really dehydrate you, but it blocks your salivary glands from secreting saliva. This effect is why your mouth feels so dry after consuming cannabis.

As for dry eyes; drinking plenty of fluids, especially water, can help reduce dry eyes sensation.

If sleep is the farthest thing from your mind and you feel like the adverse side effects of THC are consuming you, then walk it off. Go out and walk around the block, but have someone sober with you. And not just your dog, because dogs are essentially constantly too stoned wolves. If you’re on your own, stay close to home. I cannot overstate how much fresh air can help when you feel too stoned.

If you are trying to sleep but cannot get your mind to stop racing, then play some calming music, your favourite movie/tv show, or a podcast. Just make sure you pick the right thing. Watching ‘The Excorcist’ when you’re too high is probably not the best idea.

One much-disputed method to get rid of a high is to take vitamin C. Some people say you can either drink a couple of glasses of orange juice or take a vitamin C tablet. Pretty soon, you’ll feel yourself coming down from your high.

Vitamin C (which is abundant in oranges, mangoes, and strawberries) has a calmative effect. It can reduce anxiety and may also help relieve depression. These effects can help control THC’s adverse side effects.

However, here’s the thing about taking vitamin C. While some people swear that this method works, some actually claim they experienced the opposite effect. Instead of getting rid of the high, they say taking vitamin C actually got them more stoned. There is not any scientific evidence to support why it would either increase or decrease your high. Therefore, you’re probably better off using one of the other methods.

That said, a nice glass of orange juice and a healthy dose of the placebo effect can go a loooong way if you need to help a friend out of their high. A large part of greening out or being too stoned is your mind’s ability to feed off the anxiety and start panicking more, which in turn gives you more anxiety, creating a miserable cycle. Therefore, if you’re trying to help someone else who feels too high you can use the power of suggestion and give them a placebo that will help calm their mind. Obviously, if you have other methods you should use them too but creating a positive atmosphere can really help when trying to bring a friend back down to earth. This method, however, is less effective when you try it on yourself.

A friend recently was way too stoned when we were camping. We didn’t have any black peppercorn in the middle of the woods, but we did have a lot of pickled ginger (no idea why it was there). I told him to eat 5 pieces (a made-up number) of pickled ginger because the chemicals in it would help him feel less high (not true) and it worked (somehow). When you are too high, you are desperate for help, and sometimes even just getting advice from someone you trust can make a world of difference (even if they’re making it up as they go)

It’s important that you know the strain and its THC content before using it. This way, you’ll know what to expect and avoid getting too stoned. But it’s normal to make mistakes, and there may be times that you’d end up too stoned. If ever this should happen to you, then you’ll know what to do to stop being so high.