Some useful tips for first-time cannabis users
As with any new experience, using cannabis for the first time could give you new, surprising sensations that you need to learn to handle. It may seem surprising, but it’s a fact: you need to follow a few basic safety rules when you want to try cannabis. In this article, we’ll give you the best advice to ensure your first steps into the world of cannabis are enjoyable—not the opposite.
Any new experience brings with it some doubts and anxiety about the unknown—all of which is completely natural, normal, and, above all, human. That’s why we think it’s important to share some tips that will help you be as prepared as possible for your first time using cannabis, whether for recreational or therapeutic purposes.
It’s important to ask yourself a few key questions to ensure you’re in the best possible frame of mind to enjoy yourself. Otherwise, you run the risk of having experiences that leave you with bad memories—often unfairly—due to certain key factors that weren’t properly considered.
1) Is this the perfect time in your life to try cannabis?
It’s essential to feel comfortable with yourself in order to have this kind of experience, especially for recreational use. When it comes to therapeutic use, the situation is different and more challenging, as you’ll naturally be concerned about your altered state of health.
So let’s get back to the idea of experimenting with cannabis for recreational purposes. If you feel you’re going through a difficult period in your life, or if you’re preoccupied with various problems, it’s best to put it off for now. The same goes if you’re feeling extremely tired or aren’t eating well at the moment. It’s important to maintain a good overall balance so that the experience is positive. Cannabis acts as an emotional amplifier in any healthy individual—no more, no less. If you have important tasks to complete during the day—whether in public, institutional, professional, or otherwise serious settings—it’s best to avoid using cannabis altogether. Your state of cannabis intoxication—let’s call a spade a spade—with red eyes and an altered, slowed-down perception of reality, will not help you in any way with your various tasks; quite the opposite.
You’ll only reinforce the stigma and the negative views held by those most resistant to cannabis. It would be like drinking alcohol before doing those same things—you’d give people you meet a negative impression of you, and rightly so. As they say, everything should be done at the right time.
2) Am I in the best place for my first experience with cannabis?
One situation in which it is strongly discouraged to use cannabis is when you find yourself in an unfamiliar, anxiety-inducing environment—such as an unpleasant place where you don’t feel entirely at ease, surrounded by strangers. If this is the case, it’s best to postpone your experience.
This is a situation that typically occurs among teenagers or young people, who overlook what seem to be minor details but are actually significant. The psychoactive effects caused by THC is, let us remember, a new sensation for these first-time users, who may be unpleasantly surprised by the effects they experience in an unsuitable environment.
This is what’s known as “set and settings” in English—the importance of one’s state of mind and surroundings for this kind of experience. It’s an underlying factor that younger and less experienced people are often unaware of.
3) The possibility of experiencing no effects
The intensity of the effects produced by cannabis depends directly on your biochemical makeup. We are not all the same in this regard, and rigorous, in-depth scientific studies still need to be conducted on this topic.
That’s why the effects experienced can vary greatly from one person to another, and it’s even possible for someone to feel nothing at all when they use cannabis for the first time. This may seem strange, but it’s actually quite normal. Many more people than we realize frequently experience this situation. But be aware: in most cases, the effects become noticeable with subsequent uses.
4) Avoid taking multiple drugs at the same time
We strongly recommend that youavoid mixing different drugs together under any circumstances, as this could be a truly harmful cocktail for your body. During your first time, this could lead to such a bad experience that you would definitely not want to repeat it later, to the point of (wrongly) turning you off cannabis. Yet this is what happens to many people, who then blame cannabis directly, when in fact it is their own lack of knowledge and misuse that are primarily responsible for this adverse reaction.
In addition, you should avoid mixing alcohol and cannabis at all costs. A very common bad experience is drinking a fair amount of alcohol and then using cannabis. In most cases, the result will be disastrous—you’ll experience nausea, vomiting, and an urgent need to lie down. And this doesn’t just happen to beginners; even regular cannabis users suffer the consequences. If you try the same combination with “harder” drugs or medications, it will be even worse. This should be avoided entirely.
5) Variable distortion of reality
Consuming alcohol or cannabis alters your perception of reality. This is something you shouldn’t overlook, because all your usual sensations will seem strange to you—and that’s normal. Your five senses will experience things very differently, whether visually, aurally, gustatorily, olfactorily, or through touch. Your perception of spatial and temporal cues is also altered, which is something to keep in mind.
When using cannabis for the first time, we might feel as though we’re rediscovering a place we already know well, and the passage of time might seem much slower than usual. Of course, all of this should be taken with a grain of salt, as it depends on each user’s tolerance, their overall condition at the time, and the quality and quantity of cannabis consumed.
Other temporary effects that also occur in many people include red eyes and short-term memory loss. The heightened sensory experience induced by cannabis manifests as the discovery of new and highly pleasurable sensations when we listen to music, watch a good movie, savor a delicious meal, or make love with our partner, for example.
The cannabis plant offers the possibility of significantly enhancing all these sensations in humans. However, to remain completely objective, it is also necessary to note that if all the conditions are not favorable, then the resulting experience can logically only be negative. It is for all these reasons that it is important to listen to both your body and your mind before engaging in this type of experience, regardless of the psychotropic.
6) The results you’re experiencing don’t meet your expectations
You may notice that your friends have a generally positive reaction when they use cannabis, but that doesn’t mean you’ll experience a similar effect. As we mentioned earlier, every user has a unique biochemical makeup that reacts differently.
This is something to keep in mind, regardless of how you’re feeling right now. It may simply be your natural disposition. It’s entirely possible that cannabis isn’t beneficial for you, as it may cause a certain degree of physical lethargy, but nothing more on a mental level.
Others may experience anxiety, paranoia, or even delirium in the most acute cases. In this case, it is best to immediately stop using cannabis or any other psychoactive substance. The cause of the problem may be due to a temporary condition or may reveal a deeper underlying issue in the individual concerned.
In some cases, this is a warning sign that it is necessary to consult a healthcare professional specializing in this area. It could be a concrete underlying symptom of an obvious psychological or psychiatric disorder that has not yet been diagnosed in this person. This is a situation that must be addressed with particular urgency, as there is a risk that the user will continue to experience these symptoms over the long term.
Another useful tip for anyone wishing to try cannabis for the first time is to practice microdosing so as not to be caught off guard by the intensity of the effects. Using this method, you can always gradually increase the amount of cannabis consumed.
7) Learn to enjoy it by starting slowly
No matter which method you’ve chosen to take your first steps into the world of cannabis, the key is to do everything you can to make your experience as enjoyable as possible.
If you want to eat a cannabis-infused treat, for example, start by eating a small piece and wait at least 45 minutes to an hour to allow the effects to gradually kick in before considering taking another dose. The most common mistake is to take another dose too soon after the first one, which can lead to an overly strong effect due to the cumulative effect.
When making a " spacecake " or cannabis cake, be careful not to use too much, as even a small amount can produce a strong effect. In this case, it is the concentration of active ingredients that poses a problem. Ingested cannabis always takes longer to be absorbed than smoked cannabis.
“Sugar really helps you regain your composure and strength”
When you inhale cannabis, the effects kick in more quickly; on average, you only need to wait between 5 and 15 minutes. Our advice here is exactly the same as for ingestion: take it slow when smoking, and allow enough time between each puff for the effects to take hold. A great way to start gently is to use a vaporizer.
At the same time, it’s important to have a sugary drink and some cookies of your choice within reach, in case you feel lightheaded or unwell. Sugar is very helpful for regaining your composure and strength in those moments.
We strongly advise against consuming cannabis on an empty stomach. This can lead to a drop in blood pressure caused by hypoglycemia and/or orthostatic or postural hypotension. These conditions can result in severe fatigue, and in some cases, even cause the person to faint.
8) Learn to listen to yourself to figure out what’s right for you
One concept that isn’t exactly ideal but is inherently human is the desire to “do what everyone else is doing.” When we’re young, we’re often vulnerable, inexperienced, and open to new experiences, and our still-developing sense of self pushes most of us toward actions that ultimately don’t bring us the happiness, well-being, or fulfillment we truly seek. In most cases, we just go with the flow…
It is for these very reasons that it is essential for everyone to learn to observe and analyze their various cannabis experiences, in order to determine for themselves what brings them the greatest pleasure. This will allow you to get to know yourself better and understand what is right for you. It is important, for example, to determine whether you are more of a fan of Sativa or Indica, or perhaps both depending on the occasion.
You may also prefer vaping over smoking cannabis or ingesting it. Everyone is free to enjoy cannabis at the time that suits them best. Depending on the individual, it’s entirely possible that someone might prefer to use cannabis in the morning, as their personality, personal abilities, or schedule allow for it (a creative artist, for example).
Conversely, another person might hold a position of responsibility requiring extreme concentration during the day and appreciate the powerful effect ofa good Indica in the evening to unwind. Everyone is different and therefore has needs that are of a similar nature.
