Welcome to weed world

What’s that? You used to smoke a little weed back in the day but you gave it up for one reason or another? You thinking about maybe trying a little reefer now that you won’t go to jail and you can pop into your friendly neighborhood dispensary to pick up a preroll before you go to dinner and a movie? Well, welcome! Or … welcome back! I am sure you will have fun. Here are a few tips to help you have a pleasant experience:

Pace yourself. There is no reason to try to smoke all the weed in California on your first day.

Find some pot that smells good to you. Seriously. Different terpenes have different smells and produce different effects (see our terpene feature on page 38). Your body knows what it wants / needs, and certain terpenes are going to smell extra good to you. So follow your nose.

Look for pot with a THC content around 16 to 18 percent, take one or two puffs, wait like 20 minutes and see how you feel. Stay hydrated, eat healthy snacks and enjoy yourself.

If you are looking to try edibles, make sure to check the THC content. I recommend 10 milligrams of THC per 100 pounds body weight, and some folks say you should start with 5 per.

Once again: Eat some, wait at least 45 minutes (ingested THC is metabolized by the liver so it takes longer to feel the effects versus smoking) and see how you feel. If you feel weird or paranoid or anxious, have something to eat, drink some water and maybe put on some music. I have also heard that high CBD edibles or tinctures can help alleviate the effects of too much THC, but this hypothesis relies on anecdotal evidence. If you feel uncomfortably high, just remember that you can’t die from a THC overdose, and it will be over soon. Take a nap. You will be fine.

Disposable vapor pens are convenient and discreet, albeit maybe not the most environmentally friendly way to use cannabis, but the high is usually pretty mellow. However, some of the more modern non-disposable vaporizers like the PAX or the Volcano are great ways to enjoy cannabis’ flavor and effects without all the smoke.

I would suggest that newbies stay away from concentrates like hash, dabs, wax and shatter until they have gotten used to being stoned again.

I would recommend getting high after you have finished your daytime obligations and the kids are in bed, or when you have a day to yourself so you can maybe sneak off to a movie. You don’t have to tell your kids anything, unless they catch you with it. If they are very young, I recommend reading to them from a book called It’s Just a Plant. If your kids are a bit older, remind them that cannabis, like drinking, is for adults. “No drugs until college” has been my constant refrain to my kids, and they seem to be relatively drug-free.

Oh and: DOn’t DRIVE WHEN YOU ARE STONED. Although studies suggest that stoned drivers are not really a bigger risk than sober drivers, it is best to err on the side of staying out of jail. I expect Johnny Law to be on the lookout for stoned drivers for at least a few months. And that’s about it. Be high, be safe and have fun.