Why didn’t I get stoned from my first hit? – Latest cannabis news today

The first time I smoked weed, it didn’t get me high. The same thing happened on the second and third attempts. I remember not being disappointed at the time because I was enjoying the taste of the smoke. Then, one year, on April 20th, everything changed. I was at the 420 celebrations in downtown Victoria, smoking and listening to a great drum circle nearby. I remember thinking the drum circle sounded amazing and then it dawned on me I was stoned.

Cannabis may affect everyone differently, but I am not alone in this experience. A lot of people don’t get high the first time they smoke weed. On the other hand, some people feel the effects of cannabis immediately. Curious, I decided to investigate why or not we were getting high for the first time and was surprised what I found; We need to sensitize our system. In fact, cannabis awareness is key to not only feeling an effect, but also the reason we develop tolerance. If you’ve ever wondered why or not you get high, here’s a simplified explanation of what’s going on.

Start with the endocannabinoid system

We don’t know much about the endocannabinoid system as it wasn’t discovered until 1990. We know that it regulates homeostasis in the body and it does so by adjusting nerve signals. Much like a lock and key system, our bodies make compounds called endocannabinoids, and these fit into receptors to have an effect. Interestingly, there are similarly shaped compounds within the cannabis plant. We call these botanicals phytocannabinoids and they work in the same way when ingested.

To understand why we get high or not, we need to understand how the endocannabinoid system works. Natural endocannabinoids act like other neurotransmitters, except that they signal in reverse. Endocannabinoids, known as retrograde signaling, bind to presynaptic sites to create or regulate nerve function. Instead of just targeting the postsynaptic neuron, they affect the neuron that releases the message. To be clear, the endocannabinoid system goes against the current to target the messages before they are released. It is through these chemical adaptations that the endocannabinoid system maintains balance in the body.

Why didn’t I get stoned from my first hit?

The simple answer: you didn’t have enough cannabinoid receptors. Your body had to produce more before you could feel any effects. You can try ingesting cannabis, but if your body isn’t ready to ingest it, you won’t feel anything.

We know that our endocannabinoid system is responsible for regulating the body. Now think about what happened the first time you smoked weed. You flooded your system with compounds in the form of natural endocannabinoids, but your system wasn’t ready for it. You didn’t have enough receptor sites, so you didn’t feel any effect. To compensate for this and create a balance, your endocannabinoid system has expressed more receptors and sensitized any that were already there. If you felt high the first time you smoked weed, you initially had enough cannabinoid receptors. If it took a few times, it’s because your body had to produce a lot more.

tolerance

The development of tolerance to cannabis is also a consequence of the endocannabinoid system. If the body has been oversaturated with THC for a long period of time, the system balances itself by “hiding” cannabinoid receptors. Since there are fewer receptors available, you will have to consume more as you will absorb less. This information helps to gain a better understanding of how a tolerance break works. Taking a break from cannabis use encourages your endocannabinoid system to rebalance itself and re-sensitize your cannabinoid receptors.

Did you feel stoned the first time? Do you take tolerance breaks? Please share your experience with us in the comments or on our social media.

Footnote (s)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3517813/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3997295/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7702643/