Though smoking weed is generally a super fun time there are a few negative side effects that pop up if you smoke a lot. I guess these aren’t all physical issues, and there are a few other things to take into consideration if you smoke. Harm reduction with any drug is important but it can be easy to fall into some negative patterns and spaces when smoking a lot. We have looked before at how cannabis addiction works, but we also can find ways to reduce issues like smoker’s cough, anxiety, getting too high, lacking motivation, mental health issues, and all sorts of other bits and pieces. So let’s have a little look at the various ways that you can make smoking a safer experience for you and those around you.
Mental Health
I personally think that this is one of the most important aspects of smoking safely. Though some strains are fantastic for some aspects of mental health we can’t just assume that you should smoke a bunch if you have mental health issues. Especially if you have issues with anxiety, paranoia, or any severe diagnosed disorders. For example, as a bipolar person, I have to be very careful with which strains I use. If I smoke strong weed regularly, anything that alters my mood too much, or anything that can cause slight paranoia in others it can really knock me off my brain game. Learning which strains work best with your brain is extremely important and if you start to notice signs like memory loss, a severe lack of motivation or a general rise in your paranoia you should immediately reduce how much you’re smoking and do a little bit of research.
Respiratory Issues
If you smoke your weed then it’s likely that you have a smoker’s cough as well as some other mild respiratory issues. Obviously, there are quite a few ways that you can reduce the damage to your lungs.
If you want to smoke your weed then maybe don’t mix it with tobacco. There will still be some issues because of the combustion of smoking cannabis but it should be a fair bit less damaging than smoking tobacco. You can also make sure the stalks and leaves aren’t attached to the weed that you’re smoking to create a smoother smoke.
They say that holding the smoke in your lungs for longer will mean you get more out of the high, this is nonsense. Don’t do that all you’re doing is really making sure the fun little guys in your lungs that push out the gross stuff are good and dead.
Make sure that all your gear is nice and clean. If you use a bong or a pipe cleaning it will make smoking a lot easier on your lovely little lungs.
Find alternative ways to take in cannabis such as edibles or even using a vape.
Smoker’s Cough
If you are starting to sort out your respiratory health you might get a worse smoker’s cough as your lungs clear out nonsense. There are a few ways that you can reduce a smoker’s cough while your body figures things out.
Tea is a great option just like when you’re unwell. Anything with ginger, honey, turmeric, or green tea is a great idea. Maybe honey and lemon with a little splash of whiskey in it. Any of these will soothe your throat and reduce the pain of your cough.
Have a really hot bath or steam, maybe put a little bit of mint oil into it to really clear everything out.
Do some deep breathing exercises and some stretches. Any kind of exercise that encourages breath is great as well like running or aerobics. Maybe finish with some deep breathing yoga. This should reduce the amount you actually cough and help your lung health overall.
Reducing Your High
It can be really bad for you if you get too high and don’t know how to come back down. We’ve covered this in a previous article but a quick little go over can’t hurt. The main things that people go for are peppercorns and citrus. Chewing on a peppercorn or chomping on a lemon will ground you and there are certain compounds in lemons that are extremely calming when you’re too high.
Grounding techniques are also great like plunging your hands into ice water or making a slow and focused cup of tea.
Common Sense
Don’t buy weed from someone you don’t trust because you have no idea what’s in there. Sure it’s unlikely that weed is mixed with anything but still try and find a place to get your weed that you trust just to be safe.
Don’t buy weed illegally especially not in some sort of sketchy street handover where you are likely to get caught. Obviously don’t do it at all that’s very naughty but hypothetically be sensible.
Do not drive high, I know that sounds obvious but you would be amazed. It’s ridiculous how many people I’ve known who would drive around completely stoned and would often say things like “I’m actually more focused.” No, you’re not, your reaction time is so slow, just don’t do it.
Do try and stay on top of how much you’re smoking. Most sources say not to smoke every day but realistically that’s up to you. I would just say that it’s probably a good idea to chill out on the smoking if you notice any harmful side effects or if you start experiencing anything you aren’t used to.
Don’t smoke when you’ve been drinking a lot. Again you’ll likely be fine but you also might suddenly be ridiculously high and it’s pretty likely that it will make you very sick. If you’re going to go ham probably just choose one or the other.
Obviously, all of this is general advice and I trust you all to be sensible babies. The main thing is that you look after yourselves, do your research, try not to overuse and make sure your brain is nice and happy or at least not falling apart.
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