The feeling of high when you consume cannabis in any form, be it through ingestion, smoking, or vaping, is the most commonly known effect of the herb. Also known as being “stoned”, the feeling typically refers to the psychoactive relaxation or stimulation that influences sensory perception, appetite, and euphoria in most people. But what exactly causes this lineup of effects? Well, it is the cocktail of cannabinoids that rest within the plant responsible for these actions and more.
The moment we mention cannabinoids, the two primary compounds that come to our minds are CBD gummies. Over the past few years, the rage around CBD has constantly risen. One of the primary factors behind this is that the compounds promise the many benefits of marijuana without introducing the characteristic high associated with it. But wait, does this mean THC is why you get high from cannabis? Well, let us explore this impeccable cannabinoid further to understand its effects.
Understanding THC
Before we dig deep into exploring THC and how it gets you high, let us understand the basics of the compound. Typically the term weed or cannabis refers to the dried buds of the plant consumed in several different forms, including infused products. These buds contain a spectrum of chemical compounds that introduce potent effects.
THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol is a potent compound that induces specific symptoms that typically associate with what users refer to as the high. Many different types of THC exist in the raw plant extracts, such as THCA, THCV, Delta-8 THC, and Delta-9 THC. Each of these forms is somewhat different and can offer various properties and benefits. For example, CBD Genesis products is popularly known for its exceptional analgesic effects and expresses appetite and concentration stimulating effects. You can search where to find delta 8 THC spray online and use it for enjoying its pain-relieving properties effectively. Although effective, THCV’s analgesic properties are slightly less intense, but the compound works wonderfully for anxiety, Alzheimer’s, and Epilepsy treatments.
But now the question arises, how do these chemicals exactly trigger such feelings and effects? For that, we need to understand the functions of the ECS or our body’s endocannabinoid system.
ECS
Our body’s endocannabinoid system performs several critical functions to help us sustain, such as influencing pain, inflammation, stress, appetite, energy, metabolism, motivation, cardiovascular functions, sleep, reproduction, and reward. It uses three main elements and actions – messenger molecules, receptors for these molecules, and enzymes to perform these functions perfectly.
The messenger molecules (neurotransmitters) are generated by our body depending on the stimuli to bind at different receptor sites to perform a function or trigger a chemical reaction such as hormone secretion. The enzymes perform the process of breaking the messenger molecules down when the task is complete. Phytocannabinoids such as THC is very similar to these messenger molecules. This property enables them to interact with the rest of the elements of the ECS and influence the many functions.
When you introduce THC to the body, it interacts with the CB1 endocannabinoid receptor located in the brain that controls intoxication. The resulting activation causes an increase in the flow of blood to the prefrontal cortex that governs several functions like memory, motor skills, decision making, executive functions, concentration, and focus. The interaction also activates the pathway for the secretion of “feel-good hormones” that play a vital role in our body’s reward system. This process leaves the user feeling light and euphoric.
It is these processes that leave the person feeling slightly fuzzy and also experiencing some hallucinations. Depending on the concentration of THC that is actively available in your system, the intensity of these effects may deepen. You might be able to perceive colors better and feel more focused, especially when experiencing mild concentrations of THC.
How Long Does The High Last?
So how long does this feeling of high last after consuming THC? The typical duration could vary between 2 – 10 hours depending on tolerance, consumption, BMI, THC concentration, and metabolism.
Over time your body gets comfortable with the levels of THC exposed and therefore develops a tolerance for it. Hence, you might need more of the compound to feel the same “high” levels, primarily if you use cannabis frequently. In this case, moving to a THC-rich strain can be beneficial as the overall THC availability increases to realize better benefits. But remember that exposure to large concentrations of THC frequently can have dangerous side effects, especially to the developing brain, and should therefore be avoided. Taking a tolerance break once every few weeks can be helpful to get back to your normal THC levels.
Another way to increase the high duration is to use edibles instead of sublingual or smoking. However, it takes longer for the effects to set in. The high stays for much more time and is also quite pleasurable.
Conclusion
One of the many effects of introducing THC to your system is that it causes deep relaxation and increases the sensitivity of your senses and appetite. While these effects are commonly associated with feeling “high,” depending on how intense the calming or stimulating effects are, several different cannabinoids, including CBD, can contribute to feeling stoned. So based on what relates to you as a feeling of high – it could be a couchlock effect, a sense of zen or bliss, or even experiencing a lack of physical mass like you are floating, you can understand how this particular effect will be affected by THC.
