When smoking weed, it’s easy to get carried away. The joints start flowing and the smiles keep growing. What could go wrong?
It’s all fun and games until next thing you know paranoia punches you square in the jaw. The world slows down and you freeze up like an instant Ice Age. Don’t panic; you’re just greening out.
To prevent this situation, we’re going to be passing out cannabis survival hand guides. These rules are meant to be adhered to. And by doing so, you become a master of your domain and keep marijuana on its chain.
Keep this guide by your side. You never know when you’ll need to pull it out and use the knowledge passed down by scientists and elders alike.
Chapter 1. What Is Greening Out?
Greening out, first and foremost, is nothing to worry about. When we consume too much THC, our bodies might have an adverse reaction.
Not an adverse reaction in the sense that you’ll fall over and die, but you may experience some uncomfortable sensations.
For the most part, greening out will only affect those that are novice users of cannabis, or those that go way above their tolerance level.
That being said, even experienced smokers can green out from eating a high dose of edibles or taking a dab that’s out of their league.
And we’re not talking just slightly out of your league, but when you’re in the 4th division and try to take a swing at the major leagues.
The exact reason why greening out is even a thing is still unknown. Considering the LD (lethal dose) for cannabis ranges from 1200 mg/kg to 600 mg/kg of body weight.
The exact number is still up in the air because it is more than likely unachievable. Even when administering THC intravenous, the odds of reaching a fatal dose is almost nil. That doesn’t mean to go and try, but it goes to show that even when you green out, you’re nowhere near the fatal dose.
Now that you’ve completed part 1 of the green out survival guide, it’s time to move onto chapter 2. What are the symptoms of greening out?
Chapter 2. Greening Out Symptoms
Before we learn how to avoid greening out, we must learn what the symptoms are. Usually, only a couple of symptoms are prevalent.
But, those can be more than enough to send you into a downward spiral, while others may seem like a natural occurrence from smoking a joint.
You’ll know that you or a colleague is greening out when 2 or more of the following symptoms are happening at once.
1. Paranoia and anxiety
Paranoia and anxiety are the most common effect of a green out. Your body has ingested too much THC and is freaking out. High amounts of THC has shown to trigger psychotic episodes. Going slow and steady is always a good rule of thumb when it comes to cannabis.
2. Nausea
When you start feeling an upset stomach, and your lunch is trying to make a break for it, you may be on your way to a green out.
3. Disorientation
After the paranoia and nausea strike, the next thing to follow is usually disorientation. This might feel as if the room spinning in circles or a loss of balance. When this does happen, keep calm and have a seat.
4. Shaking and tremors
After all, what’s it to tack on a bit of shaking and tremors. This will only happen if nausea ends up making you throw up. Usually, the shakes are uncommon.
5. Heavy sedation and lack of energy
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, the sedation hits. It almost feels like the energy is sucked right out of your body and melting is your only choice. It might feel like you and the carpet are morphing into one peaceful combination of ground and body.
6. Increased heart rate and shortness of breath
Through all the trauma and confusion, you may start to notice that your heart is beating faster than usual. It isn’t your mind playing tricks; your heart is beating at a faster pace. From this, you realize that your breath has been getting shorter. Don’t worry; your breath is only quick because you’re lightly sedated, and the anxiety of the situation has taken over.
7. Dry eyes and cottonmouth
Last but most definitely least, cottonmouth and dry eyes have begun to take their toll. The combination of being dehydrated and a THC overload has caused this. But, after everything that’s happened, this is the least of your worries.
As we mentioned, most of the time, only 1 or 2 of these symptoms will actualize. Unless you eat a 500mg lollipop and your tolerance is non-existent, you won’t have to worry about reaching all 7 phases of hell. And if this does happen, you’ll probably learn your lesson.
Like a good poker player, you’ve learned to read the situation. You can spot a green out from a mile away. But, prevention is the best course of action. We never want to see you or anyone reach this point.
In Chapter 3, we’ll cover how to prevent a green out from happening at all.
Chapter 3. How to Avoid Greening Out
This may be the most crucial chapter of them all. For with this knowledge, the odds of ever encountering a green out drastically diminish.
You can avoid sliding down Dante’s Inferno and keep puffing the devil’s lettuce.
1. Scarf down a good meal
Before embarking on a journey through space and time, it’s always best to pack a towel lunch. Eating a nice healthy meal will slow down the rate of THC absorption. Smoking on an empty stomach won’t necessarily mean you’ll green out, but if you do end up smoking a bit too much, the effects may delay and not hit all at once.
2. Stay hydrated
All the hydro homies know that drinking plenty of water leads to a happy and healthy life. Not only will you generally feel better if you drink water all the time, but you can also prevent yourself from slipping into a green out.
While the science is still not yet understood, it’s believed that dehydration may lead to greening out.
3. Pair the THC with CBD
That’s right folks. If you take a little bit of CBD with your THC, things are going to be alright. Studies have shown that CBD buffers the acute psychoactive effects of THC. Selecting a strain that is high in CBD, such as Charlotte’s Web or Harlequin can almost guarantee a green out isn’t in the cards.
If you’re unable to source a strain high in CBD, a 5mg drop from a tincture should do the trick.
4. Dosage, dosage, dosage
We can’t stress this enough, but knowing your tolerance is vital to steering clear of the green out abyss. You can’t expect to have a good time when you devour an edible that’s 10x stronger than you’re used to. Starting slow is the best course of action. 5mg pieces at a time, every couple of hours ensures your safety.
This goes for smoking as well. If you’re a novice or intermediate smoker and there’s a 4 paper half-ounce blunt making its rounds, maybe sit out most rotations.
Cannabis consumption is a marathon, not a sprint. You don’t need to fade yourself out before you’ve even shown up to the party.
The defence is the best offence, but sometimes it doesn’t work out like that. We, as humans are prone to mistakes and mistakes are bound to happen.
In Chapter 4 we will put the defibrillator in your hands in case the wind has knocked you off your feet.
Chapter 4. What To Do After The Green Out Commences
At this point, there’s no going back. We’re here now. The green out is upon us, and there’s only 1 thing to do, ride out the storm. These tips will guarantee the experience will be as bearable as humanly possible. We can’t say the flight won’t be turbulent, but it feels a lot better sitting in first class.
1. Relax
First and foremost, it’s time to chill out. Before things get any worse, you need to realize that it’s not all that bad, and this will pass. Panicking will only make the situation intensify and plunge you through the cycle of symptoms. Taking deep breaths and counting back from 30 is always a good tip.
If it’s your friend that is going through the green out, assure them that they’re in a safe space and that things are going to be alright. That’s what friends are for right?
2. Hydrate and eat a snack
If you didn’t eat and hydrate before, this is the time to start. Eating a light snack will help level you out. A sugary fruit such as an orange or banana is best, but anything works.
If you decide to “hydrate” with a few beers, you might as well tack on a couple of hours to the green out. Alcohol increases the absorption rate of THC into our bloodstream. We’re looking for the opposite at this present time.
3. Eat a sugary snack or beverage
Cannabis has proven to reduce blood sugar, which is excellent for the prevention of type 2 diabetes. When greening out, many of the same symptoms are present when blood sugar is low. Eating some sugar might reduce and ease the symptoms of greening out.
4. Take some CBD
So you didn’t smoke a high CBD strain, and now you’re greening out. That doesn’t mean it’s too late to dose CBD to ease the effects. Vaporizing CBD is the best, as the effects take form instantly. But, taking 10-20mg of CBD from a tincture will also work.
5. Sleep it off
After completing steps 1 through 4, you’re probably already feeling a lot better. To finish off the rest of the green out, it’s suggested to sleep it off. You’re more than likely already tired from consuming a large amount of cannabis. Finish off the job by finding a cozy place to rest and count some sheep.
When you wake up, you’ll be fresher than a daisy in a midsummer sunrise.
Chapter 5. Survival Is Easy
After all is said and done, greening out isn’t the worst experience. For how great cannabis is, there could be much worse repercussions from going over your limit. In all fairness, it’s not the most pleasant experience, but it’s avoidable. And if it does happen, following the steps above will make it all that much easier to endure.
We conclude the green out survival guide. We hope that you’ve enjoyed and put this knowledge to practical use. With this guide in hand, it’s entirely possible to make green outs a thing of the past! Now that we’ve calmed your worries, peruse the Ganja Dispatch range for top shelf bud.
