Marijuana

(Weed, Cannabis, Pot, Grass, Ganja, Dope)

TrippyWiki score: 7.3/10

Introduction

Marijuana is the most popular psychoactive plant. Because of its safety and potential benefits, the plant is becoming legal all around the world and the stigma around it is soon going to disappear.

Long-term benefits & side effects

Many of the benefits will only occur if you follow the tips below.
Most (if not all) of the side effects are preventable and they will not happen if you follow the Safety checklist.

Weed…

Can decrease the symptoms of PTSD, IBS, glaucoma, Tourette’s syndrome, spinal cord injury, Crohn’s disease, …
Can lower your levels of stress and anxiety
Might help you form positive habits, such as meditation and exercise
Is being used to treat epilepsy and seizures
Makes you more creative
Helps you look at your life from a different perspective
Makes you more conscious and loving
Slows down the development of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
When combined with other psychedelics, weed allows you to gain insights into the nature of reality, heal your childhood trauma and forgive people who’ve hurt you
Reduces pain
Reduces side effects linked to hepatitis C
Can be used for treating autism and social anxiety
Helps treat ADD and ADHD
Is being used to lower symptoms of depression
Can treat alcohol and nicotine addictions
Allows some users to get “in the zone” where they are focused and productive
…

Is commonly sprayed with synthetic cannabinoids, some of which are extremely dangerous
Has led to self-harm by people who took it in an unsafe environment
Can cause HPPD and drug-induced psychosis if you combine it with other substances (such as alcohol or stimulants)
Might lead to drug-induced psychosis if you’re predisposed to it
Might speed up the onset of schizophrenia if you’re genetically predisposed to it
Could cause you trauma due to bad set and setting
Can be both physically and psychologically addictive (although not as much as some people believe)
Impairs brain development for people under the age of 25 if used chronically
Can cause seizures in rare cases
Can cause a cannabis withdrawal after you quit using the drug
Is illegal in many places and you might get arrested for getting involved with the substance
Sometimes acts as a gateway drug because it is illegal and users might come to believe that all illegal drugs are safe
Speeds up the onset of bipolar disorder for those who are predisposed to it
Might impair long-term memory and concentration
Increases a chance of a car accident by 25-30% (only when you are driving high)
Increases your heart rate and blood pressure, which can be an issue if you suffer from heart problems.
…

Smoking marijuana doesn’t have a significant effect on longevity. Overall, smoking marijuana appears to be neutral for your physical health while eating it is slightly beneficial for preventing cancer.

Why choose marijuana over other psychedelics?

Marijuana…

Is one of the most popular drugs, therefore we have access to a huge number of studies and trip reports
Is extremely physically safe and has no lethal dose
Doesn’t cause a “bad trip” as often as most other psychedelics
Usually doesn’t cause nausea or physical discomfort
Allows you to have cleaner thoughts than if you were to eat magic mushrooms, for example
Has a short duration compared to most other psychedelics
Usually isn’t cut with other drugs (although synthetic cannabinoids are commonly sprayed on marijuana)
Is popular and completely natural, therefore there is not as much stigma around it as with LSD or MDMA, for example
Has multiple benefits that other psychedelics are not proven to have (such as treating epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, glaucoma, etc.)
Is relatively safe to take when you’re around strangers, unlike other psychedelics

How to take marijuana

Strains

There are over 700 unique strains, most of which are hybrids and their effects are somewhere in between Indica and Sativa.

Indica causes a strong “body high” that will make you sleepy or relaxed. A Sativa high is known to be more energizing and uplifting.

Every strain has a different THC and CBD content. On average, the weed that’s being sold on the street has 17% THC but one strain may contain below 1% while another can have over 30% THC.

Each of the 700+ strains also has its unique effects and benefits.

Smoking vs. Eating Weed

Cannabis can either be smoked or taken orally. You could also use it topically but topical marijuana doesn’t get you high.

The method you choose will have a significant impact on the duration of the high, as well as the effects and the intensity.

While the effects of smoked cannabis kick in almost instantly and completely disappear within 3-4 hours, eating cannabis should give you a 4-10 hour experience.

Not only will edibles last longer but the effects will also be more intense.

Eating marijuana is also believed to be slightly better for your health than smoking marijuana.

The downside to taking weed orally is that it takes 1-2 hours to notice the full effects, meaning that you might be tempted to eat more than you should.

If you are taking marijuana to treat seizures or extreme pain, smoking is a way to go because the effects will occur faster.

Smoking creates a euphoric head-high while edibles mainly cause a body-high.

How to smoke weed

There are dozens of ways to smoke weed, the 3 most common of them are using a pipe, a bong, and rolling out a joint.

All of these methods will lead to similar effects but different amounts of THC will be lost. If you use a vaporizer, you will be able to inhale around 40% more THC than with other methods.

You also want to find a method that is comfortable for you. For most people, using a bong is the most pleasant way to smoke weed. An additional benefit of going this route is that you will inhale fewer potentially carcinogenic compounds.

If you don’t have an access to a vaporizer or a high-quality bong, using a glass pipe seems to be the best option.

Unless you love rolling a joint, it is one of the worst options for multiple reasons:
1) The paper typically contains carcinogens
2) A lot of THC will be lost
3) It takes a lot of time to roll a joint
4) You will have to grind your cannabis before you roll it

After you inhale the drug, you do not have to hold it in. Cannabinoids get absorbed by your lung tissue almost instantly.

Taking weed orally

Edible marijuana can be sold in oils, tinctures, chewing gums, pills, drinks, cannabutter, and edibles.

This is the easiest way to prepare cannabutter that you can either eat directly or use for baking edibles:

1) Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Once the water starts boiling, turn the heat down to a very slow boil.
2) Add 1-2 oz of weed and 1lb (0.45 kg) of coconut oil or butter.
3) Let the mixture slow boil for forty minutes. The mixture will turn green.
4) Take it off the heat.
5) Strien out the boiled marijuana residue and toss it.
6) Let it cool for twenty minutes before putting it in the fridge.
7) Leave in the fridge for two to three hours until it cools. The butter/coconut oil will rise to the top and harden.
8) Take the green pot butter/oil and use it for your marijuana baking needs. You can also eat it raw.

Remember that edibles can take a long time to kick in. Resist the urge to take more if you don’t notice any effects after a while.

Dosage

How much marijuana you should take depends on many factors, including:

The THC content of your strain
THC:CBD ratio (the more CBD, the less psychedelic the experience)
Your weight
Your genetics
Whether you eat marijuana or smoke it
How many times you’ve taken marijuana in the past (the more you did, the more weed you will need)
Your mental state
The environment you’re in
The reason you’re taking marijuana
How much food you’ve eaten before taking weed
…

So the numbers below may be different for you. The only way to find out the best dose is by experimenting with different doses yourself.

Oral Dosage

1 mg = Threshold dose
At this dose, most people will notice little to no effects. This dose is typically used for microdosing, more on which later in the article.
2-5 mg = Light dose
Best if you take the substance for the first time.
5-10 mg = Regular dose
A great dose if you take the substance to contemplate human problems.
10-25 mg = Strong dose
Can lead to a deep, personal change if you use marijuana for this purpose.
25-100 mg = High dose
High doses can lead to psychedelic-like effects, especially if you’ve taken true psychedelics in the past.
100+ mg = Heroic dose
The benefits of this dose are similar to a high dose but be extremely careful if you decide to take so much. This dose can be as intense as LSD or other psychedelics but is more likely to cause anxiety and paranoia.

The mg doses above are displayed for THC. Each strain has a different THC content and the average of THC in weed is 17%.

Since the dosage varies so dramatically from person to person, there is no way to find out what the best dose for you is without trying weed.

To find the right dose for you, start low and build your way up gradually.

Smoked Dosage

When it comes to smoking, it is even more difficult to find out the right dose for you.

Furthermore, how much THC you will absorb depends on your smoking technique and what device you use.

For example, if you use a joint, around 60% of THC will be lost. If you use a bong instead, the number goes down to 55%. With a vaporizer, only 45% of THC will be lost.

Either way, it is best to start with 0.1 – 0.2 grams of weed and build your way up gradually.

Safety checklist

Maximize the benefits

Keep in mind that if your goal is psychological or spiritual growth, integration is even more important than the trip itself. Taking weed and other psychedelics would be almost useless if you didn’t retain any lessons in your day-to-day life.

What will help you the most is contemplating about the experience – be it by journaling, thinking about the trip, or sharing your memories with a trusted friend.

Distracting thoughts can get in the way, which is why you want to spend the day after your trip without TV, social media, and other distractions.

If you can, spend time in silence and solitude. Meditate, go for a walk, contemplate the experience.

Duration

Smoked Duration

Onset = 0-10 minutes
Come up = 5-10 minutes
Peak = 15-30 minutes
Come down = 45-180 minutes

You should notice the first effects within 10 minutes after you smoke weed
You will reach the maximum effect around the 20-minute mark
The whole high usually lasts for 1-4 hours
At extremely high doses, your trip may last for even longer
If you eat before your trip, the substance will take longer to kick in

Edible Marijuana Duration

Onset = 30-120 minutes
Come up = 30-60 minutes
Peak = 2-5 hours
Come down = 1-2 hours

You should notice the first effects within 40 minutes after you take the psychedelic
You will reach the maximum effect around the 2-hour mark
The whole trip usually lasts for 4-10 hours
At heroic doses, your trip may last for even longer
If you eat before your trip, the substance will take longer to kick in

What does marijuana feel like?

Common short-term effects include:

Euphoria
Increased creativity and open-mindedness
Mindfulness, being present
Relaxation
Stress reduction
Pleasant body feel
Increase in body/mind connection
Higher capability for love and compassion
Pain relief
Seeing life from a different perspective
Appreciating small things
Higher energy
Increased awareness
Stamina enhancement
Feeling your emotions more intensely
Memory suppression
Inability to sleep
Tiredness
Increased food appetite
Time distortion
Visual effects (enhanced colors, seeing patterns, distortions, …)
Facial tension
Coughing
Mouth dryness
Dizziness
Getting stuck in a thought loop
Confusion
Nausea
Headache
Inability to focus
Increased body temperature
Increased heart rate
Worse thermoregulation
Anxiety, paranoia
Vulnerability

The higher dose you take, the more intense these effects will be.

Weed affects each individual differently and no two strains are the same. Therefore, there is virtually no way to know what your experience will feel like.

The only way to know what cannabis feels like is to take cannabis.

Weed will most likely give you a pleasant experience. Bad trips can happen but you can prevent them by following the tips below.

Bad trips

Bad trips mostly happen because people take the substance irresponsibly. If you use weed the right way, there is virtually no chance you’ll get a bad trip.

In case you still do, that’s good! A “bad” trip isn’t bad, it can actually be the most healing and insightful moment of your life!

During a “bad” trip, negative emotions are coming up from your subconscious mind. They have always been there whether you are aware of it or not. They have been damaging your life and a difficult trip is an opportunity to process these traumas and unpleasant feelings and let go of them.

The more painful the experience, the more you can heal.

So instead of calling bad trips bad, call them challenging.

If you understand that bad trips are awesome in the long run, not only will you feel more comfortable diving into these challenging states, it will actually excite you!

Why they happen

The most common reasons for getting a bad trip are:

Tripping in an unsafe environment (in public, at a party, even nature doesn’t feel safe if you take higher doses)
Facing difficult times in your day-to-day life (a break-up, death of a loved one, …)
Rejecting to let go and trying to hold on to your ego and control the state
Being afraid of weed (either because of the stigma around it or because you are not sure how pure your substance is)
Mixing weed with alcohol or other drugs
Expecting a bad trip (it can easily become a self-fulfilling prophecy)

How to cope with a bad trip

Do not perceive this experience as something bad, remember that facing these difficult emotions is extremely healing
Fully surrender to the experience, do not try to feel good
If you’re alone, call a trusted friend to come over and keep you safe

How to end a bad trip

In case you are not ready to face your inner demons yet, there are a few ways to end a bad trip.

One possible way is to put on music that is familiar to you. Another way is to switch up your location and move from one place to another. This can completely change your train of thought.

In case the trip becomes extremely challenging and there is no one around you to keep you safe, consider ending your trip with a trip killer.

Using a trip killer usually is not the best idea because the bad emotions will stay unresolved and you will get little to no benefits from the experience. With that said, using a trip killer is smarter than harming yourself.

The 2 best options that you have for ending a bad trip are Phenibut and benzodiazepines.

Phenibut is generally safer. The downside is that it can take hours to kick in.

So to end a trip, use benzodiazepines but only do this if you completely have to.

Benzodiazepines will not completely stop your trip but they will definitely calm you down.

Cannabis withdrawal

Contrary to popular belief, marijuana can be both psychologically and physically addictive.

Cannabis withdrawal mostly happens to people who have been smoking weed on regular basis for multiple months or years.

When users stop using weed, they often go through a period of anxiety, irritability, decreased appetite, sleep problems, and other unpleasant symptoms.

The withdrawal typically peaks 2-3 days after a user stops smoking and lasts for 1-2 weeks. In rare cases, the withdrawal can last for multiple months.

One way to lower the chance of a withdrawal is to test your marijuana to make sure it isn’t sprayed with synthetic cannabinoids. Even though the plant itself can be addictive, synthetic cannabinoids are a lot more addictive. On top of that, they are extremely common.

Interactions

Qualia Mind
This nootropic is comprised of 28 ingredients designed to support and maximize your brain function. These ingredients act synergistically and many of them will protect you from the neurotoxic effects of psychedelics. Qualia will also make your trips more pleasant and help you retain more benefits from them.
Herbs
Herbs can help calm you down. Herbal teas (chamomile, lemon balm, valerian root, …) are especially helpful.
Green tea
Tea makes you both more alert and calm at the same time. It also contains neuroprotective antioxidants, such as EGCG.
CBD
Many strains have been bred to have too much THC and too little CBD. By adding CBD to them, you will decrease many of the potential side effects of THC.
Shrooms, LSD, and other psychedelics
Marijuana greatly intensifies the effects of these psychedelics. Combining these substances might increase the positive effects of psychedelics and lead to profound insights. Just beware the combination can lead to bad trips.
MDMA
Combining the two has been shown to impair memory. Do not combine these drugs if long-term brain health is your priority.
Dissociatives
Just like psychedelics, dissociatives become a lot stronger when you take them with weed.
Stimulants
Smoking weed when you’re on stimulants would most likely make you even more energetic. The combination often leads to anxiety and paranoia.
Nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide will multiply the intensity of your high. The combination isn’t recommended because it can cause long-term damage to your brain.
Benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax, …)
Benzos will greatly decrease the mental high which means that they can stop a terrifying experience. Using this combination may cause you side effects in the long run.
Alcohol
Alcohol minimizes all the potential benefits of weed. It also greatly increases your chance of having a bad experience.
SSRIs or MAOIs
Not only will these antidepressants greatly decrease the intensity of your trip, but they can also lead to long-lasting side effects.

Microdosing

Microdosing marijuana is becoming more and more popular.

Some people take tiny doses of THC to lower anxiety and depression, others do so to become more creative or increase their stamina.

Even people dealing with severe conditions, such as Parkinson’s, will most likely benefit from taking tiny doses of weed.

Microdosing with cannabis seems extremely safe in the long term. If you don’t notice any benefits, you can always stop taking them.

How to microdose

Users usually microdose with 1-2.5 mg of oral THC daily.

How much you will need depends on multiple factors and the only way to find out what dose works for you is to experiment.

In some countries, you can legally buy cannabis oil or capsules that contain a microdose of THC and are extremely easy to dose.

If you cannot buy these legally, all you have to do is to create a cannabutter (following the recipe above) and take the desired dose daily.

History of Marijuana

Legality

Marijuana is quickly becoming legal in most countries of the world so at the time you’re reading this article, the map may already be outdated.

In the countries where marijuana is legal, there is almost always an age limit, usually 18 or 21 years of age.

Where to get marijuana

These are the ways you can get your hands on weed:

Get a prescription
In many developed countries, it is already legal to take marijuana for medical purposes.
Buy cannabis in person
The main problem of going this route is that the weed you buy on the street is often sprayed with synthetic cannabinoids. The street price is also quite high and smoking regularly would cost you a lot of money. If you decide to buy marijuana in person, make sure you’re buying it from a reliable source.
Buy marijuana from a hidden market
The weed you will find on the dark web is cheaper than the weed you can buy on the street and there’s a higher chance it is pure. The problem of going this route is that most dark web markets are a scam (including current SilkRoad) and you might not receive anything.
Grow marijuana on your own
In some countries, you can legally grow marijuana in small quantities (usually 3-5 plants). Some people grow weed in nature. If you know a place in nature that no one ever goes to, this is a viable option.
Visit a country where marijuana is legal
For example, many Europeans travel to Amsterdam to get high legally.
Buy a synthetic cannabinoid that is similar to cannabis
Many of these cannabinoids are completely legal and much cheaper than weed. The downside is that they often have unwanted side effects. More on using synthetic cannabinoids below.

Synthetic cannabinoids

If you buy weed from a random drug dealer, there is a high chance he will sell you a plant that has been sprayed with synthetic cannabinoids.

In fact, one of the most influential German weed suppliers claims that 90% of marijuana sold on the street in Germany is sprayed with these chemicals. This may not be the case for your country but the chance is still extremely high.

Synthetic cannabinoids include:

4F-ADB
5C-AKB48
5CL-ADB-A (MDMB-4en-PINACA)
5F-AB-PINACA
5F-ADB
5F-AKB48 (5F-APINACA)
5F-PB-22
AB-CHMINACA
AB-FUBINACA
AB-PINACA
AKB48 (APINACA)
AM-2201
APICA (2NE1)
BB-22
EG-018
JWH-018
JWH-073
MAM-2201
MMB-CHMINACA
NM-2201
STS-135
THJ-018
THJ-2201
UR-144
… and 400+ more

Most of these chemicals were created to mimic the effects of THC.

Unlike cannabis, synthetic cannabinoids aren’t always physically safe. In fact, most of them would cause you long-term health problems and some can even kill you.

The safest synthetic cannabinoids that you can still buy legally in most countries are THJ-018 and NM-2201. Even these, however, have multiple potential side effects.

It is possible that most of the reported side effects of cannabis aren’t caused by cannabis itself but rather synthetic cannabinoids.

If you still want to try synthetic cannabinoids, never buy them from a random drug dealer! You cannot know what you are getting that way.

Instead, buy the substance from a research chemical company like Chemical Collective. Only do it, however, if you cannot get your hands on real marijuana and you have a good reason to get high.

FAQ

You can smoke weed as often as you want to. The main problem is that you will almost immediately develop tolerance and you will need more THC to reach desired effects.

If you are using cannabis for a specific purpose, determine how often you have to smoke cannabis to reach the desired effect and don’t smoke it more often to minimize the side effects and stay sensitive to the substance.

Counter-intuitively, you might get more benefits by getting high less often. This is especially the case if you’re trying to lower anxiety and depression.

Via the activation of the CB1 receptors, THC indirectly increases dopamine release and produces psychotropic effects. CBD acts as an allosteric modulator of the mu and delta-opioid receptors. THC also potentiates the effects of the glycine receptors.

Don’t worry about any of that if you’re not a cannabis researcher. Smoking the plant will teach you more about its effect than the theory.

Both CBD and THC are proven to be extremely beneficial for certain kids. If you are interested in the topic, check out this documentary by VICE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXKjRkkoIOU&t=564s&ab_channel=VICE

With that said, children can suffer irreversible side effects if they take THC regularly.

If you are under the age of 25, your brain is evolving at a rapid rate. By smoking marijuana, you will slow this process down. This is why you should wait a few years before you start smoking if you value your brain health.

If you are a mentally stable individual who does not suffer from psychosis or have a predisposition to bipolar or schizophrenia, there is virtually no way you would develop any mental illnesses because of taking the plant.

The data on this isn’t clear. Smoking weed while pregnant certainly isn’t as damaging for the child as if you drank alcohol but cannabis does seem to have an impact on the child. This is why it is best to stay away from marijuana when you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.

Marijuana can be detected in your blood and saliva for 1-2 days after you’ve taken it. If you smoke regularly, THC can be detected for up to 25 days.

It stays in your urine for 3-30 days, depending on how often you smoke.

In your hair, weed can be detected for around 3 months.

If you wish to detect the main cannabinoids present in your cannabis order this test from the internet and follow the instructions from the video on that page.

Keep the dried leaves in a cold dark place, preferably with no air.

If you don’t do this, your marijuana will lose potency within a few weeks or months.

When you store weed well, it will last for much longer.

If you microdose with marijuana, you can and will look sober.

On moderate, it can be difficult to look sober, especially during the peak experience.

At high doses, it becomes nearly impossible to act sober.

In addition to that, your eyes will probably squint.

Eating before you smoke or eat weed doesn’t usually cause nausea or make you vomit. However, it will make the high less intense than if you smoked weed on an empty stomach.

Those under 25 whose priority is long term brain health
Pregnant and breastfeeding women
Immature people who are not willing to follow the safety guidelines
People who suffer from psychosis
People who have a familial history of bipolar disease and schizophrenia
Those who suffer from HPPD
If you’re going through extremely challenging times, you can use weed but the trips might be unpleasant, beware of that

TetraHydroCannabinol.

CannaBiDiol.

This depends greatly on the country you live in but in general, a regular street price for a gram of weed is $10. If you buy weed from a dark net hidden market, 1 gram will cost you $3-$5. Growing weed yourself is a lot cheaper.

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