Trying cannabis for the first time can be an exciting but daunting prospect. Searching online, you are bombarded by a million different ads with gadgets, techniques, and strains which you must try, but as a newbie you just have no idea where to start.
While there is no surefire cannabis product perfect for beginners, there are lots of techniques and tricks to ensure your first time with cannabis is an enjoyable experience.
How to prepare to use cannabis
Now before you can even begin trying cannabis, there are a few key considerations you should make. If there is one thing you learn from this article, it is that you should not overestimate your limits. Cannabis is not like other substances you have tried previously, such as alcohol or coffee.
Instead, it contains psychoactive agents which will temporarily impact your mental state and cognitive functioning.
While high, you may be effectively unable to perform certain tasks to the best of your abilities, which is why preparation is the key to any unforgettable cannabis session.
Before you start using cannabis, consider:
- Having water on hand.
- Putting yourself in a familiar environment with people you trust.
- Planning an activity for you to focus on (e.g. watching a movie or playing a video game).
- Preparing snacks (because you may experience cravings).
If possible, make sure for your first time you are with a friend who is experienced with cannabis, they will be able to supervise and make sure you are safe.
If you do not know someone who is familiar with cannabis, get a close friend, partner, or sibling to join you and make sure you are safe because while the effects of cannabis are mostly innocuous, there is always a small chance you will have a negative reaction.
Choosing your product
After you have made some preparations, you will need to navigate buying the correct products to craft the experience you desire.
As a newbie, going into a cannabis shop may seem intimidating or embarrassing, but at Neverland OG Dispensary, we welcome both first-time and experienced cannabis users.
Our knowledgeable and passionate staff members are happy to help you find the right product in store, and if you would like to stay and try a product, we are happy for you to do so.
If you are not confident about coming in store, we also have a discrete online delivery service and special promotions for you to check out, just ask us to see what is available.
While we stock a range of alternative cannabis products, most beginners will for their first time try a natural cannabis strain. When looking for a strain, you should consider three main factors:
- The species of cannabis (Indica, Sativa or Hybrid).
- The anticipated effects of the strain.
- The THC or CBD percentage.
In general, Indica is known for having more relaxing and calming effects while Sativa is known for energising its user. Hybrid strains because they are a mixture of these two cannabis species can create completely unique effects for the user, with some famous examples being Sour Diesel, Ice Cream Cake or Blue Dream.
Many cannabis products will list the emotions they will make you feel, whether that is happy, introspective, creative, or even aroused. Make sure you consider these effects, but also remember that cannabis can affect different people in unpredictable ways.
Arguably the most important thing to consider is the percentage of ‘THC’ or ‘CBD’ in your cannabis. THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is the chemical compound responsible for the psychoactive properties of cannabis. Most cannabis products you buy will contain THC, and the higher the percentage the stronger the strain will be.
When choosing cannabis for your first time, we recommend selecting something with a low THC percentage of 10-20%. Some cannabis products boast a THC percentage of 30%+, which can be too potent and intense for a first time user.
Remember, you can always have more cannabis if you are not feeling any effects, but you cannot undo having too much cannabis at once!
Unlike THC, CBD (Cannabidiol) is not a psychoactive compound, but it does have properties such as relieving pain, inflammation and mental health conditions. Many products will contain both THC and CBD, which can provide complementary health and psychological benefits.
Common mistakes and recommendations
Bad experiences with cannabis all tend to come from one root cause, overconsumption. If you are inexperienced with cannabis, you do not have any reference point for how much THC will be too much for you.
To avoid an experience that is too intense (which can be very unpleasant or uncomfortable for a new user), you should implement the ‘low and slow’ approach.
If you have followed this guide so far, you will have already succeeded in the ‘low’ part by choosing a cannabis strain with a low percentage of THC and CBD. In doing this, you are reducing the risk of overconsumption and becoming ‘too high’.
While you may believe that because you chose a ‘low strength’ cannabis strain you can now have as much as you would like, you may be surprised by how intensely it impacts you.
This is where the ‘slow’ part becomes important. For your first time, have small amounts of cannabis at a time, then wait before you have more. Sometimes, as you start to feel the effects, time can begin to pass differently, so it’s a good idea to have your friend supervising you and also watch the time and let you know when you have waited long enough to have more.
Additionally, remember that cannabis can impair your judgement and decision making. While you are intoxicated, it might feel like a good idea to have significantly more. To counteract this, you can give your supervisor permission to regulate your intake and ‘cut you off’ if you have too much. Speaking of which…
Are you too high? Here is what you should do.
Sometimes, even with the right preparation, you can end up feeling too high. When this happens, you might feel physical discomfort or negative emotional effects, such as paranoia or sadness.
If you have had too much cannabis, you should immediately cease having more. While this seems obvious, in your impaired state, you will be surprised at what poor decision-making you are capable of!
As THC is a chemical compound, drinking lots of water and eating food can help flush it out of your system quickly.
If you are hyper fixating on your negative feelings and discomfort, try to start an activity to distract you such as watching a movie or listening to music.
Finally, when all else fails, the best cure for an intense high is rest. As cannabis is often used to assist people when trying to fall asleep, you shouldn’t have difficulty doing so.
If you have any doubts about consuming cannabis for the first time, come into the Neverland store and ask for our team’s assistance! We will happily help you out by guiding you through purchasing or trying our products in-store.
Neverland strives to ensure that our clients have the most magical cannabis experiences, and since everyone begins somewhere, there is no shame in asking for help when starting your journey.
