5 Ways to Come Down From a Cannabis High
Key Takeaways
- Cold showers, healthy food, and pain meds can lessen weed hangovers - Jump to Section
- Prevent weed hangovers by using less and not mixing with other drugs - Jump to Section
If you're feeling sluggish, foggy, or maybe a bit under the weather after using weed, you're not alone. That after-high phase can sometimes be uncomfortable. But the good news is, it's usually temporary, and there are things you can do to feel better.
5 Ways to Come Down From a Cannabis High
Coming down from a cannabis high can be a strange and sometimes even anxiety-inducing experience. It’s best to be safe and healthy during the process. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to come down from a high safely.
This includes:
1. Don’t Panic
Some people say they experience some strange sensations when high on cannabis. They’re often intensified when you’re coming down from a high, which can cause you to panic.
Cannabis also tends to relieve anxiety, so your anxiety might return when the drug wears off. Your anxiety might feel more intense than usual when you’re coming down from a high, which can be scary as well.
But don’t panic or worry too much, as there’s a very low risk of medical concerns. For one, you can’t fatally overdose on cannabis, so you won’t be in danger even if it feels uncomfortable. Staying calm keeps you from the hangover-like feeling that sometimes follows a cannabis high.
2. Drink Water
Cannabis can make you feel dehydrated or cause dry mouth. Because of this, it’s important to stay hydrated.
You should also avoid coffee and caffeinated sodas. These can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, worsening your experience.
3. Use Black Pepper or Peppercorns
It might sound strange, but black pepper and peppercorns can help alleviate cannabis symptoms. This is because they contain an aromatic compound called terpenes, which can help reduce the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).1 Try chewing on a few peppercorns to help you come off a high.
4. Distract Yourself
Although you might not be in the mood to do things, it’s best to distract yourself. Try to do things to take your mind off the hangover.
Consider:
- Playing a game
- Watching TV
- Going on a walk
- Listening to music
- Meditating
Avoid doing activities that require a lot of focus and coordination. Additionally, try staying in a comfortable and relaxing environment and avoid spaces that may only cause you more stress. Make sure you take care of yourself even when you are under the influence.
5. Eat and Sleep
One of the best ways to avoid the negative effects of a marijuana high is to sleep through it. Sleeping is your body’s natural way to recover, and it’ll speed up metabolizing the drug. On the other hand, eating can help stabilize your blood sugar levels, which might help you feel better.
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Other Ways to Combat a ‘Weed Hangover’
In addition to the tips listed above, the following can help ease the groggy, unfocused daze you experience with a weed hangover. For example:
- Take a cold shower: Cold water wakes up your senses and helps you feel more alert
- Use cold compresses: These can ease your headache and boost alertness
- Over-the-counter pain medication: Relieves headaches and other aches and pains
- Get a massage: This is great for any ache or pain and can boost alertness because it enhances circulation
- Use moisturizing eye drops: These can soothe dryness and redness in your eyes
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Can You Prevent a Weed Hangover?
If you want to avoid a weed hangover, refraining from it altogether is your best option. However, if you decide to take it, need it for medicinal purposes, or have taken it by accident, you can still do plenty of things to mitigate the side effects.
These include:
- Avoiding smoking weed at night
- Avoiding using weed daily
- Limiting your marijuana intake
- Using low-THC marijuana
- Avoiding mixing it with other substances
Interactions that Can Worsen a Weed Hangover
If you’re using weed medicinally, talk to your healthcare provider about the effects of weed and medication. Some over-the-counter or prescription drugs can interact negatively with weed, which can affect your well-being.
These include:
- Sedatives like Ambien and Benadryl
- Anti-anxiety medications like Xanax and Valium
- Antidepressants like Zoloft, Prozac, and Lexapro
- Pain medications like codeine, Percocet, and Vicodin
- Anticonvulsants (seizure medications) like Tegretol
- Anticoagulants (blood thinners) like Coumadin
Make sure that you’re honest about your cannabis use with your doctor so they can adjust or stop any medication you may be taking. Your healthcare provider will do what’s best for you.
What Do Studies Say About Weed Comedowns & Hangovers?
In 2015, the medical use of marijuana came with a recommendation that healthcare professionals teach people about hangover effects, which could often last at least one day after using the drug.8 Participants in a 2017 study described the feeling as foggy and unalert.7
Additionally, a study in 2022 showed that cannabis use affected next-day performance.9 However, there’s limited scientific support for weed hangovers, comedowns, or withdrawal symptoms. This is partly because marijuana use has been illegal until recently in most places.
Can Cannabidiol CBD Help with a Weed Hangover?
CBD is a chemical in marijuana that doesn’t contain THC. Because of this, some people believe that CBD doesn’t trigger the hallucinatory effects of cannabis.
However, the evidence for CBD’s effects on THC is mixed. A new study suggests that CBD doesn’t reduce the adverse effects of THC in cannabis.10
How to Stop Using Weed
Despite its medicinal effects, marijuana can still be addictive. Giving up any addictive substance is a challenge, and acknowledging that it’s a problem is a brave first step.
Choosing to get sober can be difficult, but it’s very possible. There are several things you can do to recover from any kind of substance addiction. For example:
- Commit to giving up drugs and alcohol: Committing to sobriety from every substance can help you avoid the dangerous long-term consequences of drugs and alcohol
- Set goals for sober living: Set realistic goals that you can achieve to improve your chances of recovery
- Learn about treatment options: This can help you determine which treatment (or even a combination of treatments) is likely to work best for your situation
Treatment Options for Substance Use Disorders (SUD)
Many treatment options are available for people recovering from a substance use disorder (SUD). If you or a loved one need to find centers to detox or places where you can get more information and aid, consider the following:
- Inpatient rehabilitation: Removes you from triggers and environments where you can succumb to temptation so you can focus on recovery
- Outpatient treatment: Including flexible outpatient programs, partial hospitalization programs, and intensive programs that offer greater flexibility
- 12-step programs: A support group designed to help guide you through the recovery process and maintain sobriety
- Alternative support groups: Peer support groups that use scientific programs and modern research to support recovery
- One-on-one and family counseling: Provides guidance that helps people identify their triggers and learn to manage them better
You can look into these options whether or not it’s weed you or a loved one are addicted to. You are not limited to just one of these options, as any kind of recovery should explore holistic healing.
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Key Takeaways
Weed hangovers cause you to feel the residual effects of weed after using it. They’re typically similar to other hangovers.
There aren’t too many studies on weed hangovers and comedown effects—or at least, fully definitive studies. However, we do know that it’s a common side effect of constant marijuana use.
Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate the side effects of a weed hangover. There are also various ways to prevent it from happening in the first place.
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- “The Spicy Science behind Why Pepper Makes You Feel Less High.” MEL Magazine, 2019.
- Englund et al. “Cannabidiol Inhibits THC-Elicited Paranoid Symptoms and Hippocampal-Dependent Memory Impairment.” Journal of Psychopharmacology (Oxford, England), 2013.
- CDC. “Health Effects.” Marijuana and Public Health, 2019.
- “Know the Risks of Marijuana | SAMHSA - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.” Samhsa.gov, 2019.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Is Marijuana Addictive?” Drugabuse.gov, 2018.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Marijuana.” Drugabuse.gov, Dec. 2019.
- Piper et al. “Chronic pain patients' perspectives of medical cannabis.” Pain, 2017.
- Hadland et al. Medical marijuana: review of the science and implications for developmental-behavioral pediatric practice.” J Dev Behav Pediatr, 2015.
- McCartney et al. “The "Next Day" Effects of Cannabis Use: A Systematic Review.” Cannabis Cannabinoid Res, 2023.
- Lawn et al. “The acute effects of cannabis with and without cannabidiol in adults andadolescents: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled,crossover experiment.” Addiction, 2023.
- Hwang et al. “Antidepressant-like effects of β-caryophyllene on restraint plus stress-induced depression.” Behavioural Brain Research, 2020.
