As cannabis legalization spreads worldwide, more and more people engage in recreational cannabis consumption. The experience can be confusing and even a little daunting for those new to this. Hence, this post is designed to help make the experience easier and safer for everyone involved. 

We’ll cover some of the basics of recreational cannabis use, from what to expect when you first smoke to finding the right strain. We’ll also touch on important things like dosage and setting up safe boundaries for yourself and others. 

So, whether you’re a first-timer or an experienced smoker, read on for some tips on how to enjoy recreational cannabis safely and responsibly.

Use the Right Consumption Method

The first thing you need to be aware of when you first begin consuming cannabis is that you must use the right consumption method, depending on the situation. There are loads of consumption methods, both online at sites like Grasscity and in physical stores, and those new to consuming cannabis aren’t aware that different consumption methods produce different effects. More importantly, they all have different onset times and durations of effects.

For example, dry herb vaporizers, bongs, joints, and any method that requires combustion or vaporization have onset times of around 5 to 10 minutes, as well as the duration of effects of about 2 hours. Edibles and tinctures have onset times of between 20 minutes to 2 hours and duration of effects of about 4 to 8 hours. In other words, if you just want to relax for the evening, use the methods above. 

Understand Your Limits

The next important tip for navigating your first few experiences of consuming cannabis would be to understand your limits. This will be difficult to do in the beginning since finding your limit takes time, but it’s very important to start slowly. 

Why? One of the things you could experience if you consume too much cannabis too quickly would be extreme paranoia and anxiety. In other words, you might experience a bad trip. The best way to learn your limits would be to start consuming slowly and, depending on the consumption method, wait before consuming again. 

Choose the Right Strain

Much like choosing the right consumption method, you also need to consider the strain you are consuming. Just like how different consumption methods produce different effects, different strains produce different effects. More importantly, different cannabis strains have different levels of THC, and choosing the wrong one to start will make the experience unpleasant. 

You should also consider the reason you are consuming cannabis. For example, if you are consuming to relax, you would most likely need to consume Indica, which would also work well if you need help falling asleep. Sativa should be used if you want to feel more creative or need to reduce anxiety symptoms. 

Try Using a Schedule

One very helpful tip if you want to learn how to navigate the world of cannabis recreationally would be to try using a schedule. Sure, you might just want to jump in and consume whenever you want to relax and unwind. However, if you aren’t used to the effects of cannabis, you might not be able to perform your usual daily activities. 

For example, you might want to consider consuming after dinner when you don’t have any responsibilities. Or perhaps, you could consume when you wake up so you can get used to starting your day while under the effects. You might find that you are far more relaxed throughout the day. 

What to Expect When Consuming

If this is your first time consuming cannabis, you might be wondering what you should expect. The first thing you should expect when consuming cannabis would be a slower reaction time or a feeling that your actions are slightly delayed compared to your thoughts; this is normal, and you will get used to it. 

Next, you should expect that if you consume an edible, for example, you will slowly begin feeling the effects. If you consume a dry herb vaporizer or joints, you can expect the effects to be felt within 5 minutes, not gradually but all at once.