Why Don’t Some People Get High The First Time They Smoke?

Are you aware that not everyone gets high the first time they try smoking cannabis and its product? Or perhaps you’re one of those people yourself. Some individuals feel little to nothing the first time they have a drag of marijuana, and it’s not that unusual. 

Different people have different reactions to their first time smoking. Some might feel a little anxious and paranoid, while some may get completely knocked out, and others might feel nothing. Not feeling anything is normal, and a high percentage of people are just like this. 

The funny thing is no one can outright point out why this occurs, but we can guess. It can be quite a bother because many people are excited to experience smoking cannabis for the first time, only to be disappointed when nothing happens. 

Now you’re wondering if there’s something you’re not doing right. That could be the case, but it could be because of many other reasons. Let’s check out a few theories as to why this happens. 

Are You Inhaling Properly? 

Many newbie smokers believe they’ve mastered the art of smoking by watching others smoke. However, there’s more to smoking than meets the eye. 

It’s not uncommon for new smokers to not inhale properly, and you need a good amount of practice to be able to get it right. Most first-timers will only take a puff, let it linger in their mouth, and blow it out. 

To properly inhale, take a drag of the good stuff, open your mouth, take a deep breath in, and then breathe out. You might cough like crazy, but that’s just you getting closer to your goal. 

This isn’t the only reason why first-time smokers are not getting high, so let’s check out a few more factors. 

Smoke Repeatedly

To get the full effects of cannabis, it helps to take several hits. The first time you smoke will be new to your body, and for you to feel the effect of what you’re smoking, your body needs to understand what exactly it is supposed to feel. 

Experts have called this period the “sensitization period,” during which you might not be able to get that high feeling. Since the ability to get high is linked with the reception of cannabinoid receptors in the brain, the CB1 receptors that will help regulate the psychoactive effects of the THC must be present.

Repeated smoking can help your body create enough cannabinoid receptors to help you get high, and it’s recommended to help you enjoy the sweet feeling of getting high from smoking cannabis. 

Maybe You Were a Little High, But It Was Subtle 

First-time smokers mostly do not know exactly how it feels to be high. Most times, they try to judge how it’s supposed to be from how someone near them has acted when they were high. 

When you took your first drag, you might have thought nothing about how you’re feeling. Maybe it was just a subtle feeling, and you brushed it off as being hungry or sleepy instead of stoned. 

Genetic Variations 

Although there’s no scientific evidence to prove this, it’s plausible. No two people are the same, and everyone reacts to substances differently. For example, marijuana makes some people paranoid while others feel relaxed. Genetic variations are another reason why some people get high more easily than others. 

Your Tolerance Might Be High 

High tolerance is another potential reason you didn’t get high on your first try, however, you might not know you have a tolerance because you’ve never smoked before. Now that you’re trying it, you’re not sure exactly how much cannabis you need to smoke. 

You might need to smoke one, two, or three times more to know how much you can take and how long it takes you to achieve the feeling you want. Your first try might be minimal, so take it a notch higher and compare the outcome. 

A Combination of Factors 

There could be a combination of several factors together that are affecting your ability to get high the first time you smoke. It’s hard to know exactly which one it could be or whether it’s more than one, so try out our above tips one by one to see which one works for you.  

Final Words 

There’s no definitive answer to why this happens. Fortunately, many people find that this effect goes away after trying cannabis a couple of times. 

If you decide to try smoking marijuana, make sure you’re doing it around people you trust, monitor your process, and document it well. Do not rush between drags so you can have maximum fun without overwhelming yourself too quickly.