Dear Mother,

The other day I tried some really potent weed and my high was way too strong. Besides waiting it out and panicking, is there anything I could have done to get sober faster?

— Way Too High

Dear WTH,

Deep breaths. I get it. While we love to talk all about how awesome cannabis is, we can sometimes tip toe around the not great stuff — like feeling uncomfortably high. Let's take a look at the various tips out there and separate fact from fiction when it comes to lowering your high.

We all know that you can't overdose on cannabis, but you can definitely over do it, particularly if you are new to it or if you go all in on a potent strain you haven't tried before. Even experienced cannabis connoisseurs occasionally deal with getting too high (including Mother!). Before we delve into ways to help, let's first clarify what "too high" actually means.

While you aren't going to die, you may feel really uncomfortable if you get too high. Your heart might race, you may sweat, your head may feel funny. Perhaps you might start to feel claustrophobic or panicky. Anxiety can occur if you smoke too much too fast and it can be really hard to pull yourself out of that hole. So what can you do?

Relax

Easier said than done, I know. A high can last anywhere from half an hour to over six hours, but do your best to remind yourself that it will pass and you will not die. Stimulating your skin can sometimes help de-stimulate your brain. A hot shower or bath can help with that (though obviously don't have the water too hot or you can burn yourself). Alternatively, you can try to take an ice-cold shower. Another way to help physically calm you down is by doing some deep breathing, yoga, or meditation. However, sometimes the negative effects can be so intense that no amount of rhythmic breathing will help.

Drink Some Water

Hydration is important and while you may not feel like drinking anything, try and take some sips of water if you're feeling too high, as dehydration can make things feel worse. If drinking a glass of water really doesn't sound appealing, try some lemonade or even a popsicle. Anything to make your mouth feel less cottony and to keep your body from being dehydrated.

Eat!

Eating food can help calm down a really high person in more ways than one. If you happen to have low blood sugar, food can obviously ease that (which means eating some fruit or maybe some honey on toast). And, it could also serve as a distraction. Even preparing the food in your stoned state could help, as it will force you to focus on a menial task, as opposed to how you are feeling. There are also rumors that eating peppercorns will help calm you down. Since you’re already super baked, you might as well get out the spice, try some, and then make some pasta (especially if you're not too terrified to indulge the munchies).  It can’t hurt to try it.

Take a Hit… of Something Citrus 

Lemon can help bring you down after you've consumed too much THC, particularly if anxiety is one of the side effects. Anything in the house could work (though I do not recommend sniffing Lemon Pledge!). Squeeze some lemon into a glass of water and drink it (or even lemonade if that's all you have). If you have lemon essential oil you can put some in a diffuser or just sniff it right out of the bottle. You can also mix a drop or two with unscented lotion and then rub it on your hands.

Try CBD

A strain with lots of CBD can actually help you to come down from an anxious high, as it will help mellow you out. Just make sure to use a strain with high CBD and low THC, otherwise you’ll be adding to the problem. Even better, keep some CBD oil or tincture on hand just in case.

Sleep

Best case scenario is that your high will eventually make you tired enough to sleep. When you wake up, it will have passed and you will feel much better. However, do not make the mistake of smoking more cannabis in order to help you pass out. That won't end well if you're already too high.

Next time, go slow and steady. A hit or two will do, and if it doesn't, wait a bit just to make sure you're not getting a delayed high before you reach back for the bowl. You can always smoke/eat more, but you can never unsmoke!

— Mother