Table of Contents
- What Is Greening Out?
- How Does Greening Out Happen?
- How Long Does It Last?
- What to Do If You Are Greening Out
- How to Avoid It
- How to Take Care of Someone Who Is Greening Out
- FAQ
What Is Greening Out & How to Avoid It
Greening out is when you overdo it with weed, just like blacking out is when you overdo it with booze.
If you’re new to cannabis or just trying something new for the first time, it can be easy to accidentally overdo it. You may not realize how much THC you’re taking in until it’s too late — you’re greened out!
In this article, we’ll explain what greening out is, what to do if you’re experiencing it, and how to avoid it.
What Is Greening Out?
Greening out is a term that describes the feeling you get when your body is overwhelmed by THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. The THC in cannabis acts on your cannabinoid receptors and causes a number of physical reactions, including changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing.
Other symptoms include:
- Nausea
- Anxiety
- Dizziness
- Mild hallucinations
- Emotional disturbance
Greening out can be frightening, no matter how experienced or new you are to cannabis use. But remember, no one has ever died from a cannabis overdose. If you feel like you might be greening out, you can take steps to make yourself feel better. Pre-existing heart issues are a valid concern for some people, though.
How Does Greening Out Happen?
When you’ve smoked or consumed too much weed, it’s like you’re off in la-la land, feeling weird and scared. It’s like getting drunk for the first time, except instead of alcohol, you’re high on weed.
It is not dangerous, but it can be pretty scary and uncomfortable as you experience a string of unpleasant side effects from having too much THC in your system. In fact, greening out is also often called a THC overdose.
Role of THC in Greening Out
THC or delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol is the main psychoactive component of cannabis and is responsible for the “high” you get when you smoke or otherwise ingest weed. Its structure is similar to that of endocannabinoids, which are chemicals produced naturally by your body.
When you smoke or ingest marijuana, it enters your bloodstream via the lungs or stomach and travels to your brain, wherein it binds with receptors on nerve cells called cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2. This is how THC creates feelings of euphoria and alters perceptions along with physical effects on your body.
And when the brain’s CB1 receptors take in too much THC, it can cause a variety of mental effects that range from uncomfortable to scary and even dangerous, especially for people with heart problems.
Using Alcohol and Cannabis
When you mix weed and alcohol, you are more likely to experience greening out than people who only consume one or the other. It’s called “greening out” because when people get this way, they go pale: either turning white or green. That’s why another term for “greening out” is “whiting out.”
Also, alcohol consumption increases THC absorption. This means that when you ingest or smoke pot, you’re likely to feel a stronger effect than if you smoked pot on its own.
How Long Does It Last?
Green-outs are no fun, but fortunately, they don’t last long. The length and intensity of the “high” that you experience from marijuana can vary depending on how much you’ve ingested or smoked. Some symptoms may only last a few minutes, while others can continue for hours.
What to Do If You Are Greening Out
There are few things more embarrassing than greening out. It’s not fun, and it’s definitely not the best way to enjoy your cannabis experience. But if you’ve ever smoked too much weed, then you know what we’re talking about.
So what do you do if you green out? Here’s a quick guide on how to handle the situation:
1. Eat Something
You have probably heard this before, but it’s true: eating something can help balance out the high. Try eating something light, low fat, and easy to digest, like a sandwich or some fruit instead.
2. Hydrate
If you’re feeling lightheaded and experiencing dry mouth, drink water to stay hydrated. Water is the most common option, but juice and caffeine-free herbal teas will also work.
Avoid caffeinated drinks as they can act as diuretics and make you feel even more dehydrated. If nausea from weed intoxication makes it difficult for you to keep fluids down, just take small sips of water, or you can suck on ice chips until your symptoms subside.
3. Rest and Relax
If you’re feeling lightheaded and nauseous, lie down. The combination of standing up and the effects of your high can make you feel dizzy or faint. So sit or lie down somewhere comfortable until your body adjusts.
4. Take Deep Breaths
You know you have had too much when you feel anxious. Don’t panic, though — there’s no need to freak out! You can do deep breathing to relax and calm down. There are many different ways to breathe deeply, but the most basic is by breathing in deeply through your nose and slowly letting it out your mouth. It’s that simple.
5. Take a Shower or Bath (If Possible)
If you feel unwell, a relaxing bath or shower can help. It will also work wonders if you sweat when greening out and need to cool down fast.
6. Try a Massage
Slowly and gently massaging your limbs can help relieve anxiety when you’re greening out. Massages can help you feel less anxious and more focused. If you can find a friend to help, that will make it even better.
7. Have a Bud Buddy or Talk to Someone
If you have a friend who can be there for you and help you through the experience, that is ideal. If not, call or text someone who can talk to you about what’s going on so they can distract your mind from focusing on how bad it feels.
8. Pick Up Some CBD
Did you know that CBD can help with greening out? It’s true! If you’re feeling like you can’t handle the experience, try some cannabidiol.
Cannabidiol lowers the psychoactive effects of THC. Its action on the CB1 receptors prevents further intoxication. So if you are trying to calm down and relax, CBD might be just what you need.
9. Don’t Panic — Reassure Yourself
Like what they say, “Don’t panic! It’s organic.” While greening out can make you feel uncomfortable and spacey, it is not dangerous. You won’t have any greening out long-term effects either.
If you feel as though you’ve consumed too much weed, take some deep breaths and remind yourself that its effects will eventually subside. Just give yourself some time. Soon, you will feel like your usual, normal self again.
How to Avoid It
If you don’t want to green out, there are a few things you can do:
1. Start with a Low Dose
Take small doses at first until your body gets used to the effects of weed. If you feel comfortable with your dosage, you can gradually increase it over time.
2. Beware of Edibles
Avoid using edibles if you’re inexperienced with them. Edibles take much longer to metabolize than smoking or vaping and may cause your body to react in unexpected ways.
3. Watch Out for Drug Interactions
Ensure there are no drug-drug interactions between whatever prescription drugs you’re taking or smoking/vaping marijuana, especially if they’re not prescribed for medical purposes.
How to Take Care of Someone Who Is Greening Out
If you’ve been around the ganja game for a while, you know that greening out is common and can happen to anyone. Help someone who’s greening out by doing the following:
- Stay calm and be with them.
- Get them to safety and monitor the situation.
- If possible, move them somewhere quiet where they can lie down and rest until the symptoms pass.
- Reassure them they are not alone in what they’re feeling and that it will pass soon if they stay calm and upright (if possible).
- Give them something to drink. Keep them hydrated with water or give them juice to balance their blood sugar levels.
- If you are unable to handle the situation, delegate responsibility and refer it to a sober adult. If someone’s life is in danger, call for help immediately.
FAQ
What Does It Mean to Be Greening Out?
Greening out is a phenomenon that can happen when you consume too much cannabis. It can leave you feeling nauseous, dizzy, and unable to function normally.
How Long Does a Greening Out Last?
In general, a green-out lasts for just a few hours and not more than 24 hours.
Can You Throw Up If You Get Too High?
Yes, you can throw up if you get too high. But it’s not just because of the high. It can also trigger a condition called cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, which causes nausea, crippling stomach pain, and vomiting.
Does Being High Make You Feel Dizzy?
Yes, cannabis is linked to postural hypotension, a condition in which a person’s blood pressure significantly drops when moving from a sitting or lying position to a standing position. This causes the user to feel dizzy or pass out when they stand up.
How Do I Stop Getting Too High?
Using low doses of THC is the best approach to avoid getting too high.
References
Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology – Cardiovascular Pharmacology of Cannabinoids
Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience – Cannabinoid Receptors in the Central Nervous System
