As compared to its consumption as food, smoked marijuana affects the senses much more quickly. The dried leaves and stem of the marijuana plant are crumpled and smoked, as a cigarette or cigar. The mix can even be smoked in a pipe. Weed can also be consumed as a concoction, much like tea.
Let us take a look at how long it takes for the effects of weed to kick in when smoked, the duration of the effects, and the harm that marijuana smoking can do. Marijuana contains more than 400 chemicals. Of these, the one chemical that is most responsible for marijuana’s effects is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Your experience with marijuana will depend upon the amount of THC present in it.
When marijuana is smoked, the effects are felt inside a few minutes of the first puff. The effects reach their maximum intensity within half an hour. The effects, physical and mental, will subside after five or six hours. However, with highly potent strains of THC, the effects may last for more than a day. Use, whether medicinal or recreational, also affects the intensity of the experience. Motor functions may remain impaired even after the peak effects from smoking marijuana have passed off.
Factors that influence the rapidity with which the effects of marijuana are experienced include the age, height, weight, and overall health of the individual. Marijuana used with other drugs results in a number of psychoactive effects that include altered perception of time and pain, enhanced olfactory and gustatory perception, increased sensitivity to heat and cold, etc. The individual’s level of tolerance to marijuana is a factor.
You should avoid driving after smoking marijuana. Drowsiness, impaired judgement of distance, and heightened color perception can impact driving abilities. Smoking pot and driving is particularly risky with monotonous routes.
The pulse rate increases within minutes of smoking weed, blood vessels in the eye get dilated, and the lungs open up. Taken as food, the effects of marijuana are felt slowly but they also last for longer as compared to smoking marijuana.
One of the most important factors contributing to the onset of marijuana’s effects is the bioavailability of the drug; this varies with the mode of consumption. Smoking increases the drug’s bioavailability. If, with increased bioavailability, the concentration of THC is high as well, then the effects are doubly intensified. When marijuana is smoked, it quickly enters the bloodstream via the lungs and then reaches the brain. The process is slower when it is taken with food.
Marijuana is an addictive drug, and risks associated with abusing marijuana include memory loss and decreased ability to grasp new information. The dangers are higher for teens who smoke weed. Their brains are not yet fully developed, and marijuana can impair mental faculties.
If you are struggling with marijuana addiction, and wish to kick the habit, then The Villa Treatment Center can help you.Get in touch with us, our experienced recovery experts can assist you in leading a drug-free life. Call us. 1-818-639-7160.