There are still many weed users who believe that big hits from a bong or blunt are the best and fastest way to get high. But does more smoke also means more THC? Let’s take a look at what differentiates the big hits from the smaller ones.
You’ve probably heard the old story of how to “properly” smoke cannabis. How exactly is that? Well, some say that you have to take extra big hits and hold them in the lungs for as long as possible for maximum effects. If you are on this site, we are sorry for telling you, but this is not the way it works. You don’t have to take big and deep hits to enjoy your marijuana. Why? Read on and find out!
So, why don’t you have to take huge hits?
Let’s take a look at how our lungs work, for a better overview. In fact, when we breathe, we are not very efficient in absorbing oxygen and emitting carbon dioxide. Although our lungs can take in about 6 liters of air with one big breath, we lose a good deal of that oxygen when exhaling. If our lungs were super-efficient, we could take these 6 liters at once and do not need another breath, at least for a while. Instead, we breathe with shorter breaths more often.
The fact is, your lungs can only take 5 to 6 ml of oxygen per minute, and the same principle applies if you smoke cannabis. Or in other words, it’s not possible for you to push more THC into your system if you hold the smoke in your lungs.
Big hits can indeed make you feel higher
You may feel “higher” if you take bigger hits, but that’s because you’re draining oxygen from your brain. The drowsiness or dizziness you feel is compounded by carbon monoxide in the smoke. If you simply breathe in more smoke, you may feel that the amount of THC received is also higher. But that is not the case.
The human body absorbs THC immediately
Our lungs transmit oxygen from the air (or THC from smoke) almost instantaneously. Once you take a hit, almost all of the THC (95%) in cannabis is already in your body. This means that it makes no sense to keep your smoke for a long time.
Keeping in your smoke is not healthy
The active ingredients contained in weed (terpenes, flavonoids, CBD, THC) make up only a small part of what is contained in pot smoke. The rest of the content consists of various substances, many of which are not healthy. The longer you hold your smoke, the more toxic by-products come into your body. If you think that sounds unhealthy, you are so right!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q1: Do bigger hits from a bong or blunt deliver more THC?
A: No, bigger hits do not deliver more THC. Your lungs absorb almost all the THC (about 95%) in the cannabis smoke instantly, so taking large hits and holding them in doesn’t increase THC intake.
Q2: Why do bigger hits make me feel higher?
A: The feeling of being “higher” from bigger hits is due to oxygen deprivation and carbon monoxide in the smoke, causing dizziness or drowsiness, not from increased THC absorption.
Q3: Is holding in cannabis smoke for a long time beneficial?
A: No, holding in cannabis smoke for a long time is not beneficial. It exposes your body to more toxic by-products in the smoke, which can be harmful to your health.
