When we talk about holding a hit, if what comes to your mind is inhaling cannabis smoke and holding it for a while before exhaling it, you’re right, and if you didn’t know, know you know.
The myth is the longer you hold the cannabis smoke in your lungs, the higher you get because people logically reason that you buy THC more time to get absorbed into the lungs, blood circulation than to the brain to give you a longer high.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news and one to break your zero-cost approach for extended cannabis high, but scientifically, it doesn’t add up.
Keep your mind open as we explore the myth of holding a hit. The grass is usually greener on the other side.
Let’s start with the oblivious.
The atmosphere comprises about 20% oxygen necessary for respiration. So, when you inhale, the lungs can’t retain the entire 20% but only a minor fraction.
Like we don’t hold air for very long while we wait for our bodies to absorb all of the oxygen they can, holding a hit for long doesn’t make you higher.
We like to breathe slowly and steadily to allow the lungs to absorb smaller amounts of oxygen over time.
Then why do I feel a more intense high when I hold a hit?
When you burn cannabis, the cannabinoids, primarily THC, become volatile, meaning that upon inhalation, 95% of the THC gets absorbed in your lungs.
You experience the same high weather holding a hit or not, depending on the factors that influence how long your cannabis high lasts.
The difference when holding a hit is you limit the oxygen circulation to the brain by holding the cannabis smoke with all the air you inhale with a mix of toxins and carbon monoxide.
Depriving the brain of oxygen for long causes brain cells to die, so you feel a light head that many people mistake for a cannabis high leading to more severe consequences, cerebral hypoxia if prolonged.
This lightheadedness is amplified when combined with carbon monoxide and toxins from burning cannabis. So you’re not getting any higher, and your brain isn’t praising you for holding a hit. Instead, it’s telling you that you’re killing it by denying it air.
So as much as you want to save some weed, is it worth the death of brain cells?
Want to prove it?
You could try to prove this theory right or wrong. If you smoke anything besides cannabis, such as tobacco, try to inhale and hold it in as long as possible.
You will experience the same slight dizziness or tingling feeling; even when the no weed or cannabis is smoked in the compound f smoking is not your thing; you could sit on a chair with your legs parallel. Grab your legs and place your head between your knees while facing down.
Take some heavy breaths, then exhale intensely and hold it as long as possible. Before releasing the air, pull yourself back into a seating position and let yourself breathe normally.
If done right, you will not only feel dizzy; you will most likely faint.
Then why do I feel high when holding a joint?
The more you hold your breath, the higher your heartbeat or pulse. Blood is therefore pumped faster to make up for the diminishing oxygen levels.
This has a compounding effect for the period you hold your breath since there is little or no oxygen going to your head.
The body, therefore, starts to react to this dire situation. Adrenaline is released all over your body, preparing it for a fight or flight situation.
This feeling is what many consumers mistake for a more intense high.
Some users experience a tingling sensation on the skin and face. This is the body screaming for oxygen; you aren’t getting any higher, you’re getting dead-er.
The tingling sensation of your skin is also proof of less oxygen to the brain.
How to boost the intensity of your cannabis high?
We have an article on boosting the intensity of your cannabis high in ways that don’t include killing your brain cells.
There are so. Many factors affect your cannabis high, so you need to know your body and what works.
If you realize you don’t experience the same high you used to before with the same cannabis strains and quantity, you can consider a cannabis tolerance break.