How to Sober Up from Weed: Tips to Overcome a Too-Strong High

A woman exhales smoke from a blunt as she gazes at her laptop, considering how to sober up from weed.

We’ve all been there: you lit the perfect joint, took a deliciously, expertly-timed dab, munched on an artisanal edible. Then, all of a sudden, those fuzzy feelings turn prickly, your laughter becomes panting, and you’re thinking, “Dude, am I dead?” No, it’s just the moment when you realize, “I’m too high.” You’re now asking yourself how to sober up from weed.

Maybe that edible kicked in three hours late. Perhaps you tried to impress a group of friends by holding the bong rip a little bit too long. You might have just tried concentrates for the first time and got caught off guard by their potency. Or maybe you’re just a low-tolerance consumer. Either way, you’re now wondering how to stop being high or how to get less high.

It can sneak up on you in a thousand ways, but once it does, the resulting experience may make you uncomfortable; it’s sometimes enough to turn off even the most seasoned cannabis lover. Thankfully, cannabis is not a lethal drug, and its effects dissipate well within a day. If you’re asking yourself how to get rid of a high or how to get unhigh, here’s how to come back from the edge of greening out.

How Long Does It Take to Come Down from a Weed High?

After smoking weed, how long does it take to sober up from weed depends on a variety of factors: consumption method, dosage, and unique individual variables like tolerance, age, and metabolic rate. Typically, the higher the potency of a cannabis product (read: THC % or milligram amount), the longer the high will last, though it may not necessarily be more intense. Concentrates are the most potent form of cannabis, with flower and edibles following behind.

This could mean that it would take longer to sober up from dabs than smoking a bowl, but dosage, quality of the flower or wax, and your body’s chemistry all contribute to your experience. If you’re wondering how to stop being high, it’s also important to note that the everyday smoker with a higher weed tolerance will sober up a lot faster than the occasional consumer who hits the party joint a couple of times. As our senior editor Bruce Barcott previously reported, new studies indicate that there is a “window of impairment” for cannabis across consumption methods of between three and 10 hours, but for most people, it’s around 4 hours.

Anecdotally speaking, the average cannabis high can last anywhere between 30 minutes to 2 hours at its peak. You can still experience lingering effects after, and some highs have been known to last a lot longer. So, if you’re wondering how to get rid of a high or how to not get dizzy while high, here are a few tips to help you come back down when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

Symptoms of Being Too High

If you know you’re too high, you know. But if you’re not sure how to figure out where the line to cross is, there are a few tell-tale signs to look out for. While we all love to have a good time, you may need to dial down your intake if you feel:

  • anxiety
  • nausea
  • panic
  • dizziness
  • excessive perspiration
  • paranoia
  • confusion

In these moments, you might be wondering how to sober up from weed or how to stop being high.

What Happens When You Get Too High?

Even if it feels like you’re dying, rest assured, you’re still very much alive. Remember, the high you get from marijuana comes from THC, which binds with the CB1 receptors of our endocannabinoid systems, most of which work in our brains. In short, it’s mostly in your head! It is not possible to consume enough THC to die, nor does THC impact parts of the brain that could affect your breathing. So, if you’re asking yourself how to get unhigh or how to get rid of a high, you can relax—it’s all temporary.

THC’s presence in our bodily systems can impart feelings of relaxation, sleepiness, hunger, euphoria, and clumsiness, but the sheer variety of strains and products make it hard to predict when a high becomes excessive. In rare cases, such as people who suffer from cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, you may feel nauseous or dizzy, making you think, how to not get dizzy while high? But thankfully, this too shall pass, and there are ways to help you get less high if needed.

How to Sober Up from Weed Fast

  1. Don’t Panic The most important thing when you’re wondering how to sober up from weed is to stay calm. The effects of cannabis will fade within minutes to hours, and you won’t die from an overdose. So, don’t challenge it, just relax and give it time.
  2. Drink Water and Eat Light Snacks Hydration is key. Water helps with dry mouth, while light snacks like fruits or cheese can make you feel more grounded. Avoid alcohol as it can intensify your high. If you’re wondering how to get rid of a high, food and hydration can help.
  3. Know Your Limits Before Consuming Understanding your tolerance will prevent you from overdoing it next time. If you’re already too high, it’s good to have trusted friends around and avoid peer pressure. Start with small doses and be cautious with edibles.
  4. Chew Black Peppercorns If you’re dealing with paranoia, chewing or sniffing black peppercorns can help calm you down. This may be a good trick if you’re wondering how to stop being high or how to get less high.
  5. Keep Calm and Rest Find a quiet, calm space to rest and breathe deeply. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, lying down or taking a nap can help you recover, and may also address that feeling of how to get unhigh.
  6. Go for a Walk A change of scenery and some fresh air can help reset your brain. But don’t try walking if you’re feeling dizzy or light-headed. In those cases, rest instead.
  7. Take a Shower or Bath A shower, especially a cold one, can help relax and ground you, possibly helping you sober up from weed faster.
  8. Distract Yourself Engage in a familiar, enjoyable activity like watching a cartoon, playing a game, or chatting with friends. Distraction is a great way to take your mind off the discomfort of being too high.

Sobering Up from Edibles

Edible highs are longer-lasting because THC passes through the liver during digestion, enhancing its effects. This makes sobering up from edibles different from other methods. While staying calm, drinking water, and distracting yourself can help, you might also want to try eating a large meal to speed up metabolism or take CBD to lessen the effects. If possible, a good nap can also work wonders.

Sobering Up from Delta-8

Delta-8 THC is less intense than delta-9, so it’s harder to overdo. Due to its unique molecular structure, it tends to produce milder effects, often leading to a more enjoyable experience with less risk of “greening out.”

Additional Tips to Help You Sober Up

  1. Try CBD
  2. CBD is known for its anti-anxiety properties. It can help balance THC’s effects by interacting with the brain’s receptors, providing relief from overwhelming high experiences.
  3. Squeeze a Lemon
  4. Lemon’s tangy aroma, enriched with limonene, can help reduce anxiety. The scent and taste of citrus fruits can be an effective way to counteract some of the anxiety from a high.
  5. Take Ibuprofen
  6. Some studies suggest that ibuprofen may reduce the effects of THC. If you have ibuprofen available, a safe dose with food and water could help bring you back down.

If you continue feeling uncomfortable despite these methods, seeking medical attention is always an option. Doctors can help without legal repercussions in areas where cannabis is still illegal.

Lastly, if all else fails, you could always follow Snoop Dogg’s advice and “put ur face in mayonnaise”!