How To Sober Up From Weed Fast, According To Science

One thing that parents coming back to pot after years away may notice: Marijuana has become wildly more potent than what they smoked in college. This is a common mistake for dads who put the kids to bed, take an edible, and then…woah, boy. What happens if the kids wake up? How long does a high from weed last? Did I just say that out loud? And, most importantly, how do I sober up fast from weed?

First up, prevention is the best strategy in this situation. It’s critical to have a “designated parent,” says Bridget Freisthler, Ph.D., the associate dean of research at the Ohio State University College of Social Work. Just like a designated driver who stays sober to drive home from the bar, a designated parent stays sober while the other indulges so they can take care of any emergencies that arise when their partner might be slow on the draw.

If you do partake, try not to get too high. Remember, edibles can take 30 to 60 minutes to kick in, and the effects can stick around for hours. Hold off on that second weed brownie until you’re sure you can handle it.

But if it’s too late for prevention, buckle down, because it takes about two to 10 hours to come down from a potent marijuana high, according to Healthline. Exactly how long depends on a range of factors, such as the metabolism, tolerance, and weight of the person getting high. The amount of cannabis used and its THC content are also crucial.

Sometimes, though, you don’t have hours to wait it out. If you’re the only parent around and you’re far more stoned than you meant to be — or if both you and your spouse are — you need to come down from that high quickly. Unfortunately, there’s no way to instantly sober up from weed. But there is hope yet.

There are some tricks you can try to sober up quickly, but truth be told, there’s not fantastic scientific evidence supporting them. However, they are backed by the odd study or two and an Internet’s worth of anecdotal evidence. And if you’re high as a kite, they’re your best bet for sobering up fast.

How to Sober Up Fast From Weed

Your best bet to sober up from weed quickly is black pepper. Seriously. Pepper is an ancient cannabis antidote, and it may offer sedation and mental clarity after marijuana use, according to a 2011 review in the British Journal of Pharmacology. Try crunching on a peppercorn or grinding black pepper onto food.

Other tasty options that have been used for centuries include lemons and pine nuts. Sipping lemonade may be enough, but lemon peels are particularly rich in limonene, the chemical that helps in recovery from marijuana. Limonene can also be found in the rinds of other citrus fruits. Pine nuts not only contain limonene but also pinene, a chemical that may improve mental clarity and short-term memory after cannabis use, according to the review.

As counterintuitive as it may seem, CBD can also help you come down from your high. CBD can help reduce some effects of THC, including intoxication, sedation, and fast heart rate, according to a 2008 review.

Although there may not be scientific evidence to support it, many pot-smokers claim that splashing cold water on your face or taking a quick shower can make you more alert. It may not bring you down from your high, but it could help you deal with an emergency if one arises.

How To Prevent Yourself From Getting Too High

As the saying goes, start low and go slow. If you’re fairly new to weed, start with a small dose the first few times you try it out, and gradually increase your dose over time until it gets you to the high you want. Remember: Marijuana has gotten a lot more potent in recent years. So if you haven’t smoked since college, start lower than you think you need to. And if you already have a usual dose, either stick to it or increase it very gradually if you’re looking for a more intense effect.

Be aware that different cannabis products, including different strains of marijuana, contain different concentrations of THC. One puff of a given strain won’t get you the same high as another. Choose products with a higher ratio of CBD to THC. And be aware that you may feel different when switching between different forms of marijuana, such as smoking to vaping to edibles. Avoid concentrates because the high level of THC makes it easy to get too high. And don’t combine weed with other substances, such as alcohol.

If you’re taking edibles, be aware that it can take two hours for the effects to peak, so don’t consume more after an hour just because you’re not feeling high enough. Avoid homemade edibles because you have no way of knowing how the THC is distributed throughout, so you might accidentally get a super concentrated brownie and get super high. Be aware that even edibles purchased from reputable sources may vary in concentration throughout.

Only purchase cannabis from a reputable source; otherwise you don’t know what you’re truly getting, or how much of it.