Will I Get Higher If I Hold In My Hit Longer?

The truth about holding in your hit

Will I get higher if I hold in my hit longer? The chemistry and biology of cannabis’s effects on the body are, well, a bit complex.

There are just so many factors involved. For those who consume cannabis by inhaling smoke from burnt buds, the most popular question about how weed affects the body is this: Will I get higher if I hold in my hit longer?

Fortunately, when it comes to the science behind holding in your hits, the answer is pretty straight-forward.

So here’s the truth: if you hold in your hit in longer than about 3-7 seconds, you’re not getting any higher.  It may be hard to believe. But holding cannabis smoke in your lungs for a long time doesn’t make your lungs absorb more THC.

Taking On A Marijuana Myth

The scientific evidence shows that you won’t get higher if you hold your hit in longer. But that hasn’t stopped the idea from being one of the most pervasive marijuana myths around. So if they’re wrong, why do people think holding in hits increases the effects of THC?

Try holding your breath right now, without taking a hit. Hold it for about as long as you would if you just ripped a bong, bowl, or blunt. Maybe 30 seconds?

Feeling light-headed? A bit dizzy? Is your heart rate a bit elevated? Yeah, those are the effects of depriving your body of its fundamental fuel: oxygen. Pair those sensations with the early head and body rush of cannabis, and it’s no wonder people feel like they’re higher, but they’re not.