How Much Delta 9 To Get High?

Most users of Delta 9-THC (myself included) will tell you that it is a life saver. Not only for medical purposes but for recreational use too.

But how much Delta 9-THC will you need to get high?

Keep on reading for the details!

What Is Delta 9?

Delta 9-THC is the most prevalent cannabinoid compound present in cannabis. It is also one of the most widely used drugs in the world, and due to legalization in many countries and states, it has become more accessible than ever. 

THC is a partial agonist of CB1 and CB2 receptors which are found in the central nervous system (CNS), eliciting psychotropic effects. And due to this, it has been demonstrated to impair cognitive and psychomotor functioning. 

In particular, “THC acts on the brain’s reward, cognition, and habit-related parts and affects brain regions like the hippocampus, amygdala, cerebellum, thalamus, and basal ganglia.” 

What this means is that it produces euphoric and psychoactive effects that influence your mood, consciousness, and behavior. It also increases your appetite due to the increase in the “hunger hormone” ghrelin and has sedative-like effects. 

In light of THC’s abilities to affect the CB1 receptor, and due to the receptor’s prevalence throughout our CNS, THC has gained a lot of attention for its therapeutic value.

According to science, some of the diseases where THC has been found to help include Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, and more.

Though, Delta 9-THC is more often used recreationally by individuals of all ages. However, use is prevalent in the younger generations. 

THC is just one of more than 150 other cannabinoids found in the Cannabis sativa plant. And whether you are using it recreationally or medically, it can produce a high that varies depending on the concentration of THC in the cannabis flower or the other ways you can consume it.

For instance, there are Desktop vaporizers to vape THC with, as well as edibles, tinctures, topicals, and concentrates. And due to the availability in many places, you can access these products at your local dispensary.

How Much Delta 9 To Get High?

How high a person gets from Delta 9-THC depends on the individual. It is challenging to determine the dosage if you smoke or vape cannabis. 

But when it comes to edibles, they typically have dosing recommendations on the package. For example, you can buy a THC chocolate bar, and each piece will have somewhere between 5-20 mg of THC. So you know how much you take if you ingest half, one, or two pieces. 

Smoking or vaping THC is the fastest way to feel the “high” associated with its consumption. 

You can usually feel this high in 5-10 minutes. This is because it does not have to travel through your digestive system to absorb. Whereas, with edibles, it takes 1-3 hours to feel the effects of the dose you consumed. 

For a newcomer trying THC, most people will feel the baseline effects with as little as 5 mg of THC in an edible form. 

Many people require higher dosages to feel the results like pain relief. For instance, a high dose of an edible would usually find 25 mg+ Delta 9-THC in edibles.  

Others with a high tolerance for THC can take upwards of 100+ mg of THC as part of their medical marijuana routine. 

For instance, I medically consume THC for my neurodegenerative diseases. When I use THC, I take 20 mg in edible form because it lasts longer and produces a more significant effect on my body. But if I use it too often, I have to up my dosage to get the same impact. 

The same will happen to most newbies after they consume THC via a joint for the first time. If you take a few puffs and feel the effects the first time, then the next time, you may take an extra puff or two, and with regular consumption, you will be smoking joints or dabs like a pro.

When vaping, you start by inhaling a puff, waiting to see how it affects you, and then see if you want more. It’s all personalized. 

It’s also important to note that an edible can be vastly stronger than a joint depending on its potency. For example a low dosed edible VS joint might offer similar effects but a higher dose will leave the joint in the dust.

But if you are a newcomer to THC, be sure to take it easy and not jump into taking 100mg of THC your first time. Remember, THC edibles last for hours!

It can be very unpleasant if you take too much THC before knowing what you can handle. It can cause you to “green out,” where you may feel nauseous, increased anxiety, lethargic, dizzy, or become paranoid.

Delta 9 Dosage

We have a saying when it comes to the first time you are trying THC. The advice is “Start Low and Go Slow.” 

This is because establishing your dosage varies from person to person. What is a good dose for your friend may be way too much for you.  

Starting around the 5 mg mark for edibles is an excellent place to begin. 

Take one, wait 2-4 hours to see how it affects you, and if it isn’t enough, consume another 5 mg dose. Make sure you wait because it takes your digestive system a while to process the THC.

For smoking or vaping THC, be sure to start with just a few small puffs and then wait 30-45 minutes for it to take effect. If you do not have a buzz, try a few more small puffs. 

Another thing you have to be aware of is cannabinoid ratios. When CBD and THC are combined, along with the other 150+ phytocannabinoids found in Cannabis sativa, it is believed to produce a heightened effect compared to using THC on its own.

In fact, studies have shown that CBD may balance and even counteract the effects of THC. And the scientific community advises that medical and recreational users should be mindful of THC: CBD ratios as they impact your metabolism and the therapeutic effects. 

Though, more research is needed to determine the best ratios for the varying routes of administration. 

In more straightforward terms, be careful of how much THC and CBD are in your edible or tincture products, and that includes taking notice of the ratios of the THC percentage VS the CBD percentage when smoking or vaping. 

So if you are looking for a well-rounded high, ensure that the edibles you consume contain full-spectrum CBD in their products. 

Also, when smoking flower, aim for a strain of flower with CBD: THC ratios. These could be a 1:1 or even 3:1 ratio, depending on whether or not you are using it for medical or recreational uses. 

I take a 3:1 CBD: THC ratio in a tincture. In my opinion, the added THC makes the product work more efficiently than if I took straight full-spectrum CBD. I only take about an mL daily, which equals 10 mg of THC and 30 mg of CBD.  

This ratio seems to work best for me, but another person may be better off with a 1:1, 10:1 ratio, or other ratios. It is all subjective and is based on the user’s preference. Therefore, what works for me, will not necessarily work for others. 

For further dosing advice, please don’t do what I did the first time I tried THC.

I smoked a whole joint and ended up puking, seeing bright lights, and falling into a snowbank because my motor coordination was off. So avoid being like me. It sucked!

Delta 9 Edible Dosage

Edibles are the easiest way to ensure you get a consistent dosage of THC. 

That’s because they have measured dosages. For example, they may have 5 mg, 10 mg, 25 mg, or more per gummy. You can try one 5 mg piece, and if it doesn’t have an effect, then take another.

But keep in mind that when taking edibles, they take much longer to affect you due to the fact they have to be processed through the digestive system. 

Or, if you buy a chocolate bar, they are typically sectioned off into pieces that contain 5, 10, or 20 mg of THC. This makes it much easier to dose. 

For most newcomers to THC, I recommend trying edibles first. That way, you know how much THC you are getting and can determine your dosage much easier. 

Remember the cardinal rule “Start Low And Go Slow!”

How Much Delta 8 To Equal Delta 9?

Delta 8-THC is considered a lighter cannabinoid to consume than Delta 9-THC. Its effects are often described as relaxing and easier to handle as it typically does not cause as much anxiety or paranoia as Delta 9-THC may.  

From my personal experience with Delta 8-THC, it does get you high, but it is not as potent. I would almost call it “Delta 9 Light.” If you are a regular consumer of Delta 9, as I am, you will most likely need a third to a half more of Delta 8 to feel the same effects. 

But this also varies because it depends on the cannabinoid profile of the product you are consuming. Terpenes also have their own effects that influence your reaction to the product. 

According to research, Delta 8-THC may provide similar benefits to Delta 9-THC with lesser adverse side effects.

 The Delta 8-THC users found they were more relaxed, had a euphoric reaction, and that it helped with pain relief. They also noticed that the users did not experience anxiety or paranoia. 

So if you have mental conditions and want a similar effect of THC without the adverse effects, Delta 8-THC may be a good starting point for trying the various homologs of THC like Delta 10-THC, HHC, THCP, and more.

Related Read: Smoking CBD

Wrapping Up: Delta 9 THC High

How much THC you need to take to get high varies from person to person and depends on the method of ingestion.

If you are a newcomer to THC, start with taking a few puffs off a joint or a 5 mg gummy or piece of chocolate bar infused with THC.

Always start low and slow until you find that sweet spot. Remember to buy cannabis and THC products from reputable vendors and don’t dive into the deep end and consume a whole chocolate bar or joint the first time.

Enjoy THC responsibly, and you’ll be in for a great time.