You’re staring at a bag of chips or maybe just the patterns on your ceiling, and suddenly it hits you: I need to be "normal" again. Maybe you have a meeting. Maybe you just overdid it on a 20mg gummy because it "wasn't working" thirty minutes ago. Now, the room is spinning slightly, and your heart is doing a little drum solo in your chest. The question is urgent: how long does it take to stop being high?
It's never a single number. Honestly, anyone who tells you "exactly two hours" is lying to you. Your body isn't a kitchen timer.
The duration of a high is a messy equation involving your metabolism, how much you ate for lunch, and—most importantly—how that THC entered your system. If you smoked, you're looking at a sprint. If you ate an edible, you’ve buckled into a marathon. Understanding the mechanics of the "come down" isn't just about waiting; it's about knowing how your biology processes cannabinoids like THC and CBD.
The Method of Consumption Changes Everything
How you get the THC into your bloodstream is the biggest factor in how long it stays there. It’s about bioavailability. When you inhale smoke or vapor, the THC hits your lungs and enters your bloodstream almost instantly. Your brain feels it in seconds. Because it hits fast, it also tends to leave fast. Usually, a smoked high peaks within 30 minutes and starts to fade significantly after two hours. By hour four, most people feel relatively grounded, though a "fog" might linger.
Edibles are a different beast entirely.
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When you eat an infused brownie, the THC has to survive your stomach acid before it reaches the liver. There, it undergoes a transformation. The liver converts delta-9-THC into 11-hydroxy-THC. This metabolite is way more potent and crosses the blood-brain barrier with much more ease than inhaled THC. This is why you can still feel "elevated" six, eight, or even twelve hours after eating an edible. If you're asking how long does it take to stop being high after an edible, the answer is often "see you tomorrow morning."
Why "The Creep" Happens
We've all heard the story. Someone eats a gummy, waits forty minutes, feels nothing, and eats another. Then, at the two-hour mark, both hit at once. This metabolic delay is why emergency room visits for cannabis often involve edibles rather than joints. Your body simply can't process the compound as fast as you can swallow it.
The Science of the "High" Duration
There is actual data on this, though it varies by study. According to research published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology, the peak plasma concentration of THC occurs nearly immediately after smoking, but for oral ingestion, it can take up to four hours to peak.
Your body's fat cells play a role too. THC is lipophilic. That’s a fancy way of saying it loves fat. It hides in your adipose tissue. This is why frequent users—people who smoke every day—often feel a "lingering" effect or a slower come-down compared to occasional users. Their "baseline" is higher because their fat cells are effectively holding onto a reservoir of cannabinoids.
Then there’s the "Entourage Effect." This theory, popularized by researchers like Dr. Ethan Russo, suggests that the high isn't just about THC. It’s about the terpenes (the smells) and other cannabinoids like CBD or CBG. A product high in Myrcene might make you feel "high" longer because it’s more sedative, whereas a Pinene-heavy strain might feel shorter because it’s more alert and clear-headed.
Factors That Keep You High Longer
It isn't just the weed. It's you.
- Your Metabolism: If you have a lightning-fast metabolism, your body processes the THC faster.
- Body Fat Percentage: Since THC is fat-soluble, more body fat can lead to a longer, more drawn-out elimination process.
- Tolerance Levels: Frequent fliers might "feel" sober faster because their brain has downregulated its cannabinoid receptors. They aren't necessarily "cleaner" faster, but they stop feeling the psychoactive effects sooner.
- Empty Stomach vs. Full Stomach: Eating a heavy, fatty meal (like a burger) right before or after an edible can actually increase the absorption of THC, making the high more intense and potentially longer.
How to Come Down Faster (Or at Least Feel Like It)
If you're in the middle of a "green out" or just feeling uncomfortably high, you want out. Now. While you can't magically suck the THC out of your receptors, you can mitigate the sensation.
1. Black Pepper is Your Friend
This sounds like an old wives' tale, but there’s science here. Black pepper contains the terpene beta-caryophyllene. This terpene is also found in cannabis and has a calming effect. Sniffing (not snorting!) black pepper or chewing on a couple of peppercorns can help ground you. It interacts with the same endocannabinoid receptors as THC but in a way that can help dampen the anxiety.
2. CBD to the Rescue
It seems counterintuitive to take more cannabis to stop being high, but CBD is a "non-intoxicating" cannabinoid that acts as an antagonist to THC. It can physically block THC from binding perfectly to the CB1 receptors in your brain. If you have a high-quality CBD isolate or oil, taking it can help "level out" the high and reduce the paranoia.
3. Hydration and Sugar
Sometimes that "shaky" high feeling is actually just low blood sugar or dehydration. Drink water. Drink a glass of orange juice. The glucose can help stabilize your system and give your brain something else to focus on.
4. The Lemon Trick
Lemons contain limonene, a terpene known for its stress-relieving properties. Squeezing some lemon into water and zesting a bit of the peel can provide a sensory "reset."
When Will You Be Completely Sober?
There is a difference between "not feeling high" and being "stone-cold sober."
For most, the "peak" lasts 30 to 60 minutes for smoking and 2 to 4 hours for edibles. The "offset" phase—the period where you feel mostly fine but maybe a little slow or "heavy"—can last another 2 to 6 hours.
If you have to drive or do something high-stakes, the rule of thumb is to wait at least 6 hours after smoking and 12 hours after an edible. Better yet, sleep it off. Sleep is the only 100% effective way to reset the brain's neurochemistry after a session. When you wake up, your liver has had time to do the heavy lifting, and your receptors have had time to "reset."
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Misconceptions About the Come Down
A lot of people think a cold shower will sober them up. It won't. It might give you a temporary adrenaline spike that makes you feel more alert, but the THC is still circulating in your blood. You're just a high person who is now very cold.
Same goes for coffee.
Caffeine is a stimulant. THC can increase heart rate. Mixing the two often results in "the jitters" or increased anxiety. If you're already feeling paranoid about how long does it take to stop being high, adding a double espresso to the mix is like throwing gasoline on a very nervous fire.
Real-World Timeline Expectations
- Vaping/Smoking: You’ll feel it in 2 minutes. You’ll be at your highest at 30 minutes. You’ll feel "back to earth" around the 3-hour mark.
- Edibles/Drinks: You’ll feel it in 60-90 minutes. You’ll be at your peak at hour 3. You might still feel "glowy" or sluggish 8 to 10 hours later.
- Dabs/Concentrates: These are high-potency. Because the THC % is so high (often 80%+), the intensity is massive. Even though it's inhaled, the sheer volume of THC can make the high last 4-5 hours.
Actionable Steps for a Faster Reset
If you find yourself asking how long does it take to stop being high because the experience has turned south, follow these steps in order. First, change your environment. Move to a different room, turn off the loud music, or put on a comfort show (Nature documentaries are great, "The Office" is a classic for a reason). Second, try the black pepper trick—the terpene interaction is real. Third, hydrate with water or juice, avoiding caffeine at all costs. Finally, if you can, just lay down and close your eyes. Controlled breathing—four seconds in, four seconds out—signals to your autonomic nervous system that you aren't actually in danger.
The high will end. It is a physiological certainty. Your liver and kidneys are working on it right now, even if it doesn't feel like it.