What Is Marijuana?
Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a psychoactive drug derived from the plant Cannabis Sativa. It contains over 100 different chemical compounds known as cannabinoids, with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) being the primary psychoactive ingredient.
THC is responsible for most of the plant’s mind-altering effects. It’s what’s responsible for producing the high people experience when smoking marijuana. THC can be extracted and infused into a variety of edibles, with weed gummies being an increasingly popular choice.
Marijuana is known by a plethora of names:
- Weed
- Pot
- Grass
- Ganja
- Mary Jane
- Herb
- Reefer
- Green
- Bud
- Chronic
- Dope (although “dope” can also refer to heroin in some contexts)
- Kush
- Skunk
Marijuana is the most commonly used drug after nicotine and alcohol and the most frequently used illegal drug overall. However, a rise in medical marijuana and more and more people having medical cards means more cannabis products are consumed on a regular basis. Medical cannabis is prescribed by a doctor.
How Long Does a Marijuana High Last?
THC products come in many different forms. How long a marijuana high lasts depends on individual metabolism, method of consumption, and other factors. THC products come in many different forms.
Here’s a general breakdown of how long the effects of marijuana can last depending on how it is taken:
- Smoking or Vaping: Onset of high felt within minutes, with peak effects typically lasting one to three hours. Some lingering effects can last two to six hours.
- Edibles (e.g. brownies, cookies, or weed gummies): Effects from cannabis edibles usually begin to kick in thirty minutes to two hours. This large window can lead some people to consume more than intended, leading to an unexpectedly strong high. Highs from a THC gummy can last eight to twelve hours, with peak effects lasting four to six hours. Weed gummies and other edibles tend to produce a more prolonged and sometimes more intense effect than smoking or vaporizing. When marijuana edibles expire, their potency may diminish.
- Dabbing: Due to the high potency of concentrates, effects can be intense but relatively short-lived. The peak effects can last 1-3 hours, with lingering effects for several more hours.
It’s essential to note that these are general guidelines, and individual experiences can vary widely. Factors like metabolism, body weight, tolerance, and even what you’ve eaten that day can influence how marijuana affects you.
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Call 866-881-1184Are Weed Gummies Dangerous?
While they may seem like harmless fun, research indicates marijuana gummies may actually carry some risks.
Since THC is processed differently when ingested, consuming weed gummies can produce a more intense and longer-lasting high. A common mistake is consuming more gummies because one does not feel the effects immediately (it can take 1-3 hours or longer for effects to set in).
Research in the last few years suggests that people who consume edibles such as weed gummies were more likely to experience medical emergencies. This includes things like severe intoxication, acute psychiatric symptoms, and cardiovascular problems.
One statistic worth noting: between 2014 and 2016, edibles such as weed gummies accounted for 10% of all cannabis-related visits to the UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital Emergency Department. This is despite edibles making up only 1% of all sales.
The reason for this is that it is harder to gauge how much pot you are consuming when you ingest it as compared to smoking it.
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Check Your CoverageAddiction Treatment at South Coast Behavioral Health
For those struggling with addiction, South Coast Behavioral Health is here to help. Treatment for substance abuse takes place along an entire spectrum of care. Along that entire spectrum are various behavioral therapies, support groups, and the use of medically-assisted treatment (MAT).
These levels of treatment are, in order, as follows:
Medical Detox in California
The first step before treatment can begin is going through a medical detox. Our medical detox program in California is staffed by caring and compassionate professionals who can provide you with medications to manage your withdrawal symptoms.
At South Coast, we take pride in offering care that is closely tailored to specific issues. To that end, we offer gender-specific detox programs, with medical detox for men in Irvine, CA, and medical detox for women in Huntington Beach, CA.
After detoxing, proper treatment can begin.
Residential Treatment in California
After successfully completing medical detox, you’ll move to inpatient treatment in Orange County California. There, you’ll receive medically-assisted treatment and dual diagnosis treatment to deal with any cravings or co-occurring mental health issues you may be battling.
We also offer residential treatment facilities in Costa Mesa, Irvine, and Huntington Beach for those who desire gender-specific treatment. There, patients get round-the-clock medical attention and monitoring while living at the facility full-time.
In addition to individual and group counseling and medication management, you’ll also have access to leisure activities and family support services.
Partial Hospitalization in California
Most clients start substance abuse treatment with South Coast in our residential treatment program. After completing that, many desire something that still provides structure and support, but with extra space and time to oneself. For that, we offer Partial Hospitalization in Newport Beach.
A step down from inpatient care but with more structure than conventional outpatient programs, partial hospitalization offers a good balance for those looking to ease back into normal life. Clients can receive care five to seven days a week for a number of hours each day, returning to their sober living homes in the evening.
This way, they can recover without putting their daily lives completely on hold, receiving intense therapeutic interventions like group and individual therapy, skills development, and medication management as necessary.
Intensive Outpatient Treatment in California
For those leaving inpatient residential treatment or partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient programs (IOP) are yet another gradual step forward on the road to recovery.
With a focus on group therapy, individual counseling, and education, clients undergoing Intensive Outpatient Treatment in Newport Beach can meet three to five days a week. Each session lasts three hours.
This level of care requires the least amount of attendance at a facility.
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Using cannabis products like medical cannabis edibles, even if you have a medical card, can open the door for abuse.
If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction but wonder how long addiction counseling takes or have other questions, call us at 866-881-1184. Our highly qualified staff will be happy to help give you an idea of what to expect from your addiction recovery timeline, verify your insurance, and assist with any other questions you may have.
- Acute Illness Associated With Cannabis Use, by Route of Exposure: An Observational Study: Annals of Internal Medicine: Vol 170, No 8 (acpjournals.org)
- Marijuana Edibles May Pose Special Risks – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
- What are marijuana’s effects? | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov)
