First, a note on terms: the way to get the most out of a marijuana smoke is to inhale, not ingest. When you inhale, you introduce vaporized substances (from vaporizers and bongs) or burned substances (from traditional “joints”) directly into your lungs. However, when you ingest, the smoke is partly “wasted” because it is swallowed, goes to the stomach and from there takes much longer to take effect. Another mistake that people who try to inhale cannabis for the first few times, without being regular cigarette smokers, make is to hold the smoke in their mouth and not push it toward the lungs, which are the channel through which THC and CBD enter the bloodstream.

Newcomers to the world of cannabis, especially non-smokers, may actually have trouble inhaling marijuana properly the first few times. But even among “veterans,” not all behave in a way that absorbs the greatest amount of active ingredient possible.

Here are some tips that can help you absorb more cannabinoids when you smoke:

1. If you have never smoked before, you need to learn how to do it. This involves taking a light drag from your cigarette or vaporizer, holding the smoke in your mouth for a fraction of a second, and pushing it into your lungs with a second breath. At first, there may be a burning sensation and an urge to cough, but it will gradually become automatic. Simply holding the smoke or vapor in your mouth is not enough and has no effect, and “swallowing” the smoke is also a mistake.

2. If you’re an experienced smoker, you may be tempted to hold the smoke in your lungs for a long time, delaying the moment of exhaling. In reality, the idea that holding the smoke will maximize the effects of cannabis is wrong. Research has shown that 95% of cannabinoids are absorbed within seconds, so small hits ensure maximum effects. Holding the smoke in your lungs just means you’re absorbing more tar than you need.

3. There is an urban legend that if you cough while smoking cannabis, it means that it has entered your lungs deeply, but this is not true. Coughing instead means that you are smoking or vaping incorrectly, holding the smoke in too long or taking too strong a drag. You cough because the vaporizer is too hot or because the tar “stings” your lungs, not because of the cannabis.

4. The perfect puff lasts a total of 4 seconds, two of inhalation and two of apnea, which is then followed by exhalation which can be slow or fast indifferently and which is not included in the count. This way of smoking brings the maximum result with the minimum of damage in terms of irritation of the lungs and throat.

In conclusion, even if you are a “veteran” smoker, learning to distinguish legends from reality is very useful in terms of health, because smoking correctly reduces unnecessary intake of tar and other irritants. Taking small puffs instead of exaggerated puffs leads to maximum taste and yield with minimum side effects.

It goes without saying that smoking cigarettes as “training” for smoking cannabis is highly discouraged and that it is very easy to inhale marijuana correctly by following our advice.