I hate hangovers. I know, everyone does. When I first started drinking, I could drink full fifths of vodka and wake up the next day feeling fine and frisky. Now, after a night of heavy boozing I wake up feeling like I’ve been run over by a tank. Part of the reason I smoke more weed than drink now is because I can smoke up all I want and wake up the next morning feeling ready to face the day. The appeal of smoking weed is that you don’t get weed hangovers, or do you?

There is a lot of debate among the cannabis community over the existence of weed hangovers. A lot of people claim that weed hangovers are not possible and no one gets them. Others claim that because you can over indulge in cannabis, you can get weed hangovers. I’m a member of the latter group. To paraphrase a quote from Seinfeld: Weed hangovers are real and they are not spectacular.

Of course, a weed hangover is not the same thing as an alcohol hangover. You get hangovers from booze as a result of your body detoxing. Alcohol is a toxic substance and is particularly hard on your liver, so it needs to take the necessary steps to repair itself. Basically, that pounding headache is your body’s way of telling you that perhaps those whiskey shots were not the best idea. Cannabis is of course, not a toxic substance like alcohol, so what exactly is a weed hangover?

Weed hangovers are also a result of overconsumption. They can range from anywhere from feeling a little bit of brain fog or feeling tired, all the way to a massive headache. Who gets them? They are usually more common among less experienced users. The lower your tolerance is, the more likely you are to get a weed hangover. This is why it helps to know your limits when consuming cannabis. I’ve only gotten headaches from smoking ditchweed, aka “schwag”. Luckily, schwag is not as prevalent as it once was. I have most often gotten weed hangovers from doing particularly potent edibles, typically when I do too much. The worst one I ever got was after a night of doing edibles and one or two too many dabs. I felt tired and crappy most of the next day.  I should have used more common sense; hopefully you don’t make the same mistake.

How does one avoid getting a weed hangover? It’s simple, just don’t use too much. Be aware of your tolerance. When taking edibles, pay close attention to the dosage; those labels are there for a reason. Don’t mix things like dabs and edibles, unless you are sure that you can handle them. Make sure that you are properly hydrated (drink water, not soda or booze). If you do get a weed hangover, they are easier to take care of than alcohol hangovers. Get up and do something; sitting around staring at your phone or computer is not going to help your brain recover. Taking showers also does wonders. Maybe you need to eat healthier too. Of course, there’s always coffee!

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Have you had a weed hangover? Do you have advice for others? Share in the comments!