Not Everyone Gets High The First Time They Try Pot — Here's Why

Skip navigation!ADVERTISEMENTStory from Marijuana & CultureADVERTISEMENTNot Everyone Gets High The First Time They Try Pot — Here's WhySarah JacobyApril 19, 2017, 7:00 PM Photographed by Rachel Cabitt.As stoner milestones go, not getting high is almost as important as the moment you finally get it right. Yep, as you may have heard, it's surprisingly common to not actually get high the first time you try marijuana (though this isn't the case for every newbie stoner). Even more surprising is that no one's quite sure why.There are theories, of course: For starters, you probably didn't totally know what you were doing the first time. Even if you think you know exactly how to roll a joint, light it, and inhale just right, it still takes some practice to get it down. So it's understandable that your first try wouldn't exactly be all that mind-blowing.AdvertisementADVERTISEMENTBut those beginner's mistakes don't necessarily account for everything. Some experts also think there's a "sensitization period" during which you won't feel high. That's because THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, can cause your brain to increase its amount of cannabinoid receptors. You'll have to wait for your body to create enough receptors in order to feel high, which might take a couple of tries.Finally, it's always possible that you were a little high, but the effects were subtle, or you just didn't know what to expect. If you've never been high before, it's kind of impossible to know what it'll feel like, so even if you were slightly high, you might not have noticed, or maybe you just wrote it off as being hungry, tired, or drunk.In reality, it's probably combination of all three factors — your inexperience, your biology, and your unawareness — that makes it so hard to get high your first time. The good news is: It only gets easier from there.Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity and would like to remind its readers that marijuana usage continues to be an offense under Federal Law, regardless of state marijuana laws. AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT TikTokThe Soft Life Is Over — This Summer We’re “Locking In...The “locking in” side of TikTok is unrelenting. Early morning alarm clocks followed by a montage of to-do lists, meal-prepped oats, and speed typing onby Jade BiggsTrendsYou’re Not An Empath, ActuallyRaise your hand if you’ve heard someone call themselves an “empath”, or you yourself have claimed the label. It sounds virtuous, right? An empath is by Tanyel MustafaWellnessAll The Lifestyle & Wellbeing Products We Tried & Loved In Novemberby R29 TeamAdvertisementADVERTISEMENTLivingAll The Lifestyle & Wellbeing Products We Tried & Loved In Octoberby R29 TeamShoppingAll The Lifestyle And Wellbeing Products We Tried — And Loved — I...by R29 TeamWellnessAll The Lifestyle & Wellbeing Products We Tried & Loved In Julyby R29 TeamShoppingAll The Lifestyle & Wellbeing Products We Tried & Loved In Juneby Tanyel MustafaDedicated FeatureThis Product Proves The Coolest Thing You Can Drink This Summer I...Two months ago, my friend Rose and I traveled to the south of France, where, over the span of two weeks, we traversed the Côte d’Azur, exploring coastalby Andrea ChengUnbotheredWhy Are So Many Black Women Using TikTok To Self-Diagnose?Let TikTok tell it, I’m neurodivergent. I’ve seen enough lists of signs and symptoms on my FYP to wonder if ADHD or borderline personality disorder shoby Niki McGlosterSomos LatineCold Plunging Is More Than a Trend — It’s a Latin American Spirit...For more than 120 days, wedding videographer Jordan Ferrone has carefully lowered himself into a tub of ice-cold water, ranging from about 33 to 42 degreesby Cindy LuquinHealth TrendsDo Period Cramp Relief Devices Actually Work?An “off” button for menstrual cramps seems like something we’d be sold in a Netflix reimagining of The Jetsons, where a teenage Judy Jetson simply taby Marshall BrightUnbotheredWhat Is A ‘Soft Black Girl Summer’? And Why I’m Vowin...Follow the hashtag #SoftBlackGirl on Instagram and you will be inundated with tens of thousands of ethereal posts emulating something of a Bridgerton tea pby Evie MuirAdvertisementADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENT