# Why can't I get stoned? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2001, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397 "2001-03-25T05:50:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![afireinside](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@afireinside](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/afireinside)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/1 "2001-03-25T05:50:28Z")
I had heard the rumor that noone gets stoned their first time smoking marijuana, but I’ve smoked twice before and have yet to get high. Everyone else seemed to get high off the same amounts, but not me. Is it possible to be immune to marijuana? ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/2 "2001-03-25T06:25:17Z")
Give it a few more tries. I SERIOUSLY doubt you’re immune. Sometimes it takes more than once or twice. You’ll notice something’s happening when everything just sorta… gets kinda warm and fuzzy, and reality starts ‘popping’. You’ll know what I mean. Keep up the good fight! –Tim ---
**Author:** ![Surgoshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Surgoshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surgoshan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/3 "2001-03-25T07:00:28Z")
The reason for not getting high your first time or few is probably because you just don’t quite have the hang of it. However, as a warning, I heard a horror story that someone related. He’d smoked up 17 times, his eyes getting beet red, without ever feeling high. I think the given explanation there was that if you smoke too much it overloads the receptors and you don’t feel anything anymore (smoking yourself sober, I’m still doubtful about that). So give it some time, and get used to it. Warning: Smoking marijuna is illegal in the United States of America and associated territories. ---
**Author:** ![Dani\_Filth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dani\_Filth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dani_Filth)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/4 "2001-03-25T07:49:18Z")
2 words man… GRAVITY BONG! Hehe, seriously that’ll get you stoned in a hurry. 🙂 Is it possible that maybe you’re just getting “dirt weed”? Well, maybe you need to try a gravity bong. [note: Instructions on how to build a piece of drug paraphanalia deleted. I’ll discuss with the Administrators later whether we will also delete the member. -manhattan] [Edited by manhattan on 03-25-2001 at 02:38 PM] ---
**Author:** ![Tzel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzel)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/5 "2001-03-25T08:09:31Z")
For many people it is true that they will not feel the effects the first or even second or third or more times. It is completely normal that you don’t feel anything yet, but you will. The first time, I would recommend staying active because the first time is too wonderful to just sit around. Taking a walk in the warm sun will be fun! _ahem_ ---
**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/6 "2001-03-25T10:32:53Z")
[note: Problem and solution deleted -manhattan] [Edited by manhattan on 03-25-2001 at 02:38 PM] ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Svinlesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/22d042/32.png) [@Mr.Svinlesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Svinlesha)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/7 "2001-03-25T10:50:43Z")
Jesus, **Dani** , what are you trying to do – kill the boy? That device of yours sounds like it could induce the world’s first marijuana overdose! **afireinside** , don’t fret, son. The active hallucinogenic agent in marijuana, THC, takes time to build up in your system. It can take a couple of tries before you begin to feel the affect. ---
**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/8 "2001-03-25T11:55:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Svinlesha \* > \*\ ***afireinside** , don’t fret, son. The active hallucinogenic agent in marijuana, THC, takes time to build up in your system. It can take a couple of tries before you begin to feel the affect. \*\* I’ve heard this old chestnut a million times. Never seen any credible support for the claim, though. 'Ja got any? It doesn’t even stand up to the rigors of casual observation. Stop smoking pot for 6months then smoke pot. Result: you get high. Wow, fast buildup! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Svinlesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/22d042/32.png) [@Mr.Svinlesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Svinlesha)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/9 "2001-03-25T14:56:12Z")
**choosybeggar** : Point taken. Fact is, I’ve gone for years without smoking, and then smoked a joint on a whim and – whammo!! – I’m stoned as a kite. Actually, the whole myth goes a bit like this: _“It takes time for you to build up enough THC in your system to get really stoned, man. But that’s the beautiful thing about weed, see, 'cuz once you get there, yer body don’t build up no resistence. So after a while, you got so much THC in yer system that you juz have to take a toke or two and yer like, stoned out of yer goard!”_ That was pretty much the accepted story back when I was a doper (not the message-board kind), and I never really bothered to do any research into the issue. So how do you explain the fact that the first couple of times you smoke dope, you don’t feel anything, but if you take a hiatus for six months and then start up again you feel the effects directly? I suppose its possible that your body is somehow storing THC for years, but it seems like if that were the case I would have heard something about it by now… So I don’t really know, but I’ll see what I can find out and get back to you on it. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/10 "2001-03-25T15:27:16Z")
If you use the Bill Clinton Technique, there’s no way you’ll get a buzz. Must…inhale! Must…hold…it in! ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/11 "2001-03-25T15:54:57Z")
I’m with **Dani** on this one. Hooray for the grav bong. In Australia it’s also known as a “bucket bong” because a plastic bucket is the ideal size for an outer container. FYI, there is a small town in northern New South Wales called _Woodenbong_. heheheh ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Svinlesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/22d042/32.png) [@Mr.Svinlesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Svinlesha)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/12 "2001-03-25T16:31:51Z")
Well, **choosy** , here’s what I’ve found so far: > [@](#): > > from the \*\*[Vaults of Erowid\*\*:](http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_faq1.shtml) > > The part of marijuana that gets you high is called `Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.' Most people just call this THC, but this is confusing: your body will change Delta-9-THC into more inert molecules known as `metabolites,’ which don’t get you high.… Two of these metabolites are called `11-hydroxy-tetrahydrocannabinol' and `11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol’ but we will call them 11-OH-THC and 11-nor instead. These are the chemicals which stay in your fatty cells. There is almost no Delta-9-THC left over a few hours after smoking marijuana… Which would seem to support your contention. However: > [@](#): > > from \* [A Critical Review of the Litterature…](http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/medical/nelson1.htm)\* > > When taken, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol rapidly disappears from the blood plasma and is taken up in fat where it remains with a half life decay rate of 5-7 days. This means that after a single dose of THC, less than 1% of the primary active ingredient remains in fatty tissue after approximately 35-50 days (Nahas, 1984)…. Although, in the case of light to moderate cannabis users, THC can be detected in body fluids for approximately 30 days after the last consumption, it is quite difficult to detect perceptuo-motor effects this long after a given average single dose (1-3 mg THC in cannabis to be smoked) Seems to contradict the contention that only non-active ”metabalites” are stored in fat cells. This conclusion is bolstered by: > [@](#): > > from \*\* [Marijuana Health Mythology\*\*:](http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/general/gier1.htm) > > While it is true that THC and other cannabinoids are fat-soluble and linger in the body for prolonged periods, they do not normally affect behavior beyond a few hours except in chronic users…. Chronic users may experience more prolonged effects due to a build-up of cannabinoids in the tissues. Some heavy users have reported feeling effects weeks or even months after stopping…. So while the evidence I’ve been able to dig up thus far is somewhat inconclusive, it does at least point to the possibility that dopers build up a bank of psychoactives in their system that can be released when they take up smoking again. ---
**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/13 "2001-03-25T16:56:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Svinlesha \* > \*\*So while the evidence I’ve been able to dig up thus far is somewhat inconclusive, it does at least point to the possibility that dopers build up a bank of psychoactives in their system that can be released when they take up smoking again. > \*\* Why would it get released again? If THC redistributes to fatty tissue (BTW: the CNS is considered a fatty tissue as well. Not as fatty as adipose, though.)that’s because fatty tissue retains THC the best. It’s an equilibrium. If you’ve ever taken an organic chem lab, think extraction of a relatively non-polar substance from an aqueous solution by the addition of an immiscible, non-polar solvent. Same idea, in essence. The non-polar substance moves into the non-polar solvent if you give it a chance (high surface area to exchange). If you then add more non-polar substance to the mix (read:smoke up again), the non-polar solvent does not release the previously dissolved compound. In fact, assuming we’re not close to saturation, the freshly added non-polar substance will move into the non-polar solvent. Unless something acts to release this store, it’s irrelevant. I’ve heard tale of vigorous exercise mediating release and causing intoxication in heavy smokers. This is slightly more plausible, but before believing it I’d like to see post-exercise THC levels in the serum. If they didn’t reach levels comensurate with smoking, then I doubt these claims are true. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Svinlesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/22d042/32.png) [@Mr.Svinlesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Svinlesha)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/14 "2001-03-25T18:02:37Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by **choosybeggar** :_ > > Why would it get released again? If THC redistributes to fatty tissue (BTW: the CNS is considered a fatty tissue as well. Not as fatty as adipose, though.)that’s because fatty tissue retains THC the best. I figured you’d point that out. My answer: \* Hell, man, I don’t know. I didn’t do it. \* You’re right on about CNS tissue being fatty. That means that arguably some THC could be stored the CNS tissue (read: the brain) long after your high is over. Not enough for there to be a noticeable difference in most cases, but when you smoke some more a’ that _ganja_, boy, you reach saturation levels more quickly – hence, less smoke is required to get ya stoned. Is that so far-fetched? By the way, and for the record, it wasn’t my intention to transform this thread from GQ to GD. I suspect some other mechanisms could be at work as well. For example, perhaps the brain reacts to the presence of THC by tuning some of its receptors to it; then, even if years go by, just a few puffs and you start lightin’ them babies up again. I also wouldn’t discount the placebo affect: you know yer fixin to get stoned, so you start feeling all goofy and shit, like. ---
**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/15 "2001-03-25T18:21:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Svinlesha \* > **You’re right on about CNS tissue being fatty. That means that arguably some THC could be stored the CNS tissue (read: the brain) long after your high is over. Not enough for there to be a noticeable difference in most cases, but when you smoke some more a’ that _ganja_, boy, you reach saturation levels more quickly – hence, less smoke is required to get ya stoned. Is that so far-fetched?** It is not near-fetched. Generally the continuous presence of a drug results in downregulation of it’s receptors. This leads to **de** senstization. > [@](#): > > \*\*By the way, and for the record, it wasn’t my intention to transform this thread from GQ to GD. \*\* Mine either. IMHO the most likely explanation for failure of marijuana newbies to get stoned is poor technique or bad dope. I’m sure there are lots of folks who will claim they inhaled perfectly and the weed was superb and yet they remained sober. Unless I see some THC blood levels on these folks, I’m not buying it. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Svinlesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/22d042/32.png) [@Mr.Svinlesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Svinlesha)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/16 "2001-03-25T20:38:42Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by choosybeggar_ > \*\*It is not near-fetched. Generally the continuous presence of a drug results in downregulation of it’s receptors. This leads to _de_senstization. \*\* Maybe, but that certainly doesn’t jive with my experiences with Mary J, nor the experiences of anyone else I’ve ever shared an occasional bowl with over the years. In fact, that’s one of the really nice side-effects of cannabis usage – you don’t need larger and larger doses to achieve the desired effect. > [@](#): > > _originally posted by choosybeggar_ > \*\*IMHO the most likely explanation for failure of marijuana newbies to get stoned is poor technique or bad dope. I’m sure there are lots of folks who will claim they inhaled perfectly and the weed was superb and yet they remained sober. \*\* Well, I’m one of those people, I guess – it took an awful lot of inhaling (a couple of full pipes and a few solid bong hits) on my _third_ attempt to feel anything. Look, **choosy** , I made a statement and you asked me to back it up. I didn’t have all that much invested in proving myself right (in fact, I agreed that what I wrote might have been hearsay), but at least I paid you the courtesy of researching the question, and spent a beautiful Sunday afternoon at it as well. The least you could do is debunk my cites or provide some counter-evidence. As far as I can tell I’m under no obligation to provide you with “THC blood levels” for newby dope smokers. You asked for some “credible evidence” and I provided it. Maybe _you_ can explain why the longer one smokes, the less marijuana one needs. PS: Sorry to hijack your thread, **afireinside**. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/17 "2001-03-25T20:40:39Z")
I am officially fucking tired of having to edit posts in about 2/3 of threads that mention the topic of drugs. If you value your continued ability to discuss drugs in this forum, you will exercise some peer pressure to cut down on the incidence of people posting instructions and whatnot. Seriousfuckinly. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Svinlesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/22d042/32.png) [@Mr.Svinlesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Svinlesha)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/18 "2001-03-25T20:56:30Z")
Whoa, dude. Like, chill. Seriously, I didn’t realize that **Dani** had broken any of the house rules. This makes me nervous. Where can I find a list of the dos and don’ts around here? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/19 "2001-03-25T21:15:23Z")
Here are some don’ts: [ul] [li]Don’t be a jerk.[/li][li]Don’t post information that would violate the laws as they exist in Chicago, IL, USA (the physical home of the SDMB’s servers).[/li][/ul] I think most things fall under those headings. **TubaDiva** is getting a FAQ together [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=64590). The FAQ as it stands now is just the standard for all forums that use the software we use (vB, to be precise) and is therefore insufficient for our purposes. So read the thread and get the gist of the FAQ-to-be there, then go to the main page [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/) and logout, then reread the Terms of Service. ---
**Author:** ![Ad\_Noctum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@Ad\_Noctum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ad_Noctum)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397/20 "2001-03-25T21:46:43Z")
OK, now, I am just saying, for the record, that what I post is for educational use only, and I don’t condone any illegal acts. ever. I think, some people, when they first take their first few tokes of marijuana are a little afraid at first. so they half-inhale and just fill their esophagus. then exhale and placebo goofiness sets in. with a more experiance smoker, they will fill their lungs (before they hit it, they’ll exhale deeply)with as much smoke as they can, exhale, and pretty much fall backwards already baked… and, as someone already stated, you might just be getting ditch-weed. horrible schwag just gets you smelling like bud, and gives you a headache. as I stated above, do not smoke weed. Drugs are bad, hmmkay? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-get-stoned/59397.md?page=2)