Similar to drinking alcohol, high doses of marijuana have been known to lead to a hangover. Unlike an alcohol-induced hangover, weed hangovers aren’t as bad as a night of heavy drinking but can still be quite uncomfortable.

To many this may come as a surprise but it is indeed a fact and what many refer to as a “weed hangover” which is the feeling after the psychoactive effects have subsided.

Typically the effects of being “high” last up to 4 hours, the residual effects and symptoms experienced afterwards can last much longer.

Symptoms often include brain fog, grogginess, nausea, fatigue, dry eyes and, oh yeah a killer headache.

In addition to the physical symptoms, users may also experience cognitive symptoms such as short attention span, short term memory problems, analytical problems, impaired time perception and problems with self expression.

Weed Hangover Studies

Unfortunately there hasn’t been much research performed on this topic but if you’ve smoked enough pot in your life you may have figured out it wasn’t just a coincidence the following morning.

In 1985 a study involving 13 male marijuana smokers was performed by the National Institute of Health which found that a heavy night of smoking can lead to a hangover. The participants were placed in two test groups with either a placebo or a 2.9% THC capsule. They were given behavioural test before and after a night of sleeping. The results concluded that the participants who were provided the capsule experienced hangover-like effects the next morning however the exact effects were not documented. While this was the most popular study, it was performed on a small sample.

In 1998 another study was performed on 10 male participants smoking a single marijuana joint concluded that the effects were minimal. Similar to the previous study it was a small sample, not enough diversity and possibly not enough pot.

Most regular pot smokers know simply based on experience that one joint isn’t going do much but getting heavily baked may lead a weed hangover.

In 2004 a sleep study was performed which gave participants marijuana. The next day, participants felt increased sleepiness, brain fog and mood disturbance.

In 2013 found that marijuana consumption at night lead to daytime sleep.

Does Marijuana Cause Dehydration?

Dehydration has been known to lead to side effects such as headaches or migraines.

Smoking marijuana can typically lead to “cotton mouth” which is quite common however many confuse this uncomfortable feeling with dehydration, which it isn’t.

The reason why your mouth gets dry is because the THC compound found in cannabis binds to the glands in your mouth which stops the production of saliva which is commonly experienced after a pot session.

It isn’t conclusive that cannabis causes dehydration however it’s good practice to drink lots of water to avoid it.

How to combat a marijuana hangover

Cannabidiol or CBD is a compound found in marijuana that is non-psychoactive meaning it won’t get you “high”.

There are several medical benefits of using CBD products such as CBD Oil for pain relief and reducing inflammation; one of which, according to scientific research, is  treating headaches and migraines.

CBD has been known to counteract the effects of THC and may be an ideal product to have on hand if you’re feeling too high or for treating that killer headache the next day.

Other recommendations for treating a weed hangover include:

• Drink lots of water
• Eat healthy foods
• Exercise such as a brisk walk
• Coffee for treating brain fog
• A cold shower to spark your senses

While a weed hangover is certainly possible, it’s important to pay attention to dosages similarly to paying attention to drink limit.

Smoke responsibly!