Does Coughing Make You Higher?

Everyone who’s smoked cannabis has coughed after taking a big hit before. But does it make you higher? Let’s find out.

Cannabis has many medical and recreational benefits, but there are also many myths surrounding it — like does coughing make you higher?

So, what do you think? Do you feel higher when you cough? Do you think it’s all BS?

Does Coughing Make You Higher?

Take a puff and cough; coughing is how our respiratory tract responds to the smoke when we consume cannabis.

When we take a hit, we inhale (unless you’re Bill Clinton, of course), which causes a bit of oxygen deprivation, especially if we hold the smoke in for longer, causing our body to want to cough even more.

Coughing is simply a natural reflex of taking in smoke. It’s THC that gets you high, not coughing, even though it may feel that way because you temporarily deprived your brain of oxygen.

In addition, you’ll cough more after taking bigger hits, so you feel higher because you just consumed more THC than usual.

Say goodbye to coughing and say hello to getting higher with high-quality cannabis — Download the Weedcolors app today to connect with cannabis enthusiasts and find the best bud around.

Why Does Smoking Cannabis Cause Us to Cough?

Other than taking smoke into our lungs, why do we sometimes cough much more when consuming cannabis than others?

Smoking a strain with more THC than you’re used to
Buying and consuming low-quality cannabis
Laughing while you smoke
Consuming strains with irritating terpenes
Doing other activities while smoking

Does Coughing Help You Absorb More THC?

Let’s run through the thought process here: Taking larger hits means you get higher, right? So, if the hit is big enough to leave you coughing, you should get higher. Well, that’s not necessarily true.

Most modern cannabis enthusiasts know that you absorb almost all of a hit’s THC in the first few seconds after inhaling — holding it for excessive periods and coughing doesn’t really impact how high you get.

Coughing means your body is expelling the smoke, not absorbing more THC.

A common disbelief is that coughing expands your lungs, making more areas that it can use to absorb THC and make you higher. However, it’s what happens right before coughing that may cause you to feel higher.

Before you cough, you’ll probably take a short, deep, and sharp breath; this inhale prior to coughing can help your lungs get exposed to slightly more THC. So, while coughing doesn’t get you higher, inhaling just before it starts might be beneficial.

Remember, we said might. This topic is debated all the time, and it’s not what we’d call a fact. However, it’s not even the most common one about coughing and getting high; there’s a much simpler explanation: Oxygen deprivation.

Oxygen Deprivation Might Make You Feel Higher, But It Doesn’t Get You Higher

We mentioned oxygen deprivation briefly earlier, but it’s the most likely cause of the cannabis cough myth. If you’ve ever held your breath and experienced lightheadedness or dizziness, you know what we’re saying.

Coughing while smoking cannabis can result in a similar effect. Coughing deprives the brain of oxygen because your lungs repeatedly compress. This effect is what makes you feel lightheaded and dizzy.

While it may heighten the sensation of being high, it doesn’t mean you’re getting higher than if you didn’t cough.

Related: Too High

How Can You Avoid the Cannabis Cough?

So, if coughing doesn’t make you higher after smoking cannabis, then why cough at all? Try these tips to avoid the cannabis cough without diminishing your high.

Trade Your Joints for a Bong

Bongs are designed for cannabis use for a good reason. They make each hit smoother, which feels better on your throat and lungs.

Using a bong gives the smoke time to cool — and heat is a common reason for coughing when smoking cannabis — removing irritation.

Don’t worry: You’ll get just as high from a bong as you would with your favorite joint. However, you make the smoke sesh easier on your body and respiratory system.

Take Smaller Hits

Everyone has a different lung capacity. Luckily, taking multiple small hits will give you the same high as taking one massive one.

Smoke within your lungs’ limit; don’t waste bud and time coughing up a storm when it won’t get you any higher.

Smaller hits also result in fewer irritating substances in your lungs, helping you avoid the cannabis cough. Stop thinking about the myth and take a few small hits — we promise you’ll enjoy it.

Don’t Hold It In

Another related cannabis myth is that holding the smoke in for a long time makes you higher — all this does is result in oxygen deprivation.

The amount of THC you consume is what determines how high you get; holding it in more than a few seconds is just hurting your lungs and depriving your body of oxygen.

It’s not about how big your hits are or how long you can hold the smoke in; it’s about the quality of your cannabis.

Breathe Normally

We still need to breathe air while smoking cannabis. Oxygen deprivation also makes you cough more. If you’re holding your breath too long, it disrupts your breathing.

Instead, try using a sharp inhale and only hold it for a couple of seconds; you’ll absorb all of the THC without coughing.

What we’re really trying to say is you don’t need to take massive hits, hold your smoke in, or cough up a lung to get a better high. Take it easy, focus on the simple things, and look for better cannabis products.

High-Quality Cannabis Is Less Likely to Result In Coughing

Don’t get skunked by smoking poor-quality cannabis. Better quality bud means you get higher faster with less coughing and using less product — a win-win-win.

Quality cannabis will also give you a better, more enjoyable overall experience. But finding it is not always easy.

So, how do you get high-quality cannabis to quit coughing and get higher? With Weedcolors. Check-in with our community today and find the right bud for you.
The days of buying cannabis from your neighbor’s cousin’s friend are over — Download the Weedcolors app and see what the cannabis experience is supposed to be.