"Smoke and maintain" has been the favored method of enjoying a long cannabis roll for many decades. You will hear this term in old-school rap music and new-school cannabis blogs alike. What it means is to maintain exactly the right level of high, without dipping too far back into sobriety or accidentally going off-the-wall with the good-good.

Of course, maintaining has become a little more challenging than it used to be because - let's face it - cannabis is a lot stronger than it was when Cypress Hill was originally instructing us all on how to properlyhit the bong. With legality has come expert cultivation, which has led to honing strains and grow strategies for truly incredible, over-the-moon strength weed. Not to mention the leaps and bounds we've come in extraction technology to craft powerful concentrates and edibles. 

Here at VESSEL, we want everyone to have the perfect cannabis experience, from choosing the right strain for your mood/needs to maintaining just the right level of high to best enjoy your daily plans. So today, we're diving into some pro tips on how to maintain that perfect level, whether you're enjoying sparkling buds, powerful concentrates, or exquisite edibles.

Smoke and Maintain Essential Tips

Let's start with the essentials of maintaining the perfect high. The better you know yourself and your effect-arc, the better you can judge when it's time to chill or take another toke.

1) Get to Know Your Levels

The first step to a masterful maintain is to know yourself. Know when you're flying and when you're starting to sober up. Know how quickly you, personally, get high when you take a big hit, and how to take a slow, measured hit instead. Smoking at home and paying attention to your levels can help you master the maintain for both private unwinds and toking at parties with your friends.

2)  Master the Effect-Arc for Each Cannabis Type

Next, there's the effect-arc - or how long it takes each type of cannabis to affect you.

• Smoking and Vaping
• Smoking and vaping take effect within a few seconds, but you might not feel the full effect for up to ten minutes. This varies with strains, but also depends on your own personal absorption rate. So when you're ready to re-up with an inhaled method, be ready to fly pretty fast. One puff will typically feel effective for about 30 minutes to 2 hours, and you'll likely want to re-up within that window once you reach your ideal level. However, small tokes every 30 minutes might also work for you.
• Edibles
• Edibles, on the other hand, sneak up on you and have a much longer arc overall. Prepare to measure your re-ups in hour-long stretches or more unless you are very familiar with both the strain and dosage of whatever edibles you are snacking on. Learn how long it takes edibles to effect you and don't accidentally wind up passed out on the couch when the full force takes effect 1-2 hours later. 

3) When and How Much to Top-Up Your High

The key to maintaining is knowing both when andhow much to top-up your high. If you're starting to sober up, remember that you won't need as much to maintain as you did to get stoned in the first place. Eating half or 1/4 the initial edible amount and taking small to moderate puffs will likely be all you need to maintain a chill, social demeanor while floating on your cloud of choice.

4) How to Cool Down When You Go Over the Moon

Lastly, know how to recover if you accidentally hit some really strong shit, cough a good hit, or eat an edible strong enough to get an elephant stoned.

• Drink Water
• Hydration can help you process just about anything faster, including cannabis. Drinking a lot of water will help you sober up, but not instantly.
• Take a Long Shower
  
  
• If you're sweating, there's THC in that there sweat. Catch a shower to help you cool down your body and your mind, and carry away the extra THC that your body is helping you get rid of.
• Exercise
• You can speed up the whole process by drinking water, exercising, and then showering off the workout sweat. Plus, exercise increases your heart rate which can make you feel more awake and alert.
• Catch a Nap
• Or, you can sleep it off. Cannabis overage is not dangerous, so if you have the time, just enjoy a long, relaxing sleep a little earlier than planned.

Tips for Maintaining At a Party

Now that you know the basics, what about party maintenance? When you're out in public or chilling with friends, you need to maintain your cool as well as your high. That means being cool when the joint or bong is passed, being part of the circle, but also not freaking out if you accidentally go over your level. Here's how it's done:

Know When to Pass

It's OK to pass the joint or bong without taking a hit in most social circles. In fact, if your friends are already high, you can simply pause, make a joke while holding the smokable, and pass without hitting. If anyone aks, just say "Naw man, I'm maintaining. I'm good." This way, you'll still be passed the bong next round, but don't have to hit it every time.

Master the Light Puff

You can also master the art of the light-puff. If the smokable is coming around the circle faster than you need it, taking a small puff is often the best way to participate without going over the moon. Take a small amount of vape or smoke, roll it around in your mouth and exhale enjoying the flavor. No need to fill your lungs until it's time to re-up your high.

Only Show-Smoke When It's Time to Fly

Show-smoking can be tempting, but only if you plan to get really, really stoned as a result. If it's the beginning of the party and you're still sober, a little show-smoking can help you catch up with the crowd. But only take your biggest bong hits when you're ready to take your high up more than a few levels all at once - or you have somewhere to nap in the near future.

Hold Onto Your Drink and Stay Hydrated

We mentioned that water helps you process cannabis. It also keeps you from getting dehydrated at parties and is generally good for you. Hold onto your drink (you know, party rules) and sip all night long. If you're mixing cannabis and alcohol, choose a mixer-heavy blend to make sure that your buzz is still hydrating throughout the night.

If You Get Too Buzzed, Chill Back and Listen for a While

If you find yourself suddenly in another cannabis dimension while chilling at a part, just chill back. Often, the best way to ride out an intense high is just to enjoy the groove for a while. Listen to your friends chat without any pressure to throw in. Sit back and enjoy the lights or the night sky. You'll sober up in a few minutes, or a couple hours at most, and you can still enjoy the night even if you're suddenly on a much higher cloud than you planned for.

Catch a Cool Breeze on the Back Porch

And if you need to wake up a little from the smoke and chill, take a walk outside. Enjoy the back porch or patio of wherever you are. Catch a cool breeze or even enjoy a walk around the block with a friend. This will give you time to cool down back to your preferred 'maintain' level before you rejoin the party.

Maintain Your Ideal High with VESSEL

Here at VESSEL, we are passionate about high-quality vapes and pipes. We pour time and science into every piece, making it possible for you to perfectly taylor your experience based on the size of puff you want to take. Whether you're smoking the finest top-shelf in delicate single hits or hot-boxing with schwag, VESSEL can help you toke & maintain. Contact us today to learn more cool cannabis facts or explore our finely tuned selection of vapes and pipes.