Introduction
For many years stoners have wondered whether holding in a hit from a blunt or a bong for a longer duration of time will increase your high. Before the times of the internet a huge number of people believed that it did get you higher, still to this day there are people that advocate inhaling and holding it in for up to 15 seconds.
The Science Behind a Hit
When you inhale cannabis smoke, your lungs—home to a vast network of alveoli, tiny air sacs responsible for gas exchange—absorb THC into the bloodstream. This process is remarkably efficient and occurs almost instantaneously. The lungs have a large surface area, but they don’t require extended exposure to smoke to absorb THC effectively.
Investigating the Myth
The belief that holding in a hit makes you more stoned is widespread, yet scientific evidence to support this claim is thin on the ground. Anecdotal reports abound, but the science of THC absorption tells a different story. Studies indicate that the lungs absorb the majority of THC within the first few seconds of inhalation, rendering prolonged holding unnecessary for increased absorption.
However we can conclusively say that these people are wrong, holding in your hit for a long time will only lead to you depriving your brain of oxygen, to be fair you will get a slight buzz so its not all bad but that’s not to be confused with being higher. Studies have shown that 95% of the THC is absorbed within the first 5 seconds of you are inhaling, your lungs have a very large surface area and don’t need 20 seconds to get the job done.
If you are holding it in for any longer than 10 seconds don’t worry too much as the brain will not experience any damage until it experiences in excess of 60 seconds while deprived of oxygen. Below I will include an excerpt from an official study on the topic.
Relevant Scientific Study
“The present study examined the effects of systematic manipulation of breathhold duration (0 and 20 s) on the physiological and subjective response to active (M; 2.3% delta-9-THC) and placebo (P; 0.0% delta-9-THC) marijuana in a group of ten regular marijuana smokers.
During the eight-session experiment, subjects were exposed twice to each of four experimental conditions (P0, P20, M0, M20), scheduled according to a randomized block design. A controlled smoking procedure was used in which the number of puffs and puff volume were held constant. Expired-air carbon monoxide (CO) levels were used to monitor smoke intake. Breathhold duration affected CO absorption; significantly more CO was absorbed from both P and M smoke after 20 s of breathholding (mean CO boost = 6.9 ppm) than after no breathholding (mean = 4.4 ppm). Heart rate was minimally affected by the breathhold manipulation.
Effects of marijuana on mood were not consistently affected by breathhold duration. The results confirm previous findings that prolonged breathholding does not substantially enhance the effects of inhaled marijuana smoke.”
You can check out the full study here
Conclusion
The myth that holding in a hit gets you more stoned is more rooted in tradition than science. While the practice may offer a psychological boost to the experience, the physiological benefits are negligible, and the potential risks are real. Cannabis consumption is a personal journey, and understanding the facts can help make that journey safer and more enjoyable.
