Smoking - How long to hold in smoke?

[porchy]

I was wondering that when cannabis is smoked, how long should you hold in the smoke for? How quickly does the THC get absorbed?

I was wondering this because I think that holding the smoke in for long periods of time, 15 - 30 secs, is pointless and would only result in a greater high because of lack of oxygen to the brain and also just increase the amount of tar left in your lungs.

Does anyone have any evidence for this or further speculations?

Reputation Comments on this post:

Great question, very debatable.

[Shampoo]

I will try to dig up a few good papers, but the general consensus from clinical testing seems to imply that 90%+ of the THC in smoke is absorbed within the firs 1-3 seconds of inhalation. Accordingly, the next 14-27 seconds would be the time period in which one absorbs the last lingering bits of THC in smoke, while depriving themselves of oxygen and getting a 'head buzz' as a result. Swim has found that the best way to maximize the THC in smoke through inhalation is to take deep, intermittent breaths while letting out the original hit. This results in a constant influx of oxygen mixing with the smoke, making it more amenable to the confines of your lungs.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	very informative
	thanks for the reply

[Mercer414]

SWIM never holds his smoke in for more than 10 secs. It doesn't take long to absorb thc.

[Rhin]

Rather than holding the smoke in, take your hit and instead of blowing out, breath in more air and after that then blow out and you should get a higher off smaller amounts of weed.

[welshmick]

Just hold it in as long as you can

Reputation Comments on this post:

poor advice

[purplehaze]

Phaze actually made a program to determine this very question. Its in the software section if your interested- hit timer 420.

Phaze concluded that the smoked form of cannabis was best absorbed if held for 10 seconds. His test were very numerous as he tryed with different times(seconds holding smoke), same number of hits etc. Holding for 3-5 seconds did not do nearly aswell as 7-10 seconds witha noticably increased effect at 10 seconds. After holding the hit for more than 10 seconds phaze found the smoke to become very harsh and did not notice a increased effect for holding the smoke any longer.

A vaporizer is much more effective. First the hit is alot smoother, it taste nice, and it seems to be alot more readily absorbed than smoking. Most likley due to not having to inhale the burning plant matter and getting more thc and cannabinoids in the volume of a hit rather than.. well smoke.

A vaporizer yeilded different results for phaze. But thats another thread.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	good information!
	Good work.

[Lobsang]

Well SWIM remembers from pulmonary physiology that there is increased gas absorbtion by the lungs when you are lying on your back. That would help absorbtion most likely. And SWIM is unclear but he THINKS he remembers that there would be benefit in holding a hit for more than a few seconds in pulmonary physiology but he just does not remember if this is correct or not. But he does remember lying on one's back.

[thealmassi1]

Originally Posted by purplehaze

Phaze actually made a program to determine this very question. Its in the software section if your interested- hit timer 420.

Phaze concluded that the smoked form of cannabis was best absorbed if held for 10 seconds. His test were very numerous as he tryed with different times(seconds holding smoke), same number of hits etc. Holding for 3-5 seconds did not do nearly aswell as 7-10 seconds witha noticably increased effect at 10 seconds. After holding the hit for more than 10 seconds phaze found the smoke to become very harsh and did not notice a increased effect for holding the smoke any longer.

A vaporizer is much more effective. First the hit is alot smoother, it taste nice, and it seems to be alot more readily absorbed than smoking. Most likley due to not having to inhale the burning plant matter and getting more thc and cannabinoids in the volume of a hit rather than.. well smoke.

A vaporizer yeilded different results for phaze. But thats another thread.

SWIM has a vapourizer and is wondering what results were derived from Phaze's experiments with vaping weed??

[Bajeda]

Some info on this topic here.

[porchy]

thanks for your replies they have been most helpful!

[chillinwill]

SWIM has always done around 10 seconds or so

[fiveleggedrat]

Swim tries to hold it in for longer times, up to 30 seconds, and feels like any less than 10 seconds is a waste of THC. Swim freaks out about waste

[Niagara]

SWIM normally holds it for 5-7 seconds. May be less sometimes.

[Orchid_Suspiria]

Swims favorite technique is to count to thirty and then blow out.Works every time.

[Norman14]

7-10 seconds.
It doesn't make any difference if SWIM goes past 10 seconds, but try to get to 7 at least, (SWIM is guilty of forgetting to hold smoke in many times)

[croner]

swim holds it in for about 7 seconds

[testodan]

Till SWIY blow out no smoke

[Matt The Funk]

SWIM thinks 2-3 seconds is suffice....

[Herbal Healer 019]

Swim recently, while taking a bong hit, was told that swim was wasting bud by not holding the smoke from the hit in his lungs for as long as possible; swim does not like to smoke this way as it hurts swims lungs, swim ussually just smokes joints. Is this true, that by not holding the hit in for as long as possible swim is wasting valuable bud? or is swims friend full of shit & does just inhaling and blowing it out like a cig (how SWIM smokes HIS joints) work fine?

heRbaLhEaLeR19 added 2 Minutes and 7 Seconds later...

Does swiy take hits like drags off a cig or hold it in for as long as possible?

[chillinwill]

SWIM normally holds hits in for 8-10 seconds or so because if he is just smoking it like a cig, he feels like he is wasting good smoke

[Rhin]

SWIM's friend is correct the longer SWIY holds it the better. Hold it for at least 5 seconds SWIM usually doesn't exhale until after 10.

[Shampoo]

Threads merged.

Reputation Comments on this post:

You are a great moderator, always providing good information, challenging bull and keeping up with janitorial tasks.

[Shroomtastic]

it takesd 3-5 seconds for all the THC to absorb.
after that its just oxygen depravation.

[fiveleggedrat]

Great to have mods so on top of things like mergers and such!

Swim holds smoke in 10-30 seconds. Yes, it's not fun and can be downright harsh/painful when starting out, but one gets used to doing this.

Something to add: Try taking a hit and lying down on one's back. Absorption of THC is much higher this way. I don't have studies to prove this, but Swim and his legions of pothead friends agree. Smoking while lying down on one's side works as well.

[W!SE]

Originally Posted by Shroomtastic

it takesd 3-5 seconds for all the THC to absorb.
after that its just oxygen depravation.

swim heard three seconds for ALL thc to be absorbed so dnt stress it...swiy could probably not inhale a bunch of times and still somehow end up high...lol