Reading While High – Does it Help or Hurt?

Cannabis culture has changed so much over the years that activities some would never imagine paired with weed are becoming more mainstream. Working out while high is an increasingly popular activity that demonstrates how many use pot in their everyday lives. Heck, we even have seen cannabis-themed weddings take place. However, you may not associate certain activities with weed, especially ones that require attention. That’s why we’re exploring reading while high today to see if it helps or hurts.

February 1, 2021

Reading while high can help OR hurt

Before we dive into the pros and cons of reading while high, we’ll point out that there isn’t a lot of research to fall back on. This subject has not been widely studied and what we do know remains largely anecdotal.

Spend any time looking into cannabis and studying, and you’ll see that many people use the plant to improve focus. Leafly even offers a guide to the best strains for studying. There has been a lot of discussion around marijuana and ADHD as well, further proving that there is something to be said about using cannabis for focus. We need more definitive research on these topics, but we can’t ignore the fact that some people use cannabis to improve their focus.

With this in mind, it’s no stretch to assume that reading while high is a positive activity for some. Those who struggle to concentrate when reading books may get an extra boost from cannabis, allowing their brains to focus on the words in the book rather than other distractions.

On the other hand, cannabis is distracting for many. It’s easy to bounce from topic to topic or have tangled thoughts when high. This can make reading, or any activity that requires focus, more challenging.

We spent a lot of time perusing the internet reading stories about reading while high. And the feelings were pretty mixed between believing reading while high is a positive or negative experience.

For example, one comment on a Reddit thread about the topic said: “Whenever I would try to read a book when high, I would end up getting distracted too often, and then lose track of where you were on the page. Progressing through a story would take forever because I had to re-read so many parts.”

In contrast, some commenters said the opposite. One person said, “I love to smoke and read. I have a high tolerance and don’t find myself getting lost or re-reading, instead I just get super immersed.”

As you can see, there is not a solid answer to whether reading while high helps or hurts. Our recommendation? If you like to do it, do it. If you don’t see the benefit, don’t do it.

There are many factors that can change the experience of reading while high, though.

Factors to consider when reading high

Wondering if reading while high is for you? It may be. It’s also possible that it works for you only in specific scenarios. Because of the numerous factors that can affect your experience, it’s impossible to say for sure if it helps or hurts.

The strain to smoke when reading high

This is one of the more obvious factors but deserves to be highlighted. The strain you use will have a big impact on your experience.

For some, reading while high is only possible with a sativa-dominant strain because of the cerebral effects that help them focus. Others may find sativas make them too anxious to focus on words on a page. Similarly, for some, indicas are perfect for reading because they help the reader relax and pay attention to the words. Others may find that indicas are too sedative and all they want is to eat some snacks.

The bottom line is that it comes down to what works and doesn’t work for you.

The reading material for reading when high

Reading means different things to different people. You may know lifelong reading enthusiasts who never pick up a work of fiction. On the other hand, you may know bookworms that exclusively read fiction and immerse themselves in other worlds.

You may be more inclined to successfully read certain genres while high over others. Some people are better at reading non-fiction while high whereas others do better diving into fiction.

Some people may not even realize that they read while high often. If you tend to toke up and then peruse articles and news stories on the internet, you’re likely someone who enjoys reading non-fiction while high.

It’s all about what your brain retains in the moment. You’ll know what works best for you if you try it out.

The amount of cannabis to use when reading high

There’s a big difference between a couple of puffs to get in the zone and taking a big dab before reading. The amount of cannabis you consume will drastically affect your experience reading while high.

Some people find that a small puff or two is all they need to improve focus and stay on task. For some, small doses of cannabis have an alerting effect. If that sounds like you, sticking to a small amount of weed before reading may work well.

Others find that they prefer reading after getting really high. This kind of experience may be best suited for fiction and imaginative stories, but we can see the fun in reading non-fiction while extremely high, too. That is, if you can keep focused.

Final thoughts on reading while high

When it comes down to it, reading while high or not is completely up to your personal preferences. If it helps you focus or get more into the material, why not? And if it makes it more difficult to read, don’t feel bad. Many people simply can’t combine the two activities and there is nothing wrong with that.

If you have important reading to do, be sure to know how reading while high affects you before diving in. Even if you think you are great at the act, you may be surprised to find you don’t retain information as well. Some people retain information just fine after smoking weed, but it’s a good idea to make sure you’re one of those people before any stakes are high.

Additionally, if you want to boost your reading comprehension and stay focused, you can opt for CBD-dominant strains that are less intoxicating. CBD does not get users high, but strains with low levels of THC and high levels of CBD make for a balanced, more clear-headed experience.

Want to try to read while high? Or just need some green? Stop by Piece of Mind Cannabis today for all of your weed needs!

Reading While High – Does it Help or Hurt?

Reading while high can help OR hurt

Factors to consider when reading high

The strain to smoke when reading high

The reading material for reading when high

The amount of cannabis to use when reading high

Final thoughts on reading while high

Recommended Cannabis strains and products for reading while high!

Orangeade by Dawg Star

Golden Pineapple by Phat Panda

Lumpy Space Princess by Western Cultured

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