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Ask anyone who lives in the frigid north of Canada or the Northern United States what their two favorite things are and you’ll probably get a lot of different answers. Hockey? Sure. Beer or wine? Probably. Winter? Nope. Summer? Absolutely. Cannabis?! Yes, yes, yes! Smoking weed, dropping edibles, applying cannabis topicals and the many other ways we have adopted this wondrous weed into our lives has made cannabis a major part of our lives. Our favorite cannabis products come in many forms, numerous potencies and a world of flavors & aromas. There’s no cannabis experience really like the other, and that’s part of what makes this plant so special for a growing number of us.
Most of us have a variety of unique cannabis habits that we adhere to almost semi-religiously. For some, this means the artful crafting of a perfectly rolled joint. For others, the ritual of growing, harvesting and then turning your personally cultivated buds into edible masterpieces is your true passion. No matter how you consume cannabis we’re willing to bet that you’ve never really considered WHEN you consume cannabis as being all that important.
Did you know that most of us stoners actually follow consumption trends & patterns? These patterns can be seasonal, weather-dependent or linked to stress as it relates to busier/more relaxed times of the year. For instance, some cannabis surveys suggest that most people purchase cannabis in bigger quantities or high quality buds for major holidays (Xmas, Valentine’s, Easter, Thanksgiving & Halloween).
Similarly, a lot of cannaseurs start to smoke or eat more weed whenever the seasons shift. This might take the form of more heavy smoking as winter turns into spring, spring heats up into summer, and throughout the bitter cold months of October-December. Summer, in particular, seems to be the time of year where everybody busts out their bongs and lights up more frequently.
Why are more of us getting stoned or using cannabis for medicine during the hottest times of the year? Not enough studies have been conducted to get to the heart of the matter, but it probably has to do with the facts that we’re all outside more often in summer. We lead more active lives from May – August compared to winter months, and when we’re outside basking in the sun, partying, camping, boating or adventuring cannabis can be the icing on a sunny-filled cake of a day.
If you are one of these avid summer stoners, then you need to be aware of the symptoms of being too high, how smoking affects body temperature, safe use of cannabis and boating, and other cannabis summer safety measures. Let’s review the reasons that cannabis summer safety is unique to the rest of the year’s habits so that we can all have fun in the sun and still enjoy our weed on top of all the outdoor festivities.
How Does Smoking Affect Body Temperature
First off, to get the most out of your weed during the hot summer months you need to avoid the risks of heatstroke and understand how smoking affects your body temperature. Smoking cannabis when it’s particularly hot & dry outside is safe to do, but if you’re dehydrated or have an overly high body temperature then you might be complicating matters. Cannabis doesn’t necessarily raise your temperature simply because you’re inhaling hot smoke/vape – quite the opposite in fact.
When you absorb cannabinoids through your respiratory system it leads to interactions with your endocannabinoid system (ECS). Your ECS can influence multiple receptors found throughout the body and brain, leading to the wide array of health-related effects of cannabis. One such receptor in particular, called TRPV1, is a receptor that can activate your body’s cooling response. This cooling response actually assists in lowering your core body temperature. So, in effect, smoking weed can make you feel less hot if not actually decreasing your body temperature significantly.
On top of this, cannabis can certainly dull many of your senses while heightening others. Many cannabis users have been known to experience numbing or a lack of sensitivity to temperature extremes when they consume more potent weed strains/products. Other sensations associated with THC and CBD like reduced pain, inflammation, relaxation and more restful states of being can lend themselves to feelings of being “just right” instead of too hot or too cold. So, many people are fond of smoking cannabis on the beach, while they’re camping or doing some sunny, summer lounging.
This doesn’t mean that there aren’t risks associated with smoking weed when it’s hot outside. You need to be extra careful that your dulled or numbed senses don’t lead you to not feel the onset of heat stroke. Whenever we get stoned it’s easy to forget things like putting on sunscreen, staying hydrated and getting enough breaks from the glaring sun. An easy solution to these problems is to set reminders on your phone or designate someone to apply more UV protection or grab you some water.
Another risk associated with the symptoms of being too high when it’s peak temperatures has to do with our motor skills. Let’s look at the dangers of both literal motor vehicle operation when under the influence of cannabis as well as the risks you want to avoid by being too high while camping, hiking or being outdoors.
Cannabis & Boating
It is expressly illegal to operate any motorized vehicles while under the influences of alcohol or other substances. Cannabis is one of these restricted substances, albeit the negative focus of these regulations has to do with THC and its psychoactive effects. CBD does not have any psychoactive influences on your brain or body, but even if you’re consuming CBD isolate or similarly THC-free cannabis products you can still run into trouble with law enforcement. What does this mean for your cannabis summer endeavors? No boating, no jet skiing, no ATVing, no motorcycling, sunny joy rides in sports cars or towing trailers for camping while under the effects of cannabis.
There are two particular exceptions to this rule, if you can call them exceptions. Under provincial regulations, cannabis can be consumed on any boat that are equipped with certain things:
● Permanent sleeping accommodations
● Living/cooking facilities
● Toilet(s)
● The ability to become a private residence for a period of time, while anchored/moored
Cannabis and boating goes together safely also if the water vehicle in question is being operated for the purposes of transportation – i.e. “water taxiing”. If passengers are in an enclosed section of the boat/marine vehicle, then cannabis consumption aboard this kind of vessel is permitted – again, with the understanding that they won’t be driving, or consuming cannabis within the vicinity of the driver(s).
The main takeaways here are – don’t mix operating motor vehicles of any kind with cannabis and you’ll avoid some of the more serious detractors from cannabis summer safety. One of the most common symptoms of being too high is overconfidence and a loss of motor skills (how your mind & body function, not the actual skills behind a motorized vehicle). Speaking of losing functionality, let’s move on to the next components of cannabis summer safety: personal safety & public safety.
Cannabis Summer Safety Tips
Now that we understand how smoking affects body temperatures and the dangers of mixing cannabis & boating, let’s focus on what can happen if you don’t manage your cannabis consumption at the beach, at a campsite or out in the sun-soaked world of summer. THC affects us all differently, but even the most seasoned stoner can fall victim to a bout of intolerance. When we start to feel the symptoms of being too high, our inhibitions might be lowered and we can take unnecessary risks that we wouldn’t otherwise.
Whenever you involve water, swimming, sun exposure, rocky terrain or cliffs, wilderness, wildlife, campfires and mix in the potentially mind-intoxicating effects of cannabis, injuries might be just around the corner if you aren’t careful. Even if you take all the precautions necessary to have a safe & fun cannabis experience at the beach, while camping or on a sunny hike you can run into unforeseen circumstances.
Normally, with a clear head, we can make decisions and take actions that can ensure our safety & the safety of others. Under the influences of cannabis, however, your decision making, responsiveness and emotional wellbeing can be impaired which is a recipe for disaster. So, is it just not worth it to consume cannabis if you’re outside of the confines of your own home? It’s definitely not that simple.
First, you need to know where you’re allowed to consume cannabis without risking fines or confiscation of your hard earned buds. Obviously you should avoid trying to light up a blunt wherever smoking isn’t allowed – near schools, playgrounds, storefronts, public works, etc. Beyond these well known and usually well-marked no smoking zones, here are a few places you should reconsider consuming cannabis in public:
● Park benches, picnic tables or public facilities where others are present
● In/on rented equipment or enclosures (gazebos, docks, etc)
● Patios, balconies or porches where the general public has access
● Sports fields, courts or designated outdoor public facilities
Second on the list is to understand how cannabis affects you personally. If you can’t handle your THC, then maybe don’t be the one lighting up a joint while kayaking or trying to set up a tent/trailer. Similarly, hiking or exploring the great outdoors can be exactly that – what isn’t so great is getting wildly lost, injured in the wilderness or stumbling across some wildlife. If you’re going to consume cannabis outside, just make sure to check off a few things in your cannabis summer safety plan:
● Make sure at least one person knows where you’re headed, when you’re expected back
● Designate one person to remain sober, if possible
● Bring cellphones, GPS or some kind of communication devices with you no matter where you’re headed
● Visit the site(s), trails, parks, beaches or wherever you’re going to be getting high before you’re under the influence – familiarity will help to avoid anxiety breakdowns!
Thirdly, and probably most importantly, whenever you’re planning on smoking anything inside the bounds of nature you MUST take all precautions to avoid starting wildfires. Canadians have had their fair share of forest fires in recent years – especially if you live in western Provinces like BC or Alberta. As temperatures continue to rise each year and summers appear to be drier than the last, the risks of wildfires starting from even a tiny, discarded roach are at an all time high. Don’t cause the most serious of cannabis summer safety blunders – put your butt OUT!
You might be saying out loud “I don’t smoke cannabis… I prefer edibles, topicals or concentrates”. These are excellent in their own rights, and by avoiding combustible delivery of cannabinoids to your system you’ll avoid some of the dangers associated with cannabis consumption outdoors. Nevertheless, you still need to keep your wits about you, stay safe and manage to have fun in the sun no matter what kind of cannabis products you prefer.
It’s only approaching spring time here in Canada, but many people are already making summer plans as summer appears on the horizon. Haute Health hopes everybody takes the necessary time to learn about the risks of cannabis & boating, to understand the symptoms of being too high, and to avoid the dangers of consuming cannabis during the hot summer months. Cannabis summer safety doesn’t have to harsh your mellow or affect your summer high – if you consume cannabis safely and plan ahead, your summer can be truly dope. When May comes around, we hope you all have a fantastic summer in 2022 and remember to stock up on all your bud needs with the awesome seasonal deals at Haute Health.
