Greening Out: What It Is & How to Recover

Greening out is the uncomfortable experience of consuming too much THC, leading to symptoms like nausea, dizziness, anxiety, and disorientation. Unlike alcohol poisoning, greening out isn't life-threatening—but it can feel intensely unpleasant and even scary, especially for newer cannabis users.

The good news? It's temporary, it's manageable, and with the right approach, you can feel better within 30 minutes to a few hours. This guide covers everything you need to know: recognizing the symptoms, recovering quickly, helping a friend, and preventing it from happening in the first place.

What Is Greening Out?

Greening out (sometimes called "greened out" or "green out") refers to the adverse reaction that occurs when someone consumes more THC than their body can comfortably process. The term comes from the pale, greenish complexion some people get when they're nauseous—similar to being "green around the gills."

Unlike an alcohol overdose, which can be medically dangerous, greening out is not physically harmful in a lasting way. There are zero recorded deaths from THC overconsumption alone. However, the experience can be deeply uncomfortable—intense anxiety, rapid heartbeat, nausea, and a distorted sense of time can make minutes feel like hours.

Greening out most commonly happens with edibles, where delayed onset leads people to take more before the first dose kicks in. It's less common with THC drinks, which have faster, more predictable effects, but it can still happen if you consume too much too quickly.

Greening Out Symptoms

Symptoms can vary from person to person and depend on how much THC was consumed, the consumption method, and individual tolerance. Here's what to watch for:

Physical Symptoms

Nausea and vomiting are among the most common greening out symptoms. Your body is essentially trying to reject the excess THC. Other physical symptoms include dizziness or feeling faint, cold sweats or chills, pale or clammy skin, rapid heartbeat (tachycardia), dry mouth and eyes, trembling or shaking, and loss of coordination.

Psychological Symptoms

The mental effects can be just as intense as the physical ones. Anxiety and paranoia are hallmarks of greening out—you might feel an impending sense of doom or fear that something is seriously wrong. Other psychological symptoms include confusion or disorientation, time distortion (minutes feel like hours), difficulty concentrating, feeling detached from your body, and in rare cases, panic attacks.

Symptom Intensity Scale

Mild greening out might just mean feeling a bit too high with some anxiety and dry mouth. Moderate greening out involves noticeable nausea, significant anxiety, and feeling like you need to lie down. Severe greening out can include vomiting, intense panic, and complete disorientation—though even severe cases resolve on their own with time.

How Long Does Greening Out Last?

The duration depends primarily on how you consumed the THC:

Smoked or vaped cannabis: Symptoms typically peak within 15-30 minutes and subside within 1-3 hours. Because inhaled THC enters and leaves your system quickly, recovery is usually faster.

THC drinks: Effects onset within 15-45 minutes and last 2-4 hours total. If you've greened out from a THC beverage, expect symptoms to ease within 1-2 hours of peaking.

Traditional edibles: This is where things get tricky. Edibles can take 1-2 hours to kick in, and effects can last 6-8 hours or even longer. If you've greened out from an edible, you might be in for a longer ride—potentially 4-6 hours before you feel fully normal. This is why edibles are responsible for most greening out incidents.

The most intense symptoms usually pass within the first 30-60 minutes, even if residual effects linger longer. If symptoms persist beyond 6-8 hours or worsen significantly, consider calling Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

Is Greening Out Dangerous?

Here's the reassuring news: greening out is not medically dangerous. There has never been a documented death from THC overconsumption alone. Unlike alcohol or opioids, cannabinoids don't affect the brainstem regions that control breathing and heart function.

That said, greening out can lead to secondary risks:

Injury from impaired coordination: You might fall or hurt yourself if you try to move around while severely disoriented. This is why finding a safe place to sit or lie down is so important.

Dehydration: Vomiting combined with dry mouth can lead to dehydration. Keep sipping water.

Psychological distress: Intense anxiety and panic, while not physically dangerous, can be traumatic. Some people develop anxiety about using cannabis again after a bad experience.

Dangerous decisions: Never drive or operate machinery while greening out. The impairment is real even if the underlying condition isn't life-threatening.

When to seek help: Call 911 if you or someone else experiences chest pain, difficulty breathing, seizures, loss of consciousness, or symptoms that seem unrelated to cannabis (which could indicate a medical emergency or contaminated product).

What to Do If You Green Out

Follow the six-step recovery process from the infographic above, but here's more detail on each step:

1. Get to a safe, calm environment. Overstimulation makes everything worse. Move to a quiet room, turn down lights and music, and remove yourself from crowds or chaotic situations. If you're at a party or event, find a quiet corner or ask a trusted friend to help you get somewhere calmer.

2. Hydrate, but choose wisely. Water is your best friend. Juice can help if your blood sugar feels low. Avoid caffeine (it can increase anxiety and heart rate) and definitely avoid alcohol (it can intensify THC effects). Sip slowly—chugging water when nauseous can backfire.

3. Eat something light. Food can help absorb THC in your digestive system (especially helpful if you consumed edibles) and stabilize blood sugar. Stick to bland, easy foods: crackers, toast, plain bread, or fruit. Avoid heavy, greasy, or spicy foods that might worsen nausea.

4. Practice controlled breathing. When anxiety spikes, your breathing gets shallow and fast, which feeds the panic cycle. Break it with intentional slow breathing: inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 6 seconds. Repeat until your heart rate starts to slow.

5. Try the black pepper trick. This sounds like folk remedy nonsense, but there's science behind it. Black pepper contains beta-caryophyllene, a terpene that interacts with the same receptors as cannabinoids and may help reduce THC-induced anxiety. Sniff a few peppercorns or chew them gently.

6. Rest and ride it out. If you can sleep, sleep. Your body will metabolize the THC faster while you rest, and you'll skip the worst of the waiting. If you can't sleep, put on a familiar, comforting show or music and focus on slow breathing until it passes.

How to Help Someone Who Is Greening Out

If a friend or family member is greening out, your calm presence can make an enormous difference. Here's how to help:

Stay calm and reassuring. Your energy affects theirs. Speak in a calm, steady voice. Remind them that this is temporary, it's not dangerous, and it will pass. Avoid phrases like "you took too much" or "why did you do that?"—shame makes anxiety worse.

Help them get comfortable. Guide them to a quiet space. Offer a blanket if they're cold or a cool cloth if they're sweaty. Help them sit or lie down safely.

Offer water and snacks. Don't force anything, but make it available. Sipping water and nibbling crackers can help.

Talk them through breathing. If they're panicking, breathe with them. "Breathe in with me... hold... now out slowly." Modeling calm breathing is more effective than just telling them to calm down.

Don't leave them alone. Even if they're resting quietly, stay nearby. Check in periodically without being overbearing. Knowing someone is there provides reassurance.

Know when to call for help. If they lose consciousness, have difficulty breathing, complain of chest pain, or have a seizure, call 911. While greening out itself isn't dangerous, you want to rule out other medical issues or contaminated products.

How to Prevent Greening Out

The best approach to greening out is not having to recover from it in the first place. Here's how to minimize your risk:

Start low, go slow. This is the golden rule of cannabis consumption, especially for newer users. With THC drinks, start with 2.5-5mg if you're inexperienced. Even regular users should be cautious with new products or formats. Check out our complete THC dosing guide for detailed recommendations.

Wait before re-dosing. The #1 cause of greening out is impatience. With edibles, wait at least 2 hours before taking more. With THC drinks, wait 45-60 minutes. The "I don't feel anything yet" thought has led to countless bad experiences.

Choose predictable products. Low-dose THC drinks offer major advantages over traditional edibles: faster onset (so you know what you're getting into sooner), shorter duration (2-4 hours vs. 6-8), and precise dosing. Microdose options (1-2mg) are ideal for beginners.

Don't mix with alcohol. "Crossfading" (combining cannabis and alcohol) dramatically increases your risk of greening out. Alcohol can increase THC absorption and intensify effects unpredictably.

Know your tolerance. Tolerance varies widely between individuals and changes over time. If you've taken a break from cannabis, don't assume you can handle what you used to. Start fresh with lower doses.

Eat beforehand. Consuming THC on an empty stomach intensifies effects. Having food in your system—especially foods with some fat content—can lead to a smoother, more manageable experience.

Set matters. Your mental state affects your experience. If you're already anxious, stressed, or in an unfamiliar environment, you're more susceptible to uncomfortable effects. Choose comfortable settings with people you trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can greening out kill you?

No. There has never been a recorded death from THC overconsumption alone. While greening out is extremely uncomfortable, it is not medically dangerous. The lethal dose of THC is theoretically so high that it's practically impossible to reach through normal consumption.

How long does greening out last from edibles?

Greening out from edibles typically lasts 4-6 hours, though effects can linger for up to 8 hours in some cases. This is significantly longer than greening out from smoked cannabis (1-3 hours) or THC drinks (2-4 hours) because of how edibles are metabolized through the liver.

Does CBD help with greening out?

Possibly. Some research suggests CBD may counteract certain THC effects, particularly anxiety. If you have CBD oil or a CBD-dominant product available, it might help take the edge off. However, evidence is mixed, and it's not a guaranteed solution.

Should I go to the hospital for greening out?

In most cases, no—greening out resolves on its own and doesn't require medical attention. However, seek emergency help if you experience chest pain, difficulty breathing, seizures, loss of consciousness, or if symptoms seem unrelated to cannabis use. When in doubt, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

Why do edibles cause greening out more often than other methods?

Edibles have delayed onset (1-2 hours) and longer duration (6-8 hours), making dosing difficult. People often eat more when they "don't feel anything" before the first dose kicks in. The THC is also converted to 11-hydroxy-THC in the liver, which is more potent and longer-lasting than inhaled THC.

Can you build tolerance to greening out?

Yes. Regular cannabis users develop tolerance over time and are less likely to green out at doses that would overwhelm a newer user. However, tolerance can reset quickly—even a week-long break can lower your tolerance significantly. Always adjust your dose if you've taken time off.

The Bottom Line

Greening out is uncomfortable, sometimes scary, but always temporary. If you're in the middle of it right now: find a quiet spot, sip some water, breathe slowly, and remind yourself that this will pass. No one has ever died from too much THC, and you'll feel better soon—usually within 30 minutes to a few hours.

The best way to avoid greening out is to and start with proper dosing in the first place. If you're new to cannabis or trying a new product, begin with the lowest dose available and wait before taking more. THC drinks offer a more predictable experience than traditional edibles—faster onset means you'll know where you stand sooner, and shorter duration means any discomfort passes quicker.

If you're looking for a gentler introduction to THC beverages, explore our low-dose collection—all the enjoyment, less risk of overdoing it.