I've never smoked marijuana before and my friend wants me to try it. What should I expect?
user
If you’re not familiar with the effects of marijuana, you might not realize that there are really two main ways to experience the effects of this substance.  One option is to smoke the marijuana, where you’ll inhale the vaporized substance and get high very quickly. A second option is to eat the marijuana.  If you eat it, the effects are slower to take effect, but last much longer.

In general, when you smoke the marijuana, the high is much shorter than when you eat it.  In fact, it’s usually less than an hour before the high goes away once you’ve smoked marijuana, while it might last for two or three together.  When marijuana is smoked, it doesn’t stay as long in your body, since smoking is a very fast method of getting the substance into your system.

When marijuana is eaten, it takes longer for the high to hit you, but the high lasts much longer.  You start to get the full effect after about an hour, and the peak of the high often takes anywhere up to two hours to take hold.  If you eat marijuana, it will stay in your body for between six and twelve hours, so it’s often the best option for those who want a more sustained experience.

Once you’re high on marijuana, you might initially feel euphoric, with increased emotions of joy and happiness.  When you smoke marijuana, however, after the initial high subsides you will also likely feel tired and might even experience stronger negative emotions such as anxiety, paranoia, or panic.  When marijuana is eaten instead, fewer negative after-effects are usually experienced.
assistant
I've never smoked marijuana before and my friend wants me to try it. What should I expect?
user
Well, smoking marijuana typically produces a variety of mental, emotional, and physical effects. Marijuana can make you feel relaxed, happy, excited, anxious, paranoid, or sleepy.  The taste and aroma of marijuana are usually unpleasant, although edibles like cookies or brownies can be enjoyable.  The effects of marijuana usually last up to 3-4 hours, depending on the amount and method of consumption.  For example, the effects of smoking marijuana can last up to 15-20 minutes after taking a single hit, but can last up to 3-4 hours after consuming marijuana in another way. 

The primary active ingredient of marijuana is THC, short for tetrahydrocannabinol. THC is similar in its effects to a chemical in your body called cannabinoid receptors (CB-1 receptors), and stimulation of these receptors may be responsible for many of the mental effects. Other chemicals in marijuana can also produce physical side effects including dizziness, paranoia, and dry mouth. 

The use of marijuana tends to increase over the course of the day, with the highest number of users reporting using marijuana in the morning. While marijuana use in teens isn't usually associated with serious mental health problems, studies have shown that marijuana use
assistant
I've never smoked marijuana before and my friend wants me to try it. What should I expect?