Cannabis Etiquette for Holiday Gatherings
Good cannabis etiquette for holiday gatherings is key to a smooth and fun celebration. It’s important to be considerate of the people around you, the setting, and the general opinions about cannabis. To help you have a relaxed, joyful, and positive holiday gathering with cannabis, we’ve put together this guide.
Not all holiday gatherings are created equal. Even across our Costa Mesa dispensary team, everyone has different holiday traditions and gatherings. For some people, holiday gatherings are huge events with many people of all ages, often involving travel and lots of logistics. Others gather with a small group of loved ones in their family homes. Friend gatherings are increasingly common, too. Which leads us to our first piece of advice:
Know your audience
Some families are super casual and open. In many cases, there are multiple people who enjoy using cannabis in one family. If that’s what your family gathering is like, you can probably get away with bringing smokeable items. But as a general rule, if it’s not your home, you should always ask the host if it’s okay for you to use cannabis inside or outside. In families that are pro-cannabis, this is a reasonable and thoughtful inquiry. And if you know others might enjoy using cannabis too, it’s good etiquette to bring enough to share to a holiday gathering.
But if you’re at a gathering where it’s unclear whether cannabis use is acceptable, you have a couple of options. This is another situation where knowing your audience is crucial. The first option is to just ask. If you think the host and other guests would be open to considering your question, you can ask them upfront if it’s okay for you to consume cannabis. But if you’re not sure or worried they might react poorly, your second option is to default to discreet options, like edibles.
Finally, if you already know that the guests or hosts are against cannabis use or would be uncomfortable with your consumption, it’s best to skip the asking part. You can default to discreet options like taking edibles before or hitting the vape pen in the bathroom. But it’s still important to know your audience. If they are the type of people to become suspicious or notice you are under the influence of cannabis, it’s best to limit your consumption to a small amount. If your audience is oblivious or unconcerned about your consumption, you can probably get away with using a little more.
Regardless of where your audience falls, it’s important to not get completely out-of-this-world high during a holiday gathering. It’s still important to be present and a contributing member of the gathering.
When in doubt, wait it out
If you’re apprehensive about consuming cannabis at a holiday gathering, whether you’re going to be discreet or obvious about it, it might be best to wait until the gathering is over to consume. You can look forward to a relaxing night after, complete with your favorite cannabis sleep products.
There’s nothing fun about being high and paranoid. If you are stressing about how you’re going to consume cannabis during the event, it might lend to a negative experience, especially if you’re nervous someone’s going to notice you’re high. In these cases, sometimes the best choice is to wait until the gathering is over to consume your products.
Discreet cannabis options for holiday gatherings
Edibles are often the best option for getting high discreetly before or during a holiday gathering. They have no smell and they don’t look obviously like cannabis. Capsules, tablets and mints are even more discreet ways to consume cannabis without drawing attention.
Vape pens are another great option. While they do leave a bit of a scent, it typically subsides within a minute or two. A vape pen is a good option for a quick bathroom break so long as you can stay in long enough to make sure the vapor dissipates. You can also step outside and hit your vape without a lingering scent.
Safety considerations for cannabis at holiday gatherings
If you’re wanting to use cannabis at your next holiday gathering, we’re right there with you. Whether you’re looking for a fun way to tune out the bickering between your aunt and grandma or you simply want to enjoy the food a little more, cannabis is a great way to enhance the holidays.
But it doesn’t come without risk. Here are some things to consider before you toke up at your next holiday gathering.
Never cook under the influence
If you’re in charge of any food, be sure to do all of the prep and cooking before you decide to consume cannabis. It’s never a good idea to cook under the influence, and especially not at a high stakes family gathering. You could easily cut yourself, burn yourself, or start a fire if you’re not careful.
Be mindful of children and pets at the event
If you’re choosing to bring cannabis into someone else’s home, it’s extremely important to make sure there’s no way children or pets could get ahold of it. In fact, if there are children or pets present, it’s best to leave your edibles or other discreet products in the car. Kids and pets are curious and love to eat things they are not supposed to eat. This could be extremely dangerous and harmful to them and is easily avoided by responsibly keeping your weed products out of reach.
Avoid overconsumption
While it may be tempting to get extremely high for your next holiday gathering, it’s best to keep your consumption at a low to moderate level. There’s nothing worse than accidentally getting too high in a social setting where you need to be tuned in and present. We recommend never trying out a new product when getting high at a family gathering, as you can’t know exactly how it will affect you. Use a tried and true product that you’re comfortable with, and don’t overconsume.
Stock up for the holidays at High Seas Cannabis
If you’re looking to stock up for the next holiday gathering, we have you covered here at High Seas cannabis. Our boutique cannabis store in Costa Mesa is stocked with some of the best cannabis products in the state. Plus, our friendly and knowledgeable budtenders are happy to find the right cannabis product to match your holiday gathering needs, whether it’s shareable joints for your uncles or extremely discreet mints you can pop in before dinner.
High Seas is an OC dispensary located at 1921 Harbor Blvd, Costa Mesa. Come shop with us!
