The younger generation has just figured out this old standby of a trick to reduce cannabis anxiety.
Cannabis anxiety is a common affliction for many marijuana smokers. This phenomenon — which tends to plague first-timers, people who smoke a different strain of weed, or who overindulge in THC — can quickly disturb an evening meant for relaxing. TikTok discovered a well-known hack for it: peppercorns.
TikTok user @transstender’s viral hack suggests chewing or sniffing on whole peppercorns or something acidic like lemons to help reduce the paranoia and anxiety that can occur when consuming THC. While this hack isn’t new for seasoned weed users, the TikTok video allows it to reach a new and wider audience.
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@transstrenderyou deserve to feel safe in your brain and body #fyp #smoke #420 #ouidtiktok?? #anxiety #harmreduction ##queer #lgbt #mentalhealth♬ Just Water – Bryansanon
The chemicals present in peppercorns and lemons help you relax by creating an effect that’s similar to the one produced by CBD. There’s some science to support this.
As we’ve reported before, peppercorns contain terpenes (aromatic compounds present in many plants) that are capable of interacting with the terpenes present in cannabis. The terpenes in peppercorn, called pinene and caryophyllene, are known to tone down THC’s psychoactive tendencies, preventing reactions like anxiety and paranoia.
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Other foods high in terpenes include mangoes, which a lot of people use when consuming cannabis since they claim it produces a stronger high.
Cannabis is a pretty mysterious compound. While it’s been around for centuries, we’re only now beginning to understand all of the plant’s complexities, such as the way it works with our endocannabinoid systems and whether it interacts with other elements we ingest. Next time you start to feel some weed-induced anxiety, keep some peppercorns nearby. It doesn’t hurt to try.
