What is “Greening Out?”
If your young adult smoke weed, you may have seen them “greening out” and not even known that’s what it was called. If they have ever come home unusually pale, sweaty, and nauseated after using marijuana, you have likely witnessed this. This term refers to the unpleasant, and sometimes frightening physical reaction that occurs when someone consumes more THC (the psychoactive compound in cannabis) than their body can comfortably handle. Young adults can be especially impulsive and if they aren’t acutely aware of their usage, they may overdue it. This isn’t a real phenomena that existed previously. It is, however, common with today's significantly more potent cannabis products, including high-THC edibles, vapes, and concentrates, which are far stronger than must young adults understand. Because edibles take longer to kick in, many young adults underestimate the dose, take more before feeling the effects, and end up consuming far more than intended. This is when things can take an ugly turn too.
Symptoms of greening out typically include nausea and vomiting, dizziness, pale or clammy skin, a rapid heartbeat, anxiety or panic, confusion, and in some cases, fainting. If you aren’t aware that your young adults injected marijuana, you can easily confuse these symptoms with a medical emergency like shock, heart attack, or sepsis. It can also look very similar to an anxiety or panic attack. While rarely medically dangerous on its own, it can feel alarming to witness, and the person experiencing it often feels intense fear or loss of control, even though the episode is generally temporary and self-limiting. It's worth noting that greening out is different from Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS), which involves recurring vomiting cycles tied to chronic, long-term heavy use. Greening out, by contrast, is more commonly a one-time reaction to overconsumption in a single session. If you notice repeated episodes, it can be a sign that use is becoming harder to manage and they may be headed towards cannabis abuse.
If you witness firsthand the panic that can come from this situation, try to respond with calm rather than alarm. In the moment, the best supportive steps are hydration, rest, a cool and quiet space, and reassurance that the feeling will pass. Depending on the dosage of THC, it can typically happen within a few hours. Read the room that this is a time to avoid using the moment as a launching point for a lecture. You can plan the conversation where you express your concerns regarding their use for when they have sobered up. Work with a parent coach to help sort out those details. And if greening out happens repeatedly, or is accompanied by other patterns of concern, it may be worth a broader conversation about their relationship with cannabis.
If it gets to that point, ideally you seek out the support of a professional experienced in young adult substance use. If you need someone in that space, contact Joanna.
