When you eat spicy food, you may feel warmer. This is caused by the interaction of the chemical capsaicin with your endocannabinoid system, or ECS. Cannabis contains compounds that interact with your ECS too, and you may feel a rush of warmth after smoking weed.
But marijuana is not a jalapeno pepper, so what is going on?
Cannabis, the Cold, and Your ECS
Some people heat up when they smoke some strains of weed, in cold or warm weather, and others do not. This reaction is part of the individual cannabis experience, and depends almost completely on your ECS.
In some instances, cannabinoids may trick your ECS into acting like you’ve consumed capsaicin. The reasons are complex, but the result is the same feeling of sudden warmth. This could be caused by a sudden increase in circulation. In many cases, it is associated with smoking a large amount of weed quickly. This makes many people wonder if cannabis could help keep them warm in cold weather.
The answer is a little complex. Clinical studies haven’t found evidence that weed directly increases your internal body temperature when you smoke it. However, weed has some other effects that might help, at least for a short period of time.
One study of cannabis and cold tolerance found that marijuana stimulated shivering. Shivering can raise your temperature. So while it seems counter-intuitive, smoking weed in cold weather to stimulate shivering might help keep you warm. But this temporary effect is far from a long-term solution for escaping winter’s chill.
Can’t Escape It, So Ignore It
When it’s cold, cannabis probably won’t help you keep warm for any meaningful stretch of time. But the following strains might make you care less about the cold.
Northern Lights
Northern Lights is an indica-dominant hybrid strain. Colors run from greenish-gold and yellow to purplish hues.
Some say it was first grown in Seattle, WA, and others claim Amsterdam. Either way, it was created by growers who were familiar with ice and snow. They knew cannabis and cold weather. They created a strain with a high that is intense, happy, and euphoric, perfect for fighting a long winter in the Pacific Northwest or Netherlands.
There’s enough indica in Northern Lights to make the cold a little less uncomfortable, and enough sativa to give you the energy you need to scrape the ice off your windshield or shovel your steps.
Northern Lights is not a super-stony weed. Cold weather doesn’t change that. Its strength lies in its unique Thai and Afghani parentage, which gives this strain a dreamy, creeper quality. Smoke now, and you’ll feel the full effects later. It might become your favorite cannabis, cold weather or not.
Hawaiian
With a fruity taste and sweet scent, you can’t help but think of warm, sandy beaches and tropical sun when you smoke a Hawaiian strain. Pure sativa and sativa-dominant Hawaiian varieties export fun from the islands with every puff. Strains that are known for happy Hawaiian buzzes include Hawaiian Haze, Hawaiian Dream, and Maui Wowie.
Many users experience a euphoric, energetic high from Hawaiian cannabis. Cold weather will seem easier to ignore, and the biting wind might feel a little less bitey after smoking some quality Hawaiian bud. The flower is typically green or light green and may appear large and loose, with an abundant trichome frosting.
Green Crack
With tight green buds loaded with orange and gold pistils, this strain became famous when Snoop Dogg dubbed it Green Crack. Its original name, something-or-other kush, is pretty much forgotten.
This sativa can be a stupefying weed. Cold weather doesn’t make it any less so. It is also a creatively stimulating strain. A generous dose of this weed is a great way to deal with a wide variety of stressors.
For users of cannabis, cold weather smoking is unavoidable. Make sure your weed distracts you from the chill. Green Crack can do that and more. It can help your mind ignore minor physical discomforts by turning it loose to wander, scheme, or just relax. You’ll soon be too interested in plans for your own amusement to notice minor irritants like chilly weather.
Banana Mango
This indica-dominant hybrid strain has a pleasant flowery scent and tastes, unsurprisingly, of mango and banana. The taste is one reason it is a favorite among many smokers. The high is intense and arrives quickly, which is another good reason to make it a favorite.
Sativa takes up around 40% of the genetic real estate in this plant. That’s enough to give it a very stimulating, mental high, with relaxing qualities that come from its indica genes. While you may be unable to escape the cold, cannabis like this will help you get through the winter.
Sour Jack
This sativa-dominant hybrid (70/30) is a happy and euphoric mixture of Jack Herer and Sour Diesel, two strains of weed known for good highs. While the smell it inherited from the Sour Diesel isn’t the greatest, it got the stony part of Sour Diesel too. Jack Herer, an award-winning strain of cannabis, gives the high from this weed a unique twist of energy.
The stimulating buzz of this cannabis in cold weather may help keep you warm by motivating you to chop wood or build a snow fort. With 70% sativa content, you will surely be inspired to do something. That makes it a great weed for cold weather, and you may find yourself creating a new work of art or a culinary masterpiece.
Stay Warm This Winter With Canex
While cannabis in cold weather won’t warm you like magic, it can improve your mental outlook.
Growers never rest. Someone might cross the right strains at any moment, and we may someday have a hybrid that makes you feel warm when you smoke it. Think of the fuel savings! Until then, keep trying different hybrids from CanEx!
