Adding a cup of your favorite coffee to your wake n’ bake routine can be a great way to kickstart the day.
When paired well, these two can enhance your focus, boost energy levels, and give you an overall sense of calm.
However, many people are afraid of trying weed and coffee together due to the risk of overstimulation, which may lead to increased feelings of anxiety or elevated coffee-induced jittery.
As with anything that we ingest — even though both cannabis and coffee come from nature — it’s important to know your limits and get a general understanding of how two different classes of compounds (caffeine and cannabinoids) work together.
Only then will you be able to get the most out of your morning ritual.
We’ve created this post so that you can enjoy weed and coffee together without any side-effects — we hope it will serve you well.
Enjoy!
The Science Behind Pairing Coffee with Weed
Truth be told, there aren’t many studies that would focus specifically on how coffee and cannabis interact with each other.
Nevertheless, let’s take a look at what scientists have discovered to date.
In a 2014 study, squirrel monkeys that were constantly on THC were administered different doses of a drug that imitated the receptor-blocking actions of caffeine and then allowed to consume THC as desired — please note that cannabis isn’t scientifically addictive.
It’s also important to stress that caffeine doesn’t boost your energy per se. Instead, it makes it difficult for receptors in your brain to receive adenosine — a chemical compound that triggers drowsiness.
Cannabis, in turn, contains phytocannabinoids, which are chemically similar to the compounds naturally produced by our bodies (endocannabinoids). THC is the most abundant phytocannabinoid, and the one that gets you high; in other words, it induces feelings of happiness, euphoria, creativity, and relaxation (both physical and mental).
Given this, it’s quite logical that combining cannabinoids with caffeine can lead to a prolonged state of awareness, happiness, and inspiration — without getting drowsy or confused.
Okay, but what about the monkeys in our study?
The monkeys who had higher doses of adenosine-blocking drugs (let’s call it “synthetic caffeine”) showed higher cravings for weed, while their counterparts who were administered lower doses had lower cannabis intake.
What does the above tell us about enjoying weed and coffee together?
This may be a very good pairing as long as you keep your intake of both caffeine and THC in moderation.
Of course, these are just speculations, as the study wasn’t conducted on human subjects and it’s difficult to accurately assess if the same pattern would apply to us.
7 Tips for Enjoying Weed and Coffee Together
Science aside, let’s talk about some practical tips for enjoying weed and coffee together, based on our own experience. Whether you want your stash to last longer or you’re just up for amazing flavor pairings, below we list everything you need to know about the weed & coffee combo.
1. Make It Your Morning Ritual
First things first, morning rituals are great if you want to start your day with a plan and get yourself into the right mindset.
When you plan your tasks, you prepare yourself to get the most out of that day, so why not add a joint and a cup of coffee to your morning ritual?
If you work at home or have a close distance to your workplace, combine your wake n’ bake ritual with a walk to provide a vent for that boost of energy you get from pairing your morning espresso with a sativa-dominant bud.
Speaking of which…
2. Start Your Day with an Espresso
Sometimes, all you need is an espresso shot. Remember those monkeys from the above study? While a little bit can go a long way, overdoing coffee and cannabis can do more bad than good to your morning routine.
Do you want to have 5 cups or 5 sips? The espresso is gets more potent with each sip, so you can gradually elevate the positive feelings without going too far.
3. Choose Hybrids Over Purebreds
As mentioned, pairing coffee with a pure sativa can get you overstimulated, so even if you need that extra boost of energy throughout the day, we recommend going for a sativa-dominant hybrid rather than a purebred.
On the other hand, if you want to dampen the stimulation from your espresso, an indica or indica-dominant strain will come in handy.
4. Match the Aromas of Your Strain with Your Coffee Beans
Similar to cannabis, coffee has plenty of strains, each coming with their unique set of aromatic compounds known as terpenes.
You can pair your weed strains in two ways. First — to complement the aromas and flavors of your coffee.
Second — to amplify the scent and taste of your coffee strain.
It’s up to you!
5. Try Different forms of Cannabis
Some people like to microdose their weed with a vaporizer when drinking their cup of coffee; others like to have an edible as a side for a more pleasurable experience; finally, you’ll find people whose favorite pairing is an alternatively brewed coffee with a juicy bong rip.
You just need to figure out your favorite way of enjoying weed and coffee together.
6. Consider a High-CBD Strain
Not a fan of the psychoactive effects of high-THC strains?
Here’s some good news: you can get a high-CBD flower and enjoy the benefits of coffee combined with almost razor-sharp focus, physical relaxation, and stress relief.
Not only is CBD non-psychoactive, but it can also counter the intoxicating effects of THC, so pairing cannabis and coffee this way is a safer approach for people who are sensitive to the psychoactive properties of weed.
7. Embrace the Act of Preparation
Once again, brewing your morning coffee and rolling your morning joint (or packing a pipe), is your me-time. Make sure to enjoy it to the fullest; do it slowly, with proper care and that little thrill that you’re about to kickstart the day just as you desire.
And get your things done — like a responsible consumer.
Final Thoughts on Pairing Weed with Coffee
As you can see, there’s plenty of things you can do to enjoy weed and coffee together. Studies on the impact of these two when administered together is still in infancy, but as more countries are introducing more relaxed policies around cannabis, scientists have now more opportunities than ever to explore this subject.
How do you like your wake n’ bake ritual? Do you enjoy mixing weed with coffee? Let us know in the comments!