The dreaded dry mouth, or “cotton mouth”; it can range from a slight nuisance to rendering us almost mute. While some people don’t suffer much, others find it to be a genuine problem, detracting from the joy of smoking weed.

Fortunately, there are a few things we can do about it, and none of them are bad for you!

What Causes a Dry Mouth?

Cannabis users experience dry mouth thanks to the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This is the network within our body that, while performing many essential functions, also allows weed to get us high. By interfacing with cannabinoid receptors in the body—namely CB1 and CB2—cannabinoids such as THC (and CBD, for that matter) cause our salivary glands to reduce saliva production.

Though not a dangerous symptom, dry mouth can certainly be uncomfortable, and sometimes even enough to turn new smokers off from enjoying cannabis altogether.

So, what can we do?

How Can You Counteract Dry Mouth When Smoking Weed?

Given the somewhat inevitable nature of dry mouth, it is, to some degree, impossible to prevent. However, there are a few things we can do to make it more bearable.

Sip Water

Shockingly, drinking water is one of the best ways to combat a dry mouth—who knew! There are better and worse ways to go about it, though.

If you’re very stoned and struggling to swallow, you may feel that downing a pint of water is your best bet. It’s not going to hurt, and hydrating is always good, but dehydration is not usually the cause of dry mouth.

Therefore, regularly sipping small amounts of water is more effective. It’s about keeping your mouth lubricated, not about giving your body the water it needs to produce saliva—because it’s not producing saliva. So you’ve got to step in and take control.

Chew Sugar-Free Gum

Ever noticed that you produce excess saliva when you chew gum? That’s because the act of chewing something causes your salivary glands to produce saliva, thinking there is food in your mouth. Not only does saliva help you swallow, but it begins digesting food in your mouth too.

Chewing sugar-free gum can get your salivary glands back into action, thereby lubing up your tongue. Why sugar-free? Sugar actually dehydrates us, and thus is counterproductive when it comes to trying to wet your mouth. If you’ve only got gum with sugar, it will still work, but won’t be quite as effective. Don’t stress, though—work with what’s at hand.

Limit Sugary Foods

On that note, all-powerful as the munchies might be, those kilograms of sweets and chocolate won’t be helping your dry mouth! If you find your throat drying out to be a real problem, try to forsake your favourite snacks when stoned. Once you’ve realised the potential benefit of doing so, you’ll be grateful for it.

Eat a Healthy Snack or Meal Instead

That doesn’t mean you have to go hungry, though. A healthy meal will lube your mouth back up in no time. If it detects real food, your salivary glands are sure to start working again.

Something healthy and moist is going to be best in this regard. Trying to chew and swallow some dry, carbohydrate-dense meal is not your best option. Soup, a salad, curry; the list goes on. Not only will eating a healthy meal or snack help with your dry mouth, but it’s just a great thing to do while high anyway.

Can You Completely Stop Dry Mouth?

It’s as simple as that. And it’s quite pleasurable too. The solution to your problem is to eat and drink things, and as much as you like. There’s no way to stop dry mouth from happening (unless you choose not to smoke weed), but there are several easy and delicious ways to combat it and stop it from being problematic once you’re high.