Meaning
What does Greening Out mean?
Greening out refers to the feeling of nausea, physical discomfort, anxiety and sometimes even vomiting, induced from ingesting a large amount of Cannabis in a short period of time.
It is mostly associated with inexperienced smokers, who don’t stop at their limits and continue to intoxicate themselves into discomfort.
Origin
What's the origin of Greening Out?
The expression “greening out” was derived from “blacking out” related to the overconsumption of alcohol.
While the exact origin of the phrase is not known, it has been around since the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, with a low prevalence.
“Greening out” was first defined on Urban Dictionary in 2004, with many other entries written since.
Spread & Usage
How did Greening Out spread?
The creation of Cannabis-related subs on Reddit, such as r/trees, r/saplings and of course r/weed has helped propagate the spread of “greening out” as an expression, as well as remedies and stories, which can be useful for recovery.
Throughout the 2010’s, Cannabis has experienced a wave of decriminalization and in some states, even legalization, which led to “greening out” becoming a more common topic among a wider audience.

External resources
- Urban Dictionary – green out
- Reddit – Tip for greening out – lie flat and elevate your legs : trees