A lot of people turn to weed in moments of high stress, using it to cope with social anxiety or to relax before a stressful situation.

Marijuana is a natural anxiolytic, which means it quells anxiety. A lot of people turn to it in moments of high stress, using it to cope with social anxiety or to relax before a stressful situation. Should a person turn to it when getting a tattoo?

The answer is complicated and largely depends on the individual in question, their particular experiences with cannabis and their relationship with tattoos.

While consuming marijuana before any activity may help to make things calmer, this largely depends on past experiences with the drug. Seasoned smokers will rarely be surprised with strong side effects from cannabis unless they’re trying out a new method or consuming a strain they don’t know.

When it comes to newcomers, pairing the new experience of cannabis with the novelty of getting a tattoo might not be a great idea, especially if a first tattoo.

Levi Moodie, owner and artist with The Drifter’s Ink, says he believes clients should be careful when it comes to cannabis and tattoos. Moodie prefers to tattoo people who are sober, who are clear on their idea of the tattoo and who really want it and won’t change their minds mid-session.

“Oftentimes, people who smoke marijuana go from being cautious, as they should be, to over-thinking their tattoos, flip-flopping on ideas, or their tattoo placement, and then when the needle hits the skin, they can potentially overthink the experience and get freaked out. I’ve seen it happen a few times,” he said in an interview.

Being high can make people react in different ways, which means in a worst-case scenario, someone could have a bad experience, and also end up with an ugly tattoo.

While smoking prior to a tattoo is up to the individual, staying sober might be the best course of action. Consider getting high afterward, using weed to treat the pain and inflammation, while helping to relax and find new awesome things to love about that new ink.