they say that it doesnt help, and that the transfer in your lungs happens immediately. I dont believe it though, and it seems like you get higher by holding it to me too. It might just be that we get dizzy due to lack of oxygen.
Yeah, I think our lungs need a little time to absorb the thc and get it into the bloodstream. If one smokes a joint like a cigarette, inhale and immediately exhale, then you need more tokes to achieve the same high, than if you held it in.
You really want to get high!!!??? Why don't you go for BONG?? Holding hits just for few seconds or minutes, just because you are not intaking Oxygen, and Carbon Monoxide & Carbon-di-Oxide is increasing inside you. So yeah it helps, but only for a few minutes or seconds. But this also effects your glands in chest and throat.
I don't remember where I read this but I guess every second compounds more cannabinoids and also more tars/byproducts and it's goes something like 5sec=70%~ available thc and tops out at 7secs with over 98% taken in. The downfall though is that as the smoke cools everything solidifies/settles in your lungs not just the good stuff. Also this is affected by the lack of 02 and build up of C02 essentially strangling your brain (a muscles that needs 02).