How to Reset Your Cannabis Tolerance

By  //  May 19, 2022

If you use cannabis regularly, your tolerance is prone to go up, just like with alcohol. This means you will need more of it to feel the desired highness of THC, which necessitates a tolerance break – also known as a t-break in some circles. 

What is a Tolerance Break?

As the words suggest, it is when you take a step back from using cannabis for a while to reset your tolerance. THC binds to fat molecules, so a reasonably long break is necessary for the body to go back to where it was before you became a regular user. Tolerance works differently among different people.

Studies show that when you chronically use cannabis, the THC receptors in your brain reduce in number, and you will need more volumes to achieve the desired effect. This gets worse with more regularity, so you would have to break off a little to bring the brain back to where it was at the beginning. 

Studies have been inconclusive on the time it takes for the brain to achieve high tolerance levels as there are several variables. Genetic makeup, routes of administration, and doses are factors that one needs to look at, so it varies from one person to another. 

Is Intolerance Bad? 

Not necessarily. THC has several side effects that people struggle with, especially impairment and brain fog. When using it for medicinal purposes, many patients report curves where they have to wait for their bodies to tolerate it enough to see medical benefits. Most will use it before bedtime when they don’t have to be awake or productive, but a few weeks of use could shift things enough to build tolerance. 

When you achieve enough tolerance to manage a dose of weed during the day, you will start reaping some of the medicinal benefits you want. For this reason, building tolerance is a good thing, and you will want it if you are using THC for a long time. 

A Guide to a T-Break 

Good news: you can reset your tolerance levels in only 48 hours. If you are concerned with how your body reacts to THC, you can take a 2-day break, which has been noted to be quite effective.

Chronic users may want to take a longer break since THC binds to fat molecules and takes time to get out of your system. A proper reset is 21-days long and will require some discipline, so you don’t succumb and fall. 

Here’s a typical weed tolerance break chart that you can use. 

 Day 0 – Prepare 

Day 1 – Stay Busy

Day 2 – Sleep 

Day 3 – Eat

Day 4 – Handle the Cravings

Days 5-21 – Repeat most of what you’ve done so far. 

The first step towards a break is always getting ready. Get rid of all the weed you have in the house to minimize the distractions and temptations, then set a date to start. The sooner you get to it, the more likely you are to go on a reset. On the first day, you want to keep busy to prevent thoughts of smoking. On a 2 day tolerance break, have lots of sleep. The days that follow will be tempting, and you may start thinking of breaking your fast, so try as much as possible to stay the course. 

Eat to avoid getting cranky and irritated, meditate, get enough sleep, and work out to summon the feel-good hormones. Some people recommend using a little CBD in boring forms – such as oils, mild edibles, and topical applications, but you only want to do that if you absolutely have to. The longer you stay in your break, the less you will need CBD. 

Benefits of a Break 

The most notable benefit is the amount of money you will be spending on weed since you will start getting high in smaller doses. You also feel the medical benefits sooner when your brain is satiated in smaller doses. 

The second is the fact that it reduces the chances of addiction. How? Getting high is a reward the brain gets from THC, and anything that brings this sort of benefit is prone to abuse. Taking a step back sets things and prevents you from relying too much on the rewards of smoking. 

What to Expect During a Weed Break 

Chronic users exhibit the withdrawal symptoms of nicotine: irritability, depressed mood, restlessness, decreased appetite, anxiety, and insomnia. These are the ones that benefit from a 21-day break. The symptoms are unpleasant in the first few days but get better as you go. Notably, they are not as disruptive and adverse as nicotine, even if they are similar. 

Those using cannabis for medical use are prone to intolerance because of daily use, so they may need to take breaks a little more regularly than recreational users. They are usually advised to substitute cannabis with regular modern medicine to counter the effects of a break. 

Conclusion 

Some people stop things cold-turkey, and it works for them, but it is always advisable to take things slow to avoid failure. You could start with a 2-day tolerance break and build up as you go to prevent your body from crushing. It also helps to talk to people that took successful breaks. 

If you are new to weed and aren’t familiar with all the terminologies, you could find the right community at AskGrowers, where we publish enough material for an informative canna journey. You will get information on strains, tips, and some places you can buy the best weed. Everyone is welcome.