When to Take a Marijuana Tolerance Break
Marijuana is not your traditional prescription medication or an addictive substance, but you can still build a tolerance to it. The solution? A marijuana tolerance break.
Ask any heavy cannabis user, and they will tell you how they had to increase their dosage to feel the same effects as before. While this may seem harmless, it can quickly drain your money and have psychological consequences.
So a break from cannabis is the best solution, but how do you go about that? How often should you take a tolerance break? Stay with us as we show you how to take a break from your favorite natural supplement.
Marijuana in Your Body
Before we get into marijuana tolerance breaks, we need to understand how cannabis works in the body. Cannabis is a complex plant with hundreds of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. Two of its most popular compounds are CBD and THC.
CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that affects the body through various enzymes and receptors. It does not directly stimulate them but helps enhance their function.
THC acts directly on the CB1 and CB2 receptors in your body’s endocannabinoid system. Too much of it can overwhelm those receptors and lower their function. This effect is why you need the occasional distance from THC.
What is a Marijuana Tolerance Break?
A tolerance break is when you abstain from using THC-based products to help reset your body. Studies show that even a 48-hour break from marijuana can reset your tolerance.
The Importance of Tolerance Breaks
Why is a break necessary? After all, all we hear about medical marijuana is its benefits for mental health and debilitating conditions. There are many reasons why you should consider taking a marijuana tolerance break. Here are some of them.
Improves the Endocannabinoid System
As THC works directly on your receptors, it reduces the number of natural cannabinoids your body produces. Studies show that overconsumption of marijuana can even lower the number of CB1 receptors in your body.
Depending on how often you take a tolerance break, you should be able to reset your body and help your endocannabinoid system regain its function.
Cuts Down the Costs
As you consume more cannabis, your body develops a tolerance to it. You will need to use more marijuana to feel its effects.
More marijuana means you have to spend more money. Taking a marijuana tolerance break will help reset your body so you can use less and cut down on costs.
Protects the Brain
Using too much marijuana for a long time can also have side effects on your brain. Studies show that overconsumption of cannabis can even shrink the hippocampus, affecting memory and cognition.
Fortunately, these effects are reversible with a tolerance break.
How Often Should You Take a Tolerance Break?
Every user responds differently to marijuana. So it’s only natural that the frequency of tolerance breaks varies from one person to another. With that said, most people can benefit from a short marijuana tolerance break each month.
However, you should experiment and see what works best for you. You might need longer or more frequent breaks. Or you might not need to take a break for a few months. It all comes down to what your body needs.
Signs You May Need a Break From Marijuana
Another way to tell when you need a break is to look for the signs. Here are some signs you might need to step away from marijuana for a while.
You’re Going Through Your Supply Fast
Are you running out of cannabis too quickly? Then it’s time for a marijuana tolerance break. You’re using more than usual to achieve the desired result. Taking a break will help reset your tolerance and make your supply last longer.
You’re Spending Too Much Money On Marijuana
How often should you take a tolerance break? How about every time you gasp when you look at the dispensary bill?
Spending too much on marijuana is another sign that you’ve built a tolerance to this natural supplement. Determine a budget for your cannabis spending and take a break whenever you go over it.
You’re Feeling Tired and Groggy
Marijuana is famous for making users calm and happy. It doesn’t have the side effects of other mind-altering substances. However, using too much marijuana can have adverse effects. If you’re tired and groggy the next day, it might be time for a quick marijuana tolerance break.
You’re Feeling Discomfort in Your Throat
If you’re a cannabis smoker, you might be feeling some discomfort in your throat. This uneasiness is not necessarily an indication of tolerance build-up. However, it is a sign that your body needs time to recover. So give it that time.
How to Take a Tolerance Break
Now that you know how often you should take a tolerance break and the signs to look out for, you can prepare and step away from marijuana. Here are some approaches you can take to reset your tolerance levels.
Abstain From THC
The first approach to taking a marijuana tolerance break is to cut out THC completely. If you’re using this method, do it on a weekend or another time when you’re not busy.
This way, you can focus on your body and see how the break affects you. Pick a start and end date and put away all your THC products to let your body recover.
Use Marijuana Less Often
Taking a complete break from marijuana might seem too extreme for those who use this supplement for health conditions. If that’s the case with you, try to reduce your intake instead of going on a complete marijuana tolerance break.
For instance, you can take a day off or reduce the number of times you take marijuana throughout the day. Practice this until you reach a point where you can take a 2-day break.
Microdose Your Cannabis
Another alternative to going cold turkey is to microdose your cannabis. A little marijuana can go a long way. It will let you feel the effects of THC to some degree without feeling high.
For instance, take a low-dose edible instead of smoking a high-THC strain. This strategy can help reduce tolerance in heavy cannabis users over time. You can use our edible dosing guide to start.
Use Different Forms of Cannabis
A marijuana tolerance break focuses on abstaining from high-THC products. If cutting off marijuana is difficult for you, try switching to other forms of cannabis. Instead of smoking or dabbing marijuana, turn to tinctures and edibles.
No matter how often you take a tolerance break, this approach should allow you to benefit from cannabis. It will change the way your body processes the cannabinoids while allowing your tolerance levels to reset.
Focus on Other Cannabinoids
While THC offers the most therapeutic effects, it is not the only cannabinoid with potential benefits. There are alternatives to THC, such as HHC or delta-8 THC. These products can also fulfill your cannabis needs.
You can try different cannabis strains with these cannabinoids on your marijuana tolerance break. CBD is another option that can counteract the high of THC and help you avoid the neurological issues that might arise with its overconsumption.
Restart Consumption Gradually
No matter how often you take a tolerance break, you should reuse marijuana gradually. Start at about 50% of your previous dosage and increase it slowly to avoid building a tolerance too fast.
How Long Should a Tolerance Break Last?
The more cannabis you use, the longer your break needs to be to reset your tolerance levels. There are no set rules. The length of the break can vary from one person to another.
With that said, there are several marijuana tolerance break plans you can follow.
2-Day Break
The minimum length for a tolerance break is 48 hours or two days. If you’re not a heavy user, two days are enough to reset your body.
3-Day Break
The most common tolerance break duration that yields the best results is 3-7 days. This period will let you readjust your internal system to fully benefit from the plant’s effects if you regularly use medical marijuana for a health condition.
4-Week Break
Heavy cannabis consumers who use strong strains must take a longer marijuana tolerance break to reset their bodies. According to studies, four weeks is the ideal duration to restore the number of CB1 receptors to their normal levels.
Take Advantage of Cannabis With Ozark MMJ Cards
Taking a break from cannabis is necessary. Depending on how often you take a tolerance break, you should be able to reset your body and use less marijuana for your needs.
If you’re back from a break and want to enjoy the therapeutic effects of this natural wonder, Ozark MMJ Cards can help you. We offer affordable medical marijuana certifications and card renewal services in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
Apply risk-free and get a full refund if you’re not certified. Contact us now to talk to an expert and begin your certification. If you enjoyed this article on marijuana tolerance breaks, visit our cannabis blog for more fun reads!