Picture this: you have just loaded a weed joint to recharge your system, but you can’t experience that ecstatic feeling, and something just doesn’t feel right. If this situation rings a bell, then it is an alarming one because you might be suffering from weed tolerance.
The curious case of cannabis tolerance has been around for a long time, and its damaging implications have raised concerns amongst many regular users.
What is the safest way to come out of the vicious cycle of weed tolerance? A quick answer is, by taking weed tolerance breaks.If you want to know more about weed tolerance and tolerance break and learn how to implement it in your life effectively, then continue reading the following post.
What Is Weed Tolerance?
Regular and persistent use of cannabis triggers a neurological response known as tolerance.
Basically, one of the main components of Cannabis is Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is a psychoactive compound. THC tolerance activates CB1 receptors in the brain and creates an unusual increase in their activity. This heightened activity of the receptors eventually wears off as THC finishes.
If CB1 receptors are constantly exposed to THC, the brain starts functioning in fight or flight mode just to preserve and maintain the usual CB1 activation pattern. The brain does this by either lowering the CB1 receptors, changing their genetic composition, or weakening their effects.
As a result, users feel a strong urge to consume more cannabis so that they can satisfy themselves with something similar to the initial high. These urges gradually increase in both intensity and frequency, signaling that you have started to experience weed tolerance.
How Cannabis Tolerance Occurs?
Continuous activation of CB1 receptors initiates the process of tolerance within the brain.
Keep in mind that repeated activation of receptors diminishes their receptor ability and negatively impacts their performance.
There are two important stages in the weed tolerance process known as desensitization and internalization.
Desensitization occurs when CB1 receptors weaken due to their overexposure to THC. Furthermore, the tolerance procedure reaches its peak when these receptors are depleted from the cell’s surface through the process of internalization.
During desensitization, the CB1 receptors in the brain bind THC, but they create a lower level of impact. On the other hand, internalized receptors are not available for THC to bind.
You can detect the progression of cannabis tolerance in your system by checking if your need to consume cannabis has increased over time or not.
How Much Time Does It Take to Develop Weed Tolerance?
No blanket rule can determine the time for the development of cannabis tolerance in the human body.
The process of weed tolerance is sporadic and is hugely affected by multiple factors like:
- The frequency of your consumption
- The intensity of the used cannabis
- Your usage history
- Your DNA
Without a doubt, marijuana tolerance is an intimidating and scary phenomenon, but in reality, it should only be a concern for heavy users.
Novice and conscious weed users can easily avoid the consequences of cannabis tolerance, especially if they have self-control over their weed consumption.
Take a Tolerance Break
Weed tolerance breaks are necessary for heavy recreational users who wish to break away from the vicious cycle of cannabis over-consumption. These breaks are known as ‘T-break’.
Before you get skeptical about the relevance of a tolerance break, recent research shows that a successful marijuana tolerance break can replace and recover CB1 receptors in the brain.
There is no specific timeline to follow for T-breaks. Just keep in mind that you will be able to achieve positive results with longer T-breaks. However, if the idea of long T-breaks doesn’t appeal to you, then you should at least take a 48-hour break to reset the receptors.
Many heavy users avoid taking T-breaks because they consider themselves weak and powerless against the strong effects of cannabis.
Fortunately, this assumption is not true, and you can easily overcome this challenge by motivating yourself and by keeping your ‘eyes on the prize(i.e. recovery of CB1 receptors).
During the initial phase of your marijuana tolerance break, you might experience various withdrawal symptoms like:
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Cognitive impairment
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Vivid dreams
- Stomach problems
You can skip the severe aftereffects of these withdrawal symptoms by keeping yourself well-hydrated and well-rested. Similarly, by adding exercise to your daily routine, you can steer clear of unwanted mood swings.
The good news is that cannabis withdrawal symptoms last only for 72 hours.
Daily consumption before T-Break | T-break Duration |
0.0 - 0.2 g/day | NO T-Breck Needed |
0.3 - 0.5 g/day | 2 Weeks |
0.5 - 1 g/day | 3 Weeks |
1+ g/day | 4-6 Weeks |
Weed Tolerance Break for Medical Users
Unfortunately, taking a tolerance break is not a feasible option for users who have to consume cannabis for medical reasons. Having said that, there are alternative ways that medical users can practice to protect themselves from cannabis tolerance:
Use Cannabis Products
You can replace the intake of medical weed with cannabis products that have a higher CBD-to-THC ratio. Such products have cannabidiol, which is a common ingredient of regular cannabis.
However, cannabidiol doesn’t have any detrimental effects on the CB1 receptors. Unlike regular cannabis, cannabidiol doesn’t lower the quantity of CB1 receptors, and hence, it doesn’t develop weed tolerance.
CBD won’t excite the nervous system with an ecstatic feeling, but it does have medical benefits; for example, it reduces pain and inflammation.
You can buy these products from any dispensary but check their ratios as some products have a 1-to-1 CBD to THC ratio, whereas other products have a 16-to-1 CBD to THC ratio.
Reduce Your Dosage
The trick to hacking your cannabis tolerance tendencies is by controlling and reducing your dosage. This rule holds true even if you are using cannabis for medical purposes.
Make sure to consume cannabis according to the prescribed dosage of your doctor.
In short, try not to over-indulge yourself for satisfying your cravings and keep your intake as little as possible.
How Long does it take for Cannabinoid Receptors to Return to Normal?
Once the THC levels have decreased, your brain will signal for CB1 receptors to resume regular activity. This can happen in as little as 2-3 days and the longer you take a break, the greater the reset will be.
It can take up to 4 weeks to regain normal functioning.
Last Thoughts about Marijuana T-Break
Cannabis tolerance is becoming a growing threat for users of all ages. However, luckily, you can avoid its daunting side effects and cure them with well-planned T-breaks.
We are sure that with the help of the details mentioned above, you will be able to say goodbye to those dreadful cannabis blues.