Marijuana is surrounded by facts that should not be ignored by one who consumes it on a daily basis. All information is necessary to be able to achieve the best effects while staying safe. After all, marijuana is a drug like any other medication. It can have side effects, overdoses and allergic reactions too. This is why before you apply for a medical marijuana card in New York or puff on your first joint at a party, you must do your due research.
One such important piece of information related to marijuana is a tolerance break. Every person you know that uses marijuana, especially regular users. Will have to go through one of these breaks at least once. But, you cannot just go on t-breaks without knowing what is cannabis tolerance. And if you need one or not.
What is Cannabis Tolerance?
If you are a regular user of marijuana, you may have come across the term ‘tolerance’. Either your doctor told you about it or you are experiencing it right now. Once you start using cannabis regularly, you will develop a tolerance. Because it is your body’s natural reaction and is almost inevitable. Tolerance is just what you think it is. Your body becomes tolerant of the THC in cannabis and so it becomes ineffective or less potent with time and regular use. This response of the body develops with almost every drug and even alcohol.
The cannabinoids in cannabis, especially THC, react with the CB receptors that are spread all across your body and brain. This is how they manipulate your brain chemistry and result in all the pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory and dozens of other effects on the body.
Now, tolerance happens when your body compensates for the regular doses of cannabinoids. There is no exact research to point out how the body develops a tolerance to cannabis. But, the most accepted theory is that the endocannabinoid system and other CB receptors desensitize to cannabinoids with regular activation. Also, as more receptors are desensitizing, the body starts internalizing them from the surface. As a result, there are not many CB receptors left for the cannabinoids to activate. Both these factors contribute to the development and increase in the level of tolerance.
You can break this Tolerance
The good news is that you can break off from this tolerance. Total abstinence from cannabis for a few days, weeks or months depending upon the level of your tolerance can do the trick. It will not be easy and you may have to go through mild to severe withdrawal symptoms. But, once you get through with the break, it will act as a detox. Your body and mind will be back to its original state. And getting the best effects out of cannabis will be more easy and comfortable.
But, not all people need a break. Some actually benefit from it. It can help eliminate or lessen the intoxicating effects of cannabis. But, if the high is a necessity for your medical condition or you prefer the euphoric feeling. Then you may have to go for a tolerance break.
So how do you know if you need one or not? There are a number of signs that you need to look for to know if it’s time for a break.
How do you know that you need a T-break?
If you use medical marijuana, then your doctor will probably help you determine if you need a break. But, if you want to figure out by yourself, here are some signs that call for a t-break.
Change in the effectiveness of marijuana
The first signs of cannabis tolerance can be seen in its effectiveness. With time you will realize that your regular dose does not deliver the same effects that it did originally. So you may have to increase your dose to achieve the same level of benefits. And with passing time, the quantity will be way more than what you started with. This is the working of cannabis tolerance.
Such a scenario may not be the best thing for medical cannabis users. Since most of them use cannabis daily. So taking a break or slowly weaning away by reducing the dose can help you get back to normal.
Your indulgence is increasing
If you find yourself stuck to the couch for the entire day. Not because you are lazy but because you are high. Then it is time to let go of mary jane for some time. It is possible that with time you may lose track of your marijuana indulgence. You may take more hits than required to keep the pain at bay. Or maybe munch on a much stronger strain because you just love that euphoric feeling.
But, all this is not healthy for your body. Cannabis should not become your priority. So embark on a break or a few days to clear your head and start fresh.
You are going heavier on your wallet
As tolerance increases, your regular dose and strain may not remain effective for you anymore. It usually leads to an increase in the frequency of use, of dose and sometimes a shift to higher quality and more potent strain. All of these changes can put your wallet under a lot of stress. And so if you feel that your trips to the dispensary have been increasing lately. Or that restocking takes the biggest chunk of your savings. Then it is time for a break. This will not only help your slow down on expense. But also change your tolerance level so that you don’t need a lot or a much stronger strain to get high.
Your cannabis rules are not relevant anymore
Your doctor will usually give a dose to start from and map out the time intervals after which you can take your next dose. This also applies to recreational users, they may not get guidance from a doctor but are generally aware of how much they need and when. Most people use it just before sleeping, pre or post-workout, to focus or only when they encounter a triggering situation. But, they may slip off from such parameters with passing time. Also, you may stop going outside, you may not feel aware of what’s happening around and your social interaction may decrease.
If that happened with you, consider leaving that joint or edible for some time. Get back to your headspace and start again.
Final Thoughts
Cannabis tolerance comes as a given once you start using marijuana. You will experience it once during your time of use. Some may find it helpful, others may not. So you can break it with abstinence. Even a 24-hours break can be very helpful for some people. So if you think that you have developed a higher tolerance or can relate to any of the mentioned signs, consider going on a tolerance break.
Source: https://www.nymedicalcard.com/blog/cannabis-tolerance-break/
