Stronger Cannabis Effect? Lower Tolerance
- With chronic, long-term cannabis use, there is a gradual reduction and blunting of effects
- If you want to restore the original euphoric or therapeutic effects, give yourself and your body a tolerance break
Daily users of medical cannabis using this versatile effective herb for therapeutic or recreational purposes well know that after some time the desired effect begins to diminish to a certain extent.
Even by alternating various strains and consumption methods, a certain "blunting" occurs, and it becomes increasingly difficult to achieve the original euphoric or therapeutic effect (for example, against pain). In order to restore the effect and return the effectiveness of medical cannabis, users must inevitably take a cannabis break to reset the body's tolerance.
What does a tolerance break mean?
A tolerance break is simply a pause from cannabis use to "cleanse" all cannabinoids from the brain and body, especially the THC cannabinoid. But is this approach really effective?
The fact that the human body develops tolerance to cannabis over time was confirmed in a study by Dr. Miles Herkenham, working at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH):
"The effect of medical cannabis depends on time and dosage. Its effect in the body is achieved through endocannabinoid receptors... The results of our study show that chronic cannabis use leads to a gradual reduction and blunting of the original effects, with the more cannabis used, the faster tolerance to its effects is created in the body."
The effects of medical cannabis thus decrease over time, especially with chronic use, which is clear. However, the user can avoid developing too high a tolerance by taking a healthy break from use. Some users choose to gradually reduce the dose, while others completely stop using cannabis to regain full psychoactive and therapeutic effect.
A change in use or tolerance break can also mean a change in the user's rituals and habits. For example, if a user skips cannabis application in the morning, they automatically achieve increased effects of cannabis used in the evening. A break from cannabis and resetting tolerance is therefore a highly individual matter and depends mainly on the established behavior patterns and habits of the given user.
Why it's good to take a break from medical cannabis
The mere thought of a break from daily cannabis use is not very appealing for many recreational users and patients.
There can be many reasons for a break – primarily the already mentioned pause to restore lost effects, starting a new job with mandatory drug testing, courts, probation and other legal matters, traveling to areas that are not cannabis-friendly, or simply trying to save money and not spend so much on regular purchases of fresh herbs. Ultimately, some users simply want to stop using cannabis permanently.
Besides these reasons, a cannabis break is also great for restoring perspective and returning to daily sobriety, which helps some users realize that medical cannabis for recreation is just a supplementary activity and not something they cannot do without.
"Everyday users who give themselves a sufficiently long break from cannabis return to using this powerful herb with a sense of rediscovered respect, euphoria, creativity, and overall well-being, which are all aspects that medical cannabis offers us when used in a healthy measure."
Duration of cannabis use break to restore effects
Estimating precisely how long medical cannabis needs to be set aside is quite difficult, especially due to the highly individual effects of this herb. Generally speaking, just a few days should be enough to feel a stronger, enhanced effect. On the other hand, for those trying to break their long-term habits, at least one to two weeks of abstinence are recommended
If you want to completely get rid of residual cannabinoids in the body, abstain for more than two weeks – THC traces in the system can remain for up to 30 days. If you want to speed up the process, start exercising regularly and burn sufficiently – THC is stored in body fat reserves, and the sooner you "drive it out", the sooner your system will be cleansed of residual cannabinoids.
What can I expect if I stop using cannabis overnight?
Generally speaking – not much. If you are not a patient who necessarily needs cannabis for treatment, you don't need to worry about anything. There is no physical dependence on cannabis, and the only thing that might happen is occasional nostalgia for your favorite strain. Try to replace time spent under the influence of cannabis with sports activity, cook something delicious, or simply do what you usually did after cannabis application. You'll see that not much will change.
When returning to medical cannabis use, remember to quite drastically reduce the dose compared to what you were used to before the break. After a longer break in use, the effects of this herb can surprise you quite powerfully and cannabis will show you again what it is truly capable of. For some, it can be an experience full of euphoria, for others a moment full of anxiety and paranoid feelings. Therefore, remember – less sometimes means more.
If you want to learn in detail how to approach a tolerance break, we recommend reading the article "I'm Quitting" or a Break from Cannabis.
Source:
Hyde, Will. "Can a Tolerance Break Rejuvenate the Effects of Cannabis?" Leafly, 20 Apr. 2018, www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/can-a-tolerance-break-rejuvenate-the-effects-of-cannabis.
Author: Will Hyde
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