Take a Cannabis Tolerance Break? What? Are you kidding me? The first time you smoke cannabis might be the most memorable of your experiences. Over time, you might wistfully recall that first experience and wonder why you don’t seem to get as stoned as you once did.
This is due to the development of a tolerance level, and, as with any mood altering substance, the way to re-set your tolerance levels is to take a cannabis tolerance break. How long a break will depend on the individual, some folks feel refreshed after just a couple of days and other folks want to go a couple of weeks or longer.
It really just depends on you, your use case and your personal goals.
What is a Cannabis Tolerance Break
A T-Break, slang for a tolerance break, is a short-term (a few days to a few weeks) break from cannabis consumption so your body and clear the cannabinoids from your system. Two quick notes about this:
- If you drink water as your daily primary beverage, you are helping to flush your system of cannabinoids to some degree, but, periodically, to really clear your system, you will also want to take a t-break
- Drinking more than eight glasses of water per day (as part of your normal, healthy lifestyle) helps with the natural detox process.
- Past Research. There are research studies which have determined that folks who consume cannabis on a ‘chronic’ or regular basis, do, in fact, build up a tolerance over time.
How Do You Take a Cannabis Tolerance Break?
Depending on your consumption frequency and how strong the cannabis strain is (and the relative THC/CBD ratio’s of your favorite bud), you might end up ‘highly’ tolerant of that cannabis and, one way to reduce your tolerance is to either take a cannabis tolerance break OR change up what you’re consuming … try a different strain of marijuana or vape some concentrates instead of smoking pot.
Changing up your consumption routine can also help reduce your tolerance levels, so, if you’re typically a “wake and bake” type of person, you might consider holding off that first blast until lunch time or, if you can swing it, later in the day.
On the other hand, if you feel the best way to detox your system is to take a cannabis vacation, then, we recommend you follow your gut and do that very thing: take a cannabis vacation and let your body clean itself out.
Reasons to Take a Tolerance Break from Cannabis
There’s a whole bunch of reasons why you might take a break from cannabis. Some of them are personal choices and some of them are situational choices.
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons to take a cannabis vacation:
- New Job = Drug Test
- Court Orders or Other Legal Requirements
- Traveling to states or countries which are not cannabis-friendly
- Money (cannabis ain’t cheap, even if it does grow on trees)
- Fasting and other Spiritual Reasons
One thing is almost certain: taking a cannabis tolerance break can result in a new, refreshed, outlook on cannabis and other things. Remember: cannabis is part of life, not the reason for it!
How Long Should a Cannabis Tolerance Break Last?
Here’s a chart with some information about t-break durations:
| DURATION | EFFECT |
|---|---|
| A Few Days | Abstaining for a few days will result in noticing some of the more profound effects of cannabis when you consume again |
| Two Weeks | Taking a two-week cannabis vacation allows your body to flush cannabinoids and your lungs to get a healthy break |
| 30 Days or More | To completely clear your body and system of any built up cannabis residue (which store in fat cells), you need to take a cannabis tolerance break for at least 30 days |
What Should Consumers Expect on a Cannabis Tolerance Break?
This seems to be obvious. You should expect to do all the things you’ve been doing, just without being stoned. So, continue to stay active and drink 64 ounces of water a day. Do what you usually do: work out, play music, go to work, take care of your family … you get it: live your life, just without smoking any weed!
The Difference Between Recreational Use and Medical Use and a Cannabis Tolerance Break
While both recreational and medical cannabis consumers can be “chronic” in their consumption, people who smoke medical marijuana are, typically, using their medicine per some direction from a health care professional, and, as such, should speak with their Doctor or clinician before they ‘titrate’ off their current cannabis doses.
Chronic recreational consumers might consider a cannabis tolerance break to clean out their systems and let their chemical balances ‘re-set’. The truth about cannabis is it is not physically addictive (like an opiate) however, depending on the individual user, there are psychological dependencies to consider.
Again, if you’re consuming cannabis per a Doctor’s recommendation, then, we suggest you speak with your Doctor before taking a cannabis tolerance break.
The Difference Between Chronic, Medical and Recreational Consumption
Let’s define some terms:
- Chronic: Someone who consumes cannabis on a ‘chronic’ basis, meaning, several times per day.
- Medical: This type of consumption is done on a schedule and under the direction of a Doctor. This means the medicine which is consumed (including, in some cases, the strains and the CBD/THC ratio’s – think “Charlotte’s Web”) is done so under a Doctor’s supervision.
- Recreational: The classic examples of chronic recreational users are the gang from ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’ and ‘Cheech and Chong’. If you smoke as much cannabis as any of these guys you are definitely a Chronic Consumer.
It makes sense the more you smoke cannabis the more important it is to take a t-break now and then, so, we’re going to focus on the group of consumers known as ‘chronic’ consumers.
There’s no single definition of ‘chronic’ consumption, however, if the AVERAGE cannabis consumer in the United States only smokes on occasion (one report indicates this to be 12 days a year) then, anyone who smokes more frequently than 12 days a year would be a heavy, or ‘chronic’ consumer.
For the purpose of this post, let’s say a ‘chronic’ consumer is someone who smokes some cannabis daily.
Chronic Medical
If you’re consuming medical cannabis then, as discussed above, we recommend you speak with your doctor before engaging in a cannabis tolerance break. You Doctor might prefer you to consume a different strain or use a vape instead of smoking especially if your medicine helps with mood or physical issues.
Chronic Recreational
If you find yourself ripping bong loads for breakfast and finishing your day with something from the dab rig, you might consider taking a cannabis tolerance break on a regular basis. Perhaps taking a two or three day t-break every two months.
The bottom line on cannabis vacations is this: you should consider taking one when you feel like you’re not getting the ‘bang for your buck’ when you smoke weed.
Disclaimer!
For the record, we are neither medical professionals nor are we your parents, but you already knew this!
If you’re interested in learning more about cannabis, cannabis culture and the cannabis lifestyle then consider booking a tour with Happy Travelers Tours!