How to Lower Your Weed Tolerance
Can you have too much of a good thing? Sometimes, unfortunately, the answer is yes. Over a long period, it is possible to use enough weed that you develop a weed tolerance. In other words, the same amount that got you high when you started smoking is not enough to produce similar effects.
If you keep chasing that weed high, your tolerance will continue to go up. The good news? You have multiple ways to help reverse weed tolerance, including ones that don’t involve quitting weed. Keep reading to understand how to lower weed tolerance in a way that works best for you.
What Is a “Weed Tolerance?”
When we talk about weed tolerance, we’re really talking about THC tolerance. THC, which stands for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is the main psychoactive (mind-altering) compound found in marijuana plants. CBD (cannabidiol) is one of the other main ingredients in cannabis, but it doesn’t make you high like THC does.
The Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
Understanding the basics of the body’s endocannabinoid system and cannabinoid receptors is helpful in understanding how THC tolerance develops.
Cannabinoid receptors are the primary functional elements of the endocannabinoid system. In certain situations (such as sickness or stress), the body makes its own endocannabinoids to bind to cannabinoid receptors. Binding to cannabinoid receptors activates the receptors and allows them to receive certain neurotransmitters.
In the simplest terms, these neurotransmitters help the body feel better. Depending on the cannabinoid receptor that’s been activated, you might feel decreased physical pain, improved mood, less stress, or increased appetite. CB1, or cannabinoid receptor 1, is the main site for THC interaction in the brain.
Developing a THC Tolerance
For reasons scientists don’t fully understand, some CB1 receptors disappear from their outside locations on cells within the body after continual marijuana use. Where there are fewer CB1 receptors on the outside of cells, THC has fewer places for binding.
That means you won’t get the same effect you had before some of those binding locations disappeared. As a result, you experience THC, or weed, tolerance.
Which Factors Affect THC Tolerance?
The most common way weed users develop a THC tolerance is by using the substance regularly over a long period of time. That’s far from the only factor, though.
- Use Frequency: One of the surest ways to develop a weed tolerance is by regularly smoking marijuana or consuming weed products. Over time, your endocannabinoid system will adapt by decreasing the amount of receptors available for binding.
- Use Type: Using marijuana products with a high THC content is a quick way to develop weed tolerance. You can still develop a tolerance by consuming lower-THC substances, but it will take longer to arrive at the same level. Be sure you understand exactly what you’re consuming!
- Body Size: A user’s body size and BMI affect many aspects of marijuana use. Those with more body fat may experience less of a high than a thinner user might at the same dose. However, the latter might experience the high for a shorter amount of time. These conditions may mean that users with higher body fat may take longer to reach a weed tolerance.
- Individual Biology: Everyone’s endocannabinoid system is unique; the most minor of differences can impact a user’s cannabis experience. Your genetic makeup can affect many different things about the way you absorb and metabolize THC. Women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) may develop a THC tolerance than men and those assigned male at birth (AMAB). Other medications, such as opioids, benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and synthetic hormones, can interact with THC in many ways.
- Metabolic Rates: The faster your metabolism is, the quicker your body will burn through (pun intended) THC and its effects. In other words, a fast metabolism means you will likely experience a marijuana high intensely and in a relatively shorter time period. Because of this, users with faster metabolisms may choose to use marijuana more frequently, thus speeding up tolerance development.
How to Lower Your Weed Tolerance: 5 Tips
Developing a weed tolerance is a serious bummer, but it’s reversible in most cases. You have an array of options to go about reversing THC tolerance, and some may yield quicker or more satisfying results.
1. Take a break – a real one.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder—that’s true in love and marijuana. Taking a tolerance break gives your body a chance to get back to where it was before you started using THC regularly.
During a tolerance break, your body up-regulates, or unearths, cannabinoid receptors that may have gone into hiding while you were using marijuana. You might need a tolerance break if you notice that consuming THC doesn’t really get you high anymore.
2. Use less potent products.
Products with high THC concentrations, such as vape pens, can overwhelm your endocannabinoid system quicker and more thoroughly than other types of marijuana products.
When your endocannabinoid system gets overwhelmed, cannabinoid receptors tend to down-regulate more rapidly. Switching to flower, for instance, may provide a more gradual THC consumption experience.
3. Add buffer days between use days.
If you don’t want to take a tolerance break, using THC less frequently can help alleviate the down-regulation of cannabinoid receptors.
For some people, as little as two days of non-use can be enough to noticeably reduce tolerance. Whether 48 hours of non-use qualifies as a tolerance break or just a couple of buffer days is entirely up to you.
However, the less frequently you consume THC, the less likely you are to develop a significant tolerance.
4. Try adding CBD and THC-free products into your routine.
CBD, or cannabidiol, is not psychoactive but binds to cannabinoid receptors and affects how tightly THC binds to CB1 and other receptors. Even frequent CBD use does not result in down-regulation of cannabinoid receptors like THC does.
However, CBD can deliver many of the same effects as THC, such as pain relief. That and other effects of CBD can be useful if you experience THC withdrawal.
5. Aim to consume smaller amounts of product.
Just as you might develop a weed tolerance quicker if you consume high-THC products, simply consuming a greater amount of marijuana can rapidly result in tolerance. While it may be okay to overindulge every now and then, it’s usually best to consume the lowest amount that delivers the effects you want.
How Long Will It Take to Reset My Weed Tolerance?
The length of time it will take for YOU to get rid of your weed tolerance is exactly 12.4 days, 13 hours, and…yeah, not really.
Just as everyone’s experiences with THC are different, the nature of your weed tolerance will be unlike anyone else’s. Knowing how long to reset weed tolerance means evaluating how much you’ve been using and for how long, in addition to all the other factors we talked about earlier.
If you only use about 0.3 grams of cannabis per day, your tolerance break might only need to last a day or two. Heavier cannabis use—say, two grams a day or more—might necessitate a much longer break. We’ve got a handy weed tolerance chart right here!
What to Do During a Weed Tolerance Break
A weed tolerance break may result in some unpleasant psychological or physical symptoms. To make your tolerance break as comfortable as possible, you might want to:
- Meditate or do something to keep your mind busy when you experience cravings.
- Establish regular mealtimes or stick to food routines so you continue getting the nutrition you need.
- Use CBD for pain relief and other physical withdrawal symptoms.
- Tell your friends and family you’re taking a break from weed.
End Your Tolerance Break With Top-Quality Cannabis
Tolerance breaks are crucial for long-term cannabis enjoyment, but they’re usually not very fun. If you’ve made it through your tolerance break, congratulations! What better time to treat yourself to some quality CBD or THC products from The Green Dragon?
We’re confident you’ll find something that hits all the right notes, but feel free to contact us if you have questions about any of our products.
The length of a tolerance break varies from person to person. If you consume small amounts of cannabis daily, a break of just a few days may be enough to reset your tolerance. However, heavy users may need to take a break of several weeks to fully restore their sensitivity to THC. Factors such as metabolism, body composition, and frequency of use all play a role in determining the optimal duration for a tolerance break.
Yes! If you don’t want to stop using cannabis completely, you can still lower your tolerance by making small changes. Options include using lower-THC products, adding buffer days between consumption, consuming smaller amounts, or incorporating CBD into your routine. These methods help reduce the down-regulation of CB1 receptors without requiring total abstinence.
Some people may experience mild withdrawal symptoms, such as irritability, sleep disturbances, or cravings. To make your tolerance break more comfortable, try staying active, meditating, establishing regular mealtimes, and using CBD for relief. Letting friends or family know about your break can also provide support and accountability.
