A cannabis tolerance break – do you feel like the cannabis you’ve been smoking just isn’t working the way that it used to. You might be the victim of high cannabis tolerance. Through continued regular use, cannabis is known to produce a steadily building tolerance that can reduce the effectiveness of your medication.
High tolerance is your body’s resistance to the effects of the cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, resulting in diminished psychoactive effects. What this means is that the more frequently and intensely you smoke your cannabis, the more you’ll eventually need to peak with the same high.
Luckily, many of us cannabis connoisseurs have a solution for this: The Tolerance Break.
If you want to find out what a tolerance break is and how it can upgrade your experience with weed, stick around and we’ll cover the basics.
How Does a Tolerance Develop?
As mentioned previously, your body will become accustomed to the psychoactive effects of cannabis the more frequently you use it.
Our bodies are equipped with their own system when it comes to the regulation of bodily functions like mood, appetite, and sleep as well as the absorption of cannabinoids. The Endocannabinoid System, as we know it is home to two main types of receptors that interact with the compounds in marijuana: The CB1 and CB2 receptors.
With Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) being the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, it interacts with our bodies by binding to our CB1 receptors to produce its psychoactive effects.
Over time, through regular stimulation, the CB1 receptors tend to become accustomed to the effects of THC and lose their sensitivity, meaning that the THC will produce weaker effects if it is continued to be used on a regular basis.
While there is no definitive answer as to how fast certain people develop tolerances, there are several factors that influence the development of high tolerance, including the frequency of use, the strength of the product, and personal biology.
The Benefits of Taking a Tolerance Break

Rather than going out and purchasing some stronger weed to feel a more potent high, one of the easiest ways to make your cannabis hit harder is to take a T break.
That said, research has pointed out that the continued use of THC can slowly deplete your CB1 receptors over time. Your receptors eventually recover by abstaining from cannabis and giving them time to return to their normal state.
Keep in mind that the tolerance break length can vary wildly from person to person. Just as how various factors influence tolerance development, various factors also influence the time needed to take a break from cannabis. Some people may be lucky enough to get away with just a few days off from cannabis, while others may need upwards of 3 weeks to get the best results.
To get a good idea of what time frame you might need, try a tolerance break calculator, but as you would expect, results may vary.
Alternatives to a Complete Tolerance Break
If you’re someone who relies on cannabis to treat your ailments for medical reasons, or is unwilling to completely give up cannabis, there are few alternative options you could take if you feel you’re in need of resetting your tolerance.
Reach For Higher CBD Products

If you can’t completely stop your THC consumption due to medical reasons, you can always try to minimize your usage for similar results.
An effective strategy would be to reach for products with a higher CBD to THC ratio, as this will keep your CB1 receptors from being depleted while also providing the therapeutic effects of the CBD.
It’s important to note that CBD isn’t a psychoactive substance, so it won’t get you high like THC does. However, it is packed with a lot of therapeutic potential, being able to alleviate things like chronic pain, anxiety, and inflammation to name a few.
Limit Your Cannabis Consumption
In terms of regulating your cannabis tolerance, limiting consumption can have beneficial effects to getting your system accustomed to smaller doses.
In this context, the less you use, the better. That said, you’ll also benefit from reducing the frequency of your cannabis consumption as well. If possible, try and leave a day or two in between each dose, and you’ll be sure to notice a slight reduction in your tolerance.
Prepare Yourself For T Break
If you decide to take a full-on tolerance break for a few weeks, it can be a rough journey. It’s essential to prepare yourself both physically and mentally for what’s up ahead.
To ensure you have a successful t break, you can do some of the following:
- Remove access to cannabis in your frequently visited areas
- Set daily reminders of your goal
- Set a solid date in your calendar that specifically details when the break starts and is over
- Pick up a new hobby or skill to keep your mind off of cannabis
- Let your friends know that you’re taking a break so they can also hold you accountable
For heavy users and those who have developed a strong tolerance, there is a possibility of experiencing symptoms of cannabis withdrawal, even when just reducing consumption. While not as hard as alcohol withdrawal, cannabis withdrawal can still be unpleasant to deal with.
Some of the weed withdrawal symptoms you may experience include:
- Moodiness and irritability
- Difficulty sleeping
- Loss of appetite
- Headaches or grogginess
- Temporary mind fog or haze
- Intense cravings for cannabis
- The Chills
- Depressive feelings
While it is quite a long list, not everyone will be susceptible to experiencing these feelings. Most people are lucky enough to usually only have to deal with a few of these symptoms. That said, when these symptoms are experienced, their intensity can range anywhere from mild to intense.
The higher your tolerance to cannabis, the higher the likelihood of these symptoms being more intense, therefore taking regular tolerance breaks will ease future t breaks, while also increasing your overall sensitivity to weed.
Do You Need A Tolerance Break?
While completely walking away from cannabis for a few weeks can be difficult to do, the process is largely beneficial as it will both enhance your future experiences with cannabis, but also save you money and headache in the process.
For most regular cannabis consumers it is the common consensus that a few weeks is necessary to bring the tolerance to its natural state, however, this can vary from person to person. How long you decide to stay away from weed will largely reflect how sensitive you will become to cannabis when you return from your hiatus.
If you’re averse to completely removing cannabis from your life, you can always try to limit your consumption for similar results. Our recommendation is to try and take a day off, then gradually ease yourself into more prolonged periods of time. There is absolutely no need to rush into it, so go at your own pace.