Tolerance Break Guide

As much as I love Mary Jane and could always use some plant healing, I try to make sure that I'm enjoying her in a healthy way and for me that means making tolerating breaks a regular part of my routine. It looks different almost every time I do one, sometimes it's not consuming while I'm sick, other times it's staying away from concentrates or maybe staying away from all cannabinoids for awhile. I tend to take a more organic approach to tolerance breaks because they're usually based on what I feel like my body needs at that time, and that can be hard to plan.

Some of the ways I can tell it's time for a break include excessive coughing, high doses and the big tell, not getting high from a dab. Any combination of these lets me know that I've gotten away from my mindful consumption practices and need to recalibrate. If you find yourself wanting, or needing, a break but you're not exactly sure how to do it, then I've got some tips to help you follow through without it being too much of a struggle...hopefully!

Your first step is deciding exactly how long you want your tolerance break to be. The best way to figure this out is by figuring out what kind of result you wanna end up with. If you’re just trying to test the waters you may opt for a quick 48 hours, if you’re wanting a full system clearing you may need 30-90 days to achieve it. As the name implies, most people take breaks to help lower their tolerance, for this to truly work your CB receptors need around 4 weeks to reset. While you don't necessarily need that full amount of time to see a difference, it goes without saying that the longer you wait, the higher your next high will be!

The length of your break and the results you’ll get are dependent on your usage, so if you’re a heavy user then you’ll most likely end up needing more time than someone who uses less frequently. If the idea of 30 days cannabinoid free doesn’t seem doable, you can also work your way up to a longer break by simply pushing back your fist smoke of the day gradually until you can go a full day and eventually, multiple days. The main thing is that you assess your needs and the outcome you’re hoping for and move forward accordingly.

One of the things most people forget to do when they’re approaching a tolerance break is prepare. Not only should you try and mentally prepare yourself but you can also physically prepare as well. The ritual of having your sesh will be missed, especially if you’re a daily consumer, so having things to replace that time will be helpful. You may not even realize that you have a ritual, but if you take time to think about how you consume or what things you consistently do when you consume, you’ll notice some patterns emerge. Those patterns are part of your muscle memory and your muscles will miss that during a tolerance break so being able to pivot can make for a more enjoyable break. Things like exercising, exploring new hobbies, crafting and other handiwork can make it an easier transition because your thoughts will be on the activity at hand rather than the toke you’re missing out on. You should also prepare your space by putting all your smoking accessories out of sight so you’re not being tempted, this will also be helpful if you find yourself struggling to not consume.

A tolerance break is also a great time to brush up on your healthy coping mechanisms. Stopping to consider your feelings and taking deep breaths to reset may help you to relax and even promote more mindfulness when you do get back to consuming. Sometimes when we get in the habit of letting Mary Jane help with our problems, we forget that we have the power to do it without her. By leaning into your overall physical and mental health you can get the most out of your break.

Preparing your space includes getting your cabinets ready along with the rest of your space. You can stock your pantry with things that can aide you in sleeping or relaxing if cannabis is your main way to unwind. Having chamomile tea could help you get better rest if insomnia ends up being a withdrawal symptom you face. Mint tea will help soothe an upset tummy, and raspberry leaf tea can bring relief during your period. Sometimes a loss of appetite can happen, in that case you should be sure to have some go-to foods that are healthy but low effort, that way you won’t be skipping any meals, which could add to the irritability you may already be experiencing.

You can do some research on different herbs or salves and how they can support you during your break, that way you’ll be ready to handle any withdrawal issues that may arise. I’ve found that any withdrawal symptoms I feel are only around the first 3-4 days and then they subside, so if you can make it a week then you could probably go a month or beyond.

Truly the best way to make sure that your tolerance break goes how you want is by preparing yourself for the symptoms you may have to deal with. If you’re ready for anything then it’ll be so much easier to handle whatever withdrawal you may or may not go through.

And remember, once you get back to consuming your tolerance will be different so take the low and slow approach, test out a new lower dose of whatever you consume and see how you feel before moving up to a higher one. You could be surprised by how quickly your CB receptors recover and get you feeling first time high vibes!

Happy Toking!