Oh, the tolerance break. That necessary, yet irritating part of being a consistent cannabis user. It is needed too terribly often, but it shouldn’t be discounted as an important check and balance for someone who uses weed as a recreational substance. So, what exactly is a cannabis tolerance break? Why do you need it? How do you do it? If you find yourself asking these questions, read on friend, because we have got just the answers you are looking for.
What is a Cannabis Tolerance Break?
A tolerance break is when someone takes a step back from using cannabis for an extended period of time. It can be a week, a few weeks, a month or a few months. It is a tactic used by consistent cannabis users in order to lower their tolerance for pot.
Anyone who has smoked, vaped, dabbed or eaten cannabis knows that after doing so for a while on a steady basis, the ability to reach the same high diminishes. The longer you consume cannabis regularly, the more cannabis you need to consume if you do want to acquire that feeling. Luckily, if a person stops using marijuana, their tolerance can lower, making cannabis seem more potent. But the weed is the same, it is the person’s body that has changed.
There are a few reasons why taking a cannabis tolerance break is helpful, aside from the need to lower one’s tolerance. Giving yourself a break from weed can be enlightening and productive. That is not to say that you can’t be enlightened or productive while using cannabis, but hear me out. Taking an extended time away from it can be a great way to analyze just how pot fits into your life, affects your wallet and your waistline.
Get Perspective
Taking a tolerance break lets you get a less hazy viewpoint of why you’re choosing to use cannabis in the first place.
For example, many people use cannabis to give themselves a stress relief. When taking a tolerance break, users give themselves the space and time to discover, or re-discover, other ways to control stress. Yoga, exercise, writing, reading, meditating or making art are all viable ways to relieve stress – but those strategies can go by the wayside when feel like all you need to do is smoke a joint.
Other folks use cannabis purely for recreational fun, either in conjunction with alcohol or as a replacement for it. But if you are smoking weed every day, and can’t bring yourself to take a break, you might not have the healthiest of relationships with pot. While using cannabis isn’t going to make you sick and isn’t going to make you a driveling, drooling idiot, it can become a habit that is hard to break. Taking a tolerance break can give you a chance to consider how you can have fun without the use of a substance.
Save Money
A tolerance break is a great time to take a look at your bank account and save some cash. Have you been spending money on weed instead of paying your car bill on time every month? If so, it might be time for a tolerance break. Are you finding yourself with plenty of weed but an empty wallet more often than not? If so, it might be time for a tolerance break. It is usually cheaper to purchase cannabis in a legal state, which is a bit lighter on a consumers wallet. During the t-break, creating a budget for cannabis that fits within one’s means can be a very valuable use of one’s time.
Are Munchies a Problem?
Without cannabis, over snacking issues can dissipate. When smoking, vaping or dabbing weed a person can find themselves ravenous when it comes to food. Simply put, pot can make your eyes bigger than your stomach. During my last tolerance break, I lost several pounds because I wasn’t constantly running to the kitchen, or the closest fast food place, in order to satiate my hunger. If you notice the number on the scale getting higher than you are comfortable with, a tolerance break can help break you of your munchie problem.
When and How Often?
If a cannabis user finds themselves needing more and more in order to get stoned, it might be time for a tolerance break. This writer once got into the habit of smoking up to an eigth of legal Colorado top shelf a day but wasn’t really feeling high after the first few bowls. It was time to take a tolerance break for sure.
If you are questioning whether or not you need to take a tolerance break, you should probably just go ahead and take one.
You can take a tolerance break as often as you like. Once a month, once every few months or once a year. Whatever works for you. Just make sure you keep it real with yourself, and schedule t breaks as often as your earnestly need one.