The growing acceptance of cannabinoids allowed them to offer a variety of therapeutic benefits, such as managing anxiety, pain, and other medical conditions.
However, like many substances, regular cannabis use can lead to the development of tolerance where the initial effects experienced start to diminish, which requires higher doses to achieve and risk dependence.
One solution to this problem is abstaining from cannabis for a certain period of time to restore tolerance levels. But will a 2 day tolerance break do anything?
Most experts believe a 2-day tolerance break is effective, but there are some factors that may affect how long you should stay
In this guide, we’ll dive into the science behind tolerance breaks to help you better understand how it works, along with other methods to manage cannabinoid tolerance.
Table of Contents
How Does a Cannabis Tolerance Break Work?
Regular cannabis use, whether for medical or recreational purposes, can lead to a phenomenon known as “cannabis tolerance”.
This means your body gradually adapts to the presence of cannabinoids, particularly THC and CBD, the psychoactive compounds responsible for the effects of the drug. As a result, you’ll need to progressively increase your dose to reach the same desired effects you initially had.
This can be frustrating for all types of cannabis users, leading to increased consumption and potentially developing cannabis dependence, which leads to addiction as well as uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and side effects.
The Science Behind Tolerance
A cannabis tolerance break, also known as a t-break, is a period of abstaining from cannabis use to allow your body’s endocannabinoid system to recover and avoid dependence.
These receptors, particularly the CB1 receptors, play a crucial role in mediating the effects of THC and other cannabinoids, whether you consume them through vape, edibles, or other cannabis products.
After regular consumption of cannabis, the body adapts to the presence of cannabis and starts the downregulation of these cannabinoid receptors to reduce their effect, which leads to tolerance build up.
During a t-break, the body simply starts reversing this process. Since the cannabinoids aren’t constantly present in the blood, CB1 receptors gradually return to their baseline sensitivity levels.
Signs a Tolerance Break Is Essential
As previously established, regular cannabis use, even for medicinal purposes, can lead to the development of cannabis tolerance.
In that case, you should never consider using more cannabis, as it can lead to exceeding the safe dosage and cause a variety of serious complications.
If you witness any of the following signs, you should start your weed tolerance break right away:
- Reduced Symptom Relief: This is especially common among users of cannabis to treat chronic pain. In that case, the same amount of cannabis that once provided significant relief may no longer be sufficient.
- Shorter Duration of Action: besides needing high THC doses, the therapeutic benefits might also wear off much faster than they used to.
- Increased Cravings: This includes seeking marijuana outside of the typical consumption times or when not seeking its medicinal properties.
- Changing the Recommended Mode of Use: For instance, your healthcare provider recommends using cannabis through specific routes but you end up consuming it through a more potent route, such as through bongs.
- Developing Withdrawal Symptoms: If you experience intensified negative side effects like headaches, anxiety, paranoia, or dizziness, it’s usually a clear sign it’s time for a break.
How Long Should an Effective T-Break Last?
Studies suggest that some CB1 receptor recovery can start within 48 hours of abstaining from cannabis.
Some reports found that some individuals, especially those with high consumption levels, may require up to 72 hours to kick in.
This means a short 2-day break can offer some benefits in terms of increased sensitivity to cannabinoids, but it’s always best to extend it to at least 3 days to be sure.
That being said, further research shows that it may take the body anywhere between 3 weeks and 2 months to completely redistribute and reset the cannabis tolerance. In other words, the longer you extend the t-break, the more effective it’s going to be.
Factors Affecting the Length of Tolerance Break
There are various factors affecting the recommended duration of the t-break. In this section, we’ll take a quick look at them.
Frequency and Amount of Cannabis Use
Heavy cannabis users who consume cannabis frequently and in high doses will typically require longer breaks (a few weeks or more) to achieve a significant tolerance reset.
On the other hand, if you consume cannabis in very small quantities, 2-day breaks might be good enough for you.
THC Content
Studies show that among the active ingredients in cannabis, THC is the one mainly contributing to its tolerance-inducing effect.
As a result, products with higher THC content will result in stronger tolerance, and therefore, longer t-breaks.
Individual Differences
Variations in how the body processes cannabinoids can impact the effectiveness of different break lengths.
Although not by much, individuals with faster metabolisms typically require slightly shorter breaks for the same amount of THC consumed, compared to those with slower metabolism.
Medicinal Need
Stopping cannabis use cold turkey might not be feasible for individuals using it purely for medical purposes to manage chronic conditions, especially if it’s necessary for managing co-occurring mental health conditions.
In that case, you must discuss your need for alternative management strategies with a healthcare professional to ensure symptom control while potentially reducing tolerance.
How Long Can My Break Be?
If you develop severe tolerance to cannabis quickly and you want to avoid using it completely, you can simply extend your break indefinitely. You only need to discuss the alternative with your doctor if you use it for medicinal reasons.
Key Takeaway
Cannabis tolerance breaks are highly effective in reducing the risk of cannabis dependence and developing withdrawal symptoms.
While a 2-day break can offer some advantages, you may need to extend your break a few weeks to reset your cannabinoid receptors.
If you would like to find out more about the ideal tolerance break period for your specific situation or you need help with cannabis addiction, contact our experts at Illinois Recovery Center to receive help right away!
