Tolerance Breakdown
Taking a cannabis break to check the whys behind my highs.
I haven’t smoked weed in over 24 hours. Terrible timing I know.
Yet if all goes to plan I won’t be consuming any cannabis products for the next 29 days. The one exception will be for sleep: if I’m not getting any, I’ll allow myself a nighttime edible or dose of a tincture. Between being a daily cannabis consumer that has consumed recreationally for more than a decade and the highly potent offerings that make 25%+ THC a California staple, my tolerance has grown steadily over the years. And the higher the tolerance, the more I smoke. This isn’t exactly the goal.
A quick search for “tolerance break cannabis” yields everything from recommendations on how long to take one (anywhere between 2-21 days) to Reddit threads offering anecdotes and advice to articles from major news outlets explaining the pros and cons. Much of it is framed as a system reset that reduces the amount of THC stored in the body.
For me, it’s about checking myself.
Last year it was reported that according to four decades of survey data, daily marijuana use in the U.S. is now more common than “similar levels of drinking”. Additional studies found that Millennials who use cannabis are doing so multiple times a day and they absolutely love pre-rolls, especially the (more potent) infused ones. As a plant medicine proponent I say, “Huzzah!!” But then I remember a stoney conversation I had with a friend during a high profile networking event last year. After passing a joint, settling into the euphoria, then soaking in the deal-making happening all around us, she posed a question I’ve never been asked before:
Why do we all need to get so high in the first place? Are people ok?
Spoiler alert: we're not.
Cannabis can’t do it all
While expanding cannabis legalization grants more people access to a natural therapeutic resource, I’ve found taking stock over my cannabis use at least once a year reminds me of what I’m striving for which is to manage my overall health and wellbeing in a holistic way. And it begins with remembering I started consuming weed in the first place:
Menstrual cramps. These have been with me since I was 11, and the plant’s anti-inflammatory properties work better, more reliably, and with fewer side effects than anything else I’ve tried over the years (which is mostly ibuprofen and birth control pills).
Sleeplessness. My active brain makes sleeping tough. An evening joint helps me simmer down and fall asleep easily.
Anxiety. A self diagnosis lumping together my difficulties managing stress, burnout, and feeling overwhelmed. Quality time with a joint brings the calm and relaxation.
Pleasure. Being high is fun and I love how it adds a little sparkle to the everyday – from eating and listening to music to the really mundane stuff like cleaning the bathroom and folding laundry.
For years I rolled with this narrative. Then after about a decade of daily consumption, I took my first cannabis break for 29 days. I learned that without daily consumption…
I didn’t smoke out of boredom, to numb myself, or while procrastinating or otherwise avoiding life’s challenges
I experienced less brain fog and more mental clarity
I felt more motivated to write and tap into my creativity
I didn't feel as anxious throughout the day
I got out of my head, didn’t ruminate as much
Less TV-watching, more book-reading
I was dreaming again
No snacking in the absence of munchies
Meditation, herbal tea, and ending screen time 2 hours before bedtime go a long way
That was in February 2020. Weeks later, covid lockdown was in place and within months I was smoking in the early afternoons and spending hundreds of dollars a month for cannabis delivery.
Because no matter how much THC or CBD I put into my body, the variety of terpenes, or the brand I bought it all from, I wasn’t ok.
Since then I’ve had lots of therapy and many life changes. I was able to eliminate nightly edibles from my routine, and for the first time in decades, I’m enthusiastically single and have no interest in dating. Oh, and I deleted Instagram. Taking a tolerance allows me to see what’s happening in my life clearly, and evaluate from there: based on whatever’s going on, does cannabis still make sense for me? If it does, perhaps we’ll be back in each other’s company in February.
Wish me luck, y’all.