Cannabis’ reputation is bad when it comes building tolerance. Numerous articles explain the problem. You start out using cannabis, and you feel great. But after a couple of weeks, you realize you need to use more. You increase your dose, only to soon find that this new dose is also insufficient — it just doesn’t get you ‘high’ the same way.
The prescription for this problem is usually to go on a tolerance break, a few weeks where you stop using cannabis and let your system reset. You will find that your tolerance is back where it was when you first started using cannabis. It is very clear that tolerance is not something we want.
But building a tolerance to cannabis isn’t bad. This is an important factor for some, especially those who are medically oriented. Some medical cannabis users are worried about the side effects, such as memory problems or difficulty in thinking.
The development of tolerance for cannabis has many benefits. Studies have shown that chronic users of cannabis do not experience the same side effects as occasional users (such as being unable to drive or perform everyday tasks).
As a cannabis user, I experienced this myself. Cannabis was disorienting for me. Although it wasn’t necessarily a negative thing, I found it difficult to do much when under the influence.
I was amazed at my friend, a classmate of mine who could smoke all day and still be completely normal. He would go to class, have complex conversations about analytic philosophy, work on his doctorate — all while using cannabis.
In response to my question, he said that he was tolerant. It was used by him.
I had been suffering from chronic pain for a long time and missed a great deal of work and school due to this. Cannabis was helpful, but only at night and when I had no work. It was like a time-out from the pain, but it didn’t help me with the real problem — my inability to work when I was in pain.
My friend suggested something that ran counter to everything I had read — I should Building up My tolerance
He suggested that you “smoke before writing the paper”. The first couple of days will be strange, but after that you’ll become accustomed to smoking.
It’s Time to Develop a Cannabis Tolerance
He was correct, much to my surprise. After a week, the side effects of cannabis were gone. It was liberating. While I still had relief from my pain and anxiety, I was thinking clearly and felt… normal.
While I worried my cannabis tolerance building would lead to continual increases in use, at a certain point my tolerance increases seemed to plateau: I have been on a relatively stable dose for the last five years. When I continue to use the same cannabis strain for a long time, my tolerance increases. This strain You need to continue to find relief. However, I don’t have any other tolerance problems. And now that you mention it, I always try to avoid tolerance breaks.
Although tolerance breaks can be great for those who use cannabis recreationally or for occasional medical purposes, they should never be suggested for chronic medical issues. If you’re using cannabis to treat your daily health needs, you wouldn’t be likely to hear a physician suggest taking a break from antidepressants or heart medications. Interrupting that can disrupt and confuse your body. We also know that any symptoms you managed will not be receiving the necessary help.
Still, last summer, I was forced to take a tolerance break: I got a lung infection (unrelated to the cannabis) which was aggravated by smoke, so I spent months unable to use my medicine.
After a few weeks, I began to use cannabis again and my tolerance level was at the beginning. I had no tolerance issues. It was a total waste of time! After a few weeks, I began to build my tolerance again. It was only after that I could use cannabis again as a medicine.
After such a break I was hoping to be able use a smaller dose, but found that I returned quickly to the same stable dose I’d been on for years. It turned out, despite the inconvenience of a break in treatment, that my body responded best to the same dose.
Some people swear by tolerance breaks, and there are many medical users and recreational users who do the same. But others may find it better to maintain and develop a certain degree of tolerance. The level of tolerance can differ greatly from person-to-person depending on biochemistry and individual needs.
In my role as a patient advisor, I work closely with clients in tracking their cannabis experience. Looking back over a few weeks of entries, many of them are able to better understand what is working for them and what isn’t.
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK. Tolerance – Has it affected your marijuana experience?