If you are regularly consuming cannabis, your body will eventually develop a tolerance to THC. You may notice yourself needing to consume stronger and more frequent doses of cannabis to reach your desired effects, whereas previously you could consume less to get the same results. This can be a frustrating and costly experience, but there’s actually a way to reset your tolerance and get back to your own normal, whatever that may be. A deliberate pause in cannabis consumption with the intentions of lowering your tolerance is called a tolerance break, or “t-break.”
Some people take t-breaks purely for the purpose of resetting their tolerance, and others do it for health reasons and to give their lungs a break. Some do it just to exercise willpower and maintain a healthy relationship with cannabis, which does have the potential to cause unhealthy habits.
How to Determine if You Should Take a T-Break
If you feel like you’re just not getting the effects you’re looking for when consuming cannabis—be it a psychoactive high that doesn’t feel as strong or wears off too quickly—then you might want to consider taking a tolerance break. Alternatively, if you feel like you’re consuming cannabis in a way that is bad for your health or bringing on negative side effects, you might also benefit from a t-break.
The costs of cannabis can be a reason for going on a t-break as well. After all, it can be a major expense if you’re consuming on the daily or multiple times a week. Make the most of that money being spent by ensuring your high tolerance isn’t costing you.
How to Begin a T-Break
If a t-break sounds right for you, start by setting a date to begin and stick to it. Don’t let it be too far away, as that gives you time to procrastinate. Don’t over-consume leading up to the beginning of your t-break, either. Trust us, overindulging just before will not make the process any easier.
When you begin your t-break, get all cannabis and paraphernalia out of your way. Shove it in the back of a closet or drawer, have a friend hold on to it for you, or throw it away if you have to. Use this as an opportunity to declutter your sesh kit and get it out of sight. It’ll be easier to justify interrupting your t-break if you have to constantly look at cannabis or products you can’t consume. Plus, when you’re ready to get back to it, your sesh kit will be spick and span.
Pro tip: don’t put stinky glass away! Clean it before storing so you can be welcomed back by the warm embrace of a sparkling glass piece.
Tips for a Successful T-Break
Try incorporating different healthy habits into your routine to replace cannabis. A cup of herbal tea, diffuser for essential oils, favorite healthy snack, a coloring book, or anything else that engages your senses and requires some focus for a moment can help distract you from craving a puff of a joint or a tasty edible.
You could also take advantage of the time off from smoking and do some self-care. There’s no better time than during a t-break for teeth whitening treatments or doing something like an herbal lung detox or a sinus cleanse.
Use this time to cut out unhealthy habits like nicotine vapes or excessive caffeine or sugar consumption. The positive effects of taking a break from energy drinks, junk food, or anything else you’d like to do or consume less of can be compounded when you pair that with a weed t-break, too.
However you choose to incorporate T-breaks into your consumption routine is up to you, and not everything is going to work the same for everyone. Take your time and don’t be too hard on yourself during the process. Regardless of your reasoning, deciding to take a t-break is, at its core, a decision to take care of yourself.
