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If you use cannabis, at some point you should take a tolerance break.

Like anything else, your body builds up a tolerance: you need more to get high. A t-break could help you save money and also keep balance.

The hard news is that if you partake most days, a true tolerance break should be at least 21 days long, since it takes around three weeks or more for THC to leave your system. (That’s because THC bonds to fat, which is stored in the body longer.)

This guide is here to help.

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Hello. And welcome.

I created this guide because people would tell me that when they set out to take a t-break, they only lasted a few days. Sometimes they felt ashamed because it was harder than they thought. There is no need to feel bad…

…but it can be hard to take a break. People usually find some aspect of getting high beneficial. Cannabis causes fewer harms than some other drugs and creates less cravings. For those very reasons, ironically, some people find it challenging to find a balance with cannabis: they might think that cannabis has no harms and no cravings. Everything has pros and cons. And cannabis, like a lot of things, can create dependency.

A tolerance break is a good time to re-evaluate balance. If you want to stop completely, just continue the break. Others may return to cannabis and can use this as a support while bringing down their tolerance and finding better balance.

Either way, a little support is a good thing and our research at universities across the US shows that people who use this guide are more likely to complete a tolerance break. I hope you find it useful but if you don't I welcome your feedback.

With gratitude,
~ Tom Fontana
tom.fontana@uvm.edu

Prefer a printable version of this guide?

 

How to use this guide:

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This guide has daily practices. Each week has a different theme:

  • Week 1: physical
  • Week 2: emotional
  • Week 3: spiritual / existential

It may be useful to read a few a days at once because there are practical things about sleep and appetite that may be helpful right away.

Care has been put into the content and order, but you know what works for you. Feel free to make this is a choose-your-own adventure guide.

A note on wording:
The word “marijuana” has a history in the United States. Its roots are in racism and the war on drugs. So I say ‘cannabis’ or ‘weed.' I hope that is ok with you.

Also, I say ‘partake’ or ‘use’ to include smoking, vaping, eating, etc. I hope that’s ok too.

 

Zine-Style Printable
T-Break Guide

Translations

Our research