Timing

Pick a date to start your t-break. A 21-day stretch with some stability would be ideal. But there may never be a perfect time, and that’s ok. Give it a little thought, but just pick something.

Try to pick a date that is sooner than later- today even. Try not to have a big lead up. (That leads to procrastination.) If you have a routine, don’t increase it before your t-break. 

Stash and paraphernalia

Don’t have any cannabis around when you start. The closer it is physically, the more we desire to do it. It’s hardest if you can smell or see it so get rid of it.

Same with paraphernalia. If you are quitting, get rid of it. If you are just taking a pause and you have some really nice glass, hide it away. (Or let a friend hold on to it.) Consider this a tidying up. If you have cheap shit, throw it away.

With a little help from my friends

Identify who may be a support and tell them that you are taking a t-break. If other people in your life partake, they may even want to join you on this break. Most friends will understand you taking a t-break and will support you.

But there may be some people in your life who will question you and make this harder. Some friends may try and to get you back in the circle. You changing causes lowkey discomfort in them- and they will want you to go back to the routine that works for them.

Like putting away your piece, you may have to avoid them too.

A note about tobacco

Some people like to mix tobacco in with cannabis. In many places, tobacco costs less than cannabis, so it saves a little money. And, since tobacco is not great for our health… they might like that they are not using as much tobacco. Those two things are positive. But the combo also creates some not so good things.

Cannabis is a bronchodilator: it opens up the lungs. When inhaled together, the nicotine goes deeper into your lungs. (This is why people often cough when used together, even if they don’t when used separately.) The headrush that people experience may be asphyxiation: a temporary lack of oxygen. Some people come to like this feeling so much, that they want to experience it over and over.

If you just combine the two occasionally, you will probably be fine during this break. But if you combine the two often, you might also experience nicotine withdrawal. If this is holding you back from a successful tolerance break, then you might want to consider nicotine abstinence supports like a patch or gum.

A note about CBD

People have asked me about using CBD during their break. I would say two things:

1. It is your break. I support you doing what’s best for you.
2. If possible, try to limit or abstain from CBD during your break.

Here’s why:

Tolerance is not just chemical, it’s behavioral.  Although a person could probably use CBD during a break and still reduce their chemical tolerance to THC, that person might miss out on other aspects of tolerance.

Behavioral tolerance includes the habits, routines, and rituals that we build into cannabis use. These, in turn, come to impact our thoughts and cravings, and even the very experience of being high. As chemical tolerance goes up, we increasingly come to rely on these behavioral aspects for enjoyment. To gain perspective, it can be helpful to take a break from these too.

Here is my advice:

If possible, don’t use CBD during a break. However, if you really struggle with withdrawal or other experiences that would keep you from taking a break-- and CBD is the only thing helping with that… use it.

If you are going to use CBD try these two practices:

If possible, only use CBD during the early days when the physical stuff is hardest, then try tapering off. Second, when you use CBD, use it in the most boring way possible. Take drops, an oil, or a simple edible. (Don’t use CBD flower as a replacement.)  Taking these steps might help reduce your behavioral tolerance.