Have your edibles or flower not been hitting as hard as they used to? Feel like you’re burning through your stash much quicker than before? Then you my friend may have developed a THC Tolerance! The dreaded tolerance is something that happens to many consumers that love THC, and it can significantly affect the experiences that you have while consuming THC. In this post we will go through exactly what a tolerance is, how it arises, and what you can do to prevent or manage this effect! 

Tolerance in simple terms is your body creating a resistance to the effects of a particular drug due to overuse. THC is a drug, so your body can absolutely build up a tolerance to it. On a molecular level, THC tolerances are the result of a reduction in available CB1 receptors in your cells. To explain, THC mimics the natural endocannabinoids present in our brain. These endocannabinoids bind to and activate cannabinoid receptors to aid our cells in dealing with stressors like pain, illness, or just stress itself! The THC molecule binds specifically to the CB1 receptors in our cells. These CB1 receptors are present all over the outside of our cells, but when THC is frequently introduced into our system, some of these receptors can retreat internally to the inside of our cells, leaving less receptors available for THC to bind to. Having less receptors to bind to leads to THC having a milder effect when consumed. So in short, tolerances arise due to frequent use. The amount consumed can also have an impact on your potential to develop a tolerance, with those who consume larger amounts of THC being more likely to develop significant tolerances. You can tell that you’ve developed a tolerance if you start needing to consume more milligrams of THC to get the same effect. 

So if you have developed the dreaded tolerance, are you stuck like this forever? No! Tolerances can be handled without too much effort, you’ll just need to take a bit of a break! If you stop consuming THC entirely, tolerances can be reversed for some in as little as 48 hours, while others can take up to 3 weeks to get a full reset. The timeframe for this reversal depends on a wide range of factors, from genetics and your physical body composition, to the amount of THC consistently consumed and how long you’ve been consuming for! If you start feeling a little physically off while taking this break, don’t worry! You are likely experiencing a mild withdrawal effect as the THC leaves your system. These effects can be reduced by consuming CBD, and this will not impact your tolerance level to THC. This is because CBD, while being a cannabinoid, interacts differently than THC with the receptors in your brain. There is also some evidence to suggest that consuming CBD while consuming THC can aid in lowering your chances of developing a tolerance as well! 

Tolerance is something that many Cannabis consumers have had to learn about and deal with, but it is a small price to pay for the benefits of Cannabis! For new users, there are some things you can do to help prevent significant tolerances from developing! Consume CBD, keep your THC doses lower if you can, and be mindful of how often you are consuming! Always rest assured that if you do develop a tolerance, it isn’t permanent and can be handled by taking a bit of a break. Breaks can be good for everyone! After you reset your tolerance, you’ll be smoking or consuming less and still getting the stronger effects!