How long should you wait between cannabis doses to avoid building up a tolerance?

When you regularly consume cannabis, you may develop a tolerance such that you need to consume larger doses in order to get the same effect you used to get from a smaller dose. But ingesting high doses of cannabis increases your chances of experiencing adverse side effects. A better solution is to find out how much time you need to wait between cannabis sessions to avoid building up a tolerance, so that you can consistently get the results you want. According to experts in cannabis wellness, there are at least 15 factors that can impact your cannabis experience. The time you wait between sessions could determine whether or not you are enjoying your ideal experience. Jointly is a cannabis wellness app that lets you record how well a cannabis product helps you achieve your wellness goals. When you report your cannabis consumption on Jointly, you record when you last used cannabis so you can determine how this factor affects your experience. Perhaps you will find that as long as you microdose, you have no need for a tolerance break. Or maybe you will discover that you have your best cannabis experiences when you wait two days between sessions. Our data indicates that Jointly works best when you report at least 10 cannabis sessions. If you only fill out a few reports and then stop, you won’t have enough data to start to see trends and improve how you consume cannabis.

What is Cannabis Tolerance?

Research indicates that regular cannabis users experience less intoxication, they are intoxicated for a shorter period of time, and they have less reports of “good feelings” and “stimulation” than non-regular users. Tolerance refers to a decrease in the intoxicating and rewarding effects of cannabis with consistent use. Tolerance is not uniform across all cognitive measures. For example, studies have shown that regular users display less impairment in memory and learning than non-regular users when consuming cannabis, but the groups displayed no differences in impulsivity when consuming cannabis. Studies indicate that regular users also form some degree of tolerance to the physiological effects of cannabis. For example, both regular and non-regular users display elevations in heart rate after consuming cannabis, but regular users’ heart rates are elevated for a shorter period of time.

What is the Science of Cannabis Tolerance?

When you consume cannabis, THC binds to the CB1 receptors in the brain. These receptors are found in high density in the limbic-reward structures of the brain. When occasional users consume cannabis, they display significant neurometabolic changes in reward circuitry. These changes are associated with higher subjective ratings of intoxication and worse performance on sustained attention tasks. In chronic cannabis users, CB1 receptors are downregulated, which leads to a normalization of dopamine output. Basically, chronic cannabis use leads to adaptive changes in regions of the brain related to reward. These adaptions are absent in occasional users.

How Long of a Break Do You Need to Reset Tolerance?

The amount of time needed to reset your tolerance likely has to do with various factors including your individual biology, how much cannabis you typically consume and how much time you wait between doses. Studies on cannabis tolerance indicate that regular users who abstain from cannabis for one week begin to reverse their tolerance. In fact, research indicates that after two days of monitored abstinence, CB1 receptors began to normalize. However, daily cannabis users may need to wait a bit longer. Human studies of daily users indicate that after four weeks of abstinence, CB1 receptor density had returned to normal levels. Cannabis can be an important part of your wellness toolkit. But if you find yourself having to increase your dose to achieve the same results, it might be time to schedule a break from cannabis to reset your tolerance.

Getting Answers with Jointly

Curious about joining the cannabis club and tracking and optimizing how you use cannabis and CBD? Jointly is a cannabis wellness app that allows you to track and record your cannabis and CBD consumption, including your dose, time of use, composition of the product and various other factors that can influence your experience. You can see what products are available at your local cannabis dispensary or, if you have a medical marijuana card, your local medical cannabis clinic. Download the Jointly app today and get started on your cannabis wellness journey!