Tolerance can really creep up on you. One day, you're floating a foot off the ground after hitting a joint. And before you know it, you're packing your fourth bowl of the night and spending too much on flower.
THC tolerance is tough to quantify, but can be avoided or reset (excluding those with Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome). I want to talk about what a THC tolerance is, why it happens, and how to manage it.
Tolerance to cannabis, just like any other tolerance, is when your body starts to get used to something. This weakens the effects of the substance. Defining a "high" tolerance with THC is tricky because it can be subjective. Your friend might need 10mg to feel high, while you only need 1mg. But some people need 50mg+ to feel anything.
So tolerance levels sit all along the spectrum. People also feel the effects of cannabis differently. Defining exactly how much you need to "feel it" depends on what sensation and strength you're referring to.
I think it's safe to say I have a higher tolerance than most people (my editors certainly think so). With cannabis edibles, I typically need a minimum of 10mg Delta-9 THC to feel anything. And by anything, I mean a slight haziness. To feel actually high, I typically need 15-20mg.
The max I'm usually comfortable taking at once is 50mg. And that's the MAX, as in something I kind of have to hype myself up for and do not do casually. I know some stoners are reading this thinking I'm a weakling, but I'm not in college anymore, okay? I have dogs to walk and cannabis explainers to write.
Smoking is different. It hits faster, so it's easier to clock. There's not a big threshold there for me. If I take one hit, whether it's a joint or a pipe, I'll feel it for sure. I can take the same size hit from a bong -- or maybe a gravity bong if I'm feeling wild -- and I'll feel way higher. But I can also handle more when smoking because an inhalation high is typically milder than a digestion high.
While one person might think my tolerance is crazy, I also know people who have tolerances that scare me. It's all relative.
You can only develop a THC tolerance if you regularly use cannabis. Dabbling a little in cannabis won't magically make you super tolerant. It takes time and commitment.
First off, people have to use it routinely to develop a tolerance. This typically means daily or weekly, with daily users having the highest tolerances.
Second, it's also about how much cannabis you consume. If you have a 5mg THC drink every day, you might build up a tolerance to that, but a 20mg THC drink could still wreck you. Again, it's all relative.
Scientifically, the tolerance comes from cannabinoid receptor downregulation. THC and many other cannabinoids bind to the CB1 receptors in our brain, which is what gets us stoney-baloney. Over time, with regular use, your CB1 receptors become less sensitive or less available.
Experientially, the more often you get high, the more you recognize the sensations and grow accustomed to the feeling. When something is more familiar, it's less noticeable.
Tolerance can also depend on factors like your genetics, how you consume cannabis, your weight, and more. You may have the exact same cannabis habits as someone else, but have different tolerances.
Avoiding a high THC tolerance isn't rocket science. The name of the game is moderation -- and willpower.
It's the routine that usually creates a tolerance. And it can happen slowly. Moderate daily use can still create a high tolerance, so skipping days, limiting yourself to weekends, or taking regularly scheduled tolerance breaks can keep your CB1 receptors sensitive and willing.
If you don't want to develop a high tolerance, then don't test your limits. Just because your usual 5mg drink isn't doing anything, that doesn't mean you should have another one. Stopping yourself in these moments keeps you from increasing your tolerance, and also signifies that you should take a short break so that 5mg bevvie will hit next time.
Microdosing is a solid way to ensure you never build a real tolerance. That means only ever taking 1-2mg THC at a time. This isn't for everyone. You won't get high-high, but you can enjoy the more soothing effects of THC.
If you've already climbed the tolerance ladder and would like to get down, there are a few ways to descend. But the only one that is (more or less) guaranteed to work is a full-on tolerance break.
Nothing will reset your tolerance like a good 'ole fashion T-break, which I highly encourage you to take. Even if your tolerance is moderate, a T-break is always a good way to reassess your relationship with bud and give your body a reprieve from the substance. The minimum recommended T-break length is 21 days for regular users, but you can go longer or shorter depending on your needs.
You don't have to go cold turkey; you can just cut back. Instead of facing joint after joint, maybe just smoke one mini j a day. Or start buying the weaker THC drinks instead of the high-potency ones. You get the idea. However, if taking a cold turkey T-break feels impossible to you, it probably means you should do it. I say that with love.
If you're a loyal Northern Lights user, maybe it's time to try a sativa. For people who exclusively smoke, switching to edibles for a bit could reset their tolerance, and vice versa. Trying new consumption methods, terpene profiles, and cannabinoid quantities can result in stronger effects for people with built-up tolerances.
Thanks to all those brainy cultivators and food developers, cannabis products don't have to contain THC. For many, it's the ritual of consumption that is hard to give up, not so much the actual THC. Smoking CBD flower and using CBD gummies and other edibles lets you stick to your habits while giving your CB1 receptors a chance to reset.
Generally, no. CBD and other cannabinoids interact with your brain differently from THC (and its variants, like THCP) and are less likely to create a tolerance. It's not impossible, but it's far less reported and documented. The same goes for CBG, CBN, and similar cannabinoids, but more research is needed to understand their tolerance-building potential.
If you want to reset your tolerance for real, learn more about how to take an effective T-break: The Tea on T-Breaks: Do They Work? Are They Worth It?