If you’ve been using medicinal cannabis (THC, more specifically) for a while, you might be familiar with the fact that regular use can lead to an increased tolerance. This means that the same amount of cannabis may no longer produce the same effects, requiring you to consume more to feel the desired results. A cannabis tolerance break, or “T-break,” is a period of voluntary abstinence from cannabis use to reset your tolerance, allowing you to experience the plant’s effects more intensely once you resume use.
Tolerance to cannabis builds as your body’s homeostatic functions work to reduce the availability of receptors that THC binds to (CB1 receptors) with the more THC that is present in your system. Patients usually report that tolerance begins to appear after a few weeks of daily use. If you follow the advice on your doctor’s prescription, patients find that they have far fewer issues with tolerance.
Signs you need a THC tolerance break
- Do you require more cannabis per use to get the same effects?
- Do you need to use cannabis more frequently throughout the day?
- Do you notice that the effects of cannabis do not last as long?
- Are the effects from cannabis reduced compared to when you started using it?
- Are you using more cannabis and spending more money per month than previously?
Taking tolerance breaks can not only resensitise your body to THC, but can also have positive financial benefits once you no longer need to consume as much cannabis.
How do I take a tolerance break?
Factors such as current tolerance & cannabis usage can potentially affect need and the duration of a T-break. However, Dr Dustin Sulak of Healer.com recommends that a 48-hour abstinence period from THC is enough to reset the body. This is backed by evidence that the body’s concentration of CB1 receptors is restored to baseline after 2 days. Nevertheless, every individual is different, and some people find that they need a longer T-break to achieve their desired drop in tolerance.
Setting a strict 48-hour cannabis fast, and taking a diary of your symptoms, activities and effects is usually the best way to go about it. During a T-break, activities such as getting lots of exercise, changing up your routine/environment, and eating endocannabinoid-enhancing foods can help make time feel quicker and stimulate your body’s natural endocannabinoid production.
In the next 96 hours after a cannabis fast, Dr Dustin Sulak recommends reintroducing cannabis, but slowly. Using the bare minimum of cannabis for the smallest noticeable effect over these days also helps to resensitise your body to the effects of THC.
How often should I take a tolerance break?
A good time to take a tolerance break is when you feel you’ve developed tolerance, or even once or twice annually.
Can I use CBD during a tolerance break?
Using CBD (including flowers, oils or edibles) during a THC-tolerance break is fine, and can actually help support your endocannabinoid system without the psychoactive effects of THC.
Other tips for T-breaks from our team:
- Switch to nighttime-only use or have weekend-long breaks.
- Switch between your prescribed strains throughout the day.
- Change strains (flowers) regularly after discussing with your prescriber.
If you have any questions about T-breaks, please give us a call at 1300 420 965 or send us an email at hello@dispensedirect.com.au. Our team would love to help.
References
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Beyondblue.org.au. (2019). Fundraise for Beyond Blue. [online] Available at: https://fundraise.beyondblue.org.au/posts/posts/thc-tolerance-what-is-a-t-break [Accessed 25 Feb. 2025].
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Sulak, D. (2025). A Guide to Cannabis Tolerance Breaks - THC Tolerance - Healer. [online] Healer. Available at: https://healer.com/blog/guide-to-cannabis-tolerance-breaks/.
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D’Souza, D.C., Cortes-Briones, J.A., Ranganathan, M., Thurnauer, H., Creatura, G., Surti, T., Planeta, B., Neumeister, A., Pittman, B., Normandin, M.D., Kapinos, M., Ropchan, J., Huang, Y., Carson, R.E. and Skosnik, P.D. (2016). Rapid Changes in Cannabinoid 1 Receptor Availability in Cannabis-Dependent Male Subjects After Abstinence From Cannabis. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 1(1), pp.60–67. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2015.09.008.
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McPartland JM, Guy GW, Di Marzo V. Care and feeding of the endocannabinoid system: a systematic review of potential clinical interventions that upregulate the endocannabinoid system. Plos One. 2014;9(3):e89566-e89566. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0089566