Most stoners go through periods when they find it hard to manage their cannabis use and I’m no exception. During those times when life gets stressful or a bout of sickness crushes energy levels, there’s nothing like cannabis to give the mind and body space to heal. It allows you to step out of the chaos for a moment and get centred again, which naturally benefits both mental and physical wellbeing. But that’s also why it can easily become a crutch.
My use shot up over the winter when I moved into my van. Before that, it shot up during 2023 in the months after I put my dog (my heart) to sleep. Before that again, it shot up during the Pandemic as a way to cope with the uncertainty of the Lockdown Years. In short, my use has been consistent in recent years, a permanent feature of my life, one that keeps my grounded, motivated and relaxed. More recently, I’ve been wondering who I am without cannabis?
Every user will have their own reasons for wanting to take a tolerance break (T break.) Studies show that continued use of cannabis builds up tolerance levels in the user meaning they have to consume more to get high. As someone who has used cannabis for decades, I dispute this. I consume more or less the same amount over years, and because my body is so attuned to THC, a tiny amount gets me stoned. This is one of many reasons it’s not possible to lump cannabis in with other drugs, but that doesn’t mean a T break isn’t beneficial.
The following are some of my reasons for taking a break:
Cannabis and Sleep Regulation
It’s well known that cannabis aids sleep, and is particularly helpful for those who have problems falling asleep at bedtime. It’s also known that it disrupts REM sleep, so even though it can help you get to sleep, the quality of the sleep is reduced. I’m someone who doesn’t like going to bed, and once there, find it hard to get up in the morning. I’m not a morning person though I do love the peacefulness of mornings and wish I could enjoy them more.
It has another effect on me. I tend to smoke in the evenings when I’m writing. I typically finish late, could be ten or eleven p.m., or sometimes, even later. And then it takes me a few hours to calm down after hours of intense writing, so I watch TV and have a smoke. This means I stay up late. And then I’m tired in the morning. If I’m not smoking, I naturally go to bed earlier because I don’t have the draw of a joint to keep me up a few more hours. As I age, I find this routine punishing. I can feel my body looking to find its natural sleep cycle.
Cannabis and Fitness
I’m a certified nutritionist and eat a restricted diet to manage my irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). I go to the gym five to six days a week, and have been a gym-goer for around eleven years. In the early years, I lifted weights. In recent years, I switched to kettlebells and love them! I aim to certify as a kettlebell trainer so that I can share this way of working out with other women, as it’s particularly beneficial to an ageing body, providing a full body workout as well as demanding mobility.
And even though, cannabis keeps me motivated and focused, I do not like to work out stoned. Studies show that cannabis consumers tend to have lower BMIs than the general population, and I know dozens of weightlifters who use cannabis specifically to minimise the ache of muscle soreness. But I’ve found that it reduces my strength significantly over time, and makes strength-training a real challenge. I need to up my strength to start my training as a kettlebell trainer, and it’s important enough to me that I’m willing to forego cannabis.
Cannabis and Money
“Cannabis use is a personal choice,” declares the inimitable Frank Gallagher in season 11 of the U.S. TV drama, Shameless. He agrees to help his friends, Kev and V sell cannabis products from their bar, The Alibi, now that it’s (sort-of) legal to do so. But as soon as Kev starts making “baller” money selling weed, he gets jacked, his car, clothes and money roll stolen…
The Healthy Hashhead 