A few notes before we start: 

• Today has a lot of content. Don’t let this scare you away! The rest of the days aren’t as long.
• You will see the term “cannabis” used a lot throughout the 21 days of content. The term “THC” will also be used occasionally. These are both just other terms for weed.

Timing

Pick a Monday to start your t-break. A 21-day stretch with some stability would be ideal. But there may never be a perfect time, and that’s ok.  If you opt to wait until next Monday, the content will be shared then.

Stash and paraphernalia

Don’t have any weed around when you start. The closer it is physically, the more tempting it is to want to use it. Seeing or smelling it can be the hardest part of taking a break, so it's best to get rid of it. If you can’t get rid of it, hide it somewhere that isn’t within sight or smell.

Same with paraphernalia. If you are quitting, get rid of it. If you are just taking a pause and you have some really nice glass, hide it away. (Or let a friend hold on to it.) If you have cheap stuff, throw it away. Consider this a great opportunity to tidy up.

Identify who may be a support and tell them that you are taking a t-break. If other people in your life partake, they may even want to join you on this break. Most friends will understand you taking a t-break and will support you.

But there may be some people in your life who will question you and make this harder. Some friends may try to get you back in the circle. Your change (lowkey) causes discomfort in them- and they’ll want you to go back to the routine that works for them.

Like putting away your piece, you may have to cut down on time with them too.

Phones

Regarding phones and screens...that’s a whole different guide. But for now, consider how your cannabis use impacts your phone use (scrolling, social media, watching, gaming, etc.).

A student who was using cannabis once said “I gotta stop smoking weed, it’s ruining everything”. He would smoke weed, stay up late rotting on his phone, and then wake up late the next day, having missed key obligations. He’d feel terrible but repeat it all again by smoking. Weed was not the source of all those problems, but it was making them worse.

Weed might not be like that for you. But consider what you do when you get high that works for you, and what you might want to adjust.

Nicotine

Some people like to mix tobacco in with cannabis. In many places, tobacco costs less than cannabis, so it saves a little money. And, since tobacco is not great for our health… they might like that they are not using as much tobacco. Those two things are positive. But the combo also creates some not so good things.

Cannabis is a bronchodilator, meaning it opens up the lungs. When inhaled together, the nicotine goes deeper into your lungs. (This is why people often cough when used together, even if they don’t when used separately.) The headrush that people experience from the combination can be asphyxiation: a temporary lack of oxygen. Some people come to like this feeling so much that they want to experience it over and over.

If you just combine the two occasionally, you will probably be fine during this break. But if you combine the two often, you might also experience nicotine withdrawal. If this is holding you back from a successful tolerance break, then you might want to consider nicotine replacement supports too (like a patch or gum.) [click here for Student Wellness Tobacco and E-cigarette Support]

CBD

A note about CBD use during a t-break:

1. It is your break. We support you doing what’s best for you.
2. 2. If possible, it is worth it to try to limit or abstain from CBD during your break and you might see some benefits.

Here’s why:

Tolerance is not just chemical, it’s behavioral. Although a person could probably use CBD during a break and still reduce their chemical tolerance to THC, that person might miss out on other aspects of tolerance.

Behavioral tolerance includes the habits, routines, and rituals that we build into cannabis use. These, in turn, come to impact our thoughts and cravings, and even the very experience of being high. As chemical tolerance goes up, we increasingly come to rely on these behavioral aspects for enjoyment. To gain perspective during this t-break, it can be helpful to take a break from these too.

Here is some advice:

If possible, don’t use CBD during a break. However, if withdrawal symptoms are keeping you from taking a break, giver yourself flexibility and focus on doing the best you can in reducing use. Remember, progress is more important the perfection. 

First, if possible, only use CBD during the early days when physical withdrawal is strong, then try tapering off. 

Second, when you use CBD, use it in the most boring way possible. Take drops, an oil, or a simple edible. (Don’t use CBD flower as a replacement in your bong or joints.) Taking these steps might help reduce your behavioral tolerance too.