A few years ago, I was listening to a podcast discussing the topic of medical cannabis consumption among new patients. The podcast’s two hosts briefly discussed the idea of taking a break every now and again. Unfortunately, they did not explain why doing so is a good idea.
Being intensely curious, I decided to research the question myself. I discovered that many experts recommend taking a few days off per month. For example, a patient might choose to not use medical cannabis for the first three days of every month. On the fourth day, medicating can resume.
Why take time off? To avoid tolerance and reduce the risk of becoming cannabis dependent. Both concerns are legitimate, although the likelihood of becoming dependent on cannabis is significantly lower than more addictive drugs.
Medical Cannabis and Tolerance
For the remainder of this post, assume that medical cannabis equals marijuana or THC-infused medical products. THC is a psychoactive substance. Whether a person uses medical cannabis or recreational marijuana, the THC therein has an effect on the brain. It induces euphoria, among other things.
Using cannabis once every few months would not allow the brain to get used to THC. Therefore, consuming the same amount each and every time would result in similar feelings. It is different if you are using cannabis every day.
That is just what medical users do. Yet daily use gives the brain opportunity to adapt to THC levels in the blood. The more it adapts, the more it gets used to the drug – and the less effective the drug becomes. This is known as tolerance. The best way to avoid tolerance is to break the cycle. Hence the recommendation to take two or three days off every month.
Tolerance Can Lead to Dependence
Tolerance is not a good thing in and of itself. However, it is even more concerning with something like THC. As the brain tolerates higher levels of THC, more is needed to achieve the same effect. As such, continually increasing the amount of medical cannabis used to keep up with tolerance only increases the likelihood of developing dependence.
Research studies indicate that marijuana dependence (addiction) isn’t the norm among adults. But it is still possible. More importantly, dependence among young people whose brains are still developing is more common. It is all the more reason for teenagers and young adults to be very careful with both recreational marijuana and medical cannabis.
Using the Least Amount Necessary
Bringing all this full circle is the whole concept of medical cannabis. Unlike consuming recreational marijuana, the point of taking medical cannabis is not to get high. The point is to find relief from the symptoms of your particular condition. That may mean getting high in some cases. However, it does not have to mean that. People can take low doses of THC and experience very little euphoria from it, yet still get the medical benefits they want.
According to the operators of Salt Lake City’s Beehive Farmacy, the consensus within healthcare is to use the least amount of medical cannabis necessary to achieve efficacy. Such thinking is in line with guidelines for using other prescription medications. Using the least amount necessary minimizes side effects and potential long-term consequences. Using more, just because one can, only increases both short- and long-term risks.
If you are new to medical cannabis as a patient, understand that it is in your best interests to take a few days off every month. Taking time off addresses the tolerance issue and reduces the risk of developing dependence. Both are worthy goals to shoot for.
