I remember listening to a medical cannabis podcast some years ago and being surprised to hear the two hosts speaking with their guest about tolerance. The topic of tolerance is one that does not come up much in medical cannabis circles simply because proponents try to avoid talking about anything negative. But the truth is that tolerance is a real thing – even among the medical cannabis set.

Tolerance is not necessarily dangerous to medical cannabis users. But if not properly managed, it can inhibit the effectiveness of their medications. Letting tolerance go for too long could lead to cannabis use disorder in the most severe cases. The good news is that tolerance is easily addressed.

What It Is and How It Works

In medical terms, tolerance is a condition in which the body gets used to a certain amount of a particular substance in the system. Tolerance is a direct result of how substances interact with the brain. In terms of medical cannabis, it is pretty simple.

The active ingredient in medical cannabis is THC. As a cannabinoid, THC interacts with the brain by way of neuroreceptors. When a person uses cannabis for the first time, the brain is surprised by the presence of THC. Brain receptors and neurotransmitters react accordingly, potentially making the patient feel high.

Regular cannabis consumption allows the brain to get used to a certain amount of THC. So as long as dosage remains the same, a person will eventually reach the point at which medical cannabis no longer produces the same effects. The effects are also less intense. This is what we call tolerance.

Taking More Medication

The danger with tolerance is that it encourages people to use more of the drug in question. That is why it is so dangerous with highly addictive drugs like cocaine and heroin. Users are continually upping the amount they need to achieve the same effects. They eventually become addicted, and their entire world comes crashing down.

The risk of addiction is comparatively low with medical cannabis. But patients have been known to develop what experts now refer to as cannabis use disorder. The disorder is typified by the habit of continually using more cannabis due to tolerance.

It is worth noting that cannabis use disorder has historically not been a widespread issue. But things are beginning to change. With state-legal cannabis have come newer and more potent strings that are upping the ante. We’ve seen an uptick in cannabis used disorder cases as a result.

Dealing With Tolerance Safely

The question among medical cannabis patients is how to avoid tolerance altogether. Fortunately, it is easy enough. The experts at Beehive Farmacy in Salt Lake City, UT say that the standard recommendation is to take three or four days off every month.

Let us say you are a medical cannabis patient using daily to manage chronic pain. In order to avoid tolerance, you take off the first three days of every month. On those days, you do not use any cannabis at all. Maybe you rely on OTC pain medications to take the edge off for that short period of time. Then on the fourth day of the month, you resume your normal medical cannabis therapy.

Avoiding cannabis for three to four consecutive days allows the brain to reset. So by taking time off every month, you don’t allow tolerance to get a foothold.

Despite what some medical cannabis proponents might say, tolerance is a real thing for patients. But it is a condition that can be easily controlled. If a health issue has you using medical cannabis, do not ignore tolerance.