Tolerance to THC
Cannabis lovers may find that THC doesn't work the way it used to after long-term use. What happened? It is possible that a high tolerance has developed.
Tolerance to THC occurs when the body gets used to the consumed amount. This is because tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive compound in cannabis, activates CB1 cannabinoid receptors in the brain and throughout the body. Regular use of cannabis over time reduces the sensitivity of CB1 receptors, reducing the effect of THC.
A similar analogy can be made with popular nose drops. Over time, they need to be used more and more often, and eventually the effect is reduced to a minimum, and it is necessary to take a break or change the active substance.
Factors affecting the development of tolerance
Tolerance to cannabinoids is different for everyone, since the endocannabinoid system and the number of CB1 receptors in each person are different. The same amount of THC will not have the same effect on two different people.
Factors affecting tolerance to cannabis include:
- Cannabinoid receptors: CB1 receptors are located throughout the body and are responsible for sensitivity to cannabinoids. The cannabinoid system in everyone is special, which leads to different effects and a predisposition to the development of tolerance.
- Frequency of use: the more a person uses cannabis, the more his tolerance to the drug increases.
- Age, weight, body chemistry: different people have different natural tolerance to cannabis. In general, overweight people tend to have a higher tolerance due to the tendency to accumulate THC in adipose tissue. And for example, older people and girls have a lower tolerance.
- THC dosage: It is known that products with a high THC content, such as kif, hashish, raisins, wax, contribute to the accelerated development of tolerance.
Can you develop tolerance to CBD and other non-psychoactive cannabinoids?
It is much more difficult to determine whether you are developing a tolerance to cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD), because its effects are not felt the same as when taking THC. We will answer the question: no, it is actually impossible to develop tolerance to CBD.
This is because CBD does not bind to CB1 receptors the way THC does, which means you cannot become desensitized to it. In fact, CBD can reduce the activation of CB1 receptors, which means that it can "re-sensitize" CB1 receptors and reduce tolerance to THC. Also, there are suggestions that CBD helps reduce the rate of breakdown of our own cannabinoids, such as anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol.
This makes CBD and other cannabinoids very useful not only for reducing negative side effects, but also for preventing excessive patient tolerance to one particular cannabinoid.
How much time does it take to get rid of tolerance?
Like the effects of cannabis, it is individual for everyone. On average, it takes about four weeks of abstinence from cannabis use for receptor function to return to its previous level. However, studies show that some people need only two to three days to regain the initial effect of cannabis on brain receptors.
In general, the duration of the break, of course, depends only on you. However, if you are a regular user, you can expect a cleanup period of two to five weeks. In less frequent users, one or two weeks may pass before noticeable signs of rebooting the body appear.
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