Finding relief through cannabis even when you have a high tolerance

When the first Missouri dispensaries opened their doors in 2020, getting a Missouri marijuana card didn’t really do much for qualifying patients. The selection of medical marijuana products only covered a narrow spectrum of needs, and there were no options for people with a very low or high tolerance to THC.

Fortunately for residents of the Show Me State, the medical marijuana selection is now flourishing. From St. Louis to KC, St. Joseph to Poplar Bluff, and everywhere in between, you can find exactly what you’re looking for, whether it’s edibles with a higher CBD content, vape pens with a higher THC content, or a perfectly balanced smokable flower.

While using medical marijuana without becoming uncomfortably impaired is one of the top concerns most of our patients have, it’s also important to help people with an exceptionally high THC tolerance get the most out of their natural treatment plan as well.

For those of you who struggle to get the kind of relief you’re looking for because your body just doesn’t seem to register the results, we see you, too. In this post, we are going to take a look at reasons for some people’s tolerance to be higher than others’, and what you can do to boost the effectiveness of your cannabis every time you use it.

Reasons Why Some People Have a Higher Tolerance to THC

There are two main reasons why some people have a higher tolerance to THC than others. Mitigation strategies will be approximately the same no matter what your reasons are, and it will likely take a bit of trial and error in order to find the solutions that work best for you. But experimentation is half the fun, right?

1. DNA Plays a Role in the Effects of Cannabis

Genetic variations in your DNA make your body and brain unique to you, and this is also true within the system that is responsible for the majority of cannabis’s effects—the endocannabinoid system.

The human endocannabinoid system is a complex network of neuro receptors and transmitters that each have their own set of genetic variations, which can make you more or less tolerant to THC, CBD, and a host of other cannabinoids and terpenes.

Considering most of us ate the M&Ms our seventh-grade science teachers put in front of us for a lesson about punnett square genetics, it might feel completely pointless to even try to get any sort of control over your medical marijuana results if they are a matter of DNA.

Genetic Testing Can Help You Find the Right Dosing for You

However, there are products out there that can help you determine what will work best for you in order to get the results you want. Greenway DNA’s testing kit provides a simple way to gain insight into the right balance of THC to CBD in order to treat varying conditions based on your genetic makeup. Just spit in a tube, send it off to Greenway’s labs, and within three to four weeks, you’ll have a full report to inform your treatment plan.

2. Higher Levels of Cannabis Use Result in Higher Levels of Cannabis Tolerance

Using cannabis on the regular builds up your tolerance to THC—and it happens quickly. This is because the main function of the endocannabinoid system is to restore homeostasis to the body and mind. Since cannabinoids are mostly active within this system, it stands to reason that it would work rather efficiently to bring back a baseline sense of balance.

Ultimately, CB1 receptors become harder to connect with, making it more likely that the THC molecules will be less effective at changing your state of mind.

The good news is that they also return to their previous state rather quickly as well. So simply taking a short tolerance break and/or properly managing the timing of your dosing will help you get the most out of each session.

Tolerance Breaks Restore Sensitivity to THC Quickly

We know that no one likes to hear that they should quit using marijuana for a period of time in order to make it more effective, but the good news is that it doesn’t take long. Since your endocannabinoid system’s entire purpose is to maintain balance, your original level of sensitivity will restore quickly.

Ever notice that your first cannabis session of the day feels more powerful than the second or third, even if you use the same strain and same dose? That’s because even just a good night’s sleep facilitates recovery of your sensitivity to THC. We’ll take a closer look at tolerance breaks and dosing timing in a later section.

3. Other Reasons for Higher THC Tolerance

Other reasons you may not be getting the effects you’re looking for out of your medical marijuana include the following:

Age

Set and Setting

Expectations

State of Mind Before Consuming

THC to CBD Balance of the Specific Strain

What You Ate Today

Your Go-To Munchie Choice 

Method of Consumption

Other Medications

Tips for Taking a Tolerance Break

Even when your tolerance is high, using medical marijuana daily usually provides at least some symptom relief. The idea of getting no relief from symptoms can be daunting for many patients. In the end, you may decide it’s too much to ask, to stop using cannabis completely for a full 21 days to entirely reset your system. If, however, you feel that this is the correct route for you, here are some tips to get you through:

Talk to Your Marijuana Doctor Before You Take a T-Break

The first thing you need to do before you take a tolerance break, is to talk to your marijuana doctor. They may be able to recommend other products that will work better for you, and they can at least help you figure out how to reduce your tolerance while maintaining your health.

At Missouri Marijuana Card, we offer unlimited follow up appointments for the duration of the time your medical marijuana card is valid through us. This means that you can give us a call at (877) 303-3117, and our dedicated patient support staff will help you get all the information you need in order to make the best decision for your health.

Keep Taking High CBD Products

While CBD works better with at least a little THC as an accompaniment, CBD does still help provide relief from pain and inflammation, anxiety, depression, and a host of other symptoms. Continuing with a CBD regimen while you are laying low on the THC may help you get through it with minimal complications.

Time Your Tolerance Break Right

You might not be ready to give up medical marijuana for a full 21 days, but even just a couple of days without THC can help reduce your tolerance. Try scheduling a break for when you don’t have anything else to do, so that you can focus on taking care of yourself throughout the process.

Focus on Self Care

The most important thing to remember when you take a tolerance break is that you are doing it as a form of self-care. Make sure you keep that the focus so you don’t end up getting frazzled and feeling like crap the whole time. Eat well. Hydrate. Meditate. Get a good night’s sleep or at least plenty of rest. Don’t push yourself to do more than you feel up to.

How to Make the Most of Your Medical Marijuana When You Have a High Tolerance

Whether you decide it’s time for a tolerance break or not, there are always ways that you can maximize the benefits of your medical marijuana. Here are some of the most common ways to get the most symptom relief possible, even when you have a higher tolerance.

Start Your Day With the Lowest Effective Dose

Your tolerance to THC builds throughout the day when you use it consistently, and it begins to reset overnight. This means that the amount you need will be less for the first dose of the day. Stick to the lowest effective dose throughout the day, and you should at least be able to slow the progression of your tolerance.

Change the Method of Delivery

Different methods of delivery are processed differently in your body. Tinctures taken sublingually enter your bloodstream immediately. Inhaled products pass into your bloodstream through your lungs. And edibles are processed through your liver first. Different processes will affect you differently, and changing things up may help boost the effects when you’ve built up a tolerance to one particular method.

Switch Strains

There may be some benefit to switching strains if your favorite isn’t quite cutting it for you anymore. A different balance of CBD to THC, and a different terpene profile may be all you need in order to reactivate your sensitivity to medical marijuana.

Eat Foods That Enhance the Effects of Cannabis, Avoid Foods That Bring You Down

Mangoes have a high concentration of myrcene, a terpene also found in cannabis, and eating them can boost the effects of your products. Chocolate, green and black teas, and broccoli also have elements that will help enhance your experience when you use medical marijuana.

Black pepper, citrus fruits, and pine nuts can all counteract the effects of THC, so stay away from eating them if you are trying to increase your sensitivity to your medicine.

FECO and Other High THC Products at Missouri Dispensaries

Some patients just need incredibly powerful medical marijuana products in order to reduce their symptoms and increase their quality of life. Fortunately, Missouri dispensaries are now carrying highly concentrated cannabis products like FECO, RSO, and very potent edibles and vapes.

As of July 2021, we could only find FECO online at Fresh.Green in Waldo and Lee’s Summit. However, Kansas City Cannabis Company in Blue Springs and Kearney, Releaf Resources in Grandview, and Star Buds in Festus have all previously carried these products and will likely have them as soon as supply returns.

Additionally, you can find high THC products like Love Affair Diamonds from Proper Cannabis (77.41%), Blue GMO vape cartridges from Heartland Labs (76.54%), and Purple Diesel Crumble, at just about any dispensary in the state.