How to Quit Smoking Weed: 5 Ideas
These days, weed isn’t so much bad as it is outdated. With designer cannabinoids available on the internet and “legitimate” cannabis producers suffering under onerous regulations, you might want to stop smoking weed just because you’ve found a better option online.
It’s also true that scientists have discovered a few side effects of delta 9 THC that might make you think twice. Whatever your reasons, you certainly have the freedom to stop smoking weed if you want to. Let’s explore 5 methods you can use to kick the green monkey to the curb:
Stop smoking weed now: 5 methods
#1. Face your rock-bottom
If weed is a problem in your life, it will eventually lead you to what recovery groups call “rock-bottom,” a state where you fall apart and become capable of objectively examining your life. Take advantage of this state while it lasts: identify potential emotional voids you might be filling with THC, and come up with plans for how you’ll get your life back on track.
#2. Impose discipline
We run away from the word “discipline” these days, but maybe that’s why you have a problem with weed in the first place. It’s an unavoidable fact that nothing worth getting is obtained easily, and if you truly want independence from weed, you’ll need to impose the structure necessary to get it done.
Without resorting to dramatism, remove all weed and paraphernalia from your home, vehicle, and workplace. Start changing social arrangements that might perpetuate your problem. Use your newfound perspectives to take your life by the horns.
#3. Ask for help
There’s no reason you should quit weed on your own unless you plan to fail. Even without direct support of friends or family members, there are countless community and online resources you can avail yourself of throughout your struggle. Everything is easier with help — even quitting weed.
#4. Prepare for withdrawal
Depending on the depth of your dependence, delta 9 THC withdrawal can be nightmarish. Even though THC doesn’t seem to cause the same type of chemical dependency as opioids and similar narcotics, you can become extremely emotionally dependent on THC, resulting in “dark nights of the soul” for many who quit weed. You may also experience nausea, vomiting, tremors, sleeplessness, and other typical symptoms of withdrawal.
#5. Keep seeking help
Even after the crisis appears to be over, continue seeking help with your misuse of weed. Barring some significant change in lifestyle, there’s no reason you would need to quit smoking weed unless you had a problem with it, and whatever that problem is, it will continue to hurt you in different ways even if you remove delta 9 THC from the picture.
BONUS: Try an alternative
You aren’t going to use delta 9 THC anymore. But, you might still be open to using cannabinoids as long as they’re distinctly different. Smokable hemp flower is available in a lot of different cannabinoids these days, and one of the following hemp cannabinoids might float your boat quite a bit better than delta 9:
- CBD: The original hemp cannabinoid, CBD is non-intoxicating and has relaxing benefits.
- Secret Nature Frosted Kush CBD Hemp Flower review - Kim R. “Anxiety and depression” ★★★★★ “I like how it’s makes me not feel my anxiety it’s smooth and I like that it’s legal in my state. So I don’t have to worry about being busted for helping me with my anxiety and depression.”
- Secret Nature Elysian CBG Delta 8 Hemp Flower review - Walter K. “Hard to Beat” ★★★★★ “Smooth, potent, and tasty. This product delivers as advertised, and gets delivered fast.”
- Delta 8: Wait, you’re saying I should replace THC with another form of THC? Delta 8 and delta 9 are actually quite a bit different, so depending on the circumstances, delta 8 THC could be an excellent replacement for delta 9.
- Secret Nature Elysian Secret OG Delta 8 Hemp Flower review - Jennifer W. ★★★★★ “So relaxing. Will help you sleep well through the night. A small amount goes a long way. OG Kush Delta 8 is perfect. I will get this again.”
Quit smoking weed FAQ
What happens to your brain when you stop smoking weed?
We don’t know enough about the active components in cannabis to determine exactly how the presence or disappearance of cannabinoids might affect an individual’s neurochemistry. What we do know is that delta 9 THC strongly stimulates your dopamine receptors, so some degree of dysphoria is to be expected when quitting weed.
How long does it take your brain to recover from weed?
We don’t know exactly how cannabis affects your brain, making it impossible to give recovery estimates for a condition that may or may not exist. Some people may feel like they need to psychologically recover from delta 9 use, and the amount of time this process takes depends on the individual.
Why do I feel weird when I stop smoking weed?
Habitual use of delta 9 THC can fundamentally transform the way you view the world. When you have cannabis, you feel like you can do anything, and when you don’t, you might feel your confidence plummet. If you’re serious about quitting weed, this sense of weirdness is something you’ll just need to endure.
How long does it take for cannabinoid receptors to return to normal?
There hasn’t been enough research into long-term delta 9 THC use to accurately determine how this cannabinoid affects your brain’s cannabinoid receptors, and we aren’t even sure what a “normal” state is for the human endocannabinoid system. Some researchers postulate that most people operate in a state of cannabinoid deficiency, so it’s possible medical science of the future may directly prescribe some amount of cannabis use.
How do I stop smoking weed if all my friends smoke?
Many cannabis quitters suffer from social pressures as they cease using delta 9 THC. One way you can avoid losing your friends along with weed is bringing some smokable hemp with you for the next smoke session.
Unlike the type of cannabis you buy in dispensaries, hemp comes in a variety of different cannabinoids, some of which (such as CBD) are fully non-intoxicating. Even though it contains less than 0.3% delta 9 THC, some of the hemp flower you can buy on the internet looks even better than top-shelf nugs at dispensaries.
Is quitting weed worth it?
Whether or not quitting weed is worth it varies depending on your particular circumstances. If you generally benefit from the effects of THC but are experiencing some issues, you might simply benefit from some refinement regarding dosing or the method you use to ingest cannabis.
If using weed is making you exhibit all the classic signs of addiction, though, it might be best to stop. Cannabinoids are supposed to improve your life, not harm you and those around you.
Can quitting weed cause depression?
Yes, it is normal to feel depressed after you stop smoking weed. THC raises levels of dopamine and serotonin in your brain, making you feel happier. When you stop using this cannabinoid, your brain can have trouble catching up to its previous neurotransmitter production levels, resulting in depressed mood. Within a few months of abstaining from THC usage, however, your brain will start producing normal serotonin and dopamine levels again.
Do you feel tired after quitting weed?
For some people, quitting weed can cause a general feeling of fatigue or malaise. Also, your body needs to allocate considerable resources to removing THC once you quit, which can drain your energy. Furthermore, conditions like chronic fatigue that were alleviated by cannabis will naturally come back in you quit.
How long does it take for brain fog to go away after quitting weed?
Some people don’t like using THC because they say it causes “brain fog,” a pervading sense of dullness and confusion. The good news is that any mental fogginess you might be experiencing will begin dissipating immediately after you stop smoking weed and will most likely be all the way gone by the following morning.
For heavy users, however, THC brain fog may persist until your body has mostly excreted this cannabinoid. A mild sense of mental confusion might be noticeable for as much as two weeks in cases of heavy consumption.
Can I smoke CBD instead of THC?
If you’ve decided to quit THC, it’s natural to consider alternatives. CBD also comes from cannabis, but it’s about as different from THC as possible.
CBD doesn’t get you high, for instance, and it also doesn’t appear to have any addiction-promoting properties whatsoever. Even so, you can buy CBD-rich hemp flower that smells, looks, and tastes just like weed. The only difference is that with CBD flower, you won’t feel high — just mildly relaxed.
Can I smoke delta 8 instead of THC?
Yes, some users would consider delta 8 to be a good alternative to conventional THC, but it’s important to keep in mind that the effects of these two cannabinoids are almost exactly alike. If you’ve stopped using THC because you don’t like its effects, therefore, delta 8 would not be a good alternative.
If you like THC, though, and simply wish it were less addictive and had fewer side effects, delta 8 might be right up your alley. Users commonly describe delta 8 as a milder, more relaxing form of CBD that’s less likely to make you feel paranoid.
Can I smoke THCV instead of THC?
Some users might consider the rare cannabinoid THCV to be a good alternative to THC. Compared to delta 8, though, there aren’t as many THCV products on the market, limiting your choices. As far as effects go, THCV is similar to delta 8 in that it’s considered to be a form of “THC lite” that offers milder psychoactive properties than THC’s conventional form.
