What Happens When You Stop Smoking Weed?

The more regularly a person smokes weed, the more of a tolerance they will build. This occurs because cannabinoid receptors (the parts of the human body affected by Marijuana’s ingredients) are reduced over time. After one stops smoking weed, it takes anywhere from two days to as many as four weeks for cannabinoid receptors to be restored to normal levels.

Aside from restoration of cannabinoid receptors, after a marijuana user stops using the drug, many other areas of their life are effected. A great number of users have reported increased difficulty sleeping during periods of abstinence. Strains with high THC levels will help a user fall asleep, and if this has occurred on a consistent basis, a person’s internal system will need time to once again be able to fall asleep naturally.

Marijuana also inhibits REM sleep, which is the phase of the sleep cycle associated with dreaming. Since this is the case, going off Cannabis after being a regular user can cause vivid and intense dreaming.

Marijuana’s affect on sleep is further corroborated by a study at John Hopkins University School of Medicine which insists that giving up marijuana will cause users to experience anger, irritability and insomnia.

A second area of a user’s life that gets affected is memory. One of the unfortunate side effects of cannabis is its ability to impair memory function; particularly short-term memory. Heavy users have consistently scored lower on verbal memory tests than their non-using counterparts. On the plus side, the effects have proven to be reversible.

A 2001 study published in a journal called “Archives of General Psychiatry” suggests that it takes 28 days for memory functions to be fully restored after abstaining from cannabis use.

In addition, users find that their appetite is affected. Many users have reported appetite loss after marijuana cessation. The American Journal of Psychiatry reports that it also takes 28 days for appetite to be fully restored.

Due to smoke inhalation, the American Lung Association writes that smoking marijuana exposes the lungs to many of the carcinogens, irritants and toxins found in tobacco. After users stop smoking marijuana, users find their original lung performance restored.

Lastly, a positive side effect of quitting Marijuana is the financial benefit. Several users spend hundreds of dollars a month on the habit, and for those in the younger, college-age demographic, this can prove highly unfeasible. It should also be noted that medical cannabis is currently not covered in Canada.

Though many users experience common side effects, it is important to note that every case is unique and different. A 2008 study from the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence found that quitting Marijuana and quitting tobacco had very similar intensity of withdrawal symptoms.