Many assume cannabis is pretty much harmless. Maybe you occasionally get some weird side effects, like paranoia or cotton mouth, but for the most part it calms you down and improves your mood.
Nothing wrong with that, right?
While
Some people also experience unwanted effects, from physical symptoms to hallucinations to strained relationships.
If you’re looking to cut out cannabis — for whatever reason — we’ve got you covered.
Deciding you want to change your patterns of cannabis use is a good first step. Increasing self-awareness around the reasons why you want to stop smoking can help increase your chances of success.
“Our ‘why’ is an important piece because it provides information that anchors us,” says Kim Egel, a therapist in Cardiff, California. “Clarity on why we want to change can validate our decision to break habits and motivate us to seek out new coping methods.”
In short, your reasons for quitting can help strengthen your resolve to stop smoking and outline goals for success.
Maybe you started using it to relax or manage anxiety. Perhaps it helps you deal with chronic pain or sleeplessness. But over time, the downsides may have started to outnumber the benefits.
People often consider cutting back when they notice cannabis affects their quality of life, often by:
- becoming a go-to method for managing emotional distress
- causing relationship problems
- affecting mood, memory, or concentration
- reducing interest in hobbies
- becoming something to do instead of a solution to a specific symptom
- decreasing energy for self-care
There’s no perfect way to quit smoking cannabis. What works for someone else may not help you much, so it’s often necessary to go through some trial and error before you land on the best approach.
Considering pros and cons of different methods can help.
Maybe you want to do it quick, like ripping off a bandage. In that case, you might decide to try packing up your cannabis and going “cold turkey.”
If you’re concerned about withdrawal symptoms or think you’ll need some support to quit, you might decide to talk to an addiction specialist or call an addiction helpline for a few pointers.
If cannabis helps you manage physical or mental health symptoms, you’ll want to try smoking less without quitting entirely or cut back gradually. Professional support can help here, too.
If you want to quit cold turkey
Feel like you’re ready to stop using cannabis immediately? Here are some general steps to consider:
Get rid of your gear
Holding onto a stash of weed and smoking paraphernalia can make it tougher to succeed with quitting. By throwing it out or passing it on, you prevent ready access, which can help you avoid slip ups during the withdrawal period.
Vary your routine
If your cannabis use often happened at routine times, changing your behaviors slightly can help you avoid using it.
If you have a habit of smoking first thing in the morning, try:
If you tend to smoke before bed, try:
- reading
- journaling
- enjoying a relaxing beverage, like tea or hot chocolate
Keep in mind that changing up routines can be hard, and it usually doesn’t happen over night.
Try experimenting with a few options, and don’t beat yourself up if you have trouble sticking to your new routine right away.
Pick up a new hobby
If smoking is something you tend to do when you’re bored, some new hobbies may help.
Consider revisiting old favorites, like building models or crafting. If old hobbies don’t interest you any longer, try something new, like rock climbing, paddleboarding, or learning a new language.
What matters most is finding something you truly enjoy, since that makes it more likely you’ll want to keep doing it.
Enlist support from loved ones
Friends and family who know you don’t want to keep smoking can offer support by:
- helping you think of hobbies and distractions
- practicing coping methods, like physical activity or meditation, with you
- encouraging you when withdrawals and cravings get tough
Even knowing that other people support your decision can help you feel more motivated and capable of success.
If you want to try a gradual approach
If you use a lot of cannabis and smoke regularly, quitting abruptly might be difficult. Slowly reducing use over time may help you have more success and can also help decrease the severity of withdrawal symptoms.
Here are some pointers to get you started:
Choose a quit date
Giving yourself a deadline of a few weeks or a month can help you design a realistic plan for quitting.
Just keep in mind that picking a date too far in the future can make it seem far enough away that you lose motivation early on.
Plan how you’ll taper off
Do you want to decrease weed use by a specific amount each week? Use less each day? Use as little as possible until you go through your current supply?
Some dispensaries now offer lower-potency strains or products that contain lower THC content. Switching to a weaker product that produces fewer psychoactive effects may also be helpful to cutting back.
Keep yourself busy
By getting involved with new activities as you cut back, you’ll have an easier time continuing with these established patterns once you’re no longer using cannabis at all.
Staying busy can also help distract you from withdrawal symptoms.
Triggers can have a powerful impact. Even after you decide to stop smoking, specific cues you associate with using it may lead to cravings.
Regardless of whether you decide to quit cold turkey or gradually reduce your use, identifying potential triggers and developing a plan for when triggers arise can help ensure long-term success.
A few possible triggers could include:
- trouble sleeping
- work stress
- seeing friends you used to smoke with
- watching the TV shows you used to watch while high
Try coming up with a list of go-to activities you can turn to when these triggers come up, such as:
- taking a warm bath to help you sleep
- restarting your favorite comedy TV series to decrease stress
- calling a trusted friend who supports your decision
Not everyone experiences cannabis withdrawal symptoms, but for those who do, they can be pretty uncomfortable.
Common symptoms may include:
- trouble sleeping
- anxiety
- aggression
- irritability and other mood changes
- depression
- headaches
- fever, chills, and sweats
- low appetite
- cravings
Withdrawal symptoms generally begin a day or so after you quit and clear up within around
A healthcare professional can help you manage severe symptoms, but you may find that you can handle symptoms on your own by:
- drinking less caffeine to improve sleep
- using deep breathing and other relaxation methods to address anxiety
- drinking plenty of water
“Therapy can be a great option when you want to develop new habits and ways of coping,” Egel says.
She explains it’s common to turn to substance use to cope with or avoid difficult feelings.
A therapist can help you explore any underlying issues contributing to your cannabis use and offer support as you take the first steps toward confronting dark emotions. They can also help you address any issues in your life or relationships that might be a result of your cannabis use.
Any kind of therapy can have benefit, but the following three approaches might be particularly helpful.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Most therapists have training in CBT, which
For example, if you use cannabis when stressed, you’ve probably learned (both consciously and subconsciously) that it helps reduce stress and calm you down.
CBT can teach you to recognize signs of stress, challenge your desire to smoke cannabis, and replace the habit with a more helpful one — like seeking support from a friend or working through the problem that’s upsetting you.
Contingency management
This approach
Someone participating in a contingency management treatment plan might, for example, receive vouchers for restaurant gift cards, movie tickets, or an entry for a prize drawing with each negative test result.
Motivational enhancement therapy (MET)
MET involves examining your reasons for giving up cannabis. Instead of trying to address any underlying issues that factor into your use of weed, your therapist will help you explore and prioritize goals associated with your use, usually by asking open-ended questions.
This treatment can serve as a first step to any therapy approach for substance use. It can be especially helpful if you know you want to quit smoking but aren’t quite sure why.
It’s pretty common to smoke with friends or in social settings, which can make it extra challenging to quit. Plus, some people assume that cannabis is harmless, so you might feel uncomfortable bringing up your decision to quit.
Talk about it
If you feel comfortable sharing, it may help to explain to others exactly why you’ve decided to quit. Maybe you’ve noticed it affects your mood, sleep, or your ability to focus.
This decision is entirely personal. But if you believe others may think you’re judging their continued use, try using I-statements (“I don’t like how I feel after smoking weed”) and explaining your decision from your perspective (“I need to make a change”).
This shows you’re making one choice for yourself while also respecting their choices, explains Egel.
Set boundaries
If you still plan to spend time around people who smoke, setting boundaries for yourself can help.
These might be personal boundaries:
- “If someone asks me to smoke, I’ll refuse once, then leave.”
Or boundaries you share with your social circle:
- “Let me know when you plan to smoke and I’ll step outside.”
- “Please don’t ask me to smoke or invite me over while you’re smoking.”
Reconsider certain relationships and environments, if necessary
If most of your social encounters revolve around marijuana use, deciding to quit may lead you to evaluate the people, places, and things that used to take up your time, Egel explains.
“You may find you need to limit your exposure to certain environments or relationships to honor your boundaries or create a healthier way of being,” Egel says.
Lifestyle changes often result from the decision to stop using substances, though this can be difficult to accept. Keep in mind, however, that these changes might not have to be permanent.
After picking up some new coping techniques or getting through the withdrawal period, you might find it easier to revisit certain friendships or places.
Plus, supportive friends will respect your decision to quit and avoid encouraging you to start smoking again. If your friends respond differently, you may want to reconsider spending time with them.
Maybe you decide to go cold turkey but end up smoking again. Or you’ve been making great progress but after one terrible, sleepless night, decide to smoke a joint just to get some rest.
Don’t get down on yourself. This happens to most people trying to quit. Research
suggests it often takes multiple attempts to quit successfully, so take heart. You’re absolutely not alone, and you haven’t failed.
Breaking habits can be challenging, but resolving to try again keeps you on the right track.
Focus not on the setback, but on the change you did make — several days without use. Then challenge yourself to increase that period of abstinence next time.
Remember, you can get support from a professional without specialized treatment or going through a traditional “rehab” program. Simple talk therapy can help you work on developing self-compassion and feel more supported throughout the quitting process.
It’s not always easy to quit alone — but you don’t have to. These resources can help you find support:
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration offers a 24-hour helpline that can help you find treatment in your area and get more information about addiction recovery.
- SMART Recovery is a science-based self-help approach to addiction recovery. Learn more at their website or find a meeting in your area.
- Apps like I Am Sober can help you stay on track with your plan to quit.
While some folks can use cannabis without issue, plenty of people deal with issues of dependence or unwanted side effects. Depending on your situation, you might be able to take a DIY approach to quitting, but this doesn’t work for everyone.
If you’re having a hard time sticking with a self-guided approach, consider talking to a mental health professional for additional guidance.
Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy. Her fields of interest include Asian languages and literature, Japanese translation, cooking, natural sciences, sex positivity, and mental health. In particular, she’s committed to helping decrease stigma around mental health issues.