Marijuana is great, but too much of it is usually a problem. With the pandemic and the stress that surrounds our lives, a lot of people have taken to cannabis as a coping measure. While it is a healthier option than drinking alcohol or other types of behaviors, it’s still a substance that should be monitored.

Cannabis overuse could result in cannabis use disorder, a condition that can impair your everyday life and relationships. Luckily, just as cannabis is healthier than other substances, it’s also easier to slow down usage. Symptoms of cannabis withdrawal exist and are pesky, but they’re manageable as long as you do things correctly and take things one step at a time.

Here’s how to slow down your weed use:

Be honest with yourself

Ask yourself whether you have a problem or not and be sincere with your answer. While it’s valid to cut down when you don’t have a problem, it’s very important to do so when you’re facing a more serious issue. Since cannabis is not generally seen as a concerning activity and its side effects are mild, it’s not easy to recognize if you’re dealing with a cannabis abuse situation. Keep in mind whether you smoke every day or not, if you freak out when you run out of weed or if you need to smoke in order to sleep or to do certain activities.

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Ask yourself why you want to stop consuming cannabis, whether it’s impacting your relationships or stopping you from doing other things. The better your answer and the more clarity you have, the stronger your resolve.

Take it slow

Take your time when slowing down your weed use. Whether you want to completely drop the drug use or simply slow down the amount of weed you smoke on a regular basis, start by decreasing the amount of cannabis you consume during your day. This will help with your withdrawal symptoms, reducing the likeliness of headaches, mood swings, etc.

Exercise

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Add a couple of exercise outings to your week. This will make you feel motivated and accomplished, while purging your body of THC, which is usually stored in your fat cells and released ruing a workout.

Exercise is a healthy activity you can use to fill your time, distract yourself, and get a better night of sleep, something that cannabis abuse can derail.

Cut out excess nicotine, tobacco and alcohol

If your preferred method of consuming weed is via smoking spliffs or blunts, try to eliminate tobacco from the equation. Instead, purchase some edibles or a vape pen to cope with your cravings and be mindful of your use. These new methods will produce a different response from your body, perhaps making you feel more high and thus needing less THC to do so, and will also help you remove tobacco from your system.

It’s also important to avoid replacing your cannabis use with something else like alcohol or nicotine, which could result in worse outcomes.