You might not think of marijuana as a drug that’s difficult to quit. But some data suggest that marijuana withdrawal symptoms occur in up to 47% of people who stop using it, especially people who were daily users.
“The symptoms associated with withdrawal can be highly variable,” says Kenneth Finn, MD, a pain medicine physician and co-vice president of the International Academy on the Science and Impacts of Cannabis. “Some people may have very mild symptoms, but then there are some people that have really severe withdrawal symptoms.”
Thankfully, even if they are challenging, most cannabis withdrawal symptoms are not serious and will resolve on their own. Dr. Finn shares further details about weed withdrawal symptoms, including why they happen, how to treat them, and how to recognize symptoms of cannabis use disorder.
What Are Marijuana Withdrawal Symptoms?
Marijuana withdrawal symptoms happen when you stop using marijuana or significantly reduce the amount you are using. It happens when you stop using products that contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana and some cannabis products. Stopping cannabis products that don’t contain THC doesn’t result in withdrawal symptoms.
Marijuana withdrawal can cause emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms. “The symptoms of withdrawal from cannabis are very similar to the symptoms of withdrawal from other substances,” Dr. Finn says.
In some cases, family members notice the symptoms before a user even does. At other times, it’s more obvious to a user that something is going on. “It’s a spectrum of symptoms, and they sometimes can be very subtle,” Dr. Finn notes.
The most common symptoms of marijuana withdrawal include:
- Irritability
- Feeling nervous or anxious
- Feeling restless
- Decreased appetite
- Feeling sad or depressed
- Troubling sleeping
- Nightmares
- Headaches
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Feeling shaky
- Abdominal pain
Symptoms usually begin within 24 to 48 hours after stopping or cutting back on marijuana, Dr. Finn says. Cannabis withdrawal syndrome symptoms are more common in more regular marijuana users, and especially heavy marijuana users.
How Long Do Symptoms Last?
Though some withdrawal symptoms can be uncomfortable, you can be assured they don’t last forever. A typical marijuana withdrawal timeline is, on average, five to seven days, Dr. Finn. “But symptoms can persist for up to a couple of weeks.”
The duration of symptoms depends on factors like how long you’ve been using marijuana and how much marijuana you typically use. Heavy users tend to experience marijuana withdrawal symptoms longer than lighter uses, sometimes having them for two to three weeks or more.
Why Does Marijuana Withdrawal Happen?
Cannabis withdrawal syndrome happens because your body develops a tolerance to, or reliance on, THC, and it reacts with uncomfortable symptoms when the THC is taken away. THC withdrawal symptoms are basically your body’s reaction to not being given the THC it’s become accustomed to.
“Just like any other substance that can cause addiction, you develop a tolerance, both physical tolerance and psychological tolerance,” Dr. Finn explains.
Overall, if you’ve noticed that more people seem to have marijuana withdrawal symptoms than in previous decades, you aren’t alone. “Back in the mid-1990s, the strength of these products was way lower than they are now,” Dr. Finn says. This increased potency has made marijuana easier to get addicted to and harder to withdraw from comfortably.
As Dr. Finn points out, “The addiction rates or the use disorder rates based on mid-1990s marijuana were about 9% in the adult and about 18% in the adolescent.” Now, three out of 10 people who use cannabis meet the criteria for cannabis use disorder, and about 30% of marijuana users are likely to become addicted, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Who Is More Likely to Have Withdrawal Symptoms?
Not everyone who stops using marijuana will notice withdrawal symptoms. Everyone is different, and how likely you are to experience symptoms depends on several key factors.
One major consideration is how often you’re using marijuana. “Frequency of use—daily or near daily use—is another risk factor,” Dr. Finn says. People who use marijuana only occasionally are less likely to have a problem.
Another important factor that can make you more likely to experience marijuana withdrawal symptoms is the consumption of high-potency THC products—including inhaled products with more than 10% THC and edible products containing more than 5 to 10 milligrams of THC, Dr. Finn says.
Dabbing marijuana (also referred to as wax, shatter, or budding), in which you consume a highly concentrated amount of marijuana, can also set the stage for marijuana withdrawal, as the concentration of THC in these products can be as high as 85% to 100%, according to Dr. Finn.
In addition, several other factors may increase your risk of marijuana withdrawal symptoms, including:
- Having other substance use disorders
- Having a mental health condition
- Using cannabis and tobacco together
How Is Marijuana Withdrawal Diagnosed?
There is no single test to find out if you’re experiencing marijuana withdrawal. “It’s a clinical diagnosis,” Dr. Finn says. If you visit a doctor while you’re experiencing symptoms, he or she will likely examine you, discuss your symptoms, and ask about your medical history.
As Dr. Finn notes, not all doctors will think to ask about marijuana usage specifically, so if you know you’ve recently quit marijuana and your symptoms showed up soon after that, it can be helpful to share that information with your physician.
With that information in mind, your doctor can assess whether your symptoms are probably being caused by cannabis withdrawal syndrome or if they may have other underlying causes.
How Is Marijuana Withdrawal Treated?
In most cases, marijuana withdrawal treatment simply involves waiting for the withdrawal symptoms to end naturally. “There really is no current medication to treat marijuana withdrawal,” Dr. Finn says. People with marijuana withdrawal symptoms “pretty much have to ride it out until they stop having the symptoms.”
But for most people, this process is fairly manageable—and brief. “Again, most of the time it may be less than a week, though some of the times it can be longer,” Dr. Finn notes.
That being said, some psychological treatments may be helpful for people experiencing marijuana withdrawal symptoms or for people who are experiencing cannabis use disorder.
“The only treatment for use disorder is psychological treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT,” Dr. Finn explains. For instance, research has found that people using cognitive behavioral therapy experience reductions in cannabis use after 10 days, along with decreases in dependence symptoms.
Ways to Cope with Symptoms at Home
Even though most marijuana withdrawal symptoms aren’t serious and usually resolve within a week, they can still be difficult to live with. To cope with marijuana withdrawal at home, you can start with some basic self-care measures, the kind of steps you would take whenever you feel drained or depleted. They include staying hydrated, sticking to light, easy-to-digest meals, trying your best to rest and get enough sleep, and not pushing yourself too hard physically.
If you are experiencing headaches, “You can use over-the-counter analgesics, as long as they’re not contraindicated, like acetaminophen or ibuprofen,” Dr. Finn says. If you are having sleep issues, ask your doctor if melatonin may be helpful for you, he suggests.
Don’t be afraid to lean on family and friends, who can support you both physically and emotionally as you recover from withdrawal.
When to Talk to a Doctor
You can always call your doctor if you have concerns about your withdrawal symptoms after stopping marijuana. But if you are experiencing only mild symptoms, you will probably be sent home to recover.
People with “moderate-to-severe withdrawal symptoms sometimes require inpatient treatment,” Dr. Finn says. That might include intravenous fluid replacement if you’re dehydrated or depleted. Sometimes, outpatient psychological treatment with CBT or other counseling measures might be called for, Dr. Finn says.
The other thing to keep in mind is that people with more severe marijuana withdrawal symptoms also are likely to be experiencing a marijuana addiction, or symptoms of cannabis use disorder.
Among the warning signs of cannabis use disorder are that you “continue to use despite harm,” Dr. Finn describes. “You are using stronger and stronger products to get the same effect, and you can’t stop.” Cannabis use disorder can make it hard to function at home or at school, and it can negatively affect relationships.
Help is out there for marijuana withdrawal symptoms and cannabis use disorder. If you have concerns about your symptoms after stopping marijuana or about your marijuana use in general, don’t hesitate to reach out to your doctor for support.
