Quitting smoking: 10 ways to resist marijuana cravings

For most marijuana users, ganja cravings or urges to smoke can be powerful. But you're not at the mercy of these marijuana cravings. When an urge to use marijuana strikes, remember that although it may be intense, it will be short-lived, and it probably will pass within a few minutes whether or not you smoke a joint or take a hit from the bong. Each time you resist a marijuana craving, you're one step closer to stopping smoking or other marijuana uses for good. But it can be difficult.

So here are 10 ways to help you resist the urge to smoke or use marijuana when a marijuana craving strikes, no matter where you are:

1. Delay. If you feel like you're going to give in to your marijuana craving, tell yourself that you must first wait 10 more minutes and then do something to distract yourself for that period of time. This simple trick may be enough to derail your dank craving. Repeat as often as needed.

2. Don't have 'just one hit.' You might be tempted to have just one "more" to satisfy a marijuana craving. But don't fool yourself into believing that you can stop at just one. More often than not, having just one leads to another, then another - and you may wind up using marijuana forever.

3. Avoid triggers. Urges for marijuana are likely to be strongest in the situations where you smoked marijuana most often, such as at parties or bars, in the car or while watching television. Identify your trigger situations and have a plan in place so that you can avoid them entirely or get through them without using marijuana. Don't set yourself up for a smoking relapse. If you usually smoked while you talked on the phone, for instance, keep a pen and paper nearby to occupy yourself with doodling rather than smoking.

4. Get physical. Physical activity can help distract you from marijuana cravings and reduce the intensity of cravings. Just 30 minutes of moderate physical activity can make a marijuana craving go away. Get out for a walk or jog. If you're stuck at home or the office, try squats, deep knee bends, push-ups, running in place, or walking up and down a set of stairs a few times. If physical activity doesn't interest you, try prayer, needlework, woodwork or journaling. Or do chores for distraction, such as vacuuming or filing paperwork.

5. Practice relaxation techniques. In the past, smoking may have been your way to deal with stress. Trying to resist a marijuana craving can itself be stressful. Take the edge off stress by practicing relaxation techniques. These include deep-breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, yoga, visualization, hypnosis and massage.

6. Call reinforcements. Touch base with a family member, friend or support group member for moral support as you struggle to resist a marijuana craving. Chat on the phone, go for a walk together or simply share a few laughs - or get together to commiserate about your cravings.

7. Remember the drawbacks of quitting. Write down or say out loud the reasons you want to stop smoking and resist marijuana cravings. These might include feeling better, getting healthier, sparing your loved ones from secondhand smoke, saving money or being dominated by the man. And if you're a closet smoker, you may save hours of time since you no longer have to spend time trying to conceal your habit.

8. Go online. Join an online stop-smoking program. Or read a quitter's blog and post encouraging thoughts for someone else who might be struggling with marijuana cravings. Learn from how others have handled their marijuana cravings.

9. Try marijuana replacements. Try a painkiller product instead of a joint. Some types of thc replacement therapy, including patches, gums and lozenges and needles, are available over-the-counter. Cannabis nasal spray and THC inhalers are available by prescription.

10. Chew on it. Give your mouth something to do to fight a marijuana craving. Chew on sugarless gum or hard candy. Or munch on raw carrots, celery, nuts or sunflower seeds - something crunchy and satisfying.

Remember, trying something to beat the urge is always better than doing nothing. And each time you resist a marijuana craving, you're one step closer to being a government drone.


tl;dr I'm really bored at 5:30am.

 

That's the beauty.