Tips for cutting down or stopping

Why do you smoke cannabis? Why do you want to cut down or stop? The first step is to work out your answers to these questions. 

Some positive things (pros) about using cannabis might be:

• A sense of wellbeing
• Having fun and socialising with friends
• The feeling of relaxation
• Time out
• Increased creativity and enhanced senses
• Its something you share with your boyfriend, girlfriend or partner

Some negative things (cons) about using cannabis might be:

• Anxiety or paranoia
• Memory or concentration problems
• Increased risk of accidents
• Bizarre thoughts, extreme paranoia
• Financial problems
• Less motivation
• Less concentration, less ability to learn or remember things
• Dependence – it makes things worse if you can’t do without it

If you want to cut down or stop your cannabis use, take it a step at a time:

1. Think about changing

Compare the pros and cons of using cannabis with the pros and cons of cutting
down or stopping and make a list. It is up to you to decide whether this is the right time to change your cannabis use.  If you are not ready to change now, you can always come back to your plan at a later date.

2. Plan for the change you want

The first thing to do is set a date for changing your cannabis use. Make it easier on yourself by cutting down on other commitments as much as you can for the first couple of weeks.

Plan ahead – think of things you enjoy doing and make a list of what you will be doing instead of smoking, think of how you’ll use the money you save.

3. Act on your decision

Remember you’re doing this for you. You may feel pressure to take cannabis from your friends or other people but you make your own decisions.

4. Have a back-up plan

These simple tips have helped others keep to their plan and cut down or stop. 
You might use some of these and add your own:

- Ask a friend or partner to help – tell them your plan and ask for their support.
- Stop and think before you smoke – put it off, go back to your list of reasons to stop, find ways to distract yourself like calling a mate or going out and don’t act on your craving
- Remind yourself why you want to cut down or stop
- Remind yourself of the benefits of not smoking
- Reduce the risk of overdoing it by spacing out the days when you use cannabis
- Don’t bulk buy or you might end up using more than you meant to
- If you smoke spliffs, don’t inhale too deeply or for too long – it won’t get you any higher, it may just mean that you breathe in more toxins

- Try to avoid high risk situations for a few weeks, these may include seeing someone who supplies you or smokes with you, or finding yourself in a place where you can get or smoke cannabis
- If you find yourself in a high risk situation leave or change the situation and try to put off your decision to smoke for 15 minutes - a craving is usually time limited and you can ride it out.  Each time you do that, it will get easier.

If you want more advice or help

Please contact ReFresh in Hull on (01482) 331059, Monday – Friday, 12:30pm – 2:00pm. Click here to find out more about ReFresh.

Go to the Know Cannabis website – www.knowcannabis.org.uk
As well as the 5 minute self-assessment quiz, there’s also a self-help programme that can help you cut down or stop your cannabis use.  It’s confidential – you don’t need to give your name or details about where you live.

Call the FRANK helpline on 0800 77 66 00. FRANK will also provide details of organisations offering practical help and support in your area. 

You can text questions to FRANK on 82111, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

The NHS smoking helpline 0800 169 0 169

Check out the Enjoy Life pages on the Clued Up website to find lots of interesting things to do and lots of interesting places to go to.