I quit smoking weed for 30 days… (how to stop)
The story of how I quit smoking marijuana after 10 years
Background
After 10 years of regularly using cannabis (aka marijuana aka devil's lettuce aka weed), today marks my 30th straight day THC-free.
My relationship with weed may sound familiar: most often I would smoke in the evenings (some weeks more than others), occasionally dipping into the afternoon, and on occasion a weekend morning.
While this may not sound like a crippling addiction, it was something I struggled with internally for 10+ years.
The uncontrollable urge to smoke would usually give in when my willpower ran out at the end of the day. I knew I didn’t want to be smoking as much as I was, but it was almost like I couldn’t help it.
No one in my life knew how bad it was, as I’d frequently downplay the amount I was smoking. I was good at hiding it (I think) and was too ashamed to admit I had a problem.
Smoking was leading to poor sleep and eating habits. It made me feel good at the moment, but I’d stay up late, and while externally I looked successful and productive, I knew deep down I was doing something I didn’t want to be doing.
Even though every week I would beat myself up internally for smoking and make promises to myself that I was going to stop, I still wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to quit.
So why was this time different? How was I able to stop for my longest period in 10+ years? Why do I feel like I’ve finally kicked the bad habit I’ve been wanting to kick for years? Let’s dive in…
How I quit
The reason I was finally able to quit came when I inadvertently followed a tip from James Clear’s “Atomic Habits”
“Make your cues of your good habits obvious and the cues of your bad habits invisible.” — James Clear
I stopped buying it.
It wasn’t that I wasn’t able to get more, I could have, but when I had the choice to get more I said, “No.”
I’ve wanted to quit for 10 years, and I’ve finally stopped because I got it out of the house.
That is what finally worked for me. When I smoked the last bit of cannabis I had, I decided to not get any more.
I had developed a habit of when I finished work for the day, my mind would automatically go to smoking weed. Now, my mind had to go to other things.
After 30 days of no weed, my mind doesn’t think about going to smoke. I’ve broken the habit.
How it went
It was a lot easier than I thought it would be.
Since I’d wanted to quit for many years and could never stop, I thought I’d have a hard time.
I’d watched videos about quitting and heard people talk about their withdrawal symptoms of headaches, an inability to sleep, and feeling agitated, but I didn’t experience any of that.
Once I got it out of the house, I was able to tell my brain that smoking wasn’t even an option, so I would pay attention to other things.
I spent my evenings reading, stretching, and writing.
I didn’t experience any disruptions in my sleep, and I felt more rested and less agitated.
The month flew by and I feel delighted to have broken the habit.
How I feel today
Today, I don’t think I could be happier. It’s a breath of fresh air to have finally broken the loop I was in.
I feel more confident because I am not hiding something or breaking any promises to myself.
I love that my first thought after I stop working each day is no longer about smoking.
I love that I feel more in control and clear in general.
It’s a huge relief and a streak I look forward to extending.
Plans for the future
Do I ever think I’ll smoke again? Yes, but certainly not to the same extent. I could see myself smoking every couple of months.
The fact is I’ve experienced a lot of benefits from smoking. I love the alternate perspective it allows me to tap into.
But, I also know that I’ve been journaling about this issue for years and never want to go back to that.
I plan to stay weed-free for at least 90 days. I’d like to completely reset my system and I think 90 days will do the trick (I have no proof for this).
After that, I will probably allow myself to smoke once a month or so, nothing that will build a habit, but the truth is I enjoy it and I don’t see myself going the rest of my life without it.
While reviewing my journals for this blog, I even came across a few lists where I would list out the pros and the cons of smoking and saw that the positives and negatives of smoking were about 50/50 for me.
I now understand that not doing it and having power over it, can create a lot of happiness for myself, and that is something I will continue to lean into.
Have you ever smoked or quit smoking? I’d love to hear and connect over your story.
If you are looking for tips quitting on smoking, check out and save my shortlist ⬇️
4 tips to quit smoking weed (marijuana, cannabis) | Twos App
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