How to quit cannabis: a step-by-step method
Many people discover, when they stop, a craving they never saw coming, because cannabis was long presented as a substance with no withdrawal. That is not true, and knowing it changes everything: cannabis withdrawal syndrome is recognised, well described and follows a predictable timeline. In this article, Reset Laser explains how to prepare to quit and what happens next.
🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Preparation matters as much as the decision: a log, a date, replacements and the people around you.
- More than three users in four mix cannabis with tobacco: tackle both together [1].
- Withdrawal syndrome affects 35% to 75% of chronic users [3].
- Symptoms appear within 24 to 72 hours, peak between days 3 and 7 and fade over two weeks [3].
- Insomnia and cravings can last several months: this is when support makes a difference [3].
Preparing before your quit date
Quitting on impulse one Monday morning rarely works. Four things are worth preparing in advance.
Observe how much you really use. For one week, write down the amounts, the times and the situations, without changing anything. This log reveals your triggers, which are rarely the ones you expect: boredom, the end of the day, a journey, a particular person.
Pick a date. Ideally with no heavy work deadline in the ten days that follow, since concentration is one of the first things affected.
Plan your replacements. The gesture, the time of day and the ritual matter as much as the substance. Whatever takes their place should be decided in advance, not improvised.
Tell one or two people. Those close to you cannot help if they do not know.
It also helps to know that ambivalence, the moment when you want to stop and carry on at the same time, is a normal stage in the process of change, not a lack of motivation.
The mixed tobacco trap
This is the point most often overlooked, and it causes many attempts to fail.
In France and across Europe, more than three users in four smoke cannabis in a joint mixed with tobacco [1]. When they stop, nicotine withdrawal kicks in at the same time as cannabis withdrawal. It is common to mistake it for a craving for a joint, and to start again for the wrong reason [1].
The two substances also reinforce each other: tobacco helps the THC vaporise, and THC softens the jitteriness caused by nicotine [1].
The practical consequence is simple: tackle both dependencies together. Joint care is explicitly recommended in the specialist literature [2], and nicotine replacement therapy, which in France is reimbursed at 65% on prescription, can neutralise nicotine withdrawal while you stop cannabis [2].
Want to quit cannabis?
Laser auricular reflexology supports you as you quit cannabis. A single session of about one hour, with personalised follow-up for 12 months.
What happens in the first days
Cannabis withdrawal syndrome affects 35% to 75% of chronic users when they stop [3]. It follows a fairly regular course: the first signs appear between 24 and 72 hours after the last use, peak between days 3 and 7, then fade over about two weeks [3].
The most common signs are irritability, nervousness, anxiety, low mood, insomnia with very vivid dreams, reduced appetite, and physical signs such as headaches or sweating [3].
Two symptoms can last longer, sometimes several months: insomnia and intense cravings [3]. They are also the two main reasons for relapse, which is why support needs to go beyond the first fortnight.
Our article on the 7 stages of cannabis withdrawal describes this progression in detail, and the one on the side effects of cannabis looks at the symptoms.
Everyday levers that help
- Physical activity, even moderate, reduces the intensity of cravings in the moment and improves sleep.
- Regular bedtimes, because sleep is the weak spot of this period.
- Avoid the situations where you used to smoke for the first few weeks, including the people you smoked with. This distance is temporary, not permanent.
- Leave the situation when a craving hits rather than trying to resist on the spot. A craving lasts a few minutes.
- Do not aim for perfection. A one-off relapse is a learning experience, not the end of the road.
One word of caution: no medicine is specifically authorised for cannabis withdrawal [2]. Psychological approaches, motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapies, are still the ones with the strongest evidence [2].
Where to find help
In France, CSAPA centres (centres for addiction care, support and prevention) welcome people free of charge and anonymously all over the country. The French public service Drogues Info Service offers a helpline and online support [4]. Your GP remains a simple first port of call, especially if you use other substances or take any medication.
Support from Reset Laser
The laser auricular reflexology offered in our centres targets the physical side of cravings, the side you feel in the first days. A session lasts about an hour and stimulates reflex points on the ear with a soft low-intensity laser, with no needles and no medication. It comes with 12 months of support tailored to you and a free support session if you relapse. This support is a commitment to do everything we can, not a promise of results: success also depends on your motivation.
Discover our support for quitting cannabis or book an appointment at a centre.
OUR EXPERT’S ADVICE
Dr Hamza Messaoudene — General Surgery, Medical Lasers, Addictology
« The trap I see most often is stopping joints while forgetting about the tobacco in them. By day three, irritability rises and people think they are missing cannabis, when it is often nicotine. If you smoke your joints with tobacco, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before your quit date: covering the nicotine withdrawal completely changes the first week. »
Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to quit cannabis on your own?
Yes, many people manage it, especially when their use is recent and not daily. Support improves the odds when use is long-standing, daily, or combined with tobacco or other substances.
How long do cravings last after quitting cannabis?
The acute phase lasts about two weeks, peaking between days 3 and 7 [3]. Insomnia and occasional cravings can persist for several months [3].
Should I quit tobacco at the same time?
It is often easier, since nicotine withdrawal gets confused with the craving for cannabis [1]. Joint care is recommended [2] and is best discussed with a health professional.
Does CBD help you quit cannabis?
The available data do not support recommending it as an aid to quitting. If you are thinking of using it, talk to your doctor or pharmacist rather than relying on personal stories.
📚 Sources
- Stop-Cannabis.ch, Tabac, nicotine et cannabis : double dépendance (Tobacco, nicotine and cannabis: a dual dependence), accessed on 06/08/2026. stop-cannabis.ch
- Deschenau A., Malécot M., Underner M., Prise en charge de l'usage combiné du tabac et du cannabis (Managing combined tobacco and cannabis use), Société Française d'Alcoologie, 2024. sfalcoologie.fr
- Fédération Addiction, Addiction au cannabis, confinement et détention (Cannabis addiction, lockdown and detention), 2022. federationaddiction.fr
- Drogues Info Service, accessed on 06/08/2026. drogues-info-service.fr
- Further reading: Non aux addictions, oui à ma santé, Comment arrêter le cannabis : les étapes, les bons gestes (How to quit cannabis: the steps and good habits). santeaddictions.fr
This article is for information only and does not replace the advice of a health professional. Laser auricular reflexology is a non-medical support method.
Ready to take the leap?
Join the thousands of people supported by Reset Laser as they quit cannabis.
