I say don't chop it. I tried growing once back in 05/06 and had all my stuff stolen by someone I thought was my friend when I asked em to hold it all for me. He made off with 2 raspberry cough plants I got from someone I've long lost touch with, my light, nutes, soil, buckets, catchers, magnifyer...everything. It's a long story so I won't get into it.
I've since forgotten everything I learned but am reteaching myself and trying to get back into growing despite my medical issues and bad infection that I've been to the ER for over 15 times this year and they keep ignoring and misdiagnosing me. So it's hard.
I know of someone who was growing who got a bad spider mite infestation. They in turn gave it to me and my last plant was plagued so I took it down. They kept growing a small plant that was full of them into flower. They told me to wash the whole plant down to help but not get rid of them. They will make your bud less potent but it's still smokeable. They don't like dry leafs and mostly suck everything from the leaves giving the bud little to use.
Honestly we all at one point or another ingested edibles or smoked bud that had mites and didn't know it. They won't harm you. Just keep washing and spraying it down and I read this and it works:
when you want to harvest cut the whole plant and hang it upside down in the dark and after 6 days or so take it down. They will flee from the leaves and run up to the end of the stalk where the moisture still might be. Cut the end off and into the trash and most if not all mites(sans eggs) will go with it. Than trim and finish. The left behind eggs under the leaves won't harm you. If u smoke it and hear a popping sound that's the remaining eggs combusting. Its not fun smoking bud you know had them but why waste it?
Their plants looked worse than yours believe it or not. Mites are a plague but not one that can't be salvaged. I wouldn't save the trim as there's more eggs there than on the bud but they mostly stay on the leaves or their nets you can keep picking off.
Don't give up! I am a new grower again and can only do 1 at a time and has taken me 3 grows to get to flower without major problems but honestly take my advice and the others and keep at it. Don't give up on them. Just remember to clean your area after if indoors and buckets so no fallen left over eggs will hatch.
Mites also HATE cold and putting bud or trim in the freezer will kill any if any remaining.
Hope that helps. Stay Green! Peace man!
