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How many of you know people that not only can't start their day without a cup of coffee, but by the end of the day, have consumed over 5 cups? And how much do they spend daily for that coffee?
You clearly haven't struggled with insomnia, which is not limited to evil people who use substances you don't approve of. Usually, the insomnia comes first, then the search for something--oh, my god, anything--to help you get some sleep. Don't use your own limited experience to judge others.
I agree. For the past five years, with my doctor's blessing, I have used cannabis daily for insomnia. It is helpful and doesn't have the side effects or the addiction potential of other sleep drugs. I appreciate it being legal and regulated by the state because, unlike the bad old days of illegal Mexican ditch weed, I now I can know exactly how much THC is in each dose and I can also be assured that it doesn't contain any residue from pesticides or other contaminants.
I don't smoke at all any more - it is too harsh on my throat, and as a former slave to nicotine I prefer to avoid inhaling any type of smoke. I use edibles which come in pill, tincture or gummy form. I also don't use it recreationally because even though I'm retired and no longer in the workforce, during the day I still like to keep a clear head.
My own experience with cannabis has been overwhelmingly positive, but I would like to point out a couple of things. While cannabis is not addictive per se, as with any psychoactive substance you can become habituated with regular use. Marijuana Use Disorder is a real thing. However, it seems to be a problem mostly with people who started using it heavily as teens, before the brain is fully developed. There's a good reason that dispensaries won't sell to anyone under 21. If your brain is still immature, a psychoactive substance can mess with your mind.
That said, it's important to note that habituation is not the same as addiction. If you suddenly stop using cannabis, you are not going to get the shakes or have irresistible cravings as you would with addictive substances such as nicotine, alcohol, opiates or meth. You're not going to hold up a liquor store to get money for your fix. Instead, you may experience some slight discomfort which is manageable. For me it was a feeling of malaise or some jitteriness. It was no big deal and subsided within a few days. Quitting cigarettes was 1000 times tougher.
There's also the issue of tolerance. If you use cannabis regularly, the cannabis receptors in your body (yes, we all have cannabis receptors) adjust to having a certain level of the substance. After some time you find you may need more to get the same effect, and this can be a problem (not to mention expensive). When I found myself needing to increase my dosage, I took a tolerance break. I abstained for a week or 10 days to reset my tolerance. Then I was able to resume using cannabis at a smaller dose and still get the benefits.
The bottom line is this: Cannabis can be enormously helpful - not to mention enjoyable - when used intelligently and in moderation by mature adults. There are legitimate medical uses for it, too, and likely more will be discovered in time. I have relatives who give CBD oil to their profoundly disabled son, and it helps control his epileptic seizures. I feel a lot more comfortable using cannabis for insomnia than I would sleeping pills.
Cannabis is not a harmless substance without risks, and I'll be the first to admit this. Some people dislike its effects, and some people are actually allergic to it. Anyone who's considering using it needs to first take the time to get educated about what it is and what it does, and newbies should be extra careful about dosage. Overdosing on cannabis can be quite unpleasant, though not dangerous. So if you weigh the pros and cons and decide you don't want to have anything to do with it, that's fine. Just please don't stereotype people who use it as "potheads."
Last edited by Bayarea4; 02-14-2021 at 11:31 PM..
Reason: clarity, and to add a thought.
I don’t think it’s glamorized, certainly not the way tobacco used to be or alcohol still is. We’re simply discovering some benefits for some people. For some, it becomes a problem, but as other posters have said, some people will abuse almost any chemical substance.
I’ve never heard that it inevitably leads to mental problems. IMO, nearly anything done in excess is related to some sort of mental/emotional issue. If you’re doing something that causes problems and you keep doing it, you have an addiction. Normal people would modify or stop.
I agree. Out of the Big Three substances that have been mentioned - alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana - I think marijuana is absolutely the LEAST glamorized.
It also appears to be the one most associated with a "phase of life" - teens and twenties, high school and college years, so the least to become a permanent habit.
I totally reject the idea that it "leads to harder drugs".
People who smoke 5 times a day already had issues. That's like comparing most people's social drinking to people who drink from the minute they get up till they go to bed. Both my fiance and myself have smoked for decades but not 5 times a day, in moderation, and we don't have any of the issues your friends have. Chronic, excessive use of ANY substance is bad.
If marijuana isn’t bad than why is smoking 5x per day bad?
I agree. Out of the Big Three substances that have been mentioned - alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana - I think marijuana is absolutely the LEAST glamorized.
It also appears to be the one most associated with a "phase of life" - teens and twenties, high school and college years, so the least to become a permanent habit.
I totally reject the idea that it "leads to harder drugs".
When it comes to being glamorized as a harmless/fun mind altering substance — I think it ranks #1.
In a vacuum I don’t think it will lead to other drugs. But I would think the use of other drugs is more common among people who have used marijuana. I mean at its core — it’s a drug used for fun just like many others.
I don't find it glamorous in the least. Use of any mind-altering substance reflects to one degree or another, an inability to healthfully cope. Some go overboard because they get psychologically addicted and need more and more. Others are psychologically dependent on only a certain amount. Either way, they are using it because they cannot deal. Same goes for alcohol.
I personally know several heavy smokers that smoke 5+ times per day. They all have money problems, issues like WORSENING anxiety/depression, somewhat secluded lifestyles so they can smoke, relationship problems, etc. Some even seem to be aging faster from all their smoking...not to mention the somewhat seedy act of obtaining it and any possible legal ramifications. Smoking cigs often seems to accompany weed smokers too.
And what about the kids? Yeah...I know some that smoke in front of their children (any age) like it’s nothing more than taking a sip of water.
I think of it like this — for every action there’s a reaction. If you continually flood your body with THC your mind will simply adapt and the once enjoyable high will become your new normal. Not feeling well — smoke. Anxiety — smoke. Something bad happens — smoke. Need to get the day going — smoke. Wanna relax after a hard day — smoke. It’s basically the same logic an alcoholic may use.
Just not sure if something continually put in your body to alter the mind can in fact continue doing it in a positive way. Perhaps the ultimate peace we seek has to come from within?
With all this said, I do know many people claim to have no negative side effects. In some cases I believe them but in others I sometimes think perhaps they genuinely just can’t see outside their own thoughts.
The well adjusted, motivated, emotionally balanced, financially secure, physically fit, heavy pot smoker seems to be a very rare thing.
Simple. Money.
One journalist who is married to a psychiatrist who has data says it can cause schizophrenia in young people and has the science to back it up. He wrong a book. I think it's called Talk To Your Kids.
Legalizing it is just another way to placate the people and secure another block of voters.
If marijuana isn’t bad than why is smoking 5x per day bad?
Water is good for you. Drinking 3+ gallons of water in your day will kill you or produce severe physical effects from water intoxication.
Medication that dramatically improve or even save your life when taken a pill a day as directed, will harm you or kill you if you decide to consume the whole bottle at once.
Food is good for you, and a requirement if you would like to continue living. Excessive food will turn you into an obese blob and lead to an early death.
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While I am not suggesting marijuana is necessarily a health benefit to most people, the point is that everything is harmful if you take it to an excessive level, and that things are harmful when done in excess doesn't necessarily mean they're harmful when done normally.
Water is good for you. Drinking 3+ gallons of water in your day will kill you or produce severe physical effects from water intoxication.
Medication that dramatically improve or even save your life when taken a pill a day as directed, will harm you or kill you if you decide to consume the whole bottle at once.
Food is good for you, and a requirement if you would like to continue living. Excessive food will turn you into an obese blob and lead to an early death.
While I am not suggesting marijuana is necessarily a health benefit to most people, the point is that everything is harmful if you take it to an excessive level, and that things are harmful when done in excess doesn't necessarily mean they're harmful when done normally.
pin this statement to the top of this silly thread...
just like cigarettes/booze/food whatever, too much isnt good for you
If you dont like it, dont do it, but stop throwing people in jail that do, and, take it off the governments list of most dangerous drugs, unless you put tobacco and alcohol on that list..
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