With the impending legalization of marijuana use now being proxied in just about every state, this is an interesting take on pot and the potential for addiction. Higher THC %'s may lead us to brain damage, as the push for legalization is leading to a high demand and not necessarily the safest THC products being brought to market.
I travel, a lot, over land. I think I visited about 25 different states in 2019. Where pot is legal, I buy and smoke it. Where it is illegal, I don't, unless it's gifted to me, in which case I generally have no clue what the THC % is, or even if it's indica or sativa. It's just green stuff in a bag.
At this point, I'm getting used to knowing exactly what I'm getting. The downside, obviously, is that when it's readily available, it's so much easier to go overboard.
I've know some chronic users. The lack of motivation and ambition is real, I've seen it in these people. Overall though, I think it's safer than alcohol or tobacco. I've never tried it, but if it's ever legalized in Indiana, I'm going to try some edibles. I doubt I'd use it much, but the curiosity is there.
Im glad someone posted this. I have pot problems that I think are code orange. Not quite code red, but worth addressing, head-on, pronto, especially since (I think!) I have a huge year coming up.
I actually have a good track record with New Years resolutions and I’ve been thinking that in 2020 I’m going to stop smoking alone. There have been at least four or five times this past month when I felt like I really needed weed to get through something emotionally/strategically tough (or just boring) and that makes me feel like a real tweaker when I’m straight up sneaking away from people to get high. Not good.
Mason Tvert is undeniably right that pot is still way less harmful than other mood- and performance- enhancing drugs. A frightening number of people are on prescribed drugs that are way more dangerous than a flower. Marijuana should be used like the magical, sacred gift it is. Ritualizing it is a good way to stay cognizant of its power.
Preach. This is a great comment. I've definitely hit a code orange myself once or twice. It's savvy to check yourself & your habits once in a while and peer at the "why" behind why we use a mind altering substance.
It seems like it's status as "less harmful" is part of it's problem. Legalization was pushed through partly because of that specific branding, but now we're confusing "safer than alcohol" with "safe".
Just because it's safer doesn't mean something is always adding to our experiences either. It's hard to raw-dog life totally sober, and I agree any substance is best used mindfully. An altered state can be a gift to helping us see life in a new way, but only if that altered state isn't used as a substitute for our normal state!
Glad to see this being explored more. Yes pot dependence is way less sketchy than alcohol, but it's still not the best to be using any substance as a crutch.
My rule for a substance is it must add to my experience. If I catch myself reaching for it to numb, distract or turn off (or just to stop boredom)...I probably need to check myself.
Lately, I've switched to the "unleaded" kind during the week using CBD strains with a really low THC content to ensure I'm not foggy the next morning. You feel something, but not out of it mentally like with the crazy strong strains you see in dispensaries.
The higher THC concentrations are kind of annoying, esp the concentrates. I always found myself asking for the weakest strain, some of the stuff is down right psychedelic it's so strong.
Sometimes, I wonder if I'm a poorly reformed tobacco user. It's been a long time since I was a regular smoker, but the ritual of smoking something hasn't weakened in me.
With the impending legalization of marijuana use now being proxied in just about every state, this is an interesting take on pot and the potential for addiction. Higher THC %'s may lead us to brain damage, as the push for legalization is leading to a high demand and not necessarily the safest THC products being brought to market.
Thx for the comment!
I travel, a lot, over land. I think I visited about 25 different states in 2019. Where pot is legal, I buy and smoke it. Where it is illegal, I don't, unless it's gifted to me, in which case I generally have no clue what the THC % is, or even if it's indica or sativa. It's just green stuff in a bag.
At this point, I'm getting used to knowing exactly what I'm getting. The downside, obviously, is that when it's readily available, it's so much easier to go overboard.
I've know some chronic users. The lack of motivation and ambition is real, I've seen it in these people. Overall though, I think it's safer than alcohol or tobacco. I've never tried it, but if it's ever legalized in Indiana, I'm going to try some edibles. I doubt I'd use it much, but the curiosity is there.
Im glad someone posted this. I have pot problems that I think are code orange. Not quite code red, but worth addressing, head-on, pronto, especially since (I think!) I have a huge year coming up.
I actually have a good track record with New Years resolutions and I’ve been thinking that in 2020 I’m going to stop smoking alone. There have been at least four or five times this past month when I felt like I really needed weed to get through something emotionally/strategically tough (or just boring) and that makes me feel like a real tweaker when I’m straight up sneaking away from people to get high. Not good.
Mason Tvert is undeniably right that pot is still way less harmful than other mood- and performance- enhancing drugs. A frightening number of people are on prescribed drugs that are way more dangerous than a flower. Marijuana should be used like the magical, sacred gift it is. Ritualizing it is a good way to stay cognizant of its power.
Preach. This is a great comment. I've definitely hit a code orange myself once or twice. It's savvy to check yourself & your habits once in a while and peer at the "why" behind why we use a mind altering substance.
It seems like it's status as "less harmful" is part of it's problem. Legalization was pushed through partly because of that specific branding, but now we're confusing "safer than alcohol" with "safe".
Just because it's safer doesn't mean something is always adding to our experiences either. It's hard to raw-dog life totally sober, and I agree any substance is best used mindfully. An altered state can be a gift to helping us see life in a new way, but only if that altered state isn't used as a substitute for our normal state!
Glad to see this being explored more. Yes pot dependence is way less sketchy than alcohol, but it's still not the best to be using any substance as a crutch.
My rule for a substance is it must add to my experience. If I catch myself reaching for it to numb, distract or turn off (or just to stop boredom)...I probably need to check myself.
Lately, I've switched to the "unleaded" kind during the week using CBD strains with a really low THC content to ensure I'm not foggy the next morning. You feel something, but not out of it mentally like with the crazy strong strains you see in dispensaries.
The higher THC concentrations are kind of annoying, esp the concentrates. I always found myself asking for the weakest strain, some of the stuff is down right psychedelic it's so strong.
Sometimes, I wonder if I'm a poorly reformed tobacco user. It's been a long time since I was a regular smoker, but the ritual of smoking something hasn't weakened in me.