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More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

theatlantic.com

81–90 of 396 posts

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#81
post #64

I have been smoking pot since I was 14 years old, I am 51 now. I would stop smoking from time to time, sometimes to prepare for football, sometimes because society wanted me too. I am not a lazy person, I smoke a sativa strain to get me motivated, it acts like a stimulant that can help me focus.. laser like focus to drown out daily distractions. I'll smoke an indica strain to sleep well at night. I have been a highly…

Out of curiosity, how much do you smoke?

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#82

In the past I was addicted to pot. I was addicted in the sense that pretty much everything felt better when I was high. I was more relaxed and had less anxiety. Sex was better. Food tasted better. I was more creative. I thought about much deeper things. I spent less time online and in front of screens. The biggest downside for me--and the reason I ended up quitting--was that my sober life just sucked in comparison. I…

I was always curious about the mental sharpness / memory portion. I know the short-term memory impairment is well documented but in regards to mental sharpness, that's a bit more nebulous and hard to hone in on. Is there any evidence that the use of cannabis effects cognitive ability while not under the effects or "high" of the drug?

I'm a former daily smoker. I carry a water bottle with me everywhere. When I was a daily smoker, I would pretty frequently forget where I had just set my water bottle down. My partner still gives me shit for it. Since stopping, this is a very rare occurrence.

As far as the mental sharpness thing goes,I didn't notice any major changes. Some people I know would have some fogginess the day after. This never affected me personally. I think brain fog is definitely a real thing for _some_ users.

I totally understand this is anecdotal. I'm just trying to share my experiences. I hate how defensive people can be about cannabis. I am sympathetic to this because giving proponents of cannabis prohibition anything to latch onto delays progress. It should be legal. People should also have honest discussions about it. It's a fairly low risk drug IMO, but it is a drug.

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#83
I know three people from a previous job that was stressful, boring and mechanical. They are all from great schools, in good health and well paid. They smoke regularly and I’ve known them for at least 4-7 years now. Initially, they treated it as a ritual of sorts, but ever since vapes become a thing, I think they’ve become extremely addicted to it. It seems to me like they plan their day around smoking pot now. Everything they read and share on social media is also only about pot. On multiple occasions i’ve noticed they tell me the same story over n over. It’s a bit worrisome to see this.

I also have a neighbor who’s 20 something and used to be in the army 4 years ago. He’s been smoking regularly for medical reasons. He’s completely different and actually seems more focused than my bored friends.

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#84

Alternative headline: citizens of deeply broken society turn to least harmful drug available to them to dull the pain of their shitty lives.

Yup. Americans invented it in the last couple decades and all of us thate use it, at any frequency, are losers and burnouts with shitty lives.

Edit: removed the rest of my comment, going to be hopeful and assume the reply I got was correct. Sincere apologies for not reading in better faith.

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#86
post #44

In the past I was addicted to pot. I was addicted in the sense that pretty much everything felt better when I was high. I was more relaxed and had less anxiety. Sex was better. Food tasted better. I was more creative. I thought about much deeper things. I spent less time online and in front of screens. The biggest downside for me--and the reason I ended up quitting--was that my sober life just sucked in comparison. I…

> In other words, it made me feel fine just hanging out in my apartment doing nothing. That should be the natural state of man, though, I'd extend it to meeting with friends, cooking, playing, etc -- that is, being "non-productive". It took a lot of advertising and protestant ethic working hand in hand through opposing ends to move the needle towards full on consumption and full on productivity. "All human evil comes…

Not everything is a social construction. The default state of life isn't being relaxed and comfortable, the default state is starvation and defending against disease, predation, and conflict. In your world where everyone is cooking and playing, who provides the food? Who staves away conflict?

What lifeform on Earth let you to believe that the default state of being was effortless comfort?

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this an American only issue? I was under the impression that marijuana is very popular everywhere.

No, it's merely popular to attack the US. Iceland - widely considered one of the great societies on earth - uses anti-depressants as much as the US. Here's next in line on the list of anti-depressant usage (in order of use): Australia (10% lower usage than the US), Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, UK, Finland, Belgium (30% lower usage than the US) Most of the countries with the highest standards of living on earth,…

But actual prescribing of anti-depressants and painkillers is considerably higher in the US than elsewhere.

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#88
post #3

I know people that have kicked opiates and tobacco cold turkey - but who could not give up using cannabis if their lives depended on it. This is a legitimate concern in the current tide of de-criminalization / legalization.

Tell somebody on adhd medication to quit.

or somebody on antipsychotics to quit.

People on weed are generally happier about life the universe and everything.

Ten hits a day and the answer suddenly makes sense, its not 42, its 420.

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#89

In the past I was addicted to pot. I was addicted in the sense that pretty much everything felt better when I was high. I was more relaxed and had less anxiety. Sex was better. Food tasted better. I was more creative. I thought about much deeper things. I spent less time online and in front of screens. The biggest downside for me--and the reason I ended up quitting--was that my sober life just sucked in comparison. I…

The boost in the creativity is only an illusion.

It is only of the reason why Cannabis is not used for "cheating". It doesn't work as expected.

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#90
post #86
post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> In other words, it made me feel fine just hanging out in my apartment doing nothing. That should be the natural state of man, though, I'd extend it to meeting with friends, cooking, playing, etc -- that is, being "non-productive". It took a lot of advertising and protestant ethic working hand in hand through opposing ends to move the needle towards full on consumption and full on productivity. "All human evil comes…

Not everything is a social construction. The default state of life isn't being relaxed and comfortable, the default state is starvation and defending against disease, predation, and conflict. In your world where everyone is cooking and playing, who provides the food? Who staves away conflict? What lifeform on Earth let you to believe that the default state of being was effortless comfort?

Looking at a lot of life, it’s more like long periods of rest interspersed with very short, very high intensity struggle. Big cats sleep most of the day, lizards bask, snakes and crocodiles just hang around. Most non-grazing animals spend a majority of time resting or asleep, conserving energy for big stakes bursts. Hell, lots of mammals sleep through whole seasons!
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