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Germany’s move to legalise cannabis expected to create ‘domino effect’

theguardian.com

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Re: Germany’s move to legalise cannabis expected to create ‘domino effect’

#321

Post by wonderwonder »

selfmodruntime wrote: post #3

I think the legalization of cannabis in Europe has a lot of potential. I just wish that we would take measures to avoid the ever increasing levels of THC dosage in weed to insane levels, like you see in the US or California specifically. I firmly believe that cannabis can do a lot of good, but the poison is in the dosage. It has been shown in the past that increasing THC while decreasing CBD leads to an increase in n…

I think experienced users know how much they can smoke and are equipped to make rational decisions. I buy weed in the 15%-19% thc range. I know if I share a bowl with my wife then after that bowl we are good for whatever we want to do that night as long as we are home. I smoke far less if I am leaving the house and interacting with people, then I limit it to 2 hits off the one hitter. This is because of experience though, I know my limits and what I am attempting to accomplish. The issue is individuals who equate weed with a harmless drug. It is harmless in that you are virtually guaranteed not to die from it but if you over do it things can be rough. Never understood why people feel the need to start with 3 or 4 hits of something they have never tried before. Take a hit, relax. See how you do. If its your first time, then that's it, next time depending on your experience try 2 hits. No need to start at maximum. You need the slow increases over days to understand your limits, experience comes with time. Its like trying alcohol for the first time, taking a shot of everclear and 5 minutes later deciding it had no effect so you take another shot. Its not a good idea.

Re: Germany’s move to legalise cannabis expected to create ‘domino effect’

#322

Post by whimsicalism »

iinnPP wrote: post #98
subpixel wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a high-school friend in prison for 20+ years for marijuana-related charges. I now live in a recreationally legal state, the irony is not lost on me.

US prisons are absolutely packed with young marijuana dealers/users with effectively lifetime sentences. Many of them are truly good people.

> US prisons are absolutely packed with young marijuana dealers/users with effectively lifetime sentences.

Just not at all true.

Re: Germany’s move to legalise cannabis expected to create ‘domino effect’

#323

Post by whimsicalism »

subpixel wrote: post #71
Tade0 wrote: post #58

My high school classmate and, coincidentally, my SO's friend from college is currently doing time for "possession of large amounts of marijuana" - 19g to be specific. He used to be a local weed dealer and while he knew what he was getting into and was consciously breaking the law at the time, after his first arrest a few years ago he stopped and got a regular job. He only got involved with the court again because one…

I have a high-school friend in prison for 20+ years for marijuana-related charges. I now live in a recreationally legal state, the irony is not lost on me.

20+ years in the US? No gun related charge or priors with other drugs/guns? That is very unusual if so.

Re: Germany’s move to legalise cannabis expected to create ‘domino effect’

#324

Post by wonderwonder »

ssfhsfhdjs wrote: post #205
snarfy wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I lived in Arizona before it was legal, the vast majority of weed came from Mexico. A quarter pound cost $200 and was a mix of male and female plants, full of seeds, grown in fields. I was a daily user for about 20 years. I moved to coastal state where it was legal. Now it's all hydroponically grown, all female and all seedless. I was a daily user for about 12 years and had to completely stop using it. It would…

I'm struggling with this now. Daily cannabis user for 15 year or so, started puking not long after I'd switched primarily to concentrates. I've landed in the ER several times, and been hospitalized a handful of times for dehydration. Usually once an episode starts, a cocktail of ativan, reglan, and pepcid is about the only thing that'll get me out of it. I've tried to quit cannabis several times now, but usually brea…

Why are you still smoking concentrates? Switch back to flower. Then slowly get flower with lower thc percentages. I have never been addicted to anything so its hard for me to relate so I dont want to cast negativity your way but friend if something is hospitalizing you go see an addiction specialist yesterday. Replace the addiction with something else that makes you feel good, start running or going to the gym. Good Luck!

Re: Germany’s move to legalise cannabis expected to create ‘domino effect’

#325

Post by wonderwonder »

DoingIsLearning wrote: post #33
selfmodruntime wrote: post #3

I think the legalization of cannabis in Europe has a lot of potential. I just wish that we would take measures to avoid the ever increasing levels of THC dosage in weed to insane levels, like you see in the US or California specifically. I firmly believe that cannabis can do a lot of good, but the poison is in the dosage. It has been shown in the past that increasing THC while decreasing CBD leads to an increase in n…

Maybe a stupid question but are there any cannabis variants which are agreed on as the 'wild'/ original cannabis? I can see that being used by sellers as a marketing claim for health benefits in a not so distant future?

Strain called Durban Poison is supposed to be one, relatively common to find in dispensaries. I actually got some yesterday so I know what I am doing Saturday night :)

Interesting read on the subject: https://dutch-passion.com/en/blog/what-are-cannabis-landrace....

Re: Germany’s move to legalise cannabis expected to create ‘domino effect’

#326

Post by newsclues »

ssfhsfhdjs wrote: post #205
snarfy wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I lived in Arizona before it was legal, the vast majority of weed came from Mexico. A quarter pound cost $200 and was a mix of male and female plants, full of seeds, grown in fields. I was a daily user for about 20 years. I moved to coastal state where it was legal. Now it's all hydroponically grown, all female and all seedless. I was a daily user for about 12 years and had to completely stop using it. It would…

I'm struggling with this now. Daily cannabis user for 15 year or so, started puking not long after I'd switched primarily to concentrates. I've landed in the ER several times, and been hospitalized a handful of times for dehydration. Usually once an episode starts, a cocktail of ativan, reglan, and pepcid is about the only thing that'll get me out of it. I've tried to quit cannabis several times now, but usually brea…

I live in Canada where there is legal weed, and even some of the legal cannabis makes you sick because it’s grown with chemicals and not flushed or it’s contaminated with powdered mildew or other shit. And it’s able to pass what little QC there is, and it makes me sick.

So I buy from people that have been doing it for decades and smoke their own stuff as QC.

If it’s too strong smoke less, but clean cannabis is the solution for that.

Re: Germany’s move to legalise cannabis expected to create ‘domino effect’

#327

Post by erikpukinskis »

eternalban wrote: post #261

[Serious question (pot smoker myself)] Has there ever been a successful civilization that had incorporated use of cannabis in general society? I am not talking about some priestly caste using it for tripping, divining, or making up scripture, I mean like the use of alcohol which actually apparently was a key factor in emergence of urban civilizations. Related question is: do we know of any civilization that collapsed…

> Has there ever been a successful civilization that had incorporated use of cannabis in general society?

California?

Re: Germany’s move to legalise cannabis expected to create ‘domino effect’

#328

Post by jotm »

schroeding wrote: post #248
jotm wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A couple of things that I'm sad about: there are medications better than cannabis for anxiety and depression. But no one talks about them. They're on the same level as alcohol and weed when it comes to addiction potential and harm. Just make them legal ffs. I'm really happy I can get them from pharmacies in my country because they're not on a restricted prescription so they just give them to you if you pinky promise…

> there are medications better than cannabis for anxiety and depression. But no one talks about them. Could you maybe name them? Would be awesome :)

I've become reluctant to do it since many people can't properly administer them and/or fall into addiction. Then again, it happens with cannabis, too.

But eh, whatever, you're responsible for yourself.

For me, gabapentinoids and gabaergics work great. Pregabalin, Gabapentin, Sodium Oxybate are what I have experimented with and found to be good.

Currently on Pregabalin 2x150mg morning+evening. Each dose lasts 6-7 hours (and lingers for much longer, 24-48 hours). I'd recommend starting with 75mg, only on empty stomach. Effects start after 1-2 hours, if you don't feel anything, up the dose. Don't take too much, I tried 300-450mg in one dose, was too stupefying. Quitting is easy by tapering down over a week. May have 1-2 days of bad sleep or insomnia. Minimized anxiety, suicidal thoughts gone, and it even mixes well with most stimulants (for ADHD).

Pretty much the same for Gabapentin, which was great, better than pregabalin (more energy and creativity), until I quit it for ~6 months and now I have some sort of permanent tolerance. It's strange.

Sodium Oxybate (aka GHB!) is also great, easier to get but dosing is difficult, it's short lasting and has a big impact on sleep (forced me into biphasic sleep, which is actually how narcoleptics take it), can't fall asleep without it, but it's great quality sleep after ~3 weeks). Big danger of addiction, even though quitting is easy by tapering down over a week. Basically you need more than 12 hours between after the last dose. Or if you fall into a 24/7 trap (taking it every 1-3 hours), lower the dosage every day. Much harder than it sounds so just never take it more than 3-4 times a day and never more than 3-4 grams at a time.

Would not recommend it unless you're really good at self-restraint and/or quitting drugs. Quitting an a-pvp binge was easier than sodium oxybate.

There's also benzodiazepines and phenibut that I stay clear of (they act partially or fully on GABA-A, way more dangerous/addictive than those that act on GABA-B), and baclofen that I haven't tried due to unavailability.

They all have quite different effects and you need to find a right dosage/schedule. Gotta see what works best for you.

To put it in simple terms, they're mostly like alcohol without the negative effects. I have to say I've been a long time functional alcoholic (over a decade of near daily use), so either my brain craves something for GABA receptors or I've screwed it up and now this stuff works.

Still, any of them are less stupefying than cannabis (and at higher dosages close to it in relaxation effects) and have none of the occasional negative effects like paranoia.

Also, I use tizanidine to knock myself to sleep when quitting various stuff.

But holy shit, please for the love of everything learn to use medication responsibly, learn to quit them and not fall into abuse, because withdrawal can be ugly.

Re: Germany’s move to legalise cannabis expected to create ‘domino effect’

#329

Post by [deleted] »

wonderwonder wrote: post #321
selfmodruntime wrote: post #3

I think the legalization of cannabis in Europe has a lot of potential. I just wish that we would take measures to avoid the ever increasing levels of THC dosage in weed to insane levels, like you see in the US or California specifically. I firmly believe that cannabis can do a lot of good, but the poison is in the dosage. It has been shown in the past that increasing THC while decreasing CBD leads to an increase in n…

I think experienced users know how much they can smoke and are equipped to make rational decisions. I buy weed in the 15%-19% thc range. I know if I share a bowl with my wife then after that bowl we are good for whatever we want to do that night as long as we are home. I smoke far less if I am leaving the house and interacting with people, then I limit it to 2 hits off the one hitter. This is because of experience th…

[deleted]

Re: Germany’s move to legalise cannabis expected to create ‘domino effect’

#330

Post by idleproc »

donkeyd wrote: post #242
htkibar wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In all fairness, it isn't like we want people to come as tourists here to smoke weed or something so should be fine no? For anyone else wanting to know more about the Dutch policy on this: https://www.government.nl/topics/drugs/toleration-policy-reg...

Well, it's not about that. It's that one of the reasons the Netherlands never legalized is that the rest of Europe didn't. So we were afraid that we'd become a place where international criminals come to produce massive amounts of weed legally to then export it illegally. When countries surrounding us start legalizing, we have no reason not to. Since growing weed is purely done by criminals right now, we're also afra…

> we were afraid that we'd become a place where international criminals come to produce massive amounts of weed legally to then export it illegally

I remember a few years back, someone in the Dutch police claimed the Netherlands was on its way to becoming a narco-state [1].

I'm ignorant about the domestic issues there, so correct me, but it seems like the legality of drugs is a separate issue to the control of organised crime in the country.

[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-50821542

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