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More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

theatlantic.com

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Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#311

Post by [deleted] »

WalterSear wrote: post #295
mindgam3 wrote: post #58

For those seeking the anti-anxiety benefits of a daily dose of high grade medicinal cannabis without the cognitive impairment associated with THC (notably impairment of short term memory, which is crucial for maintaining flow state while doing complex tasks like coding or chess) - may I recommend looking into high CBD, low THC flower. You want THC 10%. I recently switched over to a high CBD strain and it has been a g…

Fwiw, high CBD cannabis gives me memory problems. Specifically: a 5-10 minute period in the next 24 hours that simply disappears, leaving me standing somewhere, wondering how I got there. It has happened every time, with multiple strains. I kept returning to it because it turns off my almost perpetual emotional pain like a lightswitch. I have yet to met anyone who has shared this experience, or read anything about in…

[deleted]

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#312

Post by code_duck »

insickness wrote: post #17

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 have used cannabis a long time and while I had similar ideas in my 20s, none of this is similar to my current experience - mainly the verbiage and ideas that seem to be derived from drug treatment literature.

I’ve tried not consuming cannabis for long periods and it doesn’t improve my life overall. I did find it necessary to abstain when I has a programming/sysadmin startup job and was trying to learn and manage a huge load.

However, I’ve realized that I’ve largely smoked to cope with my significant growing medical issues over time, and my experience with life in general is not similar to that of others. Most people haven’t spent 1/3 of each day feeling much like they’re dying following meals, but I sure have.

For me, it alleviates my insomnia, anxiety, helps me relax, reduces minor aches and pains (of which I have many), and helps me work through my endless food settling/belching/chest pain/vomiting complex.

It also has a huge community around the cultivation, artistic accessories and (less engagingly) consumption. I was an artistic pipe blower for about 18 years and have a lot of other friends who have devoted their lives to making glass smoking accessories. Overall it fills a role somewhere around coffee, tobacco and wine.

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#313

Post by mindgam3 »

WalterSear wrote: post #295
mindgam3 wrote: post #58

For those seeking the anti-anxiety benefits of a daily dose of high grade medicinal cannabis without the cognitive impairment associated with THC (notably impairment of short term memory, which is crucial for maintaining flow state while doing complex tasks like coding or chess) - may I recommend looking into high CBD, low THC flower. You want THC 10%. I recently switched over to a high CBD strain and it has been a g…

Fwiw, high CBD cannabis gives me memory problems. Specifically: a 5-10 minute period in the next 24 hours that simply disappears, leaving me standing somewhere, wondering how I got there. It has happened every time, with multiple strains. I kept returning to it because it turns off my almost perpetual emotional pain like a lightswitch. I have yet to met anyone who has shared this experience, or read anything about in…

That is a bit odd. I often have the experience of standing somewhere wondering what I was doing, but that's more of a momentary thing that I would call garden variety absent-mindedness.

The other experience that comes to mind is driving - my brain sometimes shuts off for minutes at a time. Not a good thing.

I suspect this has more to do with what's on my mind than what substance I'm taking. I'd be skeptical that it's the CBD causing this experience in your case, but without more data it's hard to say. The one thing I'd recommend is practicing some attention-based meditation, like counting breaths for a few minutes each day. It may strengthen the meta-awareness muscle and reduce the likelihood of these blank-outs.

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#314

Post by feynmanistheman »

smittywerben wrote: post #279
pennaMan wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5576603/

Does this look like a double-blind placebo-controlled study to you? It looks like an interview to me

The interview seems to support the "sommelier's talk" hypothesis, considering the doctor explicitly says that "the sativa/indica distinction as commonly applied in the lay literature is total nonsense and an exercise in futility."

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#315

Post by S_A_P »

Here is my take on cannabis. I live in a state that is still under prohibition. I mostly stopped smoking cannabis after I got out of college in the early 2000s. I would occasionally smoke here and there, but I didn't really know anyone who sold it and wasn't interested in finding a weed house to risk arrest. I have social anxiety, and general anxiety at night where I cannot shut my mind off. Normally I can control this with exercise, and occasional alcohol or melatonin use. Ive tried other things like ambien, lunesta, or ativan for severe bouts. I don't really like benzos, and I feel groggy and pushed towards depression when I take them.

Then I went to colorado this summer. I went to a dispensary, and I told them what is going on with me and they suggested a few things.(and I also learned a few things) I initially thought that I needed a strain of indica to make me sleep and calm my mind. I found that to be a bad call and it really made me go into a nasty head trip where I would analyze every bad decision Ive made in my life in great detail, then get a mild panic attack. I adjusted dose and it still made me feel that way, or didn't have enough of an affect to help.

I tried a hybrid strain of sativa/indica and found that a bit better, but the indica high is not fun for me. soooo.

I know sativa is the "wide awake and nootropic" high, but for me, it works perfectly. I can dose to ~2 hits from a vape pen and Im in the perfect mental state to sleep. I don't feel hung over or groggy. I sleep better and wake up refreshed.

As for motivation and pot. Im sure my experience is somewhat personal to me, but If you want to be unmotivated and lazy, pot can help you get there. However, if you just want to take the edge off, and still go about your business pot can facilitate that as long as you manage your dosage and strain.

I almost hate to invoke the name of Joe Rogan, but I think he has it about right when he says that its a problem of discipline. I think cannabis is unique (compared to benzo, opiates, and some other drugs at least) in this area because there is not a huge physical addiction with cannabis. This really puts the problem squarely on your mental state. If you are smoking pot every day, and not accomplishing much, you're probably depressed or want to be in that state.

That said, its not a magic bullet drug, and I don't advocate for everyone to consume cannabis all the time. I also would like to advise caution to those new to or long removed from cannabis. These crazy weed scientists have made it crazy potent. MIND YOUR DOSAGE!

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#316

Post by dqpb »

WalterSear wrote: post #288
dqpb wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is an easy answer though. You do what successful humans have done for thousands of years: - educate yourself - join or form a community that supports each other - fight for your survival like every ancestor in your genetic tree did before you. Life isn't easy. But you also aren't naturally weak. Unfortunately, once you start doing drugs, you risk corrupting the source code of the machine you rely on.

This is dogma, not advice.

That's a thought terminating cliche, not an argument.

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#317

Post by 3x »

lvspiff wrote: post #142

After legalizing it in Vegas I've noticed a constant lingering smell from a couple neighbors in my neighborhood. Its gotten to the point where its getting to be annoying cause most of them don't want to make their own house smell bad so they smoke outside. I'm for pot legalization and thought it was a fair idea, but like with regular smoking if your doing it within 20 ft of someone who's not and doesn't want to smell…

Deal with it, recreational drug users have been under a constant state of threat and abuse since forever. We've had to put up with a lot more than you, so next time you notice the smell of marijuana just be glad that no one is trying to lock you up.

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#318

Post by drvdevd »

insickness wrote: post #17

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…

> Quitting wasn't that hard. And I still think about how great I felt when I smoked. I may smoke again in the future but for now, I appreciate operating in the real world without any crutches.

I think cannabis is an amazingly useful and versatile drug, but there was a time in my life where I was high pretty much constantly and although I wouldn't want to do that today, I actually think it is more useful - as a practical tool - when you have a high tolerance.

I find that when I don't have a tolerance to it, the feeling is pretty close in resemblance to how I feel when I've had way too much coffee - at that point I can't really do anything requiring complex thought. I have to do something pretty repetitive, so I find myself cleaning or just walking, maybe working out. Still useful for something, but that's about the extent of it.

At any rate, I find that the best part of being high is when I'm on the downward slope of the experience. Then I find I am more relaxed, productive, etc. I feel that I have gotten something of physical benefit from the effects.

So ... I really don't usually enjoy being stoned anymore. But I think cannabis is a more versatile tool than people give it credit for, and should be thought of that way. I'm not saying it shouldn't be used recreationally, but rather one should consider the right way to use it in context of the desired effect. Because the range of possible uses is actually pretty large.

I guess what I'm trying to say is - I think it still deserves a place in your medicine cabinet :)

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#319

Post by flycaliguy »

01100011 wrote: post #271
dgzl wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for the thoughtful input, and I'm certainly taking your anecdotes as advice. In fact, taking a break seems like a good idea, I'll have to work this into my life sometime soon. However I have to be honest, my life has never been more successful than it currently is. Not to say it would be more so if I wasn't a daily user, but hopefully you see my point. No need to respond if you're not comfortable, but in what…

It's tough.. Not only was I a pothead, I was an advocate. I grew and supplied dispensaries with flowers and edibles. I'm not saying weed should be banned but I think we need a rational discussion on it. I understand your feelings. My salary peaked in the midst of my binge. I was a (in my circle) somewhat of a rockstar, making tons of money, working an easy job. It's the classic story of the tortoise and the hare thou…

This is a great post, thank you.

Re: More Americans report near-constant cannabis use

#320

Post by awaythrow69 »

Is there anyone else here for whom cannabis does zilch? I have tried smoking pot on two different occasions and it did not have any effect on me aside from disgusting smell. To answer usual questions: it was real pot - everyone else was high as a kite, and I followed the advice on proper inhaling technique.

Similar things with opioids. I have been prescribed percocet and hydromorphone for strong (but non-chronic) pain. Pills took away the pain, but I never got a sense of high or euphoria that would make me want to take them again.

Alcohol works just fine though.

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