I’ll say this about pot:
I smoked pot for over 10 years during my undergrad years and then again after I met my fiancé. I had to quit. I’m an alcoholic. Once I realized that I had an issue with addiction, I realized that pot was as much a problem as alcohol or caffeine or nicotine.
Pot made me lethargic. I stopped caring about anything. I was unable to get motivated to do anything even as simple as feeding my ferrets or cleaning the house. I smoked like an addict: never stop until I can’t much move let alone bring the bong to my mouth again. I see a LOT of “functional” pot smokers who use it like a normal person would use alcohol. It’s an escape after a long day at work or a way to veg out on the weekends. If I could control my addiction (I know I can’t), then I’m sure I’d still be using it.
I would never offer it to anyone. I would never espouse its use. However, I believe alcohol is a much more insidious drug, and I’m of the opinion that pot is relatively benign. Again, I said RELATIVELY benign... relative to alcohol anyway. I don’t think it’s the root of problems in our country. I believe drugs like cocaine and heroin are necessarily banned, but with the rise of oxy- hydro- roxy-codone and other opiate prescription drugs, I don’t think we’re going to do away with it. In a way, removing the bans would at least remove the stigma and the need for a black market, essentially putting drug cartels out of business.
If you’ve never used pot and you have addiction issues, don’t start. Otherwise, I think it’s a drug with a purpose.
“Once I realized that I had an issue with addiction, I realized that pot was as much a problem as alcohol or caffeine or nicotine.”
Good for you, in seeing your problem was NEVER the pot.
Your an addict, period, whether or not you are entertaining your current addiction(s) at the moment.
Being an addict is not the result of the substance or behavior entertained, addictively. Being an addict is having a personality type and/or obtaining a personality pattern that is prone to addictive behavior. WHICH substance or behavior is irrelevant and NOT the problem.
The “cure” is ALWAYS in deciding to no longer accept the addictive behavior. I hope you keep that lesson with always.
Good post...my view on pot too and I smoked it daily from 71-83 and 90-91 myself.
Thanks for sharing that, I think so many people believe pot to be harmless not so for many people. I know several people that have smoked pot since high school great people but like you said no motivation to do ANYTHING.
This will probably NOT be the most popular post but the only time I have ever considered purchasing the stuff was when I was taking care of two immediate family members during their terminal cancer days. The chemo and radiation was taking such a toll that both persons literally ate nothing or a half a piece of dry toast a day. The weight loss was extreme and their body didn’t have enough energy to enjoy even their last few months. The pills prescribed would constipate them so badly that it became another health issue. Also, they would be sleepy and lethargic and the stronger medicine was kept for the final days so a tolerance during the first few months wasn’t built up. I have never tried pot and had no idea even where to go for it. All I am saying is every drug has a useful purpose in limited cases. So many people use prescription meds and I wonder if a legal joint here or there for a small amount of time wouldn’t help people. I guess I see another side of the story. Keep the addictive, liver damaging pills for extreme cases and let the medical community allow marijuana for limited use in other ones. Just a person who dealt with this on a sadder level.