Cannabis addiction -- let's discuss

[Jingthing]

With the current liberalized legal situation in Thailand,. I'm sure many more f-rangs are indulging in the jazz cabbage. Some may have been users here before the great Thai Ganja gold rush, others (like me) were potheads earlier or much earlier in their lives.

 

But here we are.

 

We can use all the weed we want. Whether it be moldy brick or top shelf buds or whatever your liking.

 

So how are you coping with all this freedom?

 

Are you overdoing it?

 

Have you become addicted (whether physically, psychologically, or bath)?

 

How do you personally define too much or being addicted to weed?

 

So this is a discussion space for such matters. No right or wrong answers. 

[Denim]

There is a difference between being ' addicted ' and ' dependent on '

 

The former is worse than the latter .

 

Physical addiction leads to changes in the body that make it more difficult to quit since if you try the body will go into a bad craving mode that can be physically very unpleasant ( cold turkey )

 

A dependence is not so bad. If you are accustomed to a smoke every day then suddenly can't get hold of anything  you might get very irritable and phone every smoking friend you have trying to score something but in my experience , no physical withdrawal or cold turkey.

 

I was a regular smoker for 14 years but when I came here to live it was too risky and gave it up.

 

I could start up again now but don't see the point any more. My life here is so unstressful I don't need any help getting through the day sane..

[Jingthing]

Interesting comment, Denim.

But I don't think getting more relaxed is the only reason to indulge, especially considering the wide variety of strains available.

Of course strictly medical users are welcome to comment too.

I'm assuming in many cases they would be habitual users in order to treat chronic conditions.

Can taking medicine really be considered addiction?

This and many other factors makes me think that there is no cut and dried universal definition of cannabis addiction.

There are so many personal variables.

 

Obviously in extreme cases where a person is baked all the time and everyone can see that would be easier to diagnose. But that habit may be to their benefit as some rare people are much more productive on cannabis. Compare it to coffee -- I am definitely addicted, I feel it helps me, and I LIKE IT!

[BritManToo]

As far as I know there are no withdrawal symptoms when you stop so it can't be addictive!

Been using 0.5gm every night for the past 2 years to stop joint pain.

If I miss a night or 2 there is no downside apart from the joint pain creeping back.

Your 'reefer madness' topic title is misleading, if not misinformation.

[Jingthing]

No reefer madness here.

Nor misinformation.

People using cannabis for medical reasons may wish to say whether they are taking CBD or not.

 

Is marijuana addictive? | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov)

 

Quote

 

Research Report

Cannabis (Marijuana) Research Report
Is marijuana addictive?

 

Marijuana use can lead to the development of problem use, known as a marijuana use disorder, which takes the form of addiction in severe cases. Recent data suggest that 30% of those who use marijuana may have some degree of marijuana use disorder.18 People who begin using marijuana before the age of 18 are four to seven times more likely to develop a marijuana use disorder than adults.

 

 

[stoner]

dependency sure. addiction no.

 

i consume way more cannabis daily than any of you. i also work. run a company. got educated. married 15 years and counting - love you baby(that's the cannabis speaking). etc etc. i stopped smoking 2 times in my life. once for work (34 days - traces were still found when i tested) and when i first came to thailand (3 months). felt very little if any in regards to what would be considered withdrawals  or symptoms of addiction

 

going on the plane back to canada and not being able to smoke is only mildly irritating. i smoked cigarettes for 20 years so the habit of smoking is still very much present. just without the nicotine. 

 

however. 

 

i don't know any other life either. i have been high since i was 16. give or take a few months total time. 

 

what more would i been able to do or not do with my life if i was not a cannabis user. the bar could swing both ways on that one. i could of ended up much more successful or a crack addict.

 

i should note that i have been a medical user for a very long time. i could say that after discovering cannabis in my teens my cannabis use has been all therapeutic. 

 

has cannabis had negative effects on my life. absolutely. short term memory loss is one. has cannabis had positive effects on my life ? absolutely. i firmly believe that cannabis helped me stay away from other drugs. i was a heavy drinker in my younger days as well. been around all sorts of different drugs but never took any. 

 

being involved and around cannabis in general is therapeutic for me. growing cannabis puts me at ease and relaxes me. i find i can concentrate quite easily on it all as i love almost everything about it. 

 

the attention span of society isn't exactly great these days. so having something i love so much to help with that is a win win for me. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Denim]

23 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Been using 0.5gm every night for the past 2 years to stop joint pain.

Where is your joint pain ? (  good pun not intended I'm sure )

[Jingthing]

For those vaping and wanting more CBD, I just found this out. Higher temps, more CBD.

Learn something every day.

 

My situation is that I'm using THC in a vape (have been maxing at 190 C but I think I will max higher now) for a COMBINATION of benefits. Medical (mainly back pain) and also primarily the fun part. I have a pattern where I also periodically use CBD oil as well. Also insomnia but based on my research I'm very skeptical about the long term benefits of doing weed daily for that, so I don't. 

Of course maybe it's working for your insomnia, but overall I remain very skeptical.

 

 

[Trippy]

Before legal weed, i was drinking in the bars, 2 or 3 days a week. Now I drink once a month.

My liver is happier, and so is my wallet.

 

Been smoking weed on and off for almost 50 years. Am I addicted? I don't really care, 555

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Denim said:

Where is your joint pain ? (  good pun not intended I'm sure )

Fingers, from riding a m/c a lot in UK winters. Before cannabis they were too swollen to wear a wedding ring, too weak to open twist top bottles and the pain kept me awake most of the night. Surprisingly the swelling and weakness went as well as the pain. 

[chalawaan]

I'll get back to you right after this bowl ...

 

But seriously, it's a rewarding recreational substance in moderation. 

 

I use for pleasure, usually in the evening.

 

I've also been though a year of hammering it, before the law changed,  and it lost a lot of the more profound pleasure. 

 

I try and not do it daily now. 

Just four days off, and I find the initial fifth day buzz is very very good! 

 

I was away for a year last year and coming back, being able to legally walk the streets, stoned for the first time in twelve months was unforgettable!

 

PS I used to be a big piss head too, got a liver scare overseas, and quit, my liver rebounded in four months from off the charts readings, and the weight melted off. 

 

Although I've been able to stay off the booze, I also accidentally found that one dose of magic mushrooms can kill  the urge to drink for up to a year. 

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

No reefer madness here.

Nor misinformation.

.......... 

Is marijuana addictive? | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov)

Ah yes, believe your government and it's agencies! 

[MrBiker]

I started smoking as a teenager, smoked almost every night from age 16 to 24 or so. After that I stopped enjoying getting high. It made me think too much and over analyze all my actions. I would do it once in a blue moon but would have years where I didn't smoke at all. I'm close to 40 years old now and started to smoke again this year.

 

For me the perfect balance is about 2 times a week. Its enough to maintain some sort of a tolerance so that you don't get completely retarded from a few puffs, and not too much that you become dependent and cant fall a sleep without it.

 

Since starting to smoke again, I have not touched alcohol in over 6 months. Not one sip, so that is one HUGE benefit for me. The only downside that I notice is that it may have had a negative impact on my temper, I have been easier to anger. I am not 100% sure that it is related, but its possible. 

[Jingthing]

As I said before, I think this issue does vary a lot based on the individual. 

I have read many places that people who were addicted before age 18 are much more susceptible to later addiction, which kind of explains why I'm concerned about this and am paying attention to any red flags that might come up (because I was at least psychologically addicted back then for years). 

Casual reading has told me that getting high once a week is definitely not a problem.

But that didn't sound like enough to me, so I've gone for once every three days, or a little more than twice a week.

Plus the CBD oil also once every three days, different day than the vaping.

I'm definitely enjoying it, also enjoying exploring many different strains which can be tasted vaping.

I take notes on my reactions to different strains and I'm finding that the majority are not my cup of weed and wouldn't buy again, but some are.

But alas there is one red flag.

When the third day comes and I'm feeling there are reasons it might not be the best day (night) for a session, I do feel compelled to have that scheduled session anyway.

Not feeling like there would any physical withdrawal symptoms if I didn't (though likely less back pain management) but I think that does indicate psychological dependence. But beyond that awareness, it doesn't feel like it's any kind of serious problem, and at this point anyway, I have no intention of doing more frequent sessions.

[Jingthing]

23 minutes ago, MrBiker said:

I started smoking as a teenager, smoked almost every night from age 16 to 24 or so. After that I stopped enjoying getting high. It made me think too much and over analyze all my actions. I would do it once in a blue moon but would have years where I didn't smoke at all. I'm close to 40 years old now and started to smoke again this year.

 

For me the perfect balance is about 2 times a week. Its enough to maintain some sort of a tolerance so that you don't get completely retarded from a few puffs, and not too much that you become dependent and cant fall a sleep without it.

 

Since starting to smoke again, I have not touched alcohol in over 6 months. Not one sip, so that is one HUGE benefit for me. The only downside that I notice is that it may have had a negative impact on my temper, I have been easier to anger. I am not 100% sure that it is related, but its possible. 

Funny, we have similar histories and have both settled on about twice a week now.

When I first got my vape I was doing daily for awhile only to work on learning how to optimize using the new toy, not that I really wanted to be high everyday.

The thing about being high everyday, is you lose your baseline to enjoy the difference of being high. 

[MrBiker]

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Funny, we have similar histories and have both settled on about twice a week now.

When I first got my vape I was doing daily for awhile only to work on learning how to optimize using the new toy, not that I really wanted to be high everyday.

The thing about being high everyday, is you lose your baseline to enjoy the difference of being high. 

I basically did the same too. Smoked 5-6 days a week when I first re-started, then realized that it's pointless. My life was just fine without it. I wish it was something that can be enjoyed even less than twice a week but its just not fun to smoke unless you have a tolerance. Just like coffee, if you stop drinking it for a while, that first cup back will be way too strong. In my experience the more often you smoke cannabis the more enjoyable and beneficial the experience is. So the key for me is to find that fine line. To maximize enjoyment without going full on. 

[Denim]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Fingers, from riding a m/c a lot in UK winters. Before cannabis they were too swollen to wear a wedding ring, too weak to open twist top bottles and the pain kept me awake most of the night. Surprisingly the swelling and weakness went as well as the pain. 

I also started getting arthritis in my fingers last year which meant I couldn't play the guitar properly as my left hand couldn't shape the chords. At it's worst in November when I did my last extension I couldn't even hold a pen properly to sign all the papers. I resolved I had to do something urgently. 

 

Searching the internet it seemed that introducing anti inflammatory foods into my diet might help. I was already drinking a hot ginger/honey/lime juice infusion every morning first thing ( ginger drink from markets stall. 6 bags a time which keep well in the fridge ) which helped a little.

 

Next I started baking my own bread , 2 loaves at a time. In the bread I put 50 grams of black sesame , 50 grams of pumpkin kernels and 100 grams of ground flax seed. Makes tasty loaf with a lot of anti inflammatory ingredients . ( the pumpkin kernels also contain lots of zinc and magnesium , good for todger performance )

 

Swapped out orange juice for pineapple juice , also anti inflammatory 

https://www.marham.pk/healthblog/pineapple-benefits-for-men/

 

Take 2 turmeric capsules and 1 fish oil capsule every morning.

 

Afternoons drink hot tea made of Roselle and honey. Anti inflammatory and helps lower BP

https://rhymbahillstea.com/health-benefits-roselle

 

No need to give up any favorite foods but have cut down on fried chips etc

 

RESULT :

 

Don't know which of the above has helped the most but certainly works. After 6 months everything back to normal function, especially my right thumb which was unbendable 6 months ago but now perfect.

 

Reading the above it all sounds like a hassle if smoking a joint achieves the same. But perhaps the smoking just helps with the pain without actually putting right what is wrong plus as a bonus the bread tastes fantastic !!

 

As an aside, if riding the bike any distance I put thick air con insulation foam around the handles to reduce vibration which as you say is very damaging.

 

 

[taninthai]

3 hours ago, stoner said:

 

i consume way more cannabis daily than any of you. i

Your posts are ok ,,,,your constant thinking/boasting you are bigger and better than everyone else is slightly annoying.

[taninthai]

2 hours ago, chalawaan said:

But seriously, it's a rewarding recreational substance in moderation. 

 

I use for pleasure, usually in the evening.

 

I've also been though a year of hammering it, before the law changed,  and it lost a lot of the more profound pleasure. 

This is exactly same as me ,been there done it all over 30 years constant and don’t want it being the  main focus of my life day and night ,I only really smoke evening/nighttime  

(everyday).

same once started hammering it don’t actually enjoy it as much then go into the less is more style and yes it’s way more enjoyable.

same I don’t really like the huge selection of strains you are not enjoying the buzz just analysing and overthinking it all,I like to find something I like and stick to it.

im certainly no teenager anymore doing blowbacks,buckets and hot knives all within 30 mins off each other????????????????

Less is more now????still 4/5 a night though????????

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, taninthai said:

This is exactly same as me ,been there done it all over 30 years constant and don’t want it being the  main focus of my life day and night ,I only really smoke evening/nighttime  

(everyday).

same once started hammering it don’t actually enjoy it as much then go into the less is more style and yes it’s way more enjoyable.

same I don’t really like the huge selection of strains you are not enjoying the buzz just analysing and overthinking it all,I like to find something I like and stick to it.

im certainly no teenager anymore doing blowbacks,buckets and hot knives all within 30 mins off each other????????????????

Less is more now????still 4/5 a night though????????

Ha ha, when I was a teen we didn't even know what strains, sativa, or indica were.

The basic distinctions were weed that did the job vs. sticks and stems or sometimes even PCP laced oregano.

So far anyway, I'm still fascinated by the seemingly endless variety of strains.

Kind of like the Holy Grail -- that next strain with the great marketing name may just be the THE ONE, but I don't really think there ever will be THE ONE.

A bit like wine but then not, more affordable and terpenes can't really compete with complex wines.

[stoner]

3 hours ago, taninthai said:

Your posts are ok ,,,,your constant thinking/boasting you are bigger and better than everyone else is slightly annoying.

it was meant for perspective. you know that saying where it takes 10 000 hours to become an expert at something. i am not trying to boast apologies if you feel that way. 

 

there are members here with far more knowledge about cannabis than me.

 

as for bigger. well i have been very involved with the whole industry here for a number of years. worked with universities, hospitals and some of the biggest companies in thailand. so as compared to many on this forum i would be considered quite big. with that i am mostly trying to give insight and help to people who are looking for it. think of it how you will but my post history should align with that. am i brash and some what snobby at times. sure. who isn't in life. 

 

it gets difficult to talk about this subject at times with many people because as you say i think i am better. when most times its just simply more experience and knowledge. 

 

 

 

 

[Jingthing]

Perhaps worth mentioning even though it has been discussed elsewhere before.

 

In the context of at least being self aware of what level of dependency or addiction you have to cannabis, the truth is if you're doing THC rather than CBD it's a failed session if you don't get high. Do you feel the need to be very high every time or is a mild buzz pleasant enough?

 

Weed is so often compared to alcohol so I will again.

 

One can enjoy alcohol for the flavor, social times, etc. without the intention of getting drunk. 

 

Personally, I'm lucky enough not to be wired for alcohol abuse. The last time I drank to get drunk was New Year's Eve. So obviously once annually is no problem.

 

To be clear, OF COURSE alcohol is a massively more serious public hazard than weed. That is because so many people become alcoholics and slowly kill themselves that way. Many people even choke on their own vomit if they drink too  much. People don't die of weed addiction like that.

 

I won't get into driving safety, whether driving high on weed is as dangerous as driving drunk. My personal feeling is that weed is safer but that doesn't prove anything.

 

So what I'm suggesting is to at least have a self awareness of the potential of weed dependency, and the potential that might have negative impact on your life. Then maybe that will help the situation not get out of hand.

[Mickeymaus]

In my experience, whether or not you become addicted to a substance is very individual. I was extremely addicted to nicotine and it was a long, hard struggle to quit smoking. I don't have this problem with alcohol or weed. But I can imagine how people might suffer if they are addicted to alcohol or weed. I will never forget my nicotine experience.

[Jingthing]

44 minutes ago, Mickeymaus said:

In my experience, whether or not you become addicted to a substance is very individual. I was extremely addicted to nicotine and it was a long, hard struggle to quit smoking. I don't have this problem with alcohol or weed. But I can imagine how people might suffer if they are addicted to alcohol or weed. I will never forget my nicotine experience.

Yes but compared to alcohol, ciggies, heroin, speed, arguably even coffee, physical withdrawal from weed even when people are physically addicted which is much less common than psychological addiction is relatively a piece of cake. Also addiction to weed is much less harmful than those other things except coffee.

[taninthai]

23 hours ago, stoner said:

well i have been very involved with the whole industry here for a number of years.

So you say I can see you are selling weed to others on the forum is that what you mean when you say involved in the industry for a number of years………why not post your shop details if you looking for customers??????

you seem to have banging weed at good price should clear up , I might even become customer.

[stoner]

6 minutes ago, taninthai said:

So you say I can see you are selling weed to others on the forum is that what you mean when you say involved in the industry for a number of years………why not post your shop details if you looking for customers??????

you seem to have banging weed at good price should clear up , I might even become customer.

no shop sorry haven't got that far yet. mostly supplying shops. working on opening a wellness center down south in the coming months though. 

 

we are a registered farm all legal paperwork and what not. message me if you are interested.  

[taninthai]

3 minutes ago, stoner said:

no shop sorry haven't got that far yet. mostly supplying shops. working on opening a wellness center down south in the coming months though. 

 

we are a registered farm all legal paperwork and what not. message me if you are interested.  

Iteresting I live down south,,,,,,Ok fair enough,,,, if I got into this this is how I would want to go supplying shop only growing certain high grade strains,,,,out the country at the Minuit as do want to start growing my own ,,,might hit you up when return ????????

[connda]

I met a woman years back who insisted she was a marijuana addict.

I know enough about human physiology to know that THC is not physically addicting such as opioids.  But I can see any drug that pleasantly alters your perception as having the potential to develop dependency - which is not addiction.  However, to the women I knew, that would be splitting hairs.  Her perception of being "an addict" made her "an addict."

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, connda said:

I met a woman years back who insisted she was a marijuana addict.

I know enough about human physiology to know that THC is not physically addicting such as opioids.  But I can see any drug that pleasantly alters your perception as having the potential to develop dependency - which is not addiction.  However, to the women I knew, that would be splitting hairs.  Her perception of being "an addict" made her "an addict."

You are splitting hairs. Being addicted to weed is not rare. No, withdrawal isn't like from heroin, but it's not nothing either.

 

Addiction | Health Effects | Marijuana | CDC

[Brickleberry]

On 6/20/2023 at 12:19 PM, Jingthing said:

You are splitting hairs. Being addicted to weed is not rare. No, withdrawal isn't like from heroin, but it's not nothing either.

 

Addiction | Health Effects | Marijuana | CDC

There's no such thing as addiction to weed. You can become dependent, but this is something completely different. Your body can become dependent on a plethora of natural substances. A cannabis dependent person, is not an addict:

https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/drugs-and-drug-use/common-drugs/cannabis

 

https://www.turnbridge.com/news-events/latest-articles/addiction-vs-dependence/

 

Looking over your posts here, you seem to worry so much about the method of delivery, frequency of use and potential effects that it doesn't seem possible for you to enjoy a hit. Weed is supposed to be relaxing.

 

Vaping is the least effective method of imbibing, and actually causes more irritation to lungs than smoke. Vaping seems to be popular with kids, but can be a great idea for those who want to quit smoking. If you care for your health, and prefer to experience a potent, natural high, I'd stop vaping.

 

People shouldn't compare alcohol and weed. One is a naturally growing plant, the other is a fermentation process of various grains, fruits or vegetables. One causes addictions and kills millions of people per year, the other one doesn't.

 

Just my 2 cents.