Does anyone else find that pot smokers are usually in denial over the harm they are doing to their bodies by smoking? I have spent every day since I was 15 getting high, but I never ever pretended I was doing myself a favour. Most of the people I spent all those years getting high with actually think weed is "the best thing since sliced bread"
Here is a quote by Ed Rosenthall (sp?) I got out of one of his grow books that my brother has. This quote bothered me even when I was a daily smoker (all those 3 days ago). And I think it might illustrate the point I am trying to make.
"Marijuana has been proven to be one of the most harmless and benign substances known"
When I read this, I looked at my brother. He is a talented musician with no motivation. He could be a rockstar one day but all he wants to do is smoke dope and watch concert DVD's. He smokes more then anyone I have ever met. He plays gigs for peanuts because he can't get himself organized enough. He doesn't realize the night clubs will use him and pay him nothing if he lets them.
I asked him "Bill, You think your life would have been better if marijuana was never a part of it?"
To this he replied "Why would my life be better? I love smoking pot"
A little suprised, I said "You can honestly tell me with a straight face you think your better off being a pothead, than not being a pot head? Do you think you smoke too much?"
then he got a little irritated with me and just said "I'm not a pothead I just really like getting high. And I only smoke socially"
The guy smokes more then 1/4 oz a day and has for years. He's got a very active social life. This conversation made me really sad for him. And I feel guilty because I am the one who encouraged him to have marijuana ALL THE TIME, we were kids. Its sad because he may never know what its like to live a straight lifestyle. I've watched ourselves slip down hill for the past 10 years because of drugs. But he doesn't see it that way.
I'll share some of our history at this point. When myself and my brother were born, my father was an alcoholic, a heavy pot smoker, and he was addicted to shooting up demerol. He went to AA and got straight for more then 10 years. I still remember being 11 years old and seeing my father drinking for the first time ever, I was amazed.
when I was 12, my brother found about an oz of good marijuana in my dads jacket. When he showed it to me, I took some. And I smoked it. I was way to young. By the time I was 14 they were smoking it all over the house, not even hiding it anymore. In the liquor cabinet right next to the wine and the rum was a baggie of marijuana. Myself and my brother regularly took some for ourselves, we were way to young but noone was paying any attention.
By the time I was 15 my Dad was drinking heavily again, and my parents were going through a tough divorce. My Dad got a new girlfriend who actually started giving my brother (who was only 13 years old) an "allowance of weed" 1/8 oz a week (Dad didn't know about this, neither did I, we all just wondered where a 13 year old was getting his stash).
Things have really spun out of controll. It makes me sick to think of it. I have older brothers and sister who smoke every day as well and they also have no intention of stopping. I don't think they see their habits as something they need to fix. I can't help them. It makes it tougher for me to help myself tho.
At least they made a decision to be pot heads. They were adults living on their own before my dad started drinking and smoking again. They have a hard time beleiving how strange things got at the end of my parents marriage. Bill and I were just so young, we didn't even have a chance to make a decision for ourselves.....
anyways, just shareing some of my thoughts. I don't really expect anyone to read all of this junk but it feels good to put it out there.
Cheers!
Still Straight Mr.B
Wow after rereading this. Perhaps I shouldn't have called the thread "pot head denial" maybe "my life storie" would have been more appropriate lol.
Cheers
Cheers
"marijuana has been proven to be one of the most harmless and benign substances known"
Tell that to my right lung!
I have a very large lump of scar tissue that I have to blame on numerous years of mj use. I do have asthma, cant say what caused that, but didnt have it as a child.
Several years of pnuemonia and steroid use has led to scar tissue. I can pretty confidently say that mass wouldnt be there had I not been a daily smoker for the past 6-10 years.
Funny that mj has been "proven" as harmless when this has been the drug that the least amount of money has been spent on studying. Minimal evidence has been identified on long term effects, and one reason people believe there is no physical withdrawal is research has not proven it due to research not being focused on it. Much more money has been put into heroin, cocain, meth, etc. for obvious reasons.
something to think about
Tell that to my right lung!
I have a very large lump of scar tissue that I have to blame on numerous years of mj use. I do have asthma, cant say what caused that, but didnt have it as a child.
Several years of pnuemonia and steroid use has led to scar tissue. I can pretty confidently say that mass wouldnt be there had I not been a daily smoker for the past 6-10 years.
Funny that mj has been "proven" as harmless when this has been the drug that the least amount of money has been spent on studying. Minimal evidence has been identified on long term effects, and one reason people believe there is no physical withdrawal is research has not proven it due to research not being focused on it. Much more money has been put into heroin, cocain, meth, etc. for obvious reasons.
something to think about
That was great post Mr. B and that is pretty much the way it is!!! I totally disagree that smoking pot can be very enjoyable and it can for sure seem to be harmless. I am eight weeks straight and I can see the difference in my life every day. I am 100% more organized, focus and spending my time involved in useful activitiy. I can't say my life was totally ruined when smoking, but I was shufflin through, living and keeping up the facade so I could feed my habit.
Physical harm - not really sure. So far I can't find any relationship between MJ and lung cancer, hasn't been proven yet, they can't really find that MJ smokers have more lung cancer than non-smokers, but I think it will be proven eventually, all smoke and foreign chemicals are harmful to lungs.
And at least for me, I didn't have any ~typical physical withdrawal, not like what you would get from alcholol, narcotics or pills. But I guess the anxiety and the severe inner restlessness might be considered physical to some. But without a doubt I was mentally and emotionally addicted and needed to smoke many, many times per day and I did. And for me, it is pretty well proven, if I take a puff now to help me sleep or relax, I will be very and irresistably be looking for it tomorrow and the day after and all day...very mentally addictive. I know it has been suggested to taper, but for me that is never an option, i pretty much have no power over it, when i have a bag in the garage.
Keep fighting it and learning about addiction, just got back from a meeting, very helpful to be with a bunch of people, all fighting addiction, and sharing their experience, strength and hope.
Physical harm - not really sure. So far I can't find any relationship between MJ and lung cancer, hasn't been proven yet, they can't really find that MJ smokers have more lung cancer than non-smokers, but I think it will be proven eventually, all smoke and foreign chemicals are harmful to lungs.
And at least for me, I didn't have any ~typical physical withdrawal, not like what you would get from alcholol, narcotics or pills. But I guess the anxiety and the severe inner restlessness might be considered physical to some. But without a doubt I was mentally and emotionally addicted and needed to smoke many, many times per day and I did. And for me, it is pretty well proven, if I take a puff now to help me sleep or relax, I will be very and irresistably be looking for it tomorrow and the day after and all day...very mentally addictive. I know it has been suggested to taper, but for me that is never an option, i pretty much have no power over it, when i have a bag in the garage.
Keep fighting it and learning about addiction, just got back from a meeting, very helpful to be with a bunch of people, all fighting addiction, and sharing their experience, strength and hope.
>That was great post Mr. B and that is pretty much the way it is!!!
Thank you for the kind words Hardcharger. maybe when I am finally finished with this web site for myself I can let some of my family members in on it. For now this is my own personal "journal". I am using this web site as a means to communicate with people who are going through something similar to what I am.
This is helping me.
thanks for reading
Cheers!
Still Straight Mr.B
Thank you for the kind words Hardcharger. maybe when I am finally finished with this web site for myself I can let some of my family members in on it. For now this is my own personal "journal". I am using this web site as a means to communicate with people who are going through something similar to what I am.
This is helping me.
thanks for reading
Cheers!
Still Straight Mr.B
hey hardcharger- good post IMO:)
thanks for reminding me...jo
thanks for reminding me...jo
Mr.B-
"marijuana has been proven to be one of the most harmless and benign substances known" Is not the same as saying it is harmless, just the least harmful. I have to wonder if it were legal if more research might not have been done, but thats another subject altogether.
Personally I never smoked till I was 18 and it seemed to relieve my asthma, but in retrospect that was also a function of getting away from my dad's second hand tobaco smoke. And while there were other treatments available for the wheezing let's just say my girlfriend was much happier when I chose pot, and leave it at that.
Maybe the best thing you can do for your family is get straight and be an example for the rest of them, show them what life is like when you are straight, and how it could be for them. However if you get "preachy" as many reformed addicts do, chances are good you will only drive them away.
Finally I have read every post on here that was posted since 8/15/05 so somebody is reading it, be assured.
"marijuana has been proven to be one of the most harmless and benign substances known" Is not the same as saying it is harmless, just the least harmful. I have to wonder if it were legal if more research might not have been done, but thats another subject altogether.
Personally I never smoked till I was 18 and it seemed to relieve my asthma, but in retrospect that was also a function of getting away from my dad's second hand tobaco smoke. And while there were other treatments available for the wheezing let's just say my girlfriend was much happier when I chose pot, and leave it at that.
Maybe the best thing you can do for your family is get straight and be an example for the rest of them, show them what life is like when you are straight, and how it could be for them. However if you get "preachy" as many reformed addicts do, chances are good you will only drive them away.
Finally I have read every post on here that was posted since 8/15/05 so somebody is reading it, be assured.
Hippi, didnt know you had asthma too, did it get better? Pot helped mine at first kinda worked as a bronchiodialator. The problem is, when that happens, you suck even more smoke into the lung, down deep, then hold it in there. Cigs exhale quicker. Problem with cigs, i was allergic to the smoke itself and my bronchial tubes would constrict.
Anyway, the pot, on asthma would just catch up to me and make it easy to build up infections, etc. But you are right, indians used it to "cure" asthma, primarily the wheezing part. It did stop that, but brought on a whole other bag of problems.
Good point about if it were legal would they do more studies. Maybe if phillip morris were to produce it????
Anyway, the pot, on asthma would just catch up to me and make it easy to build up infections, etc. But you are right, indians used it to "cure" asthma, primarily the wheezing part. It did stop that, but brought on a whole other bag of problems.
Good point about if it were legal would they do more studies. Maybe if phillip morris were to produce it????
> "marijuana has been proven to be one of the most harmless and benign substances known" Is not the same as saying it is harmless, just the least harmful. I have to wonder if it were legal if more research might not have been done, but thats another subject altogether.
Hippienerd, Your playing devils advocate with me? :P
I am not saying marijuana isn't RELATIVELY harmless. But to say it is one of the MOST harmless substances is just ignorant. To illustrate my point I will now start a list of substances that are less harmfull then marijuana.
Apple Sauce
Milk
Oxygen
Water
cantelope
I guess it depends on how you look at the quote. I probably took it out of context in that when rosenthal said "substance" he was perhaps using the word to describe substances that people are likely to abuse, as in the term "substance abuse"?
You really think smoking helped your asthma hippienerd? Did you smoke using a water pipe? When I smoke pot I inhale the smoke untill it hurts and hold it in as long as I can. I can't imagine that was good for my lungs.
Hippienerd, Your playing devils advocate with me? :P
I am not saying marijuana isn't RELATIVELY harmless. But to say it is one of the MOST harmless substances is just ignorant. To illustrate my point I will now start a list of substances that are less harmfull then marijuana.
Apple Sauce
Milk
Oxygen
Water
cantelope
I guess it depends on how you look at the quote. I probably took it out of context in that when rosenthal said "substance" he was perhaps using the word to describe substances that people are likely to abuse, as in the term "substance abuse"?
You really think smoking helped your asthma hippienerd? Did you smoke using a water pipe? When I smoke pot I inhale the smoke untill it hurts and hold it in as long as I can. I can't imagine that was good for my lungs.
Yeah, my asthma is gone now, haven't used an inhaler or any other meds in years. Not even during hay fever season, but back to the second hand tobacco smoke thing, there is not that much of it around anymore. When I do go to a smoky bar (rare, very rare...hmmm clue there as to why I'm still single?) I can't stay long, my eyes start to water so bad it looks like I'm crying, can't even see outta em.
And yeah I used a water pipe, or sometimes a regular pipe, joints never did get me high much, even early on as I remember. lol matter of fact the last few times I smoked was joints and so even though there was some effect, I really didn't get "stoned". One hit from the bong at that stage of my recovery would last for several hours.
Mr. B-
Well I guess I was assuming that he was talking about substances that alter perception of the mental state. %If on the other hand he was talking about substaces you put in your lungs, water wouldn't count% Too much of almost anything is bad for you. And that is the point of this board isn't it? "one is too many, one thousand is not enough" even a little for most posters is too much.
And yeah I used a water pipe, or sometimes a regular pipe, joints never did get me high much, even early on as I remember. lol matter of fact the last few times I smoked was joints and so even though there was some effect, I really didn't get "stoned". One hit from the bong at that stage of my recovery would last for several hours.
Mr. B-
Well I guess I was assuming that he was talking about substances that alter perception of the mental state. %If on the other hand he was talking about substaces you put in your lungs, water wouldn't count% Too much of almost anything is bad for you. And that is the point of this board isn't it? "one is too many, one thousand is not enough" even a little for most posters is too much.
Hippienerd
I actually completely agree with you. You've pointed out that perhaps I've taken that quote out of context (my bad). That quote isn't that important tho, after reading your comments I do beleive that perhaps it doesn't illustrate the point I was trying to make as well as I first thought. But I'm not going to edit it out, it is interesting nonetheless. Take from it what you will.
Cheers!
Mr.B
I actually completely agree with you. You've pointed out that perhaps I've taken that quote out of context (my bad). That quote isn't that important tho, after reading your comments I do beleive that perhaps it doesn't illustrate the point I was trying to make as well as I first thought. But I'm not going to edit it out, it is interesting nonetheless. Take from it what you will.
Cheers!
Mr.B
bump for my hubby
