What is Marijuana Addiction

The drug cannabis, commonly known as marijuana, is produced from parts of the cannabis plant, primarily the cured flowers and gathered trichomes of the female plant. The major acti...

Join Now

Free, anonymous support from people just like you.

Spread the Word!
Get a DS flyer to post
DS Store is Open
DS t-shirts and more
Discussion:
weed isnt a drug
Watch this 
View More Posts
weed is grown in the ground just like all the vegetables and crap we eat. why is it considered a drug? i havent met one person in my life that has ever had cravings or withdrawls from somking weed. if you think you are "addicted" to weed, i think its all in your head. weed is a natural herb that relaxes the mind and relieves the stress. anyone can live without smoking, its just that we like the way it makes us feel so we choose not to. why quit doing something that makes us happy? have you ever heard of a tragic death from weed? no overdoses here. if its grown in the ground it shouldn't be illegal!!!
Posted on 06/19/08, 04:06 pm
RATE THIS POST:
Inspirational
Moving
Helpful
Creative
21 Replies | Most Recent Add Your Reply
Reminder: This is a support group for Marijuana Addiction & Recovery. We trust you will do your best to remain positive and helpful. For more information, see our rules of the road.

You may also create your own Member Groups where you can moderate the discussion.
Comment:
Email me when others reply to this topic help
View More Posts
Reply #1 - 06/19/08  6:13pm
" A drug is anything that you consume that alters your perception
Your confusing it with being man made
LSD i naturally occurs in peyote cactuses and morning glory seeds
Heroin comes from poppies
Cocaine comes from Cocoa
Tobacco is obvious
Just because something is natural doesnt mean it isnt a drug. More accurately it is a poison, The feeling of being stoned is the bodies reaction to the poison of THC
Hope this help
check out erowid.com "
RATE THIS REPLY:
Inspirational
Moving
Helpful
Creative
View More Posts
Reply #2 - 06/19/08  6:39pm
" love, at one point in my life at least six hours of my day were spent so stoned all i could do was eat and watch movies. i'd smoke before lunch so that i got an appetite to eat, then i'd smoke again before bed so i could fall asleep. i was in college at the time, and it really interfered with my work, and i was addicted to it.

eventually, i switched to another drug that i started using only on the weekends. it was nice to have so much free time, but of course "only on the weekends" didnt last long. i had started using dexedrine and then later crystal meth.

i'm not saying that most people who smoke weed will go on to use harder drugs, but i think it's easier to experiment with harder drugs after you've had safe experiences on weed.

i would like to see weed legalized, but i would put an age restriction on the use of it. 18 sounds like a fair number to me. could you imagine trying to teach a classroom full of students who were stoned? it would be a disaster. i don't think high school students are responsible enough to smoke weed and maintain their responsibilities.

i think everyone should be allowed to do any drug he or she chooses as long as they aren't physically hurting someone else and they are an adult who can make informed decisions. when my right to do with my body as i please is taken away, i feel my freedom has been taken away. it is not the government's job to decide what is and is not healthy for me.

so, love, lots of people can smoke weed without negative consequences, but some cannot. still, the good should not me punished for the bad, and I believe weed should be legalized for those over 18. "
RATE THIS REPLY:
Inspirational
Moving
Helpful
Creative
View More Posts
Reply #3 - 06/19/08  11:49pm
" A drug, broadly speaking, is any chemical substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function[5]. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in medicine, government regulations, and colloquial usage.[6]

regardless, I agree with you point, in concept!! "
RATE THIS REPLY:
Inspirational
Moving
Helpful
Creative
View More Posts
Reply #4 - 06/20/08  12:43am
" Just because something is grown in the ground doesn't mean it can't be bad. There are lots of poisonous plants that grow naturally in the wild that could kill humans.

Just because you have never met anyone that has had withdrawals from weed doesn't mean there aren't other people who do get symptoms. But I have to admit that I believe that it's mainly psychologically addictive.

Maybe you have a psychological addiction to weed. Why else would you have joined this group?

Also if you are pregnant - PLEASE don't smoke, for your baby's sake. "
RATE THIS REPLY:
Inspirational
Moving
Helpful
Creative
View More Posts
Reply #5 - 06/21/08  2:29am
" ok every one can fuck off,,ur right...weed is a natural herb that relaxes the mind and relieves the stress. anyone can live without smoking, and as far as the person above me....marijuana's effects on babies hasn't been proven.In my opinion a few hits here and there might do you some good and definately, definately relax your body in preparation for labour - Marijuana can be transmitted through breast milk. Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC (the main active ingredient in marijuana), can be as much as 8 times higher in breast milk than in the mother's bloodstream. In any case, it is advisable not to smoke marijuana while breastfeeding. It should be noted that much of the research on the effects of prenatal exposure to marijuana has been complicated and inconclusive. "
RATE THIS REPLY:
Inspirational
Moving
Helpful
Creative
View More Posts
Reply #6 - 06/21/08  9:49pm
" What do you care if people claim to be marijuana addicts? Just because that doesn't apply to you why do you try to disprove it to people who get help to stop by admitting it's a problem?

My marijuana anonymous sponsor had a seizure 20 years ago the last time she quit smoking pot. She is celebrating 20 years clean and sober in MA this monday.

try telling all the people in MA which is a growing world wide fellowship that pot isn't addictive.


from http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org...
Detoxing from Marijuana
What is Detoxing?
Detoxing is the way in which your body gets rid of the toxins accumulated from years of using. It happens the first few days or weeks after getting clean and/or sober. It is also the very beginning of getting used to dealing with reality and real feelings with no numbing agent.

Can there be physical effects from quitting marijuana?
In spite of numerous years of being told that there are no physiological effects from marijuana addiction, many of our recovering members have had definite withdrawal symptoms. Whether the causes are physical or psychological, the results are physical. Others have just had emotional and mental changes as they stop using their drug of choice. There is no way of telling before quitting who will be physically uncomfortable and who will not. Most members have only minor physical discomfort if any at all. This pamphlet is for those who are having trouble and wonder what's happening to them.

Why do some effects last so long?
Unlike most other drugs, including alcohol, THC (the active chemical in marijuana) is stored in the fat cells and therefore takes longer to fully clear the body than with any other common drug. This means that some parts of the body still retain THC even after a couple of months, rather than just the couple of days or weeks for water soluble drugs.

Can this affect a drug test?
The experiences of some members have shown that if you quit marijuana and expect to take a drug test you should not go on a crash diet at the same time. Fasting, or a crash diet, can release the THC into the bloodstream very rapidly and can give a positive reading. This has happened to several of our members, but each time only with crash diets and major weight loss, not with just eating less than usual.

What are some of the more common symptoms?
By far the most common symptom of withdrawal is insomnia. This can last from a few nights of practically no sleep at all, up to a few months of occasional sleeplessness. The next most common symptom is depression (that is, if you're not euphoric), and next are nightmares and vivid dreams. Marijuana use tends to dampen the dreaming mechanism, so that when you do get clean the dreams come back with a crash. They can be vivid color, highly emotional dreams or nightmares, even waking up then coming back to the same dream. The very vivid, every-night dreams usually don't start for about a week or so. They last for about a month at most and then taper off. "Using" dreams (dreams involving the use of marijuana) are very common, and although they're not as vivid or emotional as at first, they last for years and are just considered a normal part of recovery.

The fourth most common symptom is anger. This can range from a slow burning rage to constant irritability to sudden bursts of anger when least expected: anger at the world, anger at loved ones, anger at oneself, anger at being an addict and having to get clean. Emotional jags are very common, with emotions bouncing back and forth between depression, anger, and euphoria. Occasionally experienced is a feeling of fear or anxiety, a loss of the sense of humor, decreased sex drive, or increased sex drive. Most all of these symptoms fade to normal emotions by three months. Loss of concentration for the first week or month is also very common and this sometimes affects the ability to learn for a very short while.

What about physical symptoms?
The most common physical symptom is headaches. For those who have them, they can last for a few weeks up to a couple of months, with the first few days being very intense. The next most common physical symptom is night sweats, sometimes to the point of having to change night clothes. They can last from a few nights to a month or so. Sweating is one of the body's natural ways of getting rid of toxins. Hand sweats are very common and are often accompanied by an unpleasant smell from the hands. Body odor is enough in many instances to require extra showers or baths. Coughing up phlegm is another way the body cleans itself. This can last for a few weeks to well over six months.

One third of the addicts who responded to a questionnaire on detoxing said they had eating problems for the first few days and some for up to six weeks. Their main symptoms were loss of appetite, sometimes enough to lose weight temporarily, digestion problems or cramps after eating, and nausea, occasionally enough to vomit (only for a day or two). Most of the eating problems were totally gone before the end of a month.

The next most common physical symptoms experienced were tremors or shaking and dizziness. Less frequently experienced were kidney pains, impotency, hormone changes or imbalances, low immunity or chronic fatigue, and some minor eye problems that resolved at around two months. There have been cases of addicts having more severe detox symptoms, however this is rare. For intense discomfort, see a doctor, preferably one who is experienced with detoxing.

How can I reduce discomfort?
For some of the milder detoxing symptoms, a few home remedies have proven to be useful:

Hot soaking baths can help the emotions as well as the body.
Drink plenty of water and clear liquids, just like for the flu.
Cranberry juice has been used effectively for years by recovery houses to help purify and cleanse the body.
Really excessive sweating can deplete the body of potassium, a necessary mineral. A few foods high in potassium are: melons, bananas, citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, and tomatoes
Eliminate fat from the diet until digestion is better.
Greatly reduce or eliminate caffeine until the sleep pattern is more normal or the shakes are gone.
The old fashioned remedy for insomnia, a glass of warm milk before bedtime, helps some people.
Exercise not only helps depression and other unpleasant emotions, it helps the body speed up the healing process. "
RATE THIS REPLY:
Inspirational
Moving
Helpful
Creative
View More Posts
Reply #7 - 06/22/08  1:51am
" hotwheels, what are you even doing on this group. And save your foul mouth for someone who cares for it.

who cares if the results are "complicated and inconclusive"..why take a risk on your unborn baby's life? And if you don't think you should smoke while breastfeeding, then I'm surprised you think it's ok to smoke WHILE pregnant. WHILE your body is feeding your child as it grows and develops. How selfish and irresponsible would that be. "
RATE THIS REPLY:
Inspirational
Moving
Helpful
Creative
View More Posts
Reply #8 - 06/23/08  10:13am
" I have never understood the people who say they got high and "did nothing but watch movies" etc. I think you would have done that anyway, if you were high or not.
Personally when I'm high I like to do something creative. Paint, play my guitar or program my computer, which is what I do for a living. I've coded financial services software, telecommunications software for large providers, a ton of web apps, behavioral and medical health billing and EHR systems... all while high as a kite. I write great code, too. And I've managed to record about 400 pieces of music on the guitar in that same time frame.
If marijuana takes away your motivation, then it's news to me. That's MY experience. "
RATE THIS REPLY:
Inspirational
Moving
Helpful
Creative
View More Posts
Reply #9 - 06/23/08  2:29pm
" Love,
Ive read ur profile, and learned u'r expecting... I am not judging u at all, and just want to share my story, i've been smoking weed for 7 years, every day (sometimes gram a day), at first I did not feel addiction issues, but after time passed, I felt panic, when I knew I was running low on my stash.. last year I got pregnant.. I quit at first of course, but couldn't keep it up, and started smoking again - pregnant, just wanted to say - I DID LOVE MY BABY !!! I cried from happiness when I first saw him on US...
wel.....l when i went to my monthly check up - 20 weeks, my son was dead . I had to be induced, went through labor. I even had milk after that, which made my body hurt soo much.. this is the first time I am admitting that, even my fiance doesn't know I was smoking.
it was sooo horrible, I was numb, and it still hurts after months... I was due this week actually, June 28, 2008... Doctors don't know why baby died, but I think in my mind I'm scared to know .... I am still smoking( well not now, did not smoke for 3 days)... I fell horrible, my jaws clinch, my body is shaking, I am throwing up today, and I saw some blood in throw up...So when you say You haven't met anyone who had withdrawals, meet me, and thousands of other people on this website..
to tell you the truth, I wish i could smoke right now, maybe my pain went away, but I have none, and it kills me, so I realize, this is not right at all, that my living is based on my addiction..that is why I am on this website.
It makes me sad, when in repply Hotwheels, says that few hits here and there, not going to hurt ur unborn baby. I did not smoke a lot during my pregnancy.. and I still do not know if it is MJ that caused my son to die, but do you want to experiment? I am still crying at night for my son....
please write to me if you want, I will answer any of your questions,
again I am not judging you, , I am wishing you best of luck in ur pregnancy.. "
RATE THIS REPLY:
Inspirational
Moving
Helpful
Creative
View More Posts
Reply #10 - 06/23/08  7:32pm
" well ratboy, i doubt you could manage to code software efficiently if you were as high as i used to get. i had a volcano vaporizer and, of course, nice weed, and i'd take hit after hit until i dropped to the floor. that's how i measured whether i was high enough to stop. after about 30 seconds i'd come to and go about my business. what i did while high is irrelevant. my level of functioning while that high is what is. it has nothing to do with being lazy or unmotivated. "
RATE THIS REPLY:
Inspirational
Moving
Helpful
Creative

First | Previous | Page: 1 2 3 | Next | Most Recent Add Your Reply

Content on DailyStrength.org is for informational purposes only. We do not provide any medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. More info
Copyright 2008 DailyStrength, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Report Abuse