weed vs alcohol

Deleted User wrote: »

It's a cop out. It's an excuse for other problems, and justifying dependencies.

I have never known a person actually addicted to weed. I've known hundreds of stoners throughout the last three decades of being a smoker myself, and none of them were addicted. They smoked regularly, and used their weed as a prop for various activities like music or art, but they're weren't addicted.

I really wish people would stop pushing the addictive aspect of weed. There is none. There is a desire to smoke, and missing it when it's not available, but that's not addiction... Making addiction into covering far more than it should is not helping anyone.

Anyone having issues with getting out of bed is more likely to have other issues such as depression or other underlying concerns. Weed just exaggerates pre-existing conditions, and honestly, some people just shouldn't be smoking weed at all. Especially in the quantities that I find such people tend to do.

There is nothing worse to weed than Alcohol, or many other drug substances, and a lot better. It's not what you seem to think it is.

Back in my smoking days I would have known and hung around with some people who I would have considered to be basically addicted to weed. I suppose we can debate all day about what constitutes actual addiction - until some brain biochemist comes along to set us straight - but they certainly displayed enough hallmarks of the condition for the difference, in real terms, to be largely academic.

They smoked constantly and pretty much felt like they couldn't do anything unless there was an opportunity to smoke or be stoned while they were doing it. Clearly they were psychologically dependent on it, there used to be panic or even anger if the prospect of no smoke for a day was becoming realer.

They spent more money than they had on smoke. Staying in and getting stoned was viewed as a way to live as opposed to being out there in the world and doing new things. Their entire circle of friends was based around the buying,selling and smoking of weed. In some cases they gave up work and/or college to just sit around all day playing games and getting whacked - easy repetitive routine was better than new or challenging things: textbook addictive behaviour. Along with the normalisation of bizarre behaviour - like doing a massive bong hit and then getting behind the wheel of a car to drive They weren't out robbing people or living on the street, but it was easy to see how smoking weed could have a negative diminishing effect on some people's lives.

I was part of that too. I didn't achieve what I could have achieved for a number of years because I had weed to smoke and keep me happy and make me kinda alright with doing nothing. There were a lot of days when the thing of most importance to me was that smoke, more important than prior plans, future plans, friends - you name it. And I knew, deep down, that it was no good for me. I was neverendingly anxious and tired and had constant stomach issues.

That's what addiction means to me: when you are compelled to keep doing something and keep it above other things, even though you know it's doing you harm.

I was eventually able to stop. Circumstances had changed in my life and I felt I didn't want to be that stoner anymore. But I was lucky too. I still know of a few smoke-buddies from back in the day that are still living that way and when I occasionally bump into them on the street I feel bad for them, to be still living that lifestyle of bumming around on the dole and smoking their brains out every evening - which is one thing if you're twenty one, but another thing entirely if you're 35 plus.

Now before I can be accused of being melodramatic, I know that's not the experience of most people who smoke. 80-90% of the people who I know to get stoned do it in a fairly ordinary, even responsible, way. Some people smoke it and then just give it up. Some people who I would have classified as absolute weed fiends back in the day, just eventually grew out of that stoner lifestyle. And some people who I know still smoke prodigious amounts and do loads of things and have great lives.

I agree with you, to an extent, that people who have a problematic time with weed have possibly an inbuilt tendency to be susceptible to the more negative aspects of the drug. I know certainly, in my own case, that I how I reacted to it was a result of my mental makeup and I can't say that because weed was bad for me that it is therefore bad for everyone else. But you can also make that argument for alcohol, cocaine or any type of other addictive drug - some people are more prone to problematic relationships with substances than others.

To say "weed just exaggerates pre-existing conditions" as if this somehow isn't exactly what other drugs already do isn't really a full picture of the truth.

Kylta wrote: »

I agree people dont seem to be able to enjoy drugs even weed, when I was smoking it I can recall ever fighting among friends ( ok I was stoned) now you see some people after a few joints and they think there some one. Unless the structure of the drugs has changed over the years.

Despite all my reservations about weed I can't say that tallies with my experience of the drug. I would have never have found weed to make people more aggressive or angry. Quite the opposite in fact. Aggression often felt impossible. I never saw anyone with enough energy still in them to be genuinely angry. Certainly confusion could lead to disagreements, but usually everything was put down to being stoned and kind of forgotten about.

Alcohol is a whole different story.

Huntergonzo wrote: »

Alcohol is a far better drug than weed.

If you want to smoke weed then fire away, but it's very over-rated.

But you'll look cool to your mates ( those ones who dont think youre a gob****e)

A lot of people echoing similar sentiments in this thread who are/were smokers. Weed is brilliant but such an insidious drug due to the perceived "harmless" nature of it. And it is relatively harmless, in moderation, although there are those who are productive on it I found any long term smokers in my life were always "stuck".

That is they hid away behind weed, smoking was the only lifestyle and the anxiety of not having it showed. The prospect of filling your time with something productive or beneficial to your life was something that seemed daunting and scary. For me it stemmed from by and large not being happy with my life and hiding away in smoking away. I still smoke but have learned to take long breaks, I can't deny I love weed but I would much rather now have it as a reward in downtime after I've achieved something.

Here's something I want to tackle. Why do you have to be 'active' and 'doing things' to be successful, or not waste your life? Is someone who decides to not have kids wasting their lives? Is someone who can keep a regular job but isn't very social wasting their lives? Is a gamer wasting their life? What about people who read fiction books?

I strongly dislike that attitude that you need to be doing something or achieving something, otherwise you're wasting your life. I tried life. I had the good job, the mortgage and house, the opportunity to have kids, etc. Took a while, but I wasn't happy in that, always trying to show how good I am, or look at me and how well i'm doing. It's BS. I completely changed all that and I am way happier. Yes, I'm a 36 year old living with my parents, that's due to the mortgage becoming unaffordable and now having a debt following me for the next 10 years (it also works out great for both me and my parents, I'm there to help when they need it, all my siblings have their own families).

I used to be very social, and a drinker, but I realized that it was all false too. It was the perception that I need to be social, that I needed to be out with others, 'enjoying' myself. And I was enjoying some of it. But now, 10/15 years on I know that most of it was false. I wasn't happy. I was also being taken advantage of, but didn't cop it until well after the fact.

So I gave up the good job I really wasn't happy in, I sold the house rather than keep going further into debt and took the negative equity. I'm back living with my parents, but that's not so unusual for people in their 30's anymore, again due to financial reasons mostly. I always have been, and still am, an avid gamer. Sport has no interest due to never being picked as a kid (and most of it is boring anyway, especially soccer). I don't drink anymore because I would be depressed for 4 days after it. My friend circle is gone from 100+ to less than 20, and I'm much happier for it. I keep to myself and don't interfere with anyone else if possible.

I can't afford to go back to college, and i'm done with failure so I don't really try anymore (a life of failure will make you fear it). I'm giving up on some things, but overall I'm the happiest I've been in 20 years. And just because I smoke weed, people will say I'm a stoner wasting my life. No, I'm a stoner enjoying my life, just because it doesn't measure up to your high standards of living, doesn't mean it's not living.

I enjoy a drink every now and then. I absolutely hate the smell of smoking, even if it's weed.

Deleted User wrote: »

I've known many people who were able to smoke regularly while holding down professional positions or running their own companies.

The real problem for stoners is when they have nothing to do. University students don't count because even without weed, they're just as likely to waste time. For those who are unemployed, then weed isn't particularly healthy because it doesn't encourage them to do anything to change their situation, but then, neither does anything they might do/take/drink. However, for those with a job or other responsibilities that require them to do something, weed doesn't prevent them from pursuing those responsibilities. If they're not pursuing those responsibilities, then it's likely something closer to procrastination, or depression that's causing issues... Weed is just a convenient excuse.

There's too much BS about associations here. The people who waste time on weed are people who would be wasting time anyway. They just happen to be on weed. I've lived both sides of that coin.. weed wasn't the problem. Lack of personal motivation and direction which could be absent regardless of whether weed was involved... was.

Fair enough, I know where you're coming from. But in my life with the people I know who were smokers have said that by and large smoking was a crutch that stifled them into a trap of sedated bliss. When they stopped, they started filling their lives with meaningful things such as hobbies, relationships etc.

They weren't crippled with existential dread or anything, they just loved smoking and getting high. Once they realised it was sapping too much time/money they stopped. The people I know who smoked all have/had good jobs, degrees and the rest while smoking too but smoking was an absolute must in their life and they committed to it hard. That commitment to weed made them neglect aspects of their lives because the feeling of getting stoned/high was a top priority. They came out of smoking and they improved in existing areas of their lives.

Just like some people bury their problems in drink they can bury them in other things that make them feel good too. It's almost like some people want to say weed has no negative effects whatsoever and their lives are symptomatic of the person they are. Which is nonsense to me as it is a drug that must be respected and used within the right context, for me at least. If someone wants to go around stoned and can live their lives fairplay to them.

I smoked for years, loved it, still do and will probably do it again at a suitable time. I got a degree, got a career, got into a long term relationship while smoking and have a good social life. Since I've stopped smoking so much (and nearly every day I smoked) I feel more engaged and more appreciative to just "be" as it were. Enjoying living my life. With weed it always felt like I couldn't enjoy my life without it because being high/stoned felt great and was something I had to have.

I understand what you're saying but to say weed is not the problem but motivation or depression is the root, is just a fallacy. I've seen both sides of the coin too, but mostly one more than the other.

But this is all tit for tat arguments anyway, each person is different and you, like me, are just relaying our experiences.

mr_fegelien wrote: »

Have you tried benzos with weed? I know a friend who had panic attacks when smoking and tried Xanax. It worked but also potentiated the high

Thanks doc

Have gone through phases of smoking a lot of weed, usually depending on its availability and legality. I think it's a great Saturday drug, and can actually make boring tasks like cleaning the house fun. But I would always slowly but surely end up smoking it too often, and then the house wouldn't get cleaned at all.

I'm in a part of the world now where penalties for using it are severe so I haven't smoked in ages, but I do look forward to getting blazed on holiday in the future. Going back to a routine of smoking more than once a week doesn't appeal to me at all, moderation and all that.

Nothing wrong with a few beers and a vape. The key is getting the balance right. The right balance for me gives me the uninhibited buzz of alcohol with the sense of wonder/inquisitiveness and an ability to get absorbed in something like a computer game or music from weed. Can see how that might not work for someone with an anxious disposition. Too much beer and i struggle to walk. Too much green and I struggle to walk. More likely to fall over due to the former though.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

(And I rarely do cannabis).

Personally, I like my cannabis well done, like burnt to a crisp.