Let's have a reasonable discussion about the positives AND the negatives of pot.

[jd4083]

This is not a "troll thread," this is a serious topic for debate that I would like to bring to the table. I've noticed for years now, way back to the OG days, that the majority of vocal posters on boards like this one, OG, THCF, etc. appear to be very "one-sided" in their approach to cannabis. Specifically, many folks appear to believe that there are no negatives whatsoever to using the drug, even for young children and adolescents. (As evidenced by the thread that was recently closed regarding a member's 13 year old son getting busted with dope at school.) So with this in mind, I'd like to ask a few questions and try to figure out what ya'll believe a little more clearly so I can reconsider my own position if need be...one caveat before I start, though -- can we please keep this friendly and mature rather than filling the thread with petulant mudslinging? We all love herb here, some of us more than others, so let's remember that and try not to be combative if someone says something we disagree with -- rather, let's argue the point clearly and concisely and see where we go from there. Fair enough? Okay...I'll start with a question that's on my mind and add as we go along...interested to hear from you folks...


1.) With evidence that cannabis use as an adolescent can contribute to issues down the road for kids, including but not limited to revealing latent psychoses such as schizophrenia and bipolar, do you feel that someone who is, say, 13 years old should have access to cannabis to use recreationally? (I'm excluding the medicinal argument here, because I think most of us can agree that IF cannabis is used legitimately as an addendum to a real treatment plan, it's arguably safer in the long term than most pharmaceuticals someone might be taking for the same issues.)

If you respond to this, please make sure to note what age you were when you started smoking pot, and try to be as objective as possible when describing the positives and negatives of smoking from a young age.


I think this can be an interesting thread if everybody keeps their pants on.

 

[Bobby Stainless]

Well.... I really don't like to wear pants, but I'll try to keep them on.

Under 18, no smoking. Just like Tobacco. If you can fight and die for your country, you should be able to smoke weed. That's my take on it.

I started smoking when I was 12, and I have probably not missed a day since I was 16-17. To put a few things in perspective, I am a college graduate and a professional. I am responsible for the management of a 20+ million dollar asset and I smoke multiple times, daily.

“I wouldn't recommend sex, drugs or insanity for everyone, but they've always worked for me.”

 

[jd4083]

Well.... I really don't like to wear pants, but I'll try to keep them on.

Under 18, no smoking. Just like Tobacco. If you can fight and die for your country, you should be able to smoke weed. That's my take on it.

I started smoking when I was 12, and I have probably not missed a day since I was 16-17. To put a few things in perspective, I am a college graduate and a professional. I am responsible for the management of a 20+ million dollar asset and I smoke multiple times, daily.

Thanks for posting...So am I correct in assuming that you feel that any negatives associated with cannabis are a "mind over matter" kinda deal? Or are you just saying that certain people deal with the drug better than others/certain people are going to fail at life regardless of whether they smoke herb?

 

[ariston]

Can be disastrous if you get intoxicated while in a depressed state. Generally, it "enhances" your mood, meaning it can make a bad mood even worse.

It is also often used as an escape from reality. People do this to forget about everything else, and in return only worsen a bad situation.

Younger people should mature first, gain a good amount of intelligence, patience, wisdom and experience, before taking their minds to altered states of consciousness. Otherwise, it often becomes nothing but a "party drug", just another mean of releasing happiness hormones in your brain.

I personally started when I was 14 or 15. I didn't get much out of it, I only got stoned out of my ass and ate a bag of potato chips, while sitting on a big rock, deep in some forest. I was afraid of getting caught, hence my choice of location. If you asked me then, I had some of the best time in my life.

Not until I was 20 did I have the tools (intellectual, monetary, own place to live e.t.c.) to enjoy all the benefits. I now use it for meditation.

 

[Bobby Stainless]

Thanks for posting...So am I correct in assuming that you feel that any negatives associated with cannabis are a "mind over matter" kinda deal? Or are you just saying that certain people deal with the drug better than others/certain people are going to fail at life regardless of whether they smoke herb?

Correct. It is different for everyone.

I tend to think lazy people have their problem exacerbated by smoking weed. However, the weed did not make them lazy, it just made it worse. Kind of like violent people and drinking.

meaning it can make a bad mood even worse.

Not for me. It's always the other way around. If I am pissed off about a situation, a good toke usually puts things into perspective, and I chill out.

 

[HUGE]

Hi. I started smoking around16, I had a burning desire in me to escape what people call reality. I felt the world as people were describing it to me, to be boring and depressing. I felt like the adults were hiding something from me. I fell in love. I then experimented with some LSD also important to the development of myself. I starte working and moved out at 18. I figured I'd give real life a shot and stopped smoking for 6 years at about 21. This drove me to see a doctor for my anxiety to which he prescribed kalonapin. After 2 years of that nonsense I swirled back to herb and couldn't be happier. I am now 29, I am in my second home, I'm married with no kids, great job paying 80-100k. From what i see aost all the negatives i can list are mostly caused by its illegality and the social stigma of being a stoner. As far as the herb itself I have weaker lungs, while high and sometimes the day after my shorter memory is piss but long term is outstanding. I do find it hard to relate to the real world sometimes, but all in all I feel cannabis to be a huge positive influence on my life.

 

[HUGE]

18 would be the age I let my child smoke. Until then he will have to be sneaky.

 

[3dDream]

I don't buy the "if you are under 18 weed can make you crazy" thing because there would be big increases in the numbers because more people smoke today than ever, but the numbers don't match up. There are no increases to match. With that being said, I think a kid should develop without drugs. Then again I would rather see a person vape herb before I would want to see them take a drink.

 

[Corpsey]

started at 21, glad i waited because i know that all my forgetfulness and mental issues came way before i enjoyed cannabis.

so i dont feel as if cannabis is causing those things, seeing as how they have never escalated since i started using the good herb. but it sure has helped with positive mental health/ relaxing.

i would say 18 would be a perfectly ok time for kids to start enjoying the benefits from herb. as long as its brought to them in that light, and not "hey heres some illegal things we should do because we are bad". gotta get out of the mindset that you are doing something wrong.
we are all healing.

 

[headband 707]

This is not a "troll thread," this is a serious topic for debate that I would like to bring to the table. I've noticed for years now, way back to the OG days, that the majority of vocal posters on boards like this one, OG, THCF, etc. appear to be very "one-sided" in their approach to cannabis. Specifically, many folks appear to believe that there are no negatives whatsoever to using the drug, even for young children and adolescents. (As evidenced by the thread that was recently closed regarding a member's 13 year old son getting busted with dope at school.) So with this in mind, I'd like to ask a few questions and try to figure out what ya'll believe a little more clearly so I can reconsider my own position if need be...one caveat before I start, though -- can we please keep this friendly and mature rather than filling the thread with petulant mudslinging? We all love herb here, some of us more than others, so let's remember that and try not to be combative if someone says something we disagree with -- rather, let's argue the point clearly and concisely and see where we go from there. Fair enough? Okay...I'll start with a question that's on my mind and add as we go along...interested to hear from you folks...


1.) With evidence that cannabis use as an adolescent can contribute to issues down the road for kids, including but not limited to revealing latent psychoses such as schizophrenia and bipolar, do you feel that someone who is, say, 13 years old should have access to cannabis to use recreationally? (I'm excluding the medicinal argument here, because I think most of us can agree that IF cannabis is used legitimately as an addendum to a real treatment plan, it's arguably safer in the long term than most pharmaceuticals someone might be taking for the same issues.)

If you respond to this, please make sure to note what age you were when you started smoking pot, and try to be as objective as possible when describing the positives and negatives of smoking from a young age.


I think this can be an interesting thread if everybody keeps their pants on.

Okay well lets first get started with the first assertion that cannabis is in some way shape or form related to schizophrenia .. Let me be the first to say "HORSE SHIT"!!!!!!!! LOL.... let me tell you why .. If you have a kid that might be schizophrenic then he/she just is it's in the brain and can be seen by a cat-scan/MRI .. The fact that some schizophrenics choose to smoke cannabis and not like the effects is an entirely different animal altogether..
The question remains is cannabis good for teenagers? Well if you see a kid drunk then you see a kid stoned which one would you rather have?
I was 13 when I started lol..
The other part is of-course how it might effect yours and anyones health? I would say smoking cannbis is probably not the greatest idea as it is smoke.. The only warning I got from an MD was that smoking heats up the throat and this is a bad thing. Try to change to a vaporizer.. The rest is gravy lol peace out Headband707

 

[jd4083]

headband- I did not say that cannabis causes schizophrenia, simply that it (and any other hallucinogen) can and does bring out latent psychoses INCLUDING schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc. in certain people. That much is a fact. I agree with the rest of your post.
peace

 

[zenoonez]

As I understand the research about psychosis associative value to marijuana it is the same value in adults as it is in children. What I mean by this is that what I have read suggests that the psychotic activity of cannabis elicits the same reaction in adults as it does in children in regards to causing psychosis or psychological problems. If that is incorrect I am open to the science on it. Based upon that, I am not sure that the negative impact that marijuana has on the life of teens is a result of its use or is instead a result of our laws on it. I have seen marijuana have a very positive impact upon an adolescent's quality of life first hand. I have also seen the negative impacts that it has had upon teens in regards to its illegality and the repercussions of that. I have never observed marijuana to in and of itself be harmful to anyone in my experience. The harm I have seen done in regards to cannabis users is almost always a problem resulting from illegality or from being associated with the wrong crowd, again I think a result of illegality. Do I feel that there are no ill effects of marijuana use by teens and adolescents? No. I don't think we have enough information yet provided by science to make a decision either way. That being said, use of marijuana by youth should be considered in the same realm of alcohol use, managed by the parent and in their jurisdiction until there is a compelling scientific reason to treat it otherwise.

 

[Buddle]

I started smoking daily by age 13.Way too young..and yes it was definitely an escape for me.I was bipolar first though.I remember my first stone like it was yesterday.
Riding in the back of my best friends Dads Pinto..I realized the racing thoughts had stopped..From then on I craved that silence BUT there were definitely negatives to smoking that young and that frequently. Short term memory yes but that comes back quickly after 7 days of no smoke..I just think under normal circumstances it would be much healthier for young people to finish maturing before they become daily smokers..My 2 cents..peace

 

[Bobby Stainless]

Well if you see a kid drunk then you see a kid stoned which one would you rather have?

Neither. You can keep both of em.

 

[dddaver]

I started around 16. Almost 40 years ago. But quit for 20 years while in the AF and raising a family.

I agree with headband about the legality being the problem, and also the other gentleman who talked about the user numbers increasing, but not psychosis numbers. That psychosis bit came from an Australian study. The government there is anti-cannibas and funds the research. Of course they said something negative. I was absolutely astounded, not by that study, but by ANYBODY believing it. And then it was headline news. I actually read the study. There were something like only 1600 participants, half of those non-users. The numbers were not there. Evidence was totally anecdotal. Causation was not considered at all; such as those prone to mental illness might have been self-medicating as teenagers. BULLSHIT! Absolute pseudo-science. And shame on anyone who perpetuates that crap.

But I heartily agree no use of any substance (including Aspirin) should by used by young developing brains. I think 18 is a good number to shoot for (they can die for us in battle). But still even there, science shows the brain still isn't fully developed until about age 25.

 

[Weed-Luver]

unless it makes you depressed which to some it does, or stops you from a productive life there is no neg..as BS said no one 18..and yes when i am pissed or bummed a good toke always changes my perspective to the positve...

 

[Mr. Greengenes]

I'm a high functioning autistic. If I hadn't taken LSD and started smoking at around age 11, I'd probably be in an institution now.

 

[Anita Bonghit]

It's illegal. Fucks up lives because of that fact.

 

[headband 707]

headband- I did not say that cannabis causes schizophrenia, simply that it (and any other hallucinogen) can and does bring out latent psychoses INCLUDING schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc. in certain people. That much is a fact. I agree with the rest of your post.
peace

Yeah bro I know you didn't say it this is why I said "the assertion" and not your assertion lol.. This is one of the popular things that ppl are using to put the fear of cannabis in them lol peace out Headband707

 

[!!!]

I took my first 2 puffs at 19. Shitty weed and didn't know how to use the pipe or inhale so I didn't get high. Tried again at 21 and was blown away..

Started smoking cigs at 19 (been on and off with this)

Had my first drink when I was 22.

Because of studies showing detrimental effects on the maturing brain, I believe that no drug should be used without a doctor's consent when your brain is still developing. In a sense your brain is always developing but you don't want it dependent on foreign substances early on because it might and probably will hinder its ability to grow and mature adequately. By early let's just make the age 18, or better yet 21.

KEEP YOURSELF and YOUR KIDS away from JWH/K2/Spice if they are younger 18-21. The synthetics are full agonists rather than partial agonists like THC. This means they can cause withdrawal symptoms, tolerance, etc. They are also more likely to cause brain development problems.

I have been a 1-2g a day pot smoker for awhile now and have just recently (yesterday!) quit. I plan on smoking occasionally after a 2 month hiatus. Tolerance is too high and I'd like to do a spring cleaning of my cannabinoid receptors before I begin again.

There are 3 main issues I have with weed..

the 3 negative issues are:

1) Sleep is affected. I don't go into REM sleep and my overall sleep quality is shit when I smoke. This may be strain or brain chemistry related but weed has been known to suppress REM sleep. In practice it hasn't had much of an effect on me except some days I wake up feeling like I haven't slept enough, but it's probably more to do with my sleep schedule than anything.

2) The short term memory and attention issues with Cannabis are a problem depending on what you do for a living. If you smoke enough, your brain begins to slightly compensate for the short term memory issues and it doesn't remain much of a problem but in my field of work I need all the memory and attention I can get.

3) The grogginess and cloudy head lasts for 48 hours after you smoke. This is what I have been experiencing but only believed to be true when I read in a study on Cannabis. This is my main reason for cutting back. I want to see if I am noticeably sharper and more buoyant when the cannabinoids are out of my system.

That being said, this is all dependent on brain chemistry. I have friends who began smoking early and they function VERY well on weed. These friends began smoking early (15-18.) I noticed that they have withdrawal symptoms if they quit. Primarily major irritability and restlessness but it might not be related to the weed.

It makes sense in a way. If your brain is still developing and you smoke, your brain might think that it will always have the foreign cannabinoid agonists present and develop "around" this belief. When you don't smoke, the part of your brain that should have been more developed would probably be underdeveloped and cause withdrawal symptoms. This is just my opinion though.