10 ms·

I just quit weed after getting addicted for almost 2 years. There is a large community of people who are trying to quit: /r/leaves The article is nothing new

I just quit weed after getting addicted for almost 2 years. There is a large community of people who are trying to quit: /r/leaves The article is nothing new to me. Read a few posts from the subreddit and you'd see a pattern. Three weeks ago, I was pro-weed recreation legalization. Today, I'm strongly anti recreation use. Edit: I'm not against decriminalization of weed. I'm highly against pro-recreational use. I'm against high THC %, easy access, advertisements, sponsorships, etc. I believe weed should be classified as a highly addictive drug - especially to youth. We should not have weed stores. It should be sold behind the counter. It should have a very high tax so that it's not cheap. It should have huge, bold warning labels on packaging. It should not be legalized at the federal level.

andrewstuart 3y ago
>> Today, I'm strongly anti Haha like all reformed addicts of anything. I'm strongly anti cigarettes.
- senttoschool 3y ago
  Well, I wouldn't have been strongly anti recreational use if I didn't go through what I did. Extremely high THC products coupled with professional marketing agencies? Yikes. We're going to have a weed epidemic soon. Maybe it's a silent epidemic now.
  - WarOnPrivacy 3y ago
    > We're going to have a weed epidemic soon. Maybe it's a silent epidemic now. Whatever it is, it's been underway for long enough for the pot-parade of horribles to manifest itself. Heavy weed smokers are all over - but we aren't surrounded by ruin that is clearly attributable to pot. If you have extra concern to invest, may I suggest one of our most pressing psychological catastrophe? The criminalization of childhood growth (adult-free time) and the erasure of critical free range land. We've brought complete ruin to childhood and parenting in just two generations. Whatever you think pot is doing, this is actually far, far worse.
  - danenania 3y ago
    If we have a weed epidemic then we certainly have an alcohol epidemic too, as well as an obesity epidemic, as well as a traffic accident epidemic, and so on. Making everything that can be harmful to some subset of the population illegal is not the way to deal with these issues. It's reductio ad absurdum into a totalitarian nanny state that literally controls your diet and makes you drive 25 mph on the highway. It's not the government's job to make everything that could possibly hurt you if you overdo it unavailable to you. I agree with you that cannabis can be very harmful to some people, and that the risks are often understated. But if you want to help people who are susceptible in this way, the solution is to help them realize they have a problem, develop self-discipline, and understand that while cannabis may be harmless to many people, for them it is not, and what works for many others (occasional moderate use) won't work for them. In short, people with this issue should take responsibility, join a 12 step program, and fix the problem in themselves rather than expecting all of society to adapt itself to not trigger their addiction. That you can't use it in moderation doesn't mean no one can, just like there are probably many things you can do in moderation that other people aren't able to.
    - aurareturn 3y ago
      There are a few issues with what you're saying. 1. Weed has a mostly benign image right now. It has good PR. 2. It's much harder to realize that you're addicted to weed - unlike alcohol. Alcohol addiction is obvious to people around you as well. Not weed. Many weed addicts do not have the self awareness. 3. Weed can be significantly cheaper than alcohol per session - thus consuming more is economical for many. A few drinks at a bar could cost you $100 vs eat a weed gummy for $2 and then go out. 4. Weed addiction takes place over a long period of time. It could take years before you realize the negative effects. It's obvious for alcohol immediately.
      - danenania 3y ago
        None of those are issues with what I'm saying. Many millions of people are able to use cannabis moderately and responsibly. If for whatever reason you can't, that's up to you to deal with--there are many resources available that can help. Taking it away from everyone because you have a problem is not a reasonable solution.
- EdwardDiego 3y ago
  Nothing more virtuous than a reformed smoker:D
jliptzin 3y ago
With all due respect, your inability to use marijuana responsibly should not make my responsible marijuana usage illegal.
- senttoschool 3y ago
  With all due respect, I was a responsible user for the first year too. Good luck to you and I hope you never get addicted. Unlike alcohol addiction, which can come on fast, weed grabs a hold of you over a longer period. It starts out as only beneficial with little to no downside. You won't notice you're addicted until much later. Also, I find your decision to call the plant marijuana interesting. The names weed and pot have a negative connotation. But "marijuana" sounds a lot more acceptable. Nothing to do with you. Just something I noticed.
  - marcod 3y ago
    > Also, I find your decision to call the plant marijuana interesting. The names weed and pot have a negative connotation. But "marijuana" sounds a lot more acceptable. Nothing to do with you. Just something I noticed. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jan/29/marijuana-name-cannabis-racism https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jan/29/marijuana-na...
  - kentrado 3y ago
    I am a responsible user for more than ten years. You speak as if marijuana is highly addictive when in fact it is less addictive than coffee and easier to quit.
    - techwizard81 3y ago
      Marijuana can be highly addictive, it depends on the person. I’ve been addicted for over 20 years, completely unable to stop for more then a week and I know a lot of people in the same situation. Not saying it should be illegal because of this, just saying that because it’s not addictive to you doesn’t mean it can’t be for other people. That is why it’s important not to advertise marijuana as a risk free substance.
saulpw 3y ago
Track the timeline of your personal evolution on this topic as you progress in your journey. I'm a bit more than a week ahead of you, and I'm coming to see the problem as high THC content. Low THC (<10%) and high CBD may mitigate your (justified) concerns about recreational use. Of course as it's become legal in more places, Big Industry is showing its perpetual tendency to create higher potency strains with more addictive potential. Stay tuned..
WarOnPrivacy 3y ago
> Three weeks ago, I was pro-weed recreation legalization. Today, I'm strongly anti recreation use. The other posters here have a point. If one is vocal against cannabis while mostly giving alcohol a pass - it makes it harder to respect warnings of harm. After 5 generations of lying drug war PR and ridiculous propaganda, this deeply incredulous debate needs a lot to be worth considering.
- aurareturn 3y ago
  Just because alcohol is bad for you, doesn't mean weed is good for you. I believe it's easier to get addicted to weed than alcohol. I think time will prove me right. Think of it this way. Let's say there are 100 people in a society. Without weed, 5 are addicted to alcohol. With weed, 20 are addicted to weed and 3 are addicted to alcohol. Yes, there will be fewer alcohol addicts, but we added 20 weed addicts. Is this better for society? I don't believe so. You're welcomed to disagree.
  - quickthrowman 3y ago
    Being addicted to alcohol is easily an order of magnitude more destructive to a person and the people around them than chronic marijuana use. It’s not even close. I’ve been to inpatient chemical dependency treatment twice, once for opiate addiction and once for alcohol addiction. There were 0 people that were inpatient for marijuana use.
    - aurareturn 3y ago
      Just because alcohol addiction is worse for you, doesn't mean weed is good for you.
      - hydrok9 3y ago
        But the problem is the ADDICTION, not the substance itself. People are trying to point out that if you are against marijuana legalization (because people become addicts), then you must also be against legal alcohol, as it is a much more destructive and addictive substance. And you haven't answered with anything except "weed is bad for you!"
pier25 3y ago
These measures will only increase the black market for weed.

andrewstuart 3y ago

>> Today, I'm strongly anti Haha like all reformed addicts of anything. I'm strongly anti cigarettes.

senttoschool 3y ago
Well, I wouldn't have been strongly anti recreational use if I didn't go through what I did. Extremely high THC products coupled with professional marketing agencies? Yikes. We're going to have a weed epidemic soon. Maybe it's a silent epidemic now.
- WarOnPrivacy 3y ago
  > We're going to have a weed epidemic soon. Maybe it's a silent epidemic now. Whatever it is, it's been underway for long enough for the pot-parade of horribles to manifest itself. Heavy weed smokers are all over - but we aren't surrounded by ruin that is clearly attributable to pot. If you have extra concern to invest, may I suggest one of our most pressing psychological catastrophe? The criminalization of childhood growth (adult-free time) and the erasure of critical free range land. We've brought complete ruin to childhood and parenting in just two generations. Whatever you think pot is doing, this is actually far, far worse.
- danenania 3y ago
  If we have a weed epidemic then we certainly have an alcohol epidemic too, as well as an obesity epidemic, as well as a traffic accident epidemic, and so on. Making everything that can be harmful to some subset of the population illegal is not the way to deal with these issues. It's reductio ad absurdum into a totalitarian nanny state that literally controls your diet and makes you drive 25 mph on the highway. It's not the government's job to make everything that could possibly hurt you if you overdo it unavailable to you. I agree with you that cannabis can be very harmful to some people, and that the risks are often understated. But if you want to help people who are susceptible in this way, the solution is to help them realize they have a problem, develop self-discipline, and understand that while cannabis may be harmless to many people, for them it is not, and what works for many others (occasional moderate use) won't work for them. In short, people with this issue should take responsibility, join a 12 step program, and fix the problem in themselves rather than expecting all of society to adapt itself to not trigger their addiction. That you can't use it in moderation doesn't mean no one can, just like there are probably many things you can do in moderation that other people aren't able to.
  - aurareturn 3y ago
    There are a few issues with what you're saying. 1. Weed has a mostly benign image right now. It has good PR. 2. It's much harder to realize that you're addicted to weed - unlike alcohol. Alcohol addiction is obvious to people around you as well. Not weed. Many weed addicts do not have the self awareness. 3. Weed can be significantly cheaper than alcohol per session - thus consuming more is economical for many. A few drinks at a bar could cost you $100 vs eat a weed gummy for $2 and then go out. 4. Weed addiction takes place over a long period of time. It could take years before you realize the negative effects. It's obvious for alcohol immediately.
    - danenania 3y ago
      None of those are issues with what I'm saying. Many millions of people are able to use cannabis moderately and responsibly. If for whatever reason you can't, that's up to you to deal with--there are many resources available that can help. Taking it away from everyone because you have a problem is not a reasonable solution.
EdwardDiego 3y ago
Nothing more virtuous than a reformed smoker:D

jliptzin 3y ago

With all due respect, your inability to use marijuana responsibly should not make my responsible marijuana usage illegal.

senttoschool 3y ago
With all due respect, I was a responsible user for the first year too. Good luck to you and I hope you never get addicted. Unlike alcohol addiction, which can come on fast, weed grabs a hold of you over a longer period. It starts out as only beneficial with little to no downside. You won't notice you're addicted until much later. Also, I find your decision to call the plant marijuana interesting. The names weed and pot have a negative connotation. But "marijuana" sounds a lot more acceptable. Nothing to do with you. Just something I noticed.
- marcod 3y ago
  > Also, I find your decision to call the plant marijuana interesting. The names weed and pot have a negative connotation. But "marijuana" sounds a lot more acceptable. Nothing to do with you. Just something I noticed. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jan/29/marijuana-name-cannabis-racism https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jan/29/marijuana-na...
- kentrado 3y ago
  I am a responsible user for more than ten years. You speak as if marijuana is highly addictive when in fact it is less addictive than coffee and easier to quit.
  - techwizard81 3y ago
    Marijuana can be highly addictive, it depends on the person. I’ve been addicted for over 20 years, completely unable to stop for more then a week and I know a lot of people in the same situation. Not saying it should be illegal because of this, just saying that because it’s not addictive to you doesn’t mean it can’t be for other people. That is why it’s important not to advertise marijuana as a risk free substance.

saulpw 3y ago

Track the timeline of your personal evolution on this topic as you progress in your journey. I'm a bit more than a week ahead of you, and I'm coming to see the problem as high THC content. Low THC (<10%) and high CBD may mitigate your (justified) concerns about recreational use. Of course as it's become legal in more places, Big Industry is showing its perpetual tendency to create higher potency strains with more addictive potential. Stay tuned..

WarOnPrivacy 3y ago

> Three weeks ago, I was pro-weed recreation legalization. Today, I'm strongly anti recreation use. The other posters here have a point. If one is vocal against cannabis while mostly giving alcohol a pass - it makes it harder to respect warnings of harm. After 5 generations of lying drug war PR and ridiculous propaganda, this deeply incredulous debate needs a lot to be worth considering.

aurareturn 3y ago
Just because alcohol is bad for you, doesn't mean weed is good for you. I believe it's easier to get addicted to weed than alcohol. I think time will prove me right. Think of it this way. Let's say there are 100 people in a society. Without weed, 5 are addicted to alcohol. With weed, 20 are addicted to weed and 3 are addicted to alcohol. Yes, there will be fewer alcohol addicts, but we added 20 weed addicts. Is this better for society? I don't believe so. You're welcomed to disagree.
- quickthrowman 3y ago
  Being addicted to alcohol is easily an order of magnitude more destructive to a person and the people around them than chronic marijuana use. It’s not even close. I’ve been to inpatient chemical dependency treatment twice, once for opiate addiction and once for alcohol addiction. There were 0 people that were inpatient for marijuana use.
  - aurareturn 3y ago
    Just because alcohol addiction is worse for you, doesn't mean weed is good for you.
    - hydrok9 3y ago
      But the problem is the ADDICTION, not the substance itself. People are trying to point out that if you are against marijuana legalization (because people become addicts), then you must also be against legal alcohol, as it is a much more destructive and addictive substance. And you haven't answered with anything except "weed is bad for you!"

pier25 3y ago

These measures will only increase the black market for weed.