[Jason604]

I've smoked pot now for 10 years, and for me, it's the hardest thing to quit. I've tried other drugs as well in my life, but never have I had this much trouble stopping. I've been reading different posts on this site, and many people seem to think that there is one broad brush that all pot smokers can be painted with- there isn't.

Some people can lead very productive lives while smoking everyday. For others, such as myself, it can send you on a downward spiral that can ruin your life. I don't believe that it should be illegal. Like most drugs, prohibition doesn't work, it just costs taxpayers money, while doing nothing to alleviate the problem. I do think that ALL addicitions should be treated as medical conditions, like diabetes.

It's not as bad as cocaine or heroin, and I don't mean to imply that it is. There is, however, a misconception that there are minimal side effects to smoking pot. I just want to say that it's not the same for everyone. For some of us there are serious and long lasting affects, and it can be extremeley hard to quit smoking

I don't mean to get poitical here, I'm just wondering if anyone else is having this problem. I'm not really sure how this site works, because I just signed up, but any response will be appreciated

[tickle]

Being in the healthcare profession, I have clients who legally smoke marijaua for pain and have documentation to use it and buy it, but can't take it with them when travelling across the border even though they carry proof to use. There is talk about it coming out in an inhaler form.

I can't condone it long time recreational use because I know some people who have ruined their financial lives because of it.

[jillianleab]

So you admit you smoke pot and it has led you on a downward spiral and ruined your life... but you campaign for it to be made legal? That makes no sense. If it were made legal, then people who lead normal, productive lives would smoke it and become degenerates like you? How does that improve society? I'm not anti-pot, but your argument is a very, very weak one.

Marijuana is not physically addictive (like heroin), so if you really wanted to quit, you could. Of course it has side effects; it's a drug. Caffeine has side effects too.

One of the primary reasons pot is illegal is because there is no reliable way to test for it. If you drive drunk, a breathalyzer on the side of the road tells the police immediately you are intoxicated. There's no such test for pot.

[Jason604]

Thanks for the responses,

First, I apologize for saying it shouldn't be illegal, that was too vague. What I meant was not charge for minor possession. Of course the people at the top of the drug chain should be gone after, and given more serious penalties as a real deterrant. In our city, there is a huge drug problem, but most of the people being arrested are the ones at the bottom. A couple days later, they're back on the street and the cycle repeats. It costs a lot of money, and people don't get the help they need. Intead of a cell, give the ones who want it rehab. It's proven to work, if done properly, and at least that's less people stuck in the prison system.

I think people who lead "normal, productive lives" and don't want to do drugs, won't.

Also, I was over dramatic when I said it ruined my life. I'm not a degenerate, I have a full-time job and a decent apartment with my girl. We would just be way farther ahead if we never started smoking. It's not physically addictive, but psychologically it can be.

Anyway, I was just stressed out at the time, so I thought id ask something.

Thanks again for the responses.

[bushg]

Never be sorry for reaching out for help... You have made your first sep toward recovery, by just wanting to quit.. read about addictions, get counseling, talk till people are sick of hearing you and then find more people who are willing to listen... you can kick this... My brotherinlaw somked and grew it for years... he would roll it up by the packs and smoke joints all day long just like one would smoke cigs. He lost his job and recruited his wife and daughter into helping him... so that was how they supported themselves... his wife (my sis) never became addicted but their daughter did. And both of them have been clean for years. Good luck you can do it, just keep trying and remember there are people that are in worse shape than yourself... so be kind and give yourself a pat on the back. May peace be with you

[talaniman]

Just to correct a few points, to an addict it doesn't matter what the choice of drugs is, he still needs help to quit.
If the use of drugs causes you problems in your life, you may be an addict and should quit, or pay the consequenses of your actions, jails , institutions, or death.

Marijuana is not physically addictive (like heroin), so if you really wanted to quit, you could.

This is not true as a pshycological addiction is a devastating as a physical one.

One of the primary reasons pot is illegal is because there is no reliable way to test for it

Not true as employers test for drugs, and so can law enforcement, if they choose to. They don't, but possession is also illegal.

If you feel you need to quit there is help out there for you. Contact your local chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotic Anonymous.

[jillianleab]

talaniman, I didn't say psychological addiction wasn't tough. The difference is if someone with a psychological addiction wants to kick their habit, they can take steps to do so such as eliminating the temptation, changing friends, finding a new hobby, etc. It may not work for everyone, but OP obviously recognizes his pot use has had a negative impact on his life. It stands to reason if he really made up his mind and committed to quitting, he could do so. I didn't say it would be easy, I said it was possible.

Perhaps I should have been more clear about my remark on reliable drug testing. Yes, there are urine tests, blood tests and hair samples which will tell if someone has been using. However, there is no test that can be done on the street, like a breathalyzer. Say pot is made legal, and someone gets pulled over for driving erratically. They have bloodshot eyes, and smell like pot smoke, but they deny being intoxicated. They say their eyes are bloodshot because their contacts are bothering them, and the smell is on their clothes because they just came from a friends house who was smoking. How do you verify their story? How does the cop check to see if the person is intoxicated? If we were talking about alcohol, a simple breathalyzer would do it. Right now, there is no feasible method for a "quick street check" for marijuana intoxication. You can't have cops taking blood samples, and you can't haul in every person you THINK might be high. Yes, possession is also illegal, but I think (personal opinion) if there was a reliable, portable method for testing, pot would stand a better chance at being made legal.

Jason604 intelligent, productive people drink alcohol all the time, what makes you think they wouldn't smoke pot if they legally could? Alcholoism ruins lives, as does illegal drug addiction. Of course no one who doesn't want to would do it, but it does stand to reason if it were illegal, you would get individuals who would participate who under other circumstances would not. I disagree with you that no charges should be made for minor possession, but I DO think the punishments should be different. Fines, probation, community service, etc make more sense for someone who got caught with a small personal stash than jail time. I agree there are bigger fish to fry, but that doesn't mean you let the smaller fish get away with breaking the law. There have to be consequences. If you say you aren't a degenerate, and you recognize you could be further a long in life if you quit smoking, then why don't you do it? Stop making excuses and quit. Go flush your stash and put yourself in a rehab program. Stop hanging out with people who smoke. If you don't like the path you've taken, take another one.

[bumblebee1]

Just because it's "not as bad as" other drugs doesn't mean its not bad, period. My sister is a huge pothead and I get sick to my stomach when I find out she's been driving high, or drunk... or all the dudes she makes out with and does things with.. she's 16! It has potential to be dangerous or make you do dangerous things, same as alcohol. Even though its impossible to OD on pot, it could lead to other dangerous stuff. I disagree with people who say its not addictive because I've heard both sides, and any drug that makes you feel good has potential to be addictive, at least emotionally, don't know about chemically. But I've heard about pot heads who quit and they get actual withdrawl symptoms. I'm not a pot head but I enjoy a smoke once in a while, it calms me but I definitely don't drive afterwards or do something where I might get caught.

[pompano]

I've smoked pot now for 10 years, and for me, its the hardest thing to quit. I've tried other drugs as well in my life, but never have I had this much trouble stopping. I've been reading different posts on this site, and many people seem to think that there is one broad brush that all pot smokers can be painted with- there isnt.

Some people can lead very productive lives while smoking everyday. For others, such as myself, it can send u on a downward spiral that can ruin your life. I don't believe that it should be illegal. Like most drugs, prohibition doesn't work, it just costs taxpayers money, while doing nothing to alleviate the problem. I do think that ALL addicitions should be treated as medical conditions, like diabetes.

It's not as bad as cocaine or heroin, and I don't mean to imply that it is. There is, however, a misconception that there are minimal side effects to smoking pot. I just want to say that it's not the same for everyone. For some of us there are serious and long lasting affects, and it can be extremeley hard to quit smoking

I dont' mean to get poitical here, I'm just wondering if anyone else is having this problem. I'm not really sure how this site works, because I just signed up, but any response will be appreciated

Yes,other people are having the same problems.It"s called denial.Most enjoy how it makes them feel,but you waste a lot of time and money trying to find it.It usually takes getting into trouble before the realize it's time to make a change.However,I do believe it should be used for medical purposes.It works great for nausea,and will stimulate people to eat when they have no apetite.

So you admit you smoke pot and it has led you on a downward spiral and ruined your life... but you campaign for it to be made legal? That makes no sense. If it were made legal, then people who lead normal, productive lives would smoke it and become degenerates like you? How does that improve society? I'm not anti-pot, but your argument is a very, very weak one.

Marijuana is not physically addictive (like heroin), so if you really wanted to quit, you could. Of course it has side effects; it's a drug. Caffeine has side effects too.

One of the primary reasons pot is illegal is because there is no reliable way to test for it. If you drive drunk, a breathalyzer on the side of the road tells the police immediately you are intoxicated. There's no such test for pot.

It is physically addictive.When I quit I felt like a heroin addict going through withdrawal.I was sick;Headache,depressed,weak,and mood swings from hell.I remember wishing I could just smoke,my pain would disappear.

[Fr_Chuck]

Smoking cigarettes is very adictive, ( but legal) , drinking cokes all day is adictive ( but legal)

It is and gets to be a habit, and gives you are effect you have to learn to deal with.

But as for as illegal drugs go, it is the easiest to get stop using and honestly is most likely at the same level or slightly less than smoking cigarettes ( because you can smoke them all the time, and buy them everywhere)

I smoked pot for years in the 60's and 70's and as I have discussed this with many others in those years, it was just a matter of stopping, I found it a lot less of an issue than smoking cigars which I did.


I will address Jillianleab on the detecting pot, yep police can tell just as easy, by your eyes and smell. Most pot heads just like smokers have a smell to them, And the Field sorbriety test used by officers will show up not only drinking but any level of being impaired.

But as noted it is just that addictive, and those that act like they can't stop really just don't want to.

[jillianleab]

Fr_Chuck yes, there will be a smell and bloodshot eyes, but that doesn't mean the individual was smoking or is intoxicated. Say pot is made legal, and I'm at a friend's house where everyone is smoking and the smell gets into my clothes, but I'm not smoking. Then say, my friend has a cat or dog which I'm allergic to, which causes me to have bloodshot eyes (or trouble with contacts, whatever). If on my way home I get pulled over, I have the smell on my clothes and bloodshot eyes, but I'm not actually intoxicated. Maybe I fail the field sobriety test because I'm tired, or plain ol' uncoordinated. With alcohol, there is a definite means of testing one's intoxication level - right now, with pot, there is not a similar method which can be used "on the street". Physical observations only go so far, especially when there are other causes for those indicators.

When I said pot is not physically addictive, I was basing that off this:

Marijuana is both emotionally and mentally addictive.

Which is from this article: Marijuana - Marijuana Addiction - Marijuana Abuse Treatment - Drug Dependency

This is also an article which confirms my statement:

Erowid Cannabis Vault : Exposing Marijuana Myths

I didn't mean to indicate kicking the habit isn't hard to do, and that one won't experience some side effects, but I haven't seen any evidence to say it is physically addictive and a person goes through actual withdrawal, like with heroin or meth.

[excon]

Hello Jason:

Marijuana is a drug. Its use is rife with problems, not the least of which is legal. I don't recommend it.

I don't know how to tell you to stop, other than to just stop. You're either in charge - or it is. You decide.

Jillian. It's illegal because back in '37 legislators were told that black and Mexican men would rape white women if they didn't act. They were told this by a fellow named Anslinger, who got the job as top marijuana cop. While he was lying to congress, Anslinger worked for William Randolph Hearst, whose paper mills would have been devastated if marijuana (hemp) could be used for cheaper paper - and it could.

They called no other witnesses and debated for 15 minutes.

The reason it STAYS illegal, is because there isn't a legislator with any backbone out there, except for Ron Paul. The rest of them are afraid to be labeled soft on crime - while millions of non violent pot users languish in American jails.

excon

[jillianleab]

Well thanks for the history lesson, excon, but don't you think a contributing factor to the reason it remains illegal is because of lack of reliable, immediate testing methods? In my opinion, if there was a testing method developed, legislators who actually "have a set" (whoever they might be) might be able to argue for its legalization. Or perhaps that's an idealist view, who knows?

I agree that too many kids who got caught with a baggie are in jail. I'd like to see the stats which say it deters them in the future from smoking pot or committing other crimes...

[excon]

Hello again, jillian:

There's no test for oxycondone - it's legal. There's no test for morphine - it's legal. There's no test for dozens upon dozens of abusable pharmaceutical drugs. They're all legal. Would you deny access to those drugs because some people drive when they're stoned? I don't think you would.

So no, I don't buy it as a reason. I understand prohibitionists use it as a reason, but it doesn't hold up under scrutiny.

Let me conclude with my belief that things shouldn't be legal because they're problem free. They should be legal because WE'RE free.

excon

[jillianleab]

I am not a prohibitionist. Nor am I a donkey or elephant.

Personally, I couldn't care less if drugs are made legal. The people who OD and die once they are made legal because they go ape-$hit crazy, well, good riddance. Maybe then we can have a functioning society. Maybe. Probably not. Either way, I'm not a prohibitionist, but considering if pot was legalized more people would be smoking it and driving than are taking oxycodone and driving, I'd like to see a method of testing. Develop that and puff puff give all you want. My point is, it's tough to argue for it's legalization when there is no method to test, because that's a principle argument for the fear-mongering public (as you correctly pointed out). If you produce a testing method, they have to find other reasons to insist it should not be legalized (gateway drug, will cause society to end, blah blah blah).

Think about it. The drugs you mention are only available by prescription (well... ) so that makes them "safer" to the prohibitionists as you call them. If pot were legalized for medical use and given only under prescription I wouldn't care as much about a quick test because the market wouldn't be flooded with it. It's quite different when you can buy a pack of joints as easily as a pack of cigarettes. Alcohol has a breath test and blood test to see if someone is over the legal limit, so it's legal (yes I know there are other reasons, but let's go with simplicity here). So somehow that makes alcohol "safer". While there are still people who argue that booze is causing the downfall of society, mainstream America doesn't listen to them. I'll admit, it's an idealist way of thinking to say if we developed an "instant pot breath test" that mainstream America would agree to it's legalization, but as I said, I think it would help to put a dent in their argument. Essentially, pot causes no other problems than alcohol (probably less, in fact), but as you pointed out in your helpful history lesson, we've been conditioned to believe it's this horrid horrible evil thing for a very long time now.

Additionally, nothing is problem-free, or free from debate/argument!

[talaniman]

No need for a test. I can tell who smoked a joint just by looking.

[jillianleab]

No need for a test. I can tell who smoked a joint just by looking.

Care to enlighten the rest of us on how you are able to do this without fail? Or perhaps you would like to make a few million clones of yourself with this skill to ride along in all the patrol cars in America so you can tell the cop if the person pulled over has been smoking. How generous of you!

[talaniman]

Talk to any cop and they will tell you the same thing. The smell in a car after a stop is a dead giveaway and probable cause.

[jillianleab]

And if it is made legal? The smell could be on your clothes from the night before or from people smoking around you. If I go to a bar I come home smelling like smoke, and the smell of smoke overwhelms my car. Doesn't mean I was smoking. So now what?

[talaniman]

And if your in a car and they smoke weed, then that's what you'll smell like. And a cop will search your car, and you almost every time. Come on even a novice knows the weed odor from stale cigarette smoke. Should you go to jail for a joint? NO! Has a law making it illegal stopped anyone from partaking? NO. Has a law making it illegal, stopped it from being available to anyone? Hell NO!