I'm not really sure where this post is leading, but someone earlier said they wish they could stop smoking pot, someone else said its no big deal. I remember Gangstarr saying he was wishing he could only smoke pot etc etc
So........my take is this, Gangstarr I'm with you, although I'm old enough to be your Dad I'm 51, I have a son who is 23 and a daughter 28. When I was using opiates (hydros) and I would smoke, the paranoia about the addiction to pills would really make me uncomfortable. I do smoke with my kids I know I know bad example. But I was always thinking If only I could be happy with "just" pot. Well now I'm on sub and I smoke pot, I have to do something to relax, booze is not an option, I feel just "nice" on weed. So to each his own. Incidentally, my daughter knows about my pill addiction, she understands where I'm coming from, and is supportive, my son does not know, I'm afraid he would be terribly disappointed, so my question for discussion is this ..... Is weed a good or bad thing for an addict? I'll leave with this thought, with weed I don't think about pills or booze, I'm relaxed and I don't need anti-depresants maybe I should join NORML

I think the goal is for all of us to change our minds about what addiction is. Anything that I use to change my emotional well being can be addicting. As a Christian I'm know the only "crutch" I need is God. If I rely on that then the rest are not needed. I have far from arrived in this but that's the goal as far as I'm concerned.

For me it is not ok. One not legal so there is potential to get you and your family in all sorts of trouble. Two the people that you hang around doing weed usually are not only doing that drug so potential for problems there. Three buying it is just risky.

I don't think it is as "bad" or addictive as the Hydro's I'm on. Still the goal is to be OK with out chemical help....
My 2 cents

well hey here's my bit,

First of all, I never realized just how addicting painkillers could be until I stumbled across these boards one night (looking for some answers about alcohol) and never realized just about the WD's could be off of these things. I just find it so ironic that while our society has a problem with weed and wont legalize it even for medicinal reasons (and in the states its legalized in, the feds always come in and bust it, which is such a violation of "states rights"), our society is alright with the use of these heavily addictive pain pills which can be very dangerous.

First of all, there is no reported incidence of anyone OD'ing on THC (the active ingredient in marijuana), while there is a DEFINTE potential for OD'ing on pain pills. Particularly people who take them for recreation like 4-5 at a time. Second of all, (and this is in response to MissMOlly's post) the majority of people that I know anyway; the only other drugs they do on top of weed is Alcohol, and maybe shrooms.

But anyway, this is just what I have to say. Good luck to all in their quest for recovery.

I smoke weed. I use it to help with my appetite and to help relax at night. I have been smoking for many years and i am with Gangster on this one, i wish i could ONLY smoke weed and be satisfied with that.....
I know many that do smoke for relaxation, but i also know many that are in NA because of it. It CAN get out of control for some, i never really understood that, but have seen it with my own eyes.
Some say a drug is a drug is a drug.....but to me, weed carries no paranoia, just a deep feeling of relaxation that sweeps over my entire body. I wouldn't EVER have gone thru w/d without it, it was a must on my withdrawal list, right up there with immodium. But i have a friend and whenever he smokes if he is w./d it intensifies the withdrawal symptoms. That never happened to me thank God!!! :D
I also just found out that i have cancer, so that seems to take the edge off of all the thoughts in my head. So i guess i am bias on this one. I am all for it. That is just MY opinion though.....
luv,
LISA

i'm saying to each his own... some people are gonna love smoking weed, while others are gonna hate it. different people and different opinions. i been smoking for like 5-6 years easily, without addiction to weed. theres a few in the group that are late 20's, early 30's and mid 30's... they been smoking forever too. i havent seen things happen with weed that happens when you get addicted to pills and other things.

i say, if youre happy smokin the weed, make sure you keep it at that... it's not much during withdrawls, for a few minutes it'll have you high... then youll be going thru withdrawl a few mins later, not a big help....but, i also heard... its not cool to smoke a lot during w/d and while ya kickin a habbit. "it opens up drug receptors in your body and tells your body.. "lets get f'ed up..." not sure how true it is, but i'd believe it.

you seem to be straight with weed...i smoke cuz i like the feeling, takes mke away for a little, makes me feel good, escape/relax...etc. what does everyone smoke? everyones reasons are different.

Frankly I thinks its more a question of whether there is an undue mental obsession around your using of weed??? For myself that's the question I have to ask about any sustance or activity that I have/had abused and ultimatly if it costs me more than money then it's not good for me. Once I see that though it doesn't mean that I can immediatly stop using, but it is a starting place for recovery to happen.

Try to be aware that you (or any active user/addict) will be steeped in all sorts of denial and self justifications. An open mind and a willingness to be willing is sometimes the best start that we can make on the road to recovery; we each have our own paths......

It depends what your goals are. I go to AA where the goal is abstinence from all mind altering substances (the twelve steps mention only alcohol but most people there include all substances), though they sure consume alot of caffeine and cigarettes. If you're smoking pot, you're still relying on something outside yourself to feel good, and avoiding your feelings. Sure some people can smoke pot and function with few side effects, but remember that if you're using it to relax, you're going to be suppressing your good feelings as well. You can't block out the bad stuff without losing the good stuff too, thats the problem with drug use. I sure as hell didn't have much joy and happiness when I was only smoking pot everyday.

One more thing...be careful about smoking pot with your son. I used to smoke and do blow with my father, and because of that when I got out of rehab I could no longer be around him and basically have no relationship with him now. We need our fathers to be fathers, not friends. Take care of yourself.

My boyfriend is a long time pot smoker and he encouraged me to smoke pot instead of taking pills. I never really liked pot until recently-I felt it got me too high. I get lazy and hungry... the MUNCHIES FROM HELL. I guess I just didn't like the 'kind of high' it gave me like I do the opiates- the energy, the euphoria, etc. Still, eventually I found myself on the meds AND the marijuanna. I have 19 days clean and FREE today and what drug to I crave most often? Go figure it is the marijuana. :rolleyes: Amazing, I learned to like that high too.

For me it is not okay to continue to smoke because I am attempting to regain an interest in life. To do that, my head needs to be clear to feel and think without drug induced physical and psychological states. Small things, such as the munchies, being too lazy to finish the job even though there is plenty of time left in the evening, or too high to answer the phone or remember the converation, tell me that to benefits of not using exceed the 'benefits' of using. I have wasted enough time already and I am so happy to be here, truly present in the moment. :D Life is too short and every minute counts, effecting the next minute and the next. Today, at this moment, I choose to be present. :cool:

I know for me I have to let go of all drugs to stay clean. The saying a drug, is a drug, is a drug is true for me. If I use one drug even if it is not on my favorite list, it eventually leads me back to my DOC. I have done extensive research in this area :D

I'm enjoying living life on life's terms, clean and sober.

I guess my opinion is that for non addicts I don't see a problem with it, but for addicts it goes on the no list along with a glass of wine or a beer. For me I wouldn't be sober/clean if I did it.

Patty