difficult child still talking about using weed, even when he is in jail. I want to smack him ...

[AmericanGirl]

My difficult child told me recently that he tried cocaine once (someone tricked him into doing it....does he truly believe I am a moron?)

However, he said he threw up blood and was really sick. Had someone else drive im back to the dorm. When they got there he was too sick to go in so his idiot friend left him in his car but rolled the windows down. difficult child said when he woke up the next morning, there was a bird sitting on his chest eating the vomit off his shirt.

If that ain't enough to make you run to the nearest rehab....

 

[DammitJanet]

Well Cory doesnt do other drugs. He has seen lots of bad stuff. He obviously has uncles who have been severe addicts and also alcoholics. One went to prison for vehicular manslaughter. Not to say Cory never takes a drink but if he drinks, he brings the kids to us and he has the party at his house and everyone sleeps there so there is no drinking and driving. When he lived here, the kids would go rent a motel room or two and have a party there. I thought that was rather responsible of young kids. Cory does know people who use harder drugs but he thinks they are idiots.

 

[InsaneCdn]

What side effects?? I have never heard of any. They have even done a study recently showing it is no where near as cancerous or harmful as nicotene. Maybe someone robbing a store for twinkies?

PG - please remember I'm in "Canada", where we're scared stiff of every little shadow. Risk of side-effects? well, beyond any "smoking" impact, there's the risk that you're the "1 in 6" for whom it is addictive. And then there's the risk of damage to the Dr's professional reputation for prescribing a substance not well-known to the medical community, with no clear dosage guidelines and no way to control dosages... It's just plain risky. (per officialdom)

My ADHD GFGbro drove me nuts for years, claiming it was not possible to get high on MJ. Of course, I didn't believe him. But... more research in the last few years shows that... the active ingredient in MJ is like many of the stimulant medications used for ADHD... in that, if your brain truly needs them and it's the right medication for you, you don't get "high" you get "normal". I've gotten to the point where I believe it IS possible (whether or not it's true for GFGbro will never be known).

 

[buddy]

I have said it before, and I will say it again. I see nothing wrong with it. It is made from God. It is not man made, nor is it harmful. Almost everyone I know smokes daily and lead very succesful, productive lives. More people imbibe than anyone knows and people keep it on the downlow. I see more problems from alcohol and cigarettes than pot.

Many drugs come from nature and are poisonous...can even kill people quickly. I always, even from the time I was a kid thought it was funny when people used the argument that it was natural. Of course some things in nature are healthy and some are not... this (mj) is probably a gray area since for some people it is obviously a HUGE problem and for others, just like with alcohol, it can be used on and off with no problems. All I know, I have not one relative who uses it who is doing well in school, at work, or in relationships. It is the focus of their days. One cousin has moved onto a farm so he can grow and smoke all he wants and he is nearly 60..this has been his whole life... constant struggle. And half of his kids are doing the same. Constant trouble, constant chaos, etc.

If you watch Dr. Drew and those addiction shows, the people who use pot are in just as bad condition as the others. Lives are a total mess and getting off of it is amazingly hard. My cousin's son (she died and we have cared for him among myself and my sisters) claims pot is the only way he can sleep. He only uses it at night... HA! he shows up to school high and drove his car into my sister's neighbor's garage ruining her garage door. He has had several car accidents. He has been thru so much and his dad just got out of jail for drugs. My niece stopped hanging around with him because she was scared she would die from his poor judgement. School is a total bust now that he is using and he is back with his dad who says, well what can I do? It is only pot. Heartbreaking. We are beside ourselves.

(by the way, When my cousin was dying.. NONE of the pain medications worked. She was writhing in pain. It was awful. The ONLY thing that helped was pot. I would have personally gone and gotten it for her if I had to. Thank heaven for it. so, not saying there is not use... just saying it is a hard discussion)

 

[exhausted]

I'm glad everyone is being so candid. My issue for my difficult child is that it is illegal. I agree that she is the most pleasant when she is on MJ. No other medications. have made a dent in her. But she eats and eats after she has done it. Same effect that mood stab. have on some people. She is also sluggish.

PV, I'm glad his friend texted you. I would encourage her to give the jail a heads up however, he will just go underground with his feelings then. In the end it is up to him to get clean. No amount of getting in trouble will make a bit of difference for our difficult children unless they want it to make a difference.

I think the MJ thing is tough-so many people think it is ok. Users have a certain arrogance about it that I think is tough to crack at least in my experience. My difficult child has not used other things so she may be a lucky one(who doesn't go on to heavier things)-but who knows what she will do in the future or under the right conditions????

 

[Tiredof33]

PatriotsGirl,
I think the big issue for me is the age, how and when you use it, do you have a job, a stable life. I also know teen and young adult pot heads that are not motivated to graduate high school or even try to find a job. About 2 PM last week I was at the grocery store and two kids were smoking a joint in the parking lot leaning against the car. You could smell it everywhere!!!

Any drug for a still growing body is not good, and all have side effects. What I have heard about pot from smokers is the weigh gain and paranoia. I have been told it is no worse than alcohol and then you hear it is a gateway to harder drugs. That has not been proven and one show for legalization said the hype was not proven or even tested. Hubby and I drink beer RESPONSIBILY that is the big part to me. If you use something as a way to relax what is the problem? If you use something to relax when you have not done anything to relax from THERE is the problem. I also know responsible adults that smoke occasionally and they will never use stronger drugs. I'm not going to chance using it because it is illegal. But if I have a medical reason I may find a way.

In a documentary, I forget which state, but you are allowed to grow up to so many plants for your own use. I think it was CA that has the medicinal pot and it was so expensive, and home delivered lol!!! in my opinion it is going to be legal very soon. Probably not in my area because they are still trying to ban all alcohol sales. Everything around here is blamed on alcohol and no prayers in schools lol!!! My policeman friend said he much prefers to pull someone over when they are high from pot as opposed to alcohol, he said smokers are pleasant and drunks want to argue with you!

 

[Nancy]

My difficult child would get addicted to water if it caused her to get a buzz. For her, anything that alters her mood can be addictive and harmful.

I know there are arguments on both sides of the issue and I respect those, however difficult child is an addict and therefore many things can be abused by her. I would not want to be driving down the street after she smoked a joint. That is becoming a big problem because there is not yet a reliable test for driving under the influence of pot and yet it causes one's reactions to be delayed and impairs the driver.

As far as natural substance, isn't cocaine in its pure form natural?

Nancy

 

[InsaneCdn]

Cocaine is refined. MJ is not.. it's the plant in its natural state (which is more than can be said for cigarettes).

 

[Nancy]

I don't think it's any less dangerous because it's in a natural state.

Nancy

 

[InsaneCdn]

The refined forms are MORE dangerous... higher concentration.
That does NOT make the unrefined forms "safe".
Especially not the GM forms of unrefined (i.e. BC-bud is HIGHLY potent!)

 

[pinevalley]

For me it doesn't matter if MJ is natural or not. My difficult child is one of those one in 6 people who started smoking mj, and continued to abuse it. He started using mj, and then he moved on to spice, triple c, acid and probably other drugs. I have a friend in her 60's who smokes mj every week in the privacy of her home,usually while she is watching her favorite tv shows. She has used mj all her life, and she does not abuse this drug and she does not have a problem with it. My difficult child always thought it would be so cool so smoke mj with this much older family friend! I wish that my difficult child could smoke mj like this, but he can not smoke without abusing this drug. He has to learn to accept the fact that he can never use drugs without it becoming a problem for him - even if it is "natural".

 

[Tiredof33]

My difficult child is the same and he also doesn't accept that he can't drink just one drink. Years ago when a friend was visiting his mother (had moved out of state to live with father) the friend died of an overdose. We were all shocked, none of us ever dreamed he used drugs.

My son mentioned before the funeral that he only used pot, not the heavy drugs. My difficult child doesn't get the fact that beer can get you just as drunk as 'hard' alcohol. Years ago I would hear people say, 'he only drinks beer, not the hard stuff'. I guess back then you were not considered an alcoholic if you only drank beer.

We also had a problem with some adults giving the kids in the neighborhood cigarettes and beer as pay for helping them around the yard. I had to threathen the man to get him to stop and then he would make my son leave if he came over. Most of the parents did nothing, many see it as a rite of passage they will outgrow. My difficult child only got worse!

 

[InsaneCdn]

The whole "natural" argument? Here's a story you can tell your addicts if they will listen.
I have a "drug" that I MUST leave 100% alone. I can never again have it. Not ever. But I crave it, every single day. Trouble is, not only is it "natural", it is a FOOD, and one that is pushed on us all day every day, and is found in many, many processed foods: Milk. Something about milk protein, affects my whole brain chemical balance... and sends me way off track.

Nobody believes it can be that serious. But... it might as well be cocaine or any number of other street drugs. And I have to live with it under my nose, all day, every day... because the rest of the family needs it as badly as I need to not have it.

Whether it's natural or not... doesn't necessarily make it safe for YOU.

 

[Nancy]

Insane, I cannot have any milk either, not one drop. It doesn't mess my brain but it does mess my gut. Not only that but I can't have cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, ice cream, creamed soup, milk shakes, cream pies, almost any dessert except carrot cake, etc., etc. And every day it is under my nose too but I have to make the conscious effort every day not to put any of those substance into my body. If I go to a restaurant I have to ask how dishes are prepared. If I go somewhere that is serving food and I have no choice, sometimes I just don't eat. I don't complain or make anyone feel bad or try to cheat or deny that I have a problem.

I have little patience for my difficult child denying she has a problem and thinking she can use responsibly.

Nancy