Pot.

[BusynMember1]

My daughter Kay has smoked pot often since age 14. Her husband Lee started at 13. I am doing research on pot, which is including those who smoke.pot like her and as much, and those who quit pot. There is a big forum where pot smokers talk about their experiences smoking pot and I read every post. Took me a long time to finish.

What I read is scary. Pot is a psychedelic that according to a bunch of users, causes eating issues, paranoia is common, bad anxiety, poor short term memory even in young people, and other bad problems. Some say they need pot. Some say they are addicted. Some quit and of those who quit most feel newly clearheaded. Not one had a negative to say about quitting.

Some quit then started again, sometimes less often. I was shocked. This forum was 420 friendly. Most had not smoked daily for as many years as Kay. Or Lee. They say it gets worse. People at 9 years were saying enough was enough. Some had quit after 3 years due to how it was affecting their brains.

Kay and Lee believe pot is a healthy plant and good for even my grandson and they smoke around him and he inhales the smoke. He has to.

I know there is nothing I can do. But Kay and Lee are getting worse. Lee has had six jobs and my daughter has had none for years. They are always hard up for money.

Kay will never be able to work. Lee and Kay think vaccines kill kids or give them autism so the grandson will have to be homeschooled. His state is strict about letting unvaccinated children into schools. So Kay, who already has no out of home life, will continue to be home most days with a rather difficult child. I love him, bit he has issues. And Kay has no teaching experience, but you don't need any to homeschool in her state. My poor little boy.

Back to the pot and Kay and Lee, they also use Kratom. I cant help but think these are contributors to Kay and Lee's behavior. Too much pot for way too long. Lee is lazy and unmotivated. We have given them money before, but I think my husband is done with that so we pray Lee doesnt quit his job. Often he gets mad and wuits. He has a good job now, but his temper is awful.

I know there is nothing her father or I can say to make either at least smoke pot away from my grandson. I just wanted to put out there how many years of daily pot not be so harmless.

I smoked pot in my late teens, but not all the time and not after I started working. I didn't think it was a bad drug when Kay first used it in place of harder drugs. It hadn't harmed me, a casual, weekend smoker.

I changed my mind. And Kratom, just heard of it and don't know what that may cause. Kay uses or used it, another one of her natural plant supplements that is harmless.

If you have a young teen smoking pot please try to discourage the use, if you can.

Any thoughts welcome. I am so disheartened and worn out.

 

[GoingNorth]

Kratom's active ingredients bind to the opioid receptors in the brain. Though it is not an opioid, Kratom has similar effects to milder opioids and is an addictive substance.

Google Kratom. It is often used by opioid addicts to lessen the effects of withdrawal, though Kratom users will themselves show withdrawal symptoms when attempting to quit using the plant.

 

[BusynMember1]

Thanks so much. So upsetting.

 

[GoingNorth]

Actually, if one doesn't have conflicting underlying health conditions, or take conflicting medications, occasional Kratom use is probably not all that harmful. Thing is, as far as I know, other than easing opioid withdrawals, it's mostly used for pain relief. I suppose it would help with anxiety as well, which would make sense, as pot can cause/exacerbate anxiety in a lot of people, as well as causing paranoia.

I got out of it nearly 40 yrs ago due to those side effects, in fact.

 

[BusynMember1]

Pot side effects, Going North? Is pot really that hard on the brain? I am worried that they expose my grandson to pot smoke. After that fear, I worry about Kay's cognitive function. She started out very bright. Now she seems spacy and angry. I dont know if the anger is pot.

Since pot causes anxiety, why do doctors give prescriptions for pot to help anxiety? I read a lot of complaints about pot and anxiety. So I know its true. Corrupt doctors? Help me. Now I sound like Kay! She mistrusts traditional doctors.

 

[GoingNorth]

In some people, pot can cause anxiety and paranoia, especially in those with a predisposition to those problems. The issues are well enough recognized that budtenders are well aware of them, and of which strains of product are more or less likely to cause them.

It really depends on the individual. As an aside, though I don't smoke myself, and were I try again when/if it becomes at least medically legal in my state, or not, I am still extremely strongly in favor of legalization/expungement/return of seized properties/releease. I am also a member of NORML and have been since I turned 18, so nearly 41 years. That said, I'm also a realist. Pot is a drug. It is a mostly a good drug, but like ALL drugs, it can have side effects, and doesn't agree with everyone.

For example, I didn't do sativa at all. All the bad things pot does psychiatrically happened to me when I did sativa. I was an indica girl all the way. I also preferred hashish and oil to actual flower.

To each their own. Please don't assume that my being realistic is the same as being anti-cannabis--you couldn't be further from the truth.
That said, babies shouldn't be exposed to any type of smoke from burning combustibles. Neither should adults.

More so babies.

 

[BusynMember1]

Thank you.

Not making assumptions. Pot was fine for me too. And I am in favor of medical legalization.

But I dont think daily use is good for recreational purposes and Kay always had anxiety.

 

[ms2019]

HI- I just started with medical mj. I had never used it before but am amazed at how powerful it is. I do not like the feeling I get from it but there is no doubt whatsoever that it probably is a gold mine of soon to be discovered therapies - that will help or cure all kinds of things. The same thing will probably hold true- but on a much smaller scale- with kratom.

I take it for insomnia due to pain. Now that doctors have all lost licenses or know some who have- no doctor will prescribe any kinds of serious pain medications- regardless of what ails you except cancer. At least cancer patients can get them- and now there is a big debate about doctors "misunderstanding"---anyway- marijuana has helped me just as much as those medications. I just do not like the feelings of intoxication I get from it but there is no doubt it solves the insomnia problems I had, helps tremendously with pain, anxiety and depression. When my doctor license was suspended late last year, I was in serious trouble. I had been on a high dose of opiods/narcotics/pain pills- whatever you choose to call them- for years, and now had nothing. I wanted to try Kratom but there are so many websites and so many choices "green kratom", "red kratom"- "white kratom"---many of the websites contradict each other to make their website seem like the authoritative one- so its very confusing to know what to buy. I suffered with terrible withdrawals and decided to get a medical marijuana card and bypass the kratom. There is no regulation or "official" knowledge- just a lot of people trying to make money. As it turns out- kratom is a leaf from a tree. How profitable that must be- go take the leaves off the tree and dry/grind up/put in capsules and sell them for a few dollars each--that is a gold mine--but who knows what to buy? Who knows how much to take? Not me. Add to that- its very expensive- so how much do you need? More questions than answers.

Re Marijuana- I know someone who is bipolar = He is a very talented carpenter and does both rough and finish carpentry. when he is in the manic stage- he once built an addition onto the house---he worked practically around the clock. The next time he cycled- he remodeled his kitchen - but when he is in the depression part of it- he cant even get out of bed. This would go on for months sometimes. This was before medical or legal marijuana anywhere. His wife- and these are the most straight up/law abiding people i know went out and bought some "weed" off the streets--this was during a depression cycle- and he had been in bed a week or 2- and as history had shown would remain there for another month at least. Anyway after convincing him to at least try it- which wasn't easy= he did. Within about 10 minutes of smoking it- a miracle occured. I saw this guy get up, get dressed, and he started doing some odd jobs around the house. Anytime he started the manic or depression--he took a "drag"---the bipolar was cured and he doesn't (to my knowledge) even need the MJ anymore.

Now its easy to get- its legal, and its becoming socially accepted. When she did this- back in like 2006-7, she would have gone to JAIL if she had been caught. How times change.

Do I think just recreationally smoking pot is good for young people? NO. BUT- I am certain its better than alcohol. (the better of 2 evils) and I think for people with verifiable medical conditions- if they say it helps them- then I have to believe them. I know it can help with insomnia, with depression/anxiety, it can make pain go away as good or better than most "pain pills"- so I think- once its studied and some accurate history can be obtained, I think there will be some really great things that come out of it. Anyway that is my 2 cnts.

 

[BusynMember1]

Im fine with these for medicine. Nobody with cancer etc. should suffer.

I dont know that mj or Kratom will ever have tons of healrh benefits. That is for the scientists and pharmacologists to decide.

I dont personally like the idea that you feel altered with andMJ. I hope something comeso that helpsp without forcing the patient to feel high. I smoked when younger and did it for the high but would not like that part now.

As they say, time will tell. Could also turn out that the smoke in pot hurts your lungs. As one who took pot and cigarettes, from now on I hope to not ever need to put any kind of smoke in my lungs again. They dont know the good OR bad regarding pot yet. Norhing is ever found to be all harmless and all healthy. So pot isnt either or its a miracle

But I voted in favor of medicinal pot and was passionate about my vote. So I am so glad you found relief.

Kratom is a different newer story. Kay threw up alld the first time she tried it and as anti meficine as Lee and Kay usually are, he was close to taking her to ER. Lower doses didnt make her sick but she did say its dangerous to take it every day. So this is a mystery still. I think if you abuse it, unlike pot, you can die. Like mixingit with the wrong stuff. I am not sure. Thought I heard it.

Until scientists study it more I dont know about Kratom!

I certainly dont like opiods and they are so over prescribed. But some people do use them for pain and not everyone abuses them. Many do though.