Why is everyone smoking weed now?

[Thetepidstepper]

I mean it's everywhere. My neighbour smokes it and stinks the block out with it. In addition I smell it very often just round and about, coming from people's gardens and in pubs and that.

I don't like it because I had a massive anxiety attack first and only time I smoked weed and it left me with PTSD, I mean it was severe. According to my therapist this is actually quite common. I mean therapists know that weed is nasty stuff that makes people feel bad, quite a lot of the time.

But still people are smoking it. And cops are turning a blind eye obviously.

I wish it was legalised really so that these stinky people would have to fit fans and vents and the like.

But until that happens loads of people are at it even though it makes them be boring cunts. Why!

I'm used to seeing the denial and deflection online.

It's a big business with lots of beneficiaries.🤷 And no taxes to fret over.

I don’t like the smell, I don’t smoke weed (or anything else). But not all people who smoke weed are the same. Same with people who drink. Plenty of people who drink regularly are functional members of society and so are plenty of people who are regular cannabis users.

Fashion, rebellion, relaxation. The juxtaposition of a rebellious image and the conformity of fashion in an increasingly permissive, I would say lax and decadent, society are interesting attitudes to unpick.

I’m particularly interested in why there is this perception that it is safe though. I have worked with people with drug psychosis driven by weed. It’s not pretty. Try to describe it to those who use it and they just seem to take it as evidence of their superiority.

Anecdotally, ime it appears to be more of a male issue than female, I don’t know what others’ experiences are - ?? Goes along with the macho culture and need for superiority. Females seem to be more aware of the wider impact of gangs and crime, perhaps because it makes them more unsafe.

I'm not sure there is a perception that it's particularly 'safe'?

More that recreational alcohol use can also cause psychosis.

It's possible that in years to come, the alcohol related psychosis cases will drop, as the weed related rise in its place.

Par for the course I expect if the younger generation are going to continue favouring weed over alcohol.

I think there's a lot of "pro" propaganda online.
I noticed it when my sheltered teen started on about its superior attributes comparing it with alcohol etc They really are lambs to the slaughter and it's very sad to think of the human cost.

I’ve very rarely come across alcohol psychosis. Dependency, yes, but not actually seeing / hearing things that aren’t there. How common is it, and doesn’t it only kick in when your liver is packing up anyway? Drug psychosis can be caused from one-offs, as the op says. Obviously I am just talking anecdotes, not researched studies etc., but everyone I have ever know who uses and deals with drugs have always claimed that weed is safe.

One important distinction I think is that alcohol only directly affects the person consuming it, wheeeas any form of smoking directly affects everyone in the area. Indirect effects of behaviour may be slightly more for alcohol - probably more so if weed wasn’t crime and gang driven.

Sorry for umpteen grammar and spelling mistakes!

Alcoholics and, sometimes, binge drinkers can have psychotic episodes and they are really frightening.

@PickUpAPepper

I’ve very rarely come across alcohol psychosis. Dependency, yes, but not actually seeing / hearing things that aren’t there. How common is it, and doesn’t it only kick in when your liver is packing up anyway? Drug psychosis can be caused from one-offs, as the op says. Obviously I am just talking anecdotes, not researched studies etc., but everyone I have ever know who uses and deals with drugs have always claimed that weed is safe.

One important distinction I think is that alcohol only directly affects the person consuming it, wheeeas any form of smoking directly affects everyone in the area. Indirect effects of behaviour may be slightly more for alcohol - probably more so if weed wasn’t crime and gang driven.

There's some information here on Public Health England website

It is very common for people to experience problems with their mental health and
alcohol/drug use (co-occurring conditions) at the same time. Research shows that
mental health problems are experienced by the majority of drug (70%) and alcohol
(86%) of alcohol users in community substance misuse treatment.

I haven't read any further than that though.

Thanks, I expect I should go and read a bit more!

We went to the beach yesterday and it absolutely stunk of weed. A random kid even commented on it to me whilst queueing to go on the bouncy castle with my DD.

@Plumtree391

Alcoholics and, sometimes, binge drinkers can have psychotic episodes and they are really frightening.

Yep. I briefly went out with someone this year who experienced alcohol induced psychosis and became violent with it. Unfortunately he chose to continue drinking. I did a Clare's law application, and he hadn't been honest with me about his past. It was horrifying. He was in the paper last month; sentenced to three years for attacking his next partner by punching and biting her because she wouldn't get drunk with him.

I had a very, very lucky escape - during one episode, he had his hands round my neck.

Tl;dr alcohol psychosis absolutely is a thing.

Sorry to hear about your experiences OP, I completely believe you about your first smoke and consequent PTSD. I've got complex PTSD following experiences with physically and sexually violent men (family members and partners) since childhood, the majority of whom had been drinking at the time. Sorry (actually no, I'm not sorry) to pp that i didn't acquire it by serving in the forces - I didn't realise that it's strictly a military condition

I hope your symptoms are easing a bit OP, it's a really horrible condition.

My adult son started smoking it in the garden. Omg the stink. It got banned for that reason only! I agree it's everywhere now.

I have no doubt that the higher strength strains cause issues for those with MH issues and especially for adolescents.

However, one of my brothers and two of my friends have died, all caused through long term alcohol abuse. None of the many people I know who have habitually used cannabis for decades have died because of their long term cannabis use.

@Thetepidstepper

But yeah agree it needs to be legalized and legislated for. Need some way of keeping the neds and losers under control so they're not fucking things up for everyone else.

wow

no I'm with you on this, op has some serious attitude and mental issues but I seriously doubt its been caused by one spliff lol

I don't really understand why people are using alcohol as some kind of justification that it's okay to use cannabis.

Both are bad but alcohol is legal. We have a regulated way of selling it. It doesn't drive people underground to exploit the vulnerable to sell it on our streets. We can research it's harmful effects which are already well known and well established. We have recognised support mechanisms for those who require support. We recoup money via tax which helps to fund some of the consequences of excessive alcohol use.

For those saying they're fine with it except for the smell then you are incredibly naïve. I see the negative effects of the drugs trade on a daily basis. You're kidding yourselves that cannabis is a harmless drug. Just because alcohol is also not harmless it does not minimise the negative impact of both. I also believe that both should be legalized.

@Yellowbowlbanana

I don't really understand why people are using alcohol as some kind of justification that it's okay to use cannabis.

Both are bad but alcohol is legal. We have a regulated way of selling it. It doesn't drive people underground to exploit the vulnerable to sell it on our streets. We can research it's harmful effects which are already well known and well established. We have recognised support mechanisms for those who require support. We recoup money via tax which helps to fund some of the consequences of excessive alcohol use.

For those saying they're fine with it except for the smell then you are incredibly naïve. I see the negative effects of the drugs trade on a daily basis. You're kidding yourselves that cannabis is a harmless drug. Just because alcohol is also not harmless it does not minimise the negative impact of both. I also believe that both should be legalized.

Is anyone saying cannabis isn't harmful? I doubt it.

People tend to point to alcohol as a similar recreational activity which is harmful, but which people continue to enjoy. Horse riding, aircraft use, eating animal products, using electronic good and various other activities are sometimes used as examples of fun but harmful pursuits that could easily be avoided. If you're highly ethical I'm sure you avoid all of those. But most of us aren't.

I’ve noticed it’s very common now too, the smell triggers bad memories for me so I’m not keen. My upstairs neighbour likes to smoke it out his window at stupid times in the morning (like 3am) and the smell wakes me up, that’s annoying.

MurielSpriggs there are many examples of the minimisation of the harmfulness of cannabis on this thread. It is that perception that makes it dangerous.

I'm not entirely sure where your ethical argument comes from.

All of the examples you have listed have some form of regulation in place to potentially mitigate against harm. As cannabis is illegal, that is ultimately the only regulation.

@Thetepidstepper

I've never heard of anyone having an anxiety attack on first smoke. It must have a been strong joint, best to start off gently. At my first time I was sick, which is apparently the sign of an amateur, and didn't try it again for years.

Well that's all very nice and tidy.

My experience fucked my life up for years, literally 10 years on antipsychotics and in and out of hospital, which isn't fun, but you fucking crack on and tell me I've got it wrong if you want to make some petty fucking point about how much fun you are.

I had an anxiety attack the first time I smoked weed. It was awful and my bf ended up sitting on the floor with me while I rocked back and forth. I’m so sorry for your experience, OP.

Likewise I'm very sorry op for your terrible experience.

And I absolutely can believe it.

if you're stoned at 10 o'clock in the morning you're not going to work, achieve, do anything etc.

What bullshit. I have worked while bringing up a child as a solo mum and managed to keep the house/school/job/friendships etc. in order as a weed smoker.

There's more serious things happening in the world to get your knickers in a twist about IMHO.

@brittleheadgirl nice to see you being so flippant about alcohol fuelled violence. It really was a scream when my ex was throwing me around a room whilst drunk. Haven't laughed so much since.
What was that about empathy?