Is weed ADDICTIVE?

[flubdub]

Is it addictive physically (like cigarettes, or heroin) Or is it all in the head?
If someone has smoked it everyday for 15 years (heavily everyday, until the last 12 months where its once a night), and wont stop, are they addicted?

The 2 very common reasons for acute admission to mental health units are cannabis psychosis and issues surrounding crack use. I know of at least 5 people in my social circle who had (mercifully brief) episodes of mental ill health in their 'yoof' as a result of smoking dope.

I smoked dope for a good 4 years, and I know that 'just one spliff' totally dislocates you from reality in a way that a glass of wine or 10 B&H don't.

Most post-25 cannabis users are generally pretty immature. And anyone who continues to carry on their adolescent drug use after becoming a parent is a loser.

And where do you think that the money you spend on dope ends up? Unless you're growing your own you are funding terrorism and vice.
Back in the 80's/90's the IRA made shit loads of dosh from selling dope.

So if anyone here buys fairtrade products and yet still likes to kick back with a doobie you are a hypocrite as well as a loser.

ha ha what a brillaint argument. make liver damaging and cancerous cigarettes ok because they are mature vices and then slam cannabis for being a kiddy drug and people who smoke it losers. That's a very grown up and factual argument.

Yes, would leave/chuck them out over it. Totally anti drugs here...

I thought the evidence shows that smoking cannabis was at least as dangerous to your health (permanent lung damage in both cases) as cigarettes and I have no idea about the relatvie damage compared to alcohol.

but surely as we are trying to discourage people from smoking and drinking, trying to say that cannabis is OK is just going to leave our childrne with one added "legal" drug to discourage.

I really don't get the argument that A and B are dangerous but legal and therefore C which is dangerous should be as well.

I had a "pot-head" partner for some time who pretended that he wasn't. He also had an alcohol problem. I wasn;t actually sure he knew we were partners - I have a strong suspicion that in his addled mind he thought he was with Linda Evangelista.

He wasn't a good advert for the great benefits of using either alohol or drugs.

theBod - dope is potentially harmful to mental health, it is a perception altering substance (which is a whole other issue with regard to being in charge of children) and it's illegal.

And any parent who knowingly engages in an illegal activity is a loser

Cue rants about speeding and all that bollox.

Yes it's illegal, yes it can effect you short term in the same way a pint of lager can, but more people smoke it than you can possibly imagine. Many of these people are good parents and are not losers.

opens the popcorn

Taking any drugs when you don't need to is stupid, doing anything illegal is wrong but neither automatically 'makes you a loser' - it's the extent and how it affects everyone else around you. Some of the 'best people' will have had at least one incident of drink driving, stealing, driving without their kids strapped in etc - all illegal and wrong but doesn't automatically decide what sort of a person you are.

Yes some people who smoke cannabis have psychotic episodes/behave like tw*ts but so do a hell of a lot of people after a few drinks. I don't agree that just because alcohol and ciggies are legal and as bad as cannabis, it means that should be legal too, but something being legal doesn't make it better for you automatically.

As for the hypocrite argument, that applies to near enough everything, every time you smoke a ciggie, every time you wear cheap-non fair trade clothes, every time you eat a battery egg, unless you're a paragon of virtue that argument holds very little water.

From my own experience (locally) I've only known of two people have mental health problems because of cannabis, and both had a long history of depression/mental health issues, hence using the drug in the first place. On the other hand, I'd lose count trying to add up the number of times I've known of people glassed/attacked/beaten etc by someone who was drunk. I know more people drink than smoke weed but there's a pretty high percentage of both round here and looking around I wouldn't say weed or alcohol were particularly lovely things to abuse.

beaniesteve and theBOD, when you have lived with someone (aged 43) sufferring from cannabis psychosis I will listen to your arguments that cannabis s no more harmful than cigarettes.

Until then, in my opinion, you have NO IDEA what you are talking about.

Hear, hear LST. And I'm really sorry that you have had to go through such an experience.

I smoked dope in my youth, I'm not some Mary Whitehouse prude. But I grew up after I had kids, actually I grew up before then...but you know what I mean! And so I don't smoke dope, take acid or drink half a bottle of vodka in one sitting anymore.

I can just imagine my kids friends coming round and me and my husband sitting in our garage skinning up - lovely.

Show me a 'proper' grown up who still smokes weed and I'll show you a flawed, deluded, emotionally immature, selfish, demotivated loser.

Lemonstartree - I am not saying that some people who smoke cannabis don't suffer from psychosis. what I am saying is that it doesn't cause psychosis in all people. There seems to be a belief that smoking spliffs causes psychosis. Clearly it doesn't in everyone.

My BIL used to say he had to have 2 joints before he got up as he did not feel "right" until then.
He'd smoke about 2 per hour whenever I was around, and I think he cut down at those times "due to guests".

Also, they were so strong DH once took a puff and said "Christ" and he was no innocent. DH said he could not smoke one joint at that strength.

BIL wanted a joint once when we were in the car (we were giving him a lift), it's a non smoking car, says us "but it's not tobacco!" he cries.
In the end we had to stop off by the side of the road so he could smoke. This was a 2 hour journey.

Yes, I'd say my BIL was addicted.

Flawed maybe, but I am not deluded, emotionally immature, or a demotivated loser. Pretty sure I am not selfish but that is probably for others to say.

41, a host of life experiences, a good education, a 19 year marriage and 2 fantastic kids - yep, I think I qualify as a 'proper' grown up, whatever one of those is.

There are many sides to the argument. Personal experience will colour your views. That does not mean that everyone will fit your stereotype.

I should also mention that I have smoked the stuff as a painkiller when prescription drugs were not working for me.

I do not consider myself a loser!

However my BIL probably is one...I try not to think of him too much.

"Show me a 'proper' grown up who still smokes weed and I'll show you a flawed, deluded, emotionally immature, selfish, demotivated loser" - so you've met my ex then

Cannabis IS a dangerous drug for some individuals and I speak from personal and professional (10 years of mental health nursing) experience. My sister is a young persons drugs worker and she and all her colleaguse HATE cannabis for the effect it has on young peoples social and psychological well-being.

If you have other stress vulneralbility factors cannabis can at best cause anxiety/depression at worst full blown psychosis. The tired old cannabis v alcohol is well, tired and it is a harmful drug, no debate.

Something I feel v strongly about and no one in mine and dhs social circle smokes it recreationally as it's just not what we do. If I go to a party/someones house and someone gets the rizla out we just leave. Post 25 weed smokers and boring, repetitive, unsociable and annoying.

And it can cause psychological dependence and nowadays IT'S NOT NATURAL!!!

"beaniesteve and theBOD, when you have lived with someone (aged 43) sufferring from cannabis psychosis I will listen to your arguments that cannabis s no more harmful than cigarettes.

Until then, in my opinion, you have NO IDEA what you are talking about"

TBH i couldn't care less if you don't value my opinion.
as i said earlier on in the thread that i had 3 friends sectioned (2 before the age of 18, one at 21) due to cannabis induced mental problems. i am well aware of the fact that if abused it can be dangerous just like any drug.
so by your reasoning do you have to live with someone with liver disease/lung cancer/aids/serious spinal injuries before you have an opinion on the dangers of drugs/speeding/intravenus drugs/alcohol.
and i'm sorry but certain people abusing it does not automatically make it more harmful than cigarettes. if you are using your experience of living with someone who has been affected badly by it then equally i can base my opinion on the fact that i know scores of people who have had no negative effects(myself included) to induce that it is in no way harmful. but to do that would be stupid, a much more sensible approach would be to acknowledge that it can affect some badly especially when abused but for the majority of people if you take a sensible approach to it you will be fine.

Peacelily - in what way do you mean 'not natural'?

For some people it's no different for a glass of wine, terrible for the um....um...ah... what's it called again? memory!!

I wonder what it is that happens at twenty five? Think that's a silly argument really (especially as the risks to mental health appear to be strongest in young people). I have a good friend who was certainly addicted and then had a nasty episode of pychosis, as it triggered underlying manic depression. But he really did take a vast amount of very strong hash on a very regular basis. I have a larger group of friends who smoke occasionally, and smoking with them is not dissimilar to sharing a bottle of wine or two, and intellectual conversations are still perfectly possible (if wanted). All friends over twenty five. It just depends on what you do and who you are. I would be deeply worried if I was with someone who smoked skunk on a regular basis, but not concerned if it was true weed. In fact I would be much happier if my dh smoked one joint a day instead of the 20 cigarettes that are currently killing him.

For flubdub I think that some personal councelling might help. Crying every day is not at all good for you, and you don't just "get over" affairs, you need support to put your life back together again. A good councellor might also help you to find out why the weed is upsetting you so (if I were you I would find it upsetting because I would feel rejected for the garage) and help you find a way through to a situation you are more at peace with.

Hi everone, thanks for your help.

By Miggsie on Tue 20-May-08 16:26:13
My BIL used to say he had to have 2 joints before he got up as he did not feel "right" until then.
He'd smoke about 2 per hour whenever I was around, and I think he cut down at those times "due to guests".

Also, they were so strong DH once took a puff and said "Christ" and he was no innocent. DH said he could not smoke one joint at that strength.

BIL wanted a joint once when we were in the car (we were giving him a lift), it's a non smoking car, says us "but it's not tobacco!" he cries.
In the end we had to stop off by the side of the road so he could smoke. This was a 2 hour journey.

Yes, I'd say my BIL was addicted. "

Thats shocking Miigsie!

Nooka - Thanks very much for your helpful and kind post.

Weed is not physically addictive. There are no withdrawal syndromes. Nobody prostitutes herself/himself to buy weed. Nobody needs weed-replacements to quit (like patches for nicotine or methadone for heroin addiction).

I agree with cestlavie. Your DH is not an addict, he is just inconsiderate. Having his fun with visitors in the evenings, leaving you to fend for yourself with two small kids. I would be