Marijuana Use and Quitting Smoking: Do Risks Outweigh Benefits?

7/21/08 9:48pm

Thanks so much for your post Carol. Your breakdown of this drug is easy to read and full of important information. I hope folks take it and use it in whatever way they feel can help them or their loved one.

Readers can fin help with understanding addiction or learning to live a smoke free life, check out our site material.

Hope this helps and all the best, sue

Anonymous

1/14/09 2:11pm

When comparing the health impacts of marijuana use to tobacco use, the method in which the user inhales the smoke would seem to be a contributing factor. For instance, someone who smokes marijuana from a water pipe inhales "cleaner" smoke than someone who smokes a marijuana joint or filtered cigarettes.

Karen

1/20/09 12:03pm

I agree partly with the author. I do think however, that there are other ways to use marijuna than smoking. I know that most people or that you see people on tv smoking marijuna. There are other ways to take the drug and you get the same benefits from it. You can make it into a tincture or tea. You can bake it into food. The government now makes it in pill form. So completely throwing out a drug that possibly has medical benefits is wrong.

I have chronic pain and I tried once to use it to help with my pain. In my case it did not work. I got high but it seemed to make me more aware of my pain rather than lessen it. Also I was high for almost 8 hours so it seemed a waste of one entire day. One thing we patients with chronic pain learn early is that one medicine does not always work with everyone. So even though it does not work for me it could work very well for another person.

I think that more research needs to be done and we need to consider the benefits of the medical use of marijuna. By the way, I went to collage and used marijuna for non medical reasons. I had no withdrawal symtoms what so ever.

Tyler

2/ 2/09 2:55pm

I also do agree with the author on some parts and how people have different effects of Marijuana. And saying the negitive things about it out way it in good is not true. Because people are effected by the drug differently. some people need it for medical reasons. Like Cancer patients, Depression, etc.

I think people over react on how it is used. And they never ask why its used to the person who is either using it or used it. They could be for good reasons.

Tommy L.

3/19/09 9:26am

I have smoked marijuana off and on for several years. I had quit for about 5 months then came back to it in the last 3 months or so. I am epileptic and sometimes get dizzy or confused for no reason when i'm not smoking, pre-seizure symptoms. When i get those symptoms i go smoke a little bit and it seems to go away. Recently however my roomates have become intollerant of it and banned it from the house on penalty of eviction so I had to quit. The first day not smoking marijuana at all I was fine up until about midnight when I got acute nausea and vomitted several times I don't know if this is an effect of withdrawl or something else. Does someone know about this?

poemshrike

6/ 4/09 9:02am

I notice that nobody has mentioned ingesting marijuana. I've been a user for over forty years and when diagnosed with COPD stopped smoking pot and began ingesting it. Never once, in my forty odd years of pot use have I experienced any withdrawal symptoms. Of course, we all have slightly different metabolisms but I would suggest you look elsewhere for the cause of your symptoms. I would also suggest that you find another place to live. After having ingested marijuana I can report that the effects last for hours, not the half hour or so realized by smoking it. It does take about an hour or so to take effect. Hang in there friend and start looking for another place to live.

Anonymous

3/24/09 12:55pm

Ok so I don't know exactly how to start so I guess ill go right into it... What would you rather have? A tabacoo smoker or marijana smoker... As it has been stated that marijana effects people differently. So it it were to effect me in a good way would i be more prone to smoking it? I know ur asking your self How could it help... But see with out marijana i would of never learned the whole phycological part of life. Such as reality in it's self, Self anilization, and proly the big one would be Sociology. Without the use of marijana i wouldn't of been in an alternite state to see what is the real preseption... And don't take alternite state in a bad way... we are affected differently by the THC. I beleave it healped me open my mind to be more optimistic on opposeing opioins. I someone were to set up a controled experiment for the use of marijana and introduced a conflict to the group and got them riled up. then introduced THC into the equasion. Do you think the conflict would filter out or get worse... i bleave that it would filter out because of the stoner aspect on life... Of peace not war... maybe after a short discrepincy im shure that they would drop there problum and focouse on more of the good effect they are feeling sorta say. I dont' know what exactly would happen but from my aspect of life i bleave that would happen... If you look at the Stoner cultrure how much anger and hate is fused into it... HARDLY ANY... Besides towards the Police which is totally understandable... If someone can smoke a ciggeret next to me and put me in danger of second hand smoke which is just as bad as taking a puff for my self i would rather have a marijana smoker there. And dont' get me started on drinking acholoic bevergages aposing to marijana becase i wouldn't stop talking about it but i am gunna give u somthin to think about. Would you rather have a paranoid stoner driving around that is on the wach for cops and being in a aware state of mind or would u have an intoxicated drunk driving and swerving on the road that ain't paying attition to anythang other than trying to stay strait. I Bleave if you can get a DUI (Driving under the Influence) for somking you should be able to leagaly smoke weed in a smoke shop... and if you decide to leave the person at the door can check to make shure you are at least comprehendable because by then the effects shoulde be about wore off... But what happens when two'oclock rolls around and the bar closes what do they do? kick them the fuck out and not give a fuck if you drive home your self not even checking to make shure you are ok... at least stoners would show some LOVE and see if your all good... But this is just my thought on the subject so tell me if i am a bad person or a good person for smoking Marijana.

jammin420@yahoo.com

9/17/09 6:05pm

showin love everyday!!!!!!

sonya

12/11/09 9:42pm

hey i totally agree with what you said about the pot i put a similiar comment on there then i read what you had to say. i truly believe that the world would be a safer place if marijuana were legal instead theres alcohol, killing people how many people get killed from someone stoned oposed to the people killing others because they drank too much it should be legalized it would help our economy and do other good things medically

poemshrike

4/23/09 12:03pm

When I learned I had copd I ceased smoking pot altogether and instead, began ingesting it. The only result I can report is that it made me want to smoke cigarettes more than ever. Even after being cigarette free for about a year, when I ingest pot,

the urge to smoke cigs increases.

alablanca

7/10/09 6:31pm

Is incessant, nervous taking and argumentative a symptom of an abrut stoppin?

OMMP Provider

10/30/09 6:57am

There is no WD symptoms from Marijuana. This article is full of misleading and completley biased information. "Long-term marijuana use can lead to addiction in the sense of compulsive drug seeking." Are you kidding me? Did you ever think that people in the US are generally uncomfortable and marijuana just happens to be one of the safer and responsible ways to forget just how uncomfortable we have become in our society. It is propoganda filled bull like this article and uneducated thinking that has caused us to wage a war against our own people, locking up the harmless, tie up police time and money, and overall forget its really the pharmisutical companies pulling all the strings. The propaganda was used to blind public eye. Well the war on pot is almost over. The feds are backing off to states rights, California is taxing it, 12 states medical laws and 14 more put it on the polls in the next few years. Please for anyone looking on unbiased drug info check out www.erowid.com. Its a wonderful source and you can actually trust it=)

anonynmous

10/24/11 4:04am

"Long-term marijuana use can lead to addiction in the sense of compulsive drug seeking."

is very well possible, as that chronic smokers that smoke or self medicate everyday that dont have a steady supply will most likely lead to an "addiction" in the sense of compulsive drug seeking.

Perspective.

Therefor in a sense, anyone who has a headache would have an addiction of compulsively seeking a drug such as tylenol would also be an addiction

Trogo

8/16/09 12:28pm

Carol,

I appreciate you taking on a subject that is very serious, despite the pun-intentional press cannabis receives almost daily. However, I have many concerns with your information. In fact so many that I will not list them all. I would like to list just a few:

1) Cannabis has a very torrid history of legalization/illeglaization in our government. Especially important is the intentional racial bigotry purported by people like Harry J. Anslinger in efforts to make it illegal.

2) Your references are lacking in looking at both sides of the debate. Not to sound like a "conspiracy" theorist, but the data provided by the FDA, NIDA, CSA, and Partnership for a Drug-Free America is unusually skewed (sometiimes purposely) and reported to the public without all the actual data. For example, public figures like to state that marijuana addiction has risen in the past several years by the NIDA. What is not mentioned is that the "addiction" rise is because the majority of those cases are court ordered, and in any addiction treatment facility claims you as an "addict" upon entry. I know this is true since I have been admitted to a facility many years ago and used to work for the addiction/treatment industry.

3) Smoking cannabis is not the only method of administering treatment. Vaporization is becoming a more common method of administering cannabis. It's health benefits as an alternative to smoking is visibly obvious as there is virtually no smoke (depending on heat ranges used), but vapor on inhalation and exhalation. This is not that much different (not the same, though) than nebulizers used for people such as myself to aid with COPD.

I will leave the remaining points to be discovered on your own, as there is many! I recommend the newly released book "Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?" by Steve Fox, Paul Armentano and Mason Tvert.

My comment here is obviously new for such an old article. But, this article, and others

like it, need to reframed and have its "facts" straightened. It is important that we keep ourselves informed, and try and correct the misinformation that plagues us on such important issues.

Anonymous

3/22/10 3:56pm

Thank you for your intellegent commentary.

Actually it was the the paper industry led by Randolf Hearst who did the most to pressure the government into anti- marijana legislation. The plant was so versitile and grew freely along roadsides, they were afraid of the cheap competition in paper manifactoring. The government saw protecting the logging industry as part of protecting the national interest and sided in with Hearst and other special interests. They began a war on hemp from irradication of the plant to the punishment of those who used it.

I smoke because my pain meds make me sick, and while it does decrease my thinking capasity, it allows me pain relief and helps with fatigue, thereby allowing me a modicome of existence. Anyone who is anti-pot should live my life for one week.

Anonymous

8/28/09 6:03pm

When used in a controlled manner for the relief from Asthma, it's a gift from the Earth. Of course the benefits extend beyond breath, because breath and freedom of the flow of air to our bellies is the connection to our very Being. Yes, it's easy to get out of hand, anyone that's smoked for more than a few years have probably found themselves sneaking a joint at lunch time at some or many stages along the journey with pot. But when used as a tool to test will power the controlled use of marijuana for an unhibited free breath of air, I AM grateful. Cape Town

legalize iit !!!!!!!

9/17/09 6:03pm

whaaaaat!!!! legalize 420 now !!!!!!!!!!!!

searcher

10/ 3/09 7:02pm

hi all! ya know ive been partaking in marijuana for about 21 years now while managing a sheetmetal fabrication shop for 16 of those years with success,but unfortunately the economy has left our company in the dust forcing me and others to search for work in other places,and i tell u its pretty hard to get a good job without taking a pee test so here i go i guess im quiting.

sonya

12/11/09 9:27pm

i believe that marijuana is much safer than alcohol when it comes to drugs how many people are killed by a driver smoking pot compared to people killed by drunk drivers. If it was legal right now it would help our economy, sometimes i wonder if they keep alcohol legal for the wrong reasons. I also know for a fact that it truly helps nausea,and vomiting more then any pill has ever helped, and it helps if you need to gain weight but too much smoking can definitly cause to be overweight. this is all knowledge from my own experience. i know i will get alot of diff. opinions about this but about the drunk driving part anyone who disagrees is most likely a big drinker!

Charles

1/ 4/10 1:26pm

Smoking marijuana will not help to quit smoking tabacco. As far as the negative health effects of smoking marijuana. Marijuana extract (using ethanol) can make it ingestable. The extract from a good plant IS a good pain reliever. Many times it is not enough alone for severe pain so it is excellent combined with other pharmaceutical pain relievers. The only problem is it is illegal. There are other synthetic cannabinoids which are legal and are effective swallowed. A friend of mine who has cancer uses this cannabinoid:

http://www.herbavigor.com/html/cannibinoids.html

He says it really helps the nausea and increase other pain relievers ability to kill pain.

Anonymous

2/ 9/10 3:15pm

I disagree with your response to marijuana not helping an individual quit smoking tobacco. It is also to be noted that marijuana alone can not be the only aid to quitting tobacco. There has to be a will to quit from the user, ultimately there should be a replacement for the oral fixation of cigarettes, hence the pot.

For our purposes, smoking pot instead of cigarettes can help. However, the individual must alter his or her lifestyle and understand the consequences of quitting smoking tobacco like constipation. And no marijuana can not help intestinal problems from tobacco withdrawal. The best combination to quitting cigarettes is a change in lifestyle, hopefully exercise and smoking pot. Good luck.

F 'kC' C

4/19/10 5:45am

As a "Expert" on this site Ms. Carol Southard, I'm pretty sure you have no "expertise" in the field of Marijuana Use and or the Good and Bad.

Do to the lack of this i see why most of your article is copy and paste.

( http://www.drugabuse.gov/Infofacts/marijuana.html )

Upon my first use of marijuana I was in great pain from a undesirable cold that kept me hacking. Arrival to the emergency room reviled that I had a bruised lung and was prescribed benadryl and a nice price tag.

Unable to sleep a roommate suggested that I smoke a little with them and it would put me to sleep. Happy with the results I smoked two more days then quit. About a year later I picked it back up and still enjoy it to this day.

Without a doubt there are pros and cons to smoking as well with anything else.

I stopped smoking for a week ( in honor of April 20 coming up ) and have no urges to go find more drugs or that I'm having withdraws so bad I will do anything to get some. I smoke regularly, at least twice a day, and without a doubt a pot head to be "politically correct."

Within my time of smoking i have met Several people and smoked with them. I have traveled many of states and smoked with many of people. Most interesting of all I meet on a weekly basis with several people older than me ( i am 25 btw ).

These people range from Lawyers to your common hard working people.

We meet at a local bar for poker, drinks, and fun. Sitting back and observing the people that smoke vs the people that drink is very amazing. I smoke with a man in is early 70's who has been smoking from the time he was a teen. Along with him as well as the 40's and up that I also enjoy a puff with, I notice youth and fun and a eagerness to enjoy life to the fullest. On the other hand the other group of drunks and I don't have to tell you what beer does to people.

How is it that these people that smoke on a regular basis are able to hold practices and own their own businesses. My guess is they have the money to buy more weed then me. lol.

When me and my girlfriend ( age 39 ) have a argument about anything ( 2 so far in our 8 month relationship) we smoke. Think drinking some beer would bring us together. I think not.

Do some research and actually find out and stop with the copy and paste mode.

There are several documentary on Marijuana. Walk before you leap.

F 'kC' C

Mertdawg

4/25/10 3:18pm

It's people like you that give pot a bad name. Quit throwing around facts that are administerd by the DEA and the war on drugs which have been proven to be false.

As long as Marijauna is a illegal schedule drug with "no medical use" there can never be non-slanted, non-biased studies allowed on marijuana. We have to rely on other countries research. You should look at some research that's coming out of Holland.

Mertdawg

4/25/10 3:22pm

Good for you. Not only does cigarettes have so much more added dangerous chemicals than pot, it's physically addicting and you have no control over it.

I disagree with the nurse on this subject and her answer. Of course, she's going to say quit both. I'm here to say you're doing the right thing.

When you quit smoking cigarettes, the nictoine withdrawl is comparable to that of herione. You'll experience the loss of appetite, depression, sucidal thoughts, insomnia, jitters, gas cramps and pains, lack of concentration because you're constantantly thinking about cigarettes, as well as other withdrawl syptoms. These are horrible symptoms.

This is where pot comes in. Smoking pot can easily get rid of ALL OF THESE NASTY WITHDRAWL SYMPTOMS. I've recently been cigarette free for 14 days and I've been smoking pot constantly over this period. I've had good sleep, no depression, and to my surprise, I hardly had any "cravings". I've tried to stop before but failed. Pot helped me quit Tabacco.

I've used nicotine patches and such. It's useless. It doesn't solve the problem because you're still digesting nicotine in your body. You'll just have to go through withdrawl symptoms once you take those patches. Pot is safer, cheaper, and more effective then ANY quit smoking products out there. Plus.. it's natural.

I would reccommend to quit rolling blunts. If you do roll blunts, get the special "organic" blunt wraps found at any of your local headshops. They have delicious flavors such as blueberry, chocalate, vinalla, strawberry. They also use minimal chemicals in the wraps. I would even recommend getting large joint papers. I like those better.

I'm a bong smoker and I smoke bongloads. A study from NORML (National Organization for Marijauna Legalization) shows that even though the water does not take out carcingens, it does cool down the smoke tremendously which does make it a bit better for your lungs.

Plus, if your smoking chronic (Such as we do here in CA where it's about to become fully legal in Nov.) you smoke MUCH less marijauna then tabacco. You can smoke just a half gram of good bud in a day VS. 28 grams of tabacco every day. That right there should be good proof about what I'm talking about.

When I work out, I feel that my oxygen intake is off the roof. I have lots of energy, can breathe really easy, AND I TAKE BIGGER BONGLOADS NOW! ;)

Also, if you want to quit smoking all together, there are other ways to indigest mariajuana then smoking it. You can eat edibles (food made of bud), smokeless oils, and even vaporizing it to a mist quality that has no carginigens whatsoever. It's like inhaling water vapors in a hot shower.

Keep up the good work bro!

PLEASE GO OUT IN NOV IF YOU LIVE IN CALIFORNIA AND VOTE YES TO THE "REGULATE, CONTROL, AND TAX CANNABIS ACT of 2010". This will allow people 21+ to purchase a license and grow marijauna in their private home in a area 21' X 21' and posses up to a pound at a time.

Seve

10/23/10 2:52am

Its so nice to see comments from people who know the facts such as yourself. Where do these so called 'experts" get off writing things that aren't true! I am in my 50's and smoked pot from 17 to 30 and then quit while raising 3 children and didn't want to be high while helping with homework, sports, etc.. or be a possible bad influence. I've never had withdrawals or health problems from it, and actually would have been a better dad (less angry at times and more patient) if I had continued using it. However, now that they are all in their 20's and able to drink 'legally" I would rather see them smoke pot than drink alcohol. I live in CA and almost 1 year ago got my medicinal card to smoke pot because of cervical neck issues and migraines weekly. I'm not sure it helps the migraines, but I am so more relaxed now as I only smoke at night several hours before bed to relax and help me sleep better and I am so calmer and happier at least when I'm high for that 2-3 hours of "my time" every night or so. I don't drink anymore and can't stand beer and I think this is a good thing. More people should try smoking it, the world would be a better place. Instead of giving billions of dollars in military weapons to the middle east so they can kill each other and the billions spent on war, if we were to drop a billion dollars worth of pot out of helicoptors to these countrues, their would be no more was, everyone would be laughing and getting along with each other.

Seve

10/23/10 2:52am

Its so nice to see comments from people who know the facts such as yourself. Where do these so called 'experts" get off writing things that aren't true! I am in my 50's and smoked pot from 17 to 30 and then quit while raising 3 children and didn't want to be high while helping with homework, sports, etc.. or be a possible bad influence. I've never had withdrawals or health problems from it, and actually would have been a better dad (less angry at times and more patient) if I had continued using it. However, now that they are all in their 20's and able to drink 'legally" I would rather see them smoke pot than drink alcohol. I live in CA and almost 1 year ago got my medicinal card to smoke pot because of cervical neck issues and migraines weekly. I'm not sure it helps the migraines, but I am so more relaxed now as I only smoke at night several hours before bed to relax and help me sleep better and I am so calmer and happier at least when I'm high for that 2-3 hours of "my time" every night or so. I don't drink anymore and can't stand beer and I think this is a good thing. More people should try smoking it, the world would be a better place. Instead of giving billions of dollars in military weapons to the middle east so they can kill each other and the billions spent on war, if we were to drop a billion dollars worth of pot out of helicoptors to these countrues, their would be no more was, everyone would be laughing and getting along with each other.

urbanmusic

5/ 6/10 12:02am

I just lost a friend after he smoked marijuana and went into cardiac arrest. Marijuana causes the blood pressure to raise and the heart to work harder.

He had been smoking marijuana on a daily basis for twenty years.. It eventually caught up with him!! I would like to educate as many people as possible that if someone already has high blood pressure or a family history of heart disease they should quit smoking marijuana. My friend was forty five. He was way to young to die but stupid enough to smoke marijuana everday. He had a family history of heart disease and high blood pressure.

MARIJUANA KILLS JUST LIKE CIGARETTES!!!!

QUIT ASAP so you can be around for your family!!

goody

7/12/10 3:32am

Hence the family history....did they smoked pot like he did, many years.....most likely not all of them. so know your fact. he probably didn't care about his health, like unhealthy eating and lack of exercises. you are really blaming it on the wrong thing. so greive for him and then get to studying.

Bob

8/23/10 2:56pm

Cigarettes kill 400,000 every year or 20 million people in 50 years and yet it still remains legal. Nicotine has no benefits whatsoever. Cigarettes have additives to make them more addictive that are way more harmful then tobacco itself. Marijuana is a sacred plant and has wisdom of the earth for those how are seeking it. It is one of the best therapeutic aids known. Aside from its spiritual uses it has various health benefits. Weed can be vaporized and ingested. Smoking marijuana or smoking any substance is not healthy. It is a tragedy that the only legal drugs allowed in this country ( tobacco and alcohol) are the two deadliest of all.
My heart goes out for millions of people who have been suckered into getting addicted to nicotine. The lack of education and deliberate misinformation about all of this is a the biggest crime of the century. And like all big crimes it will go unpunished.

youarejustplainwrong

9/ 9/10 7:52pm

In response to this:

Head and Neck. Smoking marijuana has been linked with an increased risk of head and neck cancers. Several case reports have found an unexpectedly high number of marijuana users among persons with cancers of the head and neck region, including the mouth, tongue, throat, and larynx.

I find that really interesting, since all of the scientific research I've read says the exact opposite. Here are two cases:

Rhode Island's Brown University population-based case control study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19638490

You should be able to access the full-text from this link.

Washington Post covering UCLA Study (shortly summated):

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729.html

The UCLA Study text:

http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/15/10/1829.full

SmartPotHead

3/26/11 7:50pm

You have been seriously misinformed, my friend. A study done as recently as two months ago by the medical department of Harvard University showed that there is absolutely NO LINK BETWEEN MARIJUANA AND CANCER. Please do some more research my friend. Try checking out a documentary called:

The Union: Business Behind Getting High

Check it out. Get perspective!

Trying 2 Quit

10/ 8/10 1:48pm

I am a 37 year old male, and I have been smoking cigarettes on and off for over 20 years. To make myself clear, I had used marijuana in my youth to get high with on occasion. From my twenties until now, I have very rarely used marijuana as a drug. Maybe 3-4 time recreationally in the last 15 years or so, maybe not even that much. But, I quit smoking cigarettes in my mid twenties and used marijuana to do it. I quit smoking cigarettes 'cold turkey' and after a few days, I was going insane from not having nicotine. It really is one of the worst feelings that I've ever had. It's almost painful and like nothing else that I have experienced.

In my quest to quit, I tried lighting cigarettes to smell them burn, without actually picking it up and smoking it. I tried puffing cigars without inhaling, but that didn't work either. For whatever reason, I decided to get myself a '10 bag' of pot. I believe that this was about 4 to 6 grams of marijuana. Like I said, I never was a big pot guy so I am unsure of the amount, but it was a pretty small bag of the stuff. Whenever I felt that I couldn't fight the urge to not have a cigarette, I would take a toke or two off of a joint that I'd rolled.

It wasn't enough to get high with usually, just a pull or two. The cravings for tobacco would subside considerably and I did this for about a month or so until the feelings were completely gone. I would only hit the joint when I was having my worst anxiety. After that first month, I no longer needed the marijuana and I had quit smoking for well over a year using marijuana to relieve the very real and mind reeling effects of nicotine withdrawal. I ended up giving the rest of the bag of pot to someone after I was done. I didn't need it anymore. Out of that small amount of marijuana, I probably still had half of the bag left. I had probably smoked one or two grams of it through the whole month. That is equal to about two joints I think.

Speaking on a personal level because I experimented with marijuana in this way, I have to say that this is the cheapest, most healthy way to stop smoking cigarettes that I have ever tried. This is not a testimony to casual usage of marijuana. I don't think that it should be used recreationally, but I do feel that the medical benefit of marijuana needs to be seriously evaluated and studied. But what brings me to this post in the first place is that I am again a smoker of one+ pack of cigarettes a day and have been for almost 8 years.

I want to quit again, but the last time that I tried it ‘cold turkey' I was off of them for about 6 months and was in absolute misery every single day. Not a day passed that I didn't want a cigarette. I finally caved in after my mom fell sick and was put into the hospital. Now, my wife and I have found out that her mother, a very heavy smoker, more than likely has lung cancer. This not only angers me, but also scares the hell out of me too. This is no way that you want to go, my friends. It's painful for you and for your family. I am thinking of trying to quit and once again using marijuana to achieve this. I am curious now, after 10-12 years or so, if the pot actually helped me or if it was a fluke. I now have to go to a dark alley to find a drug dealer to test my theory. If anyone is interested, I can post back here in a couple of months with my findings. I am going to try this in the next few weeks, after my carton of cancer runs out.

Anonymous

10/26/10 4:31pm

Here is my update. I stopped smoking 7 days ago today. About 3 weeks before that, at the end of September, I switched from my usual brand of Marlboro Lights and started smoking American Spirits (Baby Blue Pack). I always liked American Spirits, but couldn’t usually afford them. Now that I was paying almost $50.00 a week for a carton of Marlboro Lights, I figured what the hell is $5.00 more dollars for a higher quality smoke. The American Spirits are higher in nicotine and tar, I believe, so this may have played into my success thus far by ramping up my nicotine dose before quitting. I don’t know.

Anyway, I once again grabbed a ’10 bag’ of marijuana which is now $20.00 dollars by the way, rolled myself a joint and began taking a few puffs each day several days before I decided to stop. I would usually do this right before I lay down to go to sleep. Once again, one to two hits were all that were needed. I also continued to smoke cigarettes with no reduction during this time. I stopped smoking cigs last Tuesday, but have smoked 2 cigarettes since that time, just dry drags without inhaling. The last time I felt the urge to do that was on Friday. So far, it hasn’t been too hard, and I haven’t even used the marijuana since last Thursday. I think that it works to get you over the hump.

There are a few things that I have noticed. I am extremely tired. I actually had to call into work sick Tuesday (my quit day) and Wednesday just because I felt so run down. I have also noticed during this time, and please don’t think that I am being a freak here because I am not, that my erections with my wife are much more erect and sturdy. Is it the pot turning me into a freak, or the poison from the cigarettes evacuating from my body? I was a little buzzed twice, and stone sober twice with the same results. My wife and I usually have sex at least 3-4 times during an average week, or maybe rarely 1-2 times a week if we’re very busy with other things or angry at each other, but it now feels like I have better quality erections, if that makes sense.

I will post again in a week to let you know what trials and tribulations I am facing. If I falter or have a setback, I will post before then.

Quit

11/ 2/10 9:37am

Well, so far so good. I have used marijuana one time, two puffs, in the last week when the cravings for tobacco were very great. This seems to substantially cut out the feeling that I ‘have’ to have a cigarette and apparently lasts for days. I am two weeks into not smoking cigarettes. I still feel tired, but I think that my sleep has been affected by nicotine withdrawal. I notice that I am sleeping lighter too. Erections are still working out nicely.

Sup Peeps

12/ 2/10 2:17pm

Ok, I haven't smoked marijuana or cigarettes since my post here a month ago today. I still get the urge to smoke almost daily, but this subsides after a few minutes and is no where close to being as strong as it was in the beginning. This is a life long struggle, but I will not take one more puff of nicotine. I would like to say to anyone that is not a regular marijuana user and they want to quit smoking cigarettes to get themselves a small bag of pot, roll it up, smoke it when you feel you need to smoke a cigarette, and get your life back from nicotine addiction. All you need is one or two puffs from the marijuana and the feeling will subside considerably. Basically, it cost me 20 bucks to quit smoking. No, it didn't really cost me that. I only smoked one joint from the bag of pot that I had. I would have to guess that it cost around $2.50 to quit smoking using marijuana as an aid instead of pills that may kill you or nicotine gum that continues to enslave you. I was smoking a carton of cigarettes a week, peeps. Please try this method for yourself, or have a loved one try it. I truly believe that it will work for you too.

Sup Peeps

12/ 2/10 2:30pm

Oh, I also found out why I was so tired. I was diagnosed a couple of weeks ago with the first stages of diabetes. I also just found out that smoking 16 to 25 cigarettes a day increases your risk for Type 2 diabetes to three times that of a non-smoker. That is about how much I smoked a day.

Douglas

10/28/10 12:19am

A: Marijuana is a plant. The part of the plant sold on the streets is the budding flowers of the female plant. The flowers sometimes contain stems, seeds and always contain trichomed leaves but the effectively no-one mixes marijuana leaves and stems with flowers. Marijuana, if you bought some, is just the flowers.
B: Marijuana vapor contains approximately 90% less carcinogens and has not been found to cause chronic bronchitis or impaired respiratory function.
C: Stating that "Research on the long-term effects of marijuana use indicates some changes in the brain similar to those seen after long-term abuse of other major drugs" is almost a lie as only some research has found this. Even The Lancet is noticing conflicting data.
D: Marijuana decreases not increases blood pressure.
E: "Marijuana users usually inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers do" is a direct unreferenced quote from the NIDA. That's right I've read over a hundred sources including an overview of over 120 sources from The Lancet. Don't think I won't recognize this.
F: "The bottom line: The risks of using marijuana far outweigh the benefits." This statement cannot be supported by data.

Not many would disagree the Lancet is our number one medical journal. If you're really searching for unbiased data fork over a few bucks for some research and you'll begin to notice crap like this. I'm not going to cite any of this. That way she can come back and cite her article to show me up as she should have cited it to be credible in the first place. I'll give this woman this though. She doesn't sound like an expert but she did get a lot of the facts right.

LOOK FOR ARTICLES WITH CITATIONS

otherwise you know you're reading BS

(I have more problems with this article but nothing concrete)

bar

12/29/10 5:58am

HELLO
I read your comment with More attention FOR marijuana, I am not regullar USER butt I'm interesting to know if there was complications in Cum,EVEN IF I AM NOT USER now
Thanks

best regards

Utter Nonsense

1/22/11 6:20am

Please note: every "fact" the author posted about the negative effects of marijuana are incorrect and unsupportable. There has never been a single death attributed solely to the use of marijuana. In fact, one very long running study shows that there is no negative effects and possibly positive effects from long term SMOKING of marijuana. That's right, no eating or vaping but smoking. Marijuana only users(people that did not smoke cigarettes AT ALL) had the same or slightly LOWER occurence of lung, esophogeal or mouth cancer. LOWER.

Anyone interested, should do a search on "marijuana effect on sympathetic nervous system" and read. The cannabinoids in marijuana are amazing and interesting.

Please, lady, stop being a parrot for the government - spouting outdated and very UNSCIENTIFIC governmental data. This article is total garbage and has no SCIENTIFIC value whatsoever.

BTW, I conceived and typed this comment while VERY stoned. Does it seem cogent? Or like the insane affected ramblings of someone whose "very brain chemistry" has been permanently damaged? LOL!!!

SmartPotHead

3/26/11 7:42pm

There have been countless "studies" showing the "harmful effects of Marijuana" but almost of all of them have been recently debunked when re-tested using new technology and smarter thinking. The funny thing is that Doctors are now prescribing medical marijuana to treat some of the symptoms that marijuana has been (falsely) accused of causing. If anyone has any serious questions about using pot, then they should do the research for themselves and make an informed decision. I smoke pot. Not daily, but I have been using it on a semi regular basis for almost 2 years and I have yet to get cancer, or have a heart attack, and I have NEVER had the need to use any stronger drugs even though I was supposed to move to black tar herion (if I believed what ignorant people say about pot being a gateway drug.)

I am a person who has suffered from depression and weed helps me cope like no other harsh anti-depressant drug has. It calms me down, reduces anxiety, and just plain makes me feel normal.

Like anything, moderation is key. I am not an addict, if I go for months without smoking weed, there is no withdrawl or pain. I believe that a person should always make an informed decision before trying anything that may be mind altering, but if you're looking for something that is safe and effective then try marijuana.

I am so tired of the harsh stigma that this poor simple plant is attachted to. It's natural, organic, and the worst thing to ever happen to me while being high was the time I ate an entire loaf of bread!

If you'd like some pro-weed information from a reliable source, then try watching this documentary:

The Union: Business Behind Getting High Directed by Brett Harvey

It is so informative! I am not a criminal, I am not a bad person. I am a pot smoker and I am a good, kind, smart, college grad who works hard and I take good care of my mind and body. I refuse to let people further slander an herbal substance that I have come to enjoy and even love. I hope this helps someone make the right choice for them.

thisarticleisbs

7/24/11 4:55pm

Lets see the studies that show Marijuana can cause head/neck cancer, propaganda bullshit

Smoke the ganja

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