Giving up the herb?

[akaDAVE]

I've been a dedicated smoker of weed for about 9 years now. I have had the odd month or so off for job interviews/presentations/exams etc but have otherwise been a pretty consistent stoner.
Since running out of gear about a month ago I have avoided stocking up again. I admit I do feel better for it - less confused and generally sharper and more relaxed. I had a week off at christmas when I went on holiday and made me realise I might be better off without it. It's only after having a break that I notice the difference in my state of mind and behaviour. I haven't made a concious decision to 'quit' but it looks like I'm going that way now. I almost feel a sense of disloyalty about it after so long.
I gave up smoking tobacco over a year ago which was a huge effort. The weed is totally different, it really isn't addictive in the same way. It's more of a habitual thing which once broken is forgotten about. After stopping, I would maybe suffer one night of disturbed sleep, a few crazy dreams and then that would be it, no cravings. Even with weed lying around I wouldn't feel the urge
It was only this morning when I opened a cupboard in the kitchen and saw my bong there that I thought 'bloody hell, I had forgotten I had that!'
I would ideally just smoke on weekends so I am sharper during the week but I seem to either smoke all the time or not at all.
just about all of my mates don't really smoke it anymore but I've always done my own thing, i don't drink as much as them.
Has anyone else given up after a long time and what was your motivation?
I guess I'm looking for reasons to keep it up.
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GSXR600

[killa]

[HerbalDayZ]

Can i ask would you 2 say your addicted or just like to smoke.
ive smoked weed an hash since i was 14 now 23 so 9 years.An ill be honest here i cant go without it i feel sick,i cant eat as im no longer hungry,i sweat out of controll ill be cold but still sweat.I cant stop running it thru my mind when i run out which then causes me to be realy wound up.

Also i refuse to go shopping unless stoned i find i cant handle the world without being high.If im normal i panic i become more clear an findi cant handle all the noise an people gets me agitated.

Problem is i love everything about it i love the smell i love the taste an i enjoy spending 5-10 mins rolling a joint.Not only do i smoke it but it gives me somthing to do by rolling 1 up then smoking it.

Yea i know shamefull huh a dirty pot head but oh well if it was legal ide jsut be normal younge man
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my sepllnig is bad i udnretsand taht so i aolpisge.
dys?lex?i?a (A learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words.dyslexia (impaired ability to learn to read)

[strawberry]

[killa]

Can I just say now that if you have something really shitty to say about examples Herbal gave, don’t bother, it’s not nice…..
I know what you mean herbal, if you enjoy it that much though, as I said, no point taking such a step right now.
Your still young, depends what you want and need out of life.
____________________
Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[HerbalDayZ]

Nah if people wish to comment on what i said its np killa.

I understand its my fault for smoking an illegal herb but i feel in my heart its not illegal there is nothign wrong with it an i dont harm anyone.
I do then realise what i say an how much it effects me.Ive had fits from it ive been rushed to hospital after collapsing.I had run out an didnt have no money (i was younge) i started to worry panic about what i was going to do so i started losing it .I then got into an arguement with family an i just got so angry i lost controll an i fitted an hit my head on a table.

Im not proud of being a smoker i dont boast about it (look here now).Fact is it doesnt stop me wanting it not becus i need it but i enjoy it tooo much.

I dont drink unless its a stella an thats not very often ive had 2 cans in the fridge for over 2 weeks.

obviously im prob denying the fact its ruining me.
I have 2 year old son but i would never smoke a fag in front of him never mind a joint i keep it to myself .

i wake up to a joint an go to bed after 1.
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my sepllnig is bad i udnretsand taht so i aolpisge.
dys?lex?i?a (A learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words.dyslexia (impaired ability to learn to read)

[Andy C]

i used to smoke a lot and the idea of giving it up seems not good as i enjoyed it. However when i did have a break (i just decided to one day) i felt so much more awake and aware of everything going on.

dont smoke anymore as dont see the point, the money saved means more bike stuff!!
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99 RS125 --> 02 SV650s --> 03 Speed Four --> 92 RXS100 --> 93 CB400sf --> 01 CB600f Hornet

[craigie b]

I gave up pot after 10 odd years. Whilst at Uni I sold the stuff and had an endless supply then when I moved to York the price fell and it became rock bottom to buy so I ended up smoking about 15 joints a day with my girl. In the end it started to make paranoid and stressed (only when I was stoned though). In reflection I believe when they say pot causes mental issues because the paranoia it caused was just ridiculous and very nearly terrifying.

I only tok it now when on a bit of billy and even that is basically never.

[HerbalDayZ]

Fair play andy an well done m8.

I have given up aswell for 8 months but i didnt feel like me.i find smoking now is jsut part of me an how i am.I am polite to family an people in general (maybe not online) an i dont steal for my habbit.

One main prob being 90% of my freinds smoke weed an my brother etc.Its allways around me go to friends have smoke.I find by having a smoke we chat about anything an still have a laugh.Without it there seems to be not much convo people just being moody.

Dave ide say if you can afford it an you enjoy it keep doing it.
I perosnalt feel you being here asking this question is in some way gonna help you decide.Truth is only you will make the choice an thats wether you want it or not.

From what you said it seems you are better without it ,But we all would think more clearly an have more money without it.Problem is wether being stoned an slow bothers you?.Me personaly as i said i cant handle bsy places without it
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my sepllnig is bad i udnretsand taht so i aolpisge.
dys?lex?i?a (A learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words.dyslexia (impaired ability to learn to read)

[killa]

Herbal, the binging people are doing with drink destroys them in a less than noticeable way, fags are terrible for damage to. Cannabis has been proved to cause short term memory loss, but I know people as forgetful as I am and they don’t take anything at all.

The paranoia as I see it is there all the time, how that effects the individual is the big unknown, scientist cant accurately tell how much it effects each of us and therapists think they know everything. I bet you know people who seem completely fine on the stuff, can perform loads of tasks and can go outside and do what’s needed without a care, that’s not all to do with you physically, its how you handle it yourself.
Simply put, what I mean is when you think you are not being effected you are, but only as much as you let it and don’t let anyone who doesn’t smoke it tell you other wise.
It’s a bit like non bikers telling you how to lean.

TBH with you, I’ve never fitted, no one I know has, do you smoke it too quick or something?lol
In the past I’ve duct taped two coke bottles together to make a bucket, scraped and smoked resin from a socket in tin foil and in my later years went all out with a water dispenser bottle (18.5) bucket. Now I just have a little pipe of spliff.
____________________
Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[craigie b]

Its just the way it is...some people are fine and others aren't. I was dissapointed to give it up as I enjoyed the whole ceremony of skinning up with others but I really hated the paranoia that being stoned induced so it wasn't difficult to do.

[innominate]

Just give it up for a bit.


Makes it better when you come back to it anyway.



Don't smoke anything at all fro a few weeks, then get in teh best Skunk you can get and have a couple of spliffs. You will enjoy it.


No need to smoke everyday, unless you really want to.
Also no point completely giving it up, as a bit now and then won't harm you (considering its not killed you off yet anyway)



I got some a couple of days ago. Had been dry for 4 weeks befroe that. Didnt miss it. But great to be back with my freind, the green.
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I, as a responsible adult human being, will never concede the power to anyone to regulate my choice of what I put into my body, or where I go with my mind. From the skin inwards is my jurisdiction, is it not? I choose what may or may not cross that border. Here I am the customs agent. I am the coast-guard. I am the sole legal and spiritual government of this territory, and only the laws I choose to enact within myself are applicable.

[HerbalDayZ]

Killa i have m8 very close an is the only person ive ever met who can make pollen.Pure crystal by taking half a bar of weed an crushing it then shaking it to realise the pollen .then when all collected a few things are done to it mainly heated up an pressed to create the nicest strongest pollen i ever had.He also makes oil from weed by using gas.put couple of oz into a tube then using bottle of gass its compressed so the gas removes the oil from the weed then the gas will evaporate leaving pure oils.

Ive snorted it ate it smoked it done jsut about everything possible an i fucking loves it lol.

I must admit i do liek the diffrent effect from diffrent ways like eating it in cakes mongs me out more then smoking it.then bongs give me the giggles.

Killa i can picture me you amsterdam an a table of green with a huge smile on each of our faces lol

p.s killa want 2ws on this one i got now
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my sepllnig is bad i udnretsand taht so i aolpisge.
dys?lex?i?a (A learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words.dyslexia (impaired ability to learn to read)

[killa]

Sadly I’m at work and the only thing I can taste is the remains of a gram I sorted last night.

Amsterdam would be good......
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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[sickpup]

[HerbalDayZ]

Mwuhahaha

If thats what weed does to you killa you best get giving it up.
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my sepllnig is bad i udnretsand taht so i aolpisge.
dys?lex?i?a (A learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words.dyslexia (impaired ability to learn to read)

[killa]

That was funny……



Fuckers
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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[innominate]

[Dom_]

Once you've been off it for a month or so, tell me if you've put on any weight. Everyone i know that stopped doing it gained a beer belly as soon as they quit (even though they drank the same.)

[HerbalDayZ]

Weird ay dom ..People would say you gain more weight smoking due to getting the munchies.I dont realy get them no more tho sometimes helps with appetite.

I know people who haved gained weight tho when the quit.
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my sepllnig is bad i udnretsand taht so i aolpisge.
dys?lex?i?a (A learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words.dyslexia (impaired ability to learn to read)

[akaDAVE]

I think I'll just give it a break for a while but not take 'giving up' so seriously.
I think I've associated it with giving up smoking ciggies so have started keeping a personal score of 'weeks without' which is a motivation to stay off. Suddenly I realised it had been 3 weeks and thought, shit I have to keep this up now and put pressure on myself.

It's never caused me a direct problem apart from poor memory but I have learnt to work around that. That's what post-it notes are for.
It's not at all a financial burden. Recently I would buy it relatively expensively from a 'cafe' in my home town. I'd buy two £10 bags which would last me a month - as much as one night in a pub. It goes a long way in bongs.
I've even thought to be totally healthy I should only eat it, but after my last experiment with the jane asher cookie mix followed by a trip to the driving range I would rather not risk it again!

What I'll do is not see this as giving up but a couple of months off would be a good idea to shake off the habit and wake up a bit.
I'll then go back to enjoying it for occasional fun rather than as a daily routine. It was getting to the point where it was taking over so it's time to reset the balance.

I'm suprised that some of the above have had such problems when giving up. Sounds like you're suffering from some kid of panic attack and should see a doctor for it. It's definately time to get away from weed when it starts to own you.
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GSXR600

[G]

I used to smoke a lot.

These days it's usually around couple a night.

I have for a long time before I started smoking found I have problems getting to sleep, the weed helps a lot.

I try and leave it around 2 hours between my last spliff and the point I'm going to sleep. This way I don't really feel groggy in the morning.
Leave it longer than that and the effects making me sleep better have worn off a bit, shorter and I'm still a bit groggy in the morning.

I very rarely get really stoned, just a pleasent chilled.

If I was happier about other things in my life I could fairly give it up I suspect - when I'm happier I can usually sleep better anyway.

[headlamp]

I was a 'dedicated' smoker of the stuff for 25 years. I gave up 2 years ago and now don't miss it in the slightest. I started when I was 18 and through my teens, 20's & most of my 30's smoked a lot!!

I gave up (by cutting down & eventually stopping) because I felt it 'was the right thing to do'. At first I missed it but after a while all desire/urges/cravings just diminish. I noticed that when I went to bed stoned, just as I was falling asleep I'd get a sort of popping/explosion in my head - that wasn't pleasant. I also fel it affected my judgement on important matters. It definitely affected my short term memory, which thankfully has improved considerably since giving up.

I used to smoke all sorts, but really hated skunk - total mind f*ck. The best was sensimellia, a different sort of buzz, red leb was nice & mellow and for the weekend temple balls or fresh Morrocan black. Would I advocate smoking weed? Yes - of course - it kind of opens the mind, puts things in perspective, heightens awareness etc. I'm not sure about skunk though - it's like being hit on the forehead with a mallet, which overides the benefits. It seems to be whats prevalent these days & I'm sure its strength does a lot of harm.

Anyway Dave, if you feel that giving up is the right thing to do now then it is the right decision to take - if you have moments of weakness, pangs of desire for a joint - I still (very occasionally) get them - just think about something else they soon pass!
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Using a mobile phone while driving a car should be made a capital offence!

[stinkwheel]

Some thoughts (in no particular order):

How many people who are 'addicted' to weed are actually addicted to nicotine and don't realise it. You think "I want something, I'll have a joint." and the craving goes away. The point being, your body wasn't telling you it wanted the THC, it wanted the nicotine in the tobacco you rolled with. Happened to a couple of my mates. One of them now smokes cigarettes as a result, the other kicked it, rolls with leaf in place of tobacco and smokes many fewer joints as a result. Incidentally, that is why I started smoking tobacco at the age of 19.

I can take dope or leave it. Probably smoke socially up to a couple of times a month. I don't need to smoke all that much and the stuff I do have lasts me a long time. I will sometimes go to a party and roll one to pass round but not partake myself (especially if they are rolling up 'cooking' soap bar ).

Skunk, What's the point? You just get stoned off your nut and pass out. I have some primo skunk that I got off a friend and hardly use it. Last time I passed round a pipeful we landed up with six people lying round a campfire tripping off their nuts. Hardly sociable. Some of the more traditional forms like old fashioned 'sticky' resin or just plain leaf lets you chill out and sit round talking shite all night rather than BANG! "Goodnight Vienna".

Because I don't smoke all that much, I definately notice you are 'slow' for a couple of days after partaking.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[HerbalDayZ]

headlamp Are you dutch ? from the smokes you used to have your a lucky man.

Tempall omg blows ya mind away red leb very soothing.I prefer a nice smash in the head so some white widdow super skunk or northen lights did the trick
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my sepllnig is bad i udnretsand taht so i aolpisge.
dys?lex?i?a (A learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words.dyslexia (impaired ability to learn to read)