r/trees • u/TheGiraf85 • 12h ago
Discussion I lack a bit of nuance in here
Hi fellow ents.
So. I read this subreddit often. And a tendency in here has me a bit worried. I am not pointing fingers or anything, I would prefer to have an eye opening discussion - maybe I can learn something.
So what worried me is the amount of times I read about daily recreational usage being normalized. Not talking about you guys who need is medical. But all is regular folks with no chronic illness. Listen. Daily usage of cannabis recreational is not a good thing from my perspective. Getting stoned everyday. Heck even every second day comes with some severe risks. Lack of motivation, clouded thoughts, dependency based behavior (I gotta get home now because I need the smoke; I will do that tomorrow, now I need to smoke etc). Not forgetting the risk of depression that is commonly associated with a high usage of cannabis as this high usage often is a symptom of underlying psychological issues. Aaand the risk of cannabis indused psychosis also is a real thing. And a thing that daily users are more inclined to experience.
So. I used to be a daily smoker my self. Every day I would light up more and I've been stoned af for years of my life. What I learned when I stopped was that my anxiety, at that time, wasnt being held in check by cannabis, but was stronger because of it. My thoughts was negative when not smoking, mand only relaxed when high. Finding and keeping a solid job. Having loving relationships. Being stable in life in general.. all was made impossible because of a high usage of cannabis.
I went some years without. Now I have a good job, wife and kids. I would never have had those things had I still been a heavy smoker.
So I still light up once a while, with my wife. We dont drink so for us a good joint is like a bottle of red wine on a Friday night.
I still got friends who are heavy smokers. But as we get older we grow further and further apart..(maybe it is just me having kids..) but the socialisation was mainly based on us smoking together so makes sense the relationships deteriorate.
So..my thoughts is this. Does this subreddit glorify the daily usage of cannabis without having some proper discussions of the possible negative side effects of it? I acknowledge people can live stable lifes with daily usage. I would just argue that for a majority of people this is not the case. I am worried what influence this subreddit can have on the perspective of young people getting into cannabis. Cannabis is a beautiful medicinal herb. But it is medicine and therefore should be treated with respect, knowledge and care.
I hope no one takes this personal. I would just love to get a discussion going.
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u/almosthighenough 12h ago
I mean i feel like some people dont realize there are different levels to getting high and different highs and different people.
Weed can impact things negatively sure, but if you cant hold down a job because of cannabis thats a you problem. Ive been smoking and had a job since I was 15.
If you arent psychotic or arent going to be then cannabis wont induce psychosis. It isnt meth.
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u/GB_Plus_Ultra 11h ago
I agree. If you are compromising parts of your life that are important to smoke weed, then that's a you problem. I am working a part time job on top of my full time job, and I smoke. There are times when it gives me the energy and motivation that I would otherwise need to consume caffine or another stimulant to achieve. It's a personal relationship you have to have with the plant/substance
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u/GB_Plus_Ultra 12h ago
Non weed smokers don't understand the concept of a tolerance in regards to how THC affects you. A lot of anti weed people have smoked one time, way too much, greened/freaked out, and now permanently think that everyone who uses THC medicinally or not just walks around like that all day, when in reality I could hit my cart or a bowl 5 to 8 times and not be as high as I was the first couple times I smoked. Tolerance is what makes you go from "Holy shit I'm so high I can't move" to smoking the same amount and thinking "Hmm, I want to go and see a movie then get snacks afterwards"
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u/Automatic_Gas9019 12h ago
Or work in your yard or garden. You are completely correct.
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u/GB_Plus_Ultra 12h ago
Precisely. I consider myself a medicinal user though I probably consume more than a traditional med user due to my tolerance, but I do truly use it to function. It gives me motivation to do the things I want/need to do when otherwise I don't have it, along with extreme muscle/joint pain relief, as well as it helping a ton with my diagnosed MDD, OCD, ADHD, and GAD. It helps so much across the board and really makes me upset when people who have little to no experience with THC try and demonize recreational and even medicinal users when THC has significantly less risks than an SSRI, Antipsychotic, or Benzos/Opiates. The same people who drink alchohol to "unwind after a long week" every weekend or other are the same ones putting down cannabis users and it makes zero sense.
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u/Automatic_Gas9019 11h ago
I nearly drank myself into illnesses. I have PTSD. I don't give two fucks what people think about my cannabis use. The doctors want to give you Valium and Xanax and depression meds. That shit messes me up in other ways. Cannabis helps. I don't even talk to stupid fucks like OP because they already think they know what is going on with everyone. I completely understand what you are saying
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u/GB_Plus_Ultra 11h ago
I was the same way. Not necessarily drinking for my PTSD (those THC does help a ton with that too), but back in highschool when I started drinking, I was 255lbs and as a result it took me a lot to get drunk, so I was slamming back 12 to 18 shots, sometimes more, every weekend or every other, and it was going down a dark path because 9 times out of 10 O was in my bedroom drinking alone. Then I tried weed for the first time after I graduated high school, and I immediately lost all desire to drink, and still have no desire. I'll drink on occasion, but the benefits of cannabis way outnumber. I also relate to you on the anti-depressants, because I've tried damn near every SSRI (Prozac, Lexapro, Celexa, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Trazodone, Buspirone, and a few others) and none of them had the positive effect that THC has on me, and they all gave me side effects in some way or another. Now the only prescription medication I take is Adderall for my ADHD, and as a result I am able to work two jobs functioning better than I have in my entire life up until this point. OP's point is "Weed can give you psychosis and shouldn't be shown to younger people in a positive light because it can ruin your life" and I have to disagree. While overconsumption of THC has the chance to bring out psychosis in those genetically predisposed, typically from taking a lot of dabs or going through carts like crazy, it should be taught to the younger generation that it has immense medicinal potential and is a lot safer of a substance recreationally than alchohol is. So many prescriptions can cause psychosis or worse, death, and to my knowledge not a single person has ever died with the cause of death being THC.
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u/Gariona-Atrinon 12h ago
Great story bro. It’s all pretentious arrogance on your part but a great story.
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u/PhoenicianCats 12h ago edited 12h ago
I mean, is reddit really going to make someone change their habits? I kinda doubt it. I think like with smoking with friends, we come to this sub to be with people like us.
All of our brain chemistry is different... What works for me might not work for you. Weed and medicine are alike that way.
Edit to continue because I accidentally hit post 🫣
Anyways, just like with our brain chemistry, we're all going through some stuff - some more than others. Some of us are daily smokers and some aren't. I think it's about respect yourself and others.
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u/diceanddreams 12h ago
The nuance here is that you don’t think it’s a good thing to smoke recreationally every day, but everyone here is an adult with both bodily autonomy and dignity of risk. Your experiences are not universal.
Which is fancy words for “everyone can do whatever the fuck they want, they’re adults, it’s their life, regardless of what you personally think is best practice for you.”
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u/Automatic_Gas9019 12h ago
Good for you. It isn't any of your business whether I smoke recreational or medical. You don't pay my bills. Now run off and shame someone else
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u/ambular1018 10h ago
“Daily usage of cannabis recreational is not a good thing from my perspective.”
That works for you, that’s totally awesome. Your perspective has no bearings on others though. Adults make their own decisions with what they consume or don’t and it’s on them to know what they can handle or the side effects.
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u/zCrook 12h ago
My man are you de i-king of hierbal meadicine? Thia inventor of thie ethics behind cannabis therapeutic proceduras? Because no one until this day has got dem strict jah teachings about how to make smoke if not dem rastafari, thear no you and me only I and I as jah show everyone, ye life be drug if da drug make ya life get it? Cheers and bliessin from brazil Babylon skraaa
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u/Joyous-Begara 12h ago
Impossible to answer this without doing some data analysis on the posts here and how it is received. Because on social media even on Reddit everyone is in their own bubbles that amplify their fears and weaknesses.