WHAT ARE THEY?

Substances

Are non food, mood-altering substances that are not deemed medically necessary but that are used in an effort to escape from the problems of life, to get a dreamy feeling, or a sense of well-being or of elation.

Tobacco-An addictive substance containing toxic substances with eventual harmful effects when ingested into the body. Tobacco contains thirty different substances such as nicotine, arsenic, alcohol and ammonia. Nicotine is one of the oldest, the most widely used, and, in the same amounts, stronger and more addictive than cocaine. The euphoric effect of nicotine is the same as morphine and cocaine.

According to one researcher, “tobacco contains as nice a collection of poisons as you will find anywhere. The tobacco used in pipes and cigars contains more nicotine, more cancerous tars, and produces more dangerous carbon monoxide gas than that used in cigarettes.

Marijuana (Also known as pot, reefer, grass, ganja, or weed) has been the focus of much controversy among experts.

Marijuana is a drug prepared by drying the leaves, flowering tops, stems and seeds of the hemp plant known as Cannabis sativa. Hence, the name sometimes used for it- ‘Cannabis’ Its common name is “pot.” In India it is called bhang. Hashish is another form of cannabis, made from the resin of the plant and usually pressed into the form of blocks or chunks of varying potency. Hashish and an oil made from it are of greater strength than marijuana.

For one thing, marijuana is extremely complex; a marijuana cigarette contains over 400 chemical compounds in its smoke. It took doctors over 60 years to realize cigarette smoke causes cancer. It may likewise take decades before anyone knows for sure just what marijuana’s 400 compounds do to the human body.

Marijuana smoke, like the smoke from tobacco, consists of a number of toxic substances, such as tars which are only soluble in fat and stored in body tissues, including brain, for weeks and months, like DDT. The storage capacity of tissues for these substances is enormous-which explains their slow deleterious effects in habitual smokers.

WHY TAKE IT?

-Some take these substances to escape from their problems: Failure to develop the skills needed for coping with problems may eventually force an individual to smoking.

-To satisfy curiosity

-To ease depression or boredom

-Peer pressure

-For the pleasure of it-

-To be with the crowd-to feel, cool, grown-up, sophisticated.

-By smoking, teenagers feel independent, whereas they are capitulating to peer pressure.

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS

-The quality of family life or rather the lack of it may affect whether young people take it or not

-Family breakdown (divorce and separation); Eighty percent of drug addicts have serious family problems. They come from a very repressive or a very permissive family or from a home without a father.”

-Emotional conflicts: adolescence is an emotionally turbulent period; hence young ones take drugs to escape the turbulence

-Substance abusers are also being manipulated by the tobacco companies. The companies know that their future is with the youth. If youths can be made addicts in their teens, they will likely be good customers for life.

WHAT EFFECTS?

Vascular- Researcher have further linked smoking with the hardening and general deterioration of small arteries. The doctor concluded. Smoking damages these particular arteries and makes their walls stiff. So when a pulse of blood comes down, the vessel can’t expand (to ease its passage). That would happen in old age anyway, but it happens twice as fast in smokers.”

Blood – Cigarette smoking causes immediate and damaging changes in teenagers’ blood, the kind of changes that lead to early artery problems and heart disease.

Hearing – Smoking poses a “special risk of hearing loss” for “people who work or live in high-noise-level environments. Researchers found that the hearing of smokers who were exposed to loud noise for several minutes “took much longer to return to normal” than that of non smokers.

Skin – Smoker’s Face- Many doctors believe that smoking may make a person’s facial skin look older. The faces of smokers and non-smokers are not very different at age 30. But by 40 and 50 the differences are apparent.

Tooth and bone loss- Smoking is one of the biggest factors in teeth loss. Smokers suffers a greater incidence of tooth and bone loss. They also had a greater build-up of plaque and tartar, which collect on the teeth and contribute to gum disease and decay. Smoking causes constriction of the blood vessels in the gum tissue, thus reducing the circulation and speeding up the disease process.”

Heart- Cigarette smoking as the cause of a rare but lethal heart disease named cardio-myopathy. This disease weakens the whole heart muscle, thereby inhibiting proper blood circulation. The result is eventually heart failure.

Respiratory- Smokers have a much higher risk of pulmonary complications from surgery than do non-smokers. These include lung collapse and infections leading to such diseases as pneumonia. Some suffer sore throats from smoking cannabis while others suffer from bronchitis. Marijuana users were also found to have bronchial lesions characteristic of the early stages of cancer.

Nervous- Marijuana is damaging to the brain, impairing mental functions, even when a person is not under its immediate influence.

It can be said with confidence that marijuana produces acute effects on the brain, including chemical and electrophysiological changes.” Although at present, there is no conclusive proof that marijuana permanently damages the brain. Nevertheless, the possibility that marijuana might in any way do harm to “the golden bowl” should not be dismissed lightly.

Marijuana is known “to cause birth defects when administered in large doses to experimental animals.” Whether it has the same effects on humans is thus far unproved. It should be remembered, though, that birth defects (such as the one caused by the hormone DES) often take years to manifest themselves. So, what the future holds for the children-and grandchildren-of marijuana smokers remains to be seen.

Cancer- Tobacco causes cancer in the cheeks, gums, and throat. These findings do not surprise experts. One study notes: “Snuff has the highest level of cancer-causing agents of any product taken into the body.” No wonder that “long-term snuff users have a 50% greater risk of developing oral cancer than nonusers.

For example, those who regularly chew or dip can get cracked lips, stained teeth, bad breath, and sore gums-nothing to smile about. In addition, their ability to taste and smell decreases while their heartbeat and blood pressure increase.

Whether one chew or suck on moist snuff held between cheek and gum (called dipping), oral cancer, gum disease, and nicotine addiction are inevitable consequences. Cancer develops where the tobacco touches cheek and gum, and the malignancy often spreads to other parts of the body. Smokeless tobacco contains 20 or more cancer-causing nitrosamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Nutritional- Smoking destroys the vitamin C that a person takes in from food and drink. Nicotine decreased the ascorbic acid (vitamin C) content of the blood by 24 to 31 percent. Thus smokers are in much greater need of this essential vitamin. This explains why those who smoke generally are more prone to infections than those who do not. For example, smokers are more likely to catch the flu during an epidemic and they usually have it worse than non-smokers. Marijuana produces lower resistance to disease, as well as damage to chromosomes and genes.

Reproductive- Marijuana use has resulted in lower levels of male sex hormones, which has produced problems related to the male reproductive system

Fetal damage- Smoking during pregnancy damages fetal arteries. This damage is evident with the high incidence of congenital malformations, low birth weights and premature separations among babies of women who smoke.

Even father’s smoking may harm fetus. Studies show that when a non-smoking pregnant woman is exposed to the cigarette smoke of other people [such as the father], the fetal blood contains significant amounts of tobacco smoke by-products.

Infants- Because the brain’s barrier to drugs and the liver, which detoxifies nicotine, are less well developed in infants than in adults, passive smoking is particularly harmful to them. Damages could range from aversion to certain foods, due to nausea caused by tobacco smoke, to sudden infant death syndrome.

Tobacco Hinders Sleep and Memory- Smokers generally find it harder to sleep than non-smokers do, and sleep habits of smokers who suddenly quit improve dramatically according to researchers.

Life expectancy- Smoking-related diseases are important causes of disability and premature deaths.

And as regards cigarette-related fires, not a few of the deaths and injuries in residential fires is started by smoldering cigarettes.

Social effects

Accidents- Driving a car under the influence of marijuana can be every bit as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. Not surprisingly, drug users are also three or four times more likely to be involved in accidents at work.

Home- Parents who are distracted by their craving for drugs rarely provide their children with a stable home life. Infant-parent bonding-so vital during the first weeks of a child’s life-can even be inhibited. Many children who grow up in this environment take to the streets or even get involved in drugs themselves.

Employment- Addicted individuals frequently get into debt or may end up losing their jobs either due to absenteeism, truancy or negligence.

Physical Abuse- Drug abuse can also lead to physical abuse-of the spouse or of the children. Cannabis especially when combined with alcohol can provoke violent behavior in a person who may otherwise be quite gentle.

Effect on Others – More than ten studies last year showed that passive smoking-inhaling the smoke from the cigarettes of others-caused lung cancer in the non-smoking spouses of smokers. Research indicates that “spouses of smokers are two or three times more likely to get lung cancer than those of non-smokers.” One study “estimated that passive smoking in the United States causes more cancer deaths than all regulated industrial air pollutants combined. The more smokers one has lived with, the higher the risk”.

Children with parents who smoke have more colds, influenza, bronchitis, asthma, and pneumonia. Learning ability is damaged in children of mothers who smoke. In India, 39 percent of the women chew tobacco. Underweight babies are the result.

Society- A far greater cost, however, is the social damage drugs do to the community. No price could be put on the disintegration of so many families, the abuse of so many children, the corruption of so many officials, and the premature death of so many people.

Quitting marijuana is an important decision to make. If you are addicted to marijuana, you have to understand that smoking marijuana will bring you a lot of problems. If you want to quit pot once and for all, you must first educate yourself on the negative effects of quitting marijuana. Smoking marijuana will cause you to experience psychological and physical effects. Some of the psychological effects of smoking marijuana include anxiety, visual hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, temporary memory loss, paranoia, and depression The physical effects of marijuana include jittery, mouth cancer, low sperm production, late ovulation, respiratory problems, lung cancer, emphysema, and etc. Marijuana smoking will destroy your marriage and ruin your finance. It takes away your ability to perform the task efficiently while you are at work. Consequently, you will get fired from your workplace.

First of all, you have to set an actual date to stop marijuana smoking. The quit date should not be a date when your marijuana supplies finishes. It is best that you quit smoking marijuana immediately so that you do not have excuses. If you keep convincing yourself that it is the last bag, you will never be able to quit smoking marijuana completely. Marijuana addition is a mental addiction rather than physical addiction. People who have smoked weed for a long time will get used to it. They will have a high mental need to smoke marijuana. You have to battle with your metal craving in order to stop the addiction once and for all.

After you have made your decision to quit smoking, you have to throw away all your supplies and gears. You should not leave a single trace of marijuana in your home. You can throw your marijuana supplies, gear, and other things that are related to marijuana in the dustbin. You must also move away from those that influence you to smoke marijuana.

If you are facing problem in overcoming your craving, you can do something that distracts away your attention. For example, you can perform a sport that you enjoy such as cycling, swimming, jogging, and etc. You can also attend a rehab program to detox your body. When you smoke marijuana, the THC chemical substances will accumulate in your flesh. When there are too much of THC chemical, your body will suffer from disease. Attending a rehab program that last for 1 month will help you to cure your marijuana addiction problem effectively

Medical marijuana cards are rapidly becoming legal in several states. Clinics and treatment in Denver offers incredible treatment in various diseases for instance agitation of Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic agile sclerosis, cancer, Cohn’s disease, glaucoma, hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, nail patella, cache or wasting disease, harsh vomiting, severe & chronic pain, seizures, and severe/persistent muscle spasms.

According the federal government therapeutic is still illegal. The health professionals are very clever. They help patients to get the state registered identification cards to present to police if it is necessary. The state government strengthens patients to cultivate their Medical Marijuana Cards from a state-licensed Clinics and Treatment in Denver for instance Therapeutics located in Denver, or designate a caregiver to do so. Cannabis Medical, the therapeutic Center, and the kind rooms are a few marijuana clinics located in Denver.

There is no doubt; Medical Marijuana industry has grown incredibly. There are more than two dozen Clinics have helped more than thousands patients. The Denver West Word News has revealed and has become buzz in international media. Now Medical marijuana is legal experienced and has become new pitch foe business applications for the opening the clinic. Medical Marijuana Cards provides for the safe access and sale of it to patients who have received a written recommendation for its use by an accredited physician.

There are many medical marijuana dispensaries in your area. They offer a large variety of top grade organic cannabis, hashish, nutrition and THC removes. Most of these Clinics and Treatment in Denver are in full achievement with local and state authority regulations.

If you are applying to a medical marijuana card for you and your loved one, then you must know about medicinal marijuana. You should get some more information and certain issues.The Card is ready to entertain all types of services and facilities for you. This article also offers you sufficient information about card. The Card caters only in three states California, Colorado, and Michigan. If you are citizen of these states, it is good for you. You need to check in with your state laws in order in the case of no residents of these states.

You should also collect more information about marijuana doctor of medicine and acquiring card requirement. You are given advice read carefully all information with special attention to avoid any confusion. The exclusive objective of the clinic is to properly evaluate patients for medical marijuana cards. In general, the clinic is to provide the improvement of therapeutic services through the sphere of medication and card registration. Marijuana patients should be treated by compassionate, experienced, and skilled marijuana health professionals, who would in detail examine the features of the patient’s medical condition.

Marijuana License carries out patients evolution, support for all the patients and inclusive Clinics and Marijuana Treatment in Denver. It supplies emergency hot help line 24/7 for the patient’s assistance. The health professionals are properly caring, kind, educated, qualified and thoughtful specialists. Each Medical Marijuana License’s patient will be offered with the top therapeutic marijuana treatment plan. This is always looking to help people in their debilitating medical conditions and diseases.

You want to open a business and you live in a state where medical marijuana is used legally but don’t know where to start? There’s actually nothing much to worry about.

Medical marijuana Denver Colorado has been lawful since the year 2000 and just last year 2010, two new laws regarding the use of medicinal marijuana was passed. Because of that consultation, clinics and dispensaries are now increasing in a logarithmic manner. Indeed opening a medical marijuana dispensary is a good opportunity for business with more and more people becoming eligible for marijuana treatment.

The use of medicinal marijuana is proven beneficial from studies in the treatment of several chronic and debilitating diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, HIV/AIDS, glaucoma, and gastrointestinal disease. Research evidences also support the analgesic effects of marijuana in agonizing types of pain such as neurogenic and spastic pains. Marijuana however is mainly used as a psychoactive drug with effects of depression, hallucinogenic, and as a stimulant in the body. The drug was even used as a truth serum in the World War II.

Before you can open a medical marijuana Denver Colorado dispensary, several processes and licensing procedures have to be undertaken. In California, a marijuana dispensary must be registered as non-profit but in Colorado you may or may not do so. Since you are planning to open a dispensary, you may also want to consider a consultation clinic since they always come together. Patients cannot acquire medical marijuana without the written recommendation and documentation from a licensed medical doctor. Lastly, patients have to apply for a medical marijuana identification card. The most important thing that you should have in mind is a full knowledge about the federal and state laws so as to prevent legal liabilities.

A good dispensary is on that has integrity and is law-abiding. Moreover, patients nowadays are well-informed about their condition and to where they want to receive treatment. Be sure to make a good impression as they can give you a good feedback in return.

Smoking marijuana heavily has significant long-term negative effects the body. Most of these negative physical effects are caused from inhalation of marijuana smoke. The inhaled marijuana smoke can stain your hands, stain your teeth, and cause problems with your gums. The lungs and respiratory system suffer the most from frequent marijuana abuse. The good news is that you body begins to repair itself as soon as you stop smoking pot.

Smoking Marijuana is very hard on the respiratory system. People who smoke marijuana frequently get sick more frequently than non smokers. They also miss more days of work due to being sick. It also takes longer to recover from colds if you are a daily smoker. The weed smoker cough can be pretty embarrassing. Imagine what your lungs look like after smoking several times per day. The great news is that once you stop smoking, the lungs immediately go to work to start repair themselves. Long-term smokers, notice an improvement within weeks of quitting. Personally, my respiratory system has improved greatly since quitting marijuana. I used to wake up in the morning with a cold or a stuffed nose every single day. The mucus from my nostrils, used to be a dark color, and was much thicker than now. The effects on the respiratory system alone are reason enough to stop smoking pot.

Heavy marijuana use affects the skin. You have seen the skin of longtime cigarette smokers. It looks like leather. The skin of long-term marijuana smokers isn’t much different. Many people lose the bags under their eyes, and have a healthier skin tone after quitting.

Marijuana abuse can change the hormonal balance in the body. Numerous studies have shown that smoking marijuana regularly can lead to a decrease in the production of sperm as well as lazy sperm that are less likely to fertilize an egg. Sperm and heavy marijuana users is also more frequently deformed than non-users. There is also a link between heavy marijuana use and gynecomastia or man boobs.

We don’t know how bad the it is! Many of the tests performed to determine the toxicity of marijuana were performed years ago and were politically motivated to prove pot was harmful. There is not much literature regarding long term chronic marijuana use and its effects on the body. As marijuana becomes a more commercialized crop, we are more likely to inhale chemicals, plant hormones, or other toxic substances used to help marijuana grow. I don’t feel like smoking fertilizer, do you?

No one in Dallas expected two graduating seniors to be arrested for serving marijuana laced brownies to the Lake Highlands High School teacher staff. So it comes as quite a shock to report that one of the teachers poisoned by the THC containing brownies, has recently been arrested for possession of cannabis.

Seymour Smith, a Physical Education teacher at Lake Highlands High School was arrested Wednesday in the High School’s parking lot while eating what local Police described as marijuana tainted meatloaf. An attorney for Mr. Smith read a statement he had prepared while waiting in jail.

The statement read in part:

“Since that day I was introduced to marijuana by those two punks from that Catholic High School, I have been unable to control my appetite for comfort foods baked with marijuana. These foods–in addition to marijuana meatloaf–include Mary Jane macaroni and cheese, hydroponic potato pancakes, and tuna casserole with weed. As a consequence of the aforementioned dastardly prank, I can no longer eat regular food unless it is baked with cannabis. Unless I am cured, I fear that my addiction will worsen and that I will experiment with more recipes–such as pot pot-pies and baked baked Alaskans, and of course hashish hash browns.”

Mr. Smith’s Attorney confirmed that a lawsuit against the teens is pending. The attorney also added that Mr. Smith may consider dropping charges providing the teens give him, “the recipe for those delicious marijuana bran-muffins.”

As more and more states legalize marijuana for medicinal use to qualified patients, one of the questions asked “Is medical marijuana addictive?” With opiate medications being highly addictive if abused with significant risks of overdose and withdrawal, it is important to either confirm marijuana having addictive qualities or to refute the notion. The answer is that medical marijuana may have a psychological dependence but it does not produce a physiologic dependence so therefore not a true addiction.

Studies of marijuana users overall show that a large majority do not become long term users. In the 1990’s, studies showed that although 31% of Americans 12 years and older had tried marijuana at some point, only 0.8 percent of Americans smoked marijuana on a daily or near daily basis.

It is not unheard of for heavy chronic marijuana users to enroll in a drug treatment program for marijuana dependence. There is a significant difference, however, between a dependence on marijuana and a true addiction. Are there any symptoms of withdrawal when a heavy or frequent user stops smoking? The answer is – possibly. Some individuals report nervousness and some sleep disturbance – about 15% of the time. But you do not see the sweating, hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, etc that is commonly seen from narcotic withdrawal.

In animal studies looking at high dose marijuana administration, no matter how much of the drug is given, animals do not self administer the drug after cessation. Narcotics are a different story.

In 1991, a congressional report from the US Dept of Health and Human Services stated: “Given the large population of marijuana users and the infrequent reports of medical problems from stopping use, tolerance and dependence are not major issues at present.”

The main point here is that marijuana may cause psychological dependence, but not physical and physiologic dependence. Narcotics cause both and even if a patient is able to overcome the psychological attachment to the drug, the simple fact that the side effects are harsh may prevent going “cold turkey” or being able to stop at all.

Thankfully marijuana does not act in that fashion. Even after long term heavy use, there is minimal if any physiologic reaction upon cessation. Marijuana acts on the brain in a different pathway than opiate medications. This may allow medicinal marijuana being utilized to effectively decrease the amount of opiates patients need for pain control, and in some cases entirely replace them.

Also, medical marijuana has a psychoactive effect of decreasing anxiety and improving mood. This is different than opiates, where patients may see a decrease in pain but also may see a depressive effect. This helps explain why so many chronic pain patients need to take anti-depressant medication along with the narcotics.

Does Marijuana Lead to Harder Drugs?

This is a loaded question. (No pun) The way this one is always phrased makes marijuana out to be a “soft drug”. All drugs have their own problematic side effects and marijuana is no exception. But of the many thousands of drugs out there, smoked marijuana is far above even the half-way mark for being dangerous. It IS a harder drug.

That being said, does marijuana lead someone to use other drugs considered more harmful or more addicting? I don’t think anyone can prove that smoking marijuana actually causes someone to move on to drugs like heroin or cocaine. However…

It is easy to show that most users of cocaine, heroin and ecstasy used marijuana first. The most likely explanation for this being that when the buzz from the weed became less exciting, the other drugs became more attractive. It is also true that being around a lot of pot smokers and dealers will expose someone to other substances they might never have had an opportunity to use otherwise.

Does Smoking Marijuana Cause Cancer?

No one knows for sure what causes cancer to develop. We do know what increases the chances of getting it, though. Chemicals called carcinogens. These irritating substances, when present in a person’s environment or ingested by smoking or eating, greatly increase the likelihood of malignancies forming in the body.

There are significantly more of these carcinogens in marijuana smoke than in cigarette smoke.

Do Doctors Prescribe Marijuana in Some States?

In about 13 states, doctors can legally recommend marijuana for a few certain illnesses. Very few doctors actually do this, and when they do, they do not prescribe it. They don’t write out a prescription that says “CUSH” that you take to the local drugs store for a bag of weed. All they do is sign a card that basically says, “This person is sick.” And then the “patient” is allowed to possess a small amount of marijuana for his or her own personal use only.

Commonly called, “Medical Marijuana”, there is not actually any difference between the marijuana they use medically and that sold illegally in the alley. In the medical marijuana states, if someone is caught by police with a medical marijuana card and a small amount of pot, the cops will probably not say anything. But if he has one of those cards and ten pounds of weed? Forget it, he’s going to jail!

The state of Texas has specific marijuana laws that help to stop the drug abuse that seems to be ongoing in the US. Most of the punishments for possession or selling marijuana depends on the amount of the drug that is being held or sold.

If you are caught in possession of 2 ounces or less of marijuana, it is considered a Class B Misdemeanor which is up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine. Between 2 ounces and 4 ounces it then becomes a Class A Misdemeanor which is up to 1 year in jail. The person will also be required to pay up to $4,000 fine depending on what the judge decides. From 4 ounces up to 1 pound and from 1 pound up to 5 pounds of marijuana is what is called a state jail felony. This requires between 180 days and 2 years in a state facility with up to $10,000 fine issued by the judge.

If the person is caught with between 5 and 50 pounds then it is considered a third degree felony. This is punishable with 2 to 10 years in jail with up to a $10,000 fine which is also issued by the presiding judge. From 50 to 2,000 pounds is considered a second degree felony which is punishable between 2 to 20 years with up to $10,000 fine. Anything over 2,000 pounds is a full felony punishable between 5 to 99 years in jail with up to $50,000 fine decided upon by the judge.

The sale of marijuana works a bit differently. Any sale to a minor is an automatic felony up to 20 years of incarceration and up to a$10,000 fine decided on by a judge. Any gift of ¼ of an ounce or less is a Class B Misdemeanor with is punishable with up to 180 days in jail with up to $2,000 fine. Any sale of ¼ of an ounce or less becomes a Class A Misdemeanor which is can be punishable with up to 1 year in jail with an increased fine of $4,000. Up to 5 pounds of marijuana becomes a state jail felony. This is punishable with between 180 days and 2 years in jail and an increased fine of $10,000 fine.

Between 5 and 50 pounds becomes classified as a third degree felony with between 2 and 10 years of incarceration and the same amount of a fine. Anywhere between 50 and 2,000 pounds is classified as a second degree felony. The penalty will be anywhere from 2 to 20 years in jail with the same $10,000 fine. Any sale of 2,000 pounds or more is a felony with a minimum of 10 years and up to 99 years in jail. The fine then is raised to a maximum of $100,000.

If any of the above events happen within 1,000 feet from a school, all of the penalties will be increased drastically because of the proximity to children.

Many regular and heavy pot smokers go through withdrawal when they first quit weed. The detox period tends to last between 10 days to a month, and is worst in the beginning. Quitting marijuana can produce both physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms.  The most common symptoms are discussed in detail below.

Anxiety and Restlessness – All dressed up and nowhere to smoke!

Anxiety is one of the biggest hurdles in the first couple weeks of quitting. The anxiety that is felt during quitting is usually minor relative to a full blown panic attack – but it is constant! You need to be prepared to deal with emotional and mental state you will be in for the first couple of weeks when you quit smoking. Some of you will know what I am talking about. I have searched through couch cushions, the garbage, and all of the other places just to find a roach or a little nugget to feel at peace. I describe it as missing something, and needing to get back to a stoned state so that you can relax again. You may notice you are holding a lot of tension and not breathing well in the first week. Keeping yourself busy will help some, but it won’t make this feeling go away.

Insomnia and Racing Thoughts

Insomnia is a big deal in the first couple days of not smoking cannabis. There have been times where I have not slept for a couple of days. This always passes. If smoking weed makes you relaxed and tired, not smoking can make you stress out and your mind race.  It can take a while for your sleeping patterns to get back to normal. Usually within a month you will have more regular sleep patterns and get a full nights sleep. It is important to keep a regular sleep / wake schedule when going through marijuana withdrawal.

Vivid Dreams and Nightmares

As any pothead knows, marijuana seems to interfere with the dreaming mechanism of consciousness and either keeps you from dreaming, or keeps you from remembering them. When you give your body a break from marijuana, the dreams come back – and sometimes with a vengeance. If you haven’t dreamed in a weeks, months, or maybe even years, this aspect of marijuana withdrawal is very strange. Memories from years ago may resurface in dream form. I remember having a dream of classmates from high school that I hadn’t seen in over 10 years!

Nightmares are common when you go through marijuana withdrawal. These can be incredibly vivid and involve people and places you know. I have had several dreams where I thought the world was about to end and I have woken up in a sweat before.

Some people dream about marijuana, and some smoke marijuana in their dreams. This is completely normal and part of the detox process.

Loss of Appetite

One of the most common symptoms of marijuana withdrawal is a lack of appetite. This usually lasts for 3 to 4 days after the last time you smoke. You can almost think of it as the opposite of the munchies. Fast food doesn’t taste the same with Mary Jane!

Don’t be surprised if your appetite shrinks, or that you aren’t interested in food for a couple days. You may even lose some weight when you go through cannabis withdrawal. The lack of appetite can be a part of a more general feeling of sickness that has been described as low-level flu like symptoms. Very few people report diarrhea or nausea, but it does exist for some of us.

When I quit smoking weed, my diet improved. I have experienced the loss of appetite, and even the runs during the first week of quitting.

The Sweats – Did someone turn up the heat?

This is one that I have experience only a couple of times after not having weed for few days. I think it caused from the stress, tension and anxiety of not smoking weed. I do know that after smoking (succumbing to temptation) the sweats disappear immediately. One trick when dealing with this, is to think of it as cleansing and that your body is cooking out the THC and your are speeding up your recovery. If you are going to get hot, might as well enjoy it!