Legalise cannabis?

[egg_fried_rice]

Apologies if this is not the right thread for it, but has anyone on this forum been able to smoke cannabis on an occasional basis, akin to having a few beers or glasses of wines once or twice a week?

I used to smoke weed to varying degrees, and it ended up a daily occurrence. I'm not sure if I'd class it as an addiction, but it was at the very least habitual. I'd always get my work and household jobs done, and it would be my 'reward' at the end of the evening.

I quit cold turkey about a year ago.The reasons I stopped were mainly health, the fact I was allowing it to isolate me and restrict my personal development, and the possibility I was using it to avoid facing my anxieties, insecurities, and problems in life. Essentially, it made me lazy.

However, I did almost always enjoy it. It's fun getting high. What's not so fun is being in a place in life you're not so happy with and doing nothing about it. I did the bare minimum, and that was that. For that reason, I had to kick it.

Recently, I've been craving a spliff. Thinking about it every day. As I said, it's been more or less a year since I last smoked and, the first week or two aside, the cravings have really not been there at all. Firstly, I wondered if anyone else had experienced something similar, and secondly, are any of you occasional smokers?

I'd like to be able to enjoy a spliff from time to time, maybe once a fortnight or so, when I can make an active and conscious decision that is what I would like to spend my time doing. But I've seen in the past how easily that can slip into an every day occurrence. I feel in a better place in life that I was when smoking daily. I've more discipline and am happier in asking more of myself on a daily basis, so do feel better equipped to moderate. I wonder if any of you find moderation possible?

 

[ozleicester]

11 minutes ago, egg_fried_rice said:

Apologies if this is not the right thread for it, but has anyone on this forum been able to smoke cannabis on an occasional basis, akin to having a few beers or glasses of wines once or twice a week?

I used to smoke weed to varying degrees, and it ended up a daily occurrence. I'm not sure if I'd class it as an addiction, but it was at the very least habitual. I'd always get my work and household jobs done, and it would be my 'reward' at the end of the evening.

I quit cold turkey about a year ago.The reasons I stopped were mainly health, the fact I was allowing it to isolate me and restrict my personal development, and the possibility I was using it to avoid facing my anxieties, insecurities, and problems in life. Essentially, it made me lazy.

However, I did almost always enjoy it. It's fun getting high. What's not so fun is being in a place in life you're not so happy with and doing nothing about it. I did the bare minimum, and that was that. For that reason, I had to kick it.

Recently, I've been craving a spliff. Thinking about it every day. As I said, it's been more or less a year since I last smoked and, the first week or two aside, the cravings have really not been there at all. Firstly, I wondered if anyone else had experienced something similar, and secondly, are any of you occasional smokers?

I'd like to be able to enjoy a spliff from time to time, maybe once a fortnight or so, when I can make an active and conscious decision that is what I would like to spend my time doing. But I've seen in the past how easily that can slip into an every day occurrence. I feel in a better place in life that I was when smoking daily. I've more discipline and am happier in asking more of myself on a daily basis, so do feel better equipped to moderate. I wonder if any of you find moderation possible?

 

Had my first smoke as a teenager about 40 years ago. 

Smoked occasionally up to my 20s, family and life stopped me for probably ten years...

in my thirties smoked once or twice a year when kids and life didnt get in the way. 

Forties, started smoking a little more probably once a month, late forties moved and didnt have acces, so stopped for 2-3 years.

Fifties, grew my own, have a couple of cones once or twice a month.

I was "addicted" to cigarettes from my teens through to my forties,

i dont think i have a particularly addictive personality, so im lucky there, any addiction is a dangerous thing... anything that rules your life and removes control should be treated very carefully

Edited 24 August 2018 by ozleicester

[lifted*fox]

get high most days - same as you mentioned; after work, chores and exercise are done, to relax.

can and do give it up easy whenever I feel like stopping - you just need to have the strength of mind to say 'that's it for now'.

have done it since 14 and now 33 and would never once say I've been 'addicted' - weed isn't a physically addictive drug. 

if you're happier without it and don't think you've got the mind-set to keep it to occasion then don't bother getting back into it, imo. 

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

31 minutes ago, egg_fried_rice said:

Apologies if this is not the right thread for it, but has anyone on this forum been able to smoke cannabis on an occasional basis, akin to having a few beers or glasses of wines once or twice a week?

I used to smoke weed to varying degrees, and it ended up a daily occurrence. I'm not sure if I'd class it as an addiction, but it was at the very least habitual. I'd always get my work and household jobs done, and it would be my 'reward' at the end of the evening.

I quit cold turkey about a year ago.The reasons I stopped were mainly health, the fact I was allowing it to isolate me and restrict my personal development, and the possibility I was using it to avoid facing my anxieties, insecurities, and problems in life. Essentially, it made me lazy.

However, I did almost always enjoy it. It's fun getting high. What's not so fun is being in a place in life you're not so happy with and doing nothing about it. I did the bare minimum, and that was that. For that reason, I had to kick it.

Recently, I've been craving a spliff. Thinking about it every day. As I said, it's been more or less a year since I last smoked and, the first week or two aside, the cravings have really not been there at all. Firstly, I wondered if anyone else had experienced something similar, and secondly, are any of you occasional smokers?

I'd like to be able to enjoy a spliff from time to time, maybe once a fortnight or so, when I can make an active and conscious decision that is what I would like to spend my time doing. But I've seen in the past how easily that can slip into an every day occurrence. I feel in a better place in life that I was when smoking daily. I've more discipline and am happier in asking more of myself on a daily basis, so do feel better equipped to moderate. I wonder if any of you find moderation possible?

 

If i've got it in the house I will smoke it every day

I need to run out to stop.  Manage to keep it casual by buying a gram or two at a time, getting through that in a week or so and then not smoking until I buy the next one.  Could be a week or 2, could be more.  Could even go on for months sometimes these days, which never used to happen

In a nutshell, not buying that next bag within a day or two after i've run out is how I manage to keep it occasional.  Once you've got over that day or two withdrawal (which is mostly the tobacco anyway, imo, non-smoker btw, though thats a tangent) and you dont pick up again its easy to stretch out that gap until you just fancy another smoke.

Try to have a one a day rule in the evening after i've done everything I want to do that requires concentration.  Bit more lax at weekends.

This works for me, but I think its different for everyone, everyone has different circumstances.

Quitting fags helped massively with the above

 

Keeping it relevant to the thread, in Prague you can just go and buy it quite casually in some bars of an evening.  This may just be me, but knowing I can just pop in somewhere for a drink and pick up a gram or two makes it more casual in nature and makes me more at ease with the whole thing.  Not messing around with dealers, which is a pain in the arse

I know I can go any evening and get it anytime i want without having to arrange a meet with some stranger who i may have to make a few annoying seconds of small talk with.  Somehow the ease of that makes me feel less hasty and I have a more take-it-or-leave-it attitude

I realise this last point is as vague as hay, maybe makes sense only to me

 

Edited 24 August 2018 by AlloverthefloorYesNdidi

[BenTheFox]

On 22/06/2018 at 16:49, lifted*fox said:

 

also grape fanta 

 

Sunny references on FT should be celebrated more than they are.

[Carl the Llama]

I'm like Alloverthefloor, quitting cold isn't a challenge but if I'm in stock it's a different story and I need some kind of social commitment to fulfil to keep my mind off that cheeky tempting baggy. So basically if I have any kind of personal work that needs doing I have to bin weed off entirely until it's taken care of.

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

2 hours ago, egg_fried_rice said:

Apologies if this is not the right thread for it, but has anyone on this forum been able to smoke cannabis on an occasional basis, akin to having a few beers or glasses of wines once or twice a week?

I used to smoke weed to varying degrees, and it ended up a daily occurrence. I'm not sure if I'd class it as an addiction, but it was at the very least habitual. I'd always get my work and household jobs done, and it would be my 'reward' at the end of the evening.

I quit cold turkey about a year ago.The reasons I stopped were mainly health, the fact I was allowing it to isolate me and restrict my personal development, and the possibility I was using it to avoid facing my anxieties, insecurities, and problems in life. Essentially, it made me lazy.

However, I did almost always enjoy it. It's fun getting high. What's not so fun is being in a place in life you're not so happy with and doing nothing about it. I did the bare minimum, and that was that. For that reason, I had to kick it.

Recently, I've been craving a spliff. Thinking about it every day. As I said, it's been more or less a year since I last smoked and, the first week or two aside, the cravings have really not been there at all. Firstly, I wondered if anyone else had experienced something similar, and secondly, are any of you occasional smokers?

I'd like to be able to enjoy a spliff from time to time, maybe once a fortnight or so, when I can make an active and conscious decision that is what I would like to spend my time doing. But I've seen in the past how easily that can slip into an every day occurrence. I feel in a better place in life that I was when smoking daily. I've more discipline and am happier in asking more of myself on a daily basis, so do feel better equipped to moderate. I wonder if any of you find moderation possible?

 

One more quick suggestion i forgot. Getting a vapourizer helped. Maybe its the not using tobacco. When i bought one of them i found i could stop whenever i wanted. Bit of an investment though

[egg_fried_rice]

Interesting to read all your thoughts. Seems to echo my experience, particularly the bits along the lines of 'if I've got it I'll smoke it'.

I completely agree about the availability aspect, and was discussing similar with a friend just the other day. If I could pop down the shops at any point and pick it up like a bottle of wine, I know moderation would be easier.

[egg_fried_rice]

1 minute ago, AlloverthefloorYesNdidi said:

One more quick suggestion i forgot. Getting a vapourizer helped. Maybe its the not using tobacco. When i bought one of them i found i could stop whenever i wanted. Bit of an investment though

I've got a flowermate, and whilst I know it's 'better' for me, I don't enjoy it as much as a big ol' bifta. Like you say, it's probably the tobacco, of which I'm not a regular smoker.

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

3 minutes ago, egg_fried_rice said:

I've got a flowermate, and whilst I know it's 'better' for me, I don't enjoy it as much as a big ol' bifta. Like you say, it's probably the tobacco, of which I'm not a regular smoker.

Full disclosure. Same mate, i rarely even use it because its just no bifta is it? 

Did open my eyes to the fact of the addictive side of a spliff being the baccy though

Edited 24 August 2018 by AlloverthefloorYesNdidi

[lifted*fox]

I switched to using vaporisers a few years ago and haven't burnt weed since. 

much nicer through the vape imo, tastier and cleaner high. 

[Izzy]

5 minutes ago, lifted*fox said:

I switched to using vaporisers a few years ago and haven't burnt weed since. 

much nicer through the vape imo, tastier and cleaner high. 

How exactly do you 'vape' cannabis/weed Daz?

I used to smoke weed years ago but stopped when we had kids. I also quit smoking fags about 5 years ago but vape like nobodies business. I don't want to smoke weed again as I don't want all the shit that's in tobacco.

Having also quit the booze, I like the idea of occasionally vaping to get high but wouldn't know how. I'm assuming you can't just order cannabis vape liquid on the internet like normal vape juice 

[egg_fried_rice]

22 minutes ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

How exactly do you 'vape' cannabis/weed Daz?

I used to smoke weed years ago but stopped when we had kids. I also quit smoking fags about 5 years ago but vape like nobodies business. I don't want to smoke weed again as I don't want all the shit that's in tobacco.

Having also quit the booze, I like the idea of occasionally vaping to get high but wouldn't know how. I'm assuming you can't just order cannabis vape liquid on the internet like normal vape juice 

You can if you go to the right sites 

But you're broadly correct in your assumption - you need a fit for purpose 'dry' vape. Essential you pack the finely ground herb into a little chamber, and empty it when you've finished. The vape itself works in much the same way as a normal vape.

[ajthefox]

I've been smoking regularly over the last year or so but usually maybe once a week. I'm wary of it becoming a too regular habit that effects my pocket and my health but more than that, I have to be in the right frame of mind for it so I don't smoke unless I really want to. 

[lifted*fox]

2 hours ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

How exactly do you 'vape' cannabis/weed Daz?

I used to smoke weed years ago but stopped when we had kids. I also quit smoking fags about 5 years ago but vape like nobodies business. I don't want to smoke weed again as I don't want all the shit that's in tobacco.

Having also quit the booze, I like the idea of occasionally vaping to get high but wouldn't know how. I'm assuming you can't just order cannabis vape liquid on the internet like normal vape juice 

 

hi mate

with vaporising weed you're generally vaporising dry herb - you can vape concentrates I think but I've never tried that. 

my go to vaporiser is the dynavap omnivap - you effectively take a bit of bud, grind it up and pop it in the chamber end of the device. you then use a little butane lighter to heat the chamber (I prefer non-electric / no battery vapes) and when it's ready the cap on the end makes a little pop noise. then you just inhale through the mouthpiece and you get a nice tasty cloud of vapour from the weed.

so, it doesn't combust - you're not smoking, you're inhaling the vapour that has been created by the heating process.

it's very efficient and you don't get the head-rush effect from smoking it with tobacco - nice and relaxing. 

you can see how it works if you look it up on youtube. 

[Izzy]

1 hour ago, egg_fried_rice said:

You can if you go to the right sites 

But you're broadly correct in your assumption - you need a fit for purpose 'dry' vape. Essential you pack the finely ground herb into a little chamber, and empty it when you've finished. The vape itself works in much the same way as a normal vape.

 

14 minutes ago, lifted*fox said:

 

hi mate

with vaporising weed you're generally vaporising dry herb - you can vape concentrates I think but I've never tried that. 

my go to vaporiser is the dynavap omnivap - you effectively take a bit of bud, grind it up and pop it in the chamber end of the device. you then use a little butane lighter to heat the chamber (I prefer non-electric / no battery vapes) and when it's ready the cap on the end makes a little pop noise. then you just inhale through the mouthpiece and you get a nice tasty cloud of vapour from the weed.

so, it doesn't combust - you're not smoking, you're inhaling the vapour that has been created by the heating process.

it's very efficient and you don't get the head-rush effect from smoking it with tobacco - nice and relaxing. 

you can see how it works if you look it up on youtube. 

Excellent, thanks chaps!

Very interesting. I always assumed you vaped some sort of juice/liquid like a normal e-cig rather than the dry herb as you've explained.

Guess I just need to find a dealer now 

[lifted*fox]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/18/britain-war-on-drugs-canada-cannabis

 

 

HOW THE **** ARE WE STILL SO FAR BEHIND?

 

[Guest MattP]

Whatever side you are on Canada is going to be a huge example in this debate. 

 

Will be very interesting see to what occurs from the legalisation in terms of tax revenue, health and the impact on society.

[lifted*fox]

1 hour ago, MattP said:

Whatever side you are on Canada is going to be a huge example in this debate. 

 

Will be very interesting see to what occurs from the legalisation in terms of tax revenue, health and the impact on society.

 

Why not look to Colorado or any of the other states who've legalised already? There's plenty of proof out there to show positive effects on tax, health, education and crime.

[Wymsey]

The 'Dispatches' programme on Channel 4 on Monday (20:00) will go through this debate.

[Raj]

I've never smoked in my life but have started taking CBD oil to aid a few issues. Good stuff if you get the right stuff!!!

[Guest MattP]

20 hours ago, lifted*fox said:

Why not look to Colorado or any of the other states who've legalised already? There's plenty of proof out there to show positive effects on tax, health, education and crime.

Because Colorado isn't in any way a representation of a country or a large populace. Canada should be as it's closer to us in terms of people, health and effect. 

[lifted*fox]

Wat 

 

I think a state of 5.5 million people is a big enough sample over 5 years tbh. There is plenty of statistics regarding crime, finance and health already. 

 

Disregard that based on sample size and you might as disregard every single poll you've ever posted. 

 

But of course, hold out for Canada failing I guess as it's one final chance for you to be proven right about the evil weed, contrary to all the evidence that's coming out of legal states already.

[whoareyaaa]

27 minutes ago, MattP said:

Because Colorado isn't in any way a representation of a country or a large populace. Canada should be as it's closer to us in terms of people, health and effect. 

What about Holland? it doesn't seem to have impacted there society obviously its illegal over there to an extent but it hasn't effected the country or people, life goes on.

[lifted*fox]

Matt unfortunately had a friend who lost the plot a bit because of weed IIRC. I totally sympathise with that but I feel it has somewhat blinkered Matt into ignoring all of the facts available. 

 

As opposed to using the available evidence and building more balanced picture it would appear he is using the sample size of 1 to form his views of cannabis and wants a sample size of 36 million Canadians to prove otherwise. 

 

To put it into perspective Matt - 90% of the people who want to smoke weed in the UK do it already. Legalisation might mean the odd 'live by the letter of the law' guys give it a go but the usage isn't going to increase massively. Considering we're all still functioning and there aren't mass reports of weed induced psychosis I think we will be fine. 

 

The only thing we're doing by continuing with prohibition is funding crime, wasting police time and denying ourselves a safer, potentially better quality product that can be taxed which will benefit our healthcare and education systems. 

 

But yeah, also Holland.