Why Quit Weed??

"I don't do drugs. I am drugs.” ~ Salvador Dali Intro

Respiratory System

The Nose

Carcinogens

Premature Aging

Energy

Relationships

Sleep

Regulation

Addiction

Tips

Q &A

Next Month:

If you’re a pot smoker and you’re functional, why quit weed? I’m often asked this question. Smoking marijuana has become so common that when I do a drug assessment and ask the question ‘do you use drugs?’ The client will give me their list’ and not even mention marijuana. So then I ask, “what about weed?’ This usually surprises them: ‘Weed? Oh yeah, I smoke weed’” Smoking pot has become so common that marijuana is not even considered a drug.

This newsletter is not meant to preach. Many people maintain a good career and quality of life without developing a dependency on it. There are others -- particularly those who are coping with chronic disease – who benefit from the effects of relaxation and pain reduction. However, there are costs as well as benefits, so weigh the costs with the benefits for yourself. And aside from the legal issues, these reasons can help you make an informed decision, when you ask yourself the question -- “Why quit weed? Respiratory system: Marijuana takes a huge toll on the respiratory system. You inhale deeply and your lungs can be burnt from inhaling the smoke. You can also develop a dry cough -- the “weed smokers’ cough”.

The nose: Your nose develops more mucus. When you wake up, the nasal congestion can feel as if you have a cold or suffer from allergies.

Carcinogens: If you think cigarettes are bad for your health, marijuana has more carcinogens. You also inhale deeper, so you’re causing yourself more damage than cigarettes.

Premature Aging: Just as tobacco affects the aging of your skin and discolors your teeth, marijuana does the same thing. You’ll also notice that if you stop smoking, your eyes will look clearer, your skin will be smoother and the color of your skin will look healthier.

Energy: Pot makes you lethargic. You don’t feel like doing much and you become content to be lazy. You don’t have the energy or motivation, to run, play sports, or participating in activities.

Relationships: Your relationships with non smokers will be affected. If you’re stoned, you don’t want to be around them and they aren’t interested in hanging around with you.

Sleep: Smoking marijuana before bed disrupts the sleep cycles. When you quit (although you may think it doesn’t affect you) you’ll sleep better.

Regulation: There is no regulation on marijuana, so there is no standardization. This means that it can be laced with anything. Sometimes you’ve spent your money and find unsatisfactory or frightening results.

Addiction: You can become dependent on marijuana. Like alcohol or any other drug, you develop a tolerance to it and need to use more to get the same effect.

Drugs affect different people in different ways ex. some get ‘the munchies’ – not all. Continuous use can also affect your sex life Are you addicted? Take this test

if you want to quit, but like the calming effects cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can give you the tools to get the same results – drug free, and these tools will change your outlook for life. You can also get help by getting recovery coaching

An added benefit: If you’re effective on pot, you’ll probably be amazed how powerful you would be without it.

Change your thinking

Tips

If you’ve been using marijuana and this information has motivated you to quit, Here are some tips to help you do it.

8) Don’t be hard on yourself. Set small goals for the week and accomplish them.

You may hate clutter, but if you live with it, you become used to it and when you clean up, it seems strange. You may feel so uncomfortable that you start to clutter again but keep organizing. The more you get used to an organized environment, you’ll change your thinking, and feel liberated from the mess.

Q & A

Q

I’m worried about my room-mate. He has phases where he’ll drink excessive amount of alcohol and says it’s to kill the pain. His parents are separated and his dad is ill, but both of them are still alive. I tried to talk about his drinking, but he laughs it off, saying he only binges and that I drink too. I drink, but I don’t binge. He can’t even go out to dinner or go to movies without bringing a bottle filled with straight alcohol.

How can I help him get his life in order, when he won’t listen?

A

Your room-mate has discovered that ‘alcohol dulls the pain’ so he’s ‘self –medicating’ by drinking and not dealing with his problems. If he’s not already an alcoholic, he’s on the road to becoming one. Here’s more information on binge drinking Your room-mate needs help. You can suggest he has a drinking problem, but he’ll deny it. There are AA groups for young people (sometimes on campus) but he’ll probably resist this as well. Talk instead about his family problems and suggest that he gets counseling. If he establishes a relationship with his counselor, he may be open to getting help for alcohol abuse

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Next Month

If you smoke weed and you function well, why stop? The topic July Newsletter: Why Quit Weed?

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