Coping with Cannabis – Support tool? or Vice?

OUR CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS – YES THIS COVID SCARE and global pandemic, has created many new challenges for everyone. Particularly for those who are already struggling with some form of physical, mental, or emotional challenge whether it be chronic, triggered, or an isolated issue.

EVEN SNOOP DOGG was concerned about his cannabis consumption one day during the lockdown as he sat in his car listening to “FROZEN LET IT GO” and live broadcasting on Facebook! Smoking too much weed seems to be a concern for some. Many of us who use cannabis regularly (daily, multiple times daily, etc) have found that our consumption, behaviors, and habits have changed. We are going through more of our “stash” or products than ever before.

www.cnn.com/2020/05/17/entertainment/snoop-dogg-idina-menzel-music-trnd/index.html

What does smoking too much weed do to your brain?

Those who frequently consume weed for medical reasons often experience an increase in ‘tolerance’ to the effects due to excessive consumption. However, since cannabis is a natural substance, lowering the intake or even completely stopping it for 72 hours can reset tolerance levels quite sufficiently.

Cannabis creates differing responses in people, resulting in diverse effects on the human body. For all intent purposes, the cellular receptors of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) are scattered throughout our entire body, and because of this cannabis has the ability to help with many different conditions, diseases, and disorders.

Besides enticing the receptors of the endocannabinoid system (ECS), cannabinoids also increase the production of dopamine and serotonin, and the increased levels of these neurotransmitters are directly related to why we feel giddy and lighthearted when we’re high.

The current scientific consensus is that cannabis use cannot result in full-blown addiction, but rather a dependency. Basically, the brain and ECS get comfortable with the “increase of dopamine/serotinin” from the supplement (cannabis consumption) and when the levels drop or stay low for any length of time a person can begin to feel lethargic and apathetic.

This effect creates a vicious cycle of sorts, where a user doesn’t feel very good without cannabis, and as a result, continues to consume weed in increasing quantities. A behavior/strategy that can get quite costly 🙁

THERE ARE SOME EASY AND EFFECTIVE STEPS you can take immediately to change your consumption habits, save your stash and reduce your use. Because, although it’s a pleasant experience to “get high” or “chill out” or “medicate more” – the desire to constantly alter your consciousness is never a good thing, no matter if it’s with weed, alcohol, psilocybin, or any other substance.

• CREATE A CANNA-LOG For all intent purposes this is a cannabis consumption journal – basically just keep track of WHAT, HOW, WHEN you consume (i.e. Blackberry Kush, Combust joint, 12:05 PM) Sometimes simply recognizing you just smoked a joint at noon, and 10am might be enuf for you to put the stash away, find something else to do etc.
  • THERAPEUTIC USE TRACKING: For medical patients is a great way to identify WHAT to use WHEN, HOW to consume for most effective treatment of malaise at the time. ie. Sensi-star isolate .25g in coffee at 9am – Cannatonic herb combusted at noon – Harlequin combusted at 4:30pm – White Rhino vaped at 9pm = Pain free, Focused, Engaged, Productive day. SEE THIS POST FOR SOME DIRECTION in creating a useful log/journal that will help you help you!
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• CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF CONSUMPTION: Edibles, Topicals, Tinctures, Sublinguals, Body wraps and Bath soaks ALL will have a tremendously wonderful impact and can be truly effective at providing pain, anxiety and stress relief – from mild to extreme. Some METHODS OF CONSUMPTION provide more euphoria (high) of the mind (altered conscious state) while others produce a “body stone” or physical euphoria, and some MOC such as topical don’t seem to produce any sort of euphoria (or what one might consider a euphoria) SO LEARNING TO GET RELIEF EFFECTIVELY will reduce your consumption.
• NOTABLE MENTION: Burning or combusting cannabis is the most ineffective and wasteful way to consume this wonderous weed. THC (the cannabinoid many seek for the “high”) is released from the plant at 347 degrees ferenheit – hence much of the THC in the bong or joint is being flash evaporated when you set it to flame. Using half the amount of product in a temperature controlled vaporizer will produce the same or greater euphoria than combustion.