Baclofen for marijuana/cannabis dependence?

[Greg]

I have tried searching for this topic but must be a poor searcher...I know it has been discussed but I am not on the forum enough to recall who discussed it.

Basically, has anyone here found baclofen to be helpful in stopping cravings for marijuana? I seemed to feel less cravings for cannabis during my own (low dose) use of baclofen at various times, but I have a friend who is much more heavily dependent on pot and who can't find a way of stopping it for any length of time. The only times he doesn't smoke is when he uses alcohol as a substitute, and when he does that he gets absolutely trashed, e.g. 20+ standard drinks in one session.

Sorry that I am probably repeating what another thread is all about...please just direct me to the appropriate thread if anyone knows of it.

By the way I have had a couple of people suggest that my friend try either synthetic cannabis or benzos as a pot alternative, but I see problems with both these options if used on a nightly basis (which I know he would do). Synthetic pot can cause bad psychological reactions, tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms (from my own experience) while benzos can cause tolerance and withdrawals (in many other peoples' experience).

[joanna_d]

Baclofen for marijuana/cannabis dependence?

hi there Greg, try this thread: https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...ncy-52621.html

[john doe]

Baclofen for marijuana/cannabis dependence?

From previous experience mate... Do not start taking benzo's as an alternative. You could be in for a world of hurt. I took Benzo's recreationally for over 2 years. I started using them after a cocaine induced panic attack which landed me in hospital. I knew straight away it was the beginning of a love affair. If you have had any sort of anxiety issue's you'll fall in love believe me. Thankfully I never used them for more than 2-3 days in a row and tbh I don't think I'll ever fully recover. I've came to terms with it though.

Some side effects....

I can't do any sort of problem solving in my head like even basic maths my concentration is so bad. I have acrophobia pretty bad. Racing thoughts/over active mine. I have full blown conversations/arguments with myself especially lying in bed at night. Insomnia.

I could go on all day. I was a walking zombie. My mum said she couldn't believe the change in my personality.

This is just some of the psychological side effect. I never got physically addicted thank god. That can turn into true horror.

I don't mean to sound like a scare mongerer but its a cause I really feel about.

Benzo's can be a good send to some people but most people who are on them for any length of time will have a very hard time coming off of them. You cannot get them prescribed here in the UK unless you have a seriously good excuse. I think there was a big law suit years back. From what I've read you get them in the US like candy? I was having bad alcohol withdrawals a few years back and went to my doctor. He would only give me 5 Librium (You can't get a weaker benzo). He was adamant I'd get no more. He knew I once had a problem.

My dad's been on a very small amount of Temazepam for over 10 years. He never really had a clue why he was even prescribed them. (Insomnia I guess). He'll never get off of them and he knows it. They stopped working years ago. His mood swings like the wind and when his script is about to run out you can tell he gets into a bit of a panic.

Sorry for the long post. There's a mountain of into out there. When I started using them I wish someone would told me what "can" happen.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Baclofen for marijuana/cannabis dependence?

Hi Greg.

In addition to being alcoholic, my husband smoked pot daily for decades, with only brief reprieves when he absolutely had to be sober/clean.

After he reached indifference from alcohol he continued to smoke pot though much less. I told him one evening that it really bothered me. He threw everything away that night and hasn't smoked any since then (2 years ago). He said that he didn't really miss it, and because he was smoking so much less he didn't really experience any discomfort. He was also taking ~300 mg of baclofen, though.

Hope your friend can find a solution and that you're well!

[YouKayBee]

Baclofen for marijuana/cannabis dependence?

john doe;1503352 wrote: From previous experience mate... Do not start taking benzo's as an alternative. You could be in for a world of hurt. I took Benzo's recreationally for over 2 years. I started using them after a cocaine induced panic attack which landed me in hospital. I knew straight away it was the beginning of a love affair. If you have had any sort of anxiety issue's you'll fall in love believe me. Thankfully I never used them for more than 2-3 days in a row and tbh I don't think I'll ever fully recover. I've came to terms with it though.

Some side effects....

I can't do any sort of problem solving in my head like even basic maths my concentration is so bad. I have acrophobia pretty bad. Racing thoughts/over active mine. I have full blown conversations/arguments with myself especially lying in bed at night. Insomnia.

I could go on all day. I was a walking zombie. My mum said she couldn't believe the change in my personality.

This is just some of the psychological side effect. I never got physically addicted thank god. That can turn into true horror.

I don't mean to sound like a scare mongerer but its a cause I really feel about.

Benzo's can be a good send to some people but most people who are on them for any length of time will have a very hard time coming off of them. You cannot get them prescribed here in the UK unless you have a seriously good excuse. I think there was a big law suit years back. From what I've read you get them in the US like candy? I was having bad alcohol withdrawals a few years back and went to my doctor. He would only give me 5 Librium (You can't get a weaker benzo). He was adamant I'd get no more. He knew I once had a problem.

My dad's been on a very small amount of Temazepam for over 10 years. He never really had a clue why he was even prescribed them. (Insomnia I guess). He'll never get off of them and he knows it. They stopped working years ago. His mood swings like the wind and when his script is about to run out you can tell he gets into a bit of a panic.

Sorry for the long post. There's a mountain of into out there. When I started using them I wish someone would told me what "can" happen.

Having met people who have become addicted or dependent upon benzos I'd say the same, it's only asking for trouble. Benzos are also a class c drug, controlled medication and I don't think you'll ever see them listed in online pharmacies for this reason.

[ifulovelife2]

Baclofen for marijuana/cannabis dependence?

Hiya Greg

I was a big time pothead. I'd smoke from when I woke to when I crashed. I went through tons of the stuff. Like your friend, the only times I stopped was when I drank. And in fact, the booze and pot were pretty much interchangeable for me. I was able to go for years just using the one and not worrying about the other. But whichever one I was on, I was heavily dependent on it. Fast forward to early 2011 and the Baclofen switch changed all that. Like Neva's husband I found indifference to both booze and pot. I can still drink but don't need to get drunk. I can still smoke weed, if I'm at someone's house and they produce it, but I feel absolutely no need to continue to smoke afterwards and in fact go months without it and without thinking about it. I specifically said "weed" though. In my case, hash was always my thing. And I haven't had any of that since starting Baclofen. I do wonder what might happen if I did have it again. Probably nothing...but it does worry me so I shan't be taking that risk :-)

Anyhoo, in answer to your question: yes, Baclofen works for pot!

Greg;1503344 wrote: I have a friend who is much more heavily dependent on pot and who can't find a way of stopping it for any length of time. The only times he doesn't smoke is when he uses alcohol as a substitute, and when he does that he gets absolutely trashed, e.g. 20+ standard drinks in one session.

[john doe]

Baclofen for marijuana/cannabis dependence?

My life totally revolved around hash when I was younger. From about 17 into my mid 20s. I remember the cravings all to well. Looking back they were as bad as the booze cravings I get now. The only difference being I couldn't always get my hands on hash.

It was load grade hash. You couldn't get weed of any grade back then where I lived. I'm glad I stopped when I did as the high grade weed knocking about now sends me into a total panic. Friends who still smoke it 10-15 years later are totally hooked.

[Greg]

Baclofen for marijuana/cannabis dependence?

Thanks for the help everyone. I can't believe I missed that earlier thread about cannabis, especially since I was one of the contributors!

Yes the problems benzos cause can affect some people badly. I am lucky in that I have never had cravings for them, nor a desire to take more and more. I did have some trouble getting off Xanax (1 mg daily for years) due to the physical withdrawals and insomnia at one point. My friend however is the type of person who is likely to go over the top with any substance he takes, which is why I was worried about him swapping pot for benzos on a long-term basis. Strangely enough he is disinterested in baclofen every time I mention it, but then again he has (like many) been tried on numerous antidepressants, naltrexone, Campral, Antabuse, AA, therapy, counselling/CBT, etc. without any real success. I can understand why he is skeptical of bac.

I am going ok at present but am having relapses every few months, each one lasting about one month. I still use pot during my AF periods, along with Antabuse. I am restarting baclofen today, and will titrate up reasonably quickly if I can handle it. I am seeing a doctor who is willing to prescribe it next week, since I would prefer that route rather than importing it and risking a sudden cutoff of supply if customs officials were to seize an imported supply.

On the subject of marijuana, I know I read of gabapentin helping with pot dependence, and a clinic in Sydney was using tiagabine (Gabitril) for this purpose some years ago. Some of the anticonvulsant drugs get a mention every now and then for alcohol dependence too, and I think some of them may be used this way more often in future, although probably not with the same apparent success rate as baclofen.

[missyabby1]

Baclofen for marijuana/cannabis dependence?

OMG "Greg"

You are still asking the same questions as you did when I first joined here years ago??? I am certainly not sure about "the friend" stuff. For anyone who cares to go back over your thread from years ago, I would suspect something is so not quite right. Anyway call me a conspiracy theorist......maybe you are just a "country boy" always having a "doctor next week" going to prescribe "something next week down in Sydney" ???? I always thought you lived in Victoria?? Anyhow just asking the question? You seem to have been on every "trick in the book", you were a good "researcher" from my memory...one of the best in fact. You seemed to have "researched" every med from A to Z if my memory serves me right? You have been on and off every medication I have heard of....and not heard of??

Any chance of coming clean who you really are?

Missy

[ifulovelife2]

Baclofen for marijuana/cannabis dependence?

Don't fall for it Greg. The troll gets her kicks from trying to stir up trouble.

Just ignore her. Everyone else does.