Marijuana maintenance : acceptable way out or just another addiction?

[Greg]

I haven't posted on the forum in ages, except to occasionally report spam, but I hope everyone is doing as well as possible. My main reason for not posting is the same as the topic of this thread, namely my use of marijuana as an alcohol substitute. I have been doing this for the past four and a half years, and pot has allowed me time away from alcohol that I could not find using any other method, after many years of trying almost everything. I have gone from drinking myself to death with 21 standard drinks every night of the year to only having a few nights of drinking every 3-6 months. However using pot as a substitute also makes me feel guilty and awkward around anyone who has anything to do with recovery, including those on this forum. This is why I have been almost silent here for so long.

So, to the question I have posed : Do you see marijuana maintenance (i.e. use of marijuana as a substitute) as an acceptable way of dealing with severe long-standing alcoholism, or do you see it as just another crutch and another addiction? I know this shouldn't make any difference to me or my way of dealing with alcoholism, but it does concern me nonetheless. AA members would certainly view my actions as just an extension of addiction, substituting one addictive substance for another. Other people, who view methadone maintenance as an acceptable option for heroin addicts, and nicotine replacement therapy as a treatment for smoking, may see my use of pot in less harsh terms. I guess a similar issue may have been faced by people who have decided on baclofen as a treatment for alcoholism.

Whatever your views on this subject, I wish everyone here the very best.

[tee111]

Marijuana maintenance : acceptable way out or just another addiction?

If it works for you I'd say why not. I used to smoke a lot but it could never be a sub for me. Totally different kind of buzz. Some people hate the feeling some love it. I know lots of people who smoke weed like mad and a few would like to stop but its no where near the life wrecking addiction that an addiction to booze is.

Methadone also does indeed work for some as it takes you out of that life and off the streets. I've seem those vapor things work for people on an 80 a day habit.

Baclofen is also indeed a crutch if you look at it in those terms but i couldn't give a flying f**k as its doing the business for me and that's what matters. In an ideal world I'd rather not take meds for the foreseeable future but them's the breaks.

I've mates living in Australia and they tell me you can grow a small amount for personal use? Hell yeah.. Count me in. Its ?200+ an ounce in the UK for below average gear.

[available]

Marijuana maintenance : acceptable way out or just another addiction?

Greg if it works then do it. My son was an ice addict and now smokes. I used to be a complete "stoner" years and years ago and it never did me the harm that al did. I think we can all abuse substances but if done in moderation, which of course i cant do with al, then no problems. I smoke occasionally now and i certainly dont have a problem with it. You will never see anyone stoned, king hitting, abusing or threatening people unless taken with another substance.

Tee marijuana is illegal in Australia except in the ACT i think. I know the smoke my boy buys is treated with all types of shit so he has to be wary on what he buys.

I look at the medical advances with marijuana and can only hope that they do start allowing it for medical reasons or for personal use in small quantities.

[tee111]

Marijuana maintenance : acceptable way out or just another addiction?

In my few its one of the least harmful addictions (if it even became that). I've mates who are full blown stoners. Spend every penny they have on it and just love life. I did it for over 10 years. I never caused my much trouble. I was a bit moody when I was out but I got by. If it did start causing you trouble Its WAY WAY easier to beat than booze. I've also been addicted to MDMA. Benzos and Cocaine at various times in my life. Weed doesn't hold a candle to any. Mentally, benzos done a number on me the most. Alcohol has been the only one I haven't been able to quit with will power alone.

[patrice]

Marijuana maintenance : acceptable way out or just another addiction?

Hi Greg,
I've been in this situation myself and I found the pot to be an effective and less harmful substitute.. For me anyway.... Way less harmful and always helped hugely in the first weeks of stopping the booze, for me there was no need for any meds. But, like Molly said above, some of us have that addict nature and for me the amount of pot crept up, just like booze.. So it was like another habit. For me also part of breaking the booze thing is also breaking other negative habits like cigs or habitual pot to get more genuinely healthy. I think the other thing about the pot, depending on how much you have, is that demotivation sets in quite fast... Again that's just my experience Greg!
Glad you posted
Patrice

[Fred_The_Cat]

Marijuana maintenance : acceptable way out or just another addiction?

Greg,

What's really sad is that what you're doing is effective in terms of the numbers you've posted (21 drinks a night to drinking every few months), yet you still feel guilty because it does not jibe with AA crap.

It is very, very liberating to throw the 12 step nonsense out the window and take the facts as they are.

Every time I hear a 12 stepper talk about how spiritual (but not religious) they are, I press them to define what exactly they mean by that. Gets them every time. Dogma is dogma.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Marijuana maintenance : acceptable way out or just another addiction?

Greg;1684407 wrote:

So, to the question I have posed : Do you see marijuana maintenance (i.e. use of marijuana as a substitute) as an acceptable way of dealing with severe long-standing alcoholism, or do you see it as just another crutch and another addiction?

Both.

The issue, I think, is not whether or not it's an effective substitute. The issue is whether or not it compromises your health.

The media is touting all of the recent studies showing a benefit to marijuana, but there have been several major findings about the fact that it can cause or increase mental illness. (Most recently, there was something about paranoia induced by pot. And there is a definite link between pot use and schizophrenia, we just don't know what the link is yet.)

Add to it the compromise in lung function, the fact that it's illegal and the associated risks, and it's not really a winning proposition.

UNLESS you are an alcoholic and dying from that disease with no other recourse and pot works as a substitute. Then it seems to me a pretty fair trade.

Medication differs in that it is not (presumably) risky or life-shortening or health-compromising. In other words, it's not a crutch, it's a tool. Diabetics (both kinds) don't necessarily take insulin because they make unhealthy choices. They take it because their bodies don't make or can't use it. It's not a crutch. It's medicine that treats an underlying and fundamental disease. Big difference.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Marijuana maintenance : acceptable way out or just another addiction?

Oh, and HI, GREG! Nice to see you 'round these parts and I'm really glad you've found something that seems to be working for you in terms of dealing with alcohol.

I'd concur with your thought that it doesn't really matter what anyone thinks, if it works for you. Ya' know? God knows there aren't going to be any lack of opinions on the matter.

:l

[tee111]

Marijuana maintenance : acceptable way out or just another addiction?

There's a big debate about it here in the UK over the mental health issues. I personally have never seen anyone have any issues with it and 90% of everyone I ever known smoke it. Smoke to much and it can make you paranoid as f**k and an anxious mess. I'll testify to that.

IMO where the problem is when someone with already existing mental issues starts using it. But then you shouldn't be using recreational drugs of any kind.

There's this lady on every talk show here in the UK who the anti cannabis brigade seem to use when they were pushing to get it back to a class B drug. Her son was suffering from schizophrenia and started smoking cannabis. He sadly took his own life but he clearly had underlying issues. I'm sure if you dig deep enough you'll find issues with most drugs and mental issues.
Its madness cannabis in the UK is Class B.

Decriminalize and regulate.. I'm getting off topic though... Sorry

Example being.... Methadone is a horrible horrible drug to be on but a percentage of the population would rather it than lead the brutal life of a heroin addict.

Weed is the lesser of 2 evils if you putting it up against booze. I'd rather be head over heels addicted to weed than to even have a slight drink problem.

If you can Greg stay off all mind altering drugs but from what I gather (I've foollowed your posts for a few years) Your finding it hard. Have a smoke when you need it and don't fell guilty or let anyone else make you.

[Samstone]

Marijuana maintenance : acceptable way out or just another addiction?

Hey Greg, glad you decided to post. Ah!! guilt, what a manipulator!! Part of any culture it would seem.

I've always maintained that I got in a hell of a lot more trouble with booze than I ever did with pot. I still use very occasionally but not too often. It has a way of making me withdraw and, yes, feeling guilty for all kinds of reasons. I have family that lives in one of the states where it is now legal so maybe that would help erase some of the withdrawal. We are programmed to live in fear of the law, religion when we do things "wrong". AA has helped many people and it is the folks who make up a group that determine their style of acceptance. I tried it, didn't care for it but saw a lot of folks who being helped.
Point being, it works for you and only you know in your gut whether it is out of control. I am certainly not one to judge you, hell I glad we're here in a reasonable fashion of helping each other.
Sam

[Lostinspace]

Marijuana maintenance : acceptable way out or just another addiction?

Greg, I think if it's working for you where nothing else ever has, then go for it. I'm a big believer in harm reduction. While smoking may be damaging to the lungs if done in excess, alcohol destroys every single organ in the body. And the damage and chaos that alcohol causes in people's lives couldn't begin to be rivaled by even the heaviest marijuana habit. Alcohol is a thousand times worse in my opinion.

You say you've been doing this for four and a half years now, so it sounds like it's working out pretty well for you. If you want to someday take up the challenge of learning to get through life with no mind-altering substances, then go for it. But if you're perfectly happy and functional with smoking as you have been, there's no reason to feel guilty or second-guess yourself.

[Fred_The_Cat]

Marijuana maintenance : acceptable way out or just another addiction?

Pot does cause anxiety and paranoia- hence why I don't use it anymore. Of everyone I've seen use it I can only name one instance of it mentally setting someone off (who had a lot of problems to begin with).

As far as risks go- I think it's more acceptable than alcohol.

[YouKayBee]

Marijuana maintenance : acceptable way out or just another addiction?

My partner's son became extremely mentally ill as a direct result/side effect of cannabis use.

A couple of people told me I should use cannabis instead of alcohol, that it was a much preferable. So I had a go. All that happened was I started using it in the same way I did alcohol - which meant to oblivion and I really didn't enjoy it. I would also wake the next morning feeling 'hungover' from the use. I also still drank, at the time I had other issues in my life and decided it was far easier to stick to one substance, one which is legal, than have any further complications. That doesn't mean I didn't touch illegal drugs again, but not having a drug conviction on my record has and will make things a bit easier. My use preceded the knowledge of my partner and his son, however I'd not recommend using any 'drug' legal or illegal in order to attempt to replace alcohol.

I also do not like it when people start trying to say 'this drug is better than that one'. I used to socialise in 'free thinking' circles where ecstacy was seen as the ultimate drug to solve society's issues. I used to neck Es on nights out like no tomorrow, chasing a constant high and it didn't do me any favours.

Looking back it feels like the people saying those things were justifying their consumption and indeed trying to take the moral high ground. I no longer feel drugs should be legalised, I do have very strong feelings about drug dealers who draw income without paying taxes, and cause issues yet the police let them carry on(I was harassed by a couple when I decided to give up booze and the drugs I took with it). At least protect those who do not want them.

End of the day no drug is better than any other - I've even heard top Drs explain that heroine in it's purest form does the body no harm whatsoever!

Life is hard, so is using drugs!

[spiritwolf333]

Marijuana maintenance : acceptable way out or just another addiction?

Greg -Hi, I have read many of your past posts. Thanks for the information that you have posted.

Wow, if marijuana works for you and allows you what you need/want to stay away from alcohol, then what a great option to be able to choose. I tried marijuana one time when I was 15 and much preferred the effects of alcohol -and I did not cough after drinking.

In my opinion, these are all "medicines" (baclofen, gabapentin, alcohol, marijuana, exercise, food) that help each of us -in our own way, to feel/think better/differently. I want to always be in a position to cause the least amount of harm to my physical and mental self that I can. Unfortunately, as you already know, alcohol offered me no other options but another drink.

I soon hope they legalize marijuana throughout the USA. The beverage companies do not/will not like this option though.

[YouKayBee]

Marijuana maintenance : acceptable way out or just another addiction?

In direct answer to the OP I guess I would be concerned that it was simply holding you there, which is what I believe methadone does for heroine users, in a sort of suspended animation. The body and mind is still operating 'under an influence'.

I use food in a similar way, obviously I can't go abstenant with food however I can recognise it, then use various approaches in order to control or eliminate the emotive use.

You said you have a couple of drinking nights every 3-6 months, are these moderate or to excess. Some people classify themselves as alcoholic even though they might only drink once or twice a year.

I used TSM to get into recovery which meant still drinking and this confused a few people around me, and the occasional AA er who I spoke to. I didn't feel guilt, just a feeling of misunderstood but those people were all supportive - they could see and massive change in me, so big they actually did think I was abstenant.

Recovery for me is about making the changes, living life without any substance, and it's really hard. As I've alluded to above drugs scare me - I had a mixture of experiences good and bad and in the end I had enough to scare me right off for life. Right now I can't afford to risk any sort of trouble with the law (the minorish non-drugs convictions from my drinking days cause me enough problems and have closed enough doors).

If it's better than drinking alcohol for you, then it's working.