It seems to me... (some negative effects of smoking caused by society)

This isn't to imply that all adverse effects of smoking marijuana are the result of the broader social context in which the smoking is taking place, but...

How could some of the effects described as 'paranoia' or 'freaking out' not simply be the result of marijuana being illegal? It's virtually impossible to smoke without feeling at least some semblance of guilt because, in a sense, smoking is a conscious risk taken by those who indulge because there's always the chance of getting caught and having to deal with the admittedly steep consequences that Western culture generally imposes upon those who either aren't careful enough or are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

That said, adhering to all of the tried and true methods of 'staying under the radar' whilst being high can eventually create a window of time in one's daily routine in which reclusiveness is a necessity for the sake of staying out of trouble; that regimen is compounded when the toker in question lives in an environment in which it cannot be known that any marijuana is being smoked by anyone nearby.

Our society insists that those who smoke marijuana experience feelings of shame and, accordingly, adopt a lifestyle of reclusiveness (at least while smoking) so as to stay as consistent with laws and standards that make very little sense (at least in a relative sense).

The right to be able to light up without experiencing feelings of shame or paranoia are obviously a ways off, but making it known that it is possible to light up regularly and be of value to society as a whole can do nothing more than help the cause.

We can all probably recognize that listing "paranoia" as an adverse effect of smoking marijuana is lunacy on the part of whoever made said list because the paranoia in question is based solely on the context in which the list was made (if there was no need for the list then there would be no outcome of at least some of its contents).

So what can be done? I can't say for sure because I don't share the values of most individuals who make our laws, but it seems to me that doing whatever possible to realize the euphoria one feels upon smoking a joint would greatly enhance the marijuana smoker's stance in society. Law makers are at a disadvantage right now: the fact that the U.S. Government is fragmented has made it possible for at least one half the Government to be shown as the crooks that they are. Why not take advantage of that? Why not try to seize the moment and do something great so as to exhibit the fact that smoking a joint is far from being as harmful as lying to an entire nation?

It's your choice, and hopefully the answer is clear: the uncomfortable environment in which we smoke in can be changed if a little effort is put forth.

 

definitly. though paranoia can stem from other causes as well outside of fear of persecution, I'm inclined to agree.

 

I dont agree.
It seems to me that marijuana can make you paranoid of other stuff aswell, getting caught being only a small aspect of it.

" We can all probably recognize that listing "paranoia" as an adverse effect of smoking marijuana is lunacy on the part of whoever made said list because the paranoia in question is based solely on the context in which the list was made (if there was no need for the list then there would be no outcome of at least some of its contents). "

I completly disagree with this.

 

Sometimes paranoia is nothing more than high anxiety. But there are other times when it stems from a chemical imbalance within your brain and has nothing to do with 'getting busted'.

When experiencing anxiety or slight paranoia from smoking weed, drink 8 ounces of cold water. If that doesn't do the trick, don't smoke it anymore or you may unlock whatever psychological tick you have tucked deep away.

 

you should go ask the nice dutch people if they ever get noided when they smoke...

 

I just don't worry about it anymore. Yesterday, I rolled a garcia-vega and smoked it while mowing the front lawn. I love to mow the lawn and smoke. That's why I have a landscaping business, I start thinking "oh, the sky is blue " or whatever and then the work goes by like nothing.

I used to chill in my bathroom and toke up.. just because it was green and had a good vibe. It'd echo because of all the tile and such, when I listened to the radio, and it was always cool in there in the Summertime. lmao... I used to pack like three or four people in there and we'd just hotbox it. Snoop has a green room and does that, so I figured I should too.

Anyway, sometimes I'd blow the smoke out the windows just so it won't start drafting around the house. I live right next door to my county's zoning/planning and animal control office... and there's an alleyway that double's as someone else's driveway and that seperates our property from the county offices. On the county's side of the alley, they have their own little fenced in patio area, where they have lunch and have smoke breaks. One of the secretaries used to follow the Dead and a bunch of other bands, so every now and then we chill on the patio after they're out of work and everyone else has left and have a J and share concert/festival stories.

Anyway, one day, I saw two county sheriffs walking down the alley after I had just got done smoking a Gotti/blowing shotguns to myself, and chilling on the floor in my bathroom (I'd used to sit and read things/listen to music in there). My window was open and I kept blowing the smoke up and out of the window, then I stood up and realized there were two cops chilling out on the patio (everyone from the county stops by there at some point, though they're just aux. offices, not the courthouse) and they kept looking around and smelling the air.

I could tell they had smelled something, but they just couldn't figure out where it was coming from and had their noses all in the air, walked around up and down the alley a bit, then... they just sat down and started talking to each other and kept sitting pointed towards my direction, lmao. It kept freaking me out, but you really can't see into my bathroom from their patio because of how high the window is and where the trees are, though I can look right down into their patio, since it's just a few feet in between for vehicles to drive down.

But, that really freaked me out... then my parents saw the cops cars out front and they couldn't figure out what they were doing either, then we went outside and just started talking to them, asking them if something was happening in the area and all, then they were just like "Oh, nothing at all, we were just checking in with some friends at the county office and had to park in front of your house" and he apologized and was all smiling and shit... Though I stood up and looked up right when he had just started walking down the alley to get to the patio. (He didn't come through the office, because they were already closed)

It was just bizarre.

 

I guess I should have been more clear: normalizing the state of being high and removing worthless consequences of that fact would probably address at least one of the negative outcomes of using marijuana, as pointed out by institutions that are against the notion of doing so.

 

i tend to get very anxious and panicy when smoking weed somtimes.. so i understand where your coming from but everyones reactions are different for different reasons so you can never really tell..

 

shit happens i think when you arnt going with the flow or are out of your social norum wile smoking parnoie strikes deep well thats what its like for me and some of my friends at least

 

Sure a person can get paranoid about other things without the help of marijuana; however it seems that the illegality of marijuana peaks the paranoia.

It seems that if you are both in a good setting and mood going into your smoking session what do you really have to be anxious about that was not bothering you previously?

It has been shown that there is some relationship between marijuana and schizophrenia. I would not be surprised if perhaps some people who get diagnosed with schizophrenia result from paranoia due to the fear of getting caught compared to general paranoia increased by marijuana. The illegality of marijuana has caused some people to die from fright associated with police encounters.

Very well put.