Smoking Marijuana (Cannabis, Joints)

Another little plant that makes up part of nature’s beauties is cannabis, which was caused lots of controversy and different opinions regarding its use and consumption.

Some people promote or excuse marijuana consumption, while others try to discourage it.  The truth is, smoking marijuana is neither a “good” or a “bad” thing to do, because each human being is free to decide what they think is best in their life, and what they want their life to be.

That’s why the main point here is to get to know the plant and to objectively analyze what smoking or using it brings, considering its advantages and disadvantages, analyzing the perspectives by which people choose it, disregard it, or continue using it.

What is cannabis?

Cannabis sativa is the name giving to this plant, whose leaves and product are marijuana.  It can be smoked pure or mixed.  Hash (which has slightly more powerful stimulating effects on the psyche) is the resin secreted by this plant.

This plant has been cultivated for thousands of years as a source to textile fibers for manufacturing suits, clothing, chords, etc., as well as a seed oil and food (for the species that do not contain THC or cannabis, which produces a hormone associated with the effects of pleasure or enjoyment, an element known as the “happy molecule”).

THC content or the psychoactive ingredient in a “joint” runs anywhere from 2 to 10 mg, of which 50% is absorbed through inhalation and another 25% is expelled through the smoke.  The effects of smoking cannabis appear from 0.05 mg per kilo of weight, and because of its imbalancing effects in the body, it is one of the very few plants whose cultivation has been restricted, or even prohibited, in several countries.

Marijuana (generic plant name that refers to its heart or reproductive feminine organs) is not only a relaxing herb, but it also creates altered states of consciousness.  This plant has therapeutic and medicinal advantages.  Its analgesic, anti-spasmodic, and muscular relaxing effects stand out.

What happens when you smoke marijuana?

The provoked effects are (some of which are considered medicinal benefits):

• Lack of inhibition
• Destroys pressure, is relaxing
• Prevents nausea and vomiting
• Stimulates the appetite (appetizing effect), and reinvigorates teh patient.
• Acts as a bronchodilator
• Helps inspire creators like painters, writers, etc.
• Has an effect on behavior providing security
• Mitigates birth and menstruation pains
• Reduces radiation and chemotherapy pains.
• It had been proven effective in detoxification and rehabilitation cures related to drugs.

In medicine, it is used to treat certain diseases like:

• Asthma 
• Anorexia
• Depression
• Glaucoma (increase in intraocular pressure)
• Chemotherapy side effects (nausea, loss of appetite, bad moods)
• Epilepsy, spasms and seizures
• Pains
• Cancer
• Opiate and alcohol dependency

What causes frequent cannabis use?

In medicine, controlled or supervised use has been authorized in certain medications.  People who frequently smoke “joints”, however, and do so without control, could be motivated by several other reasons:

• To calm anxiety or to feel more relaxed for self-expression.
• Diminishing pressure in their body and nervous system, which relaxes them and provokes a pleasant sensation.
• To h ave some sort of spiritual contact.
• As a ceremonial medium or to create altered states of consciousness.

A lot of people that frequently smoke cannabis find it to be an effective medium (albeit fleeting) for liberating internal pressures or emotions like anxiety or fear.  Smoking a joint might be good every once in a while, but uncontrolled use could, over time, develop into an even stronger addiction.

Addiction or justification?

Even though the use of marijuana is undoubtedly more acceptable than that of other drugs like cocaine or LSD, cannabis is still, as all medications or medical substances, one way of motivating or inciting the body from an external source, to react in certain ways.  Marijuana is an exogenous drug, which causes reactions in the nervous system.  When the body has grown accustomed to its chemical, smoking a joint is a quick resource for calming down and lowering stress, tiredness, or inhibition.  Some people use it to be able to contact spiritual strengths or to become more sensitive to them.  And others use it to withstand longer hours working, covering up the body’s natural exhaustion.  It is a good friend for creators as it helps them make contact with their muses from the skies.

Frequent and uncontrolled Cannabis use, however, begins to create a dependency because the nervous system begins to depend on it in order to be able to relax and to experience certain pleasure or peace.  And beyond just being a justification to smoke it, it still have biochemical effects on the brain, influencing neuronal webs which begin to loosen over time.  Several behavioral disorders could develop with daily use, like:

• Emotional isolation.
• Weakened emotional management which implies problems related to family, emotions, social scenes and money.
• Not wanting to see problems, limitations,  or personal lack clearly in order to resolve them.  Because of pain or frustration from problems or limitations, it becomes easier to avoid them with a fleeting remedy that makes the individual feel more peace or harmony.
• Poor concentration in studies and work.
• Intolerance for what does not coincide with their personal way of thinking or seeing life.
• Periods of stress and anxiety that become increasingly stronger.
• Angry or rebellious temperament, or the reverse, like shyness.
• Confused and anxious mind (which could also happen when trying to stop taking the drug, during the period of abstinence).

When the pleasure of smoking becomes an addiction, it means that there is a necessity to smoke in order to inspire oneself or to feel at peace.  Addiction causes these consequences because the nervous system begins to depend on the daily dose, and when it is not administered, it provokes anxiety, nervousness, rebellion and/or aggressiveness etc., according to the individual.  The addictive strength causes the consumer to increase the dosage little by little, a lot of times without even realizing that the individual is smoking more and more frequently.  This continues until they simply cannot ignore it any longer, and then the nervous system begins to break down, which makes them want to smoke even more and causes this need to smoke to dominate the individual.

Is it necessary to stop smoking marijuana?

That depends on conscious you are of what you truly want in life.  Smoking cannabis might not be “bad”, especially if done every once in a while, like eating a piece of chocolate, etc.  But if you want to have control over your emotional nature or creative energy, without external means, and if you want to be able to relate to life’s experiences in a more wholesome, deep, and creatively mature manner, cannabis could shadow this desire because the drug, when causing an addiction, could be covering up deep feelings and creating dependence.

The brain has a wonderful ability to create its own drugs and elixirs to inspire, calm, to give please, release inhibitions, create sublime states of consciousness, etc.  You could opt to generate these endogenous elixirs or drugs, either by external means such as drugs, or by educating the brain or mind to do it by itself.  This undoubtedly creates less dependency, and a more controlled and stronger mind.  But this is all a question of choice.

How to stop smoking marijuana, Cannabis or joints, if you are addicted

You must start with a lot of willpower and determination in order to confront the period of abstinence which will manifest as excessive nervousness, anxiety, depression, lack of appetite, insomnia, mental confusion, etc.

During the detoxification process, the body will have to become used to creating its own biochemicals in order to self-regulate its emotions.  This requires times and patience.  This is a period that requires a lot of support from friends and family, or by some close person that can support the process with technical therapy.

Rehabilitation takes place after the detoxification stage, whereby an alternative tool like bioenergetics or integral therapy work wonder for driving the individual to complete recuperation.  Therapy sessions can help the person to find a new sense of control over their emotions and even their mind.  A spiritual guide can be great help for preventing the individual from returning once again to addiction.

Guidance from within, however, and understanding emotions is undoubtedly the most powerful tool for a person to reestablish contact with their emotional world, and to learn conscious and truly powerful control over their life experiences, and they can then prevent all sorts of dependencies in order to feel full and free.

Revised by: Dra. Loredana Lunadei on 01/02/2018

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