Cannabis, Friend or Foe?

Dear Readers,

For some of us in this world, including myself, we at times have flirted or even had long term affairs with the "green monster". We all have different reasons to find a means of escape, whatever the means we choose, we seek to feel differently than we do for the vast majority of our routine existence.

Whether it be a meager social endeavor amongst friends or a means to search for a different perspective. I have my reasons and I'm sure you have yours. I'm not judging your actions or trying to justify my own. The point here is to explore the feeling we get when we do give into these temptations and try to evaluate the effect it has on us.

I have scoured the net in search of some articles that talk about the relationship of cannabis to anxiety. There doesn't seem to be any clear cut answers and a vast amount of contradictions. I found a quote from Cecillia Hillard, a pharmacology professor from the Medical College of Wisconsin. She says

"One of the reasons humans use marijuana is because it reduces anxiety. On the other hand, the reason most often cited for stopping using marijuana is that it causes anxiety."

My personal feeling is that we smoke because we enjoy it. In the midst of a panic attack, I don't think to myself, I wish I could smoke a nice joint right now to make myself feel better. We aren't idiots, we realize that it takes a clear perspective to rid us of our ailment, sure it would be nice if a joint could serve as the cure to rid us of our anxiety and alleviate our pain. That obviously isn't realistic.

The point here is people, don't toke up to feel better about yourself. If you don't feel comfortable without smoking, your not going to feel that much better if you do smoke.

The professor made a valid point, but failed to state the obvious. We are all humans, but were not all the same. We think, act, and react differently to different stimuli. If we were all the same, there would be no need to address this topic.

One day we can toke up and feel great, personally I get some of my best ideas while riding the "green monster" but sometimes I feel downright uncomfortable and socially awkward; those are the times I get off the ride and wait to jump on another day when I feel I'm in a state of mind to handle it. The best thing we can all do is close down the amusement park, but to each his own.

I don't make the rules, I just live by them and occasionally break one or two. I would love to hear from you readers, share some of your experiences and tell me how you escape your daily reality. I look forward to your responses.

_The People_