Marijuana: A Complex Plant with Multifaceted Effects
Marijuana. A word that can spark a myriad of reactions, from enthusiastic advocacy to cautious skepticism. In contemporary America, the legalization of marijuana for medicinal and recreational purposes has transformed the landscape into something distinctively different from what it once was. This plant, revered in some circles as a potent form of medicine, holds the promise of alleviating numerous ailments. Its hemp offers sustainable alternatives for clothing and products traditionally made from wood. Yet, marijuana is far from an innocuous substance. It demands a wisdom that precedes each encounter, a balanced understanding of its capacity for both healing and harm.
Marijuana’s duality becomes evident when scrutinized under the light of personal experience. In my teenage years, I frequently used marijuana, finding that it could quell social anxiety, creating a comforting buffer against the world. It worked great for healing hangovers from overexuberant alcohol use and abuse.However, this relief came entwined with moments of paranoia—a stark reminder that marijuana’s effects are far from universal. Where some find creativity ignited, I found my expressive flame dimmed, my words seeming less significant than when untouched by its influence. This introspective repression, where necessary feelings were muted, brings us to a critical juncture in understanding marijuana’s multifaceted nature. Some of those trying to stay in touch with their deepest feelings or highest spiritual awareness may find that challenging, if not impossible with the continued use of marijuana.
Marijuana’s potential is undeniable. Studies have shown its efficacy in pain management, reduction of chemotherapy-induced nausea, and alleviation of chronic conditions such as epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. For many, it serves as a gentle balm, a natural alternative to more aggressive pharmaceuticals. Yet, the narrative that positions marijuana as a universal remedy is misleading. It necessitates a robust dialogue about responsible use and the implications of its widespread acceptance.
In medical circles, marijuana’s role as a therapeutic agent is well-documented. Cannabinoids, the active compounds in marijuana, interact with the endocannabinoid system in the human body, influencing pain, mood, and memory. For patients with chronic pain or terminal illnesses, marijuana can offer a quality of life unattainable through conventional medications. The importance of this cannot be overstated—marijuana can be a lifeline, a means to reclaim autonomy over one’s body and well-being.
Conversely, the recreational use of marijuana presents a more complex picture. While recreational users may enjoy the relaxed state it brings, they must also contend with potential side effects such as memory impairment, altered judgment, and, in some cases, addiction. The cultural shift towards accepting recreational marijuana necessitates an equally robust framework for education and regulation. Users must be equipped with knowledge, understanding the fine line between use and misuse. It is important to pay close attention to the medical studies that are frequently distributed to the public by researchers. For instance, one recent study showed that cannabis users have five times the normal stroke probabilities, so it is essential to pay attention.
The tendency to romanticize marijuana as a panacea overlooks its nuanced reality. My experiences are but one testament to the varied effects marijuana can have on individuals. It is neither a singularly benevolent herb nor a universally detrimental drug. Instead, it is a plant with the power to heal or hinder, depending on the context of its use and the individual’s unique physiological and psychological makeup.
Reflecting on my teenage years, marijuana served as both a companion and a challenger. It was my shield against social anxiety, yet it sowed seeds of paranoia, and eventually stole my near photographic memory from me.. It silenced necessary emotions while keeping anger at bay. These dualities reinforce the necessity for personal understanding and societal regulation. Each engagement with marijuana must be approached with a respect for its complexities and an awareness of its potential downsides.
Health professionals are at the forefront of navigating marijuana’s medicinal potential. Their insights and guidance are critical in shaping patient experiences and outcomes. By fostering open conversations about marijuana’s benefits and risks, they can advocate for informed use, ensuring patients receive the full spectrum of care.
The general public, too, bears a responsibility. In a society increasingly leaning towards marijuana legalization, individuals must educate themselves, engaging with credible sources and reflecting on personal experiences. This collective vigilance helps create a culture of awareness and responsibility.
Policy makers, meanwhile, have the formidable task of balancing legalization with regulation. Effective policies should aim to maximize marijuana’s medicinal benefits while mitigating risks associated with recreational use. This includes establishing rigorous quality controls, ensuring product safety, and funding research to deepen our understanding of marijuana’s long-term effects. Recent research has shown that teenage marijuana use by young men delays neurological and emotional maturation.
Marijuana, in its complexity, offers a mirror to our collective attitudes towards health, freedom, and responsibility. It is a plant with the potential to heal, enrich, and comfort, yet it also demands respect and careful consideration. The baby boomer generation is in for a big surprise if members start using marijuana again after stopping in their teenage or college years: it is so much more potent now, so let the buyer beware!
Cannabis use disorder, also known as cannabis addiction or marijuana addiction, is a psychiatric disorder defined in the fifth revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and ICD-10 as the continued use of cannabis despite clinically significant impairment. There are many who suffer from it, though some of the addicted claim that their lives had not been too severely damaged by its overuse. Denial is common to all people who use excessively natural or man made substances to treat themselves for whatever pain or suffering that they are presently trying to negate..
As we continue to explore its applications, both medicinally and recreationally, we must do so with a balanced perspective, grounded in knowledge and tempered by wisdom. For those intrigued by the possibilities marijuana presents, I advocate for a thoughtful approach. Seek to understand its effects on your body and mind, engage with the broader discourse, and support policies that prioritize safety and education. By doing so, we can harness marijuana’s benefits while safeguarding against its potential harms.
I have rarely used marijuana since 1986, when I completely stopped 15 years of use to improve my awareness and emotional intelligence. In the end, marijuana’s role in our society is a reflection of our own growth—hopefully towards a more aware, informed, empathetic, and responsible community.
My wife and I live in Oregon, a state that legalized marijuana in July of 2015. We briefly tried it with some out of state friends when it first became legal. Sharon got sick from some brownies I made, and I got psychologically ill just from very brief use over a one month period,
It is potent, and it is not for us at this stage of our lives.
Join in the discussion, and drop me a line if you like
Anxiety, Marijuana, and the Path Towards Healing
This chapter is directed towards the developing minds, and hearts, of all ages, who as yet have not achieved the fulfillment of their physical and emotional growth processes. It has been established that the use of marijuana by human beings under the age of twenty-five stunts their emotional growth and development, as well as impacting the physical development of the brain and neural pathways. There can be a positive side to this, but there is also a downside, as well. It has also been shown that discontinuing use does enable the repressed nervous/emotional systems to unfold in more natural ways that promote continued growth, into a delayed maturation, but it is a maturation nonetheless.
I have hit a part of the story where I get to indulge in a little bit of editorializing. It is not my intention to offend or judge anyone who presently uses marijuana. One of my perceptions around marijuana use is that using pot to avoid feelings of anger, distress, anxiety, or as an intoxicant is one of our society’s newest ways to normalize oppression, limit our spiritual unfoldment, and support the repression of our emotional natures. Adult family and friends have the maturity to make their own decisions on how to best spend their time and spiritual resources, however, though the decision to use marijuana should be an informed one.
I arrived at 15 years of age with social anxiety and awkwardness, low self-esteem, and a physical immaturity for my year in high school. I had no idea who “my people” were, though I had still had 3 or 4 quite socially compromised fellow travelers who had been my friends since 5th grade. I was truly a “stranger in a strange land” at high school, and the anxiety around this social adjustment was uncomfortably high. Looking back, it is easy to see that I was in a vulnerable state of mind.
I began my sophomore year at Rex Putnam High School, still not fitting in too well with the whole process of being educated in a high school setting. I remember a high school science class where the teacher was so disturbed by my “aloof and judgmental” behavior that he called me out in class, and called me a “pseudo-intellectual”, and then laughed when he then announced that I would not know what that means. Well, I recited the definition from my memory of what that offensive word meant, smirked at him, and then sat down and became quiet. Yes, not only did I not fit in, but others perceived that I did not fit in, as well.
I had no desire to use drugs at the time, as I still was repulsed by the behavior of my sister, who, through her own drug use had become an outsider within our own home family structure. She still hung around, when she was not running with her other friends, or hanging onto her latest boyfriend. But her resistance to and fighting with my parents disrupted my own distorted sense of what a healthy family setting should look, and feel, like.
One late fall Friday night in 1970, my friends Tony M and Randy O found me at a football game, and said that I needed to try something with them. I went with them, and when we drove off of the campus, Randy brought out a couple of “joints” and told me what they were. Well, I wanted nothing to do with it at the time, but the peer pressure was high, so I went along with it. I did not get “high”, though they did, and they seemed to be enjoying themselves, though I could not understand how.
I tried the stuff three more times, because I became curious how a substance could change somebody so profoundly that they appeared to be uninhibited and enjoying themselves in public, which was an unknown concept to me. Then, the damage began. I actually became “high”, and nothing was ever to be the same again. For the first time in my life, it did not matter that I did not “fit in”, and my sense of social dis-ease left, and my own poor sense of self-esteem evaporated in a cloud of intoxicating smoke. I began to gather a support group of fellow users around me, and thus established myself in a new community where I belonged, and finally “fit in”. Thus, the oppression of my human heart and soul became normalized in my own life, through the continued usage of the drug and association with others who also used drugs..
One profound experience around group energy temporarily “enlightened me” in 1972, when I attended my first rock concert. There were three groups, The Grease Band, Rod Steward and the Faces, and Savoy Brown. A group of us smoked some weed, and we all attended the $3.00 event. It was Tony Mecklem, Sonny Graham, and myself, with Sonny supplying the Panama Red pot. I did not know what to expect, but I knew that I liked the artists, so I was pretty excited about attending. But, when we got to the Memorial Coliseum, I was amazed at the number of people who were there. This was by far and away the biggest event that I had ever attended in my life. We walked through the ticket line, and proceeded to try to find our seats. But when I opened the door into the arena, it was like an explosion went off in my mind. I went from carrying just my normal sense of self, with a marijuana “high” component attached to it, to a Cosmic/Group mind experience. I Was The Crowd, and it was like I was spread all over the Coliseum, and I was carried by the music, and I was the music. A form of Cosmic Consciousness had hit me for the first time in my life, and I Was Blown Away. This kind of experience is not uncommon, and some claim for themselves spiritual ascendency through their use of cannabis in addition to their daily spiritual practices.
Looking at my history, I have rocked with the Mystery
The drug continuously brought to me a temporary sense of peace of mind, and kept me from being so hyperactive mentally (I was quite the precocious person, with an almost photographic memory). However, over the course of the many years of use, I lost many of my basic abilities to feel my emotional heritage, and to draw from my internal intellectual resources. Through the process of normalizing the oppressive qualities of this drug, I became almost immune to the distress going on around me, and I was not as consciously aware of the distress building up within my mind, and body.
I started smoking pot before attending mathematics classes, and before doing my most difficult homework. I was in the most advanced science and math classes already, and Rex Putnam High had even introduced a college level calculus class for our senior year because there were several people who had the same advanced capabilities as with me. Even calculus was too easy for me, so pot made boring homework more of a challenge to finish. I enjoyed creating the extra level of difficulty for my work, and for my life, apparently.
Of course, the fun of using pot while trying to succeed in school ultimately backfired, when I hit college. It was disheartening to lose my nearly photographic memory to the damaging effects of pot, a memory capacity which had enabled me to slide through most of school without doing much homework. By the time I hit my junior year at the University Of Portland, I can remember many, many hours of just staring at my homework, unable to comprehend what I was looking at, near the end of my academic road in 1976.
Marijuana and I had a fairly steady, though uneasy, relationship until 1986, when I decided that it no longer met my needs. But during that period of time from 1971-1986, when I did use marijuana liberally, it served an important function. Without it, I could not have been able to maintain my self-oppression, avoid my anger and learning how to express it in healthier ways, and continue the repression of my Spirit and wisdom. Without the marijuana addiction, I would have grown up into a different adult, and I would have had a different experience of the interior dimensions of my own being.
It took until I wandered alone in the dark underbelly of Portland’s criminal drug subculture in the year 1986, to finally realize that pot was not for me. Even in my most desperate time, I came to realize that the use of pot was preventing me from accessing resources necessary for my survival in among the other “dark warriors” of our local criminal underground. Engaging with undercover federal agents and hit men from biker gangs made me quite aware of the limitations imposed upon my nervous system and mind by the use of pot. I had to have a much more sensitive awareness to remain nimble, in the face of the threats faced there. I had to develop enhanced, nuanced social interactive skills, lest the dullness of response that pot induced within me would create indefensible vulnerabilities. Yes, light comes to those who have lived in life’s darkest recesses, and sometimes the light burns the brightest there, as well.
In my “older age”, I have considered the use of marijuana for the treatment of anxiety, which became a fairly frequent companion to me with the election of Donald Trump as president in 2016, and the deaths of both my father, and my friend Marty Crouch in September of 2017. I have some symptoms of PTSD, which I have been treating with meditation and prayer, exercise, immersion in nature, medication such as Ativan when I am overwhelmed, herbal supplements, and open, honest, enhanced communication with loved ones and friends. My doctor casually recommended the use of marijuana, in addition to suggesting utilizing a therapist to facilitate healing. I have occasionally used the CBD oil from hemp plants to treat anxiety, in addition to ashwagandha tincture, which I now use infrequently I do not treat myself with marijuana, feeling that dealing with these difficult emotions and feelings without hiding from them is the surest and the fastest way to recovery.
Once again, this message is not for adult family members and friends, who are mature enough to make intelligent decisions for their own lives. Marijuana offers a form of community connection, emotional release, and enhanced sensory connections and pleasures, but it can also serve `as another form of oppression for the susceptible soul: Oppression comes in many forms, my fellow travelers. Some of these forces we do have control over. My message to my grandchildren, and to all young people, is to be aware of ALL FORCES THAT ATTEMPT TO REPRESS OUR BEAUTIFUL SPIRITS, EVEN IF WE DO NOT PRESENTLY RECOGNIZE THEIR INNATE VALUE.
Marijuana is now legalized, and normalized, within our West Coast culture. It is being taxed by the government, and private citizens are profiting greatly from its production and distribution. What kind of world are we creating, where oppression of the human spirit is being celebrated, and profited from? Yes, this is the American Way, which is presently not the healing way of my Spirit
I have intimate knowledge of addiction, depression, anxiety, and panic attacks, and I now consider myself a personal expert in these matters, albeit a reluctant one. It is inappropriate and unhealthy for me to keep these issues “secret”, as I tend to be as sick as the secrets that I attempt to keep. Remaining unconscious and victimized by these conditions is not a helpful option for me now, or anytime.
The following have been found to be helpful for me, when any of the previously stated conditions threaten to hit too close to home:
1). Seeking “professional help” from therapists or physicians/surgeons as required,
2). exercise (such as yoga, Pilates, and cardio work, with emphasis on proper breathing techniques),
3). immersion in Nature (walks through forests, deserts, or local parks),
4). meditation (listening to relaxing music is useful, if the mind is overly restless),
5). getting plenty of rest/sleep (not automatic or easy when in anxious states. Use of melatonin, ashwagandha tincture, CBD oil and non-caffeinated relaxation tea prior to bed is helpful),
6). honest and open communication with friends and family (hanging around people with positive, loving attitudes and behaviors is important),
7). insight (and taking my inventory, to use the parlance of 12 step groups) and prayer (focused intention/thought energy for personal and collective change, for those so inclined),
8). service to others who are less fortunate, and
9). medication (if necessary) can be helpful.
10). avoiding obvious anxiety producing behaviors, like excess coffee consumption, eating sugar or processed foods, or overbooking my day to day life,
11). continue to allow feelings to naturally arise, with no judgement.
12). continue without shame and guilt any unfinished emotional business, such as grieving for the loss of loved ones.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a name given to one powerful variation of related symptoms, and therapy and techniques developed for its healing may be appropriate, as well (a form of acupressure called the “tapping” technique is quite helpful).
Writing into a personal journal or blog can be helpful. Posting to Facebook, with the hope or expectation that somebody who cares might read a posting and give meaningful feedback, is unrealistic, and can potentially be dangerous, depending on the state of mind of the writer at the time of posting. It is best to have friends and connections who respond directly, preferably in person, where our humanity shines the brightest and has the most healing potential. Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, or whatever other media vehicle that one may employ for communication in isolation just cannot get the job done, PERIOD. Just passing time without helping myself would never have allowed for sufficient healing either.
As I move toward healing, compassion towards myself and others is one of the intended outcomes. The absence of this only perpetuates the anxiety cycle.
And, to those whose hearts are hurt by the Trump phenomenon, crucifixion feels almost real, even today. Toxic Masculinity, Religion, and Capitalism, as epitomized by Donald Trump and Paul Ryan, white supremacy and the evil attached to it, and now its linkage back to American Christianity through its illusory link with Trump, has sown the seeds of its own destruction. But I am afraid that it may take a generation or more for that to happen.
Writing is an interesting proposition. I usually feel like a lone voice in the wilderness calling out to the people who are not even in my life to listen to me in the first place.. The point is for me to keep speaking out against the oppressive forces of the day. The chances of changing anybody’s mind on the Trump’s American Alternative Reality team is almost zero, so it is about reigning them in, publicly repudiating them, and making sure that the rest of humanity understands the dark, ignorant, greedy, evil intentions of this mindset, and of this administration.
In the words of the Course In Miracles, my writing, or all of our writing for that matter, may be just another “call for Love”. Writing is a perfect mirror for me to see myself, and, in the seeing, I am changed. We have only words and thoughts to share here, I can’t give you a wink, smile or a hug through this medium.. You will never feel the warmth of my heart, or the peace of my soul, by reading my words. But, that won’t stop me from trying!
Real live people experienced directly with all of my senses, and my open heart and balanced mind, are the only requirements for more successful human connections, NOT TECHNOLOGY. Five years of care-giving and support for my handicapped father has contributed to my sense of isolation, and now I am moving away from that posture, now that more support has been coming available to help. I have begun to be reintroduced to the real world, of which i have missed greatly (my time-based mind tells me that I was not missed, but I am going to ignore those “dead” aspects of myself, and reinterpret myself in terms of the present moment of experience, where all real value is created and apperceived)..
I do visit Robert Beatty’s Buddhist meditation center, and The Center For Spiritual Living in Lake Oswego, from time to time, but I have not made a commitment to either community at this point. I have found that my continuing involvement with a book club has kept my spirits up, though. I opened myself to new possibilities for engagement with my world, through service work with the Trauma Intervention Program, social engagement, and through involvement with spiritual healing communities. I may even pursue new knowledge and a way to express it through shamanism and energy work, specifically through Dr. Alberto Villoldo’s approach, but we shall see what the future brings.
I now work on the recovery from sugar addiction, and a lifetime of questionable dietary choices. I understand that the fundamental addiction that I have carried for most of my life may be to sugar itself, and the damage that it is reported to cause over the years may have finally caught up with me. I recently attended a workshop with Dr. Alberto Villoldo over the April 4th weekend of 2018. He is the famous cultural anthropologist, author, and, now, shaman, where he redirected my spiritual intentions towards cleansing my body, including my liver and brain, of all toxins. He helped bring to my attention that poor dietary choices predispose me to making poor choices in other aspects of my life, and can negate the greatest of desires for continued spiritual growth and prosperity.
On Friday night of the workshop, Alberto asked for us to ask for a dream. Well, I had a dream, and its essence was relevant. In it, Alberto was a non-vocal observer, watching groups of people assembling a large foundation for some sort of huge, new building. Sharon and I struggled a bit with our contribution, but it all was coming together at the end of the dream, and I could see that we were about to get our part assembled successfully. We then came together as a full assembly of participants, where a male voice gave an extended monologue about the nature of the “magnetic self”. In the dream, I countered his monologue with an extended message of my own, articulately and with precision. But then, I looked to Sharon in the dream, and asked her “Sharon, do I sound like an idiot?” I then woke up.Yes, there I go again. Even in the dream, I doubt myself, my ability to communicate, and my “understanding”. It is my life’s challenge to make peace with that wayward voice within me that brings self-doubt, and keeps me silent, and not wanting to extend myself to others who might misinterpret me and my intentions. Thanks, father, for that! The gift that keeps on giving.
Since April of 2017, I have followed Dr. Villoldo’s dietary regimen, and I noted the change in my energy. It probably does not hurt my cause that I also lost close to twenty pounds in the first five months that I was involved with these dietary lifestyle changes. I backslided on the program the last year, and have regained much of the weight I lost.
True connection with our self and with the other, takes much time, insight, and commitment. Our culture, its values, its continuing deterioration into poorer spiritual, mental and physical health with its excess dependencies upon the medical profession, drugs and alcohol, media saturation and escapist entertainment, and pseudo “political, economic, religious, and spiritual teachers” and all of its supposed “saviors”, reflects the historical progression of the destruction of the integrity, or the DIVINE, within all of us.
Understanding how we form the walls of the prison that we each may live in individually leads to the insight that removes these walls, once and for all. Next time we look at our self, or someone else, and we do not have a loving perception, we will know that we need to dig deeper, to find the gold that is buried, hidden under the debris left by the entire history of the Common Knowledge Game of human perception.
Anxiety can be overcome, if I can continue to accept personal responsibility for my healing, and make healthier choices for living. I have little control over the political process, but I will continue to write about it, and I vote.
Be wise, oh mankind, the secrets that we keep,
For by our choices, we may awaken, or just die asleep.
Anti-Anxiety Medications and Their Risks
Alprazolam, which you’re probably more familiar with under the brand name Xanax, was involved in more than 6,000 drug overdose deaths in 2016, according to a new report from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The data, published this week, tallied the drugs most frequently involved in such deaths from 2011 to 2016 as reported on death certificates.
Over that time period, drug overdose deaths increased 54%, from 41,340 in 2011 to 63,632 in 2016, according to the report. Other CDC data shows that drug overdose deaths have only continued to increase; more than 70,000 Americans died of a drug overdose in 2017, and overdose deaths are thought to be contributing to our decreasing lifespans.
Most of the 18,335 overdose deaths in 2016 were linked to fentanyl, the synthetic opioid that’s 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. From 2012 to 2015, heroin had been the deadliest drug, and it was tied to 15,961 overdose deaths in 2016.
Cocaine (11,316) and methamphetamine (6,792) were the next deadliest drugs in 2016, followed by the totally legal (although not without risks) prescription anti-anxiety medication alprazolam. It’s used to treat anxiety disorders and panic disorder by decreasing arousal in the brain, but it was involved in 6,209 overdoses in 2016. It was also involved in 468 overdose deaths that were deemed to be suicides, making it the fourth deadliest drug used for suicide in the report.
