« Know Your Herb | Safety | Responsible Use » Overdose So you just had to smoke that one last spliff. Maybe those brownies were so delicious you couldn’t resist. Either way, you’ve overdone it and as the room starts to spin you wonder what will become of you. Nausea, dizziness, anxiety, panic, paranoia, rapid heart beat, unpleasant hallucinations and the general felling of being unwell are all symptoms of the overdose. There is not much you can do once the source of what ails you is already coursing through your bloodstream. You may simply pass out and wake up with a weed hangover. Or you may just have to ride it out. If the latter is the case avoid heavy machinery and authority figures, try and find as relaxing a spot as possible and take comfort in the fact that there has never been a recorded fatality due to cannabis in the history of its use by humans (we’re talking thousands of years here folks). Pot is one of the safest psychoactive substances out there and it would be a near impossible feat to consume the amount it would take to cause permanent injury. If you start having psychological or emotional issues remember that you are experiencing a radically distorted reality and that the worse part of the overdose will be done within about an hour of first feeling the effects. You may then want to contemplate the fact that the Bashilange tribe of equatorial Africa used cannabis as the centre of their judicial system. Anyone accused of a crime was ordered to smoke cannabis (riamba as they called it) until they either admitted the crime or passed out. If they passed out they were stripped naked, had pepper rubbed in their eyes and a ribbon threaded through their nasal bone as a badge of their transgression (Green, Cannabis, p.69). And you thought your trip was bad. Addiction While physical addiction to cannabis is not common, it can occur, although most users never have trouble stopping their use when they want to. Long-term heavy cannabis users who suddenly stop their use can experience non life-threatening withdrawal symptoms such as: irritability, anxiety, anhedonia (reduced experience of pleasure), headaches, general unease/discomfort, nausea, loss of appetite sleep problems and a desire to smoke more pot. Also, the user can find non-stoned life a bit dull and experience increased boredom. These disturbances generally cease after a week or so but can last for over a month and a half depending on the individual. People use cannabis for different reasons. Many enjoy the relaxing quality of the high, for some it boosts sociability and others find it spiritually rewarding. Many find it enhances the appreciation of music and boosts creativity. Psychological dependency arises when an individual feels they cannot reach these states (sociability, relaxation, spiritual fulfilment, etc.) without the use of cannabis. Whether this state of being has a detrimental effect on their quality of life depends on the individual. It becomes a problem when the potential negative effects of cannabis use compete with or supersede the benefits. Another potentially more serious route to psychological dependence is when individuals use cannabis to cope with trauma, depression or an emerging mental illness (see below). In these instances cannabis may become a crutch or be used as an escape from reality. The danger is that in such circumstances cannabis may prolong or even worsen the issue one was trying to cure or escape from. As previously mentioned cannabis is a sensitizer for many people and thus using it to cope with mental disturbances may not be wise, especially in the long run (see Marijuana Madness section below). If you are beginning to suspect you need to cut back or take a break from the herb, follow your instincts and do so. A large part of responsible and healthy cannabis use is self-regulating your dose and frequency of use. You may want to try Calamus root tea to help. Ayurvedic healers have used this medicinal root for millennia and it is very effective at purging THC from the body (King, The Cannabible, p.64). If you feel you need help taking that marijuana break, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has resources and programs for those who want to quit or cut back their cannabis use. Marijuana Madness There has been a recent surge in studies recently as to the connection between cannabis use and psychosis, schizophrenia, depression or other mental illnesses. While it is tempting to dismiss this as more drug war hysteria, there is near consensus that a correlation between cannabis use and mental illnesses such as depression does exist. Correlation should never be confused for causation however. An honest examination of these recent studies shows that while cannabis use is not a necessary or sufficient cause of psychiatric disorders, it can be a component. Other components include genetic predisposition or a traumatic childhood and cannabis use (with its associated lifestyle and subculture) could worsen symptoms in those already vulnerable to mental disorders. Heavy cannabis use has the potential to worsen coping skills, weaken familial and social support because of disapproval, cause anxiety and paranoia through legal problems (or fear of legal problems) and place one in a lifestyle non-conducive to stability. All of these factors can exacerbate latent or emerging psychiatric problems (for a more elaborate explanation of the cannabis link to mental disorders see Erowid). « Know Your Herb | Safety | Responsible Use » |
