Marijuana: Do you do it?

Yes and no, Rules. In a general sense that could go for everything. Indeed, your body creates everything you need for state changes, cancelling pain, creating near-impossible surges of strength, inducing sleep, etc. The issue is the trigger.

I practice meditation and am frustrated that I can't think or meditate myself into the same state that drugs can induce. I can certainly get myself to a better state, a calmer or more serene state, a more positive state, but can't seem to induce a sudden euphoria on the level of drugs.

A "runner's high" is nice, but it takes a lot of work to release that amount of endorphins and it still doesn't feel the quite the same as say a high from narcotics.

Drugs are basically keys that open pad locks on your chemical releases and / or the receptors in your brain. The chemicals that cause the sensations are produced by the body, but without the right trigger, it's difficult to produce them "naturally" in the quantities or potency to produce the same level of high (or to open your neural receptors on such a level to receive those chemicals).

I had a friend who worked as a Correctional officer in the Washington State Penitentiary. That's the big house were they send the bad guys. He said if MJ was smuggled into prison the guards looked the other way as it mellowed out the inmates. BUT if the inmates got a hold of hard drugs or alcohol that caused a lot of problems with violence between the inmates.

I smoke it, because I hate people and have no patience for anything. I grew up in an environment where you had to be on and ready for anything, so my attitude and ego developed to accommodate that, I'm a big guy with an attitude to match, and I got sick of it.What would you rather deal with, someone who loses their cool in a second, and is in your face in half that, ready to get into it, or someone who's going to just act in a passive manner and tell you to go F yourself. It helps keep my "animal" side in check. Never once did I say everyone should smoke, or LETS ALL GET HIGH MAN, in fact I stated a few times I don't support a lot of people who use it. And I never ever said I haven't had to defend myself or finish issues while high. I stated I've never started any and never seen any started by someone who was high, because who f'n cares about petty **** like that when your mind is open. Tact, logic and understanding are far more useful tools than my fists. I don't need alcohol, I have a lot of testosterone and a short fuse, I have enough problems.

Don't think because I'm educated and in touch with myself that i'm some little bitch boy, because you would be sadly mistaken. Knowledge of self realized true mental freedom. Hate because you can't escape it, it's all cool man, peace bro.

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Yes, I agree Captain. I wasn't suggesting that a person on their own could achieve the same results. MJ and other substances 'amps' it up.

Mmhm, have you ever read into research chemicals and stuff? People playing chemist and creating substance used to just stimulate and antagonize, really fascinating stuff. They've even come out with synthesized THC pills which do the same thing as cannabinoids.

As I said, a feeling of peace & mellowness is the most common effect of MJ on the majority of people.

But there are some who will become aggressive via any drug that gives them a feeling of lowered inhibitions or euphoria. Some people already prone to violence may indeed feel mellowed by pot, some others may enhance their high by becoming even more violent.

It's like if you get a group of kids who get excited - they all start feeling euphoric. They naturally start running, jumping and screaming as their expressions of euphoria. But sometimes there will be one kid who, in addition to running, jumping and screaming, starts hitting the other kids. His euphoria is heightened by engaging in physical aggression. The excitement of violence becomes part of his natural high.

There are crime statistic correlations between violent crime and most drugs, including MJ.

Basically when people already willing to engage in crime are in an altered state or feeling less inhibited, then they are more likely to engage in crime - they may even take drugs, drink or smoke pot as an intentional precursor to lower their anxiety before committing a crime.

Stats are cloudy for many studies... For example, THC stays in the system for a month, so someone could have smoked and committed a crime days or weeks later.

Also, most countries smoke marihuana with tobacco, so the health statistics will be totally skewed. Even the physiology - tobacco is a stimulant..

I heard there was THC-less stuff, which I'd be interested in if it was dirty cheap, since I smoke for the smoking part, more than the buzz. After 2 puffs, I'm buzzed enough, but only continue to smoke because of that fixation.

When I was 18 and 19 I drank every night. I'm glad I wasn't old enough to go to bars, because it definitely lowers the inhibitions, and lengthens the tongue. Nowadays I can't drink at all - I'll also have trouble sleeping, headaches, overactive bladder, and generally just feeling lousy for at least a day, even after two beers, so I haven't had a sip in almost 2 years. I can't even remember the feeling.

You do like to bait, don't you, Sexy?

I don't much care for people and I lack patience(like right now), Is there something about that you can't grasp? I'm trying to eradicate the notion of being incarcerated lol. I prefer to not have a bad temperament which gets me into trouble, I don't see an issue with that?. And you're obviously getting the wrong idea from what I was saying, I didn't say anything about sensitivity and feelings, I said it gives me clarity and the freedom to know myself. That's not some touchy feely garbage, but I guess meditation would be in the same league than, as the main purpose of meditation is to attain a higher state of mind. Trollololololol

Hey, you're preaching to the choir, my friend.
I am a master baiter!

(And I will never pass up an opportunity to set myself up for and use that joke!)

Word brother, totally far out man.

The MJ violence correlation debate hearkens back to a thread on another site about the whole George Zimmerman case.

I'm not going to take a side or try to start a debate over that case here, but the argument was that Trayvon could not have thrown a punch (or subsequently tried to bash Zimmerman's head into the pavement) BECAUSE his autopsy revealed he's been smoking pot and THC makes you mellow and non-aggressive. Thus, Trayvon's marijuana drug usage was used to defend his innocence while incriminating Zimmerman as the aggressor.

The converse argument - pot can make a person less inhibited & paranoid. If Trayvon had indeed been scoping out apartments (which was the suspicious activity Zimmerman reported him for) while he was high and then noticed this guy watching and following him while on a cell phone, then paranoia could have quickly taken hold (and pot paranoia increases if you are indeed engaged in something suspicious). The pot-induced paranoia could have led to defensiveness & aggressiveness that caused Trayvon to attack Zimmerman.

Agreed, I've never initiated a fight, but I wouldn't/haven't backed down from one just because I was medicated. It's not like you becoming completely docile and a total pacifist. If someone is inclined to being a pacifist it's probably not because of the weed.

Back in college I had a group of friends into martial arts. Sometimes we'd smoke a joint before sparring. (Stupid, I know.)
Enhanced dopamine levels mixed with heightened adrenaline can be a volatile concoction.

Under the right circumstances, aggression can indeed increase after smoking pot.
Luckily, most of the sparring sessions would end up with the two combatants having knocked each other to the mat as they'd lay there, holding their bruises and laughing hysterically.

We'd smoke up when playing football, hockey, baseball and even sledding. I never really found it made me more aggressive, but I felt like it really helped my focus on the prize, probably because of the aforementioned dopamine levels. But it could be my perception, because football and hockey are usually rough, I might not have really noticed because I was already amped up, and had the juices flowing.

I once meditated and had the same euphoria as magic mushrooms.. It takes a lot of discipline, and nowadays I settle for a few deep breaths, especially at night, trying that until I sleep. You don't need a $49.95 mantra

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I think many creative people have a fondness for it TBH. I've said it before, and I'll still say it. Whatever creative process involves weed, you know writing and other art forms, will have its unique users. I'm not a scientist. I just think that there are people who are devoted and who use weed to enhance their craft. Many of them are probably Hollywood writers and even politicians.

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Koi Fish In My Pants