ive been a stoner for over 20 years now. i dont smoke a ton quantity wise compared to many smokers, but ive been high most of the time on most days.
ive had a rough couple years and am still reeling from it. ive been a homebody and have been smoking weed from morning to night, something i havent done in years. i feel like to get over my anxiety and nagging health issues that quitting weed for an extended period might be a good idea
has anyone here quit after long term steady use? did you feel better/worse? any side effects or difficulties quitting?
whats the difference between weed free living and being a stoner? i cant even remember what a sober existence felt like lol
of course im not saying weed is bad, or that anyone else should quit weed, id just like to discuss and get peoples thoughts and experiences. thanks
When sober time passes more consistantly. I think when stoned theres more satisfaction in your present time but that will of course differ from person to person. Your reaction times will get faster and your memory will increase when not smoking. Health wise you go through a detox period where you will actually feel worse and lungs will hurt, youll cough more and maybe feel like you have a cold but after a few months that goes away, it depends of course on your method of consumption.
Can’t relate to your story Brother,but I can tell you my weird story,I recently(couple years)tasted weed,and,became very very very interested in how It grows.I very much like to get stoned as hell,but,It has never being something like what you mention.My experience Is kinda weird, Isn’t It?I am proud to have never tasted street and brick weed,my First joint was from my own grown plant,a CBD One too.
This got me addicted,to see and Watch It grow,many colours and shapes…I went from denying a hit to literally only smoke cannabis, without any tobacco,to do edibles(worst experience) and extracts with Ethanol.
Now I am Just addicted to Watch the plant grow
Being Sober Is my reality,but I really enjoy getting toasted and toasted with my close Friends,see a movie and laugh till I cry.I also don’t feel the Need for smoking continuosly,It doesn’t make me a non cannabis enthusiast,I Just am enjoying the “trip”.
Also,being High,depending on the High,got me seeing time rush,weird as fuck,like time was going very fast and I was moving a lot faster,almost drifting.When the effect was gone I realized just 25 minutes passed I was shocked.That strain Gorilla had me panicking ahahah
I’ll be the first to say I can be an asshole, but last time I quit for any decent length of time(3+days), I embodied asshole. Everything pissed me off, anything that went wrong, became catastrophic, and the panic attacks returned with avengence. Unless there are extenuating circumstances i have no intention of ever giving up cannabis again.
I smoked pretty much every day though my 20s and 30s. Not all day every day, but I always ended the evening with a few puffs to wind down.
Then I found myself in a relationship with someone who does not get high, and to be with her was an adventure worth quitting weed for. We were together 6.5 years. Not long after finding myself on my own again, my state went medical and I got my cultivation permit. I’m back to daily use since then.
My thoughts on quitting may not tell the story because I had a huge lifestyle change associated with it. I went from being a lazy stoner couch potato to helping run a horse breeding ranch. Was my weight loss because I no longer had the munchies, or because of all the physical labor? I may have missed some changes because I was exhausted at the end of the day and just wanted to crash - no need to chill and unwind.
I never remember my dreams. That was the case for me before when smoking, while sober, and back to smoking. Some people report changes in this.
I know quite a few people have experienced becoming a total lightweight after an extended break from weed. I smoke every day, but often not even a gram. I used to roll fat joints for myself but I can barely manage to smoke half of one now.
One of the other differences I noticed is not having to worry about “THE MAN”. I spent lots of time worrying about carrying/transporting weed and how to hide it. It was refreshing to walk into a concert and not worry about the security pat down! That may not be so relevant since it is legal to have on your person in many places now.
When I’ve taken breaks I always feel hyper sensitive to light and sound in a inescapably miserable way.
Every body annoys the shit out of me and I get what I call “situational claustrophobia” where I just wanna run screaming into a wide open space with no people.
After a few days/a week it levels out, but it’s a sucky transition. It’s also not as bad as I’m making it sound. It’s 100% do-able, and I’d say it’s generally good to do a week or two, once or twice a year.
I quit for 20 months after 20 years of smoking daily. The first few weeks are hard but it becomes much easier. You need to stay busy and find something else to fill your time. You can’t just quit and still sit around all day, you’ll need to find something else to do. Sleep was an issue for me for a while and ultimately why I came back to it, but I also felt good and felt I was a little more present and clear headed.
I occasionally quit for a week or two to travel to Utah, the first time I did that was after smoking like a chimney, daily wake and bake and then smoke until I crash out, for 25 years. I was sober: No ups, downs, nothing… just sober. I had a hard time falling asleep for 2-3 nights and wasn’t hungry for about the same amount of time, but other than that there were no negative effects… I was merely not stoned.
I’m 72 and have been smoking weed since I was 15. In that time, I have stopped smoking a number of times for different reasons, generally for extended periods of time. The longest was a three plus year hiatus about forty years ago. The most recent was about eight years ago, when my wife decided to stop drinking. Supporting her efforts was far more important to me than my getting high. After about two years I started smoking again. She was good with that. Haven’t had a straight day since.
The first few days are certainly the worst, but, as @breadwinner says, after a few days to a week it’s significantly easier. Mind you, it’s not as if I didn’t want to get high. I was, however, able to sublimate the urge without real ill affects. Totally doable. All you need is the won’t power. You know, “I won’t be getting high at the moment.” Will power comes up a bit later, when you will be getting high again. And honestly, it’s nice to be straight for a little bit, just not too long!
And as @CruJones so correctly states, find something to fill your time. That is so important, keeping your mind occupied.
thanks all. its really interesting how different peoples experiences are. i quit once in my 20s for some reason and my girlfriend at the time made me start smoking again because i was such an asshole
other times when ive had to stop for travelling etc it never bothered me. i slept fine and didnt notice any issues, probably due to being somewhere cool having fun
lately ive been (mostly) waiting until dark to smoke, and only having a couple puffs at a time. its crazy because two puffs held in for a few seconds get me just as high as 2 bowls would lol. im hoping by weaning a bit i wont have sleep problems etc
thanks for the input and id love to hear more peoples thoughts
I have been smoking since I was around 11 years old, homegrown flower. Then my state went med, I got that for the stuff I deal with. And have been smoking tough ever since. I have been smoking constant everyday since then. Hardly any tolerance breaks. Maybe three. I need it medically, really bad in my case. Constant stonage is a must. Otherwise I battle horrible ptsd. As well as a few other things. I can never see giving up smoking flower. I really never plan to either. Probably not much help. But, is it the fact that you smoke bud makes you a stoner? Idk. Labels are dull. I’m a medicated happy people.
I smoked pretty much daily, all day for many years from my teens into my thirties. A few short term stops here and there, a week or two at a time. I was definitely felt pretty amped up and irritable for the first couple days but “evened out” if you will. I stopped for a few years straight about 15-16 years ago but now smoke occasionally, maybe a couple times a week. It doesn’t take much to rock me.
My wife on the other hand smokes daily, pretty much all day, mostly for pain and inflamation. She has Mast Cell activation syndrome which led to Rheumatoid Arthritis. Has had multiple surgeries for her major joints, back and neck. For her, the love of this plant, the process and results, and relief i know it gives are the reasons I still grow. When she doesn’t smoke I’m sure her irritability is more from the pain than going without. She would opt for this over opioids any day.
I usually run out before each harvest, so I just use that as a reset to my tolerance. It’s allows me to approach each new strain with a clean palette. I could easily find it on the street but the prices are laughable these days. I really don’t notice a difference in my everyday life when I quit. I think I get more done because I’m not sitting around for an hour every other hour in the name of smoking one day I’ll get good enough at growing not to run out, but it kinda forces me and I feel it’s important to view life from multiple perspectives
@Cannabinoid my ideal would be smoking a couple times a week like that. the problem is when i do stop even for a week or so i get so fucking high from smoking that its uncomfortable. im glad that works for you, its having your cake and eating it too
@BlazeUno423 ya too much weed is a problem i never thought id have lol. i havent run out of weed in a long time. i did spend alot my life smoking roaches/crumbs. i think high tolerance can be a problem when you get used to smoking unlimited all the time
Jars? You should try the terplock bags. I am loving them.
I’ve quit smoking and it’s good I think to take a break if you want. Nothing wrong with living life on its own terms and making that the new normal again.
Ive had multiple breaks in my life. Most of them started when I was younger and would get in trouble for smoking with school, work, parents ect.
Eventually I’d be right back where I started and blazing daily.
Ive taken several other breaks for different reasons - new job searches or just to experiment. Mostly I get too introverted when I’m super baked and around people I don’t know so it wasn’t helping me socially.
Taking a break helped me come out of my shell a bit in my younger days and break up some of the monotony that was my life at the time because i became real habitual and stopped seeking out new adventures.
When I go from heavy smoker to taking a break I am more irritable and have trouble sleeping for the first week. I even notice my legs in particular sweat like a mofo the first week.
I also have vivid dreams, that often make no sense but scare the shit out of me. Like wake up panting with a clenched fist ready to throw down with the giant wild boar that t boned my car kinda dreams
Then it goes away and I sleep great. I’ve found like many others that replacing the habit with something else is best. A physical activity is great and helps me sleep better, and have a clear mind.
I’ve found like most things in life moderation is best, for me. I still smoke regularly but I haven’t been daily lately mostly because work is busy and kinda intense at times. I also enjoy getting way more ripped when I do smoke!
Im able to be a bit more organized and get stuff done so I can get absolutely blasted when the time is right!
For each there own but I think I’m in my best right now where I smoke when I want to, but I don’t feel like I’m out of control in any way.
one day I’ll get good enough at growing not to run out, but it kinda forces me and I feel it’s important to view life from multiple perspectives