Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with cannabis

With a little help from his friend

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:47:51 -0800

I'm trying to help a friend get a medical marijuana card in San Francisco, CA. Although I'm asking for a friend, some people at work know my username here, and I don't want to deal with the "knowing looks" thing, hence the anon.

My friend Jay has HIV. He's on a number of meds, some of which make him sick to his stomach, and some of which kill his appetite altogether. He's talked to his doctor about medical marijuana; his doctor has had him try Marinol, but it hasn't worked well for him - he needs to hit a sort of sweet spot when he's both psychologically and physically wanting/able to eat, and the Marinol doesn't seem to work like that for him. His doc is reluctant (for her own reasons, I think, licensing and such, not because she's opposed to it) to prescribe it for him, and Jay is a little weirded out anyway about how it would appear in his insurance records.

So, the question: how can he find a doctor who will write him a prescription/recommendation (I'm not entirely certain how the process works, exactly)? He's seen the ads on the backs of the free weeklies, but he's hesitant about going that route if he doesn't have to. If you have personal recommendations, those would be welcome. If you don't want to broadcast your knowledge to the world, or have questions, you can email anonymedsSF at gmail. Thank you all!

Help me find some new drugs

Anonymous — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:23:14 -0800

I use to self-medicate with marijuana for my social-anxiety and low-level depression...can that fact be used to direct me towards a specific antidepressant? Several years ago I was smoking pot very regularly - it was essentially a miracle drug for my semi-severe social anxiety. It would totally relax me around other people, even strangers, and allow me to speak, smile, and have an otherwise "normal" social life.

After a couple bad experiences, and several months of being alone and smoking by myself regularly, it completely turned on me and now I can't even smoke with my good friends without having a complete freakout of social paranoia...

I've been wondering...I have tried a number of SSRI's, with only very subtle improvements in my social anxiety and overall mood. I'm still searching for a better solution to supplement therapy. Is there any research on how cannabis acts on the brain, specifically with regards to anxiety and depression, which might point me towards a specific antidepressant to try?

Research or anecdotal information - any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

"Normal" level and frequency of use of cannabis?

feelinggood — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:39:27 -0800

Are there any accepted "frequency of use" or level of use statistics for cannabis/marijuana? I don't want to get into whether they are right or wrong, just are there any out there, and what are they?
More specifically, I'm thinking of cannabis smoked in a joint or cigarette.

I'm also wondering if there are any numbers attached to such possible terms as "casual use," "regular use," "high (!) use," etc.

So 2 parts; statistics on what people actually do, and recommendations on what constitutes safe or normal levels. Don't get too hung up on the words or categories.

I've had a couple of doctors (and I see it in print) that 2 drinks of alcohol a day for a total of 14 drinks a week constitutes "normal" alcohol use. Anything above that and as a rough guideline, you might have a problem. There's a standard definition of what constitutes a "drink", and a frequency. I understand that this is the conventional wisdom on the subject. I'm looking for something like that for cannabis.

What's the best way to store cannabis?

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:26:23 -0800

What's the best way to store cannabis for extended periods? I use a vaporizer, so my usage is very low: a gram can last a week of daily use. That said, for various reasons, my source is a fair distance away and I'd rather not have make the trek every month or so. I'd like to go 6 months between scoring. I've heard using mason jars are a good start, but haven't heard if it's good for as long as 6 months. Anyone out there done long term storage?

Cannabisfilter

freddymetz — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:37:30 -0800

Cannabisfilter (haha) How would cannabis affect my Nerves and is it even a neurotoxin? How dangerous is it really? The internet gives me very split opinions on it.. Im not talking about withdrawal effects, but mainly what it does to your body while its being smoked.

Is this pot?

chillmost — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 05:27:31 -0800

Hey man, is this plant what I think it is? I found it in the big planter right outside of our front door. I know there are other plants that look similar to cannabis, but I don't have a lot of experience with it in the, uh, pre-harvest stages. Pictures online are inconclusive. It is about a foot and a half tall and there are no buds on it as far as I can see (does this mean it is male?). It does have an odor but it is not a strong one which I would identify as cannabis.

Help me find a pipe online

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 20:32:58 -0800

Does anyone have any recommendations on where to buy herbal smoking pipes online? Advice on finding a piece for the adult professional in me? I realize there are a lot of web sites selling bongs and pipes online, but I am looking for specific recommendations. I am looking in paticular for a piece that is more Crate & Barrel and less Bonnaroo. Are there bongs or pipes for those who do not make smoking a party of their identity? Suggestions?

Help me compile the ultimate stoner playlist.

koenie — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 18:43:18 -0800

Help me compile the ultimate stoner playlist. I'm looking for songs that sound fabulous while under the influence, not for songs about weed.

Specific musical characteristics that seem to work well are:

Dreamy synthesizers and violins
- Air – Mike Mills
- Zero 7 – Give It Away
- Air – Another Day
- Lindstrom – I Feel Space
Mind-blowing guitar solos
- The White Stripes – Ball and Biscuit
- Queen – I Want It All
- Jimi Hendrix – Red House
Chilled, loungy tunes
- Thievery Corporation – Transcendence
- Leggo Beast – Version
- Nightmares on Wax – You Wish
- DJ Shadow – Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain
Gradual building of tension towards a climax
- Massive Attack – Group Four (last 4 minutes)
- Jefferson Airplane – White Rabbit
- The Beatles – Happiness Is a Warm Gun
- Air – Run
Ethereal female vocals
- Cat Power – Willie
- Portishead – It's a Fire

I would be great if you could embed a little sample of your suggestions! This can be accomplished easily by pasting the code in the last.fm embed this track box in your comment. Thanks a lot!

How willing are naturopaths in Canada to sign medical marijuana forms?

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:40:49 -0800

What are your experiences with getting a naturopath to sign a form stating that "cannabis may have therapeutic value for [me]" in order to apply for compassion club membership? I'm in Toronto, and am aware that the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors "supports the medicinal use of marijuana". Would most naturopaths be willing to accept the cost of a session to sign such a form? I'm not interested in regular naturopathic treatment or anything like that. Would "sleeping problems" and "appetite problems" for which I would "prefer a natural remedy" suffice?

More specific information can be sent (anonymous e-mails are fine) to ovlwolhbms@mailinator.com

#2 and the Pothead

Anonymous — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 08:51:57 -0800

4:20 Filter: Heavy doper; been one for decades. Every few months, I give my lungs a rest for a few weeks. Why is it so hard to take a dump while I'm clean? While smoking, I'm quite "regular" and moving my bowels is no trouble at all. But from a day or two after I quit, squeezing 'em out becomes a struggle. Only idea I have relates to the additional munchie food I'm packing away during (chocolate, nuts, cookies and ice cream).

Am I screwed?

Anonymous — Wed, 28 Dec 2005 21:03:55 -0800

Someone saw my pot. Am I headed off to jail? My partner and I just bought a quarter ounce of pot and I was grinding it up at the coffee table. Our food delivery comes and since the coffee table is well out of view from the door, I see no need to cover up what I'm doing. Probably not the smartest thing I've ever done. There's a huge mix up with our delivery order; we got another by mistake. Seems both we and the delivery person realized this at the same time. As my partner was on the phone with the delivery place, there's a knock at our door and it's the delivery person. My partner leaves the door slightly open and returns to the kitchen to get the wrongly delivered order. The delivery person apparently sees this as an invitation to follow my partner and walks into the apartment. I jumped up quickly and I think I may have hidden the pile of ground pot sitting on the table by standing in front of it, but I'm fairly certain I wasn't hiding the somewhat large bong, also sitting on the table. I'm pretty sure both were seen.

Supposing the delivery person called the police and reported the scene, what would happen? Would they even act on this tip? Besides the above mentioned quantity of pot and the bong, we have several pipes, rolling papers and a little rolling device in the apartment. I can't begin to describe how invaded I feel or how paranoid that this invasion might lead to ruining my life. I do no other drugs and am otherwise a very law abiding, stand-up citizen. What's the worst that can happen in this situation? If the police were to come knocking on my door, how should I respond? Do they have a right to enter my apartment without a warrant, or would they just go to the apartment's property owners and ask to be let in? Is there a general time frame in which the police would respond to something like this? In other words, when is it safe to stop worrying about this incident?

Why don't the Japanese get stoned?

Tlogmer — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 00:48:04 -0800

Why is the marijuana usage rate in Japan (0.05%) so much lower than anywhere else?

How can I get my mom to start smoking pot?

Anonymous — Sat, 25 Dec 2004 09:36:20 -0800

How can I get my mom to start smoking pot?

A few years ago my mother was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, a chronic and very painful disease. I've thought a number of times that marijuana would be able to help soothe her muscle pain. After researching it, I found a lot of people with fibro do smoke and it helps tremendously. She's rather religious and not really open to new ideas. She's very into herbal solutions, but I know she'd turn down this particular herbal solution because of the hype of anti-drug commercials and its legal status in the US. Is there any way I can approach the subject which may convince her to at least try it? I want my mom to feel somewhat normal again and I believe this may be able to positively change her life.

Quitting ALL smoking

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Dec 2004 09:21:26 -0800

Giving up smoking. I've been moderately successful in quitting tobacco. But I have a real problem with cannabis. Several times, I've quit the cigarettes for 6 months only to be scuppered when someone offers me a joint, and soon I'm back smoking cigarettes again. I've tried pipes of pure dope (not satisfying and too quick), I've tried eating it (great fun but needs to be done ~2hrs in advance), I've tried "herbal smoking mixtures" (taste like bonfires, don't burn well). But nothing comes close to that nicotine fuelled joint experience. So am I really going to have to turn down every joint for the rest of my life?

What are the negative effects of Cannabis

geoff. — Tue, 14 Sep 2004 19:22:51 -0800

Quite simply, what are the negative effects of cannabis? What are withdrawal effects from frequent use, possible health problems, etc. This sprung up from a discussion my friends and I were having and I can't find any reliable source (I'm sorry, I don't consider the government a reliable source on this issue, too many political issues). I'm paticularly interested in personal experiences, but as always more inside. I'll be honest, drugs have always fascinated me and I've done a lot of research on them (hisotry, use, effects). I've read Erowid, Lycaeum and countless government and institutional research on everything from cocaine to all the opiate derivatives. The one I can't figure out is marijauna and a recent debate with friends has whetted my appetite.

Basically, as I'm sure everyone is aware, there are two very differing views of marijuana. One side promotes it as safe as Tums to causing mental breakdown, anguish, being a loser. I'd really not like to get into a debate as to whether marijuana is morally good or bad, but does it hurt do it everyday?

With the disclaimer of a normally healthy individual, no preexisting mental problems, steady job, and who uses marijuana much as one would use a beer or gin at the end of a work day. I also realize there are inherent dangers with smoking plant material of any nature.

I could keep going on but I believe my question and point is clear. I know this is a touchy topic but I'm having a hard time figuring this out via google and such. And no, I'm not trying to figure out if a friend has a problem or anything, this is what it is, no hidden agenda.