I’ve been inspired to write this post from a question: “Why are there hospitalizations from marijuana use?” It made me think about that question seriously. As long as I’ve been smoking (7 years) and growing (3 years), I have not ever come across someone who has been hospitalized for smoking marijuana. However, I have read the articles from various sources claiming hospital visits for marijuana use. The main theme in all of these articles comes down to someone who is simply not ready to get high, usually first-time users.
Let’s get this fact out of the way
No one has ever died from marijuana use. 5000+ years of recorded history and not one recorded death. I’m not saying there aren’t any deaths. I’m just noting that in 5,000+ years, there haven’t been any recorded. You would think that in 5000+ years of recorded history, at least ONE person could have died from marijuana use alone. Once again, no one saying it hasn’t happened. Then again, do your research and you’ll know exactly why it shouldn’t, couldn’t and wouldn’t happen.
We all know there are different kinds of marijuana, all with different levels of potency broken down into three. You have your Mexican schwag which floods the US. It’s cheap and easy to get. The THC level of this stuff is somewhere around 5%. Then, you have your mid-grade. You can’t really say what’s mid-grade until you look at it but the THC level here is around 5-15%. Then you have the kind, or high quality stuff. The THC is 15% and up, but usually tops out at around 20%.
There is no such thing as “super bud”.
Don’t believe the hype when police say they’ve found marijuana with THC at 50% and sometimes more. It doesn’t exist. Don’t sweat the seed dealers when they claim they have stuff that produces at that rate [New Marijuana Growers Beware]. The police and these seed dealers that overstate THC levels are just preying on the ignorance of individuals. Police want you to think there’s some “super bud” out there to scare you and the seed dealers want you to buy that “super bud”. It’s a twisted symbiotic relationship.
The main reason most people end up in the hospital is because they simply aren’t ready. Sure, many users know to expect certain feelings, even first timers. But, it’s one thing to have an expectation while it’s another to not know what exactly to expect.
And, this is where paranoia and anxiety show their ugly heads. You expect an altered mental state but you don’t know how altered nor how intense. No one told you about your heart feeling like it’s going to beat out of your chest. You can’t remember what you were just talking about. It was funny in the movies but you’re really not used to it. You hear a noise outside and remember, you’re doing something illegal; is that the cops? mom? the kids? nosy neighbors? You don’t want to get caught like this! Now you want to regain some control but can’t – you’ve just hit the panic button on yourself. This is where most people end up in the hospital.
What’s a hospital going to do for you?
I always wondered what doctors will do for you once you go to the hospital for marijuana use. Simply put, their advice will always be to just let the high take its course. While the nurses and doctors monitor you, they’ll be laughing at you as well. Guess what? There is no treatment for marijuana use. You think the doctors are going to put you on some magical pill that will make the high go away? Yeah, they do. It’s called the bill. That will induce sobriety within seconds. We, potheads, call it “buzz kill”!
Here is a list of potential effects of marijuana use:
- Dry mouth
Also known as cotton mouth; drink lots of water - Decreased coordination
You might stumble, knock stuff over; just relax, take it slow, don’t drive - Increased heart rate
Your heart may feel like it’s beating out of your chest; calm down, deep breaths - Increased appetite
Also known as hunger; eat something; try not to raid the fridge - Hallucinations
Depends on what and how much you use. Smoke enough of a strong sativa, you will experience hallucinations, some mild [Best marijuana I’ve ever had!] and some intense [New Suppliers & Pink Bunnies]. - Sleepiness/Sedation
Yes, you do become relaxed. Depends on what and how much you use. Indicas will put you right to sleep. [Marijuana Strains and Potency; Indica vs Sativa] - Altered libido
There is a chance you will get horny. It depends what you’re smoking as not all strains are the same. And, sex is better on marijuana but not so much that you have to be high to enjoy it. If I had to apply a number, I’d say 20% better. - Worsened short-term memory
Yes, you will forget what you were just going to say; just let it go and move on, you will NOT remember. - Altered time perception
Time may fly by quickly or slowly, depends on your mood - Anxiety, confusion, paranoia, and panic
This is not because of marijuana. It’s natural to have these feelings because you’re stepping into the unknown for the first time. Maybe, it’s your first time using marijuana or your first time being that high. It’ll happen. Just ride out the high and you’ll be fine. What are you going to do – go to the hospital?
- Comfortable Environment
Make sure that if it’s your first time, you are around truly trusted friends/family. An environment where there are too many unknowns – people, places, things – will cause paranoia to go into overdrive. Over time, this will loosen up and if you’re smoking for years like me, you’ll do so in public eventually. - Start slow
The good thing about marijuana is that it’s scalable meaning the more you take the higher you get. Conversely, the less you take the less chances you have of getting too high. Take your time. You don’t have to hang with the big boys. - Relax, Breathe, Focus
You will feel a lot of different sensations. That is supposed to happen. Let it happen by taking deep breaths, close your eyes to shut out other stimulation, and relax. You smoked marijuana to see what it feels like. Well… don’t sweat it. It will all go away when the high wears off. - Don’t hold it in
A lot of times your friends will tell you to hold it in. Don’t hold smoke in your lungs for more than 5 seconds. I can’t quote exactly why but it has something to do with the air exchange in the lungs. It happens. - No large pulls
This is another case of bad friend advice that usually goes along with “Dude, you gotta hold it in!” Sometimes you see people take a huge pull from a bong or a joint. The idea behind that is if they fill their lungs with smoke, it will absorb more smoke. That is partially true but there is an unintended consequence. Think about it. You’ve filled your lungs with smoke – little to no oxygen whatsoever. That’s suffocation. This issue may have to be another blog post.
