What do you think about marijuana for recreational use in older ppl?

[Wabi Sabi]

And I'll just say... professionally, I'd say that between 20 and 50% of people I and my partner work with smoke weed at least once a month. Like, these are mid- to upper-level professionals, between 30 and 50. It is absolutely not taboo in this circle, so that probably affects my perception. After all, most of the pot users I know are upper-middle-class professionals.

 

 

This has been my experience as well. I don't personally know anyone whose life has been ruined by pot, but I do know an awful lot of small business owners, professors, social workers and other professionals who regularly smoke, not to mention quite a few homeschooling moms... 

[eternalsummer]

If I had a nickel every time I heard this type of bragging as the doctor is telling me to staple up someone's head, I would be ridiculously rich. As long as people keep this mentality, I keep my job. Although I am jaded by my work, everyone knows that statistically more accidents happen during intoxication. The stapling is the easy part. It is the ones who still have grandkids who come for Christmas we see with big head bleeds that are tragic. Since the OP was asking specifically about the over 50 crowd, I focused there. Do not get me started on the tragedy of the younger crowd.

 

We tend to think it is OK to do whatever within the confines of our own home. Even if one removes the individual, there still is some social responsibility not to be a burden on society if it can be helped. Elderly accidents are incredibly burdensome in regards to Medicare costs. Plus, rehabilitation and nursing home costs are greatly attributed to accidents.

 

But then you have to condemn the eating of cupcakes, because obesity is a much larger drain on society than accidents from intoxication.

 

I *like* cupcakes.

[Mergath]

This has been my experience as well. I don't personally know anyone whose life has been ruined by pot, but I do know an awful lot of small business owners, professors, social workers and other professionals who regularly smoke, not to mention quite a few homeschooling moms... 

 

If it was legal for recreational use here, I would much rather have a few bites of a pot brownie when I'm relaxing with my friends than drink. Wine gives me a headache lately. I guess that makes me a horrible person, but so be it. 

[Mergath]

But then you have to condemn the eating of cupcakes, because obesity is a much larger drain on society than accidents from intoxication.

 

I *like* cupcakes.

 

We might as well whip up a batch of cupcakes with marijuana in them. Then everyone can do their condemning all at once. ;)

[Denisemomof4]

You are correct. The pain killing / numbing substance can be extracted / separated from the part that causes the mellow feeling.

I would need to research more or see if research exists about long-term effects of this as I would do with all prescription drugs as well as naturopathic supplements.

Can you consult with a naturopath to see if something can be done about the side effects of your anxiolytic meds? Sometimes, we need immediate help to get to a better place quickly. Are you perhaps at this point and could use other products (naturopathic, herbal, etc.) that may have fewer side effects?

 

I actually weaned off my MEDS over a year ago, thankfully!

[Bluegoat]

I'm talking in your 50's and older. Using it like you would a glass of wine, and not in front of any kids.

 

I would think much teh same as I would about someone who uses alcohol primarily as a means to get tipsy.

 

The amounts would vary depending on the person, but to me the fundamental difference between alcohol and pot is that the former is food that can be used as a drug, and the latter is really just a recreational drug. (I might exclude hard liquor but essentially wine and cider are what you get when you preserve the juice of grapes or apples and beer is a way of using a barley harvest.) 

 

So - plenty of people drink alcoholic beverages where the goal is not really to get drunk or even tipsy.

 

As far as drinking or smoking something mainly to get a drugged chemical effect - it probably isn't the end of the world on occasion, plenty do it with no ill effects.  But I do think that line between doing it primarily for effect, and having it as more of a secondary issue, is one that can more often become a problem for people.  I suppose the main thing I think when I see adults who regularly drink wine to become silly is that they often seem a little immature.

[Bluegoat]

Although I am not against recreational use of some drugs, including alcohol, I do get disgusted and concerned, and sometimes alarmed at the *culture* that is around marijuana. Perpetuated by people who have developed into addiction, there exists great myth and misinformation, including but not limited to:

 

1. It's not addictive.
2. It's "natural".
3. It's beneficial.
4. The "anti-motivation syndrome does not exist."
5. "No one ever died from it."

The truth is that in a predisposed brain (just like any other mind altering drug), it does become an addiction, and not "just psychological." The truth is that wake-and-bakers do lose their drive, their future, their ambition. The truth is that here ARE withdrawal symptoms. Pot is not benign, and like any addiction can be wholly and completely devastating. The culture around defending the (over) use of it is weird, and scary and is directly responsible for many lost, unproductive lives.

 

One of the things that concerns me a little about the moves to legalization are the cultural aspects.  We've had medicinal use legal here for a while, and it isn't necessarily well or consistently controlled - a few doctors have brought up issues around things like dosages, too.  But I was reading about different trends in various provinces the other day and was surprised to see a very high number of young people in one province that had medicinal prescriptions - way more than could possible have real medical need.

 

Now, I think it is also concerning what the drinking culture looks like in a lot of places in the English speaking world, particularly among the young - there is such a focus on binge drinking in particular. 

 

I tend to favour decriminalization, but I am not sure that the way our cultural attitudes to drugs are moving at the moment are actually all that healthy, and I'm not inclined to think the way people are using pot isn't part of that.

 

All of which is to say nothing of the people who seem to want to convince us that pot is the panacea for every medical issue.

[Bluegoat]

Another thing I've noticed quite a lot of that concerbs me is people who smoke pot, recreationally or more often but still not in a really negative way, who are also taking anti-depressants. 

[Joanne]

We might as well whip up a batch of cupcakes with marijuana in them. Then everyone can do their condemning all at once. ;)

Only if they also have (non married) sex also.