Marijuana Madness
According to CBS News, “New findings on marijuana's damaging effect on the brain show the drug triggers temporary psychotic symptoms in some people, including hallucinations and paranoid delusions, doctors say.”
Here’s another story about pot that I’m filing under“dog bites man.”
Anybody who smokes dope knows that getting high can make you paranoid; heck, that’s part of the fun.
A couple hits of weed makes you notice things you normally don’t: like how bright the colors of the azaleas are, the transcendence of the prose in the book you’re reading, how magnificently intoxicating is the flavor of a strawberry. But along with that, you’re also made aware of those people across the room laughing about something that’s somehow probably associated with you, or the way the lyrics on the radio seem suspiciously pertinent to your own life, or how scary all those shoes in the closet can seem to be.
One of the most frightening experiences I ever had on dope was way back when, when I first made the acquaintance of my old friend Larry Livermore. The first evening we hung out together, he got me so wasted on a joint of some sort of Columbian something-or-other back when that meant something that I came to the conclusion he must certainly be a psycho-killer who was going to strangle me and leave me for dead in my attic apartment. (Or it could have been the leather jacket he was wearing.)
Fortunately, he was able to talk me down and we became quite close in the days that ensued. I’m pretty sure, though, that without that little bit of marijuana-induced psychosis on my part, our relationship wouldn’t have blossomed nearly so quickly. (Or perhaps withered so inevitably, but that likely had much more to do with other substances than cannabis.)
Point being: as the aforementioned study suggests, real schizophrenics probably shouldn’t smoke dope, but for people who might enjoy a little craziness in their lives, why not?
Here’s another story about pot that I’m filing under“dog bites man.”
Anybody who smokes dope knows that getting high can make you paranoid; heck, that’s part of the fun.
A couple hits of weed makes you notice things you normally don’t: like how bright the colors of the azaleas are, the transcendence of the prose in the book you’re reading, how magnificently intoxicating is the flavor of a strawberry. But along with that, you’re also made aware of those people across the room laughing about something that’s somehow probably associated with you, or the way the lyrics on the radio seem suspiciously pertinent to your own life, or how scary all those shoes in the closet can seem to be.
One of the most frightening experiences I ever had on dope was way back when, when I first made the acquaintance of my old friend Larry Livermore. The first evening we hung out together, he got me so wasted on a joint of some sort of Columbian something-or-other back when that meant something that I came to the conclusion he must certainly be a psycho-killer who was going to strangle me and leave me for dead in my attic apartment. (Or it could have been the leather jacket he was wearing.)
Fortunately, he was able to talk me down and we became quite close in the days that ensued. I’m pretty sure, though, that without that little bit of marijuana-induced psychosis on my part, our relationship wouldn’t have blossomed nearly so quickly. (Or perhaps withered so inevitably, but that likely had much more to do with other substances than cannabis.)
Point being: as the aforementioned study suggests, real schizophrenics probably shouldn’t smoke dope, but for people who might enjoy a little craziness in their lives, why not?
posted by Professor Dave at 10:03 PM
3 Comments:
The joint in question was not Colombian, it was a rather exotic variety known - I can't say how accurately - as Yucatan Gold.
The flaw I see in your reasoning here is that most people suffering from schizophrenia or other mental illnesses that might be exacerbated by marijuana are not generally capable of diagnosing themselves. And even if they were, could they be counted on to make rational decisions regarding their drug use?
1) Note that that the straightedge's memory is better than the stoner's.
2) I can't argue against your point; it's uncontestable that a common feature of being crazy is that you don't think you are.
including hallucinations?? I wish.
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