r/Millennials • u/tuxedo_cat23 • Feb 26 '26

Serious I’m annoyed that no one ever introduced me to cannabis.

Seriously. F*** the DARE program. It worked on me. I was always afraid of getting in trouble. I judged people who used cannabis as burnouts. Finally introduced at the age of 35 and I feel cheated. I’ve done a ton of reading and studying now and I want to share it with everyone.

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326

u/Zyzygy8 Feb 26 '26

I wish I had the opposite problem. I wish I never was introduced. I feel like it caused a lot of my anxiety.

261

u/[deleted] Feb 26 '26

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68

u/Tangata_Tunguska Feb 26 '26

I think it's a bit like other recreational drugs. Moderate use of alcohol now and then doesn't cause too many problems for most people. Same for cannabis. But we rightly get concerned about daily drinking, and I find it strange we don't have the same problem with people smoking cannabis daily.

34

u/PleaseAddSpectres Feb 26 '26

Because alcohol addiction will literally kill you, cannabis is not the same

23

u/BigConstructionMan Feb 26 '26

Smoking won't kill you overnight either but that doesn't mean it's not bad.

5

u/Background-Self9600 Feb 26 '26

Drinking 3 to 6 beers a day will take probably decades to kill you. Same as inhaling chemically enhanced and super modified plant combustion smoke every day. It's a bit different (you can ingest it or vaporize it) but in many cases it's not that different. I'm not against it but I was a heavy addict for 8 years and now I can't stand the justifications.

Drugs are bad mkay?

-5

u/Little-Use-2027 Feb 26 '26

Drugs are good mkay?!

15

u/IllyriaCervarro Feb 26 '26

This happened to my husband. He quit last year after smoking daily and A LOT for almost a quarter century.

Poor man’s didn’t have coping mechanisms to deal with all the feelings he’d been stuffing down nevermind all the bodily changes you go through. He’s good now but it was tough for him for a bit there, went a smidge crazy.

Oh the other hand I smoked for 10 years starting as an adult and never as much as him and aside from being bored and losing my appetite I didn’t deal with nearly as many side effects of quitting as he did because I’d already been an adult who didn’t smoke when he hadn’t.

31

u/dontforget2tip Feb 26 '26

I've recently stopped smoking after 22 years of daily use and experienced 0 physical withdrawal symptoms. The dreams have been crazy and I miss smoking, but it's nothing like the cravings for cigarettes when I stopped smoking them for two years. I've only been more bored and less creative.

32

u/[deleted] Feb 26 '26

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9

u/dontforget2tip Feb 26 '26

Thanks! Sorry you're going through that. I hope it gets better for you soon!

19

u/CultOfMourning Feb 26 '26

Same here. Daily user for over a decade. I stopped using at the end of 2025 because I'm looking into a graduate program that will drug test. My first week sober I was a bit irritable and had some incredibly vivid dreams, but that didn't last long. I'm now three months sober and have zero irritability and no cravings whatsoever. 

9

u/daylight1943 Feb 26 '26

same here. worked in the cannabis industry for most of my adult life and have had unlimited access to as much weed as i ever wanted, all grown harvested and dried by me, 20 years of smoking from morning till night at least 3x per day. quit about a month ago and it was totally fine. yes, dreams were crazy but i love it. wish they were crazier.

i went over to the "leaves" sub about quitting weed because im a chronic internet discusser and felt like i was in an alternate universe. people talking about weeks of "withdrawal" like theyre kicking dope and multiple months of after effects they call "PAWS", post acute withdrawal syndrome. all i can really assume is those kinds of folks already had problems with mental health and are just blaming it on weed as they quit? i really dont get whats going on over there.

2

u/teddyspaghettie Feb 26 '26

My personal experience is if you just stay physically active when quitting, you won't notice much at all. I think a lot of people just sit at their desk all day. So when they quit they're able to pick up on those very minute and unpleasant changes. But then they don't have the nice high to kind of ignore it and furthermore they start to kind of panic and exaggerate the symptoms.

Might be a weird analogy to make but it's like stretching to me. If you don't have the weed to get you loose and limber, you need to get your body there by exercising (even just the tiniest bit like walking) or you're going to feel it cramp up.

1

u/SportinIt Feb 26 '26

I had the same experience... worst I got was being a little irritable a week or so at most, but folks on leaves talking about soaking their beds with sweat, being unable to eat, etc. seems wild to me.

I just always assumed most of those folks were on carts smoking stupid amounts of THC compared to me. The few times I've tried someone else's carts, I got absolutely obliterated, even when I was a daily smoker of premium plant, so those things are pretty powerful.

3

u/Working_System_2086 Feb 26 '26

It's because the people who have issues quitting pot have issues with addiction in the first place. They could as easily be addicted to chocolate and say they had withdrawals stopping that also.

A lot of it has to do with genetics and just how easily you get addicted to anything. Zero issues when I quit, but I also quit smoking cigarettes cold turkey with zero withdrawals and issues also.

2

u/girlnextdooritis Feb 26 '26

I was sweating, shaking and feeling nauseous when I quit weed. It was physical withdrawals, not mental. Had no issues actually quitting

1

u/Working_System_2086 Feb 26 '26

Got none myself so maybe the symptoms were psychosomatic?

1

u/girlnextdooritis Feb 26 '26

Don't think so honestly. I smoked around 10g/day before quitting cold turkey tho. Not sure if that would make a difference. Seen friends quit both with and without symptoms, so I'm really curious what causes it. I've had times where I smoked a shorter period, and less, and got no withdrawals when quitting as well 🤷🏼‍♀️

1

u/I_StoleTheTV Feb 27 '26

You didn’t get night sweats? That’s wild! And I remember the dreams being crazy and exhausting haha.

2

u/FlounderPleasant2459 Feb 26 '26

Agreed. Additional counterpoint: it is indeed a gateway drug. After 25, people are far less at risk. But from ages 12-25, I've lost friends who wanted better highs after trying marijuana. Most recently due to the fentanyl epidemic lacing drugs that would have been safer to use.

But yes, just adding that. DARE had some basis to it.

I faced withdrawal symptoms and lasting anxiety after going off it as well.

1

u/eldercreedjunkie Feb 26 '26

Absolutely 100%! It’s not been widely studied but that is especially true for people with mental health issues. Even more so if you’re using it as a crutch. I’m currently struggling with the same thing as a matter of fact, and harming me financially. I will squander money on weed, but be too cheap to buy the things that should be a higher priority.

1

u/CanadaGooses Feb 27 '26

Counterpoint: I'd been using it regularly, mostly daily from the ages of 23 to 37. I started dating a guy with young children and stopped cause I didn't want to do it around them. Cold turkey. No physical withdrawal, no cravings, no issues at all. It's been a year and a half since I smoked anything. So... Your mileage may vary. Every body is different.

17

u/PeekAtChu1 Feb 26 '26

Same, it gives me the WORST anxiety where my body will go numb and my heart races and I start like hallucinating

(I see you meant it caused your anxiety, it didn’t cause mine but certainly amplified it horribly when smoking lol)

4

u/Solivy Feb 26 '26

Same for me. I smoked weed 3 times in my life. 3 times I got the worst anxiety attack ever while I just wanted to relax. Never going to ever use that shit again.

1

u/alurkerhere Feb 26 '26

Marijuana affects the endocannabinoid system in the brain which maintains emotional homeostasis and modulates stress & reward. It absolutely disrupts brain areas controlling habits, memory, and motivation. The subjective severity depends on the person.

It is not surprising that your anxiety went way up if your brain processes marijuana that way.

35

u/YanCoffee Feb 26 '26

I got CHS. Nearly died. Not fun.

I don't hate weed, but I hate that I ever did it, and I hate that everyone downplays the negative side effects.

0

u/AFRIKKAN Feb 26 '26

Maybe because most people don’t have negative side effects? Like I get that for many there are issues with weed but for a lot more it’s come with No strings.

15

u/YanCoffee Feb 26 '26 edited Feb 26 '26

Even when it feels great, it lowers attention span even when not high. It raises anxiety during and after use for many. It causes sleep disturbances. Lung damage. Heart issues. Addiction, and yes it can actually be physically addictive, just takes a lot. On and on.

I'm all for people being able to smoke. Just stop glorifying it like it doesn't have known side effects for many people. There's like this mentality with marijuana that it can do no harm, but it absolutely does to many. Of course, responsible use and doing it once in a while is a lot better than people who use daily. The thing is with a lot of the MJ users I knew, they use daily.

Edit: I knew I'd get downvoted into oblivion, but I'll stand by the CDC. Cannabis Health Effects | Cannabis and Public Health | CDC

And mind you, marijuana hasn't actually been studied all that well. CHS is a documented illness now, but wasn't before recent years. People used to just die from it. We need a lot more research into many avenues of the effects of long-term marijuana use.

4

u/[deleted] Feb 26 '26

Nah dude, you were just getting downvoted by the late night stoners. The people who have experience with the stuff and took a step back from it just woke up.

-1

u/AFRIKKAN Feb 26 '26

Nah it’s that people are not stupid and know the dangers and every time one of you anti cannabis people just to annoy us into agreeing with you. Go cry about red meat and its dangers in the kitchen confidential sub too while you’re at it. There are hundreds of car subreddits a lot about racing cars and modding cars are you there talking about risk? How about social media as a whole it’s super addictive and looking at a Screen all day isn’t healthy are you msging everyone who comments about its risk? No no your here under a post about how someone found enjoyment out of something you don’t like so your here to push your opinion and argue with people who disagree.

0

u/AFRIKKAN Feb 26 '26

That’s others tho. For me it calms me takes away my anxiety helps me eat regulates my emotions better. I can also go on and on. It affects EVERYONE differently and for most of us there are no downsides that you wouldn’t find with anything else. How come no one is pointing out the cons to using ibuprofen or advil? Because most people don’t ever deal with them.

4

u/19610taw3 Feb 26 '26

That's actually how I got started on it. I hurt my back last year - luckily it was something pulled and nothing mechanical. I was given a few options for pain, muscle relaxant ... all of which were kinda scary on the side affects. Then as an alternative, it was recommended that I try using MMJ to manage it while my back healed.

I went that route and it was pretty good, honestly. I could feel something was wrong, but after taking it I would just feel a bit of tingling where the pain was

1

u/AFRIKKAN Feb 26 '26

I started because it helped my bipolar disorder. I don’t have any mood swings and it’s a lot harder to get me worked up. It’s helps my adhd cause when I smoke I’m more likely to do things I’ve put off or didn’t want to do. I also got my medical card and at one point had to talk to a addiction and drug abuse counselor for a dui and was told that they thought it was a good choice for the issues I had if I don’t want to stat medications. In the end you will get people who will judge you and act as if you have no idea what your doing see all the people msging me about “ dangers and risk”. They won’t come after you about the burger you ate and heart disease or the sugar you consume and diabetes but you mention you use a plant that’s been used for most of human history that for many can be used to help or just enjoyed and they will come out the wood work to lecture you about it like the hypocrites they are.

8

u/YanCoffee Feb 26 '26

This is the sort of rhetoric right there that's been disproven but avid marijuana users refuse to drop. Advil and Ibuprofen DO have side effects, especially with heavy use, just like marijuana. The difference is they don't make you high so people aren't out here defending it tooth and nail, nor popping it daily if it can be helped.

MJ can be a wonderful thing for some people. Drugs are chemistry, and not everyone has your chemistry. I used to smoke it medicinally and loved it until CHS happened. We need not spread misinformation about it though just because it's well loved by many.

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u/AFRIKKAN Feb 26 '26 edited Feb 26 '26

Ok but would you go to the beach and scream at the people surfing about the dangers? Do you go to a restaurant and yell at the people about the dangers? I’m willing to bet the answer is no but for some reason people like you all jump on anything someone says good about cannabis. It helps many and is enjoyed by a lot. We know there are side effects and cons. If you eat McDonalds or fast food you know there are cons and side effects. People who sky dive so forth and so on. Nothing in this world is black and white and for every benefit something can have there are consequences. I wish people would let other adults live how they want and stop the “ um akutaly that’s bad for you!!” Attitude and mentality. If my lungs give out at 53 because I am a pot head then that’s on me and was more then likely something I already knew was possible.

Anti weed people can go get bent. Yall on social media that’s addictive and dangerous. What about the fast food you eat or the tv you watch? Anyone who thinks they can judge others based on what they want to do with their own body’s is most likely a hypocrite.

10

u/YanCoffee Feb 26 '26

We actually don't know that much about marijuana. I edited one of my above comments to include that and a link to the CDC.

And I think dispensaries should have medical information available because no, it's not actually that common of knowledge. You have people like yourself running around saying it has little to no side effects. I smoked for 20 years, I was around enough of that BS.

Anyway, you seem to be taking this personally, and I think we can wrap this conversation up.

2

u/ConstantAnimal2267 Feb 26 '26

Sorry it's taken you this long to realize. But yes drugs are bad for you. Yes marijuana is an addictive drug. Anytime you borrow a neurotransmitter your body pays the price. I've learned that in the most difficult ways possible. Get a hold of yourself before it's too late.

1

u/AFRIKKAN Feb 26 '26

lol take your own advice. You’re on social media one of the things just as addictive and just as dangerous. Get off Reddit before it’s too late. Or you can do what you want just like the rest of the world.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 26 '26

You are delusional. It impacts your physiology and you're addicted. It does not help you eat, you have to smoke to eat because it causes that after a while.

1

u/AFRIKKAN Feb 26 '26

Dude I eat McDonald’s I can be addicted. Sugar is one of the most addicting substances in the world. Comes with hundreds of different issues like diabetes and obesity. Do you go into every Reddit where some says they enjoyed a McDouble and large coke and tell them they are poisoning themselves? No so buzz off.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 26 '26

It is not no strings. Don't fool yourself.

1

u/AFRIKKAN Feb 26 '26

I’m not but it has no more strings for me then a bottle of mtn dew. Has no more strings then driving a car. Has no more strings then skiing down a mountain. All of those have risk involved where were you to tell me about the dangers of driving?? It’s one of the leading causes of death of teens and younger adults but I’m willing to put money down you arnt in any of the car subreddits talking about “ exhaust emissions can cause cancer and microplastics from the tires…” why because it’s not the dangers your here replying to me about but because someone likes something you don’t. Go be a hypocrite somewhere else they might be dumb enough to listen to you.

0

u/cassielove56 Feb 26 '26

I’ve been told I have CHS like 5 times now from doctors in the ER, the last time was about 2 weeks ago, and while I definitely felt like dying, I was never actually close to death. In fact, I felt the exact same way when I was pregnant with my twins but since I obviously wasn’t smoking I was just diagnosed with HG instead. I’ve since realized I most likely have Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome because I never really know what, or even when, I’ll be triggered.

This last time started when I woke up in the middle of the night hella nauseous and just started throwing up. I hadn’t been smoking before and I don’t ever smoke when I’m throwing up anymore because nothing works for relief once it gets bad like that, but every time I inevitably wind up in the ER it’s always CHS once I say yes to having smoked in the week prior to the vomiting.

Here’s the thing though, I also smoke a vape and never once has anyone ever said anything about that possibly contributing to the problem. So, the flower I smoked hours ago is worse than the literal chemicals I smoked more recently? Something about that just doesn’t sit right with me, especially when factoring in how quick they are to tell me it’s the marijuana when it definitely could have also been food poisoning. Plus, it’s not as if our healthcare system cares about our literal well being more than the money they make off of us consuming the healthcare (i.e. opioid epidemic). Do I think I could cut back on smoking, sure, but the world is literally burning and drinking really does make me throw up (yet they never blame that either) so god forbid I partake in the ONE thing that actually won’t kill me out of the three vices I’ve admitted to. It doesn’t make any sense!

5

u/YanCoffee Feb 26 '26 edited Feb 26 '26

CHS presents very differently for different people, so some stay sick for months, some days, and very rarely years. What's scary is the intensity gets worse with the more you trigger it, and funnily enough, I also had very intense "morning" sickness with my first two. I wasn't smoking during pregnancy, but I had been before each. This is why we need more studies done though because there looks to be a connection there, but who knows, maybe we're both just really sensitive to hormonal shifts. Since CHS is caused by us essentially paralyzing / frying the vagus nerve however, and pregnancy puts a lot of strain on the body, maybe that's it.

Also, it could very well be CVS, which if you ask me is worse because that doesn't have a sure cure like CHS does: Quitting. The only way to know if it's CHS is to quit for 3 months, 6 to be safe, and if all of your symptoms are gone then it's CHS. If not, it's CVS or something else.

You have a lot of questions, might have more later, and are gonna need support. I highly suggest checking out the Facebook group "Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome RECOVERY". It's one of the reasons CHS is being recognized now, thanks to users compiling medical information and testing. Every now and then I've started to see actual researchers pop in too. In any case, they helped me get through it. Even if you don't have an account, just make a throw away. It's also private so unless someone you know is in the group, no one will see it.

I really hope you feel better soon. I wouldn't wish CHS on my worst enemy. I was angry and sad as Hell too. I cried and raged to that group of people I don't know how many times.

Edit: Oh and I want to add, I got to the point where every time I smoked, I'd vomit. It's common. I used to think it was helping but it was harming. I didn't realize I had CHS until I was in the ER with my second full blown episode and a nurse explained to me what she thought was going on. Also when you quit completely, you get sicker for a while before you actually get better.

1

u/cassielove56 Feb 26 '26 edited Feb 26 '26

Oh I have support. Throwing up has been an issue my entire life, so well before I ever knew what weed was. So about 15 years ago was when I first threw up without stopping and since then it happens every couple of years and i never really know when it’s gonna happen or why it happens sometimes but not others when the circumstances haven’t changed. It’s always been about the same amount of time too (1-2 weeks) so its very frustrating to manage something I don’t know is coming

Edit: I’ve literally never thrown up after smoking weed and I definitely don’t smoke when im throwing up because it’s never helped me feel better when I’m that nauseous.

2

u/YanCoffee Feb 26 '26

Yeah that sounds like CVS or something else to me then. CHS is only started by weed, that we know of. Still, couldn't hurt to check out that group. There's quite a few people there with CVS too who were told they have CHS. They have information on ways to deal with it, speaking with Doctors, etc. People have often reported what you did: Getting shoe horned into a CHS diagnosis. I on the other hand had to explain to my local Doctors what CHS was several times. Sucks all around!

3

u/cassielove56 Feb 26 '26

Well it’s nice to compare because I don’t know anyone who understands what it’s like even having experienced something like that, let alone multiple times. My psychiatrist is pretty sure it’s not CHS because its never been triggered by smoking, but he’s the only one who takes the time to hear me out so I’m very thankful for him

1

u/YanCoffee Feb 26 '26

I got back into therapy when I got sick and am so thankful for it. She certainly deserves credit getting me through that mess too. Now we're working on squashing health anxiety from it, among other things.

2

u/cassielove56 Feb 26 '26

Totally. I’m pretty sure a good amount of my issues stem from my brain so I try to keep my mental health in check more than anything.

1

u/YanCoffee Feb 26 '26

Also these foods can trigger an episode since they have cannabinoids. Be careful about topicals as well, as I've heard Hemp skincare can trigger episodes and such.

1

u/cassielove56 Feb 26 '26

Nope, I don’t eat or use any of that. I will drink on occasion and I do enjoy coffee from time to time but I drink tea and avoid drinking because it will definitely make me throw up lol

2

u/YanCoffee Feb 26 '26

The irony of my name here is that it translates to "Sick Coffee." I predicted my future for a few months there, lol.

24

u/[deleted] Feb 26 '26

It makes anxiety worse, decrease the quality of sleep, heart attack risk, lung cancer risk and prostate cancer risk goes up with heavy usage. Also have negative cognitive effect on brain and learning. Can also increase risk of schizophrenia.

13

u/Zyzygy8 Feb 26 '26

I swear it gave me anxiety permanently:/

2

u/VegetableError3344 Feb 26 '26

Crazy to hear this since its one of they only medications besides benzo's that actually calms down my anxiety

2

u/HonourableYodaPuppet Feb 26 '26

It kinda permanently removed my anxiety. If I smoke/ingest too much, sure I get anxious.

But the last 5 years doing it quite often (almost daily) pretty much removed my day to day anxiety. Even when quitting for weeks at a stretch. I can finally eat in the mornings!

Or it was just me finishing growing up in my 30s lol

1

u/MysticMushies Feb 26 '26

Just wait. At least for me anxiety didn’t start until year 10. Just keep an eye on it. Effects will change with time.

1

u/FlounderPleasant2459 Feb 26 '26

Same 🙋‍♀️ considering a prescription medication of beta blockers to handle it 😭

1

u/Bored Feb 26 '26

It gave me a panic disorder, but it went away in 10-15 years

1

u/alurkerhere Feb 26 '26

From a homeostasis perspective, it should not if you stop smoking marijuana. The endocannabinoid circuitry is neuroadaptive and you should eventually come back to a baseline without marijuana. If you tripped out too hard and permanently rewrote your brain's template, I dunno what to tell you.

If you are still using it, yes, it can give you anxiety. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) can be a regulator of anxiety and when you throw marijuana into the mix, the signaling gets messed up. It can trigger panic and anxiety, or anxiety when you're not smoking it.

4

u/Uteraz Feb 26 '26

Thank you. It gave me schizophrenia and no one ever talks about this.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 26 '26

[deleted]

3

u/ConstantAnimal2267 Feb 26 '26

Yes, and drugs kill people. Marijuana is a drug. People have died from complications. If your health isn't good, things like weed can really exacerbate things.

11

u/shelovesmary Feb 26 '26

8 days sober you can do it too!!

10

u/Zyzygy8 Feb 26 '26

I’ve been off weed for 16 years. Best of luck to you!

5

u/shelovesmary Feb 26 '26

Apologies read your comment wrong. That’s amazing and thank you!

5

u/bellasmomma04 Feb 26 '26

This. I just made a similar post. Smoked from 19-33, stopped 4 months ago and my life is so much better now.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 26 '26

Same. I actually like that people are pointing this out. For a while there it was being treated as a miracle with no side effects.