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For my new years resolution I decided that I would cut back on the buds, weed, herb, ganja, (whatever your favorite phase insert here) to only on the weekends. To give you an idea of my background, Ive been a daily smoker for at least 8 or 9 years. I've been on every side of the equation of weed, consumer, dealer, runner, cook, and finally grower. However, after all of these years, experiences, friends made/lost, money earned and spent I find myself coming to a point where getting blazed all the time really is not the great time it once was. This doesn't mean I'm going to run out and start doing meth or coke, or some other drug all the time like I smoked weed. Infact far from it.
If you had asked my highschool self if I would have ever stopped smoking weed I know I would have said " Fuck no dude, why would I do that ?" Same question to my college self " Fuck no, or I'd have to get a real job." And lastly if you asked my 20yr old self living in Vancouver " Wait, what? there are people who dont smoke weed?" So to say that Ive loved my bud would be apt. The whole "pothead" scene has definitely had a huge role on my out look on life, but what makes a 8/9 year daily smoker decide, "Enough is enough, time to cut back."? Girlfriends? Nope had plenty of those that smoked weed and didn't. Parents? Nope haven't lived with parents for years and years. Health? Maybe a bit, gave myself pneumonia on 420(April 20th for you non-smokers) a few times. However, a lil lung butter and a few weeks of anti-biotics (HUGE fuckin pills) was never enough for me to say "ok time to cut back, way back". So what did it for me?
The future really, this year I'm 24. Have a girlfriend, I have a place and rent a few rooms to people. New job recently and I am making more legal money now then I have in the past, certainly enough to live on. And I am quite happy with the point I am at in my life right now. To be honest the worst thing I got going on is waking up burnt out from blazing and surfing TL till the wee-hours of the morning and having to go to work. After lots of bitching and grumpy mornings(i am a horrible morning person) Waking up burnt out means, every pothead who's woken up burnt out knows what I'm saying here, GL getting out of bed without assistance cause your lazy ass ain't doing it alone. Michelle(girlfriend) noticed that when I stayed over at her place for the night getting up was fine, which it was, because I didn't have a big bag and a bong sitting on my PC desk. I laughed it off at the time (sept... maybe oct) thinking ya ya getting high is my problem... But the thought stuck around, fucking chick she knows what to say, bouncing around and each morning in particular unconsciously agreeing with her as I struggle to get up!
Now were into dangerous territory, can something that I love to do really be negatively affecting me? Is my relationship with weed that has been so profitable really be shaping a negative future for myself and loved ones? These are some heavey questions be sure and under normal circumstances would require a circle session and debate. But I think that is where every pothead asking those questions of themselves goes horribly wrong. Of course your buddies who your sitting there smoking with are going to say "nah man that's not it dude. your just not a morning person is all, can't blame weed bro you don't have a crystal ball ya know?"(LOL i love my friends some times)
I am not arrogant enough to think that I have the "answer" for you. Or the exact method a person who is a daily smoker goes through to, come to the point I am, where they are cutting back heavily. That's up to you. Besides in my case it was someone else's observation that started the wheels going in my head. What I do know is that cutting back to only smoking weed on weekends has been REALLY REALLY tough. People who say weed isn't addictive haven't smoked it long enough or tried to quit/cut back. Certain activities make you think about getting high, hell for the first 2 weeks any time I saw a cigarette all I wanted was a joint. New years was a month ago, yes I miss getting off work and smoking a joint, yes I still love smoking weed. Do I want it to govern my future? Fuck no. So I'm going to keep going with the cut-backs, make sure to distract myself when I wanna get high(like right now LOL)
So thanks for reading this blog, the purpose of which was to keep my hands on the keyboard and off my bong! Thanks guys you fucking Rock! GL HF
 
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If I blaze late in the night I just end up passing out on my bed
Not sure how anyone can stay up high past like 2 AM
;_;
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I can definitely tell you as enjoyable as smoking weed is.. it gets old living your life in a constant burnt out haze.
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Good for you, buddy.
I have been a heavy pot smoker at some points in my life, and a lighter potsmoker at others, but ultimately I feel best where I am now: 100 percent drug free for over a year.
I realize you aren't giving up pot completely, but I think you'll see some positive change from your decision to cut back. For one, when you DO get high, it should be more enjoyable. But also your health will improve, and you may come to value the clear headedness of sobriety. You'll also likely save money.
One of the big obstacles, as you point out, is that you start to associate all kinds of things with pot. You think sex is better with pot, music is better with pot, food is better with pot, socializing is better with pot. But I really believe that being high is NOT better than being sober. In fact, for the most part, I think that it is better to be sober than to be high (I believe this so much that I simply don't smoke pot at all anymore, and I don't miss it). What happens is you have some great times while you are high, and you start to associate good times with weed, as if weed is the magic ingredient. But I believe that when you get high all the time, it loses that magical edge. It's really just a placebo for fun/pleasure/creativity/etc. It is empowering to realize that you can have incredible experiences while totally sober, while bettering your health and saving money.
I encourage drug users to learn how to cultivate enjoyment/pleasure/etc without the use of drugs, even if they continue to use drugs occasionally.
Anyhow, kudos to you man.
Nick / Inkmeister
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cool story man, really. im going through the same thing, just finishing month 2 now. i find it surprising actually, 1 year ago i felt truly addicted. i just needed to be high. but later on when i decided to just stop, i actually managed it without any relapse or regret. im not even hitting the alcohol hard as a replacement. im finishing my degree right now and hope to get a job again soon.
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Pot has no true physical withdrawal symptoms, so any difficulty in quitting is just one's compulsion to fill one's idle or unenjoyable time with being high. At college I smoke(d) 3-4 times a day on average, but I've managed abstaining for a 3 month trip to Japan and now a 2 month trip to China without any discomfort. And yeah I'm planning to smoke less when I get back, but I'm afraid I might have trouble just because the temptation is always there and a lot of schoolwork is excruciatingly boring. To get rid of the compulsion to smoke, the easiest way is probably motivation to do other activities for which you can't be high~. Sounds simple and it is, but if you're bored and you have the opportunity to get high, you often do. Resist that urge, find other things to do.
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Great to see this sort of post man, best of luck with your journey. Community is always here if advice is needed at any point along the way. Great read!
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I had same problem which is why I didnt smoke during semster, but now I have a job durign break that is randomly drug tested so I am waiting for semester to start so i can smoke again... siigh.
Also best of luck for you ! I think you made the right choice my man.
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yea i went through a time one summer when i smoked everyday wake n bake for like 2 weeks and near the end i didnt really feel any different except that very first bong rip in the morning. the rest of the day was just hazy and i lost track of time like totally and especially taking naps during the day i had to check what date it was like 5 times a day and i decided to stop.
after that i smoked like weekends more or less and felt it made my life much better. i guess it doesnt really get bad, it just gets boring and you dont get that high anymore and you realize its time to take it easy.
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On February 04 2011 15:43 MapleFractal wrote:
If you had asked my highschool self if I would have ever stopped smoking weed I know I would have said " Fuck no dude, why would I do that ?" Same question to my college self " Fuck no, or I'd have to get a real job." And lastly if you asked my 20yr old self living in Vancouver " Wait, what? there are people who dont smoke weed?
I'm still in that mind set.
Smoked for 4-5 years now, but because of a change in location (to SE asia as volunteer) I'm currently not able to safely purchase some.. (village talk is extreme here and there a few work related ppl who don't need to know)
So as I was kinda forced quitting the daily smoke I didn't have any huge need to buy some. The idea was still nice, but I didn't think the risk would be worth it.
So after a few months (living here since 6 months) i had the opportunity to travel and acquired some, obviously.. Next weeks were great, but when I ran out, I was thinking about it most of the time for around 1 week, then it settled down again.
In conclusion, I guess I'd say as long as you are keeping yourself kinda busy and outside of your usual daily stoner schedule (just without the weed), it isn't actually that hard. First weeks after stopping are obviously the hardest. Experience some new stuff (not talking about drugs ._. ) to get your mind off the usual thoughts. This was easy for me, as living in a different country/culture kinda forces you to.
Never really managed to keep smoking under control when i was still living my daily routine in germany..
good luck though, you will enjoy your weekend smokes so much more 
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Thank you guys, It's nice to know others are doing the same thing as me or are already long down the path. Only proving to myself the this is very possible. Your right keeping busy is the key, a busy mind keeps its thoughts away from the good shit. My house has not been this clean since I actually lived with my parents I think.... THATS CLEAN!!
Again Thanks for reading and support <3 the TL community.
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Haha I can totally relate. About a year ago I started a phase of my life where I was basically just screwing around and having fun. I was making great money working from home, and had access to plenty of *fantastic* quality weed from a variety of sources, delivered straight to my house. Absolutely fantastic shit.
There were a few months where I basically baked constantly. It was a blast in its own way, but eventually living in a continuous fog started to get old. I found myself getting a bit irritable when I wasn't high enough. At one point I was even acting as a runner, making deliveries to various friends, which in retrospect, was really kinda dangerous. I look back now and think "wow, a lot of what I did was really kinda dangerous, and I'm lucky that nothing bad happened." I would drive while stoned, smoke up with friends in the car, go shopping totally red-eyed, eat edibles in the movie theater, etc. It was a lot of fun, but eventually the whole wake'n bake, smoke again at noon, then again at 3, again at 6, etc etc etc, just got old. As carnivorous sheep said, you just sort of live in a continuous fog.
Anyway now I smoke rarely, once like every week or every other week, and only for recreation. It's a lot of fun, and something that I don't think I ever want to entirely abandon. At the end of the day, lots of things are simply more enjoyable when you're high.
And quitting is crazy easy. I went from smoking constantly to quitting cold turkey for travel. I had more trouble getting off coffee than I did with pot. I was a bit anxious like the first day or so, and for a few weeks I found myself thinking "Oh man, this (insert touristy activity) would be so much cooler if I was baked," but aside from that I got off it just fine.
Pot in moderation is awesome, and honestly I think a lot of uptight people would seriously benefit from it, lol.
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I quit smoking a little over 3 months ago. I was a pretty heavy smoker the last year. Before work, lunch break at work, on the way home frmo work, until i finally pass out, repeat. The first few days were a little irritating, but after that it was surprisingly easy. I still get the urge when my family or friends blaze up around me but nothing that a little self control can't handle. I started working out to take up some of my free time. The first few times I couldn't run a half a mile with out stopping, now I can run 5 miles at 10 min/mile pace pretty easily.
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Too many of these stories on the web, I mean everything in moderation or else weed will lose its magic. Once a high tolerance is acquired, the euphoria/rush from smoking is severely diminished and side effects WILL set in, including anxiety, paranoia, and temporary memory impairment.
Here's the cannabis addiction section on drugs-forum, there are tons of long-term users who have experienced the negative side of weed.
Quoting a few OPs on Drugs-Forum:
The problem is, SWIM's life currently revolves around burning a plant and inhaling the smoke. SWIM has been smoking heavily for a year now, and has tried to quit a few times, sometimes for several weeks, but always ends up coming back.
SWIM can put up with the main withdrawals as they usually fade after a week, but he also gets anhedonia that doesn't seem to go away... Like, nothing seems that enjoyable anymore, even after several weeks away.
SWIM is trying to save for a car, but he keeps spending his spare money on weed, life without weed is just so dull and grey and empty...
Anyone have experience with quitting weed, and enjoying a (somewhat) sober life afterwards?
SWIM has tried the main recreationals, tobacco, alcohol, E, crystal meth, but none have gripped him by the balls like weed has. It's ridiculous.
The toilet flushed and swim watched the last of swims weed going down…out of sight at last!
Swim was first introduced to weed 7 years ago and had been smoking it almost daily ever since. Swim done well at school and earned a good degree from university in spite of heavy cannabis usage and addiction however, unbeknownst to swim the cannabis was slowly destroying swims mind.
Swim became psychotic and was hospitalised for a short while, was put on heavy dosages of quetiapine and aripiprazole which swim takes to this day. Out of hospital swim continued to smoke blaming psychosis on other things….anything but the weed. Swims behaviour put enormous strain on family life and the anti psychotic medications made swim gain lots of weight. Swim also became very paranoid and anxious as a result of heavy cannabis usage yet in spite of all of this swim was still blaming other external events for swims problems.
Yesterday swim said goodbye to cannabis. Swim gained the strength from substance abuse meetings. Swim flushed the stash down the toilet; it was an exhilarating feeling to be honest!
Now swims meds are being reduced….at last.
Swim could handle the weed for 6 years very well but it will catch up with you eventually...
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+ Show Spoiler +On February 05 2011 04:12 ArbAttack wrote:Too many of these stories on the web, I mean everything in moderation or else weed will lose its magic. Once a high tolerance is acquired, the euphoria/rush from smoking is severely diminished and side effects WILL set in, including anxiety, paranoia, and temporary memory impairment. Here's the cannabis addiction section on drugs-forum, there are tons of long-term users who have experienced the negative side of weed. Quoting a few OPs on Drugs-Forum: Show nested quote +The problem is, SWIM's life currently revolves around burning a plant and inhaling the smoke. SWIM has been smoking heavily for a year now, and has tried to quit a few times, sometimes for several weeks, but always ends up coming back.
SWIM can put up with the main withdrawals as they usually fade after a week, but he also gets anhedonia that doesn't seem to go away... Like, nothing seems that enjoyable anymore, even after several weeks away.
SWIM is trying to save for a car, but he keeps spending his spare money on weed, life without weed is just so dull and grey and empty...
Anyone have experience with quitting weed, and enjoying a (somewhat) sober life afterwards?
SWIM has tried the main recreationals, tobacco, alcohol, E, crystal meth, but none have gripped him by the balls like weed has. It's ridiculous.
Show nested quote +The toilet flushed and swim watched the last of swims weed going down…out of sight at last!
Swim was first introduced to weed 7 years ago and had been smoking it almost daily ever since. Swim done well at school and earned a good degree from university in spite of heavy cannabis usage and addiction however, unbeknownst to swim the cannabis was slowly destroying swims mind.
Swim became psychotic and was hospitalised for a short while, was put on heavy dosages of quetiapine and aripiprazole which swim takes to this day. Out of hospital swim continued to smoke blaming psychosis on other things….anything but the weed. Swims behaviour put enormous strain on family life and the anti psychotic medications made swim gain lots of weight. Swim also became very paranoid and anxious as a result of heavy cannabis usage yet in spite of all of this swim was still blaming other external events for swims problems.
Yesterday swim said goodbye to cannabis. Swim gained the strength from substance abuse meetings. Swim flushed the stash down the toilet; it was an exhilarating feeling to be honest!
Now swims meds are being reduced….at last.
Swim could handle the weed for 6 years very well but it will catch up with you eventually...
you sound like a rehab pamphlet and my highschool teacher saying " drugs are bad M'kay"
I guess thanks for posting... useless and retarted pamphlet stories that have ZERO relevance to what I blogged or others responded about. Next time instead of wasting your breath saying "soo many of these stories QQ" just move on. K thanks.
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EPT
