Would You Give Up Booze For A Bud?

Wed Feb 13, 2013 7:51 am » by **Malogg**

Would You Give Up Booze For A Bud?

I talked to a lot of older cannabis users when I researched my novel, Betty's (Little Basement Garden). The average age of those who puffed or ingested cannabis was about 55 years old and while most of them were imbibing for medicinal purposes, there was a good percentage that enjoyed cannabis purely for recreational purposes. In fact, some of them liked it so much, they made a conscious choice to give up alcohol entirely in favor of the herb.

I found that idea quite curious and talked at length with those who made this unique lifestyle change. I wanted to know what compelled them to make their decision and each of them had a different reason. Several of the people told me that cannabis had been their "exit drug" (i.e., they used the herb to wean themselves off sleep aids, anti-depressants and, yes, booze.) One 58-year-old Conservative woman commented that she'd tried to quit both sleep aids and her nightly two glasses of red wine cold turkey but then suffered two "excruciating" nights of sleeplessness. After eating half a cannabis cookie her daughter made for her, she slept like a rock and woke up refreshed without the usual hangover and drugged feeling. She told me from that night onward, she decided that cannabis was more enjoyable, worked better than her pills or nightcap to prompt sleep and, as she put it, "produced a centered feeling" the following day.

Other users I spoke to came to the conclusion that "buds and booze" didn't mix well for them and they decided to choose one over the other. As one man in his late seventies informed me, "Cannabis allows you to tune in; booze makes you tune out." He liked the introspective quality that the herb offered him and expressed regret that he hadn't made the switch sooner.

A senior couple, both professionals and well-educated, made the decision to give up alcohol and only use cannabis when the wife needed to quit drinking for medical reasons. While using the smoked cannabis for her medical condition, she realized it was "far more appealing" than her gin and tonic. Her husband agreed and now instead of two shots in a glass, it's two puffs before dinner.

But this lifestyle change comes with a social stigma. Many recreational users were still hiding their cannabis use from family and friends, which made it impossible for them to be open during social occasions or family gatherings. And even if they decided to be open about their decision, they told me how concerned they were about losing valued friends and family members. "You can walk around all night with a drink in your hand," a cannabis convert told me, "but God help you if you pick up a joint and take a hit." However, as one man put it, the social irony could be comical. "We'd be at some get together where everyone was sloshed and we'd be a little high but operating just fine," he told me, "and somebody would bring up 'those damned pot heads,' referring to some baggy-panted kid and not realize they were having a discussion with a 'pot user' right then!"

While replacing alcohol with cannabis may not be a growing trend yet, the idea is gaining traction for people who live in states where cannabis is already allowed for medical reasons. The concept of giving up a nightcap for a "nug" is more likely for those who have already gotten acquainted with the herb from a medicinal point of view because they enjoy the stress and anxiety reducing it provides. And for those who have made the "pot plunge" and quit drinking, the benefits outweigh any stigma. "I never thought I'd say this but pot makes my head feel less muddled than booze," one woman told me, adding with a smile, "and it makes sex incredible."

Laurel Dewey is the author of the first fiction novel on medical marijuana in Colorado, "Betty's (Little Basement) Garden," as well as penning the Jane Perry thriller series.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurel-de ... 10727.html

Personally I am kicking both ,what about you ?

Wed Feb 13, 2013 8:54 am » by **Tntbw**

Malogg wrote:Would You Give Up Booze For A Bud?

I talked to a lot of older cannabis users when I researched my novel, Betty's (Little Basement Garden). The average age of those who puffed or ingested cannabis was about 55 years old and while most of them were imbibing for medicinal purposes, there was a good percentage that enjoyed cannabis purely for recreational purposes. In fact, some of them liked it so much, they made a conscious choice to give up alcohol entirely in favor of the herb.

I found that idea quite curious and talked at length with those who made this unique lifestyle change. I wanted to know what compelled them to make their decision and each of them had a different reason. Several of the people told me that cannabis had been their "exit drug" (i.e., they used the herb to wean themselves off sleep aids, anti-depressants and, yes, booze.) One 58-year-old Conservative woman commented that she'd tried to quit both sleep aids and her nightly two glasses of red wine cold turkey but then suffered two "excruciating" nights of sleeplessness. After eating half a cannabis cookie her daughter made for her, she slept like a rock and woke up refreshed without the usual hangover and drugged feeling. She told me from that night onward, she decided that cannabis was more enjoyable, worked better than her pills or nightcap to prompt sleep and, as she put it, "produced a centered feeling" the following day.

Other users I spoke to came to the conclusion that "buds and booze" didn't mix well for them and they decided to choose one over the other. As one man in his late seventies informed me, "Cannabis allows you to tune in; booze makes you tune out." He liked the introspective quality that the herb offered him and expressed regret that he hadn't made the switch sooner.

A senior couple, both professionals and well-educated, made the decision to give up alcohol and only use cannabis when the wife needed to quit drinking for medical reasons. While using the smoked cannabis for her medical condition, she realized it was "far more appealing" than her gin and tonic. Her husband agreed and now instead of two shots in a glass, it's two puffs before dinner.

But this lifestyle change comes with a social stigma. Many recreational users were still hiding their cannabis use from family and friends, which made it impossible for them to be open during social occasions or family gatherings. And even if they decided to be open about their decision, they told me how concerned they were about losing valued friends and family members. "You can walk around all night with a drink in your hand," a cannabis convert told me, "but God help you if you pick up a joint and take a hit." However, as one man put it, the social irony could be comical. "We'd be at some get together where everyone was sloshed and we'd be a little high but operating just fine," he told me, "and somebody would bring up 'those damned pot heads,' referring to some baggy-panted kid and not realize they were having a discussion with a 'pot user' right then!"

While replacing alcohol with cannabis may not be a growing trend yet, the idea is gaining traction for people who live in states where cannabis is already allowed for medical reasons. The concept of giving up a nightcap for a "nug" is more likely for those who have already gotten acquainted with the herb from a medicinal point of view because they enjoy the stress and anxiety reducing it provides. And for those who have made the "pot plunge" and quit drinking, the benefits outweigh any stigma. "I never thought I'd say this but pot makes my head feel less muddled than booze," one woman told me, adding with a smile, "and it makes sex incredible."

Laurel Dewey is the author of the first fiction novel on medical marijuana in Colorado, "Betty's (Little Basement) Garden," as well as penning the Jane Perry thriller series.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurel-de ... 10727.html

Personally I am kicking both ,what about you ?

This forum topic is one of the most interesting ones I've seen on DTV for quite some time, primarily because it directly effects me. The short answer is YES, I would give up booze for bud. For nearly 30 years I had enjoyed bud as my only form of buzz worthy material. It helps you to relax and think clearly, no matter what negative propaganda BS is said about it. I rarely ever drank much, but because of the economic downturn and fear of random drug testing in the workforce, I recently decided to "play it safe" and only drink to get my buzz on. I don't like the way it makes me feel and it has contributed to my massive weight gain, like 80 extra pounds in two years. When I drink, I get hostile toward others, this is a feeling I never experienced while high on bud. I long for a time in the future when enjoying the fruits of a simple plant will no longer be seen as criminal behavior. This is my dream, a small one I know, but one that can be achieved.

Wed Feb 13, 2013 9:26 am » by **Middleman**

I made the switch nearly 20 years ago, and haven't regretted it.

The only negative aspect is the hassle of getting good weed, and as the article says, you can't exactly start pulling billies in most social situations.

I still have a beer with my old man once a week when we have lunch together, but it's usually only one. Very occasionally I'll properly get on it for a wedding or another very special occasion, but it only happens once or twice per year, max.

The article (and legalization) does raise the interesting question of the social etiquette of smoking. I've got friends who smoke in front of their small children, and it always makes me uncomfortable. I usually abstain or go for a walk to do it alone in such cases, and I can't see that changing, even if it was legalized in NSW (which it won't be for ages).

The method of delivery (smoking) is a large contributor to the social stigma. Maybe when cannabis culture comes out of the shadows, it will be less of an issue, because more people will eat or vape, but I can't see how society can reasonably stigmatize tobacco smoking but endorse cannabis smoking, even if the health affects are different.

Wed Feb 13, 2013 9:44 am » by **Perronick**

I hope I never have give up wine. It's healthy and is one of the presents of the gods to human kind, together with the plow, the olive, the horse and some other stuff. Also the bud (hemp), according to the Greeks, was a present from the Godess Ceres (Ceres = cereal) who was represented with a branch of hemp, that latter changed into wheat, in her hand.

Wed Feb 13, 2013 2:21 pm » by **Simbad75**

i started smoking pot when i was 15 now 37 i still have a puff now.i found for me and a few mates that pot was a starting drug back then we thought wow weed :obsessed:

but then heard about the other stuff that came with the terrotry so i tried the whole shabang for a while didnt like it the cost was to high anyway but then kids,marriage came along so i had to grow up abit :headscratch nowadays i have 6 to 8 cans of beer a week and a smoke, a nice level really but i canny see me ever kicking the weed it kinda opened my mind up to liffes little mysteries. i would definatley kick beer for bud and im nearly there now with only a few beers aweek

Wed Feb 13, 2013 4:53 pm » by **Scouser012**

I smoke weed, love it.

I'm 25 and started smoking it when i was 16, when i was 15-16 i used to drink on the streets every weekend with a big gang of people, used to get into all kinds of trouble. Then i started smoking weed and when i started to get drunk and smoke at the same time i would end up a mess, so in the end i would not drink as much and would prefer to get stoned instead.

I still drink, but no where near as much as i think i would if i never smoked weed, i think it chilled me and a few of my mates out a little. Funny enough the ones who never smoked weed are all fucked up coke heads and are in and out of jail now. The bad rep that weed gets is unfair IMO.

Wed Feb 13, 2013 5:35 pm » by **Malogg**

Ima looking forward to getting back to work ,will be going on holiday either to

Mauritius

Or

Jamaica

No need to say why ahahaha

:flop:

Wed Feb 13, 2013 5:44 pm » by **Simbad75**

i went to jamaica in june 2012 runaway bay not far fromm where marleys mum lived it was graet swam with dolphins not bad but got weed off our bellboy has he took us to our cottage room it was instant great :owned:

Malogg wrote:Ima looking forward to getting back to work ,will be going on holiday either to

Mauritius

Or

Jamaica

No need to say why ahahaha

Wed Feb 13, 2013 5:53 pm » by **Malogg**

Simbad75 wrote:i went to jamaica in june 2012 runaway bay not far fromm where marleys mum lived it was graet swam with dolphins not bad but got weed off our bellboy has he took us to our cottage room it was instant great
Malogg wrote:Ima looking forward to getting back to work ,will be going on holiday either to

Mauritius

Or

Jamaica

No need to say why ahahaha

Sounds like ya had a great time, Ima prolly go to both countries but Mauritius first as my bestest friend in the whole wide world comes from their ,his family own 13 acres of Land not far from the beach :sunny:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 8027_n.jpg
^^^Roy Hurangee my bestest friend ,in my mothers cave.^^^

Really looking forward to it ,the trip will be for Business reason's as well as pleasure. . . .

Gonna maybe get a Wife to take back home to my cave n all as I have been told a fkn load of BABES are dying to meet me. . . . . :obsessed:

Nae like the fkn selfish Scottish woman back home ,on the look out for a jewel that gonna treat me with kindness and be there no matter what. . . .

Only if I fall in LOVE that is as ima fkn fussy b@stard after what I have been through ,always have attracted the fkn witches in life gggrrr. . . .
:banana:

Wed Feb 13, 2013 6:05 pm » by **Simbad75**

no worries dude me nd mrs wouldnt mind maritius but i love travelling were thinking maybe egypt red sea but not sure yet