Cannabis Independence

Cannabis dependence is more common than most of us want to admit. We’ve all been there, and some of us are there now – “I can’t fall asleep at night if I don't smoke….” “I don’t feel hungry until I smoke a bowl….” “This is too stressful for me right now, I’m gonna smoke a bowl”

I’ve used these phrases more than I could count, but the truth is, I was wrong every time. I had created a dependency on cannabis where one wasn’t really warranted. Do we want to live a life that has us thinking that we have no sovereignty over our own bodies and minds? 

If you are experiencing anxiety, lack of motivation, stress or boredom and regularly using cannabis to cope with this, you are creating a dependence on cannabis. These ‘symptoms’ can and should be treated with other techniques such as diet, exercise and meditation before turning to cannabis. Otherwise you risk becoming severely dependent, as it’s the only coping mechanism in your emotional toolbox. Over time, we lose the ability to cope with life as cannabis becomes our go-to for every situation.

I understand that for many patients, cannabis dependency may be necessary. Imagine a cancer patient who is unable to eat because of the treatment’s effects - this person may find themselves dependent on cannabis to eat and therefore recover from their illness. We aren’t talking about these patients that are fighting for survival or even fighting to have a somewhat normal life.

This article is about people like me, people who sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that without cannabis, I just can’t do this, that or the other basic activity - eat, sleep, enjoy a night with friends or even cope with normal life circumstances. It turns out that this type of dependence on anything is a bad thing and only holds us back from reaching our full potential in life. It's like carrying a heavy weight on your back.

How can we become independent again? In the case of cannabis, we can practice self-control. Take a couple days off from THC and see how it feels. If the idea of this sounds absolutely terrible, then you are dependent on cannabis. It’s OK, we’ve all felt this way. The wonderful thing about cannabis compared to most other vices is that we can stop anytime and the effects are not life-threatening or even life-altering.

It’s not about being a prude or abstaining from things we enjoy. It’s about being in control of our lives and how we live rather than allowing outside influences to make those decisions for us. If you find yourself unable to control any substance, then you have lost your independence. 

I’ve heard many cannabis enthusiasts joke about how they can’t even get out of bed without a puff of cannabis in the morning. This idea scares me…. I don’t ever want to be dependent on anything like that. I want to wake up and attack the world with the same fervor I had as a child, with nothing but the joy of another day pushing me forward - true independence.