College Dorms and my addiction..

[Whatsmyname]

Hi,
I am a new member and wanted to share my story for thoughts and opinions.

I was first introduced to pot in my college dorms by some friends. I live in Salt Lake City and was very skeptical about pot growing up. I thought it would make me trip but when I first smoked it I loved the calming effects.

2 years later and severals pounds of weed later I still smoke on an every day basis. I smoke about an eighth every 5-7 days sometimes faster depending on if I have nothing to do.

I don't regret smoking weed, I have met a lot of friends and experienced a lot of things in my life whilst smoking pot but lately I have been feeling physically sick from smoking. My lungs and esophagus are hurting constantly, and my concentration and memory feels disoriented all the time. Also, my money has been tight lately and pot has become another bill.

Lately I have had thoughts about quitting marijuana or cutting down drastically but its hard. My friends enjoy smoking pot on a constant basis and smoke twice as much as me. Plus I can easily obtain pot anytime I want. I'm around pot all the time and its hard to get away from it.

Also, I work a restaurant job which is very stressful. I always come home from my job tired and stressed and turn to pot to unwind me. I feel like I can't function without pot or If I didn't smoke it then i'd be very stressed out all the time.

I plan on quitting hopefully within a year before I graduate college. I'm also turning 21 in a few months so I'll be able to go to bars after work or sip some beer when im stressed. Don't worry...I don't like alcohol as much as pot and i wont turn into an alcoholic.

I just wanted to vent, any thoughts on my situation would be insightful. Thanks

[AKN]

well, i'm a bit tired to write anything insightful, now but i think some of the stuff in my other post to Frustrated Moe, also apply to your situation.

where i live it's also really easy to get, and that's been a problem for me. but eventually i guess i just wanted to quit badly enough. i'd also say don't listen to other people who smoke, even when they are real friends with good intentions. I think weed just affects some of us differently and it's really hard for others to understand. These days the pros and cons of marijuana are polarized into such extremes. People who want it legalized are sometimes defensive about claims it's addictive, then the whole 'war on drugs' crowd has their own wacky views, which IMO are often not based in reality. So my advice is basically just to listen to yourself, and how it makes you feel and affects your life. You're the one who's got to live with or without it.

I'd suggest a little caution with the "I'll quit when..." thing. I dragged that out since my 30th birthday... i'm 38 now. there's always something. But, of course that's just my experience.