I'm looking for help for two friends of mine who I'm afraid are addicted

[Dark]

to cannabis.

Yes, I mean cannabis, as in pot.

Now before you flame me, I want to emphatically state that I am living proof that, for most people, weed is very innocuous. It is a nice relaxer and good way to chill without getting loud or violent.

I AGREE THAT CANNABIS IS RELATIVELY HARMLESS.

I repeat,

I AGREE THAT CANNABIS IS RELATIVELY HARMLESS.

But, for a few people, pot is addictive. It's effects are pleasant, so some people become addicted to cannabis as an escape from their problems that doesn't require them to face nor solve the problems.

I have already gone to the health and human services of my university, but they seem to preach the 'reefer madness' garbage, which only serves to alienate the people who really need help.

So, I am asking my fellow DUers who have had experiences similar to this:

What should I do?

Should I do an intervention, or a one on one chat?

Should I tell the families, or leave them out of this?

Should I tell friends who I believe share the concern, but not the knowledge of how bad it's gotten?

Please, help. It's becoming more and more 'too late' to help them.

(They each have scholarships to keep, and a G.P.A. to keep for the scholarships.)

Note: If you see another certain post here by me, you may notice that I, uh, partook of some, uh, celebretory mood enhancers. I do do this occasionally, as I don't believe recreational use of psychedelics is that harmful, especially to me. (Last night was my first time this year using ANY mind altering substances.)

Still, it was DAMN fun :hippie:.

But still, please help me. I don't have any idea of what I should do.

[NNadir]

1. It was addictive for me. It was a real struggle to stop using.

It's been well over twenty years though.

[Dark]

2. What motivated you to seek treatment, if you don't mind me asking.

I really want to help these guys, they're some of my closest friends (and have been the most supportive of me since I came out).

I don't want to lose them to an addiction, and I don't want them to lose everything to an addiction.

[NNadir]

4. I didn't seek treatment.

Many people quit drugs of various types without professional intervention.

Here is why I stopped: Because I was a pot-head I didn't think very clearly and my educational options were limited by my habit. Thus I had lousy poor paying jobs. Pot got very expensive and soon I couldn't afford it.

After some time of misery and withdrawl, I noticed that my life was far, far better without pot than with it. It suddenly became a pleasure to think and I really got into the things I still love, like mathematics and science.

By the way, I don't agree that pot his harmless. It is not. So saying doesn't mean that I agree that it should be illegal, only that I think it isn't good for you.

[Dark]

7. I only said that it is RELATIVELY harmless,

that means that it is harmless when compared with other, harder drugs (alcohol, cocaine, heroin)

I never said it was actually harmless.

But thanks for your answer. I'm glad things have gotten better for you, and that they continue to get better.

:hugs:

[steve2470]

3. Do the concerned, nonjudgemental one on one chat first

Then do an intervention with their families. You may lose them as friends but their "life" may be saved.

[ralps]

5. I think cannabis is considered a narcotic although I'm not sure.

Here are a couple of links to Narcotics Anonymous
http://www.na.org/basic.htm
and
http://www.na.org/index.htm
I hope this helps.
:hi:

[steve2470]

6. it's a hallucinogen but NA is great nt

[Dark]

8. Well, they've already gone to NA (it was court ordered.)

Didn't help. They have deluded themselves into believing that it's non-addictive and harmless.

[steve2470]

9. what are the legal penalties where you are ?

I'm not arguing here for criminalization, but just the facts, ma'am.

[Dark]

11. The legal penalties are, according to NORML,

Kentucky


hemp
Details About this report

Incarceration
Fine
Possession
Less than 8 oz (first offense) misdemeanor 1 year $500
Less than 8 oz (subsequent offense) felony 1 - 5 years $1,000 - $10,000
8 oz or more see Sale or Trafficking
Cultivation
Less than 5 plants (first offense) misdemeanor 1 year $500
Less than 5 plants (subsequent offense) felony 1 - 5 years $1,000 - $10,000
5 plants or more (first offense) felony 1 - 5 years $1,000 - $10,000
5 plants or more (subsequent offense) felony 5 - 10 years $1,000 - $10,000
Sale or Trafficking
Less than 8 oz misdemeanor 1 year $500
8 oz to 5 lbs felony 1 - 5 years $1,000 - $10,000
5 lbs or more felony 5 - 10 years $1,000- $10,000
Sale to minor (first offense) felony 5 - 10 years $1,000 - $10,000
Sale to minor (subsequent offense) felony 10 -20 years $1,000 - $10,000
Within 1,000 feet of school felony 1 - 5 years $1,000 - $10,000
Miscellaneous (paraphernalia, license suspensions, drug tax stamps, etc...)
Paraphernalia possession (first offense) misdemeanor 1 year $500
Paraphernalia possession (subsequent offense) felony 1 - 5 years $1,000 - $10,000
Any first conviction of a minor causes driver's license suspension for 1 year.
Any subsequent conviction of a minor causes driver's license suspension for 2 years.
Details

Possession of less than eight ounces of marijuana is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $500. For subsequent offenses, the penalties increase to 1 - 5 years in jail and a fine of $1,000 - $10,000. Possession of eight ounces or more is considered possession with intent to sell and is charged as trafficking.

Sale or delivery (trafficking) of less than eight ounces is punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $500. The penalties for sale or delivery of eight ounces or greater are 1 - 5 years in prison and a fine of $1,000 - $10,000. Sale or delivery of five pounds or more is punishable by 5 - 10 years in prison and a fine of $1,000 - $10,000.

Any sale to a minor is punishable by 5 - 10 years in prison and a fine of $1,000 - $10,000 for a first offense, and 10 - 20 years in prison and a fine of $1,000 - $10,000 for a second or subsequent offense.

Any sale within 1,000 feet of a school is punishable by 1 - 5 years in prison and a fine of $1,000 - $10,000.

Cultivation of less than five plants is punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $500. For subsequent offenses, the penalties increase to 1 - 5 years in prison and a fine of $1,000 - $10,000. For cultivation of five plants or more, the penalties are 1 - 5 years in prison and a fine of $1,000 - $10,000. For subsequent offenses the penalties increase to 5 - 10 years in prison and fines of $1,000 - $10,000.

Possession of paraphernalia is a misdemeanor for the first offense, punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $500. Subsequent offenses are punishable by 1 - 5 years in prison and a fine of $1,000 - $10,000.

Minors convicted of drug offenses are also subject to suspension of their driver's licenses for one year for the first offense and two years for the second offense.

According to : http://www.norml.com/index.cfm?wtm_view=&Group_ID=4539

[steve2470]

12. are they in KY or Ohio ?

[steve2470]

14. Ohio legal penalties from the same website

Home > State By State Laws > Ohio

Ohio
State Penalties PDF conditional decriminalized mandatory
Details About this report


Incarceration


Fine
Possession
Less than 100 g civil citation none $100
100 g to 200 g misdemeanor none variable
200 g to 1000 g misdemeanor 6 months - 1 year variable
1000 g to 5000 g felony 1 - 5 years variable
5000 g to 20,000 g felony 1 - 5 years** variable
20,000 g or more felony 8 years MMS* variable
*Mandatory minimum sentence.
**Presumption of prison.
Cultivation
Less than 100 g civil citiation none $100
100 g to 200 g misdemeanor 30 days variable
200 g to 1000 g felony 1 year variable
1000 g to 5000 g felony 1 - 5 years variable
5000 g to 20,000 g felony 1 - 5 years** variable
20,000 g or more felony 2 years MMS* variable
Any possession less than 5,000 may be probation only.
*Mandatory minimum sentence.
**Presumption of prison
Sale
20 g or less (is considered possession) civil citation none $100
Less than 200 g misdemeanor or felony
6 - 18 months
variable
200 g to 600 g felony
1 - 5 years
variable
600 g or more felony 6 months MMS* variable
To minors within 1,000 feet of school, within 100 feet of a juvenile, and previous felony drug convictions felony increased penalty increased penalty
*Mandatory minimum sentence.
Miscellaneous (paraphernalia, license suspensions, drug tax stamps, etc...)
Paraphernalia possession misdemeanor 30 days $750
Paraphernalia sale misdemeanor 90 days $1,000
Any conviction causes driver's license suspension for 6 months to 5 years.
Professional licenses are suspended.
Details

Possession of less than 100 grams of marijuana is a citable offense only, with a fine of $100. No criminal record is created by such citation. Possession of 100 grams or more is punishable by a fine of up to $250. For possession of 200 grams or more, the penalty increases to a possible sentence of 6 months - one year in jail. Possession of 1,000 grams or more is punishable by 1 - 5 years in prison. Any possession of less than 5,000 grams does not carry the presumption of prison, which leaves available the possibility of probation. Possession of 5,000 grams of marijuana or more is punishable by 1 - 5 years in prison. For any amount or 20,000 grams or more the penalty increases to a mandatory minimum sentence of eight years in prison.

Sale or delivery of 20 grams or less, for no remuneration, is considered possession and is punished with a fine of $100. Sale or distribution of less than 200 grams carries a penalty of 6 - 18 months in jail. Sale or distribution of 200 grams or more is punishable by 1 - 5 years in prison. Sale or distribution of 600 grams or greater carries a mandatory minimum sentence of six months and a possible 2 - 8 year sentence.

Sale to minors, sale within 1,000 feet of a school, sale within 100 feet of a juvenile, and previous felony drug convictions all increase the penalty for the sale or distribution of marijuana.

Possession of paraphernalia is punishable by up to 30 days in jail and sale of paraphernalia is punishable by up to 90 days in jail.

For all drug convictions, the offender's driver's license is also suspended for a period of 6 months - 5 years. This does not apply to minor misdemeanor violations for marijuana possess. Professional licenses are also suspended.

Conditional release: The state allows conditional release or alternative or diversion sentencing for people facing their first prosecutions. Usually, conditional release lets a person opt for probation rather than trial. After successfully completing probation, the individual's criminal record does not reflect the charge.

Mandatory minimum sentence: When someone is convicted of an offense punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence, the judge must sentence the defendant to the mandatory minimum sentence or to a higher sentence. The judge has no power to sentence the defendant to less time than the mandatory minimum. A prisoner serving an MMS for a federal offense and for most state offenses will not be eligible for parole. Even peaceful marijuana smokers sentenced to "life MMS" must serve a life sentence with no chance of parole.

Decriminalization: The state has decriminalized marijuana to some degree. Typically, decriminalization means no prison time or criminal record for first-time possession of a small amount for personal consumption. The conduct is treated like a minor traffic violation.

[ikojo]

16. Try Marijuana Anonymous...I don't have personal

experience but was once active on a clean and sober Deadhead list and many on it are active in MA

http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/


NA members may not understand what it is to quit pot.

[Aiptasia]

10. psychological vs. physical addiction

Pot is certainly psychologically addicting, much in the same sense as nicotine in tobacco is addictive. However, it is not physically addictive the way heroin and cocaine are. Heroin and cocaine actually physically change the way the body perceives pain and pleasure by interefering with our natural neurochemical processes, to the point where the body physically needs these substances to function properly.

However, pot can be abused and quite habit forming. I'd say a good 85% of casual pot smokers have made it a habit because they like the mood altering effects pot gives them, or because of a psychological addiction to the nicotine present in MJ.

It's only bad when pot gets in the way of everyday activities and when people use it as a crutch to escape life's problems, chores and routine. In this instance, an intervention of friends and family is warranted to help the person(s) see what an obstacle their pot use has become in their lives.

I would not freak out and have an intervention with someone just because they liked to smoke pot. I know certain people that would do that, that suppose that just because you like recreational medications like pot, you need an intervention right then and there. It's only if their useage of the substance becomes a significant problem that I would show concern.

[Dark]

13. These guys smoke everyday, and one needs an absolute 4.0 to

balance out the bad grades he got last semester.

These guys ARE addicted.

[mark414]

15. second that

if these friends of yours (to the OP) are using it to escape some sort of reality or it is severely interfering with their lives then i would talk to them. sometimes the best thing a person can do is just show someone they care.

but for every pot smoker out there who is like this, there's 10 who use it often without it having any sort of adverse effects on their lives, including yours truly

it is a great substance if you're smart about it, but sometimes people can take it too far

[realisticphish]

17. anything can be addictive

weed, alcohol, food, sex, anything. if it is causing a problem, you NEED to talk to them, and get them help. I would try talking directly to them first

:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat