Since Legalization, Am I over using?
Since recreational legalization took effect in California, I have dropped my after work glass of wine for an edible or a quick toke. I am now supplementing almost all my alcohol consumption with marijuana, but at what point are you over using?
I have been smoking pot since Jr. High. I was never really a pothead but if it was available of course I'd take a hit. Even as an adult I always had my stash for when I really needed it. I just hated smelling like it, especially around my son, so I rarely smoked. Now that California has legalized adult consumption, I am noticing that I have become a day to day user. Should I be concerned?
What classifies you as a "Pothead"? I dug around on social media, blogs, and other informative websites and the consensus is that a pothead is one who's become obsessed with weed and thrives off it. While a stoner is a person who smokes cannabis, often.
( Urban Dictionary: Stoner is slang for somebody who smokes cannabis, often. Most people would talk them down as if they are better, though they often consume poisons such as alcohol and caffeine. Stoners are generally a friendly minority, peaceful, and harmless)
Now with the stress of day to day "adulting" wearing on me, I was noticing a huge change in my mental health. I was constantly annoyed, always yelling, getting migraines on a monthly basis, smoking cigarettes like a chimney, and even taking anti-depressants. I wasn't happy. So I asked around and found a dispensary near by that was Prop 64 compliant. (For those that don't know, Prop 64 made it legal for individuals 21+ to use and grow marijuana for personal use on November 9, 2016.) It was there that I discovered the vast options of edibles. I could finally eat a gummy bear, completely relax and go about my day. I stock up every few weeks with candy, cookies, and the GFarma pink lemonade (seriously try this, it's amazing). Anytime I started to feel the twinge of anxiety starting to build up I'd grab a gummy.
Not too long after I started supplementing with edibles I was introduced to my best friend, the vape pen. This bad boy has changed so much about my outlook and consumption of marijuana. Vape pens come in all forms and range anywhere from a couple hundred bucks to $20. My little guy was $40 with the charger and hasn't failed me yet. My favorite cartridge so far is a special Gold birthday cake flavor i get from my favorite dispensary The Medicine Woman. I personally feel like I am able to better control how high I get, which I have now introduced into my daily schedule. My road rage is gone because I take a small toke before and after work. I rarely crave cigarettes any more, and have nearly cut them out of my life. I am a more patient mother, and with a pre-teen boy at home patience is key. The biggest improvement yet is my relationship with my partner. I am no longer annoyed all the time, we aren't fighting every day, I enjoy having conversations with him again, and I actually have a sex drive again.
While my daily life seems to be improving, I have started to realize that I am smoking multiple times a day every day. As a parent I am not proud of this, I should be strong enough to handle life sober and deal with issues as they come. Yes I am finally getting to a place where I am actually happy, but is it real if I am just semi-stoned most of the time? Should I feel this guilty when mom's are openly bragging about pounding bottles of wine a night? Do I just classify myself as a "Stoner" and go about my life? But at the same time, the only thing I want to be classified as is a good mom.
