I had a painkiller addiction for about a year or two in my early 20s, and I had always taken over the counter drugs like Tylenol PM, Benadryl, NyQuil, Vicodin, Advil, etc. I became dependent on Vicodin and Percocet, and was graduated to harsher stuff like Demerol and Morphine.
Not to mention constantly being prescribed Xanax, Prozac and Trazadone (a tranquilizer also used for depression but mainly for insomnia) but all during the while of abusing alcohol.
I tried marijuana when I was 17 and it made me paranoid so I didn't like it and I didn't continue using it.
By the time I reached my 30's, I have lost a kidney and was diagnosed with kidney failure. My doctor's looked at my drug and alcohol history and had no choice but to attribute my failing kidneys to my abuse.
About four years ago I had run out of Prozac and had a "mental breakdown" of some sort. It was scary. I felt complete out of control with my emotions and my emotions were not good. I actually contemplated suicide and had many suicidal thoughts.
I decided to medically supervised phase myself off of Prozac.
I also have decided to quit all pharmaceuticals, all over the counter drugs, alcohol, and change my lifestyle. I had a Red Bull a day addiction that was the hardest to combat. But I did it. I quit all of it.
I have never been healthier.
About three and half years ago though I decided to go with a doctor's recommendation of smoking marijuana for my anxiety, insomnia and most of all, my depression. I did a lot of research because I was hesitant to rely on yet another drug, rolls eyes. But let's face it, I still had some mental demons and issues to battle.
It relieves all of my symptoms with no side effects and so far, all of my tests have come back normal and my kidneys are amazingly healing. I eat right, exercise, I don't drink, but I do use cannabis on a regular basis.
I just cannot say how this has medicinally helped me and I couldn't fathom on restricting this relief on others.
And be careful when you say that marijuana is "addicting". It is addictive to those that are pre-disposed to have addicting natures. Sex, food, gambling can all be addictions as well. And yes, marjiuana use can be habit forming.
It is NOT physically addictive. You can quit smoking marijuana and not have any horrible detrimental side effects. You try weining yourself off of Prozac, or booze, or even cigarettes, and you will display a nasty range of withdrawal symptoms. My opioid withdrawal nearly KILLED me, thank god I was in a facility where they were equipped to deal with it.
I also noticed while in my rehab facility, there were NO marjiuana addicts or anyone there that was there to kick the habit. I asked my counselor, who has worked as an addiction therapist for over 30 years, had he seen anyone there for marijuana and he kinda smiled and said, "No, and you won't find any. It is not physically addictive. It can be habit forming, but it's pretty easy to quit, you don't need assistance. And sometimes the benefits outweigh the bad. Sooo... that's my stance on marijuana."
And I find that people are more intelligent if they use mj, because they can objectively change their point of views on things. They can see all perceptions and not just the narrow-minded of which they have been brought up to see. My sister, who is 17, started smoking (I'm not condoning it, but what can I do), and she says it opens her creativity. She studies high and takes tests high, and her tests are out of this range, she has earned enough credits to graduate a year early. So I don't know why they say it retards you.
If you don't smoke weed, you have no idea what we're talking about. But marjiuana is enlightening.
Other than it being habit forming and the damaging effects of the SMOKE itself... I just do not see any down side or con to it. And being habit forming of something that is just so harmless, I really don't see a big deal of it.