A Guide To Quitting Marijuana

March 10, 2009

This guide is aimed at assisting people who are seriously considering quitting the use of cannabis and need some help to do so.

Cannabis is the general name given to a variety of preparations derived from the plant Cannabis sativa. Other names include marijuana, grass, dope, pot, weed, mull, hash, hash oil etc.

There are many reasons for giving up. The following have been identified by users, ex-users, researchers and health professionals.

Respiratory diseases such as chronic bronchitis.

Changes to cells in the body which may signal the development of cancer.

Problems with attention, concentration and memory which get worse with continued use of cannabis and only partially improve upon quitting.

An increased risk of developing cancers in the mouth, throat and lung.

An increased risk of birth defects or leukemia in children exposed to cannabis during pregnancy.

Poor educational achievement and difficulties in learning.

An increase in symptoms of illness in persons who suffer from heart disease, asthma, bronchitis, emphysema or schizophrenia.

When you use cannabis you are establishing a link between the situation and getting stoned. This means that certain situations, people and places, which were present on a number of occasions when you smoked may, in the future, trigger your desire to get stoned.

From the previous illustration you should be able to identify a number of strategies you can use to help you quit cannabis, especially in the initial stages.

On the day that you give up, and for a week or more after, some people can feel out of sorts.

These are a normal part of giving up.

How do I stay off?

Once you have set a date and you have made the initial steps toward quitting marijuana, you will experience times when you want to break your contract.

It is often useful to make other changes to your lifestyle in order to be successful in quitting cannabis. Think about what you are going to say to your old friends that you used to smoke with.

Anger and frustration can lead to strong urges to get stoned. When you feel impulsive and frustrated try not to get overwhelmed by urges to smoke (eg.

Avoid situations that are likely to cause you to relapse.

Take a break from situations where other people are smoking or about to smoke dope.

It is often a good idea to remind yourself why you gave up.

Tell yourself frequently that you now choose not to smoke.

Let someone listen to you when you need to talk about your change in lifestyle without cannabis.

Remove all the things from your home that remind you of cannabis smoking. Consider how the world around you will be a better place if you don’t smoke.

In the space provided try to identify some strategies which may help you to stay off.

Sometimes you will not be able to fight the urge to get stoned. If you do slip up try not to think of yourself as a failure.

Now that you have given up, reward yourself in new ways. One good suggestion is to give yourself a gift at the end of each week that you are successful in fulfilling your contract.

Quitting cannabis is like learning a new skill. The more effort you put into it the more skilled you become.

Here are some comments by people who have given up.

"I gave up because I was in a rut. It was easier than I thought."

"My friends and work mates have noticed how much happier and positive I am now that I don’t smoke marijuana."

"I have more time now to enjoy my friends and family."

"I have some funny memories about getting stoned. I sometimes miss it but I would not go back to that lifestyle anymore."

"I hated going out to buy grass, it wasted so much time and money. I don’t have to worry about this now."

"I felt myself getting paranoid and withdrawn every time I had dope. Now I actually talk to people at parties and enjoy getting into conversations."

"Dope used to be my big excuse for not doing anything in my life. Now I have given up my mind is a lot clearer. I see things in a new way."

"I am surprisingly more relaxed and peaceful now that I have quit smoking pot."

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