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Smoking pot while being in a band
- Thread starter Bright Midnight
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Wow, he's right.
Anyway, in my last band, the lead guitarist was a Deputy DA. In my current band, the drummer is a cop. Guess what? No drugs. Period. Our recruiting ads include, "420 unfriendly."
No, he's right. Pot isn't going to do anything to improve your life. It's a drug that removes you from reality, and in every case I've seen it reduces musicians' capacity to perform at their highest level. Sure, it makes you feel groovy, and I don't have any problem with people who smoke pot in general. Just don't do it during practice or gigs with my band.
I will say again there are NO studies that directly link smoking pot to strokes. There just isn't. Stroke (or a cerebrovascular accident) is caused by one of two things. Either an embolism (foreign object being transported by the blood), or the rupture of an arterial blood vessel inside the brain. According to the NAS, the effects of marijuana on blood pressure are complex, depending on dose, administration, and posture. Marijuana often produces a temporary, moderate increase in blood pressure immediately after ingestion; however, heavy chronic doses may slightly depress blood pressure instead. One common reaction is to cause decreased blood pressure while standing and increased blood pressure while lying down, causing people to faint if they stand up too quickly. There is no evidence that pot use causes persisting hypertension or heart disease; some users even claim that it helps them control hypertension by reducing stress. One thing THC does do is to increase pulse rates for about an hour. This is not generally harmful, since exercise does the same thing, but it may cause problems to people with pre-existing heart disease. Chronic users may develop a tolerance to this and other cardiovascular reactions.
Best bring your A game if your gonna counter my post.
This has become much like other TB debates: P vs. J, tonewood vs. wood doesn't matter, flats vs. rounds, passive vs. active, tube vs., solid state, pick vs. fingers,......
Yes, we're talking drugs and not gear, which is far less likely to physically hurt you.
But the arguments are the same with some taking firm stances on one side or the other and some in between.
And, as usual, the bottom line is the same... do what works for you. If it doesn't work anymore, change it....
Yes, we're talking drugs and not gear, which is far less likely to physically hurt you.
But the arguments are the same with some taking firm stances on one side or the other and some in between.
And, as usual, the bottom line is the same... do what works for you. If it doesn't work anymore, change it....
Actually, it's been proven to help with pain, nausea, stress, appetite, insomnia, and other negative symptoms. I'd link you some citations but you likely wouldn't read them.
I was going to go on about how the hypocrisy in TRich's post is so thick you could grind it and pack it (bad pot humor?) but seems a few people covered that already.
Marijuana and alcohol are pretty different. One is the REAL gateway drug, has negative short and long term effects, is addictive (so much to the point that being addicted to it is recognized as a medical condition and a disease), and is legal. None of this is true for the other one, and it is illegal. Go figure
It probably has nothing to do with the fact that the production and distribution of alcohol is much easier to control, tax, and profit from for the government.If you don't like it, that's fine. You're also well within your rights to demand people do not use it in your presence. Completely understandable. But don't sit there and act like it is some life ending, immature practice when you actually drink alcohol.
Without getting involved in the huge storm that is going on in here, I'll make my post dealing with the OP directly.
1) Weed in itself isn't the problem. It's a case that some people can handle drugs, others cannot. And it's also about moderation: I'm willing to bet a significant TB population drinks, and I doubt that many would turn up to band drunk (although admittedly I've done so).
2) There's likely a very GOOD reason he's not only smoking weed, but is also smoking it in the quantities he's doing. Generally the people I've known are pure self-medicators- they're using the weed as an anti-depressant against some other issue. It could be family, friends other than the band, his work or school....anything.
And on that note, if he's depressed about something, it's a guarantee that the music has become secondary to his depressive state and the resultant weed smoking. Indeed, one of the primary symptoms of depression is loss of interest in hobbies, work and social activities.
3) Kicking him out isn't going to solve anything. Neither will breaking friends with him. If he's really trapped in a cycle of smoking weed and depression, then he's going to need people around him to help and support him. Most of all, he needs people around him to show him that the music and your friendships is more rewarding than weed.
Yes, some musicians made great music on drugs. But many did not.
1) Weed in itself isn't the problem. It's a case that some people can handle drugs, others cannot. And it's also about moderation: I'm willing to bet a significant TB population drinks, and I doubt that many would turn up to band drunk (although admittedly I've done so).
2) There's likely a very GOOD reason he's not only smoking weed, but is also smoking it in the quantities he's doing. Generally the people I've known are pure self-medicators- they're using the weed as an anti-depressant against some other issue. It could be family, friends other than the band, his work or school....anything.
And on that note, if he's depressed about something, it's a guarantee that the music has become secondary to his depressive state and the resultant weed smoking. Indeed, one of the primary symptoms of depression is loss of interest in hobbies, work and social activities.
3) Kicking him out isn't going to solve anything. Neither will breaking friends with him. If he's really trapped in a cycle of smoking weed and depression, then he's going to need people around him to help and support him. Most of all, he needs people around him to show him that the music and your friendships is more rewarding than weed.
Yes, some musicians made great music on drugs. But many did not.
So if i go see a Psychiatrist and he puts me on a pill that could be addictive could mess with my appetite and will definitely cause liver or kidney problems with prolonged use its OK, but if i ingest a little pot that will have the same effects as the pill its just an excuse? Its OK for you to enjoy wine and scotch but if i like to toke a bowl after work or before i go to bed i am "wasting time with weed". Perhaps you should ACTUALLY go read those studies yourself and see the benefits marijuana has to offer. There are no studies that show marijuana to be as addictive as alcohol, people with addictive personalities can be addicted to anything(TV, Video games, religion, sex, etc.) There are no studies that show it to be a gateway drug, there is a 12 year study, done at the University of Pittsburgh, that shows its not. As for the legality of it. Your showing your OLD WAY OF THINKING. This is the reality. We are just culturally slow in the U.S. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I will say again there are NO studies that directly link smoking pot to strokes. There just isn't. Stroke (or a cerebrovascular accident) is caused by one of two things. Either an embolism (foreign object being transported by the blood), or the rupture of an arterial blood vessel inside the brain. According to the NAS, the effects of marijuana on blood pressure are complex, depending on dose, administration, and posture. Marijuana often produces a temporary, moderate increase in blood pressure immediately after ingestion; however, heavy chronic doses may slightly depress blood pressure instead. One common reaction is to cause decreased blood pressure while standing and increased blood pressure while lying down, causing people to faint if they stand up too quickly. There is no evidence that pot use causes persisting hypertension or heart disease; some users even claim that it helps them control hypertension by reducing stress. One thing THC does do is to increase pulse rates for about an hour. This is not generally harmful, since exercise does the same thing, but it may cause problems to people with pre-existing heart disease. Chronic users may develop a tolerance to this and other cardiovascular reactions.
Best bring your A game if your gonna counter my post.
"A game"? HA! "NO studies"? HA! There were "No studies" "proving" that tobacco smoke causes cancer etc. until the 70s, yet my grandmother called them "coffin nails" since...the turn of the century. Cardiac patients are sometimes advised to quit [if they discuss it with their Dr]. Here in Boston we know the story of Len Bias, who just used a little cocaine everybody knew [at the time] was harmless, but it shut down his heart beat ending the Celtics chances in the post Bird era...now of course, we know that cocaine can have that effect the first time or 1000th it's used no matter what shape you are in.
To have a medical study, you have to have a reason for it, and funding. You also have to have a number of cases where causation is apparent. There is no reason this would happen for pot/stroke causation. Also, studies can "prove" almost anything if the study is set up right and ignores alternate scenarios.
A very typical reaction to hallucinogenics is a revving up of the metabolism. Speedy thoughts can equal speedy metabolism. People have strokes after exercising, you know. MJ is a stressor No Matter what you or any medical study quoting apologist says.
Sex can cause a stroke too, but we never say it "causes strokes" as such. If you rely only on what has been "proven" in medical studies, you are really putting your head in the sand.
Last week there was a story about some elderly people who accidentally ingested pot brownies. They were taken to the hospital. Probably given valium to calm them down. I would never have suggested my frail 83 year old father smoke pot in his last years. It would have given him a stroke. If he started in his 30s, he would have benefited from the perspective it gave him. I'm in my mid 50s and I know that some day I'll have to quit da weed for health reasons.
Well, it is obvious you would like to try and help your buddy 'wake up' and see he is sliding into total inertion and depression. He's 37? Yeah,, that must mean he's been eroding his state for a while.. and I can totally understand he will be really touchy if you confront him, so I guess the question here is how to help the man, which way to go about it, right?
The thing is, I am sure that beneath it all he knows things aren't right and he keeps trying to surpress this little voice in his head to a point that he hates it being there in his head, so if confronted he'll react with anger.
It's that standard problem of being able to bring a horse to water,... but how do you make him drink it?
So, it has to come at a right time and in a way which will make him see it without personal confrontation.
Dude, I recommend you send him this link and tell him you posted this cuz you would like to see him be the guy he used to - happy, creative and motivated man who is a pleasure to be around.
If you're lucky he'll read the whole thread the first time, maybe get angry, but I AM SURE it will make him think or maybe start the process of him admitting to himself he should change.
As far as pot smoking arguments go:
1. Pot alters your mind in a similar way that being drunk does just a lot less harmfully to your physical health. Getting high and practicing is invariably a joke, but coming up with some creative stuff is definitely a possibility.
2. Some people seem to have a metabolism where smoking pot actually makes them function better on some levels. Most people tend to get slowly more and more introvert and disconnected... just like alchoholics do, with sideffects like depression showing up. I smoked pot for a while until I realized it is not making me any happier and then I just quit. Now I puff at parties sometimes and sleep like a baby afterwards -that's about it.
The thing is, I am sure that beneath it all he knows things aren't right and he keeps trying to surpress this little voice in his head to a point that he hates it being there in his head, so if confronted he'll react with anger.
It's that standard problem of being able to bring a horse to water,... but how do you make him drink it?
So, it has to come at a right time and in a way which will make him see it without personal confrontation.
Dude, I recommend you send him this link and tell him you posted this cuz you would like to see him be the guy he used to - happy, creative and motivated man who is a pleasure to be around.
If you're lucky he'll read the whole thread the first time, maybe get angry, but I AM SURE it will make him think or maybe start the process of him admitting to himself he should change.
As far as pot smoking arguments go:
1. Pot alters your mind in a similar way that being drunk does just a lot less harmfully to your physical health. Getting high and practicing is invariably a joke, but coming up with some creative stuff is definitely a possibility.
2. Some people seem to have a metabolism where smoking pot actually makes them function better on some levels. Most people tend to get slowly more and more introvert and disconnected... just like alchoholics do, with sideffects like depression showing up. I smoked pot for a while until I realized it is not making me any happier and then I just quit. Now I puff at parties sometimes and sleep like a baby afterwards -that's about it.
And all this means squat. I am not even sure what point your trying to make. Yea studies aren't the end all be all, but what evidence did the people i am questioning present? NONE. They just made generalized statements that i have heard a thousand times before without anything to back it up. Marijuana predates the F(&%ING BIBLE. Does it help people play better music? For some maybe, or at least they think their crap sounds better when they are stoned. Do you have to smoke weed to write good music? NO! Are any of us smokers worse members of society than the drinkers. Absolutely not. I could argue Alcohol is much worse and there is tons of evidence to back this up without having to do a study.
Actually, there are people who don't have a couple of beers, or 'fresh air', or anything else when they play out.
Some of us have to drive home after the gig, and a DUI costs you a lot of money.
And all this means squat. I am not even sure what point your trying to make. Yea studies aren't the end all be all, but what evidence did the people i am questioning present? NONE. They just made generalized statements that i have heard a thousand times before without anything to back it up. Marijuana predates the F(&%ING BIBLE. Does it help people play better music? For some maybe, or at least there crap sounds better when they are stoned. Do you have to smoke weed to write good music? NO! Are any of us smokers worse members of society than the drinkers. Absolutely not. I could argue Alcohol is much worse and there is tons of evidence to back this up without having to do a study.
My point? My point is that mj is not a harmless panacea and that prudence should be used and that the info you gave was misguiding.
Are You aware of your imminent mortality or are you closer to 20 something?
I also think its use would really benefit the majority of people stuck in their heads programmed by TV, school and the prevailing consensus consciousness of the times. Alcohol turns directly into poison embalming fluid in the body and Will Kill You if used as directed. MJ is one of the most benign substances ever analyzed. But it aint without it's own risks.
Never said it was harmless nor did i say it was a cure all and how is my info misguiding? Yes i am well aware of my mortality and i am a lot closer to 40 than 20 and that is another generalization. "Well he must be 20 years old if he is defending smoking pot." Check yourself, part of your post makes you sound open minded and the other makes you sound like a judgmental old fart.
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