Seattle Hempfest August 17-18-19, 2012

What does Responsible Use mean when applied to cannabis consumption?

For the last 70 years, cannabis has been treated by the US government as one of the most dangerous substances on earth, even though it has never killed a single person. It has been called a gateway drug and the "assassin of youth." It has, at times, even been said to grow breasts on men. The cannabis plant has been intensely politicized, and its association to the 1960’s counterculture has largely been exploited to aid in its prohibition.

However, after all of the propaganda, things are changing for the cannabis plant. After decades of unscientific, politically motivated character assassinations, the truth about this versatile plant is finally bubbling up to the surface, and we are learning more and more about it every day. One thing is certain: cannabis is neither a good thing nor bad thing per se. It is just a plant. If one uses it wisely, it can yield good results. Conversely, if used unwisely, it can yield poor results.

It appears that legalization might just be in our future, and it is time for America to begin a deeper conversation about what constitutes responsible use. Or more aptly, what qualifies as irresponsible use of the herb?

Is pot for everyone? Should kids smoke pot? What are the protocols for public smoking? How can we minimize harm to ourselves and others? Is it OK to steal electricity or trash a rental house in the process of operating a grow op? Do you have to flush out chemicals from your plants before you harvest them? There are a lot of questions to ask if you are serious about being a solid and responsible cannabis enthusiast.

Have you ever shared a joint or pipe with someone who then informed you that they have been fighting a sore throat all week? Or have you heard of the school bus driver that was totally baked on the chronic? With freedom comes responsibility, and we all have a responsibility to ourselves—as well as others—to be as intelligent as we can be in all of our dealings in life. Whether we are buying, growing, selling, or using cannabis, there are ethics, etiquette, and protocols that determine whether or not we are a responsible participant in cannabis culture.

This year’s theme of responsible use will tackle some of the important questions we all must ask ourselves about our usage of the world’s most versatile and misunderstood plant.

Pot abuse can and does happen. When it does, it can have a seriously negative impact on the person abusing it. You may not die from overdose or waste away to a skeleton with sores on your face from abusing pot, but for some it can become a real problem. As we examine the harm reduction model, we will pose the questions that everyone should ask themselves when doing a gut check on their own use of the sacred herb.

Let’s get this straight - nobody should ever go to jail or prison for pot. That does not mean that we don't have to learn how to use it wisely. We will explore the ins and outs of responsible use and harm reduction. There have been enough inaccurate, biased exaggerations and outright lies during the decades of prohibition. Let’s examine some of the common truths associated with marijuana production and consumption in an effort to raise awareness on how to avoid making the subtle mistakes that can have a negative impact on us as we enjoy the fruits and benefits of the wonderful cannabis plant.

What questions can you be asking yourself about your pot use? Hempfest is about protesting the injustice of jailing people who get high, hobbling them with a lifelong criminal record. At the same time, Hempfest is about talking truth about pot, including the risks.

The fact that pot has some risks is no rational basis for hammering users as criminals. What’s more, criminalizing pot smokers doesn’t prevent those risks. The laws need to change because they are unjust, not because pot is harmless.

So, let’s talk about the risks, because we talk about the benefits all the time and life is about balance. Here are some questions we all need to ask ourselves about our health, our safety, our futures, and our personal responsibility.

What does "relatively harmless" mean? Honestly, we don’t like this phrase. Of course, when compared with alcohol, the risks from smoking pot are fewer and less damaging. On the other hand, the "relatively harmless" claim can badly mislead folks by inferring there’s nothing to worry about.

Most adults who smoke marijuana occasionally are not harmed, but the use of this drug is not without risk. Among the risks are: marijuana dependence, a greater likelihood of automobile accidents, impairment of respiratory function, and risks specific to those with certain illnesses such as cardiovascular disease. For adolescents, they also include poorer educational attainment, impairment of psychosocial development, and possible later mental health disorders.

What if being high is taking up more space in my life than I want it to? Most of us who smoke pot enjoy it without it becoming a compulsive thing. But for some of us, we begin to notice that we’re getting high more frequently than we intended—our productivity tanks, and we feel that we’re "in a rut" due to procrastination. About 10% of users become dependent. The rate is quite a bit higher for those who get high frequently and for those who began using in adolescence.

If this is happening to you and you need some support, check out Marijuana Anonymous at 206-548-9034. It’s free, and even available online at http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org.

Just how safe am I if I drive while high? Compared to the impairment caused by alcohol, marijuana’s effects on driving are more modest. People who are high tend to drive more slowly and take fewer risks. Nonetheless, it’s estimated that driving after getting high increases the risk of a car accident by a factor of two to three times. And mixing pot with alcohol can have deadly consequences when driving.

When you think about it, is driving while high cool for you and for the people you care about?

What if I’m coughing a lot and my chest hurts when taking a hit? Regular pot smokers are at greater risk of chronic bronchitis and they are more likely to have respiratory infections. Take a look at vaporizers.

Am I at any risk from smoking pot if I have a chronic illness? Possibly, and here’s an example. Adults with cardiovascular disease are at greater risk of angina and myocardial infarction in the hour following marijuana smoking. Pot causes the heart to beat faster, and for some folks that can be an issue. Certain medications won’t work as well when the person smokes pot. Check it out with your doc.

I’m a teen. What do I need to think about? Let’s face it: teens are sometimes smothered when it’s assumed they can’t make good and wise decisions for themselves—decisions about drinking, smoking, and, yes, pot smoking. If you’re a teen and getting high or thinking about it, you need to know that smoking pot frequently can lead to poorer grades. Frequent use can get in the way of verbal learning, attention, and memory.

Final note: You may think that we've "sold out" because of this article, and that is a chance we are willing to take. Being responsible is sometimes not the most popular position—but it is always the right one.

By Vivian McPeak, Mitch Earlywine, Ph.D., and Roger Roffman, Ph.D.