When I smoke marijuana I don’t experience paranoia or become incapacitated, or become violent. In my life, the effects of marijuana are that I feel more joy. My body feels better when I’m high, and I smile more.
However, the effects of marijuana are different when I smoke indica vs. sativa. Sativa is sometimes referred to as the ‘party’ pot, or the ‘head’ pot, whereas indica is talked about in terms of its effect as ‘couch’ pot, or ‘body’ pot.
Sativa is For Productivity
For me, sativa is for being productive at a normal and steady pace. I can work around the house, create my art, write, and actually be in public without making a fool of myself. Unlike when I drink a lot of alcohol, when I smoke a lot of pot my reflexes and movements around the house are not affected. (I feel more compromised, less in control when I drink alcohol than when I smoke pot.) I’d rather smoke pot: I can be more responsible and less hungover with the effects of marijuana.
Indica is For The Couch Potatoes
Indica, on the other hand, is what I used last week when recovering from radiation treatment on my thyroid. I planned for it. I got some indica ahead of time because I was really afraid of being sick for the 3 days I needed to be quarantined after the radiation treatment. I wanted to be able to sleep, or at least rest deeply for hours on the couch during that time. I had very little nausea and very little body pain during my recovery, which I attribute to the effects of marijuana.
Effects of Marijuana, Then and Now
I first smoked pot as a child – which I know now was inappropriate. The person who introduced me to it was just a few years older than me, still a minor. Anyhow, the point is, I’ve got decades of experience smoking pot.
Back in the day, we certainly didn’t know what type of pot we were smoking – but I can tell you I laughed a heck of a lot – and it was awesome! (Giggles, and more giggles. Um…pretty sure it was sativa.)
Back then the potency of pot was vastly different from today. In the 70s and 80s, we could smoke a joint, or smoke a bowl without being severely affected. Today just a puff or 2 will have the intended effect.
Effects of One or Two Puffs
Know this: 1 or 2 puffs will not make you an addict, and it will not turn you into some goofball from a Hollywood pot movie. Pot today is potent – but not lethal. Pot is not lethal.
Here’s an analogy from everyday life: the difference between perfume and eau de toilette. Perfume is more concentrated, but that potency doesn’t make perfume dangerous to put on your skin. That’s sort of the difference in pot today vs. decades ago: it’s more concentrated now, but that potency doesn’t make it hurtful to use. Pot today is not dangerous.
When You Love Pot
I adore marijuana, and I believe it’s one of God’s very special gifts to this earth. I enjoy the process of smoking – I don’t want to smoke just one or two puffs. Pot often tastes good. It smells good, and sometimes I just inhale the scent of the buds. My history with pot means there are many good memories and good feelings associated with smoking pot, for me.
Like chicken soup: decades of having good feelings from eating chicken soup is similar to the association I have with marijuana in my life. The process of smoking pot is like the process of making chicken soup from scratch and taking in a warm, nourishing bowl of that loving liquid.
As a middle-aged person of average health, I’m on a prediabetes med, a blood pressure med, and I have other medications too. Daily I take prescription pills: medicine is in my body continually. Having marijuana in my system is no different from having prescription pills in my body constantly – except that the means of ingestion is smoking, and it’s all-natural.
When Not to Smoke
When I’m going to a business meeting or having to do important work of my own I refrain from smoking. I wouldn’t take a meeting with my lawyer, or make a decision about buying a car or go to work as an employee while high. Sometimes when I’m high I choose not to answer the phone if it’s important that I’m on top of my game and at my best in terms of communication.
Effects of Marijuana – What it Feels Like
The quality of the experience when I’m high on sativa is that I sing a song while doing the dishes and taking care of things around the house. When I’m with others who are high as well (some of whom are business acquaintances too) we can have very meaningful conversations. It’s not all giggles, all the time.
Taking the initial puff or two is like flipping a sweet switch on the stress of the day – like a great body stretch, or a jump into a pool. I feel better immediately, and I feel blessed that God has provided us with marijuana to enhance our human experience on his great earth.