Is smoking marijuana while recovering ok? That is the golden question for today.
Wouldn’t it be nice to stop doing drugs and be free from anxiety, depression, and cravings, too? If life was that easy, then we wouldn’t have addictions in the first place. Many people, whether recovering addicts or not, choose to smoke marijuana to lower stress, relieve pain, and eliminate anxiety. There can be benefits from smoking it, but these benefits come with a risk of relapse.
Pros of Smoking Marijuana While Recovering
Marijuana is a plant that, when smoked, relaxes the body, takes away stress, helps with migraines, battles effects from chemo, and relieves anxiety. It is often much safer than over-the-counter anxiety medications and less addictive. While in recovery, you might begin to suffer from depression. This is normal and can be treated with medication or individual therapy. Some people choose to smoke marijuana instead of taking a highly addictive prescription. If you are recovering from an addiction to pain medication, marijuana is a healthier alternative when you have been injured and need pain medication. It can also be used to battle pain from withdrawal symptoms when coming off of a drug. Those in recovery who choose to use marijuana express the relief and comfort it brings during difficult times.
Cons of Smoking Marijuana While Recovering
With all the benefits of marijuana, who wouldn’t want to smoke it? But while you may enjoy the calmness of smoking marijuana and manage to do it without relapsing, it is still risky as there is a chance you may relapse and require marijuana addiction treatment. There is a reason marijuana is called a gateway drug; it starts out as something safe but can quickly escalate into doing a stronger drug. Before you make your decision, I must ask, “Why do you want to smoke it?” This will often be the deciding factor of whether or not you should take the chance. If you are only wanting to do it for pleasure and recreation, then you are more likely to relapse. Many people who have smoked weed during recovery have expressed an instant feeling of cheating and relapsing; if they did this drug, does it matter if they do something stronger? Others begin using marijuana to medicate themselves against life’s stresses and avoid problems. When life throws something at you, which it always does, it is better to be mentally and physically prepared to cope with the problem in a healthy way than by turning to a form of drug. Avoiding drugs and alcohol altogether forces you to plan your life with positive forces behind you.
In the end, it is a decision that you have to make on your own. This decision should never be a compulsive choice, but rather, it should be well thought out. If you choose to smoke marijuana, you are also taking a chance of relapsing. Weighing the possible outcomes beforehand will help you decide. You also must factor in the legality of it all. Many states are beginning to legalize marijuana for medicinal and recreational purposes: I would never advise smoking an illegal drug, but if you can get it in a legal transaction, then the choice is yours. So now I ask you, do you think it is OK to smoke marijuana while recovering? If you do, why? If you don’t, why not?
By Michelle Conway
Photo by: Torben Hansen (Flickr)
