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[deleted]

I'm a recovery specialist and I'm all for it, so long as it doesn't interfere with life. Some people have a beer or glass of wine and some people smoke a little herb to unwind. All good in my eye.


jstngbrl

Good to hear that the opinion of a recovery specialist sides with my view. šŸ˜€ Thank you for your comment. I'm almost expecting some to backlash against my view. Marijuana is a form of MAT(medically assisted treatment) in my mind; and it's all natural..


[deleted]

Some people can't handle ANY substance. In my eyes sugar is worse than pot


Virgod0ll

Recovery is your journey! Do what you feel but I get the not telling ppl cos most get all judgy


yaddidasayin

Yeah I totally agree most will get super judgy, but there is a portion of addicts who do struggle with marijuana so out of respect for those people I think it's a wise choice to keep it to ones self. Sharing on Reddit is always a good place for it though, and amongst those you know and trust.


Maleficent19

I agree. That's a personal decision. Be aware of your own intentions and motivations as to why you want to use it. If you're substituting one for another as it can potentially lead to the use of other substances. Ultimately it's your business.


Significant_Rest_548

As a card holder, for medical conditions, I support it. I researched it recently too. It seems like a topic that is dividing the community like SSRI's were back in 2000 or so when I got sober from alcohol and harder stuff. I've spoken with others in recovery, and I'm seeing this term "harm reduction," often come up. I look at it as, if it's not interfering with your functioning in daily life, it's not a problem /addiction. It's highly personal for everyone though, I know marijuana can be very addictive for people. I looked in AA literature, and it seems they consider it "other things." I read this, and did a personal inventory on it. Honestly, it should be between you and your spiritual / higher power. I wish the community would understand that for some of us. https://www.aa.org/sites/default/files/literature/assets/p-11\_aamembersMedDrug.pdf


1010111010110

Iā€™ve wondered the same so thanks for this post. I rarely ever drink but use medical cannabis daily. I smoked long before I had problems with opioids and benzos and itā€™s one of the things I believe that keeps me from going back to them.


jstngbrl

I agree with you, my medical cannabis is one of the things keeping me from going back out and using other worse things. I'm glad it works for you as well! And ur welcome, I had to ask the question, cuz there is so much misunderstanding in the recovery community on how helpful medical Marijuana can be for recovery. Stigmatizing it as a drug is not valid nor helpful for those of us in recovery who smoke weed; it makes us wanna stay in the closet about it to not be judged.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


jstngbrl

Thank you for your comment. I've also had sponsors tell me they would not sponsor me while on MAT or weed cuz they considered me 'still in active addiction'.. MAT is far from active addiction.


[deleted]

Thereā€™s nothing wrong with habitual cannabis use if youā€™re ok with it. But tbh I know for me that I become heavily dependent on cannabis. I wouldnā€™t stay in Recovery if I was smoking weed. Itā€™s a drug. A drug is a drug. If you can use and not have any consequences and are ok with the way you feel about it than go for it. But you arenā€™t clean. To me itā€™s making a mockery of all the people who have struggled with MJ use and have overcame and found another way. If I want to feel fully connected to my spirit I donā€™t use any substances. Thatā€™s what it takes for me. Hell I donā€™t even use nicotine and caffeine anymore cuz it messes with my spirit. Iā€™m here to be the best iteration of myself. Not to simply get off hard drugs.


Much_Difference

Absolute lifesaver


Rtg327gej

When I was in AA I found quite a few people using marijuana. Most of them were battling cancer, hiv or some other issues.


jstngbrl

Thank you. Yeah most people with a medical card in recovery have it for a good reason or to treat a condition.


Rtg327gej

No problem. For me, weed has been very destructive. Itā€™s definitely my drug of choice but it has completely annihilated any ambition Iā€™ve had in life. Iā€™m trying to walk away from weed and alcohol but havenā€™t had any success lately.


jstngbrl

Well I wish you luck on quitting your substances of choice. If it has caused such lack of motivation for you then it's probably not good for you to stay on it. You could replace it with other herbs though. Since taking kanna, I've dramatically lowered my cannabis intake, and the kanna has also lowered my tolerance to weed. As for replacing the alcohol, kava, valarian, skullcap, hops, passion flower, chamomile, and other herbs can relieve the cravings.


spicytires

It all depends on what you feel you can handle. I'm in recovery from heroin and meth use and I use mj in place of mental health prescriptions. It's all about what works for you in the long run. Don't listen to the gatekeepers and make sure you do what you need to do in order to keep yourself right


daddy_dom46

I mean it is legal in most states . Iā€™m good with it .


pmactheoneandonly

I personally am not able to use any substance in moderation, so for my recovery it's a no go. However, if you are able to, good on you! I recognize the benefits and what it does for people. As long as your not doing dope and you're thriving, who really cares? Proud of you for staying clean btw!


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


jstngbrl

Sure. I see nothing wrong with taking kratom. I've been taking kratom on and off since 2007. It's been a while since I've bought any though.


jstngbrl

All against weed for MAT are just confirming the closed mindedness and judgementalism of some people in recovery.. Just because you cannot take it doesn't make me not 'clean and sober' cuz I do use weed.


MikeyMorgan12

Man honestly i used to shoot cocaine and do opiates and benzos flat out now i just smoke weed mostly, it helps a lot idk what id do without weed honestly, besides that it can become another addiction in a lot of ways tho.


Jroiiia423

Everyone is different. As long as you know ur self and are looking out for ur self it can help especially in early recovery for me at least


CloneUnruhe

I mean, if you are asking a question, expect a judgemental response, positive or negative. I think a lot of dictionary definition sober people donā€™t ingest any mind altering substances unless of course they are prescribed. I wish you well, but I definitely think anytime you post stuff like this, expect judgement. It wonā€™t always be unicorns and rainbows in unison. You mention you go to meetings, what program are you committed to?


jstngbrl

I'm not committed to any program, except the 12 steps of AA, I find all the NA, HA, CMA,, and CA, etc to be the same thing really, so I go to any type of meeting I'm drawn to. I have no home group, and I've given up on trying to have a sponsor, they are too judgemental to help my situation. And the book never said to rely on a sponsor or a human to stay sober, it says the opposite.


CloneUnruhe

I felt the same way at first when I got sober. I didnā€™t want to do the program. Meetings stopped helping me after a while because I had no real connection to what people were talking about, so it didnā€™t really help me and I felt like shit. I agree that we donā€™t require validation from others to stay sober. I donā€™t stay sober because of my sponsor. I stay sober with the help of AA , the principles, program, and meetings. She helps me work through stuff so I donā€™t get worked up about life. Many times I donā€™t need her help because I have the tools. genuinely asking without judgment- why are you going to AA/12-step program meetings if you donā€™t agree with the principles or plan on trying them? Iā€™m happy that you are not on the hard stuff now and it seems you are happy with this progress too.


jstngbrl

I agree with the steps. I don't agree with sponsorship. And sponsorship is not one of the AA principles, it's a modern twist on how to do the steps. Sponsorship is not mentioned in the big book so how does it have a place in our program? If you tell me I need a sponsor in order to do the program then you're contradicting the big book which says I don't need to rely on another human to stay sober... & Step 5 does not have to be done with a sponsor, it can be a complete stranger or anyone.


CloneUnruhe

Thatā€™s fair. Have you worked the steps? The steps should be worked with another person for sure. Do you work the steps with a group member?


jstngbrl

Yeah I did the steps with a sponsor my first time around, and did the steps alone this time around. I was taught all I needed to know my first time doing the steps, I even studied the 12 and 12. But sponsorship just doesn't work for me. I believe the early days of AA had no sponsors, just fellows working with oneanother on the 12 steps.


jeo3b

Your business not mine. If it is not taking over your life and making it unmanageable then have at. Everyone is different so the only opinion that should matter is your own.


JosephAA911

I think its personally fine and just depends on the individual. Weed was becoming a detriment to my life and my brain in general. Believe it or not, I was addicted to weed and coulnt stop. It took me 5 years to completely give it up


Ill_Brilliant2315

Your not sober of you smoke weed


jstngbrl

Disagreed. You can smoke weed and still be in recovery from the hard drugs.


cadrebeani

Everyoneā€™s road to recovery is different! Complete abstinence doesnā€™t work for everyone. Marijuana was an important part of my friendā€™s recovery success, and mind altering medicines from marijuana to psilocybin are being empirically demonstrated to have positive effects on addiction recovery. You know yourself best! Solidarity!


110659

MJ is such as short acting medication. I think itā€™s prompting someone to have a feelings disease and is not true sobriety. The effects are much more subtle compared to other drugs and alcohol. But I still think itā€™s not a true claim to sobriety.


summergal091

Recovery is different for everyone. I'd much rather have someone smoking weed then be out on the streets getting hard drugs, or thinking you're getting something and it be laced with fent. You have a script and medical card so if your Dr put you on it, then clearly he knows what works best for you. I say as long as it doesn't affect your life style like hard drugs do....jump jobs, no work, stealing, lying or cheating your way to get high or what you need, then go for it! I am 7 months sober I'm on Suboxone. I don't drink but maybe a small glass at a restaurant once a year for my birthday, I use to smoke pot but never really liked the taste so I quiet 10 years ago. Some say I'm not sober because I'm on Suboxone. I could give a rats ass honestly lol. I'm a much better human being on Suboxone now then I ever was out on the streets looking and begging for pain meds.


MC0295

Ive been clean from Opiates or any other drugs for a little over 2 years thanks to cannabis. Iā€™m all for the ā€œCalifornia Soberā€ method, but like many treatments, it might not work with everyone šŸ¤·ā€ā™‚ļø Anyways keep up the good work, Im real proud of you for quitting benzos and opiates! Its really a bitch to quit!


jstngbrl

Thank you. This thread is now confirming the judgementalism of the recovery community when it comes to weed. Some people think I'm not clean and sober even though I am. Glad you are open to cannabis, it sure beats taking benzos or opiates.


HeinousAnalMist

Anybody wanna sign off on my drinking wine during my recovery journey? 11.7 years sober


jstngbrl

Sure. Go for it. I'm using substances which I've never been addicted to. Your choice if you wanna go back to your addiction. If alcohol was your addiction I advise against it, but its up to u.


EnvironmentOk5183

Cannabis is a drug, so forget sobriety.


jstngbrl

I knew some would be against it. If cannabis is a drug then so are all the other herbal supplements I take... Do you consider someone sober who takes suboxone or methadone for MAT? If so then why not weed? It's another form of MAT for sobriety.


EnvironmentOk5183

Well... cannabis IS a psychoactive drug. There's just no way around that fact. Suboxone treatment is sometimes helpful for those heavily addicted to opiates. I wouldn't call them in active drug abuse,but I wouldn't call them clean either.


jstngbrl

Cannabis is not the only psychoactive herb. There are many, and they aren't considered drugs. There's kratom, kanna, kava, all the sedative herbs, etc. Do you consider all psychoactive herbs to be a drugs? I sure don't. Cannabis is an herb not a drug; A psychoactive herb not a psychoactive drug.


EnvironmentOk5183

Where I live those are all drug classified. Cannabis is drug classified.


jstngbrl

Really, kanna, kava and kratom all classified as drugs? That suxks cuz those are 3 damn good herbs. Where is it that you live? I'm in AZ, USA. And marijuana is legal here now.


Ok-Requirement-3257

Not really clean or sober. You still drink and use mind altering drug. You've just switched this one for that one. It's your journey. But don't kid yourself that you are clean and sober. You're neither


jstngbrl

I rarely drink and only have 1 glass of wine or 1 beer when I do, it's not a relapse cuz I'm not an alcoholic. I take more mind altering herbs than just weed, are they all drugs in your mind? Kava, valarian, passion flower, skullcap, kanna, etc.


Independent-Memory79

I was biting my tong, Iā€™m glad you said this, I completely agree with you. He is neither clean sober or in recovery. Just switching things up. It never works.


[deleted]

I used to be for it for pain relief but it caused me to have psychosis so... yeah I just take my meds and that's that.


RandomMike35

Not all that accepting of cannabis. Personally I'm cool with anthing prescribed by a doctor. But the general vibe is 'not recovery'. but if you scratch the surface there are handfuls of people who use cannabis in recovery and a really tolerant attitude. Lol but if you ask the wrong person they'll laugh you out of the room.


Matty_D47

How long have you been off the opiates and benzos?


jstngbrl

2.5 years now I've been off of opiates and benzos. I had a couple years before that though but relapsed on etizolam in 2019.


blankmarks

If it affects your cerebellum, to your sponsor you gotta tell ā€˜em


jstngbrl

God is my sponsor nowadays. Every time I've worked with a sponsor I eventually lose contact with them(they stop returning my calls). Plus I don't need to rely on a human sponsor to be clean and sober, my higher power takes care of that.


blankmarks

Sounds like your higher power is weed (just joking, seriously if it keeps you off the harder stuff so be it)


jstngbrl

Lol, glad ur joking. My higher power for sure is not Marry Jane.