Posted by guttersnipe on July 8, 2004, at 1:52:43
In reply to Re: Another pot question - paranoia » partlycloudy, posted by zenhussy on July 7, 2004, at 11:07:16
I also use a moderate amount of medical marijuana like z/h, plus I have years of (sometimes not so moderate) use of the herb for recreational and spiritual purposes as well medical ones. I agree very much with z/h that the effects can vary greatly from strain to strain, but based on my experience and what I've read, I think it is more complicated than simply indica versus sativa. Among pure indicas, as well as among pure sativas (and so certainly among all of the indica-sativa hybrids) there is a lot of variation as to the concentrations of the numerous cannabinoid substances in absolute terms and in terms of their proportion to each other -- and a lot of variation in their effects. THC gets most of the attention, as it is the primary psychoactive substance in marijuana, but it is widely believed that CBD and many other cannabinoids also have psychoactive effects. In my experience, the THC content, either by itself or in proportion to the amount of CBD, doesn't necessarily tell me how I will react to any given strain. So I (and many other people) think that at least some of the numerous other cannabinoids have powerful roles in mediating and modulating the effects of THC and CBD.
The only ways for me to know for sure how a particular strain will affect me are to sample a bit of it, and (less reliable) to talk to others who are well-acquainted with that strain. If you grow your own, you might do a bit of research to find out what the breeders say about different strains. Blue Heaven, for example, was bred specifically for its anti-anziety (anti-"paranoia") effects from Oaxacan and Thai sativas and an indica (indicas were originally from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and a few parts of India ... after a few decades in the U.S., Canada, and The Netherlands, only a few indicas such as Kush and Mazar-i-Sharif can still be traced to the specific places where their genetic stock came from).
If you live in a medical marijuana jurisdiction and have access to a cannabis co-op, the folks who run the co-op can probably tell you about the different strains they offer -- some are better than others for pain relief, some are better than others for nausea relief and appetite stimulation, some are better than others for relief of anxiety, etc., and the co-op is likely to be familiar with the unique qualities of each strain they have in stock.
Also, set (your mood, thoughts, etc.) and setting (where you are, who you are with, what music is playing, etc.) are very important.
Finally, you might consider taking some anti-anxiety remedy an hour or so before lighting up. I have found that on a decent amount of a benzo like Xanax or Ativan, marijuana is almost 100% certain not to make me paranoid or edgy. Less strong but still somewhat effective non-prescription alternatives include 500 to 1000 mg of the amino acid taurine (a calming neurotransmitter) and/or 500 mg of niacinamide (one form of niacin, a B vitamin).
Good luck to you in finding out what works for you.
P.S. If you use the herb every other day or so, you might consider buying a vaporizer (a brand named "Volcano" is the state of the art) instead of smoking it -- your lungs will thank you.
poster:guttersnipe
thread:363708
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/subs/20040604/msgs/363929.html