For about 2 years, I was smoking at a level that was definitely bad. I would smoke 2-3 bowls in the morning, then have multiple sessions at night of 2-3 bowls each. I was going through an ounce of flower per week.

The sheer amount of time it took to smoke that much was a waste, I mean I was watching TV while I was doing it but it was pretty garbage TV, since I wasn’t mentally present enough to watch anything good.

I basically gave myself asthma. I never had asthma attacks before I started smoking and then I started getting them during my sessions and then I started getting them outside of my sessions.

Anyways, I’m 3 months clean now with no plans to ever touch it again. I know that I can’t just be a joint-on-the-weekend-kind of guy. I’m no longer getting asthma attacks and I’m sleeping much better now (and I get dreams again! I missed that so much)

The current belief is that it can affect the brains of growing children, but they’re not sure to what extent. In my state the legal age is 21, the same as for drinking. In adults, straight cannabis will not harm you in any way other than the usual effects of being under the influence and not always making rational choices. Worst case, you sleep it off. Do keep in mind that smoking it can slowly damage your lungs, the same as breathing any find particulates over a long period of time. I personally prefer edibles for long-term use, but the baking process does reduce the potency.

Now, like any drug, the reason you want to take it can be very important. If you need something to escape reality on a permanent basis, obviously you have a larger problem that no drug is ever going to solve. However the occasional evening can be quite entertaining, much like a trip to the water park. Other people (like myself) take it on a regular basis to help with medical problems, usually pain relief or sleep issues, where CBD is the answer rather than the THC component.

For myself, I’ve had sleeping problems for the past 16 years (since a bad car wreck). I worked with my doctor for awhile trying to find something that would help. The problem is, I’m a computer tech and I need my mind sharp for troubleshooting or writing code. All the prescription drugs leave your brain in a fog through much of the next day, and then what use am I? It turns out that marijuana has a fairly quick drop-off, so it can provide help through the night, and is pretty much out of my system by the time I head for work. As with anything, it takes some time to find the right dose. I take it along with other prescription medications to address different issues, but I’ve been getting good restful sleep for the past 9 years and feeling much more like myself again. For these purposes I highly recommend it, but talk to someone knowledgeable to guide you to the right strains and give advice on what to expect.

i go with edibles to get around the impacts of smoking it and i make it myself to ensure that it’s nothing but flower in the baked/steeped edible.

i also grow the flower myself to make sure that there’s nothing else in it and it’s a pain in the ass with my black thumbs.

It absolutely destroyed all the progress I was making around ADHD with Adderall. Also I ate too much and was overweight.

Plenty of nice scientific info in the thread but from a personal experience as someone who used to hit the bong 3x daily for months, it makes you okay with being bored, it’s instant entertainment, and at the end of it you feel stupid because you wish you’d done something with the time and been bored more to get that spark of creativity to come through.

It’s super helpful for breaking migraines and has other medicinal uses. The trips are pretty chill and it isn’t even chemically addictive.

Kurzgesagt just put out a new video (piped link)on the topic, they always link the sources and studies they used.

Vaporizing and edibles are more good than bad. Pretty much harmless in moderation. Just have your life in order first and use it to add that extra spice of awareness, instead of relying on it.

My experience is purely anecdotal but for me it seems to make me more anxiety prone and more paranoid even when sober and thats been a lasting effect so far. Im still for legalization and I know it affects people differently. Sadly for me its mostly negative for now

Quick edit: if anyone knows more about this effect im really interested in finding out more. My doctor hasent really been that helpful