How Much Is Too Much?

America’s
hysterical drug warriors’ denunciation of any cannabis consumption always cites
the nonsense that THC concentrations are way higher today in comparison to cannabis
20 years ago. They do this not to just make taxpayers feel it is good that they
are fleeced for $20 billion a year so they can say it with government authority,
but to make cannabis consumers look like evil crazed stoners puffing away at cannabis
so powerful that it kills your brain cells and drives you mad!!!!!

Regardless
of their fear tactics, it is a fair question—how do you determine what is the
right amount of cannabis to consume whether it be for facilitating a good
night’s sleep, relieving pain, alleviating depression or as an alternative to
other drugs and alcohol? Looking at how doctors prescribe medications can be
instructive.

Prescriptions
usually have directions on how to take and how much to take. Antibiotics and
many other drugs are “take-as-directed” in which the doctor prescribes a
specific number of pills to be taken at prescribe intervals until all are
consumed. 

Pain
medications and some anti-depressants are often dispensed “p.r.n.”—medical
lingo for “take-as-needed.” That doesn’t mean you can take them whenever you
want or as much as you want. Most p.r.n. medications have quantity and time
limit restrictions such as take one pill every four hours as needed for pain.

If
you have pain four hours or more after you took one of the pills then it is OK
to take another, but for safety reasons, you must wait at least four hours
before taking another pill even if the pain continues and is not abated.
Further, you don’t take all the pills unless you need to and how long they will
last depends on how often you need to take them.

“Ad
libre” or “take freely” is a medical term seldom seen as there is not a single
medication that you can truly “take freely” – even vitamins cannot be taken
freely.

Cannabis
is the only therapeutic substance so safe you can take it “ad libre” to
alleviate whatever debilitating symptoms you are experiencing or euphoric state
you are seeking. Physically impossible to fatally overdose, each person has
their own unique cannabinoid intake requirements for producing the sought after
results from cannabis ingestion.

How
do you determine what your requirements are? Simple—you use as much as you want
to achieve whatever therapeutic benefits you are seeking—whether its pain
relief, a good night’s sleep or to facilitate socialization.

There
is a caution here, especially for beginners, which has to do with ingesting
cannabis through edibles. It is the same cannabis you smoke, but because it is
hard to determine concentrations and portions as well as the 30 minute delay or
longer before its effects are felt, you may become uncomfortable if you consume
too much. Your health will not be severely endangered but it is not a fun
experience.

With
that one proviso, the amount of cannabis to be used to reach “nirvana” whether
it be for relief of pain, a good night’s sleep or a euphoric state of sublime
pleasure, is dependent on your own needs and tolerances at the moment you are
using the cannabis. Some days you will need a lot, others very little, if any
is needed at all.

The
only real concern about the amount of cannabis to consume is no matter how much
you consume, you can only obtain so much relief and get so high. Once you get
there, if you consume more, all you are doing is wasting good pot.

Join Lanny Swerdlow RN for all things cannabis
every week on Marijuana Compassion & Common Sense, the award winning
controversial and educational forum heard live every Monday at 6 p.m. and
archived at www.blogtalkradio.com/marijuananews