How to Quit Marijuana - Simple Steps You Can Use to Quit Smoking Marijuana Today

Marijuana is a common drug used extensively in both the Americas and Europe. While widely regulated against by law, it is probably the most commonly used 'illicit drug' in the Western World (Next to underage use of alcohol.)

Many people are more interested in how to get marijuana than how to quit marijuana.

Most people who have experimented with drugs report having used marijuana, as it is considered by many to be a relatively harmless drug, at least when compared to the likes of heroin, crack, speed and LSD.

There are a number of controversies surrounding this naturally occurring psychotropic substance:

Is it addictive, and if so, how addictive is it?

Unlike nicotine, crack, and caffeine, where chemical dependence can be realized with very low exposure to the active chemicals, most drug enforcement and treatment organizations list marijuana in the top ten to twenty lists of addictive substances.

The battle over the addictive properties of marijuana rage on between opponents and proponents of this drug. Most agree that the addiction results from an acquired dependency to the brain chemical changes produced by marijuana rather than a physical dependency to any chemical in the plant itself.

Those arguing against the addictive classification of this drug site that many people have had little trouble quitting, even after years of heavy use.

However, since many who want to give up marijuana use need help to find out out how to quit marijuana, it is clear that, like alcohol, marijuana can lead to dependency in at least some people.

What are the symptoms of marijuana abuse and addiction?

Much like alcohol, marijuana is a recreation drug used for the euphoric high it produces in the user. Users describe a wide range of emotional reactions including:

Peace and a sense of well being.
Confidence.
Relaxation and a release from stress and tension.
Giddiness and happiness.

All well and good, but like any artificially induced emotional state, it comes at a price.

When the effect wears off, there is the resulting crash. While it does not carry the baggage of the alcohol induced hangover, the empty feeling after coming off of marijuana use is one of the reasons many give for wanting to quit.

While under the influence of marijuana, your judgment and reactions are impaired, as well as your ability to make rational decisions.

While it can (and is) argued that occasional marijuana use causes not more harm than social drinking of alcohol, this drug does have significant effects on several centers of the brain controlling speech, memory and cognition. Long term use can produce symptoms including:

Loss of ambition and focus.
Difficulty remembering facts and events clearly.
Emotional issues, including depression.
Anxiety and even paranoia.
Obsession with and obsessive need for the drug.

The point is, people get to the point where they want to give it up. Their life is not what they want it to be, and marijuana use is one of the reasons why. They want to know how to quit marijuana.

Fortunately, since marijuana does not contain any physically addictive compounds like nicotine and caffeine, you don't have to go through the direct physical withdrawal symptoms.

However, the secondary addictive effects are still a difficult hurdle to face.

Once you quit, the centers of your brain that are accustomed to processing the mood changing elements in marijuana can react with chemical changes of their own. These can produce anxiety, obsessive thoughts about marijuana and a strong desire to continue your habit.

This can be difficult, but far from impossible.

Some tips on how to quit marijuana:

First, admit that you have an addiction. This first step is common to all behavioral change programs. People with alcohol, gambling, eating and shopping issues all had to confess, at least to themselves, that they have a problem. Without this first step, the rest of the plan will almost surely fail.
Admit to someone else that you have an addiction. Man has been described as the only rational animal, but it is often more accurate to say he is a 'rationalizing animal'. Our highly adaptive natures which have allowed us to conquer and thrive in hostile and uncooperative environments can also work against us, making us think that what is bad for us is really not so bad.
By sharing your load with someone you trust, you can get regular doses of 'reality checks' that can remind you of why you wanted to quit in the first place.
Change your lifestyle. Recovering alcoholics stop going to bars, gamblers with problems stop going to Vegas, and you will need to avoid the places (and people) associated with marijuana use.
Get some exercise. Not only will it improve your general health, it will it use up time during the day that could otherwise be spent using marijuana. In addition, exercise produces it's own chemical changes in the brain and body which can substitute for those you are missing. It also reduces the stress that contributed to marijuana use in the first place.
Get involved. Keep your mind active. Read, write, take classes, expand your horizons.
Keep a journal. Record your feelings about why you want to quit and what you want to be when you are done. Re-read your entries from time to time to keep up your resolve.
If you have a faith based or spiritual outlook, do not ignore it. Many of the organizations dedicated to changing negative behavior consider the help of a higher power or the spiritual aspect of your being to be essential to ultimate success.

Peter Hill is an expert in helping people change their habits. He runs an informational website that provides tips, audio and stories to help people quit marijuana naturally and easily, without cravings or discomfort. To take advantage of this cool stuff and more make sure to check out Peter's site Quit Marijuana Now at http://www.QuitMarijuanaNow.com

A Simple Two Step Exercise To Help Quit Marijuana Now!

In the past decade there have been a number of psychologists who have contributed to the growing body of information about quitting pot. Many of these experts have come to a conclusion that quitting cannabis is roughly 10% physical dependence and more importantly 90% psychological habit. When people start to consider quitting weed, they are forced to consider the health reasons, financial reasons, and family reasons for changing. This article will discuss the three main issues involved and bring attention to some of the principals that you can learn and use immediately.

The best way to benefit from learning psychology to help yourself, is to realize that it is all about self-analysis and self discovery. As you consider the costs of not quitting marijuana, you could make a list on a blank piece of paper and write down each thing that bothers you. Write down enough things so that your motivated and ready to take action. Then on the other side of the page, write down all the things you will be able to enjoy as a result of your decision to change your old habits. The first thing you might consider is your physical health.

Health

For some people the health reasons alone are enough to make the decision to quit pot. Some people find that before they quit cannabis they are often short of breath, or unable to naturally breath as deeply or as rhythmically as they could before. Other people worry about various types of cancer that can eventually result from smoking weed, or other tobacco. It's not uncommon to hear about problems with nasty wet coughs, runny noses and mucus buildup, that come as a result of smoking weed on a regular basis. Yet for some people the health reasons are not quite as motivating as when they consider the financial costs of not quitting cannabis.

Wealth

Some people start to calculate how much money they spend and how if they were to just quit marijuana they would have hundred and some times thousands of more dollars available to them. There was a client I had once who came to the realization that if he were to save up all the money that he usually would have spent on weed, he could take a vacation to South America in just a few months and every winter thereafter. Even though the health reasons and financial reasons to quit pot are many, there is yet another group of people who only respond to the family reasons.

Relationships

Often times it has been found that people who smoke cannabis too much have families that worry about them. Sometimes it's the girlfriends or boyfriend who really help in moving things forward along in the process. When they consider their children, they find that alone is enough reason to quit marijuana since they want to be a good example and make their kids proud.

Psychologist know that patients need to reflect on what they are doing, and how much better things will become once they make the change and quit pot. By doing something as simple as writing a list of painful things and pleasurable opportunities they can change their minds and re-train their brains to think that smoking is a silly thing that they no longer need in their lives. They look at themselves and decide to have better health, decide to seal their financial leaks, and patch things up with their families to become successful and self-reliant people.

Peter Hill is a human resources specialist and an expert in helping people change their habits. He runs an informational website that provides tips, audio and stories to help people quit marijuana naturally and easily, without cravings or discomfort. To take advantage of this cool stuff and more make sure to check out Peter's site at http://www.QuitMarijuanaNow.com

The Harmful Effects of Smoking Marijuana - The Simple Truth

IT IS ILLEGAL!

While some states now have allowed smoking marijuana when medically prescribed such as for those suffering from aids or cancer, it is illegal. Most states have no such law and while there is definite evidence that medical marijuana may have its benefits, smoking it illegally for non-medical reasons is never a good idea. Some states have laws where for the most part it is a misdemeanor for having possession of a small amount of weed, however depending on how much you have on your possession, you could be charged with intent to sell, AND if you were to be busted within a certain number of feet from a school, the charges become much more serious.

IT COULD COST YOU YOUR JOB

Many employers can and do conduct random drug tests. In most cases it is written somewhere that using illegal substances is grounds for termination and therefore you very well might be risking your job every time you decide to smoke pot. Also, almost ALL employers these days do a drug screening prior to hiring someone. With the state of the job market and the economy is it really worth it to get high?

SMOKING MARIJUANA IS HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH

Just as smoking cigarettes has its risks, smoking pot does too. It stains your teeth and leaves your gums more vulnerable to disease as well as other risks that go up when you smoke.

CONCLUSION

If you are a pot smoker, whether it is even just occasionally or regularly you should do what you can to stop. Get all the facts now about how it can do you more harm than good.

For more information on how smoking marijuana can damage your health please visit How Marijuana Effects your health as soon as possible. This is an excellent article that will tell you how smoking pot will hurt you in both the long and the short term. Stop Smoking Online Today is a web-site dedicated to assisting those who want to stop smoking and just need the information and resources to help them.