Let's be honest. Cannabis is not 100% safe. Besides the obvious health risk of smoking, Cannabis can also impact on your psychological well-being if abused. The best way to avoid these negative effects is to know about them and to use Ganja in a responsible manner.

What are the negative side effects?
Cannabis affects different people in different ways, as no two bodies (or minds) work exactly the same. Some people might notice that their day-to-day concentration might be reduced, or that their memory is not as sharp as it used to be.
Others might notice that their speech is affected and either cannot speak clearly, can't get the right words out or just speak much slower. How many stoners have you, like, known who like, you know, um.. just don't make any sense n'all ... and it's all like uhh ... dude, whatever..!

Then there's Dependency. Usually, when one smokes very regularly, it is extremely difficult to do anything without smoking a joint first. Going out, watching a movie, socialising, sex ... after a while, life is impossible without weed. It's either too boring, dull or stressful to attempt sober.
Obviously this is not healthy. Ganja should be used to enhance some of our experiences, don't allow yourself to become dependent on Ganja to get through the day.

Cannabis abuse can also become an invisible prison. Heavy users can end up living in a smoke-filled bubble. A contented, inert, self-indulged space where nothing grows or changes. You lose control of your life and cannot get a realistic perspective on the world outside. This too is very dangerous as you slowly waste the precious gift of life, living in your shell ... until you eventually burn out and realise all those years have gone up in smoke.

What causes these negative effects?
Very simply, negative side-effects occur when you smoke too much too often. How much is too much? This is different for every person. The thing is to be honest with yourself and to think clearly.

What can one do about it? how do I stay in control?
If you think you've been smoking too much Ganja, the best thing to do is either cut down or quit - for a few days or even a few months.
The longer you abstain the more benefit you'll get out of it. Firstly, you will start to see your life from a normal perspective - many people get quite surprised to see how heavy Ganja use has changed who they are. You can also look forward to reduced tolerance - which means that you will get higher on less Ganja than you did before.

Try to smoke less. Many smokers have a habit of toking more than they need to. Usually, 2 or 3 hits are enough.

Find higher quality Cannabis. The higher the quality of your Cannabis, the less you have to smoke as it is usually much more potent than street schwag.

Make sure you eat right. A good diet can do wonders for your mind, keeping it healthy and balanced.

Exercise your brain and body. When you take care of yourself, you feel better, stronger and more energetic. Keep you mind alert by doing puzzles, playing challenging games like chess or backgammon, reading ... or even having a good debate with a friend.

Keep your life balanced. Try and do a little bit of everything.

Why bother?
When you respect and use Cannabis responsibly, your life is enriched, your Ganja experiences are improved and you become living proof that Cannabis does not always mean a one-way road to oblivion.

~JJ~

Sometimes we need a helping hand. If you are having problems quitting Cannabis, try these:

US
Marijuana Anonymous