Will marijuana lead to heroin relapse?

[MyOwnWorstEnemy]

Hey y'all this is my first post. I'm a heroin/opiate addict. 10 days clean. My wife is in detox, then going to rehab...anyways... we were talking to a drug councillor and he told us about a study that says pot and opiates affect some of the same receptors. I read it. Seems they are not the primary ones involved in the addiction process...then he said that if we continue to smoke pot will bind to our prefrontal cortex and that zero percent of people who smoke get clean.. I couldn't find any evidence to that effect. I get that if u use it as a coping mechanism it's gonna hurt ur chances of actually dealing with your issues, but I only smoke at night after everything is done. Otherwise my mind races and I get fixated on using H. You guys and gals seem pretty well read on the subject. Any opinions or experiences would truly help. Ty

 

[Methacodone]

You can relapse with or without the Pot, obviously.

But, actually studies today state that with the legalization of MJ has helped lots of people get and stay off opiates.

 

[LucidSDreamr]

i would disagree and am not one of those ppl that advocates pot for everything. I have posted against it many times when it comes to chronic pain.

but I think it would be more likely to prevent you from relapsing on opiates. Your counselor is ....a counselor. not a doctor or scientist, don't be convinced she can speak on neuropharmacology of drug use by her use of words such as "prefrontal cortex"

alcohol on the other hand....thats relapse city due to the lower of inhibitions and increase in impulsivity. Weed generally raises inhibitions. stimulants would be another one to avoid.

I think many drug addicts require substitution of a drug for opiates, whether it be weed, kratom, alcohol. complete sobriety is harder the maintain than being a weed user to cope with your problems

 

[Boku_]

.

I think many drug addicts require substitution of a drug for opiates, whether it be weed, kratom, alcohol. complete sobriety is harder the maintain than being a weed user to cope with your problems

As much as NA types like to harp on about the perils of swapping the witch for the bitch i'm sure plenty of ex-opiate users have gotten off the gear successfully long term by substituted weed for their previous drug of choice. As LucidSDreamr says being 100 percent sober is easier said than done.

 

[Burnt Offerings]

then he said that if we continue to smoke pot will bind to our prefrontal cortex and that zero percent of people who smoke get clean.. I couldn't find any evidence to that effect.

Of course you won't find evidence to that effect, because it's not a true statement. All I need to do is find ONE person who smokes cannabis & is an ex-opiate user, and the statement is rendered false. And there are numerous people for whom that's the case.

The statement is dishonest anyway, since (in the view of many "addiction specialists) consuming marijuana in-and-of-itself would make one not be "clean".

marijuana can present itself as an obstacle when it comes to quitting heroin or other opiates, though...it depends on the individual.

 

[Mysterie]

i think it is worth being vigilant and noticing if weed is having a detrimental impact on your ability to function and socialise, it could be worth slowing down and taking a break.

otherwise if its what you enjoy doing, and it doesn't impact your ability to stay sober and do what you want to do, more power to you.

 

[keeping]

according to Reagan

 

[Keif' Richards]

I'm a decade-long Opiate user and I found that things got a lot easier for me when I stopped trying to cut out all psychoactive substances. Now, I accept the fact that I'm psychologically and physically (to a small extent) dependent upon Cannabis. It doesn't cause any problems in my life. Sometimes I smoke a little too much and it hurts my wallet, but I certainly don't hurt and/or betray those around me in the process of acquiring and using it.

There was a time when I thought I was an absolute failure for still using Cannabis. 12 Step Meetings really have a zero-tolerance policy and that's where I got my start in this process. Everything just got better when I made that small concession. This means everything else is still off limits, including Alcohol. So long as I don't break the rules, everything is fine.

 

[chelle216]

I read about this subject a couple of weeks ago, and current literature is actually stating otherwise; that medical marijuana may be more useful in for opiate addicts in remaining free of opiates. Just google, "studies of marijuana helping opiate addicts", and plenty of links come up.

As far as the counselor goes, remember they're also working for a company that sells the idea that complete abstinence from every psychoactive substance is the only golden way to addict enlightenment, which simply isn't true for every individual.

 

[vaginafruit]

Many addicts find that marijuana is useful when trying to cover up opiate addiction. Its honestly so different for everyone.

 

[Relapz]

I can only speak from my experience in that since crossing that line into opiate addiction, any drug, including marijuana has brought me back to heroin. It just doesn't produce the same effect for me anymore and I always want what I crave the most.

I can't speak for others, and being entirely sober is extremely difficult for me, but it seems it's that, or IV cocaine and heroin use, is my only option. I simply do not understand the word moderation. I'm either entirely sober or balls deep in every drug there is.

 

[T. Calderone]

I know a lady who still smokes weed after a bad crack addiction from the 90's. It is still early in your recovery though. One thing to consider is how you and your wife together will deal with cravings. Is she okay with your weed smoking?

(BDD ------ > Sober Living)

 

[DoctorMolecule]

From my experience I needed to smoke weed for a couple of months to get the thoughts of needles out of my head and stay clean from H, but sure enough I kept smoking herb after those months and relapsed two days ago with 9 months clean. As long as I use a chemical to feel better, the chance of putting a needle where it doesn't belong will always be there
Good luck brother/sister

 

[johnnypotsmoker199]

Cannabis has always helped me in that aspect. I don't believe for a second that smoking will lead to poor decisions and in fact, I believe the exact opposite.

However, it can become a problem on its own when you become dependent (as in, I have to be high to do anything). So, just as anything, it has its downfalls and upsides. But I would for sure say that cannabis is a better choice to other substances such as alcohol.

I don't buy into the idea that cannabis will lead to poor decision making. I never have, never will, but everyone is different. Have to make that decision on your own.

 

[DoctorMolecule]

^ drugs for me were never the problem, it's those thoughts and feelings I want to 'go away' that's the issue. I think this entirely depends on the person. Some people have drugs of choice other's DOC is 'more' or 'what do you got?'

 

[alpha_centauri]

Yes smoking pot will make you relapse on heroin or other opiates, or you'll get used to using drugs again, get a false sense of security, and then believe or trick yourself into thinking you can use heroin or other opiates or other highly addictive drugs again, and use them.

Why? Because sobriety is all about not using any drugs including weed and if you smoke weed you'll eventually just go back to using heroin or get addicted to other drugs.

Smoking pot and using other drugs will just put you back to where you started.

The counselor is correct, using other drugs including weed will lead to relapse or a substitute addiction.


I love how non addicts, people who are addicts but in denial, and addicts that are not committed to actually being sober think you can "just" smoke pot, "just" trip, or "just " drink while you are an addict.

Sobriety doesn't work like that. Recovery and sobriety is abstaining from everything, or nothing. Half steps avail no measures, and lead to relapse and a slow or fast early death, and addictions to other drugs or a total relapse.

Go to some NA meetings and become active in owning your sobriety and recovery and stop smoking pot.

 

[dopemaster]

I don't think it would make a difference.

The real question is are you planning a relapse?

There are very few people I have met over the years and its one drink leading to speedballs within a day.

This type of stuff is why I see so many junkies at AA because some drug use is acceptable there it seems.

I think mj helped me ditch heroin but thats my 2 cents.

 

[simco]

^^
alpha_centauri...do you have any evidence to back up your claim? Even one iota?

Now, if your post is based on your own experience, and that's the extent of your data, that's fine. Anecdotal evidence has its value, at least in informal conversations. But you're stating things as a matter of fact. So, why are you so sure that this is the case?

Just last week The NY Times published an article about using cannabis in opioid addiction treatment. The interesting outcome of the article was this: citing several large, federally funded studies, researchers and policy makers found that there is as yet no evidence that pot is helpful or unhelpful for quitting opioids. (The implication, though, was that this lack of evidence is due more to difficulties in conducting research on a Schedule I drug like weed, not b/c there is no effect.)

As far as I know, then, we're firmly in the realm of anecdotes here. Many people will swear that weed is helpful for quitting opioids, and many others swear just the opposite.

 

[simco]

In my own recovery, I've found cannabis to be very helpful. The times I tried to remove all drugs from my life were, well, brief. More to the point, they were counterproductive--I always felt awful and relapsed (onto heroin) quickly. For me, using weed regularly reduces the feeling that I need to escape from myself, which is precisely what kicks off most of my impulses to use stronger drugs.

Eventually I hope to reduce my cannabis intake a bit. (I'm currently about a once-a-day smoker.) But that's a project for farther down the road.

 

[MrRoot]

I have same standards for being sober atm as alpha_centauri except I consider being sober while in ORT.

But I don't think everyone should have those same standards and I am sure mine might change in the future to include alcohol or cannabis after I quit ORT finally.

My fiancee considers being sober while respectably using some dissos, empathogens and psychedelics but only once in a while and those occassions per year can be count with two hands' fingers.

NA is just a one way to approach to soberiority.