6 ms·

Marijuana definitely doesn't make socializing fun for all people...

• smt88 11y ago
  I actually have never heard of it making socializing fun for anyone. My anecdata tells me that the opposite is true...
  • zamalek 11y ago
    I have problems operating socially on it: specifically communication. My "more experienced" friends tell me that they initially had the same response until they had practice at socializing while high.
    • smt88 11y ago
      > until they had practice at socializing while high I've often noticed that my weed-smoking friends build a tolerance to getting high with regular usage. However, it seems like the anti-anxiety effect is hard for them to give up. Both of those things could account for someone feeling better about socializing as they use weed regularly for longer periods.
  • DanBC 11y ago
    cannabis has different strains, that contain different balances of active ingredients. It's thought that high THC strains are not going to be good for social activity, while high CBD content is probably going to be better.
    • smt88 11y ago
      Interesting! Some cursory research shows that CBD isn't psychoactive, and it actually counteracts some effects of THC. It does probably decrease anxiety, though, which could make socializing easier and more enjoyable. I'd say that makes it a "social drug" in the same way that an SSRI can be a social drug for some people. Sources: http://www.wired.com/2015/07/medical-marijuana-epilepsy/ http://www.wired.com/2015/07/medical-marijuana-epilepsy/ http://www.truthonpot.com/2014/09/24/5-differences-between-cbd-vs-thc/ http://www.truthonpot.com/2014/09/24/5-differences-between-c... http://www.canorml.org/cbd.html http://www.canorml.org/cbd.html
      • gjm11 11y ago
        Surely if it decreases anxiety then it is psychoactive? (Or am I misunderstanding what "it" refers to in your second paragraph?)
        • nerfhammer 11y ago
          the blog post they refer to says "psychoactive" which cites in turn a much more authoritative source that says "psychotropic"
      • duaneb 11y ago
        It may not be psychoactive (not 100% sure what that means, to be honest), but it doesn't NOT affect your thinking. If you chug a bottle of CBD tincture you'll be out for the day—maybe not asleep, but certainly not very functional.
    • nyargh 11y ago
      One of the significant highlights of legalization/regulation is the regular testing of cannabis products, which typically includes their cannabinoid profiles. This helps the end user find the product that works best for their use.
  • wavefunction 11y ago
    Hi, it makes it fun for me. But I have started to understand how much variation in effect different strains of the plant can have after experiencing it in a controlled manner in Colorado since legalization. Growing up you'd generally get whatever was around and so the effects were unpredictable, especially as street dealers were either ignorant of the provenance or would call whatever they had whatever they felt like calling it. But having gone through the retail process a few times and having the guidance of "budtenders" who will ask you what effect you're looking for, they really can offer you different types that will leave you more social than others.
    • oldmanjay 11y ago
      Or your various biases kick in and make you notice effects you paid an "expert" to tell you would be there.
      • obmelvin 11y ago
        It's probably a bit of both. Being blatantly dismissive is no better than assuming the effects are true just because someone told you so. However, crowd-sourced sites like leafly would lead me to believe there is some truth to the different effects.
        • oldmanjay 11y ago
          Self-reporting basically ruins any ability to draw any conclusions at all. I'm not so much dismissing the effects are true as I am dismissing that anyone is capable of self-reporting them in a way that is useful. Give me a well-designed experiment showing these effects, I'll believe it. Until then, it's an old wive's tale told mainly by young potheads.
          • wavefunction 11y ago
            If you've really been around the block then you'd know. Or maybe you're just someone that's always gotten the same brick-schwag or are one of those undiscerning types.
  • duaneb 11y ago
    It makes me very social and garrulous. I rarely indulge alone anymore.
  • Mc_Big_G 11y ago
    ...probably because most people use too much. Light use, say 1/4 of a normal hit on a joint is ideal for social interaction. Also, vaporizing reduces the "OMG, paranoia!" effect and red eye that comes with inhaling burnt plant material. Sativa is also better for socializing because it's more energetic and less introspective. Most people just don't realize that a full joint or bowl of today's weed is way too much, even for 5 or 6 people.
  • ionised 11y ago
    The transition from it being fun to being torture was strange for me. When I was a teenager I could sit around smoking at parties or with groups of friends playing computer games getting high, or even just walking the streets stoned and it was an intensely pleasurable experience. At about the age of 21 that all changed over the course of a week and suddenly being high made me feel paranoid and anxious. Being high in a social situation was horrible because I felt like all eyes were on me, judging every little move and sound that I made. I had to stop smoking completely because it was making me feel awful and honestly, I was dependent on it by that point. I couldn't watch movies or play games and the like without being high first because I was always pining after that 'enhanced' experience that was better than the sober experience. I don't smoke anymore (29 years old now) but I've tried taking a few tokes socially a few times over the years to see if I could enjoy it again. Not a chance unfortunately, I sink right into that paranoia and anxiety within minutes.
• Raphmedia 11y ago
  When using Marijuana for its socializing/empathy/emotional benefits, you don't want to consume enough to be "impaired high". Very little dosage is needed. You don't want to remplace / use all your body's chemical at once. You want to increase its natural responses. Source: Have several family members with medical marijuana cards.
  • afro88 11y ago
    What this translates to for the casual weed smoker: only take 1 or 2 drags of a joint. And only a joint (no pipes or bongs or whatever).
    • Raphmedia 11y ago
      I would recommend a vaporizer or a bong with good percolators and ice if the vaporisers are too dry for you and trigger sinusitis. Joints are not very good for dosage since putting them off is a waste and are bad for overall respiratory health. Weight a small quantity consume it. It's important to weight it, otherwise you will not notice your body's tolerance increasing and won't be able to control it, which will increase the cost of your medication.
  • 00wizard 11y ago
    I cant help but feel the title of the article is misleading. It should read,"Socializing releases oxytocin and cannabinoids" And would make sense since someone who is stoned, is (most of the time) not very social, since their brain is already flooded with feel good chemical, Why socialize at all?
    • Raphmedia 11y ago
      Of course, someone who is able to socialize normally will function badly when stoned. However, what this research opens the door to is using cannabis to allow people who function badly to function better. The extra help you get from cannabinoids might push your body's natural barrier and allow you to function normally. If when you socialize you don't generate enough oxytocin to get positive renforcement, that extra boost might be what you need to allow your brain to send you that signal. The same things might be true with empathy and emotions for people who suffer from Alexithymia or similar issues. You can't simply get randomly blazed to get health benefits. Dosage is the key. They don't tell sick people "take as much opium as you want, dude". They dose opium based medication carefully. It's the same things with cannabis.
• INTPenis 11y ago
  Came here for your comment. Cannabis, like most drugs, make socializing fun for people who already want to socialize. I've never seen cannabis make socializing fun for a tired introvert who does not want to socialize. It in fact can make things worse.
• unixhero 11y ago
  That is highly variable on the strain of the plant smoked. Mainly two categories exist[0]. Sativa is a cerebal head high, kinda energetic, clear thinking creative high its like floating opposed to indica which is like sinking. Indica is a body high, sorta narcotic feeling, you can actually feel the tingling in your body, your limbs, it's really heavy couch lock and such. There are also hybrids which have both in 1 plant. Go exploring at Leafly [1]. [0] https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/sativa-indica-and-hybrid-whats-the-difference-between-cannabis-ty https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/sativa-indica-and-h... [1] https://www.leafly.com/explore https://www.leafly.com/explore