Marijuana vs Apnea link

[Sleepster]

I've had apnea my whole life. I've been a regular smoker of cannabis for decades. Cannabis didn't change apnea for the better or make it worse.

Smoking anything is going to have an adverse effect on your upper respiratory tissues. If you don't believe me stop smoking for a month and you will notice that you are coughing up less phlegm. If the effect is so gradual you don't notice it, then when you do start smoking it again you'll notice more coughing and more phlegm.

There are other ways to consume it without smoking it, and of course the higher the grade the less you have to consume.

I'm no goodie-two-shoes, and I'm not opposed to the legalization of marijuana. Like all things, it has its pros and cons. One of the cons of smoking anything is that it will have an adverse effect on certain aspects of your health, as will the intake of any drug or substance, especially when done in excess. The issue is, do the benefits outweigh the costs? We are each the only ones who can answer that for ourselves.

[coyotemist]

Honestly, the only central events I've ever had have been after smoking MJ. I love how it makes me feel (relaxed and good) and I don't over eat. But then I'll have central events while ON my CPAP. Not sure why, the studies say it doesn't happen. But it happens to me.

[drgrimes]

Interesting discussion. I smoked a bunch of it in the late sixties/early seventies, but I gave it up and haven't touched it in over 40 years. I do remember it as being quite fun and unlike alcohol, it didn't seem to make anyone angry or want to fight......just laugh and eat. Oh, there was that one other thing I enjoyed.

I have not missed it, but I think if they made it legal here in Texas, I would try it again. I drink alcohol moderately, especially now at my age. If legal, I don't see marijuana as any great threat to our society. Like everything in life, the key to happiness is moderation. People with addictive tendencies probably should not try anything just for the fun of it.

[victor hegemony]

I personally wouldn't over do it (haven't smoked for decades), but from what others have said it may be OK. However, I would think the risk would increase in proportion to other health problems you may have in addition to apnea. I have coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and 66yo - so I don't plan on smoking any thing soon except for baby back ribs

Not to be Debbie Downer, but the link between cancer and smoked meats especially cancer of the pancreas is well documented. On the other hand, studies show cannabis users have less cancer than the normal population.

There is a small increase in heart rate and blood pressure when using, but similar to the increases recommended with mild exercise. If you can walk safely, you can use marijuana safely in this regard.

Some schizophrenics report relief from symptoms, some report exaggerated symptoms. The same for epilepsy. The reason for difference is not known, it could be the different chemical balances in the pot (THC vs CBD for example) or the individual patient may have individual responses.

Some people report anxiety, some relief from anxiety. Again, the reasons are not yet known, however one factor seems to be acute vs. chronic use. That is, intermittent use has a different effect than constant use. Some one sparking up on Friday nights might get anxious. Someone smoking twice a day might find it calming.

Some neuro receptor sites "down regulate" and some reverse function after repeated use. Similar to SSRI drugs which require two weeks to be effective. There is report of a similar two week effectiveness for an epilepsy patient who was using cannabis to prevent seizures.

Folks with IBS or Krohn's disease have found the intestinal seritonin sites respond to cannanibs in various ways due to the different proportions of sites in the different areas of the intestine. Cannabis affects seritonin sites like an SSRI sometimes. So eating cannabis can be helpful for such problems. Again, it might be different if eaten daily as opposed for acute symptom relief.

[victor hegemony]

Disclaimer(s)
I claim to be vegetarian but I cheerfully eat barbeque baby back ribs. They are the best.

I don't really know anything scientific or medical about marijuana, I just read a lot and consider my own experience with it. "I am not a doctor" as one of our mediators signs his posts.

I am a newbie and may have taken the string off topic. Please excuse.

[victor hegemony]

Honestly, the only central events I've ever had have been after smoking MJ. I love how it makes me feel (relaxed and good) and I don't over eat. But then I'll have central events while ON my CPAP. Not sure why, the studies say it doesn't happen. But it happens to me.

That makes me re-think. I wonder what the link is?

[victor hegemony]

Smoking anything is going to have an adverse effect on your upper respiratory tissues. If you don't believe me stop smoking for a month and you will notice that you are coughing up less phlegm. If the effect is so gradual you don't notice it, then when you do start smoking it again you'll notice more coughing and more phlegm.

There are other ways to consume it without smoking it, and of course the higher the grade the less you have to consume.

I'm no goodie-two-shoes, and I'm not opposed to the legalization of marijuana. Like all things, it has its pros and cons. One of the cons of smoking anything is that it will have an adverse effect on certain aspects of your health, as will the intake of any drug or substance, especially when done in excess. The issue is, do the benefits outweigh the costs? We are each the only ones who can answer that for ourselves.

Sleepster, you are accurate and thoughtful. I agree especially with the last paragraph.
Re: the coughing and phlegm, research by Tashkin at UCLA and then others lead to thought that removal of debris and mucus by coughing and phlegm is one of the reasons marijuana smokers have lower incidence of cancer than background population and why smokers who mix tobacco and marijuana have lower cancer rates than smokers of just tobacco. Tobacco smoke paralyzes the cilia, marijuana does not. By this thinking, the coughing isn't a bug, it is a feature.
From my personal experience, the amount of strange stuff coming out is vastly disproportionate to the single puff of smoke going in. That much couldn't have been caused so immediately. Especially when 98% of the particulate matter in the smoke was removed by the water in my pipe before it got to my lungs. Whatever comes out seems to me to be a result of what I breathed in all day unknowingly and it would have stayed in my lungs except for coughing it out.

[Sleepster]

The stuff you're coughing out is not the stuff you breathed in. It's the stuff your body produced in response to the stuff you breathed in. The smoke is an irritant. Irritant bad. Not good.