Shellene and EZ

A POT HEAD WONDERS ABOUT ADDICTION...LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

DEAR EZ: I've experimented with soft drugs before. I usually did them at
parties or with a group of friends and I guess you could call me a social
drug user. Now I'm starting to do them at home, by myself, and I can't
stop. I usually just smoke marijuana. Is it addictive, does it have any
negative effects if used too much? -Uninformed

DEAR UNINFORMED: Think like a scientist. What are the facts? If you're
using pot more and more and can't stop, your conclusion must be that for
you it is addictive. Yes, you should definitely be concerned because you
are forming a habit that will only get harder to escape. Although not
physically addictive, marijuana can be psychologically addictive.

Marijuana users come in all shapes and sizes. Some people use it regularly
and seem to be affected very little (they are pretty rare); some people use
it a lot and burn out fast, becoming drooling stoners whose once eloquent
vocabularies are reduced to "Yeahhh, mannn!" Some people freak out and get
paranoid if they smoke one joint.

Yes, pot can offer some exhilarating insights illusions, but once you get
hooked it can be hard to let go of. Over time, the "rewards" of the highs
get less and less, and you will probably feel more sluggish and irritable.

I suggest you take a month off smoking dope, cold turkey, and see how it
goes. If you aren't able to last, you know that you, like millions of
others, need to resolve your relationship with the substance. And probably
with some outside help.