Advice to help someone stop smoking pot?

Question

I want to help a 27 year old friend stop smoking marijuana. He says he wants to stop but it is hard for him. I try to encourage him to stop but I never know if I am being helpful. When I feel like he is acting strangely because he is high, I tell him. But is this just making him feel worse and therefore making him want to smoke? I would especially appreciate advice from someone who has quit smoking pot. What can I do (or not do) to help?

I cannot force him to go to re-hab since he is an adult; I've looked into it.

Thanks!

Answer 1

I stopped smoking pot last summer. I am 29 years old and I was spending a lot of my money on weed. My parents hated my drug use, and those caring for my mental health discouraged me from abusing drugs. It took me a massive will of effort to stop. I even had to attend a few Narcotics Anonymous meetings to get into the spirit of staying clean of drugs. To this day, I get cravings for marijuana. Researchers have found marijuana to be nonaddictive but for me I must have an addictive disorder because I still get cravings to smoke it, I just ignore them. To get off weed I had to count the days I stayed off it and then the weeks. Eventually I lost count as the number was getting high but I think it was about two months before Labor Day that I quit. A couple of times I have "fallen off the wagon" but smoked only very small quantities and I have been able to quit again and pick up where I left off. I understand the psychoactive marijuana chemical THC gets stored in your body once you have been smoking it long enough and I think that is what has happened to me and why I get cravings. I think eventually the cravings will go away when my body fat has worked out the effects of the drugs. Maybe the impact on my emotions and psyche will subside as well. Narcotics Anonymous is different from rehabilitation. It is a 12-step recovery group and participation is a good way to find people with similar struggles in their lives. Support can make a world of difference.

Answer 2

Natural Quit Smoking Magic

Answer 3

It is hard to quit because so many people really enjoy their habits and they rely upon them in times of trouble. So often people try to quit dope or cigarettes and then they create such drama in their life that no one would question them returning to their habit. That is dangerous and less productive than just not quitting at all (often they smoke so much to compensate for the lost time that they actually wind up having smoked more for trying to quit).

For someone to quit they need to be determined to and committed to finding different things to do with their down time and different ways to deal with stress. If you want to help, I would think the most helpful thing to do would be to arrive just before they would have a smoke and invite them to participate in an activity they can't do while smoking - like taking a walk or whatever.

Herbal remedies like Kava Kava can be helpful to ease the crakiness of quitting pot - but if they are still hanging out with the smoking crowd or always smoke when they check their email, they are not likely to quit any time soon. Don't make him feel bad about it - when he is ready, he will quit.

Peace!

Answer 4

Talk to ur doctor I can't imagine that one little hit of pot a day did much for your nerves it may have just been the idea of it calming u not really the drug. Have heard that people have had wonderful results from taking buspar for anxiety xanax is no good and valium is too addictive but it works wonders as does ativan. Or u could just do what I do drink lots of wine. Good Luck I know how ya feel have been dealing with that stuff forever and nothing really works unless u want to take a pill everyday.

Answer 5

Your friend is smoking pot because it gives him some form of relief from something in his life that is a stressor to him. A stressor is something that causes stress (like an abusive relationship or a bad self image). Everyone needs a break from these "stressors" and tries to find a way to relieve themselves.

There are destructive habits that we do to relieve stress and constructive habits. Destructive habits can hurt us like smoking pot, driving fast and binge eating. Constructive habits enrich our lives, making us better people like hobbies, religion, musical instruments and exercise.

You can not expect your friend to stop smoking pot without finding a replacement to relieve the stressors he is facing. He will not be able to do it, and its too much to ask of someone. He needs to find a constructive (and not destructive) way to be free of his stress.

Try to identify the stressor in his life (or there may be many). Once you identify it, talk about it with him. He may need someone to talk to about it. Then come up with a method for him to relieve that stressor. Maybe he could start a new exercise routine or work on a hobby. Have him work at least a half hour a day on that hobby. Exersize seems to work very well for men/boys who have been hooked on drugs, because exersize (jogging, lifting weights, running) releases a special chemical in our bodies called "endorphins". These endorphins can give us the same feeling of peace and happiness that pot give (except pot is destructive), so the "high" brings us to a new "low".

Whatever hobby he chooses to do has to be something that he enjoys, and that gives him a sense of release from stress. If he starts a hobby, and it doesn't work to relieve the stress, move on to another hobby, until he finds something that is constructive and helps him to stop thinking about pot.

If he messes up, and smokes pot, don't make him feel guilty. Tell him not to feel guilty... to just move on. Guilt is only another stressor that will make him smoke more pot. Don't tell him this, but you have to understand that he will most likely mess up and smoke pot a few times before he quits for good. Be understanding, and dont criticize him. Be there for him.

If he really wants to quit, this info will help him greatly.

If he doesnt want to quit - I'm sorry to say this, but nothing you could ever do will make him quit. I've seen people on the verge of death and not "want" to quit smoking (cigarettes), so they let themselves die. If he doesn't want to quit, use your time more wisely and tell him that you can't bear to see what he is doing to himself - and can not be a friend to him. Tell him to call you for help when he really wants to quit. He will not quit until he hits rock bottom and thats a hard fall.

Answer 6

Discover How To Quit Smoking - http://Go.QuitSmokingMagics.com

Answer 7

If he really wants to stop then he will no matter how hard it is for him. There is nothing you can do. It is out of your control. It's the same with cigarettes.

Answer 8

you have to want to do something to quit
like you want to lose weight and you might
like you want to quit smoking and you might

If someone tells you to lose weight or quit smoking you will just get upset and get mad.

Answer 9

tell him that if he stops then he can have alot more money. he can use that money to go on a vacation or save it for a rainy day. he would have ALOT more money if he quits, or tell him to just ease up a bit. it would be better for his health.