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What Are The Harmful Effects Of Smoking Cannabis?

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Posted on Wed, 28 Oct 2015
Question: Hello,

I am writing to asked about the short and long term effects of doing "poppers" on a regular basis. For those that are not aware of what a popper is, it is essentially a 5mm cut of a cigarette which has been pressed into an unscrewed bowl piece and then dabbed in weed. You smoke it through a bong and it causes an intense initial high. I am writing because I have been doing them for a long time, and have recently decided to quit cold turkey. I began doing them last year after my dad died and used it as a crutch, so a year on I decided to move on from them as I no longer needed that crutch. My questions here relates to what the long term effects of it can be. I personally find the nicotine addiction to be the hardest part to get over. What are some short and long term effects of smoking tobacco/cannabis like this?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Amyl nitrate is more commonly called poppers.

Detailed Answer:
Ok.. this is a combination of tobacco and marijuana. Well... the cold turkey to the nicotine is going to be rough: dulled mentation, intense craving, feeling really blah. The withdrawal to marijuana is not nearly as predictable with the majority not having many problems from it. Can have irritability up to paranoia with cold turkey from regular marijuana.
Neither have serious withdrawal effects the way withdrawal from sedatives including alcohol can trigger seizures.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (1 hour later)
Thanks for giving me the medical term for Amyl nitrate, that's interesting to know.

I have only been doing it a day and with meh success. I do find that the craving is almost unbearable as I have been a pretty heavy user for this past year (roughly 2 full cigarettes a day, spread evenly throughout the day.) Which I suppose has introduced my body to a certain level of nicotine ingestion that it needs to meet each day. So a follow up question would be, how long does it usually take for these side effects to subside and become normalized? I am not a drinker at all, nor am I on anything else such as prescriptions or other forms of drugs either, so I'm not too concerned about supplementing it for something else. And is there a way in which I can combat the withdrawal symptoms?

Thanks.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (55 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
ok.... for nicotine withdrawal

Detailed Answer:
Cannot say in your particular case without actually being there, and.. there's a lot on general nicotine addiction.
First, it can be stopped... by taking nicotine. There are patches, gum, lozenges and vaping. If you really want to be over it, then you can't replace it. The heavy effects on concentration are most of a week. Cravings.. fairly severe are quite variable but certainly for most, a bit more than a week but less than a month. Many people fail the first few times on quitting, but going to a low dose nicotine replacement is a good alternative.
Note: In case of any other concern or query related to prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, or the recovery of persons with the any type of addiction or substance use, follow up with our Addiction Medicine Specialist. Click here to book a consultation now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman

Addiction Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1985

Answered : 4214 Questions

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What Are The Harmful Effects Of Smoking Cannabis?

Brief Answer: Amyl nitrate is more commonly called poppers. Detailed Answer: Ok.. this is a combination of tobacco and marijuana. Well... the cold turkey to the nicotine is going to be rough: dulled mentation, intense craving, feeling really blah. The withdrawal to marijuana is not nearly as predictable with the majority not having many problems from it. Can have irritability up to paranoia with cold turkey from regular marijuana. Neither have serious withdrawal effects the way withdrawal from sedatives including alcohol can trigger seizures.