Getting son off skunk (weed)

Getting son off skunk (weed)

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croyde

Original Poster:

23,952 posts

237 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
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Have just gone to the Lakes with my 16 year old son who lives with his mum.

He smokes weed all the time but wanted to come with me to see this wonderful area and go hiking. I am pleased he wants to do something different with his old man.

He also wants to go cold turkey as he knows that the disgusting stuff is bad for him.

We had a good time on the 6 hour drive up and did a gentle 4 miles of walking before the sun went down.

Early evening of cooked dinner and watching a football match on the telly. He was chatty and funny.

Then he went quiet saying he felt odd.

He's been up all night, constantly retching, nothing to come up, shivering like mad, groaning and moaning. A real sorry state.

Obviously we won't be going anywhere today but I'm shocked at his state after just 24 hours of no weed.

Anyone else been through this, any advice.

Thanks.

Defcon5

6,304 posts

198 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
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Is he also going cold turkey off tobacco too?


dundarach

5,380 posts

235 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
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Is it just weed?

What's the plan when he goes home?

croyde

Original Poster:

23,952 posts

237 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
quotequote all
Baby steps.

He wants off it so he can get a job as well as realising he's been wasting his life.

He is smoking cigarettes although currently he's too busy throwing up.

jakesmith

9,463 posts

178 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
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Sorry you’re going through this, Cannabis is not physically addictive and does not have withdrawal symptoms like you describe.

shirt

23,504 posts

208 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
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jakesmith said:
Sorry you’re going through this, Cannabis is not physically addictive and does not have withdrawal symptoms like you describe.
What he said. I’d take him to the dr if he’s throwing up as it’s absolutely nothing at all to do with stopping smoking weed.

ETA - there is no ‘going cold turkey’ it’s willpower he needs and something to fill the need to get high.



Edited by shirt on Wednesday 19th October 08:01

Voldemort

6,594 posts

285 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
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Unless he gets a massive allowance he doesn't have enough income at 16 to smoke anything other than a small social amount of weed. Heavy use starts at around £100/week unless he is growing his own. Also, and as said above, weed is not physically addictive and the 'withdrawl' has no physical symptoms.

m3jappa

6,587 posts

225 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
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He must just be ill surely?

I used to be a very heavy smoker and gave up due to panic attacks but have never heard of anyone getting symptoms like those.

All the best though. It is a terrible thing to smoke! Recreationally i still think its ok its when it rules peoples lives (like it did me).

SteveStrange

4,940 posts

220 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
quotequote all
He's got flu from being outdoors and in a car with too much air-con, IMO. Stopping smoking weed does not do that, it is not physically addictive.

ETA smoked for 20-odd years, gave up when kids came, so (like others in this thread) I speak from some experience.


Edited by SteveStrange on Wednesday 19th October 07:59

singlecoil

34,251 posts

253 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
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Stopping tobacco and cannabis doesn't cause physical symptoms as such, I also speak from experience.

One definitely misses both, and sometimes the psychological desire can manifest as (apparently) physical symptoms.

Badda

2,902 posts

89 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
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I wonder if he’s highly anxious having lost his crutch?

As others have said though, there’s nothing physically addictive in cannabis and no reason it would make he behave like this - is he aware that this is the case…?

Hugo Stiglitz

38,038 posts

218 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
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Bloody horrible stuff. Stay strong for you and your son. Don't be judgemental.

My nephew gets quite a sizeable allowance from his divorced parents. From what I understand he smokes daily at uni and it's spirally.

As mentioned where does he get the funds, will his dealing lend him? I'd consider cutting back money.

simon_harris

1,797 posts

41 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
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I am surprised about the comments it is not physically addictive - my son used to smoke quite a lot - literally every day. It took him ages to get over giving it up and even now still admits to craving it.

croyde

Original Poster:

23,952 posts

237 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
quotequote all
The stuff he smokes is laced with something else.

It doesn't do what the stuff I used to smoke do.

No laughs and munchies.

I tried some as an experiment two years ago and it was horrible. Nothing like I remembered.

I'm just come off the phone to an addiction clinic who don't seem to be surprised at his reaction.

They have even suggested giving him CBD yikes

SteveStrange

4,940 posts

220 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
quotequote all
simon_harris said:
I am surprised about the comments it is not physically addictive - my son used to smoke quite a lot - literally every day. It took him ages to get over giving it up and even now still admits to craving it.
Mentally addictive, yes. I miss it all the time. But physically? No way. The tobacco is harder to give up.

shirt

23,504 posts

208 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
quotequote all
simon_harris said:
I am surprised about the comments it is not physically addictive - my son used to smoke quite a lot - literally every day. It took him ages to get over giving it up and even now still admits to craving it.
It isn’t and no amount of second hand anecdotes will change that. Saying it’s laced with something else is also a bit far fetched. Tbh I would say the stuff available these days isn’t any more potent than 15-20yrs ago.

I used to smoke it daily. Still partake on occasion. Stopping is easy if you remove the ability to resupply, it’s usually boredom that instigates a relapse.

Hugo Stiglitz

38,038 posts

218 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
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Anyway. Consider how he gets his allowance, talk to him about not punishment but how its possibly tough love and you'll buy him what he needs (items that can't be traded).

Edited by Hugo Stiglitz on Wednesday 19th October 08:40

Sheets Tabuer

19,648 posts

222 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
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His body was probably wrecked after hiking, I've wretched like that after a long bike ride and had flu symptoms for 24 hours.

Dan_1981

17,550 posts

206 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
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How sure are you that it's just weed he's coming off?

croyde

Original Poster:

23,952 posts

237 months

Wednesday 19th October 2022
quotequote all
Until seeing him these two days I'd have agreed with you all about quitting shouldn't make you ill but a few searches on line show the same symptoms that he is getting.



At his home he smokes the stuff constantly, it's all he does apart from a few odd jobs for cash.....which is spent on....

I have tried for years to get him to live with me, or even stay over.

I was amazed that he wanted to come away with me, so if this break now means me sitting with him in this cottage and getting him off this crap, then the mountains will have to wait.

He agrees he's addicted and wants out. At least he's now thinking that, as before we wasn't bothered and wouldn't even talk to me.

Heart breaking, he's my youngest and was a lovely little lad, clever, acted in plays, bit parts in films but fell in with a bad lot at the local comp in order to be tough and downhill from there, despite us pulling him out and moving him to a lovely little private.

Covid hit, school closed and went on line just when he needed to be in an actual school.