Content warning: drug use
Before school began, all of the freshmen at my college were required to take an online course called “AlcoholEdu.” The course outlined the facts and dangers of alcohol in a step-by-step process with colorful charts, surveys and mini-quizzes. Alcohol, being one of the most widely used party supplements amongst college students, can be very dangerous in large quantities; therefore, it is completely understandable that such a course was required for all incoming students.
I began drinking in early high school, so I learned through several bad experiences how to drink in moderation before coming to college. I had also done several other drugs in high school, mostly using marijuana as a rainy day stress reliever. When I came to California, I immediately acquired a medical marijuana license, as it greatly helped my anxiety. I knew marijuana was in no way dangerous; no matter how much one has, the worst that can happen is paranoia and nausea. So I thought.
On a stressful, panicky Thursday night, I pulled a total Maureen Dowd and ate way too much of an edible in an effort to relax. After about two hours, the drug hit and I was more stoned than I had ever been. Everything was absolutely hilarious. I was Skyping my boyfriend, but I was unable to comprehend English; all I could do was laugh. Then, all of a sudden, I watched as my face began to melt into my keyboard. I was gripped with intense terror. The room began to spin, and I could hear chanting growing louder and louder in my ears.
Oh my god, I thought, am I… tripping?
Long story short, I found myself in the back of an ambulance: vomiting on myself, chanting in tongues and accusing the paramedics of being CIA. Picture that little demon child from "The Exorcist;" that was me for five straight hours. No one believed that this was cannabis-induced; the doctor kept asking if I had done PCP. I began to question whether the edible I had taken could have been laced.
After some intensive research, I came to a realization. Yes, marijuana is completely and totally safe; however, that does not mean it is benign. Unbeknownst to many, THC is actually its own classification of psychedelic. One of the more insidious side effects of very high doses is called "psychedelic potentiation": if someone has another psychedelic in their system, THC can re-activate and intensify its affects. Many people use this to their advantage, often taking high doses of marijuana alongside another psychedelic. However, this can also trigger a terrible trip for someone not expecting a hallucinatory experience due to mere traces of a more potent psychedelic in their system. Even without potentiation, using THC in the form of edibles or “dabs” can still cause very intense paranoia and hallucinations.
Let me get one thing straight: I am in no way trying to push some sort of anti-cannabis agenda. Marijuana is by far the safest and most medically beneficial drug out there. I fully endorse nationwide medical and recreational legalization. Because alcohol is not an illegal substance, the education regarding its use is more than substantial; the same cannot be said for marijuana. Use in moderation is crucial for a good experience with cannabis, which is something many people (including me) laugh off due to its incorrect association with being completely benign. It really sucks to learn the hard way.
I will continue to fight for its legalization; even more so after my bad experience. It is essential that the education surrounding cannabis is greatly reformed, though, so that others do not have an experience as horrifying as mine. Like AlcoholEdu, there needs to be instruction on the different methods of using marijuana and how to do it correctly, as well as in-depth information about its effects on the brain. As marijuana remains illegal in most regions, so does its taboo, keeping its education stuck in the "this is your brain on drugs" nonsense. Legalize it for the people; educate about it for the people.
