Safer use limits

The use of cannabis at this level is not without risk. Regular users report concerns over their memory, mental health, levels of motivation and impact on their relationships and physical health. While more frequent use is likely to make these other issues relevant for you, using big doses infrequently may place you more at risk of acute unwanted experiences such as feeling paranoid or panicky, which although usually short lived can be unpleasant. At this level of use the issues of how long you continue to use becomes an issue – with use extending over many years eventually increasing your risk of harms. Driving under the influences of cannabis is associated with two-fold increase in the risk of fatal road accidents (further increased if mixed with alcohol).

Again just use a bit less, a bit less often and if you smoke don't use tobacco. A vaporiser might do your lungs a favour and remember, you don’t have to inhale deeply and hold the smoke in for long to get stoned. If you’re not being quite as sharp or feeling as healthy as usual maybe give yourself a few weeks off. If you smoke tobacco then maybe try some form of nicotine replacement. If you think you use cannabis to help you deal with pain or some other problem go have chat with your family doctor, a counsellor or a mate to see if there are other ways you could try to manage those stresses. For more information have look at Cannabis – What you need to know to be healthy and A Doctor's Guide to Cutting Down at the end of these guidelines or try the cannabis drugs meter (free at Google Play or www.drugsmeter.com).

At this level it is likely that your use may have started to impact negatively upon some areas of your life. You have almost certainly built up tolerance to the effects of cannabis and may be spending more time stoned that you planned. You might notice not feeling as sharp in the morning when you wake up after a night smoking. If you are smoking every day you might find that you don’t sleep as well as well when you don’t smoke. Just how much of an impact your use of cannabis is having on your memory, mental health, levels of motivation, relationships and physical health will probably depend on just how long you have been using and what else is going on in your life. But it would be fair to say that if you continue to use at this level the likelihood of experiencing some longer lasting unwanted effect on one or more aspects of your life from your use is a real probability. Again if you are young or have underlying mental problems this sort of level of use is likely to have quite significant implications on your future emotional, cognitive development and well-being. Driving under the influences of cannabis is associated with two-fold increase in the risk of fatal road accidents (further increased if mixed with alcohol).

It always starts with trying to use a bit less, a bit less often and if you smoke don't use tobacco. A vaporiser might do your lungs a favour and remember, if you smoke tobacco then maybe try some form of nicotine replacement. If you think you use Cannabis to help you deal with pain or some other problem you might to find someone to help you think of other ways of coping to allow you use a bit less. Dealing with any underlying problems will make it easier to cut down on what you use. The other stuff you need to think about is whether any of the things that aren’t going quite right for you are due to your use of cannabis. If so, or even if you’re not sure, giving yourself a break or chatting to someone to help try and reduce how much you use can help. For more information have look at Cannabis – What you need to know to be healthy and A Doctor's Guide to Cutting Down at the end of these guidelines or try the cannabis drugs meter (free at Google Play or www.drugsmeter.com).

Scores in this range probably put you in the top 5% of cannabis users. Your tolerance is very high, your use is almost constant and the likelihood of there being periods of the week when you are not stoned is slim. Many people using at this level will experience a loss of control over their use, find they prioritise their use of cannabis over other activities and may notice they become irritable and restless if they run out of cannabis. At this level of use, your exposure to cannabis is likely to be impacting negatively upon your physical health – especially if you smoke and/or also use tobacco. You might well notice that your memory is not as good and your interactions with friends and work colleagues are not as rewarding / interesting /intimate or productive as they used to be.

Depending on how long you have been using at this level the impact may be more or less obvious to you. If you have been using at this level for several years you are probably in the top 1-2% of all cannabis users. The personal and emotional implications of this level of use are sometimes hard to see, especially if you have been using at this level for a while and ‘getting on with your life’. You might see yourself functioning quite well. And you might be. Other people may also see no cause for concern (or they might). Many people who use at this level only continue to do so because they can. But just because you are functioning doesn’t mean you’re not at exposed to any risk. Cannabis addition can slowly and silently make your life worse without ever getting bad enough to seem worth addressing; it may not destroy your life but you will miss opportunities and leave potentials unfulfilled and relationships wanting. More than anything else, using cannabis at this level will rob you of the one thing you can never get back – time. The chance of you making the most of all your opportunities if you continue to use at this level is way less than it would be if you used less, or less often (or both). Using less would give you back something really precious. Time.

It always starts with just trying to smoke a bit less, a bit less often and don’t roll with tobacco. A vaporiser might do your lungs a favour and remember, if you smoke tobacco then maybe try some form of nicotine replacement. But it might be hard for you to cut down and the thought of trying to quit might be overwhelming. If you think you smoke to help you deal with pain or some other problem you might want to find someone to talk to so you can think of other ways to cope should you reduce your use or even stop. Dealing with any underlying problems will make it easier to cut down on want you use. You should also ask yourself whether any of the things that aren’t going quite right for you in life might have anything to do with your use of cannabis. If you think it might or if you are not sure then giving yourself a break of a few weeks or more, can be a great way to find out the answer. Many people who reduce or stop their cannabis use feeling brighter and healthier even if they loved using cannabis. For more information have look at Cannabis – What you need to know to be healthy and A Doctor's Guide to Cutting Down at the end of these guidelines or try the cannabis drugs meter (free at Google Play or www.drugsmeter.com).