# Guys and pot **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 14, 2017, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183 "2017-03-14T18:28:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/21 "2017-03-14T23:12:58Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > What qualifies as being “hooked” on weed? Being unwilling and/or unable to quit, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/22 "2017-03-14T23:16:01Z")
> [@Crazy\_Canuck](#): > > Being unwilling and/or unable to quit, IMO. Ok, let’s say that I continue to be a daily smoker for basically the rest of my life, having no desire to quit. Am I hooked? Can one be hooked yet never be faced with a need to quit? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/23 "2017-03-14T23:37:52Z")
I think not wanting to quit is different than unwilling to. Unwilling would be if something you really wanted to do was dependent on not using, and you chose not to do that thing because you refused to give pot up. (Medical issues, not included in that.) Not wanting to quit is choosing to use, without any negativity associated with it. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/24 "2017-03-14T23:55:22Z")
Chicks are just a titch more discreet about it, I think. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/25 "2017-03-15T00:02:07Z")
Among the serious alcoholics I’ve known in my life its about a 50/50 gender split. Among the serious potheads I have known an overwhelming amount to be guys. I wrote it off to the illegality of acquisition as much as anything else. Against the law to go buy it never seemed to phjase guys as much as girls. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/26 "2017-03-15T00:27:37Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > What qualifies as being “hooked” on weed? I smoke every single day but I absolutely do not consider myself “hooked”. I smoke everyday because it’s enjoyable _and_ it helps greatly with a few health issues I have. But id still smoke even if there were no health benefits. Because I like it. just about the same as qualifies on being hooked on anything else: Do you smoke marijuana without needing a specific reason (i.e. fun, social reasons)? Do you smoke marijuana when you wake up in the morning (wake and bake)? Is your life structured around your habit in a way that it seriously affects your behaviour, relationships and opportunities? (For instance, have you been late to work, lost your job, avoid going out or leave parties early because of your weed habit?) Are you always worrying about where to find more weed? Do you often smoke alone? Do you use weed to avoid dealing with emotional issues, life problems or responsibilities? Have you ever tried to quit smoking weed before? a yes to any of these should lead you to think more about your habit! mc ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/27 "2017-03-15T00:39:12Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Ok, let’s say that I continue to be a daily smoker for basically the rest of my life, having no desire to quit. Am I hooked? Can one be hooked yet never be faced with a need to quit? You can’t get physically addicted to pot, so I’d say you;re only “hooked” if you want to give it up but can’t due to a psychological addiction. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/28 "2017-03-15T00:50:31Z")
Because women are better at forming social connections then guys are thus making guys more susceptible to addiction. [Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY9DcIMGxMs) ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/29 "2017-03-15T00:53:03Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > Do you smoke marijuana without needing a specific reason (i.e. fun, social reasons)? Wait, are you suggesting that “smoking for fun” _isnt_ a legitimate reason to smoke? I both smoke for the health benefits but I also smoke just because I want to. Does “because I want to” qualify as a legitimate reason iyo? If the health issues suddenly vanished, I’d still be a smoker. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/30 "2017-03-15T00:54:18Z")
In my experience, frequent users are more likely to be male. Buyers are much more likely to be male. My brush with buying in college was frightening. You don’t have to go very far up the supply chain to run into some nasty characters. It’s a violent business and not full of nice people who want to give you a fair deal. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/31 "2017-03-15T00:56:43Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > You can’t get physically addicted to pot, so I’d say you;re only “hooked” if you want to give it up but can’t due to a psychological addiction. Yeah, that’s the difference between “dependence” and"addiction". Dependence doesn’t necessarily indicate addiction and addiction doesn’t necessarily indicate dependence. Physical vs. Psychological. Cocaine is a good example of a drug that can cause addiction with no actual physical dependence. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/32 "2017-03-15T01:03:33Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > I think not wanting to quit is different than unwilling to. > > Unwilling would be if something you really wanted to do was dependent on not using, and you chose not to do that thing because you refused to give pot up. (Medical issues, not included in that.) > > Not wanting to quit is choosing to use, without any negativity associated with it. Can one both not want to quit _and_ unable to if they attempted it (but never actually do)? Is this an addiction? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/33 "2017-03-15T01:04:35Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > I wrote it off to the illegality of acquisition as much as anything else. Against the law to go buy it never seemed to phjase guys as much as girls. I never considered this but it actually makes a lot of sense. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/34 "2017-03-15T01:20:12Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Can one both not want to quit _and_ unable to if they attempted it (but never actually do)? Is this an addiction? I do lots of things I don’t want to, but have to, for reasons external to my wants and desires. However, if I had to quit smoking, even if I didn’t want to quit it, and found I was unable, I’d be concerned that I was “hooked”. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/35 "2017-03-15T01:27:56Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > I do lots of things I don’t want to, but have to, for reasons external to my wants and desires. > > However, if I had to quit smoking, even if I didn’t want to quit it, and found I was unable, I’d be concerned that I was “hooked”. Oh yes, I agree with that. I guess what I’m saying is impossible to answer, But what I’m saying is, let’s say there is a weed smoker (or whatever drug) that is a regular, everyday smoker/user and has no desire to quit. Isn’t it possible for such an user to never encounter any reasons that required their quitting yet still have the same addiction as someone who _does_? ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/36 "2017-03-15T01:31:32Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Wait, are you suggesting that “smoking for fun” _isnt_ a legitimate reason to smoke? I both smoke for the health benefits but I also smoke just because I want to. Does “because I want to” qualify as a legitimate reason iyo? If the health issues suddenly vanished, I’d still be a smoker. the examples in parentheses are reasons, smoking for fun can be a legitimate reason. it can also be an obfuscating reason. only you can actually answer whether your habit is an addiction or not; the questions are just a starting point. everyday use of a drug (any drug) **can** be an indication of addiction. how do you feel about it? mc ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/37 "2017-03-15T01:34:29Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Oh yes, I agree with that. I guess what I’m saying is impossible to answer, But what I’m saying is, let’s say there is a weed smoker (or whatever drug) that is a regular, everyday smoker/user and has no desire to quit. Isn’t it possible for such an user to never encounter any reasons that required their quitting yet still have the same addiction as someone who _does_? no. addiction is an escalating disease. if you are addicted, you **will** eventually encounter problems from that addiction. mc ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/38 "2017-03-15T01:42:09Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > no. addiction is an escalating disease. if you are addicted, you **will** eventually encounter problems from that addiction. > > mc Ok but individual life circumstances vary incredibly. What about someone like Keith Richards? Is he an addict? If so, what makes him one? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/39 "2017-03-15T01:46:41Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Oh yes, I agree with that. I guess what I’m saying is impossible to answer, But what I’m saying is, let’s say there is a weed smoker (or whatever drug) that is a regular, everyday smoker/user and has no desire to quit. Isn’t it possible for such an user to never encounter any reasons that required their quitting yet still have the same addiction as someone who _does_? Yeah, that’s a stumper. I guess it depends on the definition of hooked. One of the definitions of any behavioral behavior being a pathology that I like is if it interferes with life. So by your scenario, if the drug use never blocked the person from living their life, then it’s not a pathology. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183/40 "2017-03-15T02:04:42Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Yeah, that’s a stumper. I guess it depends on the definition of hooked. One of the definitions of any behavioral behavior being a pathology that I like is if it interferes with life. So by your scenario, if the drug use never blocked the person from living their life, then it’s not a pathology. So money can cure addiction? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-pot/782183.md?page=3)