# Is there such a thing as a marijuana rage? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 18, 2005, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700 "2005-02-18T13:09:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/21 "2005-02-18T20:01:57Z")
Marijuana rage? You bet. I’ve had to restrain way too many people high on pot who went apeshit. The latest is my stepson, who had physically attacked everyone on the house at one time or another while blasted on pot. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/22 "2005-02-18T20:13:44Z")
My brother, who has more experience with this subject than I do (hell, the clock on the wall has more experience on this subject than I do) told the the following joke to illustrate the typical reactions of the various recreational pharmecuticals: A drunk, an acidhead, and a pothead arrive at a government office last Friday afternoon. The office has closed early, and the sign on the door indicates that it will not reopen until Monday. The drunk rages “LET’S BREAK THE DOOR DOWN” The acidhead dreamily offers “_Let’s float through the keyhole, man_”. The pothead says “Hey, let’s wait for Monday”. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/23 "2005-02-18T20:24:04Z")
> [@Draelin](#): > > That’s a visit from the Weed Fairy, who hides pot somewhere you’d never think to look until you _really_ need it. 🙂 Well, belated thanks to the Weed Fairy! I had been a little scared. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/24 "2005-02-18T20:59:34Z")
> [@Draelin](#): > > I can’t recall ever getting mad while high … unless somebody ate my Funions. Oh yeah. Fuckers don’t _touch_ my Funions, yo. ---
**Author:** ![SamIAm336](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SamIAm336](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SamIAm336)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/25 "2005-02-19T01:19:13Z")
My brother who is not addicted to pot, has a very distinct reaction to it. Extreme Belligerence. EVERY TIME. seems to be a family trait as my son claims the same reaction. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/26 "2005-02-19T03:13:33Z")
Although cannabis has a well-documented mellowing effect on the majority of users, there are also rare cases of people who have an adverse reaction in which they can… hey, are those Funions? ---
**Author:** ![Time\_Like\_Tears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@Time\_Like\_Tears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Time_Like_Tears)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/27 "2005-02-19T03:28:52Z")
> [@mlerose](#): > > You didn’t grow up with my dad. He was psychologically and physiologically addicted to it and was in a violent rage pretty much any time he wasn’t actively stoned. > > If you smoke it constantly for 30 years, starting when you’re a young teenager, you CAN get to the point where you need it to be “normal,” which describes my dad to a T. > > Not to say that it can/will happen to anyone, but if you’re predisposed to addiction and pot happens to be your drug of choice, you can get addicted. Just wanted to chime in that this describes my father perfectly. I don’t even want to be around him when he hasn’t got any pot. Not that he’s really a peach with it, either, but at least it makes him tolerable. If he hasn’t had any in a while, it’s walking on eggshells, and he will erupt into sometimes violent fits of rage at the slightest provocation. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/28 "2005-02-19T03:33:52Z")
Googling does not yield useful answers and it’s been a while since I took a hard look at the chips aisle at the supermarket. . What in the hell are “Funions”? Some Pringle like onion concoction? ---
**Author:** ![Time\_Like\_Tears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@Time\_Like\_Tears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Time_Like_Tears)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/29 "2005-02-19T03:36:35Z")
Aw, dude, you don’t wanna know. They’re only good if you’re totally fried. They are vaguely onion flavored ring shaped chips, but I haven’t encountered one that wasn’t stale in years. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/30 "2005-02-19T20:59:54Z")
I have to think that experiences like that of **Clothahump** ’s stepson are idiosyncratic reactions, and not typical. I spent three and a half years in college dorms, in California, in the late 1970s, and I saw a LOT of marijuana being used. I used my fair share back then as well, and I never saw violent reactions, in myself, or anyone. But I’m not contradicting **Clothahump** either, sure it could happen. And I have heard of cases like that described by **mlerose**. Often people with underlying psychological illnesses like manic depression or ADD have used pot to self-medicate, and abstinence could bring about symptoms that resemble withdrawal. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2005, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/31 "2005-02-20T03:29:37Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > **audiobottle** , I’m sure you can get psychologically addicted to the stuff. I bet you can get psychologically addicted to Cheerios. When my brother was out of weed, he’d also… well, I wouldn’t call it a “violent rage”, but he became a real dickhead. That’s not a problem anymore though, because I think he quit smoking weed. He’s addicted to prescription narcotics now though, which is even more fun to deal with, I hear. :rolleyes: Ask me how glad I am that I no longer share a residence with him. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/32 "2005-02-20T04:50:20Z")
> [@mlerose](#): > > You didn’t grow up with my dad. He was psychologically and physiologically addicted to it and was in a violent rage pretty much any time he wasn’t actively stoned. I know this isn’t GQ, but it should be pointed out that an observable THC withdrawal syndrome has not been reliably demonstrated _anywhere_. Much was made of a study a few years back that purported to demonstrate such a syndrome, but the methodology has little connection with real-world use of the drug. The hypothesis was that, if there was a physical withdrawal from THC use, the slow rate of metabolism of the drug made it too subtle to observe. To get around this, rats were given high doses of marinol (synthetic THC) for an extended period. Then they were administered _another_ drug which acted to quickly block the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. In these circumstances, the rats got all twitchy. In another study, human beings were given _extremely_ high daily doses, orally, equivalent to what you might expect to have in your system if you smoked almost a quarter-ounce a day. Some disturbance of sleep patterns, as well as lack of appetite and nausea were observed – but the researchers noted that these symptoms were very mild and unlikely to manifest at all when the drug was consumed in the usual way. Anecdotally, when I was in my twenties I was a heavy pot smoker. By “heavy,” I mean that I usually had a pound around, and each night I consumed two or three cigarillo-sized, machine-rolled joints of BC bud, fortified with honey-oil, and wrapped in sheets of black-oil treated rice paper. On weekends, I’d smoke all day and night. If I was in-between bags for a few days or a week, the only thing that changed was I was less-inclined to watch movies or play video-games. When it became impractical to continue smoking daily, I cut it out effectively altogether, with absolutely no noticible problem apart from being dismayed to find that a lot of my habitual entertainment choices weren’t, after all, all that. Withdrawal from caffeine, on the other hand, is a comparatively wracking experience. Oh, and I can’t imagine feeling a violent urge under the influence of cannabis – although I have no doubt believing that someone who is extremely violent by nature might go off on someone while high. Hell, I’ve seen a psychopathic Hell’s Angels hanger-on threaten to kill someone for no good reason while he had a headful of _MDMA_. I don’t think he was constitutionally able to feel empathy with anyone, even with pharmaceutical help. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/33 "2005-02-21T01:45:34Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Anecdotally, when I was in my twenties I was a heavy pot smoker. By “heavy,” I mean that I usually had a pound around, and each night I consumed two or three cigarillo-sized, machine-rolled joints of BC bud, fortified with honey-oil, and wrapped in sheets of black-oil treated rice paper. On weekends, I’d smoke all day and night. Duuuuuuuuuude!!! :eek: And I thought I was smoking heavy when I was doing 2-3 pinky fingernail-sized bowls a day. ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/34 "2005-02-21T02:02:24Z")
In the interests of fighting ignorance, I must join in. It is possible to become addicted to dope. I am, and some folks in rehab were too. I smoked like Larry did, but for much much longer, and for all day every day, not just at night. Towards the end of my active days, if I had none, I would become extremely agitated, to the point where I feared doing harm to myself. Panic, despair, dry mouth, spins, you name it. Now, it may be argued that these could be construed as psychological instead of physiological, to which I ask: since when is the brain not part of the body? They sure felt physical to me. To the old-timers out there, I started smoking in the 70s, and the THC content between 70s pot and today’s super-potent weed can be as much as times ten. Really. Not all weed these days is like that, but the weed I smoked for quite a few years at the end of my active days was. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/35 "2005-02-21T14:24:29Z")
So, right, like it has been a long time, no? Like, a really long time. Like, long time no see and all that jazz - so how’s it been hangin, man? Whatya been doin? Me? Not much, man - just kickin back, you know, takin it nice and easy. No sense in gettting uptight behind anything - it ain’t worth it, as you well know. Say, you got any beer? Every time I come over here you dont have any beer and I’m ALWAYS turnin you on to good suds, man - what’s up with that? Corona? Man, I’m not drinkin any Mexican piss beer - you didn’t hear about that? Yeah, man, some illegals got busted at the border and were sent packin. Well, they got a job at the brewery and now piss in every bottle of Corona. No, man. I’m not making this shit up - I swear. Yep - illegal Mexican immigrant piss is what you’re drinking. But, hey, I’m thirsty so, yeah, I’ll take one if you still got some. Hey, you don’t have any rolling papers laying around here, do you? Yeah, I used all mine up - No, smart ass, I didn’t burn all my stash - I was in the jail for a few days for some parking ticket bullshit and when I got home my answering machine was full and I didn have any paper to write all my messages down so I used rollin papers. Fucked up, man, I tell ya. Jail wasn too bad - just kind of smelly and loud. Couldn’t sleep at all, man - all that racket going on plus some really weird dudes kinda scoping me out - So, anyway, like how 'bout that beer? And some chips? You got any munchies? That would be so sweet - Yeah, right, anyway, so about those rolling papers - I scored some really primo bud from this guy who I picked up at the airport. Yeah - “FunShuttle driver for Mr. Smith - Are you Mr. Smith?” So, anyway, he’s from Hawaii, right, and I can tell right away he’s cool cus he’s like, stoned out of his gourd and its only, like 7:30 in the morning when he gets off the plane, plus, like, he’s got this kickass Jerry Band t-shirt on - you know, like the one I had with the purple blotch that kind of looked like that girl you used to date, but only, not so much and she dropped you for that chick who had boned Weir backstage at - hey, man, still waiting on that beer if you could help me out…and, yeah, right, the Hawaii dude - so, anyway, he’s like just reeking of kind when he gets in the van and I’m “Hey, man - how was the trip, blah, blah, blah” kind of bullshitting him, and he’s zonked out - totally asleep. So when we get to the hotel I kind of get his bags out of the back before I wake him up and laying right on top - right there, man - is this big bag of Purple Bud - just begging for me to scarf it up. But, hey, I’m cool - I don’t want to take all the man’s kind - I’ve got some honor- you know - so I only pinch, like, an ounce or so and then I wake the guy up. Yeah, he tipped me - he gave me a couple of hits of blotter that he had in his pocket - I said it was cool. Hey, man, I’m really waiting for that beer - And those munchies - Damn, man, every time I come over here it’s like pulling teeth to get a cold beer and some munchies out of you - and all the times I’ve turned you on. So, anyway, what was the question? ---
**Author:** ![mrklutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/36 "2005-02-21T16:09:54Z")
Well, it seems some folks have observed examples of marijuana-induced rage, but frankly, it boggles my mind. “Marijuana-induced rage” just isn’t a phrase that parses, in my experience. I have observed plenty of the following: marijuana-induced stupor marijuana-induced giggle fit marijuana-induced rambling marijuana-induced cravings marijuana-induced gregariousness marijuana-induced dancing (not a pretty sight) marijuana-induced obsessive behavior marijuana-induced pontificating But never have I seen marijuana-induced rage ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/37 "2005-02-21T21:07:36Z")
The closest thing I have ever seen to marijuana rage was a friend who had a panic attack after eating a couple of brownies. It was really scary, but we stayed with him and talked him down as if he was having a bad trip and it turned out OK. I think if we’d had some valium it would have all been over very quickly. IIRC, he never touched the stuff again. The only real negative effects I have observed either in myself or in others was spacyness, forgetfulness, and what a friend called “doddering around”–forgetting what you had set out to do and just wandering aimlessly about the house. In my experience, these effects either go away or are greatly lessened by–you guessed it–smoking less pot. Moderation in all things, people. As for addiction, I have been really bummed out the day _before_ I run out. “Oh dude! I need to score quick!” Then, when the unthinkable happens and there’s nothing left to smoke, it’s not nearly as bad as it seems. Nothing happens. Life goes on. The closest thing to an actual physical withdrawl symptom I ever experienced was a slight loss of appetite, which makes sense, considering. I do know of some people who ended up in NA for pot, but I never really knew what to think of them, and frankly I never thought the treatment solved any of their underlying problems. Please do not take that as a personal affront, **essvee** , as that was not the spirit in which it was intended. It is merely an observation based on my personal experiences. I don’t know you and wish you nothing but the best in your quest to stay clean. If you say you were addicted, then you were. End of story. ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/38 "2005-02-22T05:13:54Z")
Well now vibro, try to imagine what it would be like to freak out about not having any a couple days before you ran out, and then when you did run out, you went through what I described. Just because it didn’t happen to you doesn’t mean it didn’t happen to anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700/39 "2005-02-22T10:23:00Z")
Know your Dope Fiend! Your life may depend on it!! You will not be able to see his eyes because of his Tea-Shades, but his knuckles will be white from inner tension and his pants will be crusted with semen from constantly jerking off when he can’t find a rape victim. He will stagger and babble when questioned. He will not respect your badge. The Dope Fiend fears nothing. He will attack, for no reason, with every weapon at his command-including yours. Beware! Any officer apprehending a suspected marijuana addict should use all necessary force immediately. One stitch in time (on him) will usually save nine on you. Good Luck. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-marijuana-rage/290700.md?page=1)