Toking and Tolerance: Is Pot Smoking an Issue for YOU

From medical marijuana to cannabis cafes in Portland, everyone is talking about toking these days. With over 15 million Americans admitting that they use it regularly, marijuana is still widely popular among Americans and it seems that several new breeds of users have emerged in the last few years.

There are stiletto stoners who, based on a poll conducted by Marie Claire magazine, are powerful and professional females, and baby boomers who are big on bong hits. More skiers are getting high on the slopes, more people can’t see a movie or a show without prepping for it and more people think nothing of driving while buzzed. And medical patients now find that smoking pot may be an integral part of their treatment plan.

It’s a new and improved user, one who is often a highly educated professional (or retiree) with an annual household income of more than $75,000. And if you’re single, there’s a good chance you’re one of them. That’s because according to The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 58% of all single adults have smoked pot in the last 30 days.

Tolerance towards marijuana may be on the rise among law and policy makers as well as healthcare practitioners, but there are still consequences. Take 33 year old Sheryl, a research analyst in San Francisco who lost her job after a random on-the-spot drug test was ordered by the marketing firm where she worked for almost 8 years. Apparently over 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies, including American Express, General Electric, and Goldman Sachs, have a drug testing program for their employees. While some firms may be more lenient on recreational use of certain drugs versus others, risk of job loss or reputation is still a sobering reality one must consider even if the economy and hiring market are strong.

And it is not only in the employment context. Eric, a bachelor in Boston with a daily dope habit, suffered from a different kind of performance issue: his was in the bedroom. According to an Australian study released over the summer, Eric is not the only one experiencing hard (or not so hard) times. Based on the findings, men who smoke marijuana daily find it four times more difficult to climax during sex and three times more likely to suffer from premature ejaculation than non-users.

Despite the prevalence and mainstream acceptance of marijuana, if you’re single, searching and smoking you may also have a harder time meeting someone. When asked to take a stance on the subject, Mike from Ohio said “I would never date a pot smoker again…I want to be with someone who’s active and lucid, not stoned all the time.” Elaine from D.C. shared similar sentiments ---“When I was younger I dated plenty of potheads and their favorite part of the day was getting high. When you get older and start to think about your social life, having children and your health, you wise up.”

Regardless of age, financial or relationship status, problems with pot persist. So the next time you decide to unwind with weed, here are just a few more grim facts you should consider:

- Like Sheryl, it can cost you your job. More than 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies, including American Express, General Electric, and Goldman Sachs, issue drug test to their employees. In this economy that’s a big risk to take.

- It impairs perception, coordination, problem solving, learning and memory. Which means you may not perform your best on the road, at your desk and/or with your next date.

- It can drastically increase your heart rate and trigger irregular blood pressure fluctuations, which can up your odds of having a heart attack, especially if you are in your prime years or are vulnerable to cardiac disease.

- Like cigarette smoking, extended pot use can increase your risks of lung and neck cancer.

- If you use it to reduce stress and sadness you’re not doing yourself a good service. A number of studies suggest that chronic marijuana usage actually increases rates of anxiety and depression.

If you want to get high, that is your prerogative, but be safe, and be mindful that it is not issue free. And in case you forgot, it’s still illegal.