Thoughts from the void: Personal Ganja Consumption 2017 Review

Personal ganja consumption for the year 2017 was at more or less similar levels as the previous two years. The primary and preferred mode of intake was ganja in smoked form rolled into spliffs with a few rare (and pleasurable) occasions of vaping, chilluming, herbal tea, fruit punch and cake infused with the herb. The intake of ganja as hashish was a very rare and limited treat last year as against a relatively better availability of the same in the previous two years.

The smoked herb was as a mixture with tobacco, the ratio of the two ranging from 60:40 when there is abundant availability of ganja to as less as 20:80 when the availability of ganja was scarce.

Ganja was smoked over a period of about 5 months in the year at the average rate of a single joint a day and average mixture ratio of 50:50 in terms of ganja and tobacco. The smoking months were primarily Jan-Apr followed by intermittent phases of around 2-3 weeks spread out through the rest of the year.

The total quantity smoked was in the range of 100-150 grams (definitely not exceeding 150 grams) of what I would call good quality organic herb. The total money spent on procurement did not exceed Rs 5000 in the year.

Looking at the patterns of consumption of the big three i.e. ganja, tobacco and alcohol, I saw a decreased urge to drink alcohol and preferred it only on social occasions in spite of having access to good quality alcohol. Given a choice between ganja and alcohol, I saw a preference in myself for ganja over alcohol. I see this as a behavioral change that will likely last for the future. Maybe the availability of good toddy once again might tilt the balance a little more towards alcohol but am not optimistic that toddy will make a comeback again given the powerful Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) lobby and our society's penchant for pseudo sophistication. The usage of tobacco was more or less similar to the last few years. For me this is a matter of concern as my aim is to reduce this to a minimum, so this is an area to focus on. Smoking beedis and handmade cigarettes with good quality tobacco is a strategy to minimize damage from tobacco. Increased availability of ganja and focus on physical fitness will also hopefully help to manage tobacco better. Maybe the shamanic route of ingesting tobacco juice might need to be invoked at some point.

Looking back at the year 2017, I would say it was a fairly contented year in terms of relationship with ganja. The herb served to explore and process repressed thoughts and feelings and to help me come to better terms with them. The sublime states of mind and body achieved through the herb were almost always periods of sat-chit-anandam i.e. being-consciousness-bliss and deeper meditative/contemplative states in harmony with nature, barring the few occasional feelings of self-consciousness and rebelliousness that I attribute to the prohibitive climate against the herb that still exists in this country and society today. With the removal of these biased and prejudiced external barriers to free thinking and with a more conducive socio-cultural environment, am sure much more beautiful states of physio-psychological well being, spread over longer periods, is possible.

Retrospection on the previous year's personal consumption patterns got me into contemplation about some what if scenarios. What would be the change in my consumption patterns if the herb was legalized and freely available through various outlets? I foresee the following possible changes in my consumption patterns:

increase in ganja smoking to an average of 2 joints a day and a maximum of 3 joints on average
an increase in the ganja content of the ganja-tobacco mixture to 70:30 on average as the intent is always to reduce tobacco intake and keep it to a minimum and to move towards the personal ideal of maximum ganja minimum tobacco
an increase in the smoking months of the year to around 7-8 months of the year interspersed with periods of abstinence to keep the relationship with the herb fresh
an increase in the quantity consumed to 300-500 grams a year with a maximum of 500 grams from the current 100-150 grams
with a maximum cap of 500 grams in the year at a hopefully average pricing of not more than Rs 3000 for 100 grams of good quality herb, I aim to have a ceiling of Rs 15000 on ganja related annual expenses. Of course with legalization and healthy competition among the producers and sellers I am hopeful that the free market price will become much lesser than the above stated price
certain special occasions may warrant binge smoking i.e. more than 7-8 joints in the day. This however I do not see happening too often as the potency of the cannabis high plateaus out after the first 2-3 joints. Then smoking any more is just trying to get too much out of a good thing hence resulting potentially in a subsequent distaste for the said good thing
consumption of the herb in forms other than smoking as ganja i.e.as hashish, beverages, confectionery and food, of course, would be an added bonus when available

Let's see what the year 2018 has in store for the lover of the herb. Does the herb become more or less accessible or will the current status quo be maintained?

Related articles
Personal ganja consumption review 2020
https://ravingkoshy.blogspot.com/2021/01/personal-ganja-consumption-review-2020.html

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