DUDE. WEED.
If you suffer and think cannabis can help, then investigate! It's entirely worth it.
Cannabis and the cannabinoids they produce are too diverse to generalize any aspect of the species. It's not just for kids to get stoned on, you know. Even with the steep learning curve brought about by the recent publicity it's received, you can be sure that it's still very poorly understood by most.
The follwing list from wikipedia are only some of the known cannabinoids:
THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol)
THCA (Tetrahydrocannbinolic acid)
CBD (Cannabidiol)
CBDA (Cannabidiolic Acid)
CBN ((Cannabinol)
CBG (Cannabigerol)
CBC (Cannabichromene)
CBL (Cannabicyclol)
CBV (Cannabivarin)
THCV (Tetrahydrocannabivarin)
CBDV (Cannabidivarin)
CBCV (Cannabichromevarin)
CBGV (Cannabigerovarin)
CBGM (Cannabigerol Monomethyl Ether)
CBE (Cannabielsoin)
CBT (Cannabicitran)
There are so many genotypical and phenotypical variations that really no two strains really affect people the exact same. Not only is the prior limited list of cannabinoids and the equillibrium balance that they occur in for a given plant, but there are infinite possible expressions of terpenes as well, which like the ratios of cannabinoids, also change the response of the endocannabinoid system. Cannabis can produce the terpenes of pine trees, citrus, hops, fruits, berries, even cheese-like smells. The terpenes in different ratios result in such a wide variety of scents- some easily identified and some entirely new. Combine the terpene balance to the cananbinoid balance of a given phenotype and one has virtually infinite degrees of endocannabinoid receptor stimulation, resulting in different therapeutic responses.
So, no if you need the modulating effects of cannabis, you don't need to get 'stoned' at all. You just need to look for a strain with the appropriate ratios of cannbinoids/terpenes that can treat your ailment. Easier said than done, but it's only getting easier as more strains are actively sought out and developed.
Also a note to the detractors, cannabis is pretty easy to make fun of and discredit; that is simply the matter of our social conditioning. It has been formally studied extensively as of late, including by governments and they've published their studies. We're seeing beneficial effects like inducing apoptosis on cancerous/damaged cell lines as well as neuroprotective qualities. It's just too easy to discredit the plant with the amount of cultural fodder at our disposal, and that's too bad, but there is a real benefit to humanity from the plant, besides kids getting stoned.
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Me. I don't like being stoned, rather have a mild beer buzz - if I need a buzz.
Yeah, weed and alcohol are two diametrically opposed buzzes with the latter being heavily dopaminergic.