# Lucid Dreaming > Lucid Experiences >  >  stop smoking and start dreaming

## i am sam

I have been an everyday smoker (talking about pot but same with cigarettes except longer) for about a year and half now. Unfortunately right before I started smoking I encountered my first lucid dream and have been obsessed ever since. I have had more trouble trying to dream to even consider trying to become lucid. In that year and a half i might have had half a dozen dreams that I could remember. I just recently stopped smoking and I have more dreams than I could have ever thought possible. Some of the coolest dreams I could ever imagine from being thrown into the magic world Harry Potter style, to flying higher and faster than any jet. Just last night had a dream about a zombie virus infecting the world just like the movies, from not knowing about the virus and putting 2 and 2 together ending in a car chase trying to escape from the present setting, guns included. Dreaming is better than any drug could possibly make you feel. Now I am on my way to a nice dream journal and become lucid as soon as possible. 

Anybody else have the same experiences?

----------


## Abra

That's amazing! Maybe you were trying to tell yourself something. Maybe subconsciously, you weren't allowing yourself to enjoy dreaming (or even remember them) until you rid yourself of those harmful drugs! You get what I'm saying, right? There might be evidence that pot smoking hinders dream recall (some may debate me on this--there haven't been many studies on it).

 I think you made a great choice. Welcome to Dreamviews!

----------


## Lona

I have heard of other people that "don't dream" when they have smoked.  And other chronic users who never remember their dreams.  If you want to remember your dreams, you should definitely consider quitting.
 :smiley:

----------


## i am sam

Smoking pot is not necessarily a bad thing, but can definitely get in the way of goals, and progression in general for everyday life. It was fun for a while but I would much rather remember my dreams and actually have dreams than smoke almost ever again after what I have experienced lately.

----------


## Behr

i find im the same way, i just try not to smoke any ganj. a few hours before bed and i can still recall dreams
but, my friend that introduced me to lucid dreaming is the exact opposite, i figure lucid dreaming is his natural born talent since hes dildd since he was 10.
he turns 18 this year and  still smokes weed. (2 years ago he smoked weed everyday and ld'd every week as i was told, to this day hes slowd down on it and has no difference in his ld's)

so this all depends on the person

----------


## Brandon Heat

I've smoked pot at least 2 bowls a day sometimes 8, 10, 15+, whatever. But I can't say I have noticed a recline in my lucid dreams. As a matter of fact I would have at least one at least a few times a week when smoking. 

However I noticed that when I was not smoking I was in my prome 3-5 ld's a night every night. So pot did have somewhat of an impact on my LD'ing. But I'm planning on quitting can't even get high anymore it sucks, but oh well.

----------


## Apfelpfankuchen

I've just recently stopped smoking ANYTHING as a new year's resolution so I'm waiting to see the results of the new year  :smiley:  So far no lucids, but dream recall is improving gradually.

----------


## tommo

Meh, it's all personal.
Did you think quitting would help?  Did you have the preconceived notion that smoking would hinder dream recall?

----------


## Modest

I've come here because I'm wanting to quit and hoping maybe cool LD experiences will help me out just a little bit.

Just looking for positive alternatives  :smiley:

----------


## TheMoon

Ive personally found it better to have a few drinks before a lucid dream, rather then pot.

If you plan to have lucid dreams, whenever, Your best off not smoking any pot a good 2 - 3 hours before bed. Having a few drinks doesn't matter, but if you smoke pot, you wont lucid dream as well without.

----------


## tommo

And in comes the know-it-all.

Clearly people have stated it doesn't affect them in any way.  How can you just claim that they're lying without any proof?
However alcohol does make me remember dreams more sometimes but I doubt I would have a hope in hell of becoming lucid.  Also it's stupid to suggest it.

----------


## Apfelpfankuchen

I usually get better dream vividness when I drink mildly

----------


## Happiness is a Warm Gun

I've been a daily smoker for 5+ years, but I'm starting to get anxiety while high, so I'm taking my first break ever. It's been around two weeks since my last hit, and my lucids are becoming more and more frequent. I don't think it's impossible to have lucids while high (my first lucid ever came on a night when I had burned down a huge blunt before bed), but it definitely seems harder to remember them. 

In the past week I've slowed time to play weeks of chess with Gary Kasparov, become Spiderman, traveled back to the 70's to hang with my hippie father, and gone on countless joyrides that always end with me crashing and telling the cops, "Uhhh, he did it!" and running off. Been great, and now all I need to do is meditate without waking myself up.

----------


## TheMoon

> And in comes the know-it-all.
> 
> Clearly people have stated it doesn't affect them in any way.  How can you just claim that they're lying without any proof?
> However alcohol does make me remember dreams more sometimes but I doubt I would have a hope in hell of becoming lucid.  Also it's stupid to suggest it.



Are you talking about me?  ::|: 

I used the word "personally", meaning that its just in my own experience. I don't know everything... :-\

----------


## tommo

> Are you talking about me?



Yes.




> I used the word "personally", meaning that its just in my own experience. I don't know everything... :-\



And then you said:




> If *you* plan to have lucid dreams, whenever, *Your* best off not smoking any pot a good 2 - 3 hours before bed. Having a few drinks doesn't matter, but if *you* smoke pot, *you* wont lucid dream as well without.



All unsubstantiated claims.  Please at least give a reason for saying 2-3 hours and that you won't lucid dream well if you stop smoking.

----------


## TheMoon

> Yes.
> 
> And then you said:
> 
> 
> All unsubstantiated claims.  Please at least give a reason for saying 2-3 hours and that you won't lucid dream well if you stop smoking.



Well i mainly say this because taking any drugs, pot or medication to lucid dream is a bad idea. You should learn to lucid dream on your own, not use pot or some other drugs as a crutch to lucid dream.

Thats all i ment.

Everyone is different, i find it harder to lucid dream when i smoke pot, because i become very relaxed and fall asleep more easily and go into a deep sleep. I as well don't remember my dreams the next morning.

But we are all different....

I say 2 - 3 hours because by that time you shouldn't be high no more  :smiley: 

Unless you got some really good pot then it could be 3 - 6 hours. And also if you got some really good pot give me a IM and we can get together and get stoned  ::D:   :wink2:

----------


## tommo

Ok I get your reasoning now.

But if you say not to have drugs than alcohol includes.

I have had ganja that got me stoned for at least 8 hours before.

----------


## i am sam

i checked on this thread a day or 2 ago and there wasn't much but some stuff ya'll have said makes a lotta sense. I have been drinkin' a beer or two every night just so i'm not completely sober. i feel like i need something keep things from being dull which usually includes World of Warcraft and now beer instead of pot. I have had three dreams a night and they all have been pretty cool. I took a couple hits off a bowl last night and i didn't remember one dreams or even a fraction of what might have been. I think it's totally different for everyone because i have been discussing this with my friends and one has been absolutely determined to prove my theory wrong about pot and dreaming. He has consistently had dreams the past couple of nights even though he's been really high before going to bed. I think you're mind makes what you believe a reality.

----------


## Lusense

I'll tell you this from almost anyone who is or has been a chronic user knows that it GREATLY deters dreams. You will especially know this if you had a good recall before/after the occurence. Let's put it this way, it greatly affects memory and dream recall is already difficult for most people as it is. Even not doing it a few hours before bed greatly will affect your likelihood of lucid dreams let alone dreams. Doing it later on closer to when you are sleeping will make it even worse unless you are just using occasionally.

As for getting high for 8 hours that seems kind of ridiculous unless you're a newbie since I almost always get or have had 100&#37; legit primo stuff (eg. purple kush, O.G., purple skunk, white widow, black, godbud...) and it never lasts even remotely NEAR that (besides for some very small effects/burnout) same with people I have talked to. Maybe my tolerance went up I dunno.

Ie.




> Another sleep laboratory study showed that a dose of 20 mg of THC given p.o. decreased REM sleep. After four to six nights of use, abrupt discontinuation of THC produced mild insomnia but not marked REM rebound (52). REM rebound may not be apparent after low doses of THC. However, very high doses (70 to 210 mg) reduced REM sleep during treatment and were followed by marked REM rebound after withdrawal (48).



If you are a heavy user (alot of people underestimate and base on low usage) it will almost completely stop them trust me. Not to mention if anything studies miscalculate how much alot of the chronic users use and they still show this.

----------


## pp111

I think its something like this

if you're a bitch, stop smoking and your lucid dreams will increase

if you aren't a bitch, it won't make a difference

----------


## tommo

Also, that is just THC, none of the other compounds were administered.  Therefore I'm assuming that's an old study from when they thought THC was the only active compound.

Also that 8 hours thing, I was smoking pretty occasionally.  I was surprised that it lasted that long as well, my friend was baked for the same amount of time and he was smoking more than me. (Not that night, I mean more regularly).
It was just strange stuff, we woke up and were still baked lol.

----------


## Brandon Heat

Started smoking again not as much as I used to of course, but I still have a strong chain of lucid dreams going on every night, so I think it was just in my head that smoking was having an affect. Because apparently it's not.

----------


## TheMoon

> I'll tell you this from almost anyone who is or has been a chronic user knows that it GREATLY deters dreams. You will especially know this if you had a good recall before/after the occurence. Let's put it this way, it greatly affects memory and dream recall is already difficult for most people as it is. Even not doing it a few hours before bed greatly will affect your likelihood of lucid dreams let alone dreams. Doing it later on closer to when you are sleeping will make it even worse unless you are just using occasionally.
> 
> As for getting high for 8 hours that seems kind of ridiculous unless you're a newbie since I almost always get or have had 100% legit primo stuff (eg. purple kush, O.G., purple skunk, white widow, black, godbud...) and it never lasts even remotely NEAR that (besides for some very small effects/burnout) same with people I have talked to. Maybe my tolerance went up I dunno.
> 
> Ie.
> 
> If you are a heavy user (alot of people underestimate and base on low usage) it will almost completely stop them trust me. Not to mention if anything studies miscalculate how much alot of the chronic users use and they still show this.



Smoking too much pot is bad, but smoking it in moderation is not as bad. I smoke weed in moderation, and it doesn't seem to effect my lucidity too much as long as i don't get high before bed.

In fact im sure for some people smoking a little pot then lucid dreaming could help, but if you get stoned and try lucid dreaming, im sure its going to effect you in a negative way.

----------


## tommo

I hate this moderation thing.  1 - Because there is no proof as to why you should take it in moderation.
2 - Because it is based on everything else having to be taken in moderation.

That argument is used just for general use but now you've brought it up for dreaming too, so yeah.  Maybe there's a reason it is the only thing that is impossible to OD on?  Thinking along the lines of, so we can use it as much as we want.  Not that I believe in any higher power or anything.

----------


## ChaybaChayba

Sure it's fun to smoke daily, I've been there, but it's the same thing as taking one sip of a beer each day compared to getting totally wasted each month. It's impossible to get totally hammered on weed each day.. you gotta wait atleast a month because of the down regulation of the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. That is why you need moderation, to make the weed-trip stronger so you can actually learn something from it.

----------


## Captain Frapo

I've been a pretty consistent smoker, for years now. And I would call myself a pretty heavy smoker, and i've had quite a healthy dream life.

That being said, I personally have found that if I smoke too much before I got to sleep, I have a lot harder time recalling dreams and becoming lucid.

Bizarre, too... considering weed is so good at knocking my ass out at night. 


It really comes down to the person though, everybody is different.

----------


## tommo

Also depends on the weed.  If you're smoking a Sativa dominant you're probably more likely to be more aware, whereas if it's Indica dominant you'll probably just fall into a deep sleep.  If done before bed that is.

It would be interesting to see a study, or even personal study, with using different strains.

ChaybaChayba - That makes sense, but if you smoke different types, even just from different plants, your tolerance goes back to normal; or rather it is negated.  Apparently anyway.

----------


## Universal Mind

> I have been an everyday smoker (talking about pot but same with cigarettes except longer) for about a year and half now. Unfortunately right before I started smoking I encountered my first lucid dream and have been obsessed ever since. I have had more trouble trying to dream to even consider trying to become lucid. In that year and a half i might have had half a dozen dreams that I could remember. I just recently stopped smoking and I have more dreams than I could have ever thought possible. Some of the coolest dreams I could ever imagine from being thrown into the magic world Harry Potter style, to flying higher and faster than any jet. Just last night had a dream about a zombie virus infecting the world just like the movies, from not knowing about the virus and putting 2 and 2 together ending in a car chase trying to escape from the present setting, guns included. Dreaming is better than any drug could possibly make you feel. Now I am on my way to a nice dream journal and become lucid as soon as possible. 
> 
> Anybody else have the same experiences?



You are absolutely right on with that.  It is very true.  I have been through the cycle a bunch of times, and I know how much better my dreaming and lucid ability are when I don't have bong and pipe resin clogging up my brain.  

I have had very few lucids during a pot phase, and the few I had I could not make last more than about three seconds.

----------


## TheMoon

Bottem line

Everyone is different. If its the placebo effect or not, we all should try finding what works for us.

If you want to smoke pot and lucid dream, Go for it, but find what works for you, thats all i gotta say.

No ones the same, pot effects everyone different as well as many other medications and drugs.

I think everyone should live on a balanced diet and take no drugs. Even however i dont consider pot too much of a drug, but it can be harmful when taken in excess.

We all have to make our own choices in life .

Whatever works for you  :smiley:

----------


## tommo

Well said.
I guess if you're having trouble with dreaming and smoke pot.  Try stopping.
If you smoke and you have no trouble.  Don't stop.  ::D:

----------


## i am sam

> Bottem line
> 
> Everyone is different. If its the placebo effect or not, we all should try finding what works for us.
> 
> If you want to smoke pot and lucid dream, Go for it, but find what works for you, thats all i gotta say.
> 
> No ones the same, pot effects everyone different as well as many other medications and drugs.
> 
> I think everyone should live on a balanced diet and take no drugs. Even however i dont consider pot too much of a drug, but it can be harmful when taken in excess.
> ...



I think that is the best way to sum everything up, everyone is different including my friend who has never had dreams until trying to prove my pot/dream theory wrong who has had dreams every night since while getting high before bed. For me I can't seem to have dreams and smoke even during the day; I am glad though to have so many different opinions to take from all of this and it makes sense that everyone is different and really beyond the fact that everyone is different I think (and this is my personal opinion so as not to offend anyone on where they stand) that what the mind believes makes its own reality. 

P.S. Thanks to Universal Mind for backing my opinion

----------


## i am sam

Also for anyone that's heard of, or is interested in, Idoser I am thinking about starting a new thread on it. Its pretty intriguing and has quite a lot on sleep/dream aids even astral projection and OBE's.

----------


## tommo

Don't start a new thread.  I think there's already been about 20 of them since I've been here.

----------


## reapsltd666

> Dreaming is better than any drug could possibly make you feel.



I disagree, but hey, more power to you.

----------


## tommo

Also guys, smoking weed and then stopping produces a rebound of REM.  So when you're all saying, 'oh I had wonderful dreams for 2 weeks after I quit', do you wonder why you didn't say 'ever since I quit (however many years ago)' ?  It's because your REM rebound stops and you just start getting normal dreams again.
That is, according to studies on some people.  I'm not sure whether that same chemical that the weed inhibits, is responsible for dreaming directly though.  Further, I don't know if inhibiting that chemical inhibits dreams.

----------


## Conquer

Marijuana does effect short-term memory, so it does effect recall.
But the short term effect is usually only experienced by new or inexperienced users. It also happens in high doses.
Once you're able to act somewhat normal (socially acceptable, lets say) under the influence of cannabis, you're probably not going to have problems with recall

Sources:
- Erowid
- personal experience
- I'm writting my culminating research paper on marijuana and academics



By the way for the person who mentioned dreams being better than any drug, you're basically doing the same things as drugs. Taking drugs is a way of altering your state of consciousness (its human nature, did you ever spin on the spot as a kid to feel dizzy? Have you ever watched horror movies to have a good scare?) 

When you're in a dream, your state of mind is altered, which is why I believe its pretty much a drug. But hell, anything can be your drug. Guitar, sports, music, paintballing, etc.

----------


## tranquilitybytrey

> That is why you need moderation, to make the weed-trip stronger so you can actually learn something from it.



Please, do explain  ::D:

----------


## tommo

Conquer, are you goin to post that paper here when you're done?
I know a lot of members would appreciate it.

----------


## spaceexplorer

> I disagree, but hey, more power to you.



Dreaming is free and always with you. What you experience is you and you alone.

Drugs... well, they are interesting. But you're still reliant on something external. Something other than yourself, something that you may not always have access to.

That in itself is enough for me to respect and cherish my dreaming experiences over than my drug induced experiences.  The drug experiences were fascinating and amazing no doubt, but they wern't something i earned, they were bought or picked... and most importantly something external.

----------


## tommo

I doubt you can pick what kind of drug trip you can have.  Well, further than the substances general course of action.

Also, to dream, as already said, you must have certain chemicals in your brain.  You wouldn't get these chemicals without the food that you eat.  Ergo, dreaming is technically produced from an outside substance.

----------


## Conquer

> Conquer, are you goin to post that paper here when you're done?
> I know a lot of members would appreciate it.



Sure, I guess it will have to go in Extended discussions. Paper is due & will be finished in like a week.





> Dreaming is free and always with you. What you experience is you and you alone.
> 
> Drugs... well, they are interesting. But you're still reliant on something external. Something other than yourself, something that you may not always have access to.
> 
> That in itself is enough for me to respect and cherish my dreaming experiences over than my drug induced experiences.  The drug experiences were fascinating and amazing no doubt, but they wern't something i earned, they were bought or picked... and most importantly something external.



Well, your body relies on external things - oxygen, protein, vitamins, etc. Not saying that relying on drugs is a good thing, but don't look so negatively at external things. External things are what causes you to develop the way you do, and the way you (very likely) new about lucid dreaming was through reading about it or hearing about it from an external source.

Funny how religion says things like "God created everything. Except marijuana.. That was the devil..." lmao

----------


## Golden Son

Regardless of what you believe, marijuana is a chemical and actually changes your chemical composition, there is no dodging this conclusion, you are pumping your body with chemicals. Your body is a utopia, in perfect balance/composition from birth and on, drugs are foreign. I've been a heavy smoker for many years, done extensive testing/research/and have seen many cases beyond my own. Personally I will never go back. 

I love how people are so quick to jump on the claim that marijuana doesn't effect their dreams/recall/lucid dreams, yet most of them have never even had the discipline to attempt to quit smoking for a few months and compare, they always bring up "Well xx amount of years ago I was not smoking and this and this happened"..etc, nothings ever current. If you're serious, quit smoking for a few months and then come on here and make recommendations. The problem is most of you can't/won't do this because like I said the discipline, and somewhere, minor or major, it's become a part of you(literally, it changes your chemical composition). Been there, done that, and not looking back. 

If the dream aspect isn't enough to turn you off eventually, the health aspect is another issue. Tar/resin is a byproduct of the plant period, as well as foreign gasses, even the composition of the inhalation of vapo's is foreign and has its negatives over your pure, untouched, "god-given" system...and when you fully understand the power of thought, you will see how it does indeed slow down specific intricate processes, laser beam or flashlight, it's up to you.

If you are serious about it, and you dont have the will to quit, just knock it down to smoking Friday and Saturday(aka the weekends), the 5 days of sobriety in between will help keep a more balanced system in multifaceted ways. 

But don't just take my word for it(you who have outlined in your mind a one-way, all knowing, limited path won't anyways), get it out of your system, quit/cut back, and do the tests yourself without bias.

If you are(and being completely honest with yourself) content/fully satisfied with every aspect of the way you are living, then by all means continue doing what you do. It comes down to you and you only making a choice.

----------


## Golden Son

> Well, your body relies on external things - oxygen, protein, vitamins, etc. Not saying that relying on drugs is a good thing, but don't look so negatively at external things.



Yes true, but there is also a difference between externals that are just that, externals, and externals that are *essential for our most complete and harmonious development*, we must not let ourselves mistake the two, as they are two entirely different ball games.

----------


## Ryann

Anyone who says weed doesn't affect their functioning and memory must have been somewhat retarded BEFORE they started smoking. I was a heavy, heavy pot smoker for years (we're talking sticky-as-shit so cal chron, the BEST in the world), and it took months after quitting for me to notice an improvement in my severely impaired memory and thought-processing. No joke, I used to introduce myself to people 3 and 4 and 5 times, with no recollection of having met them before. There are entire years in my life where I cannot corroborate participation in most situations/conversations (i.e. "hey, remember when we did this and this?" "No, when was that?" repeat ad nauseum).





> That makes sense, but if you smoke different types, even just from different plants, your tolerance goes back to normal; or rather it is negated.  Apparently anyway.



Not true, not true, NOT TRUE. The only way a different strain will make your tolerance go down - never back to "normal" which would require abstinence - is if it has less THC than what you had before, and the difference would need to be significant for you to notice a change. Basically, a chronic smoker who switches to mec for a while then goes back to chronic will notice a change. And any pothead can attest that it goes right back up almost immediately.

----------


## SleepyCookieDough

I didn't read the thread 'cause it was too long but I'll answer to the first post... I've never took drugs or smoked (which is basecly the same thing) so I don't have any experience with that... But I'm happy that you've quit. LD is defenitly better than any drug... I should tell everyone at school that I'm addicted to LD and it sounds like a drug and I'm honest (that I'm addicted to LDs since I had one) so it'll be the truth so it'll be funny to see the reaction! lol!  ::banana:: 

I won't do it, it's too mean!

----------


## Sir_Realist

> Sure it's fun to smoke daily, I've been there, but it's the same thing as taking one sip of a beer each day compared to getting totally wasted each month. It's impossible to get totally hammered on weed each day.. you gotta wait atleast a month because of the down regulation of the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. That is why you need moderation, to make the weed-trip stronger so you can actually learn something from it.



You don't know what you're talking about. At all.

----------


## ChaybaChayba

Yes I am. Try it out yourself, it's very true. And Human Traffic is one of the best movies I've seen in a while. Nice one brother!!!  ::D:

----------


## tommo

> Anyone who says weed doesn't affect their functioning and memory must have been somewhat retarded BEFORE they started smoking.* I was a heavy, heavy pot smoker for years (we're talking sticky-as-shit so cal chron, the BEST in the world)*, and it took months after quitting for me to notice an improvement in my severely impaired memory and thought-processing. No joke, I used to introduce myself to people 3 and 4 and 5 times, with no recollection of having met them before. There are entire years in my life where I cannot corroborate participation in most situations/conversations (i.e. "hey, remember when we did this and this?" "No, when was that?" repeat ad nauseum).



If what is in bold is true then there's your problem.  Nobody said you can smoke constantly; all day every day 10 bongs at a time and be unharmed.





> Not true, not true, NOT TRUE. The only way a different strain will make your tolerance go down - never back to "normal" which would require abstinence - is if it has less THC than what you had before, and the difference would need to be significant for you to notice a change. Basically, a chronic smoker who switches to mec for a while then goes back to chronic will notice a change. And any pothead can attest that it goes right back up almost immediately.



Ummmm.  Ok, this may make sense to your 'common sense'.  But from what I've heard it's not true.  Think about if you go from White Widow all day for a week, you start to lose the effects a bit.  You go to BC bud.  According this study I read (I don't have the luxury of exotic heads) you will get basically the same high you would get without smoking for the week before.  But obviously diminished a bit since you're used the the effects of being high.

I'm not stating this as fact.  But it would seem that different levels of all the different Cannabinoids negates the tolerance factor.





> Yes true, but there is also a difference between externals that are just that, externals, and externals that are *essential for our most complete and harmonious development*, we must not let ourselves mistake the two, as they are two entirely different ball games.



No there isn't.  They are the same.  In this case anyway.  Most recreational drugs act on either serotonin or dopamine receptors.  These chemicals in the drugs aren't actually serotonin or dopamine, they just happen to fit into those receptors.  If we had a similar receptor for vegetable oil, or if vegetable oil fit into serotonin receptors, that could get us high too.

Now we have Cannabinoid receptors in our brain ok?
These are used to regulate mood, appetite, heart rate, digestion and pain.  Probably a lot more too.  All we are doing with Cannabis is basically, inserting those cannabinoids into their receptors.  We already have them in our body in the first place, so you could argue we _are_ in fact consuming a chemical which is *essential for our most complete and harmonious development.*





> Regardless of what you believe, marijuana is a chemical and actually changes your chemical composition, there is no dodging this conclusion, you are pumping your body with chemicals. Your body is a utopia, in perfect balance/composition from birth and on, drugs are foreign.



Refuted by my last statement of fact.




> I love how people are so quick to jump on the claim that marijuana doesn't effect their dreams/recall/lucid dreams,



I love how people are so quick to claim it _does_ affect dreams.

----------


## Conquer

> Regardless of what you believe, marijuana is a chemical and actually changes your chemical composition,.........



 ::roll::  Nice job providing references that prove the chemical composition is actually changed. By the way, I've done lucid dreaming before I was an occasional marijuana user. Once you're used to it, it does not impair you enough to complain about. Well at least that's how it is in my case, (my average for lucid dreams has and still is at a steady 1 lucid every 15 days)
But, THC effects everyone differently. For the record, THC hasn't been proven to do anything negative permanently, unlike several legal drugs today like tobacco, alcohol, and tylenol.

----------


## tommo

Conquer, that's a good point too ("doesn't impair you enough to complain about").  Even if it does inhibit dreams a little bit.  You can still get balance between being high and how many LD's you want to have.





> you will see how it does indeed slow down specific intricate processes, laser beam or flashlight, it's up to you.



There are ups to both.  Laser beams certainly can't light up an area much, but they can go far.  Flashlights don't go very far but they light up a big area.

----------


## tranquilitybytrey

EDIT: I did not intend on this project to inhibit me from my usual schedule. Tossing and turning for three hours prior to falling asleep was not my original plain, my apologies. 

I will retry this approach next week, and continue to post my results here.

Trey

----------


## tommo

> EDIT: I did not intend on this project to inhibit me from my usual schedule. Tossing and turning for three hours prior to falling asleep was not my original plain, my apologies. 
> 
> I will retry this approach next week, and continue to post my results here.
> 
> Trey



Uhhhh?

----------


## Conquer

Uhhh? lol

----------


## Saturnine

I used to smoke a lot of pot, and I never really noticed a difference in my dreaming patterns...all I know is that it helps me fall alseep FASTER hehe.

I smoke cigarettes more *bad me* but I find that everytime I try to quit, by day 3 my dreams get WACKY...the nicotine patch also gives you CRAZY dreams. Kinda off topic sorry.

----------


## tommo

That's good to know, I'll be quitting them soon.  Cuttin down now.  Only 3 today.  So far lol.  Probably have to go to bed early.

----------


## linxx

ahhhh i would have to say unfortunately that my 2 favorite things, weed and dreaming, definitely contradict eachother. before i started smoking everyday my dream recall was really good and its gone downhill since, as well as almost halting my ld progress. 

pretty much at night i have to decide if i want to get high or if i want to dream. but even if i decide to dream and dont smoke before bed, ive still been smoking all day so... theres hardly too much difference

of course, lding is definitely more important, but at the time im not ready to give up my herb so ill continue to try and juggle the two!!

----------


## CourtingTheUnknown

Marijuana use has never messed with my dreams or my lucidity.  I think that the more messed a person gets the less they remember or have good recall, (as with any mind altering substance, especially alcohol).  But that is subject to a person's ability to cope with the alteration of consciousness.

And I truely think that varies from person to person.  As for long term damage, I saw a documentary, (sort of a comedy, but the tests were done by real doctors, and several of them), that after testing a man who smoked for 19 years he still hadn't done any permanent damage to his body.  He was tested during heavy use and during no use at all.   This has been reinforced by alot of other reading I've done, and also by personal experience. 

Like anything else, it's usage should be respected and enjoyed, and not abused to the point of detriment.  Obviously if it's being used simply to escape or run away that portion of it will always have side affects.  If you don't like some of your dreams then it's easy to conveniently forget them, and easy enough to blame drug abuse when it's truely just another form of escapism.

----------


## Golden Son

I respect all of your views and hope you can do the same, I know myself best and that is what I found. I still would like to see you all at least once in the future(not the past) sober up for a couple months and see if you observe any  differences/how you like it. I'm probably asking for too much though  ::embarrassed::

----------


## tommo

Well, when I start smoking again I'll stop and then see the difference lol.
Actually I spose that could be better since I have the before perspective as well.  I'm just getting my recall up now.  Hopefully when it's back to normal I'll have enough money to blaze again.

----------


## Conquer

Someone suggested I might want to post my research paper on marijuana and academics on the forum.

Its in the off topic discussion forum if anyone's interested:
http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...ad.php?t=71986



(If you're interested in myths about marijuana including 'killing brain cells', '"flatenning" brain waves', 'permanent effects', etc. then you might want to take a look at my paper or (much better) here http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/hempmenu.htm )

----------


## tommo

Thanks Conquer.

----------


## Techno

Smoking before bed can give you some trippy lucids. Though I'd say that I'm fond of smoking and lucid dreaming seperate more than I am of them together.

----------


## CWagner

Just found this thread while googling about the exact same thing.
I smoked (cigarettes) for about 4-5 years and remembered about one dream in 2 months.
I stopped smoking 2 weeks ago and since about 10 days I'm remembering at least one dream every morning. All of them are quite lucid and foremost interesting.
I have trouble getting out of bed b/c I want to know how the dream will continue (mostly magical stuff, vampires, computer games).

PS: No never even thought about the fact that I don't remember my dreams. Just noticed it after stopping.

----------


## harry1990

Im a smoker and have been for about 4-5 years. Ive recently wondered if it can affect how often you dream and if it may affect remembering them. i always say im going to quit and would say i am a very heavy smoker. At least 20 a day.
i dont smoke Cannabis or take drugs although have tried some but didnt feel any need to do them again.
Im very new to LDing but am very much trying my hardest to remember every dream to the best of my ability.
The most popular exercise ive been trying is WBTB around 5am. When i did this last night i used a few mp3s to see if it would help LDing but i found i couldnt get back to sleep that well.
I keep a journal which is slowly filling with my dreams.
I think i might have to get better at dream recall first as sometimes i cannot remember full dreams.

If theres any personal exercises that you have found help increase dream recall or LDing id be very happy to hear them as im willing to try anything to see what the best way for me to become more aware and lucid im my dreams.

Thanks

----------


## CD Clock

After smoking for about a half year I noticed that my dream _clarity,_ I guess you'd call it, has gone down.

But after doing LSD for the third time, I've been getting lucid dreams multiple times every week with no real effort at all, and my dreams are always like ten times more clear.

Has this happened to anyone else?

----------


## Conquer

Its probably because LSD really "frees" your ego from your mind, it allows you to really deeply think (a little too deep if you ask me) about reality. I think this is why you're becoming aware in dreams more easily, your mind is just noticing the change in conciousness more. But thats just my crazy random opinion theory.

----------


## bali b

as an avid pot-smoker I must chime in here to say that with me, smokin' a pinner a little while before bed helps me to calm my bones, giving me that warm, fuzzy, familiar glazed feeling. It helps me to become relaxed and comfortable while I fall asleep, and has not at all affected my dreams, dream recall, or ability to become lucid (nor has it helped any). 

I have also found that not smoking any buddha, say for a week, doesn't affect anything just the same.

Though not too long ago I got ahold of some real nise headdies that rocked my world, and maybe I was just trippin' out some, but I had a crazy WILD-sort of experince. So I guess that time smoking helped me out some.

Of course thats just me, and I couldn't care less about what other people do or how they do it. As long as the dreamers keep on dreamin'.

Happy Dreaming.  :wink2:

----------


## tommo

Since this switched to cigarettes I have started slowing down a bit recently and my recall has been much better.  I'm on about 7-8 a day probably.
I've also had two WBTB in the last 2 weeks which is great after a dry spell of almost a year!
However I am also getting back into a normal sleep routine so it could just be that but I'm inclined to think it's both.

----------


## LucidFreedoM

Its pretty much an accepted truth among pot heads..if you blaze you usually dont remember anything when you go to sleep, great sleep tho

If im burnt when I fall asleep but then wake up and go back to sleep after sleeping for a while (like waking up in the morning and going back to sleep because its too early) I DO remember my dreams, but only if I wbtb

----------


## tommo

Maybe speak for yourself like everyone else in this thread.  Clearly it isn't an accepted truth.

----------


## deXtrous

I stopped smoking for 3 weeks and I began dreaming so so much.. I slipped up though a couple of days ago I had a cone/bowl and the past nights my dreams haven't been to vivid at all.. This really proves (to me at least) that smoking diminishes your dream recall  :Sad: 

I choose dreaming over smoking though.

----------


## Conquer

I choose both.  :smiley:

----------


## tommo

I choose you pikachu!

----------


## Eonnn

yeah i read somewhere that smoking pot can reduce your ability to LD and recall dreams. Fortunately smoking cigarettes has no effect  :smiley:

----------


## Conquer

> I choose you pikachu!



Ahahah.

Btw to the person above:
I've read that smoking cigarettes is helpful to LDing, but it also kills you.  :tongue2:

----------


## Yume.no.ato

I'm a pot smoker and I've read that smoking and alcohol makes it harder to LD, or even have vivid dreams but I find that for me this simply isn't true. 

My first DILD was after a night of pretty good MJ smoking, 
And I'm 100% positive it was a DILD and not just me having a clear dream. 
I remember realizing I was dreaming and then stabilizing the dream and everything. Also, I've had some pretty vivid dreams on nights of weed smoking before. It doesn't seem to have anything to do with the consistency of my dream memory. 

That's not to say its a myth, though, since some people say the opposite. 
I guess I'm just saying its not the same for everyone :0

----------


## Conquer

I just had a WILD last night without sleeping first, after a toke earlier in the day. I wasn't high when I wen't to sleep, but I could feel the relaxing effects of the THC when I went into paralysis. I think marijuana can help some people with WILDing, it makes the transition a lot smoother. (at least for me)

----------


## DreamHerb

> ahhhh i would have to say unfortunately that my 2 favorite things, weed and dreaming, definitely contradict eachother.



Same for me.... i started out as a very good lucid dreamer, and eventually started smoking pot everyday, which drastically effected my dream recall. And i am unable to control them as well since smoking pot everyday..... I find that other plants do increase dream recall, and lucidity tho in a positive way.  These plants being; Morning glory (lsa) Salvia divinorum (dream sage), and psilocybin mushrooms.

----------


## tommo

I just read a study that says delta->>>>8<<<< THC makes the REM stage of sleep longer.  I haven't got time to post right now properly but yeah go search on google if you're interested.  Getting a strain high in Delta-8-THC will help you dream while still being able to get stoned.  If you have problems with this go check it out.  Cheers.

----------


## Captain Frapo

I started smoking again a couple weeks ago, but I've still been having a shiz-load of dreams. I just have been having a harder time recalling them.

----------


## Jupilér

Oke, as some of you might know, I'm from the netherlands wich means I smoke the best Haze everyday(and now).
I think your dreams wont change that much by smoking, but yout recall will!.
I dont smoke 3 ours before I go to bed, then my dreams and night will be just fine..
and when you have party, lucid a different time! or try WILD smoking does not come in the way of that trust me

----------


## tommo

Jupiler, can you try smoking a strain with high delta 8?  If you can figur eout which ones have that....  Then try one with barely any and compare?
Would be good if you can.

----------


## Sephiad

Have been a hash smoker for years, I really want to quit.

I have allways had great dream recall, therefore the pot doesnt affect that bit too much.  But I LD far less than when I take a break for a while.

Having said that, because it affects short term memory, Ive usually forgotten my dreams after a month or so.  This results in occassional bouts of 'de je vue' where for a moment, I feel I have been here before, ,but then I remember an intense dream ,that I had months earlier.

One of the reasons I like to have a smoke before bed is to 'surf hypnogoga' that bit as your just slipping into sleep.  You see all those mellow colours and feel so comfy.  I like to ride it ,like a wave for about half an hour, letting myself go and then pulling myself back.

Back on topic, I have read that the 'devils rose' as I have heard it called, does affect LD big time. And also that THC stays in your body for about 30 days.  So when I stop, I expect I will have to wait that long to see any increase of LD's

----------


## Bolo

THC suppresses REM, and when you stop smoking (pot) you experience the well known Rebound Effect... lots of vivid dreams...

----------


## tommo

Yeah the rebound effects sounds like it happens to almost anyone who's dreams are suppressed by smoking Cannabis.  Sephiad, you should see increased dreams the night you quit, as long as you don't smoke that day; otherwise, the day after.  Cannabis compounds only stay in your body for 30 days or so, not your brain, so that won't effect your dreams at all.

----------


## Sephiad

> Sephiad, you should see increased dreams the night you quit, Cannabis compounds only stay in your body for 30 days or so, not your brain, .



Thanks Tommo, that makes sense. My new job has meant I have had to give up the weed and I'v been pot free for about three or four weeks now.  The rebound effect as  you call it is very evident.  I'm getting four or five LD's a week now, allthough I think part of the reason is my renewed determination to perform RC's.

I miss the pot sometimes, but I wouldnt get to work on time if I started it again. As much as I love the efects, I'm just not suited to weed.

All things considered, I'm glad I kicked.

----------


## tranquilitybytrey

> Thanks Tommo, that makes sense. My new job has meant I have had to give up the weed and I'v been pot free for about three or four weeks now.  The rebound effect as  you call it is very evident.  I'm getting four or five LD's a week now, allthough I think part of the reason is my renewed determination to perform RC's.
> 
> I miss the pot sometimes, but I wouldnt get to work on time if I started it again. As much as I love the efects, I'm just not suited to weed.
> 
> All things considered, I'm glad I kicked.



Dude, I think that is best. You seem to have the same reaction to pot as I do. You need to replace pot with something and I too picked lucid dreaming. I too am not suited for weed. Hope everything is working out man. Rock out brother.

EDIT: You may also want to check out the gym and meditation for other ways to spend your time. It has helped me out significantly. I think half of my lucid dreams have been in the past two months and I have been doing them for a little over a year now.

----------


## tommo

> Thanks Tommo, that makes sense. My new job has meant I have had to give up the weed and I'v been pot free for about three or four weeks now.  The rebound effect as  you call it is very evident.  I'm getting four or five LD's a week now, allthough I think part of the reason is my renewed determination to perform RC's.
> 
> I miss the pot sometimes, but I wouldnt get to work on time if I started it again. As much as I love the efects, I'm just not suited to weed.
> 
> All things considered, I'm glad I kicked.



Wow, that's good.  I'm happy for you.
Maybe it's not that you're not suited for weed, but more, your job doesn't go well with you smoking weed.  haha lol, excuse me, I just love Cannabis.
I agree with tranquility, meditation can be good also.  In fact, studies have shown that meditation puts your brain in the exact same state that smoking Cannabis does (Alpha and Theta simultaneously, and one study has shown Gamma waves also).  So if you ever feel like smoking again you can just meditate.

----------


## Sephiad

> Dude, I think that is best. You seem to have the same reaction to pot as I do. 
> 
> Hope everything is working out man. Rock out brother.
> 
> You may also want to check out the gym and meditation







> Wow, that's good.  I'm happy for you.
> Maybe it's not that you're not suited for weed, but more, your job doesn't go well with you smoking weed.  haha lol, excuse me, I just love Cannabis.
> 
> studies have shown that meditation puts your brain in the exact same state that smoking Cannabis does (Alpha and Theta simultaneously, and one study has shown Gamma waves also).



Thanks for all the good advice guys.  Yes, I have tried meditation but dont have enough self discipline just to let what happens happen.  I always get too excited, thats why I carnt WILD (well managed it once to get back to dream I had woken up from).  I used to do those self hypnosis tapes, they were very effective at first but stopped working after a while.  I think that they are both different sides of the same coin.

I do miss a good smoke to end the day.  But unfortunatley, I wouldnt be able to just stop at one, I have to get completely blasted. (You know what I'm talking about)

Thanks again guys

----------


## WakataDreamer

Dude, LDs make drugs look like kiddie toys.

Dream-trippin iz da shiz

----------


## tommo

I disagree, they both have their high (pun intended) points.
Although I remember tripping in dreams and it's pretty sweet lol

----------


## Animatic

Weed-trip? learn something? I doubt it, and I smoke whenever I feel the urge.

And I don't particulary think that this fact has really made much of an impact at all on my limited LD experiances. On the contrary, after a sustained period of heavy use, and then stopping altogether. I found that my dreams would at least seem 6-8 times more vivid and memorable than normal throughout the entire first week.

----------


## Bolo

> Weed-trip? learn something? I doubt it, and I smoke whenever I feel the urge.
> 
> And I don't particulary think that this fact has really made much of an impact at all on my limited LD experiances. On the contrary, after a sustained period of heavy use, and then stopping altogether. I found that my dreams would at least seem 6-8 times more vivid and memorable than normal throughout the entire first week.



First post ha? .... The vividness is due to the "Rebound Effect"

----------


## Animatic

> First post ha? .... The vividness is due to the "Rebound Effect"



Well there you go, you lot are useful then.
didn't know it had a name  ::D:

----------


## tommo

> Well there you go, you lot are useful then.
> didn't know it had a name



We were JUST talking about it lol
 And I don't know what you mean when you said "weed-trip? learn something? I doubt it"  What does that mean?

----------


## Captain Frapo

what if you smoke weed in your dreams?

----------


## Bolo

> what if you smoke weed in your dreams?



My experience with this is that sometimes it doesn't work well, and at other times I get a Super High ! and sometimes I have a high in a normal dream and when I can't remember where I smoked it I become lucid  :smiley:

----------


## kr3wskater

For me dream recall has a lot to do with how vivid my dreams were. A night of vivid dreams is definitely easier to remember than one withouth many vivid, interesting dreams. Smoking before bed can give you some very vivid, crazy dreams or it can knock you out until the sun comes up. B6 has been known to increase "abstract, vivid" dreams as well as awareness in these dreams so that's always something to try too. And I agree, dream tripping can make some drugs look like kiddie toys, specifically lucid dream tripping because you're fully conscious AND you're tripping unlike normal dreams when your mind isn't really "there" but more just watching. I'd say that for those of you who really enjoy smoking and LDing but can't remember your dreams, try going on a 1 month tolerance break filled with exercise and meditation (to keep you high) and seeing how your LDs are in the 3rd or 4th week. It's tougher than it sounds if you smoke often but it's a good experiment and when you come back you'll be able to get very high off small amounts, which is great if you have a high tolerance.

----------


## KingYoshi

Smoking weed during lucid dreams, now that is the way to go! Giving up weed didn't have to be the solution though. I smoke everyday and I dream out the ass. Of course if that is what you want to do, more power to you!

----------


## tommo

Just tried this for the first time on purpose.
I smoked weed about an hour before bed.  Had the most intense, long dream and crazy ass dream too.  Didn't make a LOT of sense, but it did.
And the next night I didn't smoke and barely dreamed.  Couldn't remember any anyway, and tonight I have smoked again, few hours before bed probably dunno yet.  And might smoke a bit more later.  Tomorrow I'll you what happens!

----------


## machiavelli

mmm... I actually think you are more likely to get more lucid dreams under the effect of drugs. Alcohol consumption is always good to get crazy dreams which increases the chance of becomming lucid in my own experience.

----------


## tommo

Woops, forgot to post here.
I had Cannabis that night of my last post.  INSANE dreams!  They went all night long and were very continuous.  Then two nights ago I had some again and same thing.  When I get enough, I'll try smoking for a week straight every night and see what happens.

----------


## JamesLD

IM RIGHT WITH YA MAN!!! i recently just quit smoking weed so i could focus on my dreams. i used to smoke every day and every night and could never remember my dreams, now im having 4 dreams a night! dreams are way better than drugs. especially since you can do any drug you want in your dreams!

----------


## Awhislyle

I've found that I pretty much always have a lucid when I smoke late at night, I just don't always remember them, but I can't remember the last time I smoked and dreamt and it wasn't a lucid, don't know why, but I always LD when I smoke  ::banana:: 

/though MAYBE I am slightly less likely to remember dreams when I smoke, not sure

----------


## Bu5hman

I've found the only difference weed makes to my dreams is to make them less coherent.  Not less vivid, just weirder.  Much more interesting if you ask me.

----------


## kr3wskater

It seems to make them much more...abstract and vivid if you smoke at night, but if you smoke earlier in the day it seems to mess with recall (for most people).

----------

