If the title
of this essay seems fatuous I should explain. I’m writing
about insomnia, and the effect that cannabis has had
in mitigating its effects. The subject of drug consumption
and its effect on a variety of creative human endeavors
has generated centuries worth of discussion and analysis,
and what follows will not pretend to add anything revolutionary
but may be noteworthy to some.
In 1821 Thomas
De Quincey, a legendary Shakespeare critic, published,
Confessions of an English Opium-Eater which attained
instant popularity. Together with Samuel Coleridge’s account
of drug influence in his immortal fragment “Kubla Khan,”
this writing presaged countless 20th century writer accounts
of positive drug effects which continue to the present.
After
experiencing insomnia for many years, and imbibing every
conceivable ‘sleep’ pill or medicine known to man, attending
several overnight sleep clinics, and consulting half
a dozen physicians in prestigious Big Apple hospitals,
I turned to a new development. Several states had just
legalized use of medical marijuana and the New York
program, in respect to regulations and procedures, seemed
to be responsibly conceived.
My acquaintance
with cannabis went back a long way. I grew up as a young
jazz musician and began playing professionally at age
11. Although I was lucky enough to perform alongside
some famous players, I was very wary and depressed at
the frequent sight of musicians on breaks stealing away
to insert needles in arms or inhale various drugs. As
a result I totally avoided that scene convinced of its
well- publicized deleterious effects
Nevertheless,
I had read De Quincey, Coleridge and Timothy Leary and
had experienced the worship of the great jazzer Charlie
Parker from writers and musicians and was aware of positive
effects of certain drugs as chronicled by many responsible
individuals. And when I mentioned that I was toying
with the thought of trying cannabis for insomnia, all
of my regular physicians were in tacit agreement that
“if it helps you sleep, there’s no objection.”
Even though
I continued to take some traditional sleep medications
after registering for medical cannabis and beginning
its use, I soon started to experience the first meaningful
hours of sleep I had had in years.
Considerable
thought and construction has gone into the New York
medical cannabis vaping program. Sleek pen size units
in two parts deliver the cannabis. Each unit unscrews
in the middle with one half being a battery which heats
up the cannabis in the other half. The inhaling process
is thus made very simple with no matches or cigarette
paper needed. These sleek cartridges containing THC
and CBD (the active ingredients in cannabis) in small
amounts so that proscribed puffs produce relaxation
without the kind of classic ‘highs’ of so many other
drugs. The effect of proscribed amounts produces pleasant
light contentedness together with a variety of creative
imaginings and thoughts. But the principal effect for
me, despite the fact that I suffer from mild sleep apnea,
has been significant restful sleep in impressive amounts.
It is certainly
difficult to discuss positivity when encountering the
drug world. Everyone knows about addiction and the terrible
history that has accompanied drug use. As a producer
of comedy and music in Hollywood in the 80s, I was surrounded
by performers who were using cocaine on a daily basis.
It was particularly depressing to be around addicted
performer friends some of whom died from its use. After
I had witnessed the heroin horror among musicians during
the bebop days, the new cocaine popularity was a sign
that drug use would continue ad nauseam. And,
of course, present day headlines recording thousands
of deaths from fentanyl and other opioids is enough
to caution anyone on the use of drugs.
With all
of this in mind – astronomical increase in addiction
and fatalities -- it’s easy to understand my huge reluctance
in using any drug. The only thing that could have prompted
me was the misery produced by years of no sleep. And
so, as I noted, I decided to enroll in the medical cannabis
program.
In addition
to the unparalleled relaxation that could not be achieved
with Melatonin, Ambien, Xanax and a host of other remedies,
the cannabis produced its well known cause of humorous
reactions to matters where there might usually be depression,
cynicism or other negativity. Thus, instead of getting
angry at a politician’s position, laughter might ensue
because of his perceived ignorance. And laugh reactions
to a comic’s joke became intensified just as sustained
chuckling certainly aids relaxation. Also, any attempt
at creating, whether it be writing, performing, musicalizing
etc,. becomes infused with new energy and often produces
better success than is achieved normally.
The humour
and lightness resulting from smoking pot has been long
known, but the street product is often adulterated with
dangerous substances. Medical cannabis, on the other
hand, has been carefully regulated, and customers must
abide by rules governing its use.
Through
the ages the major setback of using opium, cocaine and
other drugs has been addiction. And using street marijuana
has certainly resulted in some addictive behaviour.
But it is notable that, after a long period of using
the medical cannabis, I have never once used it during
the day or had a desire to.
One of the
problems associated with consuming cannabis is the longtime
inclusion of it in the term ‘drugs.’ It has long been
known that even street cannabis usage does not cause
the deadly effects of heroin, cocaine or opioids. But
repressed populations nevertheless choose to ignore
the difference and vast legal disagreement has resulted
in only scattered state approval in America. The issue
has become overly politicized and the federal government,
unlike our northern neighbour, has avoided legalization
because of what it perceives as too great a political
price to pay.
This essay
is not recommending the use of marijuana. Even the positive
effects described above may temporarily impair judgment
while driving or attempting to solve a protracted problem.
But there are huge population segments (12%) that suffer
from chronic
insomnia which thus far has received
no cure. And continued insomnia causes more serious
health problems than I can list here.
