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On Being Stoned, by Charles Tart

  On Being Stoned

    Charles T. Tart, Ph. D.

        Chapter 25.    Experience in Using Drugs



    THE 150 USERS had a wide range of experience in drug use. Marijuana use ran from less than six months experience to more than eleven years use. Seventy-two percent had tried major psychedelic drugs such as LSD.
    Three background analyses for drug use were carried out, namely, by total amount of use of marijuana, frequency of use of marijuana in the six months immediately preceding filling out the questionnaire, and use or non-use of major psychedelics.
    Total marijuana use was divided, according to the method described in Chapter 5, so as to yield three groups, termed Heavy Total users, Moderate Total users, and Light Total users. Frequency of use in the preceding six months also produced three groups, the Daily, Weekly, and Occasional users. Users of Psychedelics were those who had tried any major psychedelic drug at least once.
    The number of significant comparisons for each of these background variables is presented in Table 25-1, below. While Frequency of Use yielded only a few more significant comparisons than might be expected by chance, Total Use and Psychedelic Use yielded many more, and so are highly significant factors affecting marijuana intoxication.

TABLE 25-1
NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT COMPARISONS,
VARIOUS BACKGROUND VARIABLES
SIGNIFICANCE
LEVEL
TOTAL USEFREQUENCY
OF USE
USE OF
PSYCHEDELICS
EXPECTED BY
CHANCE

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    As detailed descriptions of the effects of each of the three background variables have been presented with each item description, this chapter will summarize these effects on a dimension of greater or lesser drug experience. That is, Users of Psychedelics have more drug experience than Non-users, Heavy Total users more than Moderate Total users, Weekly users more than Occasional users, etc. Most of the three category comparisons (Total Use and Frequency of Use) showed a linear trend, i.e., the Heavy or Daily category users showing the greatest frequency or highest minimal level, the Moderate or Weekly next highest, and the Light or Occasional users the least. Thus the summary statements in the following tables that "users with more drug experience report effect X more or less frequently or at higher or lower levels than users with less drug experience" generally adequately summarizes a finding.
    Ten percent of the significant differences were not linear: the Moderate or Weekly users showed the highest or lowest value. These nonlinear effects, mostly from the Frequency of Use analyses, are shown in a separate table.
    Table 25-2 summarizes 40 effects experienced more frequently by users with greater drug experience. Overall frequency of occurrence is summarized in the usual type style code.

TABLE 25-2
EFFECTS MORE FREQUENT IN USERS WITH MORE DRUG EXPERIENCE
CATEGORYINTOXICATION EFFECT [a]SIGNIFICANCE
LEVEL

VisionSENSUAL QUALITY TO VISION, T
AURAS AROUND PEOPLE, P
AURAS AROUND OBJECTS, T, P
FACE CHANGES, P
VISUAL HALLUCINATIONS, T
.01
.0005
.05, .05
.01
.05
HearingSPACE BECOMES AN AUDITORY SPACE, P.05
TouchVIVID TACTILE IMAGERY, T.05
TasteSALIVATE A LOT, T
RETASTE FOOD WHEN BELCHING, T
.01
.05
SmellNEW QUALITIES TO SMELL, T
SMELLS, RICHER, MORE UNIQUE, T. P
.05
.05, .05
Space/TimeTIME PASSES RAPIDLY, T.05
ParanormalTELEPATHY, T
Precognition, T, F
Magical operations, F
.01
.05, .001
.01
BodyAWARE INTERNAL ORGANS IN DEFECATING, T
FEELINGS OF ENERGY IN BODY, P
Feel energy in spine, P
Aware of chakra centers, T
BODY FEELS SMALLER, T
FEEL STRONGER, T
MOVEMENTS AWKWARD, UNCOORDINATED, T, F, P
.05
.05
.05
.05
.05
.01
.05, .05, .01
SocialLESS NOISY AT PARTIES THAN WHEN STRAIGHT, F.05
SexMORE NEED FOR SEX IF SITUATION APPROPRIATE, P
CLOSER TO SEXUAL PARTNER, UNION OF SOULS, P
.05
.0005
ThoughtABSORBED, ATTENTION MUST BE GOTTEN FORCIBLY, P
MORE SUBTLE HUMOR, T
EASIER TO READ, T
.05
.05
.05
MemoryRECALL MORE OF MATERIAL READ, T, F, P
GOOD MEMORY FOR PERIODS OF INTOXICATION, F
.001 .05, .05
.01
ControlEASILY SIDETRACKED, P
COMPULSIVE DESIRE TO GET HIGHER, T, F
EXTRA ENERGY, EFFICIENCY FOR TASKS, T
CAN COME DOWN AT WILL, T, F, P
.05
.01, .05
.001
.05, .05, .01
IdentityPERSONALITY CHANGES TEMPORARILY, F
FEEL POWERFUL, CAPABLE, INTELLIGENT, T
EVENTS, ACTIONS ARCHETYPAL, P
.05
.05
.05
SpiritualIN TOUCH WITH A HIGHER POWER, P
MEDITATE MORE EFFECTIVELY, F
.01
.01
Miscellaneous  GO UP IN JUMPS, T.05

[a] The letter T (Total Use), F (Frequency of Use), or P (Use of Psychedelics)
following each effect indicates which background variables were the significant ones.

    One would expect that users with more drug experience would have experienced a wider variety of effects. Three rare effects and 18 infrequent effects are indeed experienced more frequently by users with more drug experience.
    Table 25-3 summarizes 23 effects experienced less frequently by the more experienced users; Table 25-4, the 20 effects for which more experienced users have a higher minimal level of intoxication; and Table 25-5, the 18 effects for which they have a lower minimal level.

TABLE 25-3
EFFECTS LESS FREQUENT IN USERS WITH MORE DRUG EXPERIENCE
CATEGORYINTOXICATION EFFECT SIGNIFICANCE
LEVEL

VisionPERIPHERAL VISION CHANGES, P.01
HearingUNDERSTOOD WORDS OF SONGS BETTER, T. P.05, .01
TouchOBJECTS SEEM HEAVIER, MASSIVE, P.05
TasteDELAY BETWEEN CHEWING AND TASTING, P
ENJOY EATING AND EAT A LOT, P
.01
.05
Space/TimeLOSE TRACK, NEED TO REORIENT, P.05
BodyLOSE AWARENESS OF BODY PARTS NOT FOCUSED, P
PAIN MORE INTENSE IF CONCENTRATED ON, P
LOSE ALL CONSCIOUSNESS OF BODY DURING FANTASY TRIPS, F
MOVEMENT EXCEPTIONALLY SMOOTH, P
.0005
.05
.01
.01
SocialHARD TO PLAY ORDINARY SOCIAL GAMES, T
FEEL PARANOID, P
.0005
.01
ThoughtLESS THOUGHT TO CONSEQUENCES OF ACTIONS, T
THOUGHTS SLIP AWAY BEFORE GRASPED, F. P
HERE AND NOW, T
MIND FEELS LESS EFFICIENT, T, P
HARDER TO READ, T
MIND GOES BLANK, P
.001
.05, .05
.01
.05, .05
.01
.05
MemoryTHINK SAID SOMETHING WHEN HAVEN'T, T P.05
ControlWorry about losing control, F
CAN'T COME DOWN AT WILL, P
.05
.05
AftereffectsHARD TO ORGANIZE NEXT DAY, T. P.05, .01
MiscellaneousINNER VISIONS AS REAL AS NOCTURNAL DREAMS, F.05

TABLE 25-4
EFFECTS THAT USERS WITH MORE DRUG EXPERIENCE
MUST BE MORE INTOXICATED TO EXPERIENCE
CATEGORYINTOXICATION EFFECTSIGNIFICANCE
LEVEL

VisionPERIPHERAL VISION CHANGES, P
BLURRINESS OF VISION, F
MORE CENTRALITY OF VISION, F
PULSING OF VISION, P
.05
.05
.05
.05
HearingSPACE BECOMES AN AUDITORY SPACE, T.05
Space/Time TIME PASSES MORE SLOWLY, T
EVENTS FOLLOW EACH OTHER JERKILY, P
.05
.05
SocialTALK MORE, P
PEOPLE HAVEN'T NOTICED I'M STONED, T. P
.0l
05, .05
ThoughtABSORBED, ATTENTION MUST BE GOTTEN FORCIBLY T.05
MemoryFORGET START OF CONVERSATION, T
THINK I'VE SAID SOMETHING WHEN HAVEN'T, P
.05
.05
EmotionUsually feel bad when stoned, T
GIGGLE A LOT, T
.05
.05
ControlEASILY SIDETRACKED, P
EXTRA ENERGY, EFFICIENCY FOR TASKS, T
CAN COME DOWN AT WILL, P
.05
.05
.01
SleepEARLY EVENING DROWSINESS, T, F
SLEEP PARTICULARLY REFRESHING, F
DREAMS LESS VIVID OR FORGOTTEN, T
.001, .01
.05
.05

TABLE 25-5
EFFECTS THAT USERS WITH MORE DRUG EXPERIENCE
CAN EXPERIENCE AT LOWER LEVELS OF INTOXICATION
CATEGORYINTOXICATION EFFECT SIGNIFICANCE
LEVEL

VisionSENSUAL QUALITY TO VISION, T.05
TasteVIVID TASTE IMAGERY, P.05
Space/Time TIME STOPS, P.05
ParanormalTELEPATHY, P.05
BodyPAIN MORE INTENSE IF CONCENTRATED ON, T.05
SocialLESS NOISY AT PARTIES THAN WHEN STRAIGHT, P
SAY MORE PROFOUND THINGS, P
People seem like robots, P
PLAY ELABORATE GAMES, T, P
.05
.05
.05
.05, .05
SexMORE NEED FOR SEX, P
CLOSER TO SEXUAL PARTNER, T. F
.0005
.05, .05
ThoughtLESS THOUGHT TO CONSEQUENCES OF ACTIONS, F
INSIGHTS INTO OTHERS, T
SPONTANEOUS INSIGHTS INTO SELF, P
.05
.05
.01
MemoryMISTAKE FANTASY FOR MEMORY, T.05
IdentityFEEL POWERFUL, CAPABLE, INTELLIGENT, T, F.01, .05
SpiritualMEDITATE MORE EFFECTIVELY, P.05
MiscellaneousMORE INVOLVED IN ORDINARY TASKS, T.05


    In the basic model of drug intoxication set forth in Chapter 2, it was hypothesized that increasing experience with drug-induced states of consciousness would generally result in the user's experiencing fewer negative, unpleasant effects and/or that such negative effects would be pushed to higher levels of intoxication. This is generally confirmed by the data. Of the 19 unequivocally "undesirable" effects (discussed fully in Chapter 21), about half are experienced significantly less frequently or have higher minimal levels for the users with more drug experience, with only one comparison being significant in the opposite direction.
    It was also hypothesized that increased drug experience would generally lead to increased control of the intoxicated state. This is also confirmed by the data. Experienced users worry less frequently about losing control, find less frequently that they can't come down if necessary, must be more intoxicated to be sidetracked, and can come down at will more frequently and from higher levels. The one finding contrary to this hypothesis is that they experienced being easily sidetracked more frequently.
    A heavy marijuana user would also have many more occasions on which he had to function in ordinary (non-drug subculture) situations with ordinary people. A number of background differences, in addition to increased control, would seem to reflect this need to function frequently in ordinary situations, namely, increased frequency of ease in reading and good memory for periods of intoxication; decreased frequency of losing track and needing to reorient, finding it hard to play ordinary social games, feelings of paranoia about companions, giving less thought to consequences of actions, here-and-now-ness (too much would interfere with planning), and thinking you've said something when you haven't.
    The thirteen non-linear effects of background variables are summarized in Table 25-6.

TABLE 25-6
NON-LINEAR EFFECTS OF TOTAL USE AND FREQUENCY OF USE
CATEGORYINTOXICATION EFFECT:
WEEKLY OR MODERATE USERS
SIGNIFICANCE
LEVEL

More frequently experience:
    Space/Time    SPACE, AIR TAKES ON SOLID QUALITY, F.05
SocialLESS NOISY AT PARTIES THAN WHEN DRUNK, T.05
  STRONGLY INFLUENCED BY COMPANIONS, F.05
Less frequently experience:
ThoughtMORE WILLING TO ACCEPT CONTRADICTIONS, T.01
Must be more intoxicated to experience:
VisionVISUAL JIGGLE, T, F.05, .01
  IMAGERY WHILE READING, F.05
BodyPHYSICALLY RELAXED, DON'T WANT TO MOVE, F.05
  MOTIONS EXCEPTIONALLY SMOOTH, F.05
ThoughtFINISH TASK EVEN THOUGH MENTALLY LOST TRACK OF, T.05
MemoryCONVERSE INTELLIGENTLY DESPITE SHORTENING OF
    MEMORY SPAN, F
.05
  THINK SAID SOMETHING WHEN HAVEN'T, F.01
Need be less intoxicated to experience:
HearingSPACE BECOMES AN AUDITORY SPACE, T.05
TasteCRAVE SWEET THINGS, T.05

Chapter 26


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