What is the truth about weed and pain relievers?

I have a friend who smokes weed often and also takes painkillers (oxycotin) every once in awhile. He has also done worse drugs in the past. This scares me. He tells me he has done his research and that these won't have any terrible lasting health effects. I feel in my gut that he is wrong... what is the truth? I am really scared for him I care about him alot. I don't want him to ruin his life... how can I tell him this? He is a smart guy and could go far. He keeps telling me not to worry, but I can't help it. How do I deal with this?

If he's doing it to get high, then obviously he is an addict and "IS" hurting himself. Possibly blocking or supressing Emotional pain from an emotional or traumatic event or life of emotional pain?

If he's taking it for real pain due to Disease or a condition or injury, then he's probably doing the right thing if "this" aspect is of fact. Of course, hopefully he was properly worked up in a legitimate Pain Clinic or Neurological-Osteopathic or other discipline for his condition. He would not want to take inappropriate doses if he is in pain with the "Oxy" as of course he could suffer from a life-threatening Respitory Depressed event (much like what we may hear soon about that caused the death of Anna Nicole Smith).

If he is "abusing" these meds and other drugs, he is putting himself in danger of course. If he has more friends than just you, hopefully you all together can confront him and do a intervention based on your value and love/like/importance of him as a person to each of you. If you have to do this Solo, then try to talk him into getting off the meds if abusing them or taking them "for the hell of it". Oxy and other Class "A" Narcotics as well as street equivelant drugs could be lethal with the slightest negative interaction. If he doesn't share or no one knows what all he is taking, and something happens to him, it will be difficult to treat him and save his life if he becomes unconscious and the ER Docs don't know his history or the types and amounts of drugs/medications in his system.

eh i wouldnt worry, he sounds like the type to party hard throughout college and then move on after

the oxycotin will tear him up alive! especially if he "bangs" it...u know w/ a needle....

everyone should smoke pot everyday. its very refreshing and does have medical qualifications......

be scared. ur a good friend then. :) get ur friend to NA meetings (narcotics anonymous) sorry cant really help w/ the coping side of this....never been there before.

good luck my child.

As for the smoking weed portion - Putting anything in your lungs is unhealthy no matter how much it is. Any smoke is bad for them. Now if he acts different while high, or needs to be high all the time - thats when there is a problem.

Taking painkillers have no adverse effects on your body if they are not really abused. I say really abused because taking any pharm (pill) for recreation is abuse. If he is chewing them, or especially snorting/injecting then he may have a problem. The more he does it te less effective it will be, and the greater chance there will be of him becoming addicted.

Basically there is nothing you can do about him doing these drugs, but hes pretty safe - and you shouldnt worry - as long as he knows his limits with both.

Also, just make sure he doesnt consume alcohole while on Oxy as they both supress the respiratory system (breathing) which when combined can be deadly.

smoking weed, and taking pain killers won't do anything to you. to tell you the truth the pain killers are probably worse for him than the dope. They actually use marijuana as a pain killer in cancer patients. if he was drinking and taking the pain killers than i would say you could worry, but this i wouldn't sweat about.

I don't think you can deal with this. He will either quit it or not and nobody can make the decision but him. He may have to get in trouble first or hit bottom before he will see that he is ruining his life. You can like/love him without letting him bring you down with him. You probably need to just leave him alone until he straightens out. I know that sounds harsh but I do not want you to be around him if and when he gets in trouble or worse. Those painkillers change people and if he gets out of control it could be bad.