The Great Weed Debate  

The guys who taught me to fly were Viet Nam vets and some of them admitted that on the way home from a mission, everyone in the helicopter would light up.

Maybe in some units, but not mine and none I ever flew with. Period. I freakin' hated folks stateside asking me about the dope in country.

My company had one stoner pilot who never made aircraft commander even when 2 month guys were flying 'first pilot' because we were short of ACs. The stoner disappeared about 2 months into my tour, some investigations into 'irregular' incidents on his flghts. I suspect he was told he couldn't stay in company without facing some disciplinary action. Transferring a disciplinary case...

And one couldn't mix stoners and juicers in the same perimeter bunkers, and never, ever put in a stoner in the perimeter tower.  The stoners would toke up and the juicers, uh- violently resented that. The officer standing guard had to be constantly on the move.

An aside- Tet offensive, bad guys inside the perimeter- had a drunk off duty pilot take Cobras out of the revetments while the bad guys were still on the flight line, and put strikes on'em- the first guy to fly. The CO didn't know if he should take disciplinary action or cite his 'conduct above and beyond'. I think the result was a silver star...

And, yes- You can overdose on cannabis. Usually not life threatening but serious disruption of your intellect.

Marijuana Overdose Symptoms & Signs

While rare, a marijuana overdose is still possible in some cases. An overdose could have an impact mentally, affect the heart, and lead to pale skin. Signs and symptoms of weed overdose might include:^1,2

• Extreme anxiety or panic attacks.


• Psychotic reactions, in which someone loses touch with reality or becomes paranoid, sometimes in the form of hallucinations, delusions, or a loss of personal identity.


• Decreased judgment, perception, and coordination that can lead to injuries or even death.


• A fast heart rate, chest pain, or heart attack.


• Uncontrollable shaking or seizures.


• Pale skin color.


• Unresponsiveness.


• Sudden high blood pressure with headache.

When symptoms are severe, get medical attention—call 911 or drive to the nearest emergency room—to ensure that the person overdosing is monitored for complications and dangerous side effects.

Noticeable side effects of smoked marijuana may last for 1 to 3 hours, while the effects of marijuana consumed in food (known as edibles) or drink may last for several hours.