Marijuana

[Quahom1]

From a paper written by Sol Lightman....

Not one case of lung cancer has ever been successfully
linked to marijuana use.

Cannabis, unlike tobacco, does not cause any narrowing of
the small air passageways in the lungs. In fact, marijuana has been shown to be an expectorant and actually dilates the air channels it comes in contact with. This is why many asthma sufferers look to marijuana to provide relief. Doctors have postulated that marijuana may, in this respect, be more effective than all of the prescription drugs on the market.

Studies even show that due to marijuana's ability to clear
the lungs of smog, pollutants, and cigarette smoke, it may
actually reduce your risk of emphysema, bronchitis, and lung
cancer. Smokers of cannabis have been shown to outlive non-
smokers in some areas by up to two years. Medium to heavy
tobacco smokers will live seven to ten years longer if they also
smoke marijuana.

Cannabis is also radically different from tobacco in that it
does not contain nicotine and is not addictive. The psychoactive
ingredient in marijuana, THC, has been accused of causing brain
and genetic damage, but these studies have all been disproven.
In fact, the DEA's own Administrative Law Judge Francis Young has
declared that "marijuana in its natural form is far safer than
many foods we commonly consume."

Perhaps not according to your research...but plenty of deaths have occured as a result of Marijuana use. Needless deaths.

 

[Awaiting_the_fifth]

Im not aware of any deaths that have occured as a result of marajuana use, could you point us to some info on this?

 

[sparrow]

Quote Quahom1: Perhaps not according to your research...but plenty of deaths have occured as a result of Marijuana use. Needless deaths.

That is a false statement. More baseless propaganda from the war on drugs.

lw

 

[Quahom1]

Im not aware of any deaths that have occured as a result of marajuana use, could you point us to some info on this?

My partner, and that is enough for me.

v/r

Quahom

 

[Quahom1]

Quote Quahom1: Perhaps not according to your research...but plenty of deaths have occured as a result of Marijuana use. Needless deaths.

That is a false statement. More baseless propaganda from the war on drugs.

lw

You sir, have no idea what you are talking about. I on the other hand have 26 years of LE experience to back up what I am saying.

Your baseless propaganda is neither, nor. It is FACT.

Q

 

[17th Angel]

I think from the top of my memory Cannabis has three strands of cancer that can effect humans, but I myself have never heard of or experienced a death or overdose from Cannabis, within my family or friends. Even if it was so, just like cigarettes cause death, I wouldn't give them up either.. Oh and spazola Cannabis is not at all addictive... I laugh alot when I see these people come out with terror tactics about the bad points of cannabis or any other drug... and what it can do and how it effects you, and they themselves have never even touched the stuff, see where I am coming from Spaz? Can I call you spaz? ;/ I have a kitten called spaz. The only addictive drugs I take are Nicotene and caffiene... spelt wrong Weed is great but not addictive!

As I quote a movie called half baked...

*in a drug clinic*
"You come in here with your your sob stories of being addicted to weed, I suck d**k for crack.... When was the last dang time you heard about somebody sucking d**k for weed?!"

 

[sparrow]

Sorry to hear about your partner's death, Quahom1.

Btw what is 26 years of LE? (I don't understand the abbreviation.)

I'd really like to hear more about how the death of your partner was tied to the ingestion of marihuana. I ask in sincerity and without meaning to offend.

lw

 

[sparrow]

Oh, I got it. Law enforcement..... Let me guess.... Your partner was killed while making a drug bust?

lw

 

[sparrow]

The WoD is far more dangerous and disruptive to innocent lives than marihuana could ever credibly be accused, much less convicted, imo.

Your war is a sham.

lw

 

[17th Angel]

The WoD is far more dangerous and disruptive to innocent lives than marihuana could ever credibly be accused, much less convicted, imo.

Your war is a sham.

lw

Uhm? WoD? As in the role play game? World of Darkness?

 

[Bandit]

My partner, and that is enough for me.

v/r

Quahom

i understand what you are saying Q.

Pot does not give someone a clear head. it distorts things. same with many perscriptions.

i have no idea where they are coming up with Pot not causing health problems either & yes it can be addictive.

you already put this up, but may as well do it again.

this is from american council for drug education.

http://www.acde.org/common/Contents.htm



[font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial]Marijuana Dangers[/font]

• [font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial][font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial]Impaired perception[/font]
• [font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial][font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial]Diminished short-term memory [/font][/font]
• [font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial][font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial]Loss of concentration and coordination [/font][/font]
• [font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial][font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial]Impaired judgement [/font][/font]
• [font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial][font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial]Increased risk of accidents [/font][/font]
• [font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial][font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial]Loss of motivation [/font][/font]
• [font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial][font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial]Diminished inhibitions [/font][/font]
• [font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial][font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial]Increased heart rate [/font][/font]
• [font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial][font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial]Anxiety, panic attacks, and paranoia [/font][/font]
• [font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial][font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial]Hallucinations [/font][/font]
• [font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial][font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial]Damage to the respiratory, reproductive, and immune systems [/font][/font]
• [font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial][font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial]Increased risk of cancer [/font][/font]
• [font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial][font=Helvetica, Arial Narrow, Arial]Psychological dependency[/font][/font][/font]

 

[Pico]

Uhm? WoD? As in the role play game? World of Darkness?

I think he means "War on Drugs."

I read that the government spends about $10 billion a year on marijuana busts alone (dunno if that's only here in Cali, or the whole US). Immagine if weed was legal, the government could spend that extra $10 billion on something usefull, like stop the budget cuts to schools (being a college student this would be very nice).

Marijuana is also one of California's top 10 cash crops. If it were legal the government could tax it and even make money off it!

 

[Bandit]

I think he means "War on Drugs."

I read that the government spends about $10 billion a year on marijuana busts alone (dunno if that's only here in Cali, or the whole US). Immagine if weed was legal, the government could spend that extra $10 billion on something usefull, like stop the budget cuts to schools (being a college student this would be very nice).

Marijuana is also one of California's top 10 cash crops. If it were legal the government could tax it and even make money off it!

interesting.
yet i wonder if the money they make back from fines, court costs, bail or whatever, makes more than taxing & selling it.
if it were sold legal the price of a joint would probably jump to about $30.
plus you end up with law suits toward companies...
i think people would still keep growing there own if it were legal. it seems the process is easier than a distillery. though they would not want people growing their own & we would be back into a whole bunch of laws again.

i have wagered this in my head forever & it just seems like something is missing. i still do not understand why it is illegal because i believe it is the least harmful of them all, especially when i consider what alcohol can do us.

i just dont know.

 

[earl]

I'm 51 y.o. & last time I used pot was 1974. Back in the days (daze?) it was the tail-end of the hippie era where I grew up & when, of course, drug use culture first really bloomed onto the scene in US. Back then-before all the subsequent research & toll on human llives mounted we young folk actually believed no drug was harmful,( of course very yooung adults tend to think they're invulnerable in general). It definitely would be naive foolishness of that nature now to think there's no down-side to any drug. When it comes to any drug might as well assume "there's no free lunch."

At the same time obviously levels of risk vary from drug to drug. What may be interesting to some ouot there is to realize that just as THC has some positive benefits for certain medical conditions, it likewise has some positive benefits for some psychiatric conditions: there is a certain clinical population I've worked with whose particular form of chronic depression has responded better to their illegal marijuana use than any legal antidepressant they've ever tried. Therefore found it interesting when I read in the "Psychiatric News" a few years ago that given that same widespread observation by other folks in that field a psychiatric research center at UCLA was going to begin investigating its possible use for treating certain froms of chronic depression. Keep in mind there are plenty of negative side-effects (though none very serious typically) from the legal use of prescribed antidepressants. There's even a revival in FDA- approved psychiatric research into use of mild hallucinogens to treat certain psychiatric conditions. Some of you may have heard of the transpersonal psychiatric theoretician, Stanislav Grof-who early in his career extensively studies the psychiatric application of LSD with various conditions. So, the whole drug use issue-both legal & "illegal" is obviously more of a grey area than black & white, though obviously my foregoing points had to do with "controlled & targeted" applications of drug use not recreational let alone dependent use. Now that said, going to go pour me a brandy & light up a cigar Have a good one, Earl

 

[Bandit]

I'm 51 y.o. & last time I used pot was 1974. Back in the days (daze?) it was the tail-end of the hippie era where I grew up & when, of course, drug use culture first really bloomed onto the scene in US. Back then-before all the subsequent research & toll on human llives mounted we young folk actually believed no drug was harmful,( of course very yooung adults tend to think they're invulnerable in general). It definitely would be naive foolishness of that nature now to think there's no down-side to any drug. When it comes to any drug might as well assume "there's no free lunch."

Have a good one, Earl

yah. i feel the same. we think we are invincible we when are young. but that all changes & our views change too when we realize how fast life goes. there is no free lunch & it will take its toll one way or the other.
i am clean as whistle today & just glad to be alive.

glad to see you are doing well Earl

 

[Spazola]

I think from the top of my memory Cannabis has three strands of cancer that can effect humans, but I myself have never heard of or experienced a death or overdose from Cannabis, within my family or friends. Even if it was so, just like cigarettes cause death, I wouldn't give them up either.. Oh and spazola Cannabis is not at all addictive... I laugh alot when I see these people come out with terror tactics about the bad points of cannabis or any other drug... and what it can do and how it effects you, and they themselves have never even touched the stuff, see where I am coming from Spaz? Can I call you spaz? ;/ I have a kitten called spaz. The only addictive drugs I take are Nicotene and caffiene... spelt wrong Weed is great but not addictive!

As I quote a movie called half baked...

*in a drug clinic*
"You come in here with your your sob stories of being addicted to weed, I suck d**k for crack.... When was the last dang time you heard about somebody sucking d**k for weed?!"

Forgive my ignorance....but what is Cannabis???

By the way, I love being called "Spaz", and Half Baked is an awesome movie.

 

[iBrian]

Oh and spazola Cannabis is not at all addictive... I laugh alot when I see these people come out with terror tactics about the bad points of cannabis or any other drug... Weed is great but not addictive!

I think we've had this discussion about "physical" vs "mental" addiction. Bottom line, regular cannabis use can become an addiction.

Also, Quahom raises a very good point is that is often overlooked, and that is that even if cannabis itself is seen as relatively less harmful compared to other drugs (ie, nicotine and alcohol), it still remains an important commodity for very violent criminal gangs.

Also, please refrain from using slang terms for other members unless invited, especially where the meanings can be clearly derogatory.

 

[Awaiting_the_fifth]

I think we've had this discussion about "physical" vs "mental" addiction. Bottom line, regular cannabis use can become an addiction.

Some other things which can be psychologically addictive:

Chocolate
Coffee
Tea
Video games
Sex

Also, Quahom raises a very good point is that is often overlooked, and that is that even if cannabis itself is seen as relatively less harmful compared to other drugs (ie, nicotine and alcohol), it still remains an important commodity for very violent criminal gangs.

and 95% of violent crime committed in the UK is committed within 24 hours of eating bread, should we ban bread?

Has anyone heard of Harry Anslinger, the man who had the drug made illegal
in the first place? This is what he said to congress when he was trying to bad it,

"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others."

- Harry Anslinger, testifying to Congress, 1937

As for the issue of fataities from smoking marijuana, I found a paragraph in wikipedia that siad there have never been any recorded fatalities from cannabis overdose, but when I went to post it today I found that it had changed,

There has only ever been one recored fatal overdose due to cannabis: this was by Lee Maisey in January 2004 in the United Kingdom. The coroner's report states "Death due to cannabis poisoning", although it is generaly considered that it is difficult to achieve a leathal overdose by smoking cannabis, the most effective way, the coroner said, would be to ingest it. It was reported that Maisey smoked about six joints a day. Mr Maisey's blood contained 130 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) of the THC metabolite THC-COOH. On the other hand, the newspaper Neue Zuericher Zeitung of Switzerland, on January 28, 2004, reports that the Federal Health Ministry of Switzerland asked Dr. Rudolf Brenneisen, a professor at the department for clinical research at the University of Bern, to review the data of this case. Dr. Brenneisen said that the data of the toxicological analysis and collected by autopsy were "scanty and not conclusive" and that the conclusion 'death by cannabis' intoxication was "not legitimate". Additionally, Dr. Franjo Grotenhermen of the nova-Institute in Cologne, Germany said: "A concentration of 130 ng/ml THC-COOH in blood is a moderate concentration, which may be observed some hours after the use of one or two joints. Heavy regular use of cannabis easily results in THC-COOH concentrations of above 500 ng/ml. Many people use much more cannabis than Mr Maisey did, without any negative consequences."

Although I dont smoke regularly, there have been many times when I have smoked more than six joints in a day.

According to the Merck Index, 12th edition, the LD50, the lethal dose for 50% of tested rats, was 42 milligrams per kilogram of body weight with forced inhalation, equivalent for a 165 lb. male to ingest all of the THC in 21 one-gram cigarettes of maximum-potency (15% THC) cannabis buds, assuming no THC was lost through burning or exhalation. For oral consumption, the LD50 for rats was 1270 mg/kg and 730 mg/kg for males and females, respectively, equivalent to the THC in about a pound of 15% THC cannabis. It would be almost impossible for THC in blood plasma to reach such a level in human cannabis smokers. Only with intravenous administration, a method very rarely or never used by humans, may such a level be possible. Also, some evidence suggests that toxic levels may be higher for humans than for rats.

 

[iBrian]

Some other things which can be psychologically addictive:

Indeed, most anything can be psychologically addictive - but I think pot has definite addictive qualities, though whether these are due to physical or psychological factors I'd put down to playing with semantics. That was an earlier discussion on the topic, though.

Bottom line - as an ex-heavy pot smoker, I'd say from experience and from observing those around me who had difficulty quitting, that the addictive nature of cannabis is certainly present, but easily underplayed by pot smokers.

Then again, one of the basic issues of addiction is denying that an addiction exists in the first place. So any addict telling me they can quit anytime sounds the same whether it's about nicotine, cocaine, alcohol, or pot.

and 95% of violent crime committed in the UK is committed within 24 hours of eating bread, should we ban bread?

I don't believe there is a case being made that cannabis causes violent crime in the users - but try setting up a pot farm in Manchester's Moss Side and see how long it takes before you have a shotgun in your face for dealing on someone else's teritory.

Has anyone heard of Harry Anslinger, the man who had the drug made illegal
in the first place? This is what he said to congress when he was trying to bad it,

Personally, the testimonial seems to be irrelevant to the thread. A fun historical curiosity.

Although I dont smoke regularly, there have been many times when I have smoked more than six joints in a day.

Amateur.

Six joints isn't really a lot at all - but even still, I would be surprised if any relatively regular user were able to stop for a month if challenged. The counter claim of not wanting to would be easily seen as an addict's response. Whether it is a physical or psychological addiction is a moot point.

 

[juantoo3]

Kindest Regards, all!

Your war is a sham.

In my view, this is uncalled for. It is one thing to discuss hypotheticals, it is quite another to disparage someone who gives of themselves on a regular basis to support and defend society. Perhaps this is how one feels, that the "war on drugs" is a sham, but to coldly state this to someone who has just expressed the fact he lost a good friend and partner in that very war is the height of insensitivity. The purpose of this place is to respect others beliefs, and that I would presume to include even on this subject. I would greatly prefer if we could maintain civility, even in this emotional subject. At least have the decency to consider where the other person is coming from, and conduct oneself accordingly.

Bottom line, regular ... use can become an addiction.

Maybe I missed something, but isn't that the definition of addiction?

Whether it is a physical or psychological addiction is a moot point.

Touche!

So, I wonder where this leads concerning God? I mean, how does addiction play into how God views us? Is addiction itself the sin, rather than the substance? This leads me back to the intent and motivation behind the use, of any substance.