Free the Weed

[Daithí]

What are your thoughts on the legalisation of weed, depending on where you live of course.
I haven't thought about it.

[Gareth]

Keep it illegal. Regardless of it being a class C drug, and all this malarky it causes serious mental issues such as schizophrenia, if you want to shove up the State health bill on such illnesses or indeed if you want our citizen to have such illnesses or even permanent brain damage, be my guest. I for one do not wish this on anyone.

[miriya]

I dont see a reason why it should be ilegal. I about as harmless as alcohold or fags, or

[Mono Tejano]

it should be completely legal, not only for personal consumtion, but especially as a cash crop.

yeah, pot is great for those who like to get high, but as a source of fiber, it's one of the best there is. We could get all the paper, cloth and possibly fuel we need if we start growing large amounts of industrial hemp.

if nothing else, it would reduce the number of trees we need to cut down every year so we can all wipe our asses and fill out all the forms our various governments tell us they need.

LEGALIZE IT!!!! (and tell me where I can score some:)

[Viv]

it should be completely legal, not only for personal consumtion, but especially as a cash crop.

yeah, pot is great for those who like to get high, but as a source of fiber, it's one of the best there is. We could get all the paper, cloth and possibly fuel we need if we start growing large amounts of industrial hemp.

if nothing else, it would reduce the number of trees we need to cut down every year so we can all wipe our asses and fill out all the forms our various governments tell us they need.

LEGALIZE IT!!!! (and tell me where I can score some:)

So...you're undecided then, Mono...:D;)

I understand it does cause mental health issues and probably other health issues in later life, but alcohol and tobacco do also...it seems not that different from the issues connected with those.

And the battle is probably already lost. It is in almost everyday use in the popular culture.

Still I would vote against it, if asked :)

[miriya]

it doesnt give mental problems in only inhance those that is allredy there

[Viv]

it doesnt give mental problems in only inhance those that is allredy there

I have no research, only hearsay from a psychiatric nurse I happen to know. But that does sound possible.

[Gareth]

Even if that is true, that it "enhances" those mental illnesses that exist. Why should we allow for mental illnesses such as these to get worse? That's why it's an incredibly stupid idea, what about public behaviour disputes? We already have enough of those with alcohol let alone pot!

[miriya]

if we ban beer, then it okay, if not legalic weed.

I find that those that are high are not as bad as those who are drunk

[Gareth]

Theres far more risks associated with mental health that come with cannabis, but I agree I find drunkenness quite a problem also.

[miriya]

maybe but isnt there more problems with drunk crimes then high crimes

[Gareth]

That begs the question, surely that is because cannabis is illegal at present, and probably the reason why we should keep it illegal and tighten up on alcohol?

[miriya]

drunk driving is ilegal^^

[Gareth]

Indeed it is, in Ireland drugs behind the wheel have also proved lethal according to Garda sources. People often are using more than alcohol in car fatalities, however I agree we need to be tougher on alcohol also. However, alcohol poses more issues than drugs merely for the purpose it's easier to get surely? If we open the drugs floodgate, we have more issues to deal with?

[miriya]

the whole point is that there are diffrent kinds of drugs

[Enver]

Keep it illegal. Regardless of it being a class C drug, and all this malarky it causes serious mental issues such as schizophrenia, if you want to shove up the State health bill on such illnesses or indeed if you want our citizen to have such illnesses or even permanent brain damage, be my guest. I for one do not wish this on anyone.

Complete and utter bullsh*t. It does not cause mental illness.

I'm in favour of legalising all drugs, not just cannabis.

[quirk]

Complete and utter bullsh*t. It does not cause mental illness.

I'm in favour of legalising all drugs, not just cannabis.

Some studies have indeed suggested that cannabis can lead to depression. I personally don't know if it is the case as I have not studied enough but we should take both sides into account.

Cannabis link to depression

Frequent cannabis use can trigger depression, a study suggests.

Researchers have also found further evidence the drug can significantly increase the risk of schizophrenia.

The risks are outlined in three papers in the latest issue of the British Medical Journal.

Researchers say their findings highlight the need for measures to reduce frequent and heavy use of cannabis.

The first paper, by doctors in Australia, found frequent cannabis use among teenage girls in particular can trigger depression.

Their seven-year study of 1,600 teenage girls found girls who used the drug everyday were five times more likely to become depressed and suffer from anxiety compared to those who did not use the drug.

Those who used the drug at least once every week were twice as likely to develop depression compared to non-users.

A second study, by doctors in Sweden, confirmed previous research suggesting that cannabis can increase the risk of developing depression.

Their study of more than 50,000 men found those who had smoked the drug in the late 1960s were 30% more likely to have developed schizophrenia.

The authors said their results suggested that as many as one in eight cases of schizophrenia in the UK could be prevented by stopping people from using cannabis.

The third study, by British scientists, suggests the risks of developing schizophrenia are highest for those people who use the drug when they are a teenager.

Their study of more than 1,000 people in their early twenties in New Zealand suggested that one in 10 people who used cannabis as a teenager have since been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

All of the researchers said the ill-effects were linked to cannabis and not to any other drugs.

They also said there was little evidence to suggest that occasional use of cannabis had a similar effect.

Further research

In an accompanying editorial Joseph Rey, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Sydney, said the studies backed up previous research.

"These findings strengthen the argument that use of cannabis increases the risk of schizophrenia and depression."

But he added that further research is needed.

"Whether the use of cannabis triggers the onset of schizophrenia or depression in otherwise vulnerable people or whether it actually causes these conditions in non-predisposed people is not yet resolved."

Education campaign

The UK charity Rethink, formerly the National Schizophrenia Fellowship, said the findings highlighted the need for a public education campaign on the risks of using cannabis.

Cliff Prior, its chief executive, said: "The research highlights how cannabis can be one of the triggers for severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia and depression.

"It shows why it is so important that more work of this kind is done so that people with severe mental illness can have the best chance of recovering a meaningful quality of life."

He added: "Cannabis is not a risk-free drug. The public needs to understand the potential dangers of triggering mental illness."

Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of mental health charity SANE, added: "The most worrying revelation of these studies is not just the immediate triggering of hallucinations but that cannabis can lead to psychotic symptoms and depression in later life."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2498493.stm

[quirk]

In saying that I have no doubt alcohol causes more problems and I would be for the legalisation of cannabis.

[miriya]

I am only for legalising the harmles drugs, no oppiom or herioe,

weed is on the same level as beer or cigarrets

[quirk]

Pure heroin isnt dangerous. It is what is added to it that makes it so. I only found this out recently myself and was actually quite shocked. I will try to find the articles in question and post the links.

[Gareth]

Complete and utter bullsh*t. It does not cause mental illness.

I'm in favour of legalising all drugs, not just cannabis.

Ask a psychologist and you will find it's the truth. This is the kind of talk that leads this sort of chaos to be legalized or for people to try it out.

[Enver]

Ask a psychologist and you will find it's the truth. This is the kind of talk that leads this sort of chaos to be legalized or for people to try it out.

Maybe you should try it instead of listening to the 'findings' of those who generally have an agenda. I've smoked cannabis and it didn't do me the slightest bit of harm. That said; it isn't really for me, but why should people who do thoroughly enjoy the experience be denied the right to experiment with drugs in a safe environment?

[Gareth]

Enver: there are facts and figures to suggest this. Really I wouldn't suggest that you smoke any more of it, but your arrogance about your ability to withstand mental illness will probably bring you back to it. I've heard of several cases of mental illness due to it, and I've seen various statistics on the matter. I assure you it's fact not fiction.

[Enver]

Enver: there are facts and figures to suggest this. Really I wouldn't suggest that you smoke any more of it, but your arrogance about your ability to withstand mental illness will probably bring you back to it. I've heard of several cases of mental illness due to it, and I've seen various statistics on the matter. I assure you it's fact not fiction.

If people are prone to depression then it may make matters worse, but for the most part it acts as a relaxant for many people and I don't see how that's a bad thing. The same goes for more powerful psychedelic substances such as LSD and DMT. If you're a very unhappy and mentally unstable person you obviously shouldn't use such drugs, but if you're a happy person who's excited about the multiverse and wish to experiment I see no reason why anyone should prevent you from doing so.

[bay]

Yea, it should be legalized. The US govt is missing a whole nother source of revenue, like alcohol taxes... legalized cannabis...

but then legalizing it would put a damper on the drug trade which would hurt funding for the CIA and put the anti-drug industry out of business, shut down a source of grant revenue to local communities, schools, police forces.

I don't partake myself, cause it just makes me slow and stupid, but if someone else wants a doobie, go for it dude or dudette. Falls under the heading of none of my business.

one toke over the line sweet jesus, one toke over the line....

I swear I never inhaled.

[Enver]

one tok over the line sweet jesus, one tok over the line....

http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1649647_611309EERVLAA240.jpg

:D:D:D:D

[bay]

btw, kansas city musicians

[Gareth]

If people are prone to depression then it may make matters worse, but for the most part it acts as a relaxant for many people and I don't see how that's a bad thing. The same goes for more powerful psychedelic substances such as LSD and DMT. If you're a very unhappy and mentally unstable person you obviously shouldn't use such drugs, but if you're a happy person who's excited about the multiverse and wish to experiment I see no reason why anyone should prevent you from doing so.

There are proven risks for all, not just with depression issues. You seem to want to take the risks of pot far too lightly, like too many youth in Ireland today.

[Mono Tejano]

Ask a psychologist and you will find it's the truth. This is the kind of talk that leads this sort of chaos to be legalized or for people to try it out.

Several of you have mentioned some type of 'psychological risk' associated with smoking pot without bothering to mention anything other than depression.

For the record, alcohol, a depressant, is far more nefarious in this regard.

Can any of you please expand on these so-called mental health risks? instead of just saying that it happens.

[Viv]

Cannabis 'raises psychosis risk'

The government is reviewing the classification of cannabis
Cannabis users are 40% more likely than non-users to suffer a psychotic illness such as schizophrenia, say UK experts.
Writing in the Lancet, a team led by Dr Stanley Zammit from Bristol and Cardiff Universities said young people needed to be made aware of the dangers.

In an additional article, experts said up to 800 schizophrenia cases a year in the UK could be linked to cannabis use.

The researchers looked at 35 studies on the drug and mental health - but some experts urged caution over the results.

The study found the most frequent users of cannabis have twice the risk of non-users of developing psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions.

But the evidence for a link with depression and anxiety was less clear, they said.

Public awareness

The authors said the risk to any individual of getting schizophrenia remained low overall, but because cannabis use was so common, they estimated it could be a factor in 14% of psychotic problems among young adults in the UK.

All the studies have found an association and it seems appropriate to warn members of the public about the possible risk

Professor Glyn Lewis
Report author

However, they said they could not rule out the possibility that people at a higher risk of mental illness were more likely to use the drug.

Study author, Professor Glyn Lewis, professor of psychiatric epidemiology, said: "It is possible that the people who use cannabis might have other characteristics that themselves increase risk of psychotic illness.

"However, all the studies have found an association and it seems appropriate to warn members of the public about the possible risk."

He added he would particularly advise users who were developing mental health problems or who had a family history of psychotic illness to quit using the drug.

In an accompanying editorial, Danish researchers said the figures presented in the research translated to about 800 potentially avoidable cases of schizophrenia a year in the UK among 15- to 34-year-olds.

Professor Robin Murray, professor of psychiatry at London's Institute of Psychiatry, said of the Bristol study: "The studies they looked at were done in the 70s, 80s and 90s.

"One of the questions they can't address is whether the risk is higher with the more concentrated skunk forms of cannabis, which are now widely available."

'Daily tragedy'

But Professor Leslie Iverson, from the University of Oxford, said there was still no conclusive evidence that cannabis use causes psychotic illness.

"Their prediction that 14% of psychotic outcomes in young adults in the UK may be due to cannabis use is not supported by the fact that the incidence of schizophrenia has not shown any significant change in the past 30 years."

Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the mental health charity SANE, said: "This analysis should act as a serious warning of the dangers of regular or heavy cannabis use."

She added: "The headlines are not scaremongering but reflect a daily, and preventable, tragedy."

Professor David Nutt, head of psychopharmacology at the University of Bristol, said that cannabis was unquestionably harmful but very much less addictive or damaging than either alcohol or tobacco.

"The idea that reclassification upwards will do anything to reduce psychosis is naive and runs the risk of perversely inflicting even greater suffering - through increasing criminal sanctions - on vulnerable individuals already afflicted with mental illness." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6917003.stm

and

Cannabis is the most commonly used illegal drug
Inhaled cannabis smoke has more harmful toxins than tobacco, scientists have discovered.

The Canadian government research found 20 times as much ammonia, a chemical linked to cancer, New Scientist said.

The Health Canada team also found five times as much hydrogen cyanide and nitrogen oxides, which are linked to heart and lung damage respectively.

But tobacco smoke contained more of a toxin linked to infertility. Experts said users must be aware of the risks.

About a quarter of the population in the UK smokes tobacco products, while a sixth of 15 to 34-year-olds have tried cannabis in the past year, making it the most commonly used drug.

The confirmation of the presence of known carcinogens and other chemicals implicated is important information for public health

Previous research has shown cannabis smoke is more harmful to lungs than tobacco as it is inhaled more deeply and held in the lungs for a longer period.

However, it has also been acknowledged that the average tobacco user smokes more than a cannabis user.

Researchers from Health Canada, the government's health research department, used a smoking machine to analyse the composition of the inhaled smoke for nearly 20 harmful chemicals.

They also looked at the sidestream smoke, given off from the burning tip of the product and responsible for 85% of the smoked inhaled through passive smoking.

Concentrations

In most cases, the comparison on sidestream smoke broadly mirrored that of inhaled smoke.

However, in the case of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the toxin linked to infertility, the researchers found concentrations were actually higher in cigarette smoke.

The study also showed little difference in the concentrations of a range of chemicals, including chromium, nickel, arsenic and selenium.

Lead researcher David Moir said: "The consumption of marijuana through smoking remains a reality and among the young seems to be increasing.

"The confirmation of the presence of known carcinogens and other chemical is important information for public health."

Dr Richard Russell, a specialist at the Windsor Chest Clinic, said: "The health impact of cannabis is often over-looked amid the legal debate.

"Evidence shows it is multiplied when it is cannabis compared to tobacco.

"Tobacco from manufacturers has been enhanced and cleaned whereas cannabis is relatively unprocessed and therefore is a much dirtier product.

"These findings do not surprise me. The toxins from cannabis smoke cause lung inflammation, lung damage and cancer."

Stephen Spiro, of the British Lung Foundation, added the findings were "a great worry". http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7150274.stm

[bay]

the thing is, when you find your balance with the universe, then pot and other mood altering drugs become a non issue.

[Mono Tejano]

thanks Viv.

while I can in no way shape or form argue with the fact that smoking (anything) is not good for you...

the articles you've supplied seem to give equal support to both sides of the 'mental health' arguement.

They do say that there do appear to be some links to this and that but then say in no uncertain terms that the evidence is by no means conclusive one way or the other about the negative effects vis a vis 'mental health'.

Where I live, in Austin, Texas, there are more pot smokers than you could shake a stick at, it's almost an official sport here. And no one, I mean no one that I know has ever encountered any type of psychological problems except those that they already had, such as depression.

In my view, pot is no worse that alcohol or tobacco, and if those two are fine (within well defined limits) there is no logical reason for weed to be illegal.

quesion: has anyone ever overdosed on weed?

never

do people who are stoned get in fist fights? no, they're too stoned! it's the piss drunk goons who get in fights.

do pot heads crash their cars? no, they never leave the house. They're too busy eating junk food and watching TV. Again, it's the drunks who plow into trees.

Free the weed! It's a perfectly good source of government revenues, just like taxes on booze and cigarettes.

[Enver]

thanks Viv.

while I can in no way shape or form argue with the fact that smoking (anything) is not good for you...

the articles you've supplied seem to give equal support to both sides of the 'mental health' arguement.

They do say that there do appear to be some links to this and that but then say in no uncertain terms that the evidence is by no means conclusive one way or the other about the negative effects vis a vis 'mental health'.

Where I live, in Austin, Texas, there are more pot smokers than you could shake a stick at, it's almost an official sport here. And no one, I mean no one that I know has ever encountered any type of psychological problems except those that they already had, such as depression.

In my view, pot is no worse that alcohol or tobacco, and if those two are fine (within well defined limits) there is no logical reason for weed to be illegal.

quesion: has anyone ever overdosed on weed?

never

do people who are stoned get in fist fights? no, they're too stoned! it's the piss drunk goons who get in fights.

do pot heads crash their cars? no, they never leave the house. They're too busy eating junk food and watching TV. Again, it's the drunks who plow into trees.

Free the weed! It's a perfectly good source of government revenues, just like taxes on booze and cigarettes.

Here, here.

[Gareth]

do pot heads crash their cars? no, they never leave the house. They're too busy eating junk food and watching TV. Again, it's the drunks who plow into trees.

Free the weed! It's a perfectly good source of government revenues, just like taxes on booze and cigarettes.

Yes many of the accidents on our roads are also drug related.

Yes, might be a brilliant source of taxes for awhile until the tax money goes right back out to the hospitals for mental health issues and for new clinics etc for a new problem that this will create.

[Enver]

Yes many of the accidents on our roads are also drug related.

Yes, might be a brilliant source of taxes for awhile until the tax money goes right back out to the hospitals for mental health issues and for new clinics etc for a new problem that this will create.

The level of drug use in the Netherlands dropped when they legalised cannabis.

How do you know God didn't intend for us all to smoke this stuff?

[LARKIN32]

ban govt's.. tax the rich.

[Gareth]

How do you know God didn't intend for us all to smoke this stuff?

I think the answer you would like best would come from the Rastafaris. However, in terms of damaging substances and corrupting our bodies as temples of the Lord (as in Pauline theology) I wouldn't advise it.

[garrettda]

How do you know God didn't intend for us all to smoke this stuff?
he causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man. ...(Psalm 104:14).

I think it should be legal, it would take the criminal element away from it.

[Thoba]

I think the answer you would like best would come from the Rastafaris. However, in terms of damaging substances and corrupting our bodies as temples of the Lord (as in Pauline theology) I wouldn't advise it.

Gareth did you get your Pauline Theology off anybody who had ever met Jesus? Did Jesus not drink wine?

And God saith, 'Lo, I have given to you every herb sowing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree sowing seed, to you it is for food'

[ciaranxavier]

Keep it illegal. Regardless of it being a class C drug, and all this malarky it causes serious mental issues such as schizophrenia, if you want to shove up the State health bill on such illnesses or indeed if you want our citizen to have such illnesses or even permanent brain damage, be my guest. I for one do not wish this on anyone.

lol brain damage thats a joke. I know numerous people young and old who indulge and none are in a psych ward a few take them for certain illness' all differing, a real miracle drug. You can post all the articles you want proving it and i can find an equal amount disproving it. Its a waste of taxpayers money fighting it when they could be making BILLIONS taxing it and selling it legally like any other minor drug is.

[ciaranxavier]

heres something to give you food for thought.

Myths and Facts About Marijuana

This collection of myths and facts is based on the book Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts: A Review of the Scientific Evidence . A decade after the book was published, the latest scientific evidence continues to support the original findings.

Myth: Marijuana Can Cause Permanent Mental Illness. Among adolescents, even occasional marijuana use may cause psychological damage. During intoxication, marijuana users become irrational and often behave erratically.

Fact: There is no convincing scientific evidence that marijuana causes psychological damage or mental illness in either teenagers or adults. Some marijuana users experience psychological distress following marijuana ingestion, which may include feelings of panic, anxiety, and paranoia. Such experiences can be frightening, but the effects are temporary. With very large doses, marijuana can cause temporary toxic psychosis. This occurs rarely, and almost always when marijuana is eaten rather than smoked. Marijuana does not cause profound changes in people's behavior.

*
Iverson, Leslie. “Long-term effects of exposure to cannabis.” Current Opinion in Pharmacology 5(2005): 69-72.

*

Weiser and Noy. “Interpreting the association between cannabis use and increased risk of schizophrenia.” Dialogues in Clincal Neuroscience 1(2005): 81-85.
*
"Cannabis use will impair but not damage mental health." London Telegraph. 23 January 2006.

*
Andreasson, S. et al. “Cannabis and Schizophrenia: A Longitudinal study of Swedish Conscripts,” The Lancet 2 (1987): 1483-86.

*
Degenhardt, Louisa, Wayne Hall and Michael Lynskey. “Testing hypotheses about the relationship between cannabis use and psychosis,” Drug and Alcohol Dependence 71 (2003): 42-4.

*
Weil, A. “Adverse Reactions to Marijuana: Classification and Suggested Treatment.” New England Journal of Medicine 282 (1970): 997-1000.

Myth: Marijuana is Highly Addictive. Long term marijuana users experience physical dependence and withdrawal, and often need professional drug treatment to break their marijuana habits.

Fact: Most people who smoke marijuana smoke it only occasionally. A small minority of Americans - less than 1 percent - smoke marijuana on a daily basis. An even smaller minority develop a dependence on marijuana. Some people who smoke marijuana heavily and frequently stop without difficulty. Others seek help from drug treatment professionals. Marijuana does not cause physical dependence. If people experience withdrawal symptoms at all, they are remarkably mild.

*
United States. Dept. of Health and Human Services. DASIS Report Series, Differences in Marijuana Admissions Based on Source of Referral. 2002. June 24 2005.

*
Johnson, L.D., et al. “National Survey Results on Drug Use from the Monitoring the Future Study, 1975-1994, Volume II: College Students and Young Adults.” Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1996.

*
Kandel, D.B., et al. “Prevalence and demographic correlates of symptoms of dependence on cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana and cocaine in the U.S. population.” Drug and Alcohol Dependence 44 (1997):11-29.

*
Stephens, R.S., et al. “Adult marijuana users seeking treatment.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 61 (1993): 1100-1104.

Myth: Marijuana Is More Potent Today Than In The Past. Adults who used marijuana in the 1960s and 1970s fail to realize that when today's youth use marijuana they are using a much more dangerous drug.

Fact: When today's youth use marijuana, they are using the same drug used by youth in the 1960s and 1970s. A small number of low-THC samples seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration are used to calculate a dramatic increase in potency. However, these samples were not representative of the marijuana generally available to users during this era. Potency data from the early 1980s to the present are more reliable, and they show no increase in the average THC content of marijuana. Even if marijuana potency were to increase, it would not necessarily make the drug more dangerous. Marijuana that varies quite substantially in potency produces similar psychoactive effects.

*
King LA, Carpentier C, Griffiths P. “Cannabis potency in Europe.” Addiction. 2005 Jul; 100(7):884-6
*
Henneberger, Melinda. "Pot Surges Back, But It’s, Like, a Whole New World." New York Times 6 February 1994: E18.

*
Brown, Lee. “Interview with Lee Brown,” Dallas Morning News 21 May 1995.

*
Drug Enforcement Administration. U.S. Drug Threat Assessment, 1993. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, 1993.

*
Kleiman, Mark A.R. Marijuana: Costs of Abuse, Costs of Control. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1989. 29.

*
Bennett, William. Director of National Drug Control Policy, remarks at Conference of Mayors. 23 April 1990.

Myth: Marijuana Offenses Are Not Severely Punished. Few marijuana law violators are arrested and hardly anyone goes to prison. This lenient treatment is responsible for marijuana continued availability and use.

Fact: Marijuana arrests in the United States doubled between 1991 and 1995. In 1995, more than one-half-million people were arrested for marijuana offenses. Eighty-six percent of them were arrested for marijuana possession. Tens of thousands of people are now in prison or marijuana offenses. An even greater number are punished with probation, fines, and civil sanctions, including having their property seized, their driver's license revoked, and their employment terminated. Despite these civil and criminal sanctions, marijuana continues to be readily available and widely used.

*
United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Uniform Crime Reports for the United States. 1996. Washington: U. S. Dept. of Justice, 1997.

*
Gettman, Jon B. National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Crimes of Indescretion: Marijuana arrests in the United States. Washington: NORML, 2005.

*
Marijuana Policy Project. Smoke a Joint, Lose Your License. July 1995 Status Report. Washington: MPP, 1995.

*
Treaster, J. “Miami Beach’s New Drug Weapon Will Fire Off Letters to the Employer” New York Times 23 February 1991: A9.

*
Reed, T.G. “American Forfeiture Law: Property Owners Meet the Prosecutor.” Policy Analysis 179 (1992): 1-32.

Myth: Marijuana is More Damaging to the Lungs Than Tobacco. Marijuana smokers are at a high risk of developing lung cancer, bronchitis, and emphysema.

Fact: Moderate smoking of marijuana appears to pose minimal danger to the lungs. Like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke contains a number of irritants and carcinogens. But marijuana users typically smoke much less often than tobacco smokers, and over time, inhale much less smoke. As a result, the risk of serious lung damage should be lower in marijuana smokers. There have been no reports of lung cancer related solely to marijuana, and in a large study presented to the American Thoracic Society in 2006, even heavy users of smoked marijuana were found not to have any increased risk of lung cancer. Unlike heavy tobacco smokers, heavy marijuana smokers exhibit no obstruction of the lung's small airway. That indicates that people will not develop emphysema from smoking marijuana.

*
Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. “Legalization: Panacea or Pandora’s Box.” New York. (1995): 36.

*
Turner, Carlton E. The Marijuana Controversy. Rockville: American Council for Drug Education, 1981.

*
Nahas, Gabriel G. and Nicholas A. Pace. Letter. “Marijuana as Chemotherapy Aid Poses Hazards.” New York Times 4 December 1993: A20.

*
Inaba, Darryl S. and William E. Cohen. Uppers, Downers, All-Arounders: Physical and Mental Effects of Psychoactive Drugs. 2nd ed. Ashland: CNS Productions, 1995. 174.


Myth: Marijuana Has No Medicinal Value. Safer, more effective drugs are available. They include a synthetic version of THC, marijuana's primary active ingredient, which is marketed in the United States under the name Marinol.

Fact: Marijuana has been shown to be effective in reducing the nausea induced by cancer chemotherapy, stimulating appetite in AIDS patients, and reducing intraocular pressure in people with glaucoma. There is also appreciable evidence that marijuana reduces muscle spasticity in patients with neurological disorders. A synthetic capsule is available by prescription, but it is not as effective as smoked marijuana for many patients. Pure THC may also produce more unpleasant psychoactive side effects than smoked marijuana. Many people use marijuana as a medicine today, despite its illegality. In doing so, they risk arrest and imprisonment.

*
Vinciguerra, Vincent; Moore, Terry and Eileen Brennan. “Inhalation marijuana as an antiemetic for cancer chemotherapy.” New York State Journal of Medicine 85 (1988): 525-27.

*
McCabe M, Smith FP, Macdonald JS. “Efficacy of tetrahydrocannabinol in patients refractory to standard antiemetic therapy.” Investigational New Drugs 6.3 (1988): 243-46.

*
Gorter, R., et al. “Dronabionol effects on weight in patients with HIV infection.” 1992. AIDS 6 (1992):127-38.

*
Foltin, R.W., et al. “Behavioral analysis of marijuana effects on food intake in humans.” Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 25 (1986): 577-82.

*
Crawford, W.J. and Merritt, J.C. “Effect of tetrahydrocannabinol on Arterial and Intraocular Hypertension.” International Journal of Clinical of Pharmacology and Biopharmaceuticals 17 (1979):191-96.

*
Merritt, J.C., et al. “Effects of marijuana on intraocular and blood pressure on glaucoma.” Ophthamology 87 (1980):222-28.

*
Baker, D., Gareth Pryce and J. Ludovic Croxford. “Cannabinoids control spasticity and tremor in a multiple sclerosis model.” Nature 404.6773 (2000): 84-7.

*
Hanigan, W.C., et al. “The Effect of Delta-9-THC on Human Spasticity.” Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 39 (1986):198.

Myth: Marijuana is a Gateway Drug. Even if marijuana itself causes minimal harm, it is a dangerous substance because it leads to the use of "harder drugs" like heroin, LSD, and cocaine.

Fact: Marijuana does not cause people to use hard drugs. What the gateway theory presents as a causal explanation is a statistic association between common and uncommon drugs, an association that changes over time as different drugs increase and decrease in prevalence. Marijuana is the most popular illegal drug in the United States today. Therefore, people who have used less popular drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and LSD, are likely to have also used marijuana. Most marijuana users never use any other illegal drug. Indeed, for the large majority of people, marijuana is a terminus rather than a gateway drug.

*
Morral, Andrew R.; McCaffrey, Daniel F. and Susan M. Paddock. “Reassessing the marijuana gateway effect.” Addiction 97.12 (2002): 1493-504.

*
United States. National Household Survey on Drug Abuse: Population Estimates 1994. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1995.

*
---. National Household Survey on Drug Abuse: Main Findings 1994. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1996.

*
D.B. Kandel and M. Davies, “Progression to Regular Marijuana Involvement: Phenomenology and Risk Factors for Near-Daily Use,” Vulnerability to Drug Abuse, Eds. M. Glantz and R. Pickens. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 1992: 211-253.

Myth: Marijuana's Harms Have Been Proved Scientifically. In the 1960s and 1970s, many people believed that marijuana was harmless. Today we know that marijuana is much more dangerous than previously believed.

Fact: In 1972, after reviewing the scientific evidence, the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse concluded that while marijuana was not entirely safe, its dangers had been grossly overstated. Since then, researchers have conducted thousands of studies of humans, animals, and cell cultures. None reveal any findings dramatically different from those described by the National Commission in 1972. In 1995, based on thirty years of scientific research editors of the British medical journal Lancet concluded that "the smoking of cannabis, even long term, is not harmful to health."

*
United States. National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse. Marihuana: A signal of misunderstanding. Shafer Commission Report. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1972.

*
“Deglamorising Cannabis.” Editorial. The Lancet 356:11(1995): 1241.


Myth: Marijuana Causes an Amotivational Syndrome. Marijuana makes users passive, apathetic, and uninterested in the future. Students who use marijuana become underachievers and workers who use marijuana become unproductive.

Fact: For twenty-five years, researchers have searched for a marijuana-induced amotivational syndrome and have failed to find it. People who are intoxicated constantly, regardless of the drug, are unlikely to be productive members of society. There is nothing about marijuana specifically that causes people to lose their drive and ambition. In laboratory studies, subjects given high doses of marijuana for several days or even several weeks exhibit no decrease in work motivation or productivity. Among working adults, marijuana users tend to earn higher wages than non-users. College students who use marijuana have the same grades as nonusers. Among high school students, heavy use is associated with school failure, but school failure usually comes first.

*
Himmelstein, J.L. The Strange Career of Marihuana: Politics and Ideology of Drug Control in America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1983.

*
Mellinger, G.D. et al. “Drug Use, Academic Performance, and Career Indecision: Longitudinal Data in Search of a Model.” Longitudinal Research on Drug Use: Empirical Findings and Methodological Issues. Ed. D.B. Kandel. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 1978. 157-177.

*
Pope, H.G. et al., “Drug Use and Life Style Among College Undergraduates in 1989: A Comparison With 1969 and 1978,” American Journal of Psychiatry 147 (1990): 998-1001.


Myth: Marijuana Policy in the Netherlands is a Failure. Dutch law, which allows marijuana to be bought, sold, and used openly, has resulted in increasing rates of marijuana use, particularly in youth.

Fact: The Netherlands' drug policy is the most nonpunitive in Europe. For more than twenty years, Dutch citizens over age eighteen have been permitted to buy and use cannabis (marijuana and hashish) in government-regulated coffee shops. This policy has not resulted in dramatically escalating cannabis use. For most age groups, rates of marijuana use in the Netherlands are similar to those in the United States. However, for young adolescents, rates of marijuana use are lower in the Netherlands than in the United States. The Dutch people overwhelmingly approve of current cannabis policy which seeks to normalize rather than dramatize cannabis use. The Dutch government occasionally revises existing policy, but it remains committed to decriminalization.

*
Fromberg, E. “The Case of the Netherlands: Contradictions and Values in Questioning Prohibition.” 1994 International Report on Drugs, Brussels: International Antiprohibitionist League, 1994. 113-124.

*
Sandwijk, J.P., et al. Licit and Illicit Drug Use in Amsterdam II. Amsterdam: University of Amsterdam, 1995.

*
Gunning, K.F. Crime Rate and Drug Use in Holland. Rotterdam: Dutch National Committee on Drug Prevention. 1993.


Myth: Marijuana Kills Brain Cells. Used over time, marijuana permanently alters brain structure and function, causing memory loss, cognitive impairment, personality deterioration, and reduced productivity.

Fact: None of the medical tests currently used to detect brain damage in humans have found harm from marijuana, even from long term high-dose use. An early study reported brain damage in rhesus monkeys after six months exposure to high concentrations of marijuana smoke. In a recent, more carefully conducted study, researchers found no evidence of brain abnormality in monkeys that were forced to inhale the equivalent of four to five marijuana cigarettes every day for a year. The claim that marijuana kills brain cells is based on a speculative report dating back a quarter of a century that has never been supported by any scientific study.

*
Heath, R.G., et al. “Cannabis Sativa: Effects on Brain Function and Ultrastructure in Rhesus Monkeys.” Biological Psychiatry 15 (1980): 657-690.

*
Ali, S.F., et al. “Chronic Marijuana Smoke Exposure in the Rhesus Monkey IV: Neurochemical Effects and Comparison to Acute and Chronic Exposure to Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in Rats.” Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 40 (1991): 677-82.


Myth: Marijuana Impairs Memory and Cognition. Under the influence of marijuana, people are unable to think rationally and intelligently. Chronic marijuana use causes permanent mental impairment.

Fact: Marijuana produces immediate, temporary changes in thoughts, perceptions, and information processing. The cognitive process most clearly affected by marijuana is short-term memory. In laboratory studies, subjects under the influence of marijuana have no trouble remembering things they learned previously. However, they display diminished capacity to learn and recall new information. This diminishment only lasts for the duration of the intoxication. There is no convincing evidence that heavy long-term marijuana use permanently impairs memory or other cognitive functions.

*
Wetzel, C.D. et al., “Remote Memory During Marijuana Intoxication,” Psychopharmacology 76 (1982): 278-81.

*
Deadwyler, S.A. et al., “The Effects of Delta-9-THC on Mechanisms of Learning and Memory.” Neurobiology of Drug Abuse: Learning and Memory. Ed. L. Erinoff. Rockville, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse 1990. 79-83.

*
Block, R.I. et al., “Acute Effects of Marijuana on Cognition: Relationships to Chronic Effects and Smoking Techniques.” Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 43 (1992): 907-917.


Myth: Marijuana Causes Crime. Marijuana users commit more property offenses than nonusers. Under the influence of marijuana, people become irrational, aggressive, and violent.

Fact: Every serious scholar and government commission examining the relationship between marijuana use and crime has reached the same conclusion: marijuana does not cause crime. The vast majority of marijuana users do not commit crimes other than the crime of possessing marijuana. Among marijuana users who do commit crimes, marijuana plays no causal role. Almost all human and animal studies show that marijuana decreases rather than increases aggression.

*
Fagan, J., et al. “Delinquency and Substance Use Among Inner-City Students.” Journal of Drug Issues 20 (1990): 351-402.

*
Johnson, L.D., et al. “Drugs and Delinquency: A Search for Causal Connections.” Ed. D.B. Kandel. Longitudinal Research on Drug Use: Empirical Findings and Methodological Issues. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1978. 137-156.

*
Goode, E. “Marijuana and Crime.” Marihuana: A Signal of Misunderstanding, Appendix I. National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1972. 447-453.

*
Abram, K.M. and L.A. Teplin. “Drug Disorder, Mental Illness, and Violence.” Drugs and Violence: Causes, Correlates, and Consequences. Rockville: National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1990. 222-238.

*
Cherek, D.R., et al. “Acute Effects of Marijuana Smoking on Aggressive, Escape and Point-Maintained Responding of Male Drug Users.” Psychopharmacology 111 (1993): 163-168.

*
Tinklenberg, J.R., et al. “Drugs and criminal assaults by adolescents: A Replication Study.” Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 13 (1981): 277-287.


Myth: Marijuana Use Impairs the Immune System. Marijuana users are at increased risk of infection, including HIV. AIDS patients are particularly vulnerable to marijuana's immunopathic effects because their immune systems are already suppressed.

Fact: There is no evidence that marijuana users are more susceptible to infections than nonusers. Nor is there evidence that marijuana lowers users' resistance to sexually transmitted diseases. Early studies which showed decreased immune function in cells taken from marijuana users have since been disproved. Animals given extremely large doses of THC and exposed to a virus have higher rates of infection. Such studies have little relevance to humans. Even among people with existing immune disorders, such as AIDS, marijuana use appears to be relatively safe. However, the recent finding of an association between tobacco smoking and lung infection in AIDS patients warrants further research into possible harm from marijuana smoking in immune suppressed persons.

*
Parents Resource Institute for Drug Education. Marijuana and Cocaine. Atlanta: PRIDE, 1990.

*
Preate, Ernest D. Blowing Away the Marijuana Smokescreen. Scranton: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, [no date]: 2.

*
Spence, W.R. Marijuana: Its Effects and Hazards. Waco: Health Edco, [no date].

*
Voth, Eric A. The International Drug Strategy Institute Position Paper on the Medical Applications of Marijuana. Omaha: Drug Watch International, [no date].

*
Drug Watch International. By Any Modern Medical Standard, Marijuana is No Medicine. Omaha: Drug Watch International, [no date].

Myth: Marijuana Related Hospital Emergencies Are Increasing, Particularly Among Youth. This is evidence that marijuana is much more harmful than most people previously believed.

Fact: Marijuana does not cause overdose deaths. The number of people in hospital emergency rooms who say they have used marijuana has increased. On this basis, the visit may be recorded as marijuana-related even if marijuana had nothing to do with the medical condition preceding the hospital visit. Many more teenagers use marijuana than use drugs such as heroin and cocaine. As a result, when teenagers visit hospital emergency rooms, they report marijuana much more frequently than they report heroin and cocaine. In the large majority of cases when marijuana is mentioned, other drugs are mentioned as well. In 1994, fewer than 2% of drug related emergency room visits involved the use of marijuana.

*
Brown, Lee. Quoted in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Press Release, National Drug Survey Results Released with New Youth Public Education Materials. Rockville: 12 September 1995.

*
Shalala, Donna. "Say ‘No’ to Legalization of Marijuana." Wall Street Journal 18 August 1995: A10.

*
Shuster, Charles. Quoted in Drug Enforcement Administration. Drug Legalization: Myths and Misconceptions. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, 1994. 5.


Myth: Marijuana Use Can Be Prevented. Drug education and prevention programs reduced marijuana use during the 1980s. Since then, our commitment has slackened, and marijuana use has been rising. By expanding and intensifying current anti-marijuana messages, we can stop youthful experimentation.

Fact: There is no evidence that anti-drug messages diminish young people's interest in drugs. Anti-drug campaigns in the schools and the media may even make drugs more attractive. Marijuana use among youth declined throughout the 1980s, and began increasing in the 1990s. This increase occurred despite young people's exposure to the most massive anti-marijuana campaign in American history. In a number of other countries, drug education programs are based on a "harm reduction" model, which seeks to reduce the drug-related harm among those young people who do experiment with drugs.

*
Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. "National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse." New York (1995):28.

*
Brown, Lee. Director of National Drug Control Policy, remarks at National Conference on Marijuana Use: Prevention, Treatment, and Research. Sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Arlington, VA (July 1995).

*
Califano, Joseph A. "Don’t Stop This War." Washington Post 26 May 1996: C7.

*
Shalala, Donna. "Marijuana: A Recurring Problem." Prevention Pipeline 8.5 (1995): 2.

*
Burke, James. [Partnership for a Drug-Free America]. Interview. MS-NBC with Tom Brokaw. MS-NBC, 3 September 1996.

*
Falco, Mathea. The Making of a Drug-Free America: Programs That Work. New York: Times Books, 1992. 202

http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/#moremyths

[An Céachta Dearg]

If w legalised We could:

Standardise it.
that is make if of a higher Quality and much safer to use.

Tax It.instead of costing us tax it could provide it.

And take the criminal element away. Free up prison spaces and of course take don some drug barons.

[Gareth]

Explain to me then cx how come psychiatric hospitals are admitting more and more people with mental illnesses related to cannabis abuse?

[Thoba]

Seen as alcohol is linked to general psychiatric mental health problems including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, psychosis, psychoneurosis, PTSD and physical brain damage how can you tell the problem isn't the booze Gareth?

[Drycon]

While I think weed is a great med, I dont think any mind altering substance should be legal, includeing booze.

Anyone that needs such substance to "relax" or "have a good time" needs a check up. IMO of corse

[Thoba]

While I think weed is a great med, I dont think any mind altering substance should be legal, includeing booze.

Anyone that needs such substance to "relax" or "have a good time" needs a check up. IMO of corse

Are you then arguing for the criminalisation of alcohol and the multi-billion dollar global industry it has spawned?

[ciaranxavier]

Explain to me then cx how come psychiatric hospitals are admitting more and more people with mental illnesses related to cannabis abuse?

tsk tsk you didnt read my article did you. And they consider schizophrenia related to marijuana use so its not surprising statistics MAY show that. Also marijuana has NEVER been proven to cause any mental illness, theyve had minor evidence that it may bring out mental illness' that are already there but they dont cause them. My wife/gf is bi-polar and her psychiatrist told her to keep smoking because it stops the anxiety attacks. Why would he tell her to smoke if it was going to make her already existing medical condition worse???? i know why, and i asked him why. its because theres no solid evidence proving it causes or worsens medical illness'. On top of everything else weeds been around for thousands of years and until recently that was never an issue, i wonder why. maybe the DEA needed more fuel to fan their scare campaign.

Myth: Marijuana Can Cause Permanent Mental Illness. Among adolescents, even occasional marijuana use may cause psychological damage. During intoxication, marijuana users become irrational and often behave erratically.

Fact: There is no convincing scientific evidence that marijuana causes psychological damage or mental illness in either teenagers or adults. Some marijuana users experience psychological distress following marijuana ingestion, which may include feelings of panic, anxiety, and paranoia. Such experiences can be frightening, but the effects are temporary. With very large doses, marijuana can cause temporary toxic psychosis. This occurs rarely, and almost always when marijuana is eaten rather than smoked. Marijuana does not cause profound changes in people's behavior.

*
Iverson, Leslie. “Long-term effects of exposure to cannabis.” Current Opinion in Pharmacology 5(2005): 69-72.

*

Weiser and Noy. “Interpreting the association between cannabis use and increased risk of schizophrenia.” Dialogues in Clincal Neuroscience 1(2005): 81-85.
*
"Cannabis use will impair but not damage mental health." London Telegraph. 23 January 2006.

*
Andreasson, S. et al. “Cannabis and Schizophrenia: A Longitudinal study of Swedish Conscripts,” The Lancet 2 (1987): 1483-86.

*
Degenhardt, Louisa, Wayne Hall and Michael Lynskey. “Testing hypotheses about the relationship between cannabis use and psychosis,” Drug and Alcohol Dependence 71 (2003): 42-4.

*
Weil, A. “Adverse Reactions to Marijuana: Classification and Suggested Treatment.” New England Journal of Medicine 282 (1970): 997-1000.

[ciaranxavier]

While I think weed is a great med, I dont think any mind altering substance should be legal, includeing booze.

Anyone that needs such substance to "relax" or "have a good time" needs a check up. IMO of corse

so you believe anyone who would like to relax by altering their state of mind temporarily with light drugs (ie- weed, alcohol, tabacco, coffee) should be fined or thrown in jail???

[ciaranxavier]

Are you then arguing for the criminalisation of alcohol and the multi-billion dollar global industry it has spawned?

dont forget tobacco and coffee, they are both mind altering drugs.

[garrettda]

caffeine is a mind altering drug, should that be illegal?

also if weed was made legal it would be cheaper and safer so instead of smoking it you could eat it.

[ciaranxavier]

caffeine is a mind altering drug, should that be illegal?

also if weed was made legal it would be cheaper and safer so instead of smoking it you could eat it.

exactly, i wouldnt need to damage my lungs if i could eat it, right now its too expensive. If it were legalized a pound of weed would cost the same as a pound of tomatoes before being taxed. which is roughly 3.00. but garett you may end up in a mental hospital.:):D:dancer::rockon::cool:;)

[garrettda]

why lol. I havent done any other drug:D

[ciaranxavier]

why lol. I havent done any other drug:D

lol neither have i. Now if people want to see a real damaging and dangerous drug look at crystal meth.

[ciaranxavier]

bump gareth do you not want to continue this discussion???

[Lightweaver]

marijuana has NEVER been proven to cause any mental illness, theyve had minor evidence that it may bring out mental illness' that are already there but they dont cause them. My wife/gf is bi-polar and her psychiatrist told her to keep smoking because it stops the anxiety attacks. Why would he tell her to smoke if it was going to make her already existing medical condition worse????

My cousin was one the of the first vets to be diagnosed with PTSD after serving in Vietnam. After 11 hospitalizations for it, and after years of testing and being used as a guinea pig, he stopped all meds because he found that marijuana helped him the most.

But darn, that eats into the profits of Big Pharma, which is one reason it is still illegal IMO.

[ciaranxavier]

Lightweaver my mother in law has MS and because the drugs caused her to become a vegetable more or less she stopped taking them and started to smoke weed (her doctor told her to) to help relieve the pain and stiffness. She has her good and bad days still as she would if she was taking the powerful medications with horrible side effects but she makes it through like a normal human being and not some doped up zombie. The medical properties of this plant are so vast and extensive that its a pity the countries that should most endorse it shun it and criminalize it. Id say the pharmeceutical companies have their hand in that though because if weed were legal who would buy tylenol for example?? or if someone has digestive problems, no need for a pill just throw some weed in your food or smoke a joint, your preference. But nope for some reason its been portrayed as the BIG BAD gateway drug thatll leave you mentally ill. what a joke. Im glad im in Canada where more often then not a cop doesnt care about you having a little weed for personal use and if he does care its not a criminal offence unless you have large amounts.

[ciaranxavier]

Gareth id be really interested in discussing this further with you to dissolve the misconceptions you have about marijuana.

[garrettda]

Lightweaver my mother in law has MS and because the drugs caused her to become a vegetable more or less she stopped taking them and started to smoke weed (her doctor told her to) to help relieve the pain and stiffness. She has her good and bad days still as she would if she was taking the powerful medications with horrible side effects but she makes it through like a normal human being and not some doped up zombie. The medical properties of this plant are so vast and extensive that its a pity the countries that should most endorse it shun it and criminalize it. Id say the pharmeceutical companies have their hand in that though because if weed were legal who would buy tylenol for example?? or if someone has digestive problems, no need for a pill just throw some weed in your food or smoke a joint, your preference. But nope for some reason its been portrayed as the BIG BAD gateway drug thatll leave you mentally ill. what a joke. Im glad im in Canada where more often then not a cop doesnt care about you having a little weed for personal use and if he does care its not a criminal offence unless you have large amounts.The lumber companies also played a big role in it being illegal.Since hemp can be used to make many things like paper better then trees.

[ciaranxavier]

The lumber companies also played a big role in it being illegal.Since hemp can be used to make many things like paper better then trees.

good point and believe it or not the oil companies DO NOT want it legalized. Henry Ford had a car thats body was made of a Hemp Composite, and the car ran off a hemp based fuel like ethanol or something along those lines. So the oil companies play a huge part in keeping it illegal and spreading a bad stigma about it. heres a picture of him with his hemp car.

http://www.chanvre-info.ch/info/en/IMG/soycar.gif

HENRY FORD DEMONSTRATES THE STRENGTH OF ONE OF HIS AUTOS FORMED FROM HEMP AND SISAL CELLULOSE, WHICH FULFILLED HIS VISION TO "GROW AUTOMOBILES FROM THE SOIL"

to put the argument into perspective, these industries all probably play a part in keeping hemp and marijuana illegal.

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/ncnu02/images/hemp01.gif

i mean pharmaceutical companies, oil companies, clothing companies, construction companies, even the logging companies could all be effected by hemps legalization.

[Shadow]

But darn, that eats into the profits of Big Pharma, which is one reason it is still illegal IMO.


Absolutely!! Meanwhile many of its benefits cannot be utilized.

[quirk]

My brother smokes it constantly and his memory is terrible. He would even admit that it is the cause of his terrible memory.

The reason that there is not alot of scientific evidence into the long term effects is that scientists only began to investigate it these past few years and so they can hardly have studied the long term effects that well - this will have to wait.

However whatever studies there are ( I will find some later) show that there are adverse effects such as memory loss and a much higher potential for depression amongst users. In saying that these effects are still not as bad as those caused by alcohol but they are negative effects nonetheless.

My problem with people using it now is that they buy it of drug dealers and by doing so are financing these people and enabeling them to amass the finance to import harder and more dangerous drugs.

[ciaranxavier]

My brother smokes it constantly and his memory is terrible. He would even admit that it is the cause of his terrible memory.

The reason that there is not alot of scientific evidence into the long term effects is that scientists only began to investigate it these past few years and so they can hardly have studied the long term effects that well - this will have to wait.

However whatever studies there are ( I will find some later) show that there are adverse effects such as memory loss and a much higher potential for depression amongst users. In saying that these effects are still not as bad as those caused by alcohol but they are negative effects nonetheless.

My problem with people using it now is that they buy it of drug dealers and by doing so are financing these people and enabeling them to amass the finance to import harder and more dangerous drugs.

My brother smokes it constantly and his memory is terrible. He would even admit that it is the cause of his terrible memory.

and there lies his problem, marijuana causes temp short term memory loss well your intoxicated, if he is constantly stoned that short term memory loss would constantly be with him. Chronic smokers give everyone a bad name.

The reason that there is not alot of scientific evidence into the long term effects is that scientists only began to investigate it these past few years and so they can hardly have studied the long term effects that well - this will have to wait.

Not a lot of scientific evidence against it is there. but you must remember this has been used culturally and recreationally for THOUSANDS of years, if the mental effects of this drug are so prevalent then why has no one noticed it?? and they have been investigating it for at least the last 70-80 years in the USA and no solid evidence has come out of it to date.


However whatever studies there are ( I will find some later) show that there are adverse effects such as memory loss and a much higher potential for depression amongst users. In saying that these effects are still not as bad as those caused by alcohol but they are negative effects nonetheless.

i dont disagree that it may make bring out the mental problems in people that they already exist in as it is a mind altering drug. but i mean my wife takes a handful of human manufactured drugs for her illness everyday, these drugs have only been around for a decade or so why are they more acceptable then marijuana when even less hard evidence surrounds them??


My problem with people using it now is that they buy it of drug dealers and by doing so are financing these people and enabeling them to amass the finance to import harder and more dangerous drugs.

you must understand its the stigma thats been attached to it that has lead the worlds governments to take such a harsh stance towards it enabling these criminals to take advantage of the people who enjoy indulging in it or rely on it medically. This is not the people who smoke its fault as i for one have campaigned on parliament hill against the laws which pre date common sense. And i understand you come from a MUCH different situation when it talk about marijuana. The drugs where you come from go to fund Unionist paramilitaries and what not, the weed i buy where i live is grown by a good friend and only passes through one or two hands before it ends up in my lungs.

[quirk]

You certainly know alot more about this subject than I do. There are effects but as I said they are not equal to those of alcohol. Also there is negative effects from many things we consume on a daily basis such as coffee and other food stuffs and the difference as you pointed out is simply one of stigma.

If a person grows marijuana or if he gets it from a friend then I have no problem really with them using it. My only problem with it is that in some cases it is used to finance drug dealers.