Why are drugs bad? Is Marijuana killing me slowly? (whatever goes)

[AndrewBUD]

Alcohol screws people up bad....... It really confuses me how Alcohol is legal and Marijuana is not....


I could smoke 100 joints and drive home slowly.... but if I had 10 beers and attempted to drive home I would probably end up in a river or a side of someones house or kill 20 people....

[dank]

I suppose I'm a tard in the making, since I started at 16.

Weed cures cancer:
http://www.aacrmeetingabstracts.org/cgi/content/meeting_abstract/2007/1_Annual_Meeting/4749?maxtoshow=&hits=80&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=cannabinoid&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=1760&resourcetype=HWCIT

As it also helps with just about any sickness of the body.

The only 'negative' effect I've found from my years of research as a pothead, is that the smoke paralyzes the cilia in your lungs, temporarily.  This doesn't actually matter but I suppose it could be considered the most negative effect it has on your body.  If you propose there's a harmful effect cannabis causes to your body, please share the study so I can be proven wrong.

Mental effects, including addiction, cannot be blamed on the plant.  As a moderate psychedelic, weed does bring your inner feelings out of you, which is why some people feel paranoid or anxious.  They are making their self feel that way, though.  Only you control your emotions, even if it's hard at times.

Addiction really means something that has withdrawal, physical addiction.  When you use that word to describe mental effects, it completely loses it's meaning.  You can be addicted to TV, food, bitcoin, anything with that terminology.

Some people habitually use weed, yes, but they are choosing to do so, in no way are they actually addicted to the plant.

[AndrewBUD]

At times I will not smoke for a few days.. but most days I smoke usually starting sometime after dinner.... 

If I didn't smoke weed I would not get much sleep.... If I used RX drugs to get my sleep, I would be miserable..... with most RX drugs the bad side affects usually out weight the good

[dank]

Why weed is illegal:

Legalized weed would replace nearly every industry that stands today.

Hemp would be grown and replace the timber industry, power industry, textile industry, housing industry or any of the other thousands of products that used to be made of hemp.

Hemp could be grown and extracted for biodiesel, if we harvested less than 16% of America's land, we'd have enough renewable, clean power to supply our entire country.  Bad business for the oil companies.

Cannabis would be used to cure all sorts of common aliments.  It would replace expensive, dangerous and ineffective pharmaceuticals.  It would replace the trillion dollar cancer treatment industry with a new easy to grow cure.

Do you see where I'm headed?  Cannabis is illegal because the power structure depends on it.  Cannabis would bring peace, and that's the last thing on our leaders' minds.

[dank]

http://www.medicalmarijuananow.com/articles/classic-chocolate-pot-brownies-recipe/

I'd recommend using a pan to cook the butter, potentates it much more.  If you use some hash and let it simmer for a couple hours, you'll won't need more than .05 grams to feel the effects.

[AndrewBUD]

Yeah Marijuana is illegal because of greed.

[Taz]

dank,
If it became legal, who would be involved in distributing it for:
-Medical/enjoyment purposes
-Textile purposes
-Fuel purposes
Who would have the most to gain from it?

[AndrewBUD]

Whoever has the most money to sway government to legalize it to benefit them....

[the joint]

Other reasons pot is illegal

1)  It kills motivation and decreases ATP production over time

2)  Decreased blood flow to prefrontal cortex inhibiting personality growth, judgment, reasoning, and goal-oriented decision making

3)  Memory impairment

4)  Impaired motor coordination

5)  Sexual dysfunction over time

6)  Decreased testosterone production



Is pot as harmful as most other drugs?  No.  But it's nothing to snicker about, either.

[AndrewBUD]

Did you not just list what happens when you Age ?  Probably a lot of 50+ year old's with those issues that have never smoked before...

[the joint]

Did you not just list what happens when you Age ?  Probably a lot of 50+ year old's with those issues that have never smoked before...

I said...

2.)  ....judgment, reasoning...

[malevolent]

Other reasons pot is illegal

1)  It kills motivation and decreases ATP production over time

2)  Decreased blood flow to prefrontal cortex inhibiting personality growth, judgment, reasoning, and goal-oriented decision making

3)  Memory impairment

4)  Impaired motor coordination

5)  Sexual dysfunction over time

6)  Decreased testosterone production



Is pot as harmful as most other drugs?  No.  But it's nothing to snicker about, either.

If everyone followed this logic almost everything would be banned.
Caffeine based products too. It is possible to overdose with caffeine but not with marijuana (and the latter is not even addictive).

Not to mention alcohol and tobacco

Reasons why pot is banned are politically and economically motivated and they are outlined a few posts above.
There is plenty of substances that are legal or less regulated which inflict more damage to human health than marijuana.

[finkleshnorts]

There was a point in my life where I had to face the fact that I wasn't going to be successful in life if I continued to smoke pot. I do not know anyone who smokes pot daily who also has a successful career and a social network beyond other stoners. Correlation != causation, I know.

I know several very bright young men who started smoking pot out of the blue, who snowballed into daily users. They are no longer driven individuals and have become loners.

Call it what you want, and maybe lots of people do just fine smoking lots of weed all the time, but I've been happier, more  driven, and more social ever since I quit. I spent a lot of time telling myself that pot was totally fine, that lots of normal people do it, that it doesn't affect me that much...

But when it came down to it, I knew what I had to do to get on with my life. I also can't imagine being a very happy person if I was stoned multiple times a week.

To each his own, I suppose.

[AndrewBUD]

I used to smoke a lot more when I was younger...... Quarter ounce would last me maybe 2 days compared to the almost 2 weeks that it last me now...

There is a huge difference in quality now compared to 10 years ago.

[the joint]

First of all, it's a poor argument to suggest that just because some things that are more dangerous than pot are legal (e.g. alcohol) then pot should be legal too.

Second, yes, weed is addictive.  Saying something is "psychologically addictive" but not "physically addictive" is a employing a false dichotomy.  When a person uses any drug linked to dopamine transmission, that person's body will become less efficient at transmitting dopamine over time.  Basically, the body says, "I'm going on vacation!  I don't need to work anymore because something else is doing the work for me!"  So, the body gets lazy.  When that same person stops smoking weed, the body must relearn how to be as efficient as it once was.

Third, the effects of weed over time are subtle but they accumulate.  It's a poor argument to say, "Look!  I've smoked pot for 10+ years and I'm fine!  Obviously pot isn't that bad!"  It's a poor argument because you don't have anything to compare it to.  If you didn't smoke those 10+ years, who knows how much better off you would be?

[Shadow383]

Other reasons pot is illegal

1)  It kills motivation and decreases ATP production over time

2)  Decreased blood flow to prefrontal cortex inhibiting personality growth, judgment, reasoning, and goal-oriented decision making

3)  Memory impairment

4)  Impaired motor coordination

5)  Sexual dysfunction over time

6)  Decreased testosterone production



Is pot as harmful as most other drugs?  No.  But it's nothing to snicker about, either.

If everyone followed this logic almost everything would be banned.
Caffeine based products too. It is possible to overdose with caffeine but not with marijuana (and the latter is not even addictive).

Not to mention alcohol and tobacco

Reasons why pot is banned are politically and economically motivated and they are outlined a few posts above.
There is plenty of substances that are legal or less regulated which inflict more damage to human health than marijuana.

Here's something that wouldn't get made by a US state-sponsored TV station:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRgb5coMXGk

Very, very interesting.

[dank]

Other reasons pot is illegal

1)  It kills motivation and decreases ATP production over time

2)  Decreased blood flow to prefrontal cortex inhibiting personality growth, judgment, reasoning, and goal-oriented decision making

3)  Memory impairment

4)  Impaired motor coordination

5)  Sexual dysfunction over time

6)  Decreased testosterone production



Is pot as harmful as most other drugs?  No.  But it's nothing to snicker about, either.

I would love to see studies proving these.  I always here talk like this but I can't find the evidence other than "X told me this."

[dank]

First of all, it's a poor argument to suggest that just because some things that are more dangerous than pot are legal (e.g. alcohol) then pot should be legal too.

Second, yes, weed is addictive.  Saying something is "psychologically addictive" but not "physically addictive" is a employing a false dichotomy.  When a person uses any drug linked to dopamine transmission, that person's body will become less efficient at transmitting dopamine over time.  Basically, the body says, "I'm going on vacation!  I don't need to work anymore because something else is doing the work for me!"  So, the body gets lazy.  When that same person stops smoking weed, the body must relearn how to be as efficient as it once was.

Third, the effects of weed over time are subtle but they accumulate.  It's a poor argument to say, "Look!  I've smoked pot for 10+ years and I'm fine!  Obviously pot isn't that bad!"  It's a poor argument because you don't have anything to compare it to.  If you didn't smoke those 10+ years, who knows how much better off you would be?

Then everything is psychologically addictive, in that case.

What about those that wouldn't have made it this far in life without weed?  How much worse off would they be?

[the joint]

First of all, it's a poor argument to suggest that just because some things that are more dangerous than pot are legal (e.g. alcohol) then pot should be legal too.

Second, yes, weed is addictive.  Saying something is "psychologically addictive" but not "physically addictive" is a employing a false dichotomy.  When a person uses any drug linked to dopamine transmission, that person's body will become less efficient at transmitting dopamine over time.  Basically, the body says, "I'm going on vacation!  I don't need to work anymore because something else is doing the work for me!"  So, the body gets lazy.  When that same person stops smoking weed, the body must relearn how to be as efficient as it once was.

Third, the effects of weed over time are subtle but they accumulate.  It's a poor argument to say, "Look!  I've smoked pot for 10+ years and I'm fine!  Obviously pot isn't that bad!"  It's a poor argument because you don't have anything to compare it to.  If you didn't smoke those 10+ years, who knows how much better off you would be?

Then everything is psychologically addictive, in that case.

What about those that wouldn't have made it this far in life without weed?  How much worse off would they be?

1)  Not sure how "then everything is psychologically addictive" is a defense.  That's similar to the "but other, more harmful drugs are legal!" defense.  We're not talking about everything else, we're talking about pot.

2)  If you need pot to "make it this far in life," then you sound pretty weak.  I'm not saying pot doesn't have any positive aspects, and I understand that pot can be a used for creative, spiritual, and even social means.  I don't deny this at all.  But in this way, pot is like baby food.  You can smoke pot for a little while so that you can begin to see the world in a different way.  But, if you're smart, you'll learn how it's possible to view the world in the same way without pot afterwards.  Once you're all grown up you don't need baby food anymore.  Now, if you have glaucoma or are going through chemotherapy, then pot can obviously be beneficial. 

Consider mushrooms or LSD, both of which are even less addictive than pot (though more dangerous in other aspects).  Anybody who has tried these substances at least once will likely tell you that it had a profound impact on their lives, and usually for the better.  But does that mean you need to keep consuming mushrooms or LSD?  No.  You caught a glimpse of a profoundly different perspective, and now you can implement what you've learned into your sober life.

[Severian]

Is Marijuana killing me slowly?

YES!

That's why I'm offering a unique service. SEND ME ALL YOUR WEED. It's really bad for everyone and I know how to safely get rid of it.