Pot (Marijuana)

Ok people it's time for a first hand encounter on the marijuana subject. Yes, I used to be a user.
1. Pot does inhibit your ability to think clearly or on more than one thing at a time.
2. It does leave you hungry and can make you over eat.
3. Shallowing pot seeds damages the reaction of the disgestive fluids in your stomach and therefore can cause severe gastric issues.
4. Using pot for long periods of time will damage your short term memory.
5. Withdrawal syndromes are as follows: irritablity, nausea, tiredness, and in cases where depression was previously an issue heightend feelings of depression.
6. paranioa(might have spelled this wrong)

 

To answer the question at hand. LEGALIZE IT! there are more people it can help than hurt. I have found it much easier to kick the pot habit than the cigarette habit. ie. i no longer smoke pot but still smoke cigarettes. I think my withdrawal symptoms were managable because I was aware of what they were. Alchol is waaaay more damaging man it needs to be illegal.

 

Years Ago when I was at Humber College a bunch of us were going to do a general strike of the College.We were going to picket and all that stuff.
So at lunch time we all went down to the river behind the campus,smoked a few joints and forgot about the protest,too much work,not worth the effort,lets smoke another joint.
Another time I was driving on the highway and looked down at my speed and I was going 10mph.

 

Mafia. No need to get angry just because you're losing the debate. lol

 

I just wanted to say that correlation doesn't necessarily mean causation. If marijuana use is linked to risky behavior it could easily be that people who are already prone to risky behavior are more likely to smoke pot than people who are not.

 

Re: pot

Good post Becky, but I'd like to interject with a few thoughts on this.

Care to elaborate on some of these? Specifically, the depression, anxiety paranoia and psychosis. These sound like effect that may or may not be actually caused by pot, but rather people suffering from these symptoms could be more likely to smoke pot.

This doesn't really quantify anything. What effects on the brain is this article talking about, specifically? And how much does it change?

Very true. But people don't typically smoke pot like they do cigarettes. The volume smoked is much, much less.

I have problems with these statistics. It says "15% of patients from car accidents had been smoking marijuana", what do they mean? Passengers + drivers? Drivers alone? And, the pot + alcohol stat seems irrelevant. I'm not trying to condone driving high, mind you.

After a bit of research, it seems like most studies related to this have yet to actually form a causal relationship. From my own experience (warning: anecdotal evidence ahead) pot is anything but a conduit for sexuality; it's always seemed to be the exact opposite.

That doesn't say much, really. Does pot make people more violent/criminal, or are violent people/criminals more likely to smoke pot?

Again, are depressed/schizophrenic people more likely to use pot, or does pot cause them? Also, do these studies focus on people who ONLY use pot, or use pot and other drugs, specifically hallucinogenics. There's a famous study from the 80s linking pot to schizophrenia that didn't do exactly this, and I'm worried that's the study this article is using.

It's mentally addictive, sure. In the same way alcohol, gambling or love is. As far as I've seen, though, pot isn't physically addictive in the way that tobacco or harder drugs are.

 

It was a joke... From The Simpsons and many other TV shows.

 

So smoking pot once hurts your family and friends? Of course not, it's the excessive use and addiction that soon leads to ruining your life. THE SAME as it does with gambling and alcohol, yet those are legal.

No one is saying drugs are good for you. But if someone wants to do it recreationally, then so be it. People who drink and gamble recreationally have no problems living their life at all--it's just a little bit of fun, and that's it.

And let me say one thing--those of you against legalization of marijuna better also be for banning alcoholic beverages, because really, these two substances have many more similarities than they do differences.

 

It can, what if they walk into you while your going it. That could have serious consiquences.

I know... I've never said they should be legal or marijiuana shouldn't be illegal. I really don't care because I don't use it. If they make it legal, thats cool.

 

Well, I don't really like the idea of legalizing it but I don't really care cuz I'm not using it and will never use it. But I might point at someone I know who supported the idea of legalizing it and laugh at them if I heard some bad news about marijuana after legalized it.

JK:rolleyes:

But I definitely don't the support the idea of legalization. But at the same time, I don't really have problem with it if they made it legal.

 

doesn't everybody know by now that the world is only concerned with making money? the world is dying and the oil industry still doesn't care and cigarettes kill a lot of people and the tobacco industry doesn't care either. Its all about money in this world and who gives a shit what happens in the process. this is the worlds thinking.

I don't see anything wrong with pot. I think if you can drink then you should be able to smoke pot. Pot is mild compared to other things and it does help with pain. I think pot could be beneficial in moderation.

a little edit: Also I have to say Beckyg I'm glad you are concerned and you know I like you but most of the stuff you listed is the same for alcohol. If you are caught driving under the influence of alcohol then you get in serious trouble, it should be the same with pot if it was legalized there should be a certain age like 18 or 21 and you shouldn't be allowed to drive then who cares what you do on the weekends as long as you are safe. If we can drink alcohol then I see no reason why pot is a bad thing.

 

Sorry, I really couldn't resist

 

I already went there, page three.

 

Anything in excess can be harmful, as people have previously stated.


I definitely think it should be legal, but by now it's too late for it to become legalized. If it did, the transition period would be utter turmoil. I believe that alcohol is much more harmful than mary j.

Live a little.

 

Who the hell cares if it is much more harmful or not?

Seriously... MONEY... Everything pretty much revolves around MONEY.

Alcohol is difficult to make... thus it is legalized and taxed out the ASS.

Cigs are difficult to make... thus it is legalized and taxed out the ASS.

Marijuana is easier then either to grow and smoke. Even if it was legalized there wouldn't be enough gain in taxes from it to justify the massive amounts of backlash the government would get over this.



"It's a plant! It is 100% natural and comes from the earth!"

...morons... for reals is this even an argument anymore? I hope like hell it isn't. Just because something is natural doesn't make it safe. What about poison ivy or other poisonous plants? They are 100% natural and come from the earth! Doesn't mean they play well with others! How did this even start as an argument?


Some people make me feel bad for the human race...

 

^agreed, take a look at this
http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/atod/marijuana.htm
"Are there short-term dangers of smoking marijuana?
Discomforts associated with smoking marijuana include dry mouth, dry eyes, increased heart rate and visible signs of intoxication such as bloodshot eyes and puffy eyelids. Other problems include:


Impaired memory and ability to learn
Difficulty thinking and problem solving
Anxiety attacks or feelings of paranoia
Impaired muscle coordination and judgment
Increased susceptibility to infections
Dangerous impairment of driving skills. Studies show that it impairs braking time, attention to traffic signals and other driving behaviors.
Cardiac problems for people with heart disease or high blood pressure, because marijuana increases the heart rate
It is virtually impossible to overdose from marijuana, which sets it apart from most drugs.

Are there long-term consequences to smoking marijuana?
Respiratory problems
Someone who smokes marijuana regularly can have many of the same respiratory problems as cigarette smokers. Persistent coughing, symptoms of bronchitis and more frequent chest colds are possible symptoms. There are over 400 chemicals that have been found in marijuana smoke. Benzyprene, a known human carcinogen, is present in marijuana smoke. Regardless of the THC content, the amount of tar inhaled by marijuana smokers and the level of carbon monoxide are 3 to 5 times higher than in cigarette smoke. This is most likely due to inhaling marijuana more deeply, holding the smoke in the lungs and because marijuana smoke is unfiltered.

Memory and learning
Recent research shows that regular marijuana use compromises the ability to learn and to remember information by impairing the ability to focus, sustain, and shift attention. One study also found that long-term use reduces the ability to organize and integrate complex information.

In addition, marijuana impairs short-term memory and decreases motivation to accomplish tasks, even after the high is over. In one study, even small doses impaired the ability to recall words from a list seen 20 minutes earlier.

Fertility
Long-term marijuana use suppresses the production of hormones that help regulate the reproductive system. For men, this can cause decreased sperm counts and very heavy users can experience erectile dysfunction. Women may experience irregular periods from heavy marijuana use. These problems would most likely result in a decreased ability to conceive but not lead to complete infertility.

Is marijuana addictive?
No one would argue that marijuana is as addictive as alcohol or cocaine. However, it's wrong to say that it is not at all addictive. More and more studies are finding that marijuana has addictive properties. Both animal and human studies show physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms from marijuana, including irritability, restlessness, insomnia, nausea and intense dreams. Tolerance to marijuana also builds up rapidly. Heavy users need 8 times higher doses to get the same effects as infrequent users.

For a small percentage of people who use it, marijuana can be highly addictive. It is estimated that 10% to 14% of users will become heavily dependent. More than 120,000 people in the US seek treatment for marijuana addiction every year. Because the consequences of marijuana use can be subtle and insidious, it is more difficult to recognize signs of addiction. Cultural and societal beliefs that marijuana cannot be addictive make it less likely for people to seek help or to get support for quitting."