Marijuana!?
Why is marijuana considered dangerous? Despite popular belief it does NOT kill brain cells. It only weakens the dendrites in the brain, which grow back in a few weeks anyway. This myth was created by propoganda in the 70's. The newest studies show that there is not a correlation between mariju...
Why is marijuana considered dangerous?
Despite popular belief it does NOT kill brain cells. It only weakens the dendrites in the brain, which grow back in a few weeks anyway. This myth was created by propoganda in the 70's.
The newest studies show that there is not a correlation between marijuana smoke and lung cancer. There are even experiments showing that somone who smokes cigarettes is more likely to get cancer than someone who smokes both cigarettes AND marijuana, which means there is evidence that it fights the cancer so many believe it causes.
Unlike alcohol, it is impossible to overdose on marijuana, and there has never been a single recorded death caused by it.
Of course, no one should drive under the influence, but less than 9% of DUI's are caused by marijuana, yet alcohol remains legal.
Along with that marijuana is proven that it can be addictive but the addiction rate is very low & in order to become addicted you must abuse it on a constant basis while cigarettes can be addictive in probably a pack or two. Hell cigarettes have nicotine in them which is purposely made to get you addicted. Tobacco causes more deaths than fires, car wrecks (which includes drunk driving), tornadoes, hurricanes, cocaine, & heroine COMBINED! Cigarettes kill the user and anyone who is usually near the user as well (aka 2nd hand smoke) while marijuana has never caused lung cancer or even a single death. I know they exist but I have yet to find a marijuana addict. Also the “fact” that marijuana makes you dumb, everyone I know who smokes is at least of average intelligence or higher. The biggest pothead I know got full scholarship to Kansas University which he’s going to attend next year. Maybe he’s just a exception but I really doubt marijuana actually makes you stupid, possibly lazy.
Please don't assume I'm some druggie trying to justify smoking; I know some people take their usage too far. I just really want to know why it is so misunderstood or at least why do you think marijuana is dangerous. Thank you for your comments
This response is mostly for anti-marijuana Truffles.
I don’t know where you get your information, but you are out of date and spreading a whole lot of urban legend and misinformation. I take offense at your use of the term "evidence".
Immune system: There is no medical evidence that proves that marijuana use in any way compromises the immune system or that shows that marijuana users are more susceptible to infections than nonusers. Earlier studies which attempted to show this have all been disproved. Even among people with existing immune disorder such as AIDS, pot use appears to be relatively safe.
Sperm count: Studies involving humans (and not rats) have found that marijuana has no impact on sex hormones or the production of viable sperm.
Lung Function: All smoke, even from a campfire, contains irritants and carcinogens. There are no reports (that means zero) of lung cancer caused exclusively through marijuana use. Heavy pot smokers exhibit no obstruction of the lung’s small airways and do not develop emphysema from smoking pot. There is no evidence that it contributes to COPD as you say. The most current research shows that marijuana smoking (not marinol) actual shrinks cancerous tumors in the lungs, like chemotherapy.
Medical Marijuana: As a cancer survivor, let me tell you that while there are medications for the treatment of nausea and anorexia caused by chemotherapy, they don’t work for everyone. And if you’re vomiting, you won’t be able to keep down your f*cking marinol tablet anyway. You have to smoke your medication or inhale it. I pray you never have to learn this the hard way.
As for no reason to legalize it for medical purposes, I would much rather discus the use or marijuana in my cancer treatment with my oncologist rather than my brother-in-law’s 18-year-old pot smoking neighbor who I would be forced to buy it from. I’m sure you agree that this is a better conversation to have with a doctor than a stoner. The way the laws are currently written, my oncologist can lose his license just having this conversation with me.
Psychosis: Nope, re-read your "research." In people with a predisposition to schizophrenia, use of hallucinogens might hasten the onset of that disease. That applies to less than 2% of the general population.
Withdrawal: A medical withdrawal from marijuana has never been quantified. It would be nice if they could isolate it because that would facilitate treatment for people who want to quit. But what you list as withdrawal, "irritable, anxious, snappy," sounds like the withdrawal I suffer when I don’t get enough time with my dog. Therefore I must be addicted to my dog, right?
You are right about the importance of being truly informed. Medline is a great resource, as long as you understand that even poor research will get published. Be discriminating when you read research and make sure you know who is funding it. You, my dear, have been bamboozled.
hahaha…. I know I know! Well, from my experiences marijuana is very effective at helping lots of things, such as : headaches, anxiety, stomach problems, and all around moodiness! BUT I know a couple of total stoners who really act retarded like they smoked one hit too many and cant act right anymore, I swear it performs miracles, but on the other hand, to certain people it just makes them retarded… haha
This probably didnt answer you question, Its just my look at the whole "pot being bad" thing.
No i totally agree with you on this issue. Its basically the government banning and saying something is detrimental to your health all for the fact that they cant tax you on , in other words the government will ban anything they cant make money on. Now i dont smoke marijuana or encourage anyone to do it as I am in law enforcement.
The reason marijuana is getting dangerous is becase of the fact different dealers are beginning to "lace the drug" with other narcotics that are detrimntal to your health and that will get you VERY addicted.
Altogether i think it would be a better bet for the U.S to just allow the sale of marijuana and just put certain restrictions on it as there are with Alcohol. There has neer been a case of death from marijuana use as there has been with alcohol, but the government makes allot of money off of alcahol so i can guarantee you it will be going no where anytime soon.
and your sources are…? about 5 cigarettes are equaled to one joint in terms of damage it’ll do to your lungs. weakened brain cells eventually die, they do not grow back. smoking weed eventually can lead to many problems including paranoia and schizophrenia. it is also a gateway drug to many others
The government should not have the right to tell me what I can and can not put in my body. It is as simple as that. When the govt can dictate what I put in my body then they have the power they want over our lives. If it is bad for me then let me live with the consequences.
i dont know why they didnt legalize it yet.. people who say weed is so bad 4 u don’t know what they r talkin about. yesterday was 420! come on. And if u use a bong it filters the "bad" chemicals.. if u dont want to damage ur lungs or whatever make urself some special brownies not harmlful!
They tell you that its dangerous because if they were to legalize it for industrial AND recreational use, then pharmaceutical companies, textile and other factories, and gas companies would fall massively. Since they don’t want people to rely too much on natural products, they try to fill your head with some (blankity blank) that Tylenol relieves pain (despite the fact that Tylenol is proven to kill the friendly flora in your stomach and intestines that aid in the digestion process); that Pepto Bismol relieves stomach pain (despite the fact that it comes with one negative, and well-known side effect, diarrhea); that over-the-counter medicines will do everything for all kinds of things! (Why would they need so many different chemicals to aid in sneezing, and fever, and coughing, and stomach ache, when only one can really do it all?)
It’s all about money. The government still wants money that it doesn’t deserve that WE, the working-class Americans, need to survive.
I’m totally with you on this. I do smoke on occasion and I’m also a supporter of it and I know I’ve read these same facts you have before.
A source would be nice though just for some proof. And funkymonky where are your sources?
I just posted a question similar to yours earlier, but I think you asked it better. My ex and I were having an argument about why she thinks marijuana is "bad." (she’s totally against it) She had a friend that died because apparently he overdosed on marijuana and shrooms. It wasn’t till later that I finally got out of her that pills were involved too, because I knew it was impossible to overdose on either of the other two drugs.
But to answer your question I think the main reason people (especially people like my ex, who are miseducated and refuse to research it any more) think marijuana is "bad" is just the fact that it’s illegal. Plain and simple. They know nothing about it, besides that it’s illegal, so it must be bad.
You’re not trying to justify something wrong – your trying to weigh the negatives and positives of consumption. Fair enough, it’s what EVERYONE should do, whether its narcotics, alcohol, or even food/drink in general.
There are a lot of myths about marijuana. And a lot of truths that are exaggerated.
An example of an exaggerated truth would be the common "negative" spin on the chemicals in marijuana: they reference in their anti-drug campaigns that "marijuana has over 400 chemicals!" What they don’t tell you is that a common cup of coffee has over 800 chemicals, including rat carcinogens.
I believe it should be legal, but of course, the stipulation should be that you must be of age to smoke it. The reason it has become viewed as a "gateway drug" is simply because adolescents are using it and realizing their parents have lied about it, and then assuming they’ve exaggerated about other drugs as well.
The way a person can become psychologically dependent on it as well (which is all that is possible with marijuana) again has to do with age; if you are introduced to anything that produces pleasure when you don’t have the maturity to moderate it, you will of course become addicted. This can happen with cheeseburgers or sex as well…
it’s simply been demonized, is all. I think its sad that alcohol is legal and weed is considered a narcotic. I’ve been to rehab, and I’ve seen people having seziures and DTs after they come off of alcohol tolerance. I’ve seen people whoring themselves out for meth and heroin. Weed just isn’t THAT bad….
It’s not considered dangerous.
We’re taught that it’s dangerous, then we grow up and teach our kids that it’s dangerous.
There’s not really much consideration involved and it’s been going on for over half a century now.
I know most people like to chuckle at conspiracies but the simple fact is that they do exist and they are a large part of the inner-workings of our current world.
Marijuana is the subject of one of these conspiracies.
Have you seen those anti-Marijuana ads on TV and all over the Internet?
Who’s putting up the millions of dollars to pay for those ads?
Who’s putting up the tens-of-millions of dollars spent every year on research geared toward finding things that are wrong with Marijuana?
When asked why Marijuana is still illegal, why does the U.S. government have so much trouble answering?
Anyway …
If you really want to know if Marijuana is dangerous or not, you can simply look at the fact that they’ve put all that money and effort into finding things wrong with it and have been unable to come up with anything.
They still resort to distorting the truth in their ads and continue to rely on your gullibility to make those ads work.
MARIJUANA IS AWESOME I LEARN MORE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL SMOKING IM ABLE TO CONCENTRATE ON THE WORK AND MY TEST SCORES CAME BACK AS ABOVE AVERAGE AND NOW I GET STRAIGHT A’S. SO THE GOV. WANTS TO TAKE THAT AWAY THEN SCREW THEM!!!! (SORRY IF THIS DOESN’T HELP)
No pothead I know is stupid. Actually, almost all of the potheads I know including myself are very artistic in different ways, considering being under the influence of weed makes you insanely creative. I am an amazing writer, stoned or not, and I love to make any form of art. Whether its write lyrics for a chilled indie band, play some keyboards, draw, paint, color, whatever! Almost all of the stoners I know are related to music in a way. Some of them play guitar, drums, keyboards, bass, and even some kids I know who hate rock and listen to strictly rap or reggaeton even write rap songs and make beats on the computer. All in all smoking marijuana relates you to many things and brings everyone closer in different ways. It is assumed to be "bad" or even a "gateway drug", but for some reason America doesnt see younger peoples point of view. Look at other countries man, how are they doing. Last time I checked France, Italy and all other European countries are on top of the world. I dont get why America is so corrupt.
Yes it is dangerous same as any other substance that you inhale through combustion but just by a small amount. False it does kill brain cells most of which grow back explaining why my neighbor whos been smoking pot for 40 years is still completely functional and still enjoying life. I dont think alchohol and weed are very comparable as they are 2 completely different things. I say tobacco, alchohol and weed are the best things for legalization. Government doesnt make money so they make up a bunch of bs stating how bad it is for you (it isnt) because they are tired of hearing" legalize marijuana" Its all bs. Imagine the change that would take place in the USA if it were legalized. I say smoke out of a top of the line vaporizer and your good to go. Just dont get caught pls.
The reason marijuana is considered dangerous is because people don’t know the facts like you have stated. Personal experience has also shown me that occasional marijuana use does not effect mental performance. I constantly am watching my grades to make sure they are not decreasing. Ironically, I once irresponsibly smoked the night before an important test, yet still received the highest grade in not only my class but also the other classes doing the same curriculum.
Overall, marijuana is dangerous just like there are WMD’s in iraq and Saudi’s are "Good Guy’s".
Marijuana is not considered dangerous so much as marijuana legalization is. Keeping marijuana illegal is big business. Think of all the federal money devoted to anti-marijuana ads for the ONDCP, the money law enforcement gets through seizure of marijuana growers assets, and the law enforcement budgets devoted to enforcement of laws and eradication of plants.Protecting those money streams is the motivation behind depicting marijuana as dangerous.
Marijuana is not without harm, but is clearly less harmful than other legal drugs like nicotine and alcohol. It is MUCH less dangerous than many prescription drugs. Drugs for which marijuana is used as a substitute in the 12 states that allow it.
Okay, I just have to jump in here.
Medical EVIDENCE does truly show the following things:
Marijuana decreases the effectiveness of your immune system so it is harder for you to fight off disease.
Hey guys! Aren’t you glad it lowers your sperm count! And levels of testosterone! You don’t need all that testosterone anyway!
Yes, studies that came out just this year, (check medscape, for REAL VERIFIED REASEARCH) show it can impair function of your lungs similarly to tobacco.
Medical marijuana my ass. All reputable researchers agree that yes, there are some things in marijuana that can be used, when SEPARATED FROM THE BAD THINGS, and strengthened, medically. Marinol is a medication that is used for nausea for cancer chemotherapy patients for instance.
There is no reason to legalize it for medical purposes. There are already medications that treat any problems marijuana may address more effectively.
The most frightening research is that done on the effects it has on the brain.
It increases your chance of having a psychotic illness later in life by 40%. Yes, it really does, has been verified by more than one study. why, don’t know yet.
Thats what I want, yeah, buddy! Lets go get high and increase our chances of becoming schizophrenic later in life by 40%. Then I too can hear things that aren’t there, talk out of my head and make no sense whatsoever, and be lucky to live off of disability and hear devils talk while I get high!
Oh, and by the way, there is a true withdrawal syndrome, irritable, anxious, snappy, etc.
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And no, the previous poster is medically incorrect. Studies are still ongoing about lung cancer, and thats okay, we know it causes COPD, so you can just suffocate to death before you get cancer, lol. (while you see devils and white rabbits, rofl).
For more truly informed information on what you put into your body, visit sites such as Medscape, Medline, or OVID
Anyone with an open and honest mind can realize that marijuana isn’t dangerous at all, but many fear what they can’t understand and the incredible herb that is cannabis sativa is horribly misunderstood by those in power.
Marijuana is a miracle plant that can fight cancer, calm someone down, help someone focus, and remain mentally clear headed, and free of stress. Cannabis is a plant that can bring great change and help our world, but there are a lot of people that fear change, just as they fear cannabis.
While I mean no disrespect, it is obvious that truffles101 here does not understand marijuana at all. I know people who have smoked weed their entire life and are still healthy, capable individuals, and we can only hope that one day reason can take over and weed will replace alcohol as the standard recreational drug (it’s better for our bodies, our minds, and our entire society).
Here are the main reasons:
Government could not tax marijuana because you could grow it yourself [unlike alcohol].
There was some racist acts because like the Mexicans would grow marijuana and sell it or something, I’m not too sure on this one but there is SOMETHING along these lines.
When marijuana was introduced the cigarette companies thought that this new plant would put them out of business so they used their money to buy fake advertisement saying how bad marijuana is.
I’m not 100% sure on any of these, these are all just reasons I heard. They do make a of of sense though. Im sure there are many other beliefs too.
Basically because of propaganda. People consider themselves christians but cant even abide by genesis where he promotes herb use. They call themselves christians but they take the murderous potion (alcohol) over the herb, and they dont even know why cause they hear what every body else says. They dont research it for themselves. And they call themselves "individuals"…more like "robots" hahaha.
OK guys and gals… I smoke marijuana everyday, about 3 joints on weekdays and about 5 on weekends. I work as a senior financial analyst at a very successful Canadian company. I have my masters in Finance and scored 99% on my final Aljebra/Calculus in High School… Stoned… My teachers loved me, my wife is in love with me, my daughter thinks I am a super hero and my mother-in-law thinks I am the kindest person in the family. I come from a very well educated family and married into one as well. I spend about 70 dollars a week on pot but never drink or smoke cigarettes and have never even tried a hard drug, but its only a personal pref. I dont get sick, I have maintained my weight since high school. I go for a med check up every six months and never had problems except for ocassional heartburn from all the wonderful spicy food in Toronto. I have plenty of good friends. Some do pot some don’t. Finally I consider myself very happy, lucky and blesssed. I did my share of poking into marijuana researches a while ago. I did hear somethings that frightend me but then I talked to my doctor. I talked to my friends and I talked to my wife. My doc believes I am perfectly healthy and 11 years of regular use has not had any negative effect on my brain or lungs and he will no doubt "go back" when retired. My friends did not find me dumb, retarded or self absorbed. Only problem my wife had was that I should throw out my roaches cause they stink up the bathroom. I do now. In my opinion, Pot is not why I am happy, lucky and blessed but it sure hasn’t changed anything.
According to anti-Mj researches and ads, I should be mentally ill, alone, violent, perverted and a failure. Right?!
Now to whoever that says otherwise, come meet me. Have a talk with me and observe. only one catch, if you can’t find anything wrong caused by REGULAR use of Marijuana, you’re gonna have to share a nicely rolled joint of grade AAA weed on a public street in Toronto. And you will find that most passerbys will give you the kindest and most genuine smiles you can find. Its not even frowned upon anymore.Thats why we are a peacefull nation, I guess. My suggestion, dont get into anything that is not for you. Because the only thing that can make you a failure is what you think of yourself or sometimes what others tell you who you are. Hell… threre has been suicides by people who could not stop "masturbating" but not a single incident of Marijuana craze…..
Peace….