Your thoughts on legalizing marijuana?

[hanalways]

I live in Wisconsin, the town and rural areas surrounding it have at least 1 dozen bars. the only eateries in the enttire area you can go to that don't have a bar would be the fast food joints. (pardon the pun) It's hard enough to curb the drunk drivers, if you legalize pot, what next? Crack? Meth? etc.? And there's always a HUGE influx when something illegal is legalized. Look at the states that HAVE legalized for proof of that. And it's not always "responsible" people who know not to drive while high.

 

We've got enough problems with people exercizing poor judgement, so why the heck should it be easier for more people to make even worse judgement calls by hampering their own judgement and wind up possibly killing someone?

 

It's a slippery slope, and to open the door would just cause a rush to legalize everything.

 

Besides, there've been studies out, that show when young people start to drink and/or do drugs, that their brain basically STOPs growing. So you've got young people who grow up to be adults, who never mature beyond the point of starting to drink or get high. Remember in our parents age, when they said that "Cigarettes will stunt your growth"? Before the public knew how bad cigs actually were? Well drinking and/or drugs stunt the brain's growth primarily when done illegally by young people who's brains are still growing and making crucial synaptic connections that will impact how a person acts/reacts their entire life!

I've seen this first hand in my own sibling. It's screwed up their life totally, and they are only JUST NOW, FINALLY (at the age of 29) able to start getting their life put together and figured out.

 

First off, Washington and Colorado state did not take a nosedive to crazy town for legalizing pot. If anything, there was an insane hype for the duration of November, and now everything is pretty much the same. The pot smokers still smoke, the non-pot smokers still think everything is insane. Life goes on. There has not been any corollary evidence that links crime rate or substance driving with the legalization of pot yet so you can't bring those states to example. Also, Washington and Colorado are not the only places to have cannabis legalized/decriminalized (link here!)

 

Secondly, in the US you have to be 21+ in order to partake in any alcohol or pot. And while I do understand that underage drinking/smoking is a big thing, that is mostly up to parenting. And as Americans, we have put a large part of that up to parents (video games, television content, etc). Parents are supposed to be the influence in children (yes teenagers are children) to control what they are influenced by. Children are not supposed to be drinking or smoking, that has always been there and will always be there. In no way is legalization encouraging children to start smoking. If anything, this will educate more people into the effects of marijuana and educate more children into what exactly they are putting in their bodies if they choose to or not to smoke rather than just having a blanket illegal stance on it.

 

Also, it leads a bad precedence legally. For a legal standpoint, to have alcohol and cigarettes legal and not pot seems contradictory. There are some undeniable parallels that can be pulled from this and prohibition.

[Alishkah]

Even if it does help fight against cancer, I say no.

Though, Medically yes. I just don't think it should be available to just anyone.

 

I dunno, I'm actually torn between yes and no. Because alcohol and cigarettes are the same to me.

As a smoker of cigarettes, I actually wish that they'd be banned so I could quit.

Anyway, Back to pot.

I can understand smoking it sometimes or for whenever medically required but for all the full time stones, nay.

That's just a lil pathetic to me.

I'm just sick of watching friends with so much potential throw it all away just to sit in a smokey basement with friends doing nothing all day.

Also, I've had bad experiences while on it and have seen friends hospitalized due a psychotic episode being triggered.

[Duskitty]

PLEASE READ: As I am fairly well-educated on these subjects, I'd like to post what I think. (please don't kick me out D:) As AngelBones stated, I'm not going to be all "Yeah, YOLO, drugs are fun, lolz."

Between what others have said and my general knowledge of the plant, I think it'd be a smart idea to legalize CANNABIS in general. There's an amazing variety of benefits and items you can make out of cannabis. You can make clothes, rope, food (hemp hearts and other such things), paper, plastics; heck, I saw that these people had been making architechture from hemp:

And as other people stated, you can use medical marijuana to cure many diseases, like cancer and diabetes. Marijuana is beneficial to your health in many ways.

RANT AHEAD: I find it silly that people can get a flippin' criminal record for being caught smoking marijuana. It's fairly harmless to smoke it and for you to not be able to have an income because of an "offense" they commited over 5+ years ago. :sad01_anim:

Here, let's take a look:

 

IF IT WAS LEGAL:

1. Person smokes marijuana
   
2. It's legal, so they don't get in trouble
   
3. THE END.
   

RIGHT NOW:

1. Person smokes marijuana
   
2. As it is not legal, they get a criminal record.
   
3. When they try to apply for a job, they are rejected because they have a criminal record. This happens multiple times.
   
4. They end up unemployed/they get a job with very very low income (not enough to keep them on their feet) and their life is much worse. All because of some plant they smoked ONCE.
   

I'm too lazy to post more, so here's my opinion. :D Once again, please don't ban me :)

[~Xandria]

I can understand smoking it sometimes or for whenever medically required but for all the full time stones, nay.

That's just a lil pathetic to me.

 

I'm just sick of watching friends with so much potential throw it all away just to sit in a smokey basement with friends doing nothing all day.

Also, I've had bad experiences while on it and have seen friends hospitalized due a psychotic episode being triggered.

I'd just like to say that I know a lot of adults who smoke marijuana daily and lead very fufilling, fully functional lives. I would not call it pathetic. It's kinda like how some people come home from a long days work and have a beer.

 

As far as watching your friends 'throw there lives away' I'm going to assume your friends are underage? You do know that law would require them to be 21 to smoke right? Not saying that will stop them, of course. However I think it is easier for kids to get there hands on something illegal - like marijuana vs. something legal like alcohol.

 

You are trying to group all people who smoke into the sterotypical stoner who sits around all day and does nothing except eat. That's not how it works. Everyone reacts differently to marijuana. Some people are even very motivated by it. Look at Michael Phelps! He's a champion swimmer. There have been A LOT of great people in history who smoked. A lot of discoveries were made under the influence of marijuana, a lot of stories written, a lot of amazing songs, art, culture, you name it. It's not just like what they portray to you on TV or what you see your friends doing.

[evil_minx]

Not only does cannabis affect everyone differently but effects of cannabis can vary greatly from strain to strain. Not to mention knowing the source of your cannabis as some folks who care very little for others like to add toxins into the mix. I don't think it is one person's place to judge another's life on what they think a successful or fulfilling life looks like. We're all here to walk our own path.

 

To deny anyone the free use of this highly beneficial herb is a crime against humanity, plain and simple.

[anorexorcist]

I have a medical marijuana card. =) I guess that makes me biased, but I do use it for anxiety.

 

Legalizing it is the next step, in my opinion. There's a lot of reasons.

 

1. Marijuana is one of the least dangerous drugs around. 0 recorded deaths from overdose. Ya know how many tylenol has had in the past year? More than I really care to think about. The amount of weed that would cause someone to overdose is several hundred times their body weight. So.

 

2. Marijuana is a cash crop. Whether people like to admit it or not, our economy is struggling, and marijuana could change that. Not only could the government tax medical marijuana, but hemp could replace surplus of corn and wheat and make a ton of money for the world. Farmers especially would see the benefits of it.

 

3. Stop filling our jails. Too many people are being imprisoned for the petty possession and paraphanelia charges. Saves money, and keeps people's lives in check.

 

4. Weed is a fairly positive medication. I know I was taking a medication for anxiety, one for depression, one for appetite, one for insomnia, and one for nausea. Now I smoke pot and don't have to take any pills. Honestly, paranoia and all of the negative side effects happen your first few times smoking. I know I felt them, but pushed through and continued to use it medicinally. And it's really helped.

 

5. Any one who lets marijuana demotivate them wasn't really all that motivated in the first place. I can't even function without weed, so when I smoke, it makes me a more productive person.

 

Marijuana does more damage mentally then people think.

It stunts the brains growth which becomes more obvious once one gets older and hasn't matured due to the effects of Marijuana.

Also, Psychosis, anxiety, depression and other mental illness can be triggered or worsened.

 

Uh, actually marijuana has been shown to help with mental illnesses, anxiety, depression etc. Oh, and what you're talking about at the beginning is what would happen if a developing CHILD smoked weed. If we're putting the age limit at 18 for medical use and 21 for recreational use, the chances of the brain's development being stunted disappear because, well, the brain is developed. That's the same reason we have a drinking age. So that the brain isn't harmed.

 

Anyway, everyone who's posted anything negative about weed is sadly misinformed. Marijuana is frequently cited as a treatment for asthma and other breathing disorders. Anything saying that marijuana is as bad as cigarettes, that's wrong. Cigarettes have a bunch of additives to help them cross the blood-brain barrier faster. Ever smoked out of a hookah? It's still tobacco, but without additives, so it doesn't give you a stimulant effect, and passes to your brain a lot slower. Marijuana is also free of these additives, a bunch of which are carcinogens.

 

To person saying she doesn't like full time stoners. HEY! I smoke weed all the time and I'm a pretty productive member of society. Actually, if I'm NOT stoned, I have severe anxiety that most of the time prevents me from even leaving the house. At least with weed I can do my own grocery shopping.

 

I guess I am just more open to this because I grew up in Colorado and then moved to California. I lived in Boulder, Co, which is probably the best place ever, and everyone there is so nice and carefree because they all smoke pot. The cops aren't worried about arresting you for smoking a bowl. Living in a hippy town, I think, would greatly change the opinions of everyone here.

 

Okay rant over/

[~Xandria]

I have a medical marijuana card. =) I guess that makes me biased, but I do use it for anxiety.

 

Legalizing it is the next step, in my opinion. There's a lot of reasons.

 

1. Marijuana is one of the least dangerous drugs around. 0 recorded deaths from overdose. Ya know how many tylenol has had in the past year? More than I really care to think about. The amount of weed that would cause someone to overdose is several hundred times their body weight. So.

 

2. Marijuana is a cash crop. Whether people like to admit it or not, our economy is struggling, and marijuana could change that. Not only could the government tax medical marijuana, but hemp could replace surplus of corn and wheat and make a ton of money for the world. Farmers especially would see the benefits of it.

 

3. Stop filling our jails. Too many people are being imprisoned for the petty possession and paraphanelia charges. Saves money, and keeps people's lives in check.

 

4. Weed is a fairly positive medication. I know I was taking a medication for anxiety, one for depression, one for appetite, one for insomnia, and one for nausea. Now I smoke pot and don't have to take any pills. Honestly, paranoia and all of the negative side effects happen your first few times smoking. I know I felt them, but pushed through and continued to use it medicinally. And it's really helped.

 

5. Any one who lets marijuana demotivate them wasn't really all that motivated in the first place. I can't even function without weed, so when I smoke, it makes me a more productive person.

 

 

 

Uh, actually marijuana has been shown to help with mental illnesses, anxiety, depression etc. Oh, and what you're talking about at the beginning is what would happen if a developing CHILD smoked weed. If we're putting the age limit at 18 for medical use and 21 for recreational use, the chances of the brain's development being stunted disappear because, well, the brain is developed. That's the same reason we have a drinking age. So that the brain isn't harmed.

 

Anyway, everyone who's posted anything negative about weed is sadly misinformed. Marijuana is frequently cited as a treatment for asthma and other breathing disorders. Anything saying that marijuana is as bad as cigarettes, that's wrong. Cigarettes have a bunch of additives to help them cross the blood-brain barrier faster. Ever smoked out of a hookah? It's still tobacco, but without additives, so it doesn't give you a stimulant effect, and passes to your brain a lot slower. Marijuana is also free of these additives, a bunch of which are carcinogens.

 

To person saying she doesn't like full time stoners. HEY! I smoke weed all the time and I'm a pretty productive member of society. Actually, if I'm NOT stoned, I have severe anxiety that most of the time prevents me from even leaving the house. At least with weed I can do my own grocery shopping.

 

I guess I am just more open to this because I grew up in Colorado and then moved to California. I lived in Boulder, Co, which is probably the best place ever, and everyone there is so nice and carefree because they all smoke pot. The cops aren't worried about arresting you for smoking a bowl. Living in a hippy town, I think, would greatly change the opinions of everyone here.

 

Okay rant over/

You bring up some awesome points! Thank you for sharing. :) I smoke marijuana for anxiety about 3-4 times a week, sometimes more. While under the influence, no one can tell. I don't smoke awhole lot when I do smoke, so It's not like I'm all out of my head and eating everything in sight. :laughingsmiley: In my younger days when I was experimenting, I was probably pretty stupid about it... I will admit that. But things have changed now that I'm an adult. It helps with my insomnia, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain from fibromyalgia. I'm not ashamed to smoke at all. I think a lot of people get the idea that stoners are killing there brain cells and that they all act stupid because of the comedy movies and the way they portray people who smoke. That's just not fair because that's not how it is in real life! Although I'll admit, I am a fan of the movie pineapple express, but it's a huge exaggeration! Same with all the cheech and chong movies, and other stoner-based comedies.

 

My uncle lives in Colorado and he absolutley loves it there! I definitley wouldn't mind living there if it didn't get so cold. I don't know if I could handle it. Haha. I'd love to be able to visit there more often though. The times I have visited have always been pleasant.

 

Oh. & I will point out that there are some people who simply cannot handle marijuana. It makes them paranoid and no matter if they keep smoking or not, the side effect just does not go away. If you do not like marijuana, don't smoke. If you don't like alcohol, don't drink. If you don't like Mcdonalds, don't eat there food. That's the way I see it. :)

[anorexorcist]

I feel the same way. Tons of medications have been proven to help, but just don't work for some people. I say that if marijuana gives you nasty side-effects, don't smoke it.

 

3-4 times a week? I wish I was that good about it. I smoke maybe... 1-2 grams a day. If I don't smoke every few hours, my anxiety kicks in and I end up a snivelling crying wreck. I don't sleep, eat, or talk really.

 

Ooh, Go visit Boulder in the summer. You'll avoid all the snobby college kids and get a nice taste of hippy/travelling kid culture. :)

[Doozy]

Since marijuana is stored in fat cells, it stays in the body a lot longer than other drugs that hamper our reflexes. (I'm not even talking about illegal drugs - I'm talking about over the counter meds) If marijuana were to be legalized, there would be NO WAY to tell if people who caused or got into car accidents and happen to smoke pot were smoking right before driving or if they were even high at the time. Sure, there are sobriety tests, but those only do so much - my friends can all pass as not high when they're higher than kites because they've done it so much that they've learned how. This danger is the only reason I can see to say no to legalizing marijuana. If this weren't an issue, I'd be all for it.

 

Of course, this isn't really an issue for people that don't smoke/ingest every day or for people that don't have very much fat. So, I dunno, I guess I'm on the fence.

[anorexorcist]

Uh, the concentration of THC can be tested to see how long it's been since you've smoked. I was in rehab and had ridiculously high levels, but they could still test to see if I'd smoked again.

 

So that's a moot point. If anyone was in a serious enough situation to get tested for THC levels, they'd be able to tell how long it'd been.

[Doozy]

Well, thank you for telling me that. Mah mom told me that there wasn't a way to test for that, and she's in the medical business, so I believed her and quoted the crud out of her. XD

 

I guess it wouldn't really be a problem. It's not like much would change - people already do it anyway, obviously, and will continue regardless of the law. Like others have said, it would save us money and valuable prison space/enforcement time.

[anorexorcist]

And for anyone who uses marijuana regularly, driving on it isn't a problem. I know it's the only way I can drive, is high. I think misconceptions are made about marijuana because the "typical" stoner isn't really an accurate image. People don't know that for some, marijuana allows them to function regularly in every day life without taking medication riddled with severe side-effects. I'm tired of not being able to get employed because of drug tests, when really, I'm a better worker when I'm high. Last time I went to work not stoned, I got fired for having a major panic attack and passing out. Enabled me to get social security though, so I guess I don't really mind.

 

So practically, you'd have to get destroyed high to be "impaired" enough to not drive.

It is unclear what blood level of THC (the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana) constitutes actual impairment. Most credible scientists working on the issue acknowledge the difficulty of pegging THC impairment to a number (in a way similar to drunk driving laws), and epidemiological evidence on the risk of accidents associated with marijuana is much less conclusive than data regarding alcohol.

The most meaningful recent study measuring driver "culpability" (i.e., who is at fault) in 3,400 crashes over a 10-year period indicated that drivers with THC concentrations of less than five ng/mL in their blood have a crash risk no higher than that of drug-free users.² The crash risk begins to rise above the risk for sober drivers when a marijuana user's THC concentrations in whole blood³ reach five to 10 ng/mL.

[Doozy]

You've also got to keep in mind that everybody's body is different. Some of us react really quite poorly to the drug, while others have no side-effects.

 

One of my friends actually gets really stupid (as in, she's slow and can't focus) when she smokes, while her girlfriend is a lot more alert when she smokes. They're always sharing joints, too, and they smoke daily. It depends 100% on the body of the individual. There is no "typical" smoker.

 

I have a lot of friends that smoke.

[anorexorcist]

If your body reacts poorly to it, you shouldn't use it. If you insist on using it when you have adverse reactions, you shouldn't drive. If you do, then the accident is the individual's responsibility and shouldn't be blamed on marijuana. While I do believe that blood testing is a good way to keep inebriated drivers off the road, I still think you should be able to smoke and go for a drive, especially if you use it as a medication. That's just my opinion as a full time stoner though.

 

And, while adverse reactions happen, I'd say more often than not, the main side-effects are happy, hungry, sleepy. Maybe a little bit of paranoia if you are smoking high grade.

 

Of course, I'm of the opinion that if you don't need it medically, you shouldn't be smoking allday everyday. If you're using it as you would alcohol, to get "high," then you should do it after you've settled in for the night.

[Alishkah]

In response to your reply to my comment.

 

--------

 

I'll admit I am a bit uneducated with the drug and should open up (Which I am trying to.) to other opinions since it does affect everyone differently. I am well aware of that, Since any drug can do that. But like I said I wrote that from personal experience and also at the time I was worrying about friends, who are young and take other drugs as well. And I know what I wrote came across as if I was putting everyone into one box but I didn't mean it to. =/

I just suck at writing debate stuff and plus there's so much I'd like to say but don't know how to word.

 

 

A bonus about it being legal would be that kids don't have to meet up with dodgy dealers. - That's one pro I can think of.

 

And yeah, I know drugs including pot are know to be a key thing for arty folk and has amazing results. Bob Marely being one example.

 

Also, Weed is (supposedly) known to be a gateway drug. Though In saying that I know that not everyone who smokes goes onto taking other drugs and that it is purely a choice to take other drugs. Even though I do think in same cases it is a gateway, I do also think that it is just purely a choice like it is to smoke weed in the first place.

 

I must say though that even we have some disagreements (Probably due to my ignorance, Which I am willing to admit) I do enjoy reading your opinion.

 

=)

[~Xandria]

I'll admit I am a bit uneducated with the drug and should open up (Which I am trying to.) to other opinions since it does affect everyone differently. I am well aware of that, Since any drug can do that. But like I said I wrote that from personal experience and also at the time I was worrying about friends, who are young and take other drugs as well. And I know what I wrote came across as if I was putting everyone into one box but I didn't mean it to. =/

I just suck at writing debate stuff and plus there's so much I'd like to say but don't know how to word.

 

Also, Weed is (supposedly) known to be a gateway drug. Though In saying that I know that not everyone who smokes goes onto taking other drugs and that it is purely a choice to take other drugs. Even though I do think in same cases it is a gateway, I do also think that it is just purely a choice like it is to smoke weed in the first place.

 

I must say though that even we have some disagreements (Probably due to my ignorance, Which I am willing to admit) I do enjoy reading your opinion.

 

=)

I have no hard feelings at all towards you, so don't worry. :) I just enjoy the occasional debate.

 

I don't think marijuana is a gateway drug. It's not really fair to blame marijuana if someone decides to start shooting up heroine. Logically, that doesn't make much sense. That person would have started shooting up regardless of there past marijuana use. In a study that was done on this they found that people with a genetic variant in the dopamine receptor gene were 74 percent more likely to have substance seeking behavior. The risk is due to an abnormal brain function which leads to a high craving behavior for any substance that induces the release of dopamine. All known physco active drugs (pain killers, alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, cocaine, etc) induce dopamine release. Other things increase dopamine as well but the levels released are small in comparison to legal and illegal drugs. It's like if someone eats at mcdonalds (there have been studies about this as well, dopamine is also realeased when eating high fat food) then does that mean they are going to become a binge eater and just keep eating and eating? In most cases, no. If they have an addictive personality than anything triggering the release of dopamine would cause addiction. Whether it be sex, eating, exercising, or smoking marijuana. So saying marijuana is a gateway drug is like saying sex is a gateway to sex addiction, eating is a gateway to binge eating, or exercising is a gateway to an excerising addiction (yeah, some people do have that where they just can't stop working out and they push there bodies so hard to the point of being hospitalized).

 

edit: Not implying that you thought it was a gateway drug, I was just throwing my 2 cents in :)

[anorexorcist]

Just want to add on to what she said and say that marijuana was NOT my first drug. H was. And now the only drug I do is marijuana. I guess I'm kind of the anti-gateway drug example.

[passiflora]

I'm pretty apathetic about the whole thing - I wouldn't really care if pot was legalized, but I'm not out advocating for it either. I've been happy to see more restrictions placed on tobacco smoke, so I'd hope that marijuana will be enforced in a similar way. I work outdoors (in public parks), and the smoke is smelly, makes my eyes water, and makes me cough, just like tobacco. Maybe I'm just really sensitive to smoke, but I really wish both substances could be better restricted to private places rather than in public, even if it is outdoors.

 

I've seen a lot of people mention that stoner stereotypes aren't true and that it affects everyone differently - just remember that this is purely anecdotal and that there are people at all ends of the spectrum. My own testimony: three of my coworkers are long-time heavy pot smokers and they're some of the most ineffective people I've ever had to work with, their awful memories being one of the main contributors. It's ridiculous to have to essentially babysit someone in their 30ies to make sure they follow instructions. It also a giant safety hazard and waste of taxpayer money; one guy couldn't even remember to bring his shoes or safety gear so he was often stuck doing menial tasks, or we had to drive back to the office to pick up his stuff, etc. He says that he can't quit smoking because it makes him happy (i.e. he gets sad when he stops). Is this a withdrawal/side effect, or is it because he has underlying depression and marijuana helps him deal with that? Cause & effect isn't always so clear.

 

 

Then we come to Cancer. Cannabis CURES cancer naturally without any harmful side effects. It's being done every day using Cannabis Oil or a.k.a Rick Simpson Oil. People are regulating their diabetes with the stuff as well as treating various other ailments. We have an endocannabinoid system, actually they have found that everything but insects have an endocannabinoid system. We create our own cannabinoids naturally. Scientists are speculating that a rise in disease could be linked to a deficiency in cannabinoids, because when the body is saturated with cannabinoids (like via Cannabis Oil) whatever is wrong, rights itself. This is fascinating stuff!

 

To the best of my knowledge, there have been no studies on hemp oil specifically. There have been studies on compounds from Cannabis that show promise in inhibiting the growth of some cancers (e.g. some hissi tumors, some brain tumors), but it has also induced growth in other cancers (e.g. some lung cancers, some brain cancers). Almost all of these studies have been done in mice or in vitro (test tube), not in human models.

 

We still need to know more about the mechanisms of how it works, appropriate dosages, studies in humans, etc. to make more conclusive recommendations. We don't know if it's more suited as palliative or curative care.

 

"It looks promising" is miles different from "it cures cancer." Cancer is a group of diseases and any time someone says "x cures cancer," it's usually a pretty big red flag.

 

Between what others have said and my general knowledge of the plant, I think it'd be a smart idea to legalize CANNABIS in general. There's an amazing variety of benefits and items you can make out of cannabis. You can make clothes, rope, food (hemp hearts and other such things), paper, plastics; heck, I saw that these people had been making architechture from hemp:

This is one of the big things for me, I think. From what I've heard, it's a pretty arduous process to be able to grow hemp, even if it's just for food/textiles/other. Legalization might make that a little easier, although I'm not 100% sure.

 

4. Weed is a fairly positive medication. I know I was taking a medication for anxiety, one for depression, one for appetite, one for insomnia, and one for nausea. Now I smoke pot and don't have to take any pills. Honestly, paranoia and all of the negative side effects happen your first few times smoking. I know I felt them, but pushed through and continued to use it medicinally. And it's really helped.

I'm all for medicinal marijuana, but we don't legalize the recreational use of drugs because something has a specific medical effect.

 

Oh, and what you're talking about at the beginning is what would happen if a developing CHILD smoked weed. If we're putting the age limit at 18 for medical use and 21 for recreational use, the chances of the brain's development being stunted disappear because, well, the brain is developed. That's the same reason we have a drinking age. So that the brain isn't harmed.

And how many people adhere to legal age limits for tobacco and alcohol?

 

Anyway, everyone who's posted anything negative about weed is sadly misinformed. Marijuana is frequently cited as a treatment for asthma and other breathing disorders. Anything saying that marijuana is as bad as cigarettes, that's wrong. Cigarettes have a bunch of additives to help them cross the blood-brain barrier faster. Ever smoked out of a hookah? It's still tobacco, but without additives, so it doesn't give you a stimulant effect, and passes to your brain a lot slower. Marijuana is also free of these additives, a bunch of which are carcinogens.

I'd say that using a vaporizer for marijuana might be more comparable to a hookah; marijuana smoke still contains tar, carbon monoxide, cyanide, and other carcinogens. Cigarettes may have more additives, but smoking in itself still causes a plethora of chemical reactions that generate dangerous compounds, it's not because they're added in.

 

We have way more effective treatments for asthma, and marijuana may only be beneficial in the short term (see here, here, here, here.) There are probably studies that don't show adverse effects, but research on marijuana is limiting so I'd venture to guess that it's mostly considered inconclusive.

 

 

And for anyone who uses marijuana regularly, driving on it isn't a problem. I know it's the only way I can drive, is high. I think misconceptions are made about marijuana because the "typical" stoner isn't really an accurate image. People don't know that for some, marijuana allows them to function regularly in every day life without taking medication riddled with severe side-effects. I'm tired of not being able to get employed because of drug tests, when really, I'm a better worker when I'm high. Last time I went to work not stoned, I got fired for having a major panic attack and passing out. Enabled me to get social security though, so I guess I don't really mind.

 

So practically, you'd have to get destroyed high to be "impaired" enough to not drive.

While I do believe that blood testing is a good way to keep inebriated drivers off the road, I still think you should be able to smoke and go for a drive, especially if you use it as a medication. That's just my opinion as a full time stoner though.

These are all very emotional arguments I could very easily see applied to alcohol. I can't even count on my fingers how many times I've heard someone say "I actually drive better after I've had one or two drinks."

 

There many legal (often prescription) medications where driving is not recommended while taking them. Just because something is a medication, it doesn't mean someone excused from driving under the influence.

[Alishkah]

He says that he can't quit smoking because it makes him happy (i.e. he gets sad when he stops). Is this a withdrawal/side effect, or is it because he has underlying depression and marijuana helps him deal with that? Cause & effect isn't always so clear.

 

Depression would possibly have something to do with it. It's like with any drug though, On it you could feel great but coming down can be absolutely horrible and for that reason you go out and get another hit. Well, At least that was my personal experience. When I was coming down I'd get really irritated, Paranoid, depressed and also I'd have a massive craving for the drug. Even when I first started smoking it. I may have an addictive personality. Also, I have mental health issues though so that could contribute greatly to my reactions.

 

But everyone is different.

[~Xandria]

I'm pretty apathetic about the whole thing - I wouldn't really care if pot was legalized, but I'm not out advocating for it either. I've been happy to see more restrictions placed on tobacco smoke, so I'd hope that marijuana will be enforced in a similar way. I work outdoors (in public parks), and the smoke is smelly, makes my eyes water, and makes me cough, just like tobacco. Maybe I'm just really sensitive to smoke, but I really wish both substances could be better restricted to private places rather than in public, even if it is outdoors.

I don't think legalization should mean that you can light up a joint anywhere. (This is coming from someone who smokes occasionally). I don't think it's fair for others to have to be around marijuana or cigarettes if it makes them cough or they are not fond of the smell. They are going to have to find some sort of balance here that is fair for smokers and nonsmokers alike. Cigarettes have already been banned from a lot of places indoor and out, where I live. I think they should most definitley do the same for marijuana, especially so it is kept away from children. Just like cigarettes should be kept away from children.

 

I've seen a lot of people mention that stoner stereotypes aren't true and that it affects everyone differently - just remember that this is purely anecdotal and that there are people at all ends of the spectrum. My own testimony: three of my coworkers are long-time heavy pot smokers and they're some of the most ineffective people I've ever had to work with, their awful memories being one of the main contributors. It's ridiculous to have to essentially babysit someone in their 30ies to make sure they follow instructions. It also a giant safety hazard and waste of taxpayer money; one guy couldn't even remember to bring his shoes or safety gear so he was often stuck doing menial tasks, or we had to drive back to the office to pick up his stuff, etc.

If marijuana is legalized, I hope there is no way that it would ever be legal to be high on it at work (unless you have a medicinal marijuana card). It sounds like your coworkers should have definitley been fired, as that is completely unacceptable to come to work like that. I would never go to work under the influence or drive. That's just asking for trouble.

 

You're right that there are people at both ends of the spectrum. Please keep in mind that not all people who smoke are like that. Some people tolerate it much better and don't act like complete idiots on it. It's people like that who make other responsible marijuana users look bad. I just think I should have the right to smoke a little weed when I want too, as long as I'm doing so in my home or at a friend's house who smokes. I don't like alcohol or any of the side effects. All marijuana does for me is make me more mellow and relaxed, that's it. I don't act any different at all while on it, just relaxed. It comes in handy when I don't have my anxiety medication. Funny enough, I do most of my writing when I smoke as well and I'm able to study better while on it. So it kind of has the opposite effect on me (and quite a few other people I know). So yes, it definitley does effect everyone differently.

 

He says that he can't quit smoking because it makes him happy (i.e. he gets sad when he stops). Is this a withdrawal/side effect, or is it because he has underlying depression and marijuana helps him deal with that? Cause & effect isn't always so clear.

I've done quite a lot of reading on whether or not marijuana is addictive. Marijuana itself is actually less addictive than caffeine. It has no physical withdrawls at all. Whether someone gets addicted is based upon the individual. Around 9% of recreational pot smokers will devolp a serious physcological dependency. More than likely, your friend has some underlying problems he needs to address and is using marijuana as a crutch. I do use marijuana to help me cope with my anxiety and depression at times. I smoke about 3-4 times a week. I've gone weeks at a time with no withdrawl effects physically or mentally. It becomes a problem when the person in question is mentally ill and not seeking treatmeant. They are in need of a professional physcologist or physciatrists care, counseling, possibly medication. I am pro-legalization but I also think that like all things moderation and being responsible is key.

 

To the best of my knowledge, there have been no studies on hemp oil specifically. There have been studies on compounds from Cannabis that show promise in inhibiting the growth of some cancers (e.g. some hissi tumors, some brain tumors), but it has also induced growth in other cancers (e.g. some lung cancers, some brain cancers). Almost all of these studies have been done in mice or in vitro (test tube), not in human models.

 

We still need to know more about the mechanisms of how it works, appropriate dosages, studies in humans, etc. to make more conclusive recommendations. We don't know if it's more suited as palliative or curative care.

 

"It looks promising" is miles different from "it cures cancer." Cancer is a group of diseases and any time someone says "x cures cancer," it's usually a pretty big red flag.

Actually there have been a lot of studies on hemp oil. Hemp oil derives from hemp seeds and has been used for thousands of years in teas and the like for it's medicinal properties. Hemp is one of the most medicinal plants in the world. It's my personal opinion that pharmaceutical companies and big business are withholding more funding of this potentional cure for personal gain. The current restrictions against hemp were put in place simply for big money to make even more money.

 

Back in 1974 the National Insitute of Health funded a study to try and find evidence that hemp oil damages the immune system. Instead they found in rats that it slowed the growth of lung cancer, brain cancer, and luekmia and prolonged there lives by as much as 36%. The study was quickly shut down by the DEA as well as all further studies. This has happened numerous times since then, which is why it's took researchers so long to get anywhere.

 

Overexpression of the TIMP-1 gene is responsible for cancerous tumors. TIMP-1 has been shown to be stimulated by cannabinoid receptor activation. It's been show to cut tumor growth in lung cancer in half and significantly reduces the ability of the cancer to spread, according to Harvard researchers. A study done in Spain back in 98 announced that they were able to destroy incurable brain cancer tumors in rats by injecting them with THC.

 

Hemp oil can also help decrease anxiety, pain and inflammation in cancer patients. Researchers at the American association of cancer research have done studies stating that THC helps stop the spread of brain cancer in human tumor biopsies. I've yet to find any studies that state it induces growth of any cancer.

 

I personally believe that hemp oil is a legitimate cure for cancer. More studies need to be done of course and more experimentation. It's just hard for me to deny all of this evidence. I've done so much research. I've read so many testimonials about how people were cured of there cancer from hemp oil. I don't doubt that in the slightest.

 

This is one of the big things for me, I think. From what I've heard, it's a pretty arduous process to be able to grow hemp, even if it's just for food/textiles/other. Legalization might make that a little easier, although I'm not 100% sure.

Before the current laws people were growing hemp for thousands of years. Growing the plant is not a difficult process. It's a very versatile plant because it thrives in almost any climate. It grows quickly and naturally and requires little weeding, so I'm unsure why you think it's a difficult. Regardless though, there are so many benefits to hemp. If it were legalized it would do so much to help lessen our reliance on expensive fossil fuels and reduce poluation. Also using hemp for toilet paper would help us to save forests, not to mention that it is of better quality. It can be used for fabric, textiles, rope, and even fuel. It can replace gasoline by using biofuels which produce much less carbon monoxide. If it were legal to grow, it would do so much for the economy and job market. The benefits would be amazing.

 

I'm all for medicinal marijuana, but we don't legalize the recreational use of drugs because something has a specific medical effect.

This brings me back to my original point. Which is that the government should not have a say in whether or not I choose to smoke recreationally. It's an unjust law, IMO.

 

And how many people adhere to legal age limits for tobacco and alcohol?

They don't, you're right. However I'll say again, it is easier for a minor to get there hands on marijuana than it is alcohol. Someone who is underage can't just walk down the street to the liquore store and buy a six pack. However the age of that kid does not matter to most drug dealers as long as they have the cash. Legalizing marijuana would help to keep kids away from drug dealers, IMO.

 

I'd say that using a vaporizer for marijuana might be more comparable to a hookah; marijuana smoke still contains tar, carbon monoxide, cyanide, and other carcinogens. Cigarettes may have more additives, but smoking in itself still causes a plethora of chemical reactions that generate dangerous compounds, it's not because they're added in.

 

We have way more effective treatments for asthma, and marijuana may only be beneficial in the short term (see here, here, here, here.) There are probably studies that don't show adverse effects, but research on marijuana is limiting so I'd venture to guess that it's mostly considered inconclusive.

This is debateable. There have been plenty of studies from Scientific America, American Medical Assosiation, among any others that state regular marijuana use is not harmful on your lungs. There is still a huge debate among the medical community as to which researchers are right. I'm on the fence with whether or not marijuana use has any detrimental effects on the lungs long term. Whatever the case, it is much better on your lungs than cigarettes. There have also been studies showing that marijuana can actually increase lung function. You can find one of them here - http://www.inquisitr...-recent-study/. More research needs to be done on whether it could actually be used to treat asthma. I'm sure there are probably better treatmeants out there for that.

 

These are all very emotional arguments I could very easily see applied to alcohol. I can't even count on my fingers how many times I've heard someone say "I actually drive better after I've had one or two drinks."

 

There many legal (often prescription) medications where driving is not recommended while taking them. Just because something is a medication, it doesn't mean someone excused from driving under the influence.

I completely agree with you here. People should not be driving under the influence of marijuana, period. I don't doubt that some people are better drivers while high (although that's probably a minority). It is just easier to keep this illegal because again, everyone reacts differently. It would be the same way if you were having to take narcotic pain killers. There is a warning on the bottle that tells you not to drive or operate machinery for a reason. It's just better to play it safe.

[anorexorcist]

I brought up the fact that a basic dosage of marijuana has been shown to NOT effect driving skills. In simulators, people who'd injested a dose of THC drove just as well as sober people.

 

And nobody wants to see me drive not under the influence of weed. I'd probably have a panic attack and accidentally kill everyone on the road.

[Alishkah]

I always found it weird how weed makes me go hyper.

All my friends chill while I run around like I've taken speed, haha.

 

Could anyone explain that to me?

[anorexorcist]

You probably just happened to smoke a strain that promotes energy. Sativas tend to do this kind of thing.

 

And trust me, having done speed, the way you feel on weed is nothing like speed.

[Duskitty]

This is one of the big things for me, I think. From what I've heard, it's a pretty arduous process to be able to grow hemp, even if it's just for food/textiles/other. Legalization might make that a little easier, although I'm not 100% sure.

Really now? <_< Hemp grows very quickly and easily. It thrives like a weed and requires little attention, plus it's beneficial to the soil instead of detrimental.

[anorexorcist]

Really now? <_< Hemp grows very quickly and easily. It thrives like a weed and requires little attention, plus it's beneficial to the soil instead of detrimental.

 

Yeah. I think you're thinking marijuana plants that produce smokeable bud. Hemp is different. You don't have to control the climate to grow it.