Hi Shadowatcher, thanks for posting this. I have to say that I agree with this (but not completely), from what little experience I have had smoking it. I do not believe that marajuana is deadly. I once threw up from smoking too much of it at one time (a very powerful bong hit), but I only threw up that one time the entire night, and I was fine the next day. The government, unfortunately, will probably never legalize marajuana (not even for medicinal use) because though they could tax the heck out of it, they'd be losing a lot of money from fines and what not. Plus, people probably wouldn't trust corporations growing it- it isn't even so much that as it is that they wouldn't want to pay for it when they could grow it themselves. The simple fact is, the government could give a damn about how much violence there is in the cities. All they care about is how much money they are making from the established laws. On the other hand, if people become unhappy enough about this, the government will be forced to legalize it because of the simple fact that they exist only because the common people allow them to. Therefore, if you got enough people outraged enough about it, the government would indeed legalize it. Bush has helped us plenty what with Homeland security and all, not to mention the downfall of the economy due to the "terror alert levels." So now's as good a time as any to get a movement going (hint hint, lol).
As with anything, as long as it is used in moderation and not abused, then it's safe.
Shadowcatcher-
Thank you VERY much for posting that! [8D] I have used it before, no doubt, and I am not one to tell people they can't use a "drug" as peaceful as the kindbud! Most people do not realize that it is not that bad, and the damn tv comercials with that guy saying his brother as killed by a person who smoked it is so full of crap. Spread the good word!
-Tenacious[:P]
Actually, Canada is about to legalize Marijauna. Canada is only holding back its legalization because the US is pressuring them. In Canada, you cant be charged unless you have more than 2grams with you. Once, my friend got caught with about 200grams of marijauna in his basement, and the police officer pretended not to notice.
HAHA!!! I wish the cops here were like that. But what can I say? small town, nothing to do...go get some teenaged punk with weed...smoke it if you got it [^]
-Tenacious[:P]
In fact, I have never smoked marijauna myself, being only the tender age of 13, and still living with my parents.
Well you have plenty of time to grow up [:D] My brother smokes it fairly often. When ever I go to his house or to a Phish concert I smoke, so I have only smoke maybe 6 times at most, but I didn't inhale! LOL ok I'm not Mr. Clinton. [;)] But any ways, it is opinions that matter.
oh BTW- I'm 20 and I live with my parents, no better way to get through college!
-Ten.
Yeah, I live in a really preppy town. Youd think that would mean LESS potheads, but the town is really rich, so there are actually tons more! potheads here, because everyone can afford it. Everyone who wants it can have it!
Yeah, heavy use of ANY drug is ill advised. Marijauna is actually LESS dangerous than sugar.
Indeed, an interesting read. ;)
While I've nevr had the chance to smoke pot myself, I don't see what the problem is with it, as long as someone doesn't try to drive a car or anything right after.
And, I'm not sure about this, but I think Marijuana is legal in the US for medical purposes - eg: prescription use.
Also - and I don't know how true this is - but I've heard that any leafy planet, when smoked, can cause cancer if done enough.
Thanx
-Alezunde ;)
smoking splifs can move you on to cigarettes.
Hey,
My brother is a medical student and says that its actually a bit of a myth that dope cant kill. I think it causes fibrilations (irregular flutter) of the heart and can lead to heart attacks, or something, so that the cause of death is misdiagnosed. But I'm sure its not very many people.
Once when I was stoned I blacked out, my whole body went stiff and tense, legs and arms went rigid and thrust out straight, eyes rolled back in my skull, jaw clamped etc. Like a white out but not exactly....pleasant. Oddly I went direct into a low energy dream, and came out of it a couple of minutes later by which point my mate was really worried. But that was when I was going through my excessive period - which was fun, but it screwed me up in some terrible ways and I'm still trying to put myself back together. Though I am a very sensetive person, no doubt this had something to do with it.
But hey, had some of the best times of my life high so......
peace
Rob
This picture is just comedy. Its message is full of crap. On average (my friend[;)])'s grades have increased since he started smoking it. He also has more OBEs and is better at other paranormal stuff. So lets roll up a blunt and blow it in a cops face.
(http://www.geocities.com/devil_worshipper2001/funny/weed.jpg)
Greetings everyone,
The tendency in Europe is to de-criminalise cannabis and its derivatives. It is still technically an offense to be in possession, but there are no serious consequences beyond a warning just to keep in line with the law. It is also being legalised for medicinal purposes.
In Holland it is more or less legal, and people smoke it everywhere, even in public. It can be purchased openly in places called "coffee shops" even though they don't actually sell coffee [:)] In Holland there have been no negative consequences at all.
I am not a user of cannabis or any other mind altering substance, but I do think it is completely absurd that tobacco and alcohol are both sold openly in supermarkets when they are much more dangerous drugs than cannabis, and cost the health services so much while cannabis remains illegal, even criminal.
With best regards,
Adrian.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25964-2003Dec23.html
Oh the gagging hypocrisy! The Cana-bitches are taking the astounding progressive leap to decriminalizing possession of up to 15 grams of weed (with stiff fines for any civil offender). To offset the political outcry, including alarmed blustering from the Bush administration, they propose to jack up the criminal penalties for production and distribution, while the US threatens a border crackdown.
Why the furor? "Marihuana" is not harmless, you see. Its biggest, most obvious health risk is respiratory damage. So we must fight the growing, multibillion dollar Canadian industry of producing much stronger and "more dangerous" varieties. The kind you - uhh - don't have to smoke as much of.
Great. After a month with nothing but moldy-smelling ditch weed, I finally get hold of some really nice nugs, but who can afford them these days? I guess the official gummint position is to keep the quality down, so that any kind of regular use is as damaging as possible to our health.
They should legalize it, but being an ex-pothead, its not good to smoke everyday, it kills any motivation to do anything with your life.
I lived in Alaska most of my life and they are the closest place in the US to have it legalized. We smoke it in public and no one says anything. Its actually legal to have small personal ammounts on you as long as you do it in your house. And growing more then 3 plants is just a misdermeaner.
Alaska has been trying to get it legalized for awhile now.. and they are pretty close.
I smoke weed every day. And being raised in alaska I started at the right bold age of 9 years old.
Im not retarded and I dont have any respiratory problems, although I did have short term memory problems at one point but it is fine now.
I would like to say that smoking weed for the most part is harmless. The only down side is the munchies [:)]
-Aries
quote:
Originally posted by Aries
I lived in Alaska most of my life and they are the closest place in the US to have it legalized. We smoke it in public and no one says anything. Its actually legal to have small personal ammounts on you as long as you do it in your house. And growing more then 3 plants is just a misdermeaner.
Alaska has been trying to get it legalized for awhile now.. and they are pretty close.
I smoke weed every day. And being raised in alaska I started at the right bold age of 9 years old.
Im not retarded and I dont have any respiratory problems, although I did have short term memory problems at one point but it is fine now.
I would like to say that smoking weed for the most part is harmless. The only down side is the munchies [:)]
-Aries
I say thank God for weed (so to speak). I disagree with the "no motivation" comment. At least for me, pot may make me a little lazy sometimes, but it also helps me organize my thoughts, find my real priorities, make decisions and take positive action.
I was trying to explain to my shrink the other day why I value cannabis and don't have any desire to give it up; the amazing way it boosts my creativity, facilitates higher thought processes, gives me access to insights, and aids long-term memory and visualization. I told him that it does more to break through my chronic depression than any of the expensive brain drugs he's tried on me over the years (during most of which time I was "clean and sober"). I might as well have been talking to a brick wall, you know how it is.
One of the anti-drug propaganda commercials really bugs me, where the kid turns in a paper and it's all written in stoner/slacker lingo, and the v/o says "Pot. It doesn't make you think better. It only makes you think you think better."
I test about as well on intelligent tests high as I do straight. I don't doubt that there are studies out there which show otherwise for the general population, but if people don't test as well stoned I don't think it's because they're stupid. It's just hard to concentrate on written problems when your mind is in high gear.
On the contrary, I find that weed can release powerful bursts of creative intelligence. This has not and may never be proven in the current social environment, because (a) such things are very difficult, if not impossible, to quantify and test for, and (b) no funding is available for such research.
As with any drug, cannabis affects everyone differently. I think it has more to do with the chemical balance in your brain and possibly in the rest of your body, i.e. your hormones. Some people may experience more damage to their health than others. I actually did a research paper on cannabis and how it affects our legal system. Most of the sources I found implied or suggested that it should be legalized for the benefit of the public. But once again, it all comes down to money with the government.
When people tell me not to smoke it, it makes me want to do it more, especially when they listen to the stuff on TV and also tell me not to solely because it is illegal. Everyone breaks the law at one point in their lives. It can't be helped if you aren't a rich, white male who is a member of the more extreme republican party. Even then it's probably tough.
I have decided to give up smoking it, because I do not feel like doing it anymore and I also want to get all toxins out of my body. Once I am out of college, I'll probably go straight-edge.
quote:
Originally posted by EnderWiggin
Once I am out of college, I'll probably go straight-edge.
That's what I did and didn't do it again for 20 years. Probably a good idea when you're trying to buckle down and get a career etc. going. Still, looking back, I think it would have done me good to indulge a little from time to time. It would have been a better decision for me if I'd kept the reefer and sworn off alcohol, which is where I'm at today.
quote:
And, I'm not sure about this, but I think Marijuana is legal in the US for medical purposes - eg: prescription use.
An effective, safe, natural form of medicine, LEGAL, in the
US?
Yeah right.
It's legal in a few states.... mine (OK) tried to decrminalize it and it PASSED THE SENATE ... but... the house shot it down..
I'm not sure what that means though... not sure at all.. when I had to go to court for a traffic violation all they seemed to do was fine repeat offenders.... so.. maybe that town is lax... or maybe the state is lax... but supposedly the law dictates that you can go to jail on a first posession offense, yet... I remember looking it up back when I tried to do some and it said first offense was just a fine... so..
I don't know.
My facist parents made me flush it though (long story, involved them spying on my online activities to find out I was doing it....) I would have smoked it outside but I live so close to a police station and conservative neighbors....
So for some reason they got suspicious when they smelled some deodorant around my car (which was in the garage).
The bovine excrement they spouted at me was so close to those damn propoganda pot commercials too... but they at least agreed it was not that bad of a drug and not as bad as cigarettes... which they also forbid me to smoke.
(I'M AN ADULT)
They also didn't believe me when I said I was trying to expand my mind.
Assholes.
Everyone write your senators and reps about decriminalizing pot and legalizing it for medicinal purposes please... I urge you... I'm going to sometime soon... I mean.. I could get a prescription for it if it were legal in my state... I get muscle spasms quite a lot and seemingly chronic muscle pain.
I quoted the original message too a video game forum that i vist. i wish they were more open-minded. oh well
http://forums.gamersmark.com/viewtopic.php?t=2341
singularity I test about as well on intelligent tests high as I do straight.
I used to have 2 yahoo accounts I used for playing chess. One I would only use sober and the other was for intoxication of any kind. They were rated about the same skill. Since I also used alcohol on one account, probably the other thing made me play better than sober. I should have had a separate account for each kind of intoxication.
It's really easy to write the government, pretty much every representative out there has an e-mail address. Flood every single one of them with messages politely asking for immediate cannabis reform. I write a different person a couple of times a month. I don't know if they're even being read, but it makes me feel better at least. I find that smoking everyday is pretty awful after a while, but occasional indulgence is wonderful. Everybody should try it at least once. Ben
I've taken about 5 IQ tests throughout my life, the last one I took I took blown out of my mind and scored 4 points over my normal average. So what does this make me think? It makes me think the government is full of crap and I shouldn't listen to anything they say. AHAHAH Their propoganda backfires!
-Impunity
-Only respect the laws of the universe, most everything else has been corrupted.
I thought this forum pertained to astral chat!
goku22
Dear representative or senator,
I like smoking weed. It makes me smarter. Your government is corrupt and only made it illegal to get money. There is no reason it should be illegal, according to this attached research. Please legalize this wonderful plant.
(fake) Reply:
A lot of people feel strongly about the issue of marijuana, and I must represent them all. I'm sorry, but at this time I do not feel it is beneficial to legalize drugs.
*** writes it while sitting at his desk shooting up and smoking a blunt ***
*** puts an other stack of money in his pocket gained from the drug war ***
I dont think it would help to write them.
quote:
Originally posted by The AlphaOmega
I thought this forum pertained to astral chat!
That's precisely what's going on here. This forum section is for people to talk about any topic they want to, astral or not.
I read a "study" recently that basically states herbal alternatives for cigarettes (tobacco isn't a herb???) still have as much tar in them and are still just as hazardous. It suggests though that smoking cannabis doesn't seem to put as much tar into your lungs as tobacco, and "
there are no reliable long term studies on the health effects of regular use of cannabis", but there are still likely to be problems associated blah blah blah blah.
It's hard to find any kind of objective report on cannibas use that the governmet hasn't censored.
Let's face it, the governments are ticked off because they can't control cannibas production and distribution like they do tobacco. If they legalise it, they risk losing some of the revenue they make off tobacco. They don't care about people's health. There's so much more evidence to show the damage done by regular tobacco and alcohol use. They care about revenue.
Bottom line, grow marijuana, you might get a slap on the wrist. Grow some tobacco and LOOK OUT! So far I'm not convinced of any of the health warnings and dangers the government try to push down our throat about cannibas.
James.
"Bottom line, grow marijuana, you might get a slap on the wrist."
umm... if by slap on the wrist you mean a felony and potential 2 years in jail.
I think one must remember that LEGAL doesnt equal MORAL.
They are two completely seperate things. Religion and govt enjoys slapping the terms together in order to give themselves a connection to divine law and to more easily manipulate people.
I give you 1930-40's Germany where it was LEGAL to do all matter of things to Jews, homosexuals, etc. I think most of us here would agree that throwing jewish babies into ovens is immoral regardless of how many LAWS allow for it.
Likewise ingestion of certain substances is not an issue of morality. It is at the same level of asking oneself if it is immoral to eat pennies, to have that 5th twinkie, etc.
I also wish to point out the alcohol prohibition. was it moral to make it illegal, was it moral to make it legal. Obviously morality doesnt equate legality, and vice versa.
We must also understand that what is good for one is not always good for another. Sugar may be good for someone who needs quick energy, for someone diabetic it could kill them.
I will also point out the need for moderation. A person can die due to too little or too much of anything...even something as basic as oxygen or water.
Xander
But everyones gotta remember that if it does become legal then there are gonna be alot of people abusing it. Yeah it might be alright for certain purposes, but friends of mine had been smoking it at least once a day for a year... not one day did he go without a joint or bong or both.
By the end of that year he was coughing up black excrement, and he always felt down, so used it to pick him self up, it didnt work though.
He even admits now that pot screwed his life up.
It's used alot as a comfort drug, just as chocolate and some others... you end up getting dependant on it. Not many people have the strength to deal with things themselves and turn to an "easy way out".
I've posted before about my mums friend who is so paranoid and skitzo that he wont let anyone in his house besides her, and only invites her over to smoke a joint.
A high percentage (pardon pun) of my mums old friends lives have been screwed by the use of pot. Weither it be from over use of pot or going to other stronger drugs due to being bored with pot... both because of pot.
The only reason many people think pots this mighty saviour is because they havnt seen the effects for themselves... I have, so don't say i don't know what im talking about.
It's not like you can only legalise pot to the responsible people who wont abuse it, so no i don't believe it should be legalised... sorry to go against the crowd... thats just the way i feel.
i will more then likly try it myself, im sure of it. but that doesnt mean i think it should be legal.
I do however think tobacco should be illegalised. Sooo many lives have been ruined by tobacco.
But i guess thats another debate.
-Syke
People abuse alchohol too, about everyone who smokes cigarettes abuses nicotine, however the government doesnt feel the need to treat them like children. Some people will have problems when using pot but dont blame the weed, people need to take accountability for their own actions. We shouldn't be letting people who obviously have no or very little control over themselves ruin it for everyone else. And with an abusive personality type if they're unable to get pot they'll just end up buying liquor, and from what ive seen alchoholics are much worse off than any pothead ive ever met. Just my dollar fifty.
-Impunity
-People never take responsibility for their actions anymore, its always the fault of someone or something else.
All drugs should be legal. If somebody becomes a crack-head and dies from overdose, that is good because it decreases the number of future crackheads because they cant have kids. Dont try to do evolution's job for it.
quote:
Originally posted by beavis
All drugs should be legal. If somebody becomes a crack-head and dies from overdose, that is good because it decreases the number of future crackheads because they cant have kids. Dont try to do evolution's job for it.
agreed... the only problem is if we just all of a sudden legalize drugs we will hit a really big... umm.... period of badness... for lack of better words
all the crackheads are like, dying off, and traffic is that much worse as people do other substances and drive, and inner city crime probably flares up when the dealers have nothing to do anymore, and normal people go rob all the dead crackheads... and well..
this phase wouldn't last horribly long though... what I think should be done is that all natural drugs should be immediately legalized, and DUI should be mandatory jail time, at least a year... and REALLY cracked down on like crazy, all the drug war money goes to keeping people off the streets while high... well that and EDUCATION programs to teach people that drugs are okay and have been used in moderation for thousands of years, and that the key to having a fullfilling life WITH drugs is using them in moderation, etc..
in fact hell, there should be a dug education class you have to attend before you can get a "drug license" and this applies for cigs and booze too...
and the age for substances should either be 18, or 13... 13 is a bit young, but think about it, little Johnny becomes a stupid teenager and gets wasted.. well.. 3 years later with all drugs abundant he's either dead or he's probably learned how to use them responsibly, so when he gets his license he's a responsible user and probably posesses the sense not to drive under the influence...
you know I mean in France kids drink and I don't think they have much drunk driving... it's all becuase of this puritan nonsense, if you make something WRONG and you FORBID kids to do it, they won't only do it, they'll do it a lot more recklessly than they would have done it if they thought it was normal and "right" and socially acceptable.
I mean if the government says "here, burn this pic of W, it's on us... we like letting you protest." you're like..... umm... okay... but if they arrest protestors like crazy (which they are) you'll probably torch SUV's or something?
Meh.. my point is if it isn't "wrong" and "tabboo" and socially unacceptable, you won't go crazy when you do it like you would if you thought you were being a "rebel"
Oh yeah.. the rest of my plan is to gradually phase in all manmade drugs once the naturals settle down and the education programs take effect... but drug penalities on the unnaturals during this time are just fines.
holy reality DUI should be mandatory jail time, at least a year... and REALLY cracked down on like crazy,
in fact hell, there should be a dug education class you have to attend before you can get a "drug license" and this applies for cigs and booze too...
You're almost as bad as the politicians. More beauracracy and rules. Dont do evolution's job for it.
Beavis,
Consider what it might be like to have someone close to killed by a DUI driver. My wife lost her mother and almost her father too.
It's not a matter of beurocracy and rules, and I didn't bring up that point as a guilt trip, it's a matter of common sense and protecting people from those who are unable to control thier behaviour.
James.
James S, it has been proven that people who carry guns in their cars shoot people from their cars more often than unarmed people do. Driving with guns could be outlawed, but then how would guns get to stores then to your house? It saves lives. Its common sense to outlaw guns while driving. </sarcasm>
hahaha this is hillarious, all drugs SHOULD be legal! haha let the crack-headed overdoseing people die off, and our world will be crime-free AND people will evolve into knowing not to abuse, evolve into knowing which drugs NOT to use. ITS the only solution to the problem! legalize drugs, and people will eventually evolve into resisting the things that were tempting when illegal!
i think there is a lot to be said about the topic of drugs. I mean as far as marijuana goes, it should be legalized, cuz like at least 10% of the US population (30 million +) has tried weed. if we can get those 30 million people to protest, then we could work at gettin marijuana legalized. we could have everyone sign a petition and send it to the government. I mean the US would be so different if marijuana was legalized. some people would do better in school (note i said SOME) and like marijuana is better than bein drunk. i mean jus this weekend on friday i drank and saturday i smoked, and after smokin weed on saturday i didnt feel as screwed up as on friday, when i drank a lot. i mean i like both, but marijuana is better for u than alcohol. when i say better i dont mean its a good thing to smoke weed, jus better than alcohol. and bein high is fun for everyone haha. I heard that marlboro already has a patent for weed cigs, so if marijuana is ever legalized in the U.S. it looks like the first thing we can get weed from is marlboro. I also think the age thing aint good for alcohol and smoking. i mean 21 for alcohol, and 18 for cigs. im sure if anybody drinks or smokes they started before they were 18 for smokin and under 21 for drinking. Like the drug companies target teens cuz teens love havin fun, just like i do. It would be cool if everyone could sign a petition just so we could try to legalize marijuana. and i think they should get rid of the cop assholes that think they are cool cuz they are cops. like i live in Hadley and the cops make a HUGE deal about the littlest crimes because hadley is a small town that the town wants money for. I mean the cops are strict and about all of them are assholes. i was watching an episode of Cops, and the cops werent mean to people with weed, they were calm, but in a small town cops will yell at you if u forget ur ID and ask someone that u dont know was a cop to buy cigs just because u dont look 18 even tho u are. if we got rid of the moron cops and moron govt people and left the cool people that dont make a big deal about everything then maybe weed could be legalized.
MAKING DRUGS ILLEGAL DOES NOT DECREASE USEAGE - IT *INCREASES* IT!!!!
History proves this out (eg prohibition of alcohol in US), as do the stats in countries such where it is legal (Switzerland, Holland, etc).
Thus, any and all laws against drug use are not only ineffective, they are damaging to the population. There are NO valid reasons to make drugs illegal.
However, there is a whole stack of reasons for lifting the bans (less money to drug-crime lords (eg CIA....), less dangerous drugs on street, better education on the issue (currently its easy to just reject everything you hear from official sources, as they are full of lies and logic holes), etc).
Rob
There are NO valid reasons to make drugs illegal.
There are reasons, but they are not for our benefit.
Making drugs illegal allows the government to plant drugs (from their evidence room) on you and put you in jail, if they cant find anything better to charge you with.
Many drugs are imported, some from "terrorist" countries we are at war with. USA government wants them to continue to be a "threat", so they need money to build nukes etc (probably government lies) and other theoretical "threats". They need to continue to be a threat, so the USA president can look like a hero when he kicks their asses just before the next election. No possible terrorism, no justification to tread on our rights.
Many cops make a lot of money selling confiscated drugs.
Drugs are one more thing cops can waste time on, more money for the police department.
Aye aye.....Afghanistan - now once again the worlds leading opium/heroin producer (is it 90% comes now from there? - banned by the Taliban).....not the first time such a coincidence has occurred.
personally i think that smoking pot should be in the highschool curriculum and everyone should have at least 3 drags a day!but guys why worry about pot when u can have SCAG!
First off i'd like to say that Beavis you seem to be quite a conspiricy theroist. No offense cuz I agree with alot of what you're saying. as far as seeing the effects of weed that Skye mentioned..I currently live in Albuquerque NM and our govenor tried to leagalize pot and every other drug awhile back....had he only tried it with pot the bill would have passed. Coming from an area where weed is relativly cheap and the cops really don't care much, I know more people than most who have habitually smoked weed their entire lives and they are perfectly well adjusted human beings. I smoke as well and can testify that the parinoid feeling sprout from the fear of being caught and do not last when you are sober. Sure if you smoke to much of it you'll puke or pass out but you wake up fine. if you're worried about the adverse effects of smoking it eat it. Shadowatcher's posted flyer states that the health risks decrease from little to virtually none. the black people cough up? the only time i've ever seen that is when me and my friends quit smoking ciggs. if it makes you feel better about the drug itself I used it to quit drinking and ciggs. it keeps me sane in a f***ed up world. and honestly even if coughing up black stuff happens....I'd rather cope with that the rest of my life than lung cancer or loss of my kidneys or worse.
Reprinted in the public interest without permission from a flyer by the Family Council on Drug Awareness. This flyer is being distributed at public functions such as concerts, school gatherings, trade shows, and craft shows. Any typographic errors, unless noted, are mine. The author of this post has no affiliation with any agency or persons related to this document, and refrains from editorial comment.
"Prohibition... goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded." -- Abraham Lincoln December, 1840
This pamphlet was researched and produced as a public service by the Family Council on Drug Awareness P.O. Box 71093, LA, CA 90071-0093
Additional copies available from:
BACH, PO Box 71093, L.A., CA 90071-0093 35 cents apiece, Ten for $2.00, 100 for $10
1 Q. What is Marijuana?
A. "Marijuana" refers to the dried leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant [1], which contain the non-narcotic chemical THC at various potencies. It is smoked or eaten to produce the feeling of being "high." The different strains of this herb produce different sensual effects, ranging from sedative to stimulant.
2 Q. Who Uses Marijuana?
A. There is no simple profile of a typical marijuana user. It has been used for 1000s of years for medical, social, and religious reasons and for relaxation [2]. Several of our Presidents [3] are believed to have smoked it. One out of every five Americans say they have tried it. And it is still popular among artists, writers, musicians, activists, lawyers, inventors, working people, etc.
3 Q. How Long Have People Been Using Marijuana?
A. Marijuana has been used since ancient times [4]. While field hands and working people have often smoked the raw plant, aristocrats historically prefer hashish [5] made from the cured flowers of the plant. It was not seen as a problem until a calculated disinformation [sic] campaign was launched in the 1930s [6], and the first American laws against using it were passed [7].
4 Q. Is Marijuana Addictive?
A. No, it is not [8]. Most users are moderate consumers who smoke it socially to relax. We now know that 10% of our population have "addictive personalities" and they are neither more nor less likely to overindulge in cannabis than in anything else. On a relative scale, marijuana is less habit forming than either sugar or chocolate but more so than anchovies. Sociologists report a general pattern of marijuana use that peaks in the early adult years, followed by a period of levelling off and then a gradual reduction in use [9].
5 Q. Has Anyone Ever Died From Smoking Marijuana?
A. No; not one single case, not ever. THC is one of the few chemicals for which there is no known toxic amount [10]. The federal agency NIDA says that autopsies reveal that 75 people per year are high on marijuana when they die: this does not mean that marijuana caused or was even a factor in their deaths. The chart below compares the number of deaths attributable to selected substances in a typical year:
Tobacco...............................340,000 - 395,000
Alcohol (excluding crime/accidents).............125,000+
Drug Overdose (prescription)............24,000 - 27,000
Drug Overdose (illegal)...................3,800 - 5,200
Marijuana.............................................0
*Source: U.S. Government Bureau of Mortality Statistics, 1987
6 Q. Does Marijuana Lead to Crime and/or Hard Drugs?
A. No [11]. The only crime most marijuana users commit is that they use marijuana. And, while many people who abuse dangerous drugs also smoke marijuana, the old "stepping stone" theory is now discredited, since virtually all of them started out "using" legal drugs like sugar, coffee, cigarettes, alcohol, etc.
7 Q. Does Marijuana Make People Violent?
A. No. In fact, Federal Bureau of Narcotics director Harry Anslinger once told Congress just the opposite - that it leads to non-violence and pacifism [12]. If he was telling the truth (which he and key federal agencies have not often done regarding marijuana), then re-legalizing marijuana should be considered as one way to curb violence in our cities. The simple fact is that marijuana does not change your basic personality. The government says that over 20 million Americans still smoke it, probably including some of the nicest people you know.
8 Q. How Does Marijuana Affect Your Health?
A. Smoking anything is not healthy, but marijuana is less dangerous than tobacco and people smoke less of it at a time. This health risk can be avoided by eating the plant instead of smoking it [13], or can be reduced by smoking smaller amounts of stronger marijuana. There is no proof that marijuana causes serious health or sexual problems [14] but, like alcohol, its use by children or adolescents is discouraged. Cannabis is a medicinal herb that has hundreds of proven, valuable theraputic uses - from stress reduction to glaucoma to asthma to cancer therapy, etc. [15].
9 Q. What About All Those Scary Statistics and Studies?
A. Most were prepared as scare tactics for the government by Dr. Gabriel Nahas, and were so biased and unscientific that Nahas was fired by the National Institute of Health [16] and finally renounced his own studies as meaningless [17]. For one experiment, he suffocated monkeys for five minutes at a time, using proportionately more smoke than the average user inhales in an entire lifetime [18]. The other studies that claim sensational health risks are also suspect, since they lack controls and produce results which cannot be replicated or independently verified [19].
10 Q. What Can I Do About Marijuana?
A. No independent government panel that has studied marijuana has ever recommended jail for users [20]. Concerned persons should therefore ask their legislators to re-legalize and tax this plant, subject to age limits and regulations similar to those on alcohol and tobacco.
For More Information, Write:
Family Coucil on Drug Awareness P.O. Box 71093, LA CA 90071-0093
FOOTNOTES TO THE TEXT:
1. The same plant, known as hemp, has an estimated 50,000 non-drug commercial uses including paper, textiles, fuels, food and sealants, but these uses are also banned by existing laws. Sources: Encyclopedia Britannica, federal documents and historical records.
2. Coptic Christians, Rhastafarnians [sic], Shintos, Hinus, Buddhists, Sufis, Essenes, Zoroastrians, Bantus, and many other sects have traditions that consider the plant to have religious value.
3. Their personal correspondence and records reveal that U.S. Presidents Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and others smoked hashish, as did Benjamin Franklin and Mary Todd Lincoln. President John F. Kennedy is also reported to have smoked marijuana to relieve his back pain. Many of America's greatest leaders and Founding Fathers (including George Washington) were hemp farmers. Sources: National Archives, published reports.
4. Archeologists report that cannabis was possibly the first plant cultivated by humans - about 8000 B.C. - and was used for linen, paper, and garments. Source: Columbia University, _History of the World_. It was being smoked in China and India as early as 2700 B.C.
5. Turkish smoking parlors were popular in both Europe and America. as well as the Middle and Far East, as recently as the turn of the Century.
6. The exhaustive Indian Hemp "Raj" Commission report (1986) by British authorities found no reason to restrict its use. But the notorious yellow journalist William Randolph Hearst fabricated and published horror stories about marijuana that were eventually investigated and shown to be lies, but not until long after the marijuana prohibition was enacted in 1938. Source: Larry Sloman, _Reefer Madness_.
7. Laws against marijuana were passed a year after the invention of a machine to harvest and process hemp so it could compete commercially against businesses owned by Hearst, the DuPonts and other powerful families. Source: Jack Herer, _The Emporor Wears No Clothes_.
8. Marijuana does not lead to physical dependency. Costa Rican Study, 1980; Jamaican Study, 1975; Nixon Blue Ribbon Report, 1972, et. al.
9. Source: Psychology Today, Newsweek, et.al.
10. Source: All univerity medical studies: UCLA, Harvard, Temple, etc.
11. Costa Rican Study, 1980; Jamaican Study, 1975; "The legal drugs for adults, such as alcohol and tobacco...precede the use of all illicit drugs." Source: National Academy of Sciences.
12. The FBI reports that 65-75% of criminal violence is alcohol related. "Pacifist syndrome" testimony was given by Federal Bureau of Narcotics Director Harry Anslinger before Congress (1948). However, the "Siler" Study conducted by the U.S in Panama (1931) reported "no impairment" in military personnel who smoked marijuana while off duty.
13. "The only clinically significant medical problem is that scientifically linked to marijuana is bronchitis. Like smoking tobacco, the treatment is the same: stop smoking." Source: Dr. Fred Oerther, M.D.
14. Coptic study (UCLA), 1981; "There is not yet any conclusive evidence as to whether prolonged use of marijuana causes permanent changes in the nervous system or sustained impairment of brain function and behavior in human beings." Source: National Academy of Sciences.
15. Source: Dr. Tod Mikuriya, _Marijuana Medical Papers_. Marijuana could replace at least 10-20% of prescribed drugs now in use. Source: Dr. Raphael Mechoulam. Marijuana was a major active ingredient in 40-50% of patent medicines before its ban.
16. 1976
17. 1983
18. The U.S. Government reports that the oral dose of cannabis required to kill a mouse is about 40,000 times the dose required to produce symptoms of intoxication in man. Source: Lowe, _Journal of Pharmacological and Experimental Therapeutics_, Oct. 1946.
19. In another famous study, Heath/Tulane (1974), wild monkeys were brutally captured, then virtually suffocated in marijuana smoke over a period of 90 days. Source: National Institute of Health.
20. Examples: the "LaGuardia" Committee Report (New York, 1944) and President Richard Nixon's Blue Ribbon "Shafer" Commission (1972).
From Totse.com