Marijuana is by far the safest recreational drug, study finds

[cbrunny]

Not too bad, they now have a reality TV show...

lol they also have a multi-billion dollar illegal drug trade.

 

[cbrunny]

Maybe everyone else is fooling themselves the rat race is worth running and that there is a big hunk of cheese waiting for you at the end if you are a good boy, work hard and follow the rules.

Statements like this make me wonder what its like to just not give a shit about anything and do whatever the fuck I want. I'm not saying you do that, or that you do anything near that. But what many consider a rat race, many others just consider living and are pretty happy about it.

slight derail, so probably just ignore.

 

[TechBoyJK]

I would say it's probably the safest too, but it still causes cancer and, for most people, kills any high level drive and/or purpose in life. Most weed users I know are just fooling themselves with it.

Does marijuana cause measles or polio? No?

It doesn't cause cancer either.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Most weed users I know are just fooling themselves with it.

You probably aren't aware of half the weed users you know.

 

[shira]

MJ won't kill you immediately, sure, but the smoke itself isn't good for lungs. There haven't been a lot of large, definitive studies but common sense would tell you that we weren't evolved to breathe in smoke. http://adai.uw.edu/marijuana/factsheets/respiratoryeffects.htm

I am in no way defending tobacco or alcohol. I'm just saying MJ isn't risk-free, that's all.

One word: vapes

 

[poofyhairguy]

Statements like this make me wonder what its like to just not give a shit about anything and do whatever the fuck I want.

But what many consider a rat race, many others just consider living and are pretty happy about it.

From your posts you are obviously a skilled and educated person. That means you are probably competitive in the global sphere, at least somewhat, which also means that by playing the game you can have a MUCH higher standard of living than you would have otherwise.

Consider for a moment that you weren't so competitive or skilled. Imagine that you barely have a high school education, so with the destruction of most unionized factory jobs in America you are facing a lifetime of working hard just to BARELY do better than you can do just living off of charity and welfare. Suddenly the victory of apathy over self-worth (the ONLY thing worth doing it for) that comes from lighting up a joint looks tempting.

There simply aren't enough good jobs for everyone in a globalized economy. Some people in this country are economic losers, a drain, no matter what they do. Maybe its a little Machiavellian but I prefer those people be high and content on some minimal living standard rather than rioting for a better life (which just destroys the values of those who CAN contribute).

Eventually our leaders will see pot is truly the opiate of the masses, the way to get one generation to accept a lower standard of living than their parents got. Then not only will it be legalized, but it will have ads during the Superbowl.

 

[cbrunny]

Eventually our leaders will see pot is truly the opiate of the masses, the way to get one generation to accept a lower standard of living than their parents got. Then not only will it be legalized, but it will have ads during the Superbowl.

I would watch that!

 

[poofyhairguy]

Me too cbrunny, me too.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

you guys and your dope..always bending over backwards to fool your selves about fooling your selves.

http://www.schizophrenia.com/prevention/cannabis.marijuana.schizophrenia.html


Researchers in New Zealand found that those who used cannabis by the age of 15 were more than three times (300%) more likely to develop illnesses such as schizophrenia. Other research has backed this up, showing that cannabis use increases the risk of psychosis by up to 700% for heavy users, and that the risk increases in proportion to the amount of cannabis used (smoked or consumed). Additionally, the younger a person smokes/uses cannabis, the higher the risk for schizophrenia, and the worse the schizophrenia is when the person does develop it. Research by psychiatrists in inner-city areas speak of cannabis being a factor in up to 80 percent of schizophrenia cases.


* Cannabis impacts on neurotransmitters that regulate how arousal and stress are managed in the brain. Cannabis takes a long time to metabolise, and can quickly build up to high levels in the body. Once you get to this point, there is a real risk of depression or schizophrenia being triggered.

* A Swedish study of 50,000 military conscripts found heavy use of cannabis increased the risk of suicide by four times (400%). A Victorian study of 2332 adolescents found weekly use increased the risk of suicide attempts among females by five times. Weekly use as a teenager doubled the risk of depression and anxiety. Daily use at the age of 20 boosted the risk of depression and anxiety by five times (500%).

Correlation =/= causation. In any case MJ is demonstrably far safer than alcohol, much less cocaine, heroin, meth or pretty much any other recreational drug.

 

[Jhhnn]

Universal prohibition gave authoritarians a blank screen on which they could project images of doom & degeneracy. That's gone with legalization & their whole rationale along with it. Their need to feed the prison industrial complex remains, however. They're having trouble finding additional sources of fodder, apparently, and that worries them. A lot of people depend on it- cops, guards, prosecutors, lawyers, parole & probation officers, drug testing outfits & most of all bloviating right wing politicians who need imaginary "issues" in avoidance of real ones.

 

[Genx87]

Statements like this make me wonder what its like to just not give a shit about anything and do whatever the fuck I want. I'm not saying you do that, or that you do anything near that. But what many consider a rat race, many others just consider living and are pretty happy about it.

slight derail, so probably just ignore.

You are free to do whatever the fuck you want. Just don't tell others what the fuck to do.

 

[umbrella39]

you guys and your dope..always bending over backwards to fool your selves about fooling your selves.

http://www.schizophrenia.com/prevention/cannabis.marijuana.schizophrenia.html


Researchers in New Zealand found that those who used cannabis by the age of 15 were more than three times (300%) more likely to develop illnesses such as schizophrenia. Other research has backed this up, showing that cannabis use increases the risk of psychosis by up to 700% for heavy users, and that the risk increases in proportion to the amount of cannabis used (smoked or consumed). Additionally, the younger a person smokes/uses cannabis, the higher the risk for schizophrenia, and the worse the schizophrenia is when the person does develop it. Research by psychiatrists in inner-city areas speak of cannabis being a factor in up to 80 percent of schizophrenia cases.


* Cannabis impacts on neurotransmitters that regulate how arousal and stress are managed in the brain. Cannabis takes a long time to metabolise, and can quickly build up to high levels in the body. Once you get to this point, there is a real risk of depression or schizophrenia being triggered.

* A Swedish study of 50,000 military conscripts found heavy use of cannabis increased the risk of suicide by four times (400%). A Victorian study of 2332 adolescents found weekly use increased the risk of suicide attempts among females by five times. Weekly use as a teenager doubled the risk of depression and anxiety. Daily use at the age of 20 boosted the risk of depression and anxiety by five times (500%).

So then what's your excuse for your profound stupidity and paranoia?

 

[Jhhnn]

From your posts you are obviously a skilled and educated person. That means you are probably competitive in the global sphere, at least somewhat, which also means that by playing the game you can have a MUCH higher standard of living than you would have otherwise.

Consider for a moment that you weren't so competitive or skilled. Imagine that you barely have a high school education, so with the destruction of most unionized factory jobs in America you are facing a lifetime of working hard just to BARELY do better than you can do just living off of charity and welfare. Suddenly the victory of apathy over self-worth (the ONLY thing worth doing it for) that comes from lighting up a joint looks tempting.

Yay! False attribution of stereotypical stoner "apathy"!

There simply aren't enough good jobs for everyone in a globalized economy. Some people in this country are economic losers, a drain, no matter what they do. Maybe its a little Machiavellian but I prefer those people be high and content on some minimal living standard rather than rioting for a better life (which just destroys the values of those who CAN contribute).

If you changed "CAN" to "allowed to" contribute, you'd be a lot closer to the truth. Low wages at menial jobs aren't just for dummies. Not anymore. Opportunity is distributed on the basis of luck, dating back to birth & beyond. There's not much luck going around, other than at the tippy top of the economic foodchain. They play Monopoly with the lives of millions.

Eventually our leaders will see pot is truly the opiate of the masses, the way to get one generation to accept a lower standard of living than their parents got. Then not only will it be legalized, but it will have ads during the Superbowl.

Alcohol serves that purpose better by actually making people stupider. Cannabis merely shifts perception & consciousness w/o necessarily diminishing it at all.

That's a serious issue for propagandists, particularly those on the right fringe. Get high & watch Hannity, O'Reilly or any other puffed up right wing pundit/ politician to figure out how full of shit they really are. Their usual message is formulated for a certain dialed in & highly predictable headset that you won't be wearing.

Beyond that, you clearly believe things about cannabis users in general that really aren't true. I'm sure you'd be surprised at the clientele in the tonier shops in LoDo Denver.

 

[Vic]

Most people know it is a safe substance. The laws today aren't about public safety. They're about warrants, seizures of property, keeping budgets in police departments, lobbyists, and keeping extra power over citizens.

This.

 

[DrDoug]

I would watch that!

I'd like it if they added timeouts to the game for bowl breaks before a concerted push for the goal. Watch some coach get canned for 'performance enhancements' because they put a bag of Doritos next to the goal post. They would be busted when both teams head for the goal because MUNCHIES!

Of course his team would forget to bring the ball with them.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Yay! False attribution of stereotypical stoner "apathy"!

Are you denying that pot is connected to apathy? Because they kinda go hand in hand, especially if people are blowing indicas all day.

If you changed "CAN" to "allowed to" contribute, you'd be a lot closer to the truth. Low wages at menial jobs aren't just for dummies. Not anymore. Opportunity is distributed on the basis of luck, dating back to birth & beyond. There's not much luck going around, other than at the tippy top of the economic foodchain. They play Monopoly with the lives of millions.

Well no matter how prosperity is distributed the fact is there isn't enough to go around. I wish people would mentally accept that and agree on some sort of minimum income to prevent rioting (and the corresponding loss of shareholder value), but this is America we are going to do it the hard way dammit.

Alcohol serves that purpose better by actually making people stupider. Cannabis merely shifts perception & consciousness w/o necessarily diminishing it at all.

Alcohol makes people dangerous and non functional. Someone stoned as shit can still take an order at McDonalds, or put my fries in a bag. I know, back in college I was that stoned McDonald's employee.

That's a serious issue for propagandists, particularly those on the right fringe. Get high & watch Hannity, O'Reilly or any other puffed up right wing pundit/ politician to figure out how full of shit they really are. Their usual message is formulated for a certain dialed in & highly predictable headset that you won't be wearing.

Their message is dialed in for geriatrics on a platform that is dying. The puppet show is theater, the real want of those in charge is a less engaged populace. Weed is a way to that, most political potheads I know mostly are political because their drug of choice is banned.

 

[Jhhnn]

Are you denying that pot is connected to apathy? Because they kinda go hand in hand, especially if people are blowing indicas all day.

Confusion of cause & effect. Apathetic people smoke pot, right along with everybody else.

Well no matter how prosperity is distributed the fact is there isn't enough to go around. I wish people would mentally accept that and agree on some sort of minimum income to prevent rioting (and the corresponding loss of shareholder value), but this is America we are going to do it the hard way dammit.

Prosperity seemed to be spread around a lot better prior to the top down class warfare waged for the last 35 years or so. Of course we'll do it the hard way. Fox News & the Job Creators! aren't skeered. They can point the most dangerous elements in the wrong direction. Don't tear down the towers of power & privilege- tear down the government of the People.

Alcohol makes people dangerous and non functional. Someone stoned as shit can still take an order at McDonalds, or put my fries in a bag. I know, back in college I was that stoned McDonald's employee.

So, you weren't too apathetic to be in college, I take it, or to finish.

Their message is dialed in for geriatrics on a platform that is dying. The puppet show is theater, the real want of those in charge is a less engaged populace. Weed is a way to that, most political potheads I know mostly are political because their drug of choice is banned. That got me pretty deep into the Libertarian Party back in 2004.

Repubs are also dialed in on people a lot younger than I- witness this forum. I'm 65. The usual foamers are considerably younger.

I wouldn't be. Heck I bet I have more experience with the drug than you do.

Maybe if you got high prior to 1967.

 

[rudeguy]

This is one issue I think the Republican morons are 100% going against what their values are supposed to be. There is absolutely no reason for pot to be a crime. It's a waste of money, it ruins lives and is based on fear mongering.

Let the pot heads smoke. Who cares?

 

[Jhhnn]

This is one issue I think the Republican morons are 100% going against what their values are supposed to be. There is absolutely no reason for pot to be a crime. It's a waste of money, it ruins lives and is based on fear mongering.

Let the pot heads smoke. Who cares?

Thanks for that. More important than "Who cares?" is "What difference does it really make?"

State level legalization lets us find out what really happens at a societal level. So far, predictions of doom, degeneracy & reefer madness have not materialized. For an event that's been happening under scrutiny vast and intense, the naysayers have been reduced to grumbling. If they had the evidence they need, they'd be screaming "I told you so!" from the rooftops. Denver isn't much different than it ever was & the metrics seem to bear that out.

It's not perfect- it's just a little bit different & actually better for anybody who doesn't need that authoritarian axe to grind. It's easier on everybody, including the cops & the courts. It's just better public policy.

And you're right about the Party of freedom, liberty & personal responsibility letting their authoritarian petticoats show. When Obama framed it in terms of states' rights, it had to be an "Oh Shit! Not that!" moment for the lot of them.

 

[rudeguy]

Thanks for that. More important than "Who cares?" is "What difference does it really make?"

State level legalization lets us find out what really happens at a societal level. So far, predictions of doom, degeneracy & reefer madness have not materialized. For an event that's been happening under scrutiny vast and intense, the naysayers have been reduced to grumbling. If they had the evidence they need, they'd be screaming "I told you so!" from the rooftops. Denver isn't much different than it ever was & the metrics seem to bear that out.

It's not perfect- it's just a little bit different & actually better for anybody who doesn't need that authoritarian axe to grind. It's easier on everybody, including the cops & the courts. It's just better public policy.

And you're right about the Party of freedom, liberty & personal responsibility letting their authoritarian petticoats show. When Obama framed it in terms of states' rights, it had to be an "Oh Shit! Not that!" moment for the lot of them.

Yep. I've heard some stupid excuses come out of Republican mouths.

In my eyes, smoking weed is about as much of a crime as eating junk food. No its not good for you but that is none of the government's business. I don't smoke the stuff but it boggles my mind that we spend billions of dollars trying to stop it.

Plus if we didn't have to import the stuff from Mexico, the cartels would take a huge hit. Save millions (billions?) per year, hurt the cartels, increase tax revenue, keep people out of jail, create business opportunities and trade what? Let college kids and pot heads smoke up.

Do it.

 

[Ventanni]

There is no link between marijuana and cancer that I know of, can you post something that shows there is? I know many successful people who smoke. Like anything, the trick is to use to compliment life, don't live life just to smoke. The same can be said about many things, from certain foods to alcohol to even some healthy habits.


I don't get why people want to live in a nanny state where the government is that involved that they tell you which substances that harm your body are ok and which ones are not even if less harmful.

American Lung Society - "Tobacco vs. Marijuana

Like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke contains cancer-causing chemicals. There are 33 cancer-causing chemicals contained in marijuana. Marijuana smoke also deposits tar into the lungs. In fact, when equal amounts of marijuana and tobacco are smoked, marijuana deposits four times as much tar into the lungs. This is because marijuana joints are un-filtered and often more deeply inhaled than cigarettes."

Source - http://www.lung.org/associations/states/colorado/tobacco/marijuana.html

Now with that said, the American Lung Society is a voluntary organization, so let's compare those findings to another source.

From a USAToday article:

"Q. Does marijuana cause cancer?
A. Although some studies have linked heavy marijuana smoking to lung cancer, the link isn't totally clear. But marijuana is associated with a variety of lung problems, including inflammation of the airways, symptoms of chronic bronchitis and an increased risk of pneumonia and respiratory infections, according to the New England Journal review."

Okay, so the link isn't totally clear, but it still shown to cause other lung ailments.

Source - http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/07/27/risks-of-marijuana/10386699/

But USAToday is a newspaper. Let's again check more sources.

This article suggests that it does, found on http://lungcancer.about.com/od/causesoflungcance1/f/marijuana.htm . So what are they stating basically? That while some studies suggest that it doesn't, many suggests that it does. Not only are many of the same chemicals found in tobacco smoke also found in marijuana smoke, but we do know for sure that marijuana smoke does inflame the cells of lungs. If some studies show that it does increase the risk of lung cancer, that's because it probably does. Maybe not to the same level as tobacco, but it's still many of the same chemicals, so expect similar results. The difference, of course, is that people who smoke tobacco are puffing down a pack a day, whereas marijuana might be one joint a day, or every other day, or whatever. It also increases the risk of getting into a car accident (not as much as alcohol, but it does), and with all the hooligans driving around with their cell phones in their face, that's the last thing we need.

Am I arguing that marijuana has many medical benefits for terminally ill situations? Absolutely not, because there are many benefits to it. But am I arguing that marijuana use has other cognitive effects that, as a manager who leads people, I pick up on? You betcha. Now if you want to do it, go ahead, that's your choice. But don't think you're fooling anyone with it. Don't think it doesn't have an impact on your drive. And certainly don't think you're "protecting" your lungs from cancer, because you're not.

It's a drug that contains carcinogens. It makes you feel reeeaaalllllyyy good. You can smoke it, directly exposing it to your lungs and delivering those chemicals to your brain. What more do you want me to say?

 

[disappoint]

Correlation =/= causation. In any case MJ is demonstrably far safer than alcohol, much less cocaine, heroin, meth or pretty much any other recreational drug.

LOL And chopping your arm off with a chainsaw is demonstrably far safer than two 44 magnum rounds to the dome. Therefore go ahead and chop your kid's arms off with a chainsaw, right?

So if you have kids are you going to tell them smoking MJ is fine?

Having said that, people have been gobbling poison to "feel better" temporarily in so many different ways for so long, you'd be mistaken if you thought I gave a shit anymore. You can do and/or say whatever you want I just didn't want to see you logic fail while doing so.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

LOL And chopping your arm off with a chainsaw is demonstrably far safer than two 44 magnum rounds to the dome. Therefore go ahead and chop your kid's arms off with a chainsaw, right?

So if you have kids are you going to tell them smoking MJ is fine?

Having said that, people have been gobbling poison to "feel better" temporarily in so many different ways for so long, you'd be mistaken if you thought I gave a shit anymore. You can do and/or say whatever you want I just didn't want to see you logic fail while doing so.

This is an imbecilic, hysterical analogy.

I would not want my kids using any recreational drugs before adulthood, and I would discourage it even then. That being said, MJ is comparatively benign and only a fool would call its use "gobbling poison."

 

[Jhhnn]

American Lung Society - "Tobacco vs. Marijuana

Like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke contains cancer-causing chemicals. There are 33 cancer-causing chemicals contained in marijuana. Marijuana smoke also deposits tar into the lungs. In fact, when equal amounts of marijuana and tobacco are smoked, marijuana deposits four times as much tar into the lungs. This is because marijuana joints are un-filtered and often more deeply inhaled than cigarettes."

Source - http://www.lung.org/associations/states/colorado/tobacco/marijuana.html

Now with that said, the American Lung Society is a voluntary organization, so let's compare those findings to another source.

From a USAToday article:

"Q. Does marijuana cause cancer?
A. Although some studies have linked heavy marijuana smoking to lung cancer, the link isn't totally clear. But marijuana is associated with a variety of lung problems, including inflammation of the airways, symptoms of chronic bronchitis and an increased risk of pneumonia and respiratory infections, according to the New England Journal review."

Okay, so the link isn't totally clear, but it still shown to cause other lung ailments.

Source - http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/07/27/risks-of-marijuana/10386699/

But USAToday is a newspaper. Let's again check more sources.

This article suggests that it does, found on http://lungcancer.about.com/od/causesoflungcance1/f/marijuana.htm . So what are they stating basically? That while some studies suggest that it doesn't, many suggests that it does. Not only are many of the same chemicals found in tobacco smoke also found in marijuana smoke, but we do know for sure that marijuana smoke does inflame the cells of lungs. If some studies show that it does increase the risk of lung cancer, that's because it probably does. Maybe not to the same level as tobacco, but it's still many of the same chemicals, so expect similar results. The difference, of course, is that people who smoke tobacco are puffing down a pack a day, whereas marijuana might be one joint a day, or every other day, or whatever. It also increases the risk of getting into a car accident (not as much as alcohol, but it does), and with all the hooligans driving around with their cell phones in their face, that's the last thing we need.

Am I arguing that marijuana has many medical benefits for terminally ill situations? Absolutely not, because there are many benefits to it. But am I arguing that marijuana use has other cognitive effects that, as a manager who leads people, I pick up on? You betcha. Now if you want to do it, go ahead, that's your choice. But don't think you're fooling anyone with it. Don't think it doesn't have an impact on your drive. And certainly don't think you're "protecting" your lungs from cancer, because you're not.

It's a drug that contains carcinogens. It makes you feel reeeaaalllllyyy good. You can smoke it, directly exposing it to your lungs and delivering those chemicals to your brain. What more do you want me to say?

I want you to say something truly intelligent, like "Cannabis is easily the least harmful widely used psychoactive drug known to man."

Human beings have sought out & used psychoactive substances since before the dawn of history. We always will, too. It's part of who we are as a species, part of what makes us unique. Humans enjoy states of intoxication. In that, sane policy makers should really let the least harmful among them be a preferred choice, don't you think?

 

[Jhhnn]

This is an imbecilic, hysterical analogy.

I would not want my kids using any recreational drugs before adulthood, and I would discourage it even then. That being said, MJ is comparatively benign and only a fool would call its use "gobbling poison."

You're too kind.

Think of the children!? I def do. I think of a lot fewer young people getting busted, generally the worst outcome for any cannabis user. I also see telling the truth about cannabis as lending greater credibility to other anti drug messages, too. Lying about cannabis kills the credibility entirely.