Study Suggests 'Pothead' Stereotype Might Be Real

[OCGuy]

Can anyone find us a stereotype that came from thin air? All stereotypes that I know of are based off of reality.....the problem is applying a stereotype to a group as a whole.

 

[Pray To Jesus]

Can anyone find us a stereotype that came from thin air? All stereotypes that I know of are based off of reality.....the problem is applying a stereotype to a group as a whole.

A public message from Captain Obvious.

 

[OCGuy]

A message from Captain Obvious

Are you one of those stereotypical drones that fell for the "I'm pregnant from screwing the neighbor while he was at work, but let me see just how dumb he is" story?

 

[yhelothar]

I'm not mistaken. You said it's on the person making claims about research to back that up.

My point was that when the research is common frickin knowledge, you don't need to back that up.

If you come in and say 'SHOW ME THE RESEARCH THAT THE PLANET IS ROUND' I don't feel inclined to prove that the earth is round to you.

Just like it's unreasonable these days for someone to have to dig up 'research' saying that marijuana does have medical benefits. If you don't know marijuana has medical value by now, you don't really belong in this debate.

Dude you clearly stopped reading after the third word. Please at least read to the end of the second sentence. I'm totally on your side on the medical benefits.

No, you are mistaken what is being argued here. The topic of debate is the prevalence of social, mental, motivational issues that stem from chronic usage, not whether if pot has medical benefits like what another user was arguing. Hans was sharing anecdotes about chronic users that didn't have any of those issues. The medical data definitely goes against this, however it consists primarily of correlational studies. However, Hans asserts himself with authority on the basis that he's done lots of research. I kindly asked him to cite some of his research.

Furthermore I need to clarify with you that arguing about the risks of pot usage doesn't make one an anti-pot person. Don't make that mistake. It only educates one to what responsible usage is.

 

[yhelothar]

Yes, adequate research is obviously found from sound bites and Youtube, and that is how I got my way through my B.S. and M.S. quite successfully 🙄. Why would you assume something like that?

But, since you're apparently too lazy to do your own research (Maybe you don't know how to best utilize Google or other search tools online? I was saying you could do a quick search and find plenty of results...in simpler terms, it's not hard to find studies on marijuana, and I shouldn't have to do it for you.), let me spoon feed you an interesting study:

http://www.jci.org/articles/view/25509

"We show that 1 month after chronic HU210 (a synthetic cannabinoid) treatment, rats display increased newborn neurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus and significantly reduced measures of anxiety- and depression-like behavior. Thus, cannabinoids appear to be the only illicit drug whose capacity to produce increased hippocampal newborn neurons is positively correlated with its anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects."

And as I mentioned earlier, one really easy way to get quick info and links to studies on marijuana is through Wikipedia. I know most folks don't really need to read full studies like this to get the information they want. That + custom Google searches will get you all the info you need to verify or discredit what I've said.



This actually has a lot of truth to it, but those that are too close-minded to see outside of social boxes don't necessarily understand this.

My apologies with the youtube/soundbite comment. I was apparently feeling cranky while writing that response. You do seem to have put a lot of thought and research into this. Your analysis of risks with adolescent usage does mirror much of the research. It just annoys me when people try to make claims using anecdotes. I don't think it's a good practice to look for trends in anecdotes due to a simple bias we have called confirmation bias where we pay more attention to information that supports our preconceived notions and ignore ones that don't.

However for someone with a BS/MS that boasts about having done significant research, I would expect you to know better about citing your sources. I don't think you got through the BS/MS telling your professors to stop being lazy and google for the sources himself. And that's for a good reason, so that they know exactly what you are referencing to know how you came up with your conclusions.

Alas, I did some googling and I was unable to find any longitudinal studies that involved chronic pot usage with adults. However there were a number of studies that show correlational deficits including verbal learning deficiencies, associative learning, attention, and alertness.

There's a good section on this in this review journal.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24234874

I dug deeper into some sources that determined these deficits in order to determine the risk for adults rather than adolescents. For the two that I looked into, while they did sample from adults (mean age=28 and 23), they did not discern whether if their samples began smoking in adolescence or not.

 

[yhelothar]

His work is actually very fascinating. I've tried some of his compounds as well, though admittedly a small sampling and not the more dangerous ones.

Weird that you're aware of this book but question so much about marijuana studies.

I'm also familiar with the synthetic cannabinoid mentioned in the study linked in my post above. Interesting compounds and provide a shift in perspective relative to natural cannabinoids, but you can't beat a good blend of natural cannabinoids from a good marijuana strain.

Would you say Shulgin's subjective experiences with and reports on compounds are not scientific? I think it is within that context, and that's how I've gone about many of my chemical experiences.

Yup, Shulgin is a true pioneer in the field. The way he explores psychedelics by creating analogs of serotonin and dopamine that binds to varying combinations of receptor subtypes is incredibly fascinating.

I don't understand why there would be a contradiction between my awareness of this book and my questioning of marijuana studies. Both contribute to my desire to learn more about drugs. I have an obsession with drugs as a grad student working in a neuropharmacology lab that does detailed mechanistic synaptic and neuronal modeling to understand the large scale molecular interactions modulated by drugs in the aim to discover better drugs with less side effects. But this means I'm equally interested in assessing the risks of the drugs as I am with the benefits.

 

[hans030390]

deleted

 

[organicfarmmom]

I'm anti-marijuana because it completely destroyed my family of 30 years... only a few years ago. My ex got on it several years ago while we were married....he then for the first time became very violent,... physically abusive, and... verbally abusive with the kids and I, ..he also didn't want to work anymore, he got sloppy with hiding things... and the list is long about the negative changes that took place in our home when he got on pot...all I can say is live with an addict and you'll become anti-marijuana. ...it's nothing like the news portrays the drug to be (peaceful 🙁)

there are other websites I've run across on line where people are saying the same thing, that happened in my home...read about negatives effects on Prezi and more

 

[destrekor]

I'm anti-marijuana because it completely destroyed my family of 30 years... only a few years ago. My ex got on it several years ago while we were married....he then for the first time became very violent,... physically abusive, and... verbally abusive with the kids and I, ..he also didn't want to work anymore, he got sloppy with hiding things... and the list is long about the negative changes that took place in our home when he got on pot...all I can say is live with an addict and you'll become anti-marijuana. ...it's nothing like the news portrays the drug to be (peaceful 🙁)

there are other websites I've run across on line where people are saying the same thing, that happened in my home...read about negatives effects on Prezi and more

Live with an addict and what you SHOULD become is anti-addict.

It's the person, not the marijuana. Those who fall into the drug trap were going to fall apart at some point in their lives the moment they touched anything that made them feel good.

 

[BudAshes]

I'm anti-marijuana because it completely destroyed my family of 30 years... only a few years ago. My ex got on it several years ago while we were married....he then for the first time became very violent,... physically abusive, and... verbally abusive with the kids and I, ..he also didn't want to work anymore, he got sloppy with hiding things... and the list is long about the negative changes that took place in our home when he got on pot...all I can say is live with an addict and you'll become anti-marijuana. ...it's nothing like the news portrays the drug to be (peaceful 🙁)

there are other websites I've run across on line where people are saying the same thing, that happened in my home...read about negatives effects on Prezi and more

Seriously, anti-pot propaganda? Are you trying to make the pot-heads paranoid or what?

 

[BudAshes]

New update on why pot rules. My mom's best friend has a son who has been out of work for years because he has constant seizures. He's been going to Stanford to get tested and they have basically said that they don't know what's wrong, but that he is going to have permanent damage and then die if the seizures continue. Their only solution is to remove the hemisphere of the brain where the seizures are located! 2 weeks ago he started taking a CBD concentrate that a friend located a source for and his seizures have decreased by 90%. In 2 weeks! I hope, hope hope this works long term as he has 2 kids and it's a truly tragic situation.

Pot is evil though.

 

[destrekor]

New update on why pot rules. My mom's best friend has a son who has been out of work for years because he has constant seizures. He's been going to Stanford to get tested and they have basically said that they don't know what's wrong, but that he is going to have permanent damage and then die if the seizures continue. Their only solution is to remove the hemisphere of the brain where the seizures are located! 2 weeks ago he started taking a CBD concentrate that a friend located a source for and his seizures have decreased by 90%. In 2 weeks! I hope, hope hope this works long term as he has 2 kids and it's a truly tragic situation.

Pot is evil though.

Regarding the bold: they're still doing that?! Holy hell that's just wrong. Throw the kitchen sink at it before even thinking of that solution, that's the very last thing any doctor should even remotely consider as a potential treatment.

Sure, it's difficult as all hell to objectively and thoroughly study illicit drugs for therapeutic use, but so much HAS been done already, it should be a crime to suggest removing large sections of the brain before trying some of the better illicit chemicals out there.
Marijuana (as a combination of different chemicals, not pure THC, CBD, CBN, CBG, etc), psilocybin ('shrooms), DMT, mescaline (peyote), have all been demonstrated to significantly improve mental health, which typically involves at least some physiological/neurological improvement (cellular, structural, tissue, neurotransmitter production/uptake/relative ratios improvements).
If medical research institutions could have better access and have the legal battles completely removed from the picture, so many rewards to our long-term health as a species will most likely come out of said research. Even if those direct chemicals are not specifically utilized, some similar chemical structures not yet considered could be discovered and put to use, but likely only after thoroughly studying the natural sources.
I mean hell, look at all the fake weed products out there. Know the source? Actual academic research and chemical synthesis designed to study chemical analogs that may produce similar results compared to what they know about natural marijuana chemicals. The problem is, while marijuana is one of the most studied illicit chemicals, it's so highly controlled, it's classified with the worst drugs, Schedule 1, which also means, by classification, it has no medicinal purposes (which is pure bullshit). That label prevents thorough academic and medical research, because there are so many legal hoops to jump through, and a major risk to professional careers.

So many illicit drugs have been demonstrated, by solid research (though very limited, only enough to give the ball a slight push, but it isn't rolling yet), to improve the well-being for many individuals, suffering from a host of different disorders relating to the brain and CNS. I am 99% positive various seizure disorders have been significantly improved by more than one illicit chemical as well.

So many people needlessly suffering, because according to those in charge, these chemicals will ruin their lives.
At worst, even if they never want to allow them to be consumed legally for pleasure, they MUST make them available for prescription so that we can offer hope for the many people suffering from diseases that, at best, we are only remotely able to manage, but not treat, with the legal chemicals available today. Or, apparently worse, to manage might require cutting up the brain. Yeah, put me on heroin (which won't even do a damn thing for the seizure disorder) and make me a hardcore addict before you ever even suggest cutting up my brain.

Our medical practices are still so barbaric, when it is not necessary for many cases. But when medical professionals and researchers have their hands tied by the governments of the world, we can't make the progress we so desperately need.

 

[Red Storm]

Studies suggest taking anything to the extreme is probably unhealthy.

 

[Mxylplyx]

Weed is a vice, much like alcohol, though it is quite apparent there are some beneficial side effects of pot use for certain people that outweigh any cons. Why do so many people arguing both sides try to base their arguments on weed being the means to some end, as if there HAS to be a purpose in smoking it? I smoked it when I was younger, and still do from time to time, because it was fun, and because that fun was worth what ever minuscule health risks I was incurring. I sure as hell am not going to try to argue that I could perform my job while high, or should be driving a car while high, but then again I never smoked if I had anything to do for the remainder of the day.

 

[destrekor]

Weed is a vice, much like alcohol, though it is quite apparent there are some beneficial side effects of pot use for certain people that outweigh any cons. Why do so many people arguing both sides try to base their arguments on weed being the means to some end, as if there HAS to be a purpose in smoking it? I smoked it when I was younger, and still do from time to time, because it was fun, and because that fun was worth what ever minuscule health risks I was incurring. I sure as hell am not going to try to argue that I could perform my job while high, or should be driving a car while high, but then again I never smoked if I had anything to do for the remainder of the day.

In other words, you treated it like how a well-behaved and -adjusted adult treats any vice: with respect.

The main point behind any of this: adults should be given that option.
Especially since marijuana is not the devil as so often portrayed. Which, it shouldn't matter, since alcohol is fully deserving of such evil labels. It's still legal, as it should be, and most adults can handle and respect it perfectly fine.
Let the Darwinian candidates deal with their failures - they'll find failure at some point in their life anyway. And they'll likely gravitate towards illicit drugs anyway. Most people who have the desire to seek out such highs, have already done so (or will do so regardless of legality). The ones who refrain from it and will begin using it when it's legal, are the types who are likely to have a healthy respect for a vice.

 

[BudAshes]

Regarding the bold: they're still doing that?! Holy hell that's just wrong. Throw the kitchen sink at it before even thinking of that solution, that's the very last thing any doctor should even remotely consider as a potential treatment.

Sure, it's difficult as all hell to objectively and thoroughly study illicit drugs for therapeutic use, but so much HAS been done already, it should be a crime to suggest removing large sections of the brain before trying some of the better illicit chemicals out there.
Marijuana (as a combination of different chemicals, not pure THC, CBD, CBN, CBG, etc), psilocybin ('shrooms), DMT, mescaline (peyote), have all been demonstrated to significantly improve mental health, which typically involves at least some physiological/neurological improvement (cellular, structural, tissue, neurotransmitter production/uptake/relative ratios improvements).
If medical research institutions could have better access and have the legal battles completely removed from the picture, so many rewards to our long-term health as a species will most likely come out of said research. Even if those direct chemicals are not specifically utilized, some similar chemical structures not yet considered could be discovered and put to use, but likely only after thoroughly studying the natural sources.
I mean hell, look at all the fake weed products out there. Know the source? Actual academic research and chemical synthesis designed to study chemical analogs that may produce similar results compared to what they know about natural marijuana chemicals. The problem is, while marijuana is one of the most studied illicit chemicals, it's so highly controlled, it's classified with the worst drugs, Schedule 1, which also means, by classification, it has no medicinal purposes (which is pure bullshit). That label prevents thorough academic and medical research, because there are so many legal hoops to jump through, and a major risk to professional careers.

So many illicit drugs have been demonstrated, by solid research (though very limited, only enough to give the ball a slight push, but it isn't rolling yet), to improve the well-being for many individuals, suffering from a host of different disorders relating to the brain and CNS. I am 99% positive various seizure disorders have been significantly improved by more than one illicit chemical as well.

So many people needlessly suffering, because according to those in charge, these chemicals will ruin their lives.
At worst, even if they never want to allow them to be consumed legally for pleasure, they MUST make them available for prescription so that we can offer hope for the many people suffering from diseases that, at best, we are only remotely able to manage, but not treat, with the legal chemicals available today. Or, apparently worse, to manage might require cutting up the brain. Yeah, put me on heroin (which won't even do a damn thing for the seizure disorder) and make me a hardcore addict before you ever even suggest cutting up my brain.

Our medical practices are still so barbaric, when it is not necessary for many cases. But when medical professionals and researchers have their hands tied by the governments of the world, we can't make the progress we so desperately need.

Excellent post. As to throwing the kitchen sink at it, they have. CBD concentrates are unknown in the medical field so no matter which doctor he uses they wouldn't have recommended that. He's been on every other seizure drug known to man. A big problem now is that the concentrate costs 650 dollars a month and medical insurance is obviously not covering it.

 

[IGBT]

it's dope. it's for dopers.

 

[Raduque]

In my anecdotal experience, I've noticed that it's mostly kids (teens) and young adults (early 20s) that fit the "loser pothead" stereotype. Older people I know that partake regularly seem to be more successful, motivated and energetic than younger people I know who smoke.

The biggest problem with marijuana is, in my opinion, people whining about it. Whiners saying "it's bad and you're bad for doing it" and the whiners saying "omg its so awesome, legalize it!". Especially the latter, when they aren't doing anything but whining about it from their couches and forums. Get out and do something about it, protest, write letters, something.

Lazy stoners.... 😉

 

[marincounty]

Lazy stoners....would be more respected by society if they went on pointless violent rages, like alcohol users, but they don't.
And I am tired of these lazy, no ambition stoners out achieving me. Losers like Steve Jobs, Barack Obama, Al Gore etc.. What have they ever done?

 

[mnewsham]

Excellent post. As to throwing the kitchen sink at it, they have. CBD concentrates are unknown in the medical field so no matter which doctor he uses they wouldn't have recommended that. He's been on every other seizure drug known to man. A big problem now is that the concentrate costs 650 dollars a month and medical insurance is obviously not covering it.

Yes and no, CBD/THC concentrates while not accepted in the medical community as a cure or treatment for anything my Neurologist recommended I try and find some months ago, I had to explain I already knew about them and that finding them in this area was most difficult, but doctors DO know about these things, at least some do anyway.

As for the other issue, move to a medical state, or start growing your own.

While CBD concentrates may be the most effective for him, it's a hell of a lot cheaper to grow your own high CBD strain of pot and smoke or make it into edibles, you're looking at ~1,000-2,000 in upfront costs, but after the initial investment you are looking at 1/4lb+ of pot every ~3 months

With a bit of study, making the concentrate wouldn't even be that difficult, maybe $500-1000 in equipment if doing it safely, but even then seems like nothing compared to what they are paying now if we compound this over time.


Also, if you're paying 650/month for concentrates, find a new source because they are ripping you off OR you are buying a LOT of concentrate (enough to last me several months) O_O

 

[ProchargeMe]

Ummm. Yeah.

 

[HOSED]

I can not believe anyone defends ganja use. And legalization, are you kidding me? What is next giving clean needles to heroin addict scum like that actor that just checked out?
Often when I read about injectable drug busts a "small amount of weed is often found too", can you spell Gateway ?
I image the board at Monsanto is salivating at the thought of GMO "weed" more profits for them, and more zombies that will keep buying GMO poisoned food.
Just one other thought, when it becomes legal nationally, think of all the pushers that will have to go on food stamps and welfare. I could go on but I need to call the police about suspicious activity and aromas from next door. :twisted:

 

[Vdubchaos]

I can not believe anyone defends ganja use. And legalization, are you kidding me? What is next giving clean needles to heroin addict scum like that actor that just checked out?

Look up Switzerland and Heroin

Believe it or not, legalizing Heroin has done WONDERS for that country and their crime/abuse has gone down tremendously as a result.

America AND YOU have a lot to learn on that end.

 

[destrekor]

I can not believe anyone defends ganja use. And legalization, are you kidding me? What is next giving clean needles to heroin addict scum like that actor that just checked out?
Often when I read about injectable drug busts a "small amount of weed is often found too", can you spell Gateway ?
I image the board at Monsanto is salivating at the thought of GMO "weed" more profits for them, and more zombies that will keep buying GMO poisoned food.
Just one other thought, when it becomes legal nationally, think of all the pushers that will have to go on food stamps and welfare. I could go on but I need to call the police about suspicious activity and aromas from next door. :twisted:

Legalizing also means ones is less likely to only associate with underground groups of other addicts, who are often terrible influences and have no respect for life itself. Legalizing also makes it easier for the rest of the world to create and provide care centers and better addiction treatment. It also means users will feel less shame about reaching out once they've realized they have crossed a point of no-return, which may save lives and keep families together.

So many ignorant people think that once something becomes legal, the world will flock to it.
The people who really, really want it, are already on it. Not that many more true addicts will be created with legalizing something.

And marijuana is not a gateway. That's been a false pre-tense sold to keep marijuana out of the hands of the youth, which is a noble goal but the wrong approach. Indeed, even legalized, marijuana needs to be kept away from youth. All legal and illegal chemicals should be kept out of the hands of a developing body.


The types like you who have demonstrated they only pay attention to the negative propaganda are the most sickening of all. Wake up and actually read some medical and scientific journals.
You know, peer-reviewed, actual science? Ever heard of it? It changes the world sometimes.

Hell, one of the loudest opponents of legal marijuana in the medical field, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, recently apologized for his thick-headed and ignorant views and announced his support for reform.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I'm anti-marijuana because it completely destroyed my family of 30 years... only a few years ago. My ex got on it several years ago while we were married....he then for the first time became very violent,... physically abusive, and... verbally abusive with the kids and I, ..he also didn't want to work anymore, he got sloppy with hiding things... and the list is long about the negative changes that took place in our home when he got on pot...all I can say is live with an addict and you'll become anti-marijuana. ...it's nothing like the news portrays the drug to be (peaceful 🙁)

there are other websites I've run across on line where people are saying the same thing, that happened in my home...read about negatives effects on Prezi and more

Not saying he wasn't violent and abusive but, it wasn't the pot. Further, I really doubt he was high when violent and abusive.