Oh jeez. There are some silly rumours being spread around that people are taking rather seriously. But this give me an oppotunity to get out my encyclopedia:
<img src=http://irev.net/dragonglyph/bored04.jpg></img>
:D
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First, I'm going to give you a little story. This is mainly aimed at I_M, even though it was admitted that prescription was alright.
Quote:
California author and publisher Peter Williams was diagnosed wth both AIDS and cancer in 1996. Under his doctor's supervision, McWilliams began to smoke marijuana to quell the nausea caused by the combination drug therapy he took to keep the AIDS virus at undetectable levels. He believed that he was doing so legally under California's Proposition 215. This state law, passed in 1996, prohibits the prosecution of those who use marijuana for medical reasons.
In July 1998, however, McWilliams was arrested and tried for collaborating in the illegal growth of marijuana plants. He was prosecuted under a federal law prohibiting the cultivation of marijuana, and the federal judge would not allow him to plead his defense under California's Proposition 215, stating that the federal legislation superseded the state law. McWilliams was found guilty, and although he was allowed to serve his sentence at home, his urine was regularly tested for marijuana: If any traces were found in his system, he would be returned to prison. On June 14, 2000, racked with nausea, McWilliams died by choking on his own vomit - a death that some people believed might have been prevented if McWilliams had been allowed to continue controlling his nausea with marijuana.
Now, I have some quotes on why the State laws of growing and smoking your own Cannabis for medical purposes should be illegal.
James R. McDonough wrote:
Compounds found in marijuana may have medical potential, but science does not support smoking the plant in its crude form as an appropriate delivery system. An exploration of two comprehensive inquiries into medical potential of marijuana indicates the following:
- Science has identified only the potential medical benefit of chemical compounds, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), found in marijuana. Ambitious research is neccessary to understand fully how these substances affect the human body.
- Experts who have dealt with all available data do not recommend that the goal of research should be smoked marijuana for medical conditions. Rather, they support development of a smoke-free, rapid-onset delivery system for compounds found in the plant
As it is, when cannabis is ingested, it takes about an hour to two hours (depending on content in the stomach and metabolism) to take into effect. The duration of the "high" lasts for three to four hours afterwards. When cannabis is smoked, the effects kick in immediately and last one to two hours with some negative side effects in your lungs.
James R. McDonough wrote:
Nevertheless, the IOM [Institute of Medicine] report concluded that cannabinoid drugs do have potential for theraputic use. It specifically named pain, nausea and vomiting, and lack of appetite as symptoms for which cannabinoids may be of benefit, stating that cannabinoids "probably have a natural role in pain modulation, control of movement, and memory," but that this role "is likely to be multi-faceted and remains unclear."
I've found the information you were looking for. Alternatives to smoking marijuana.
James R. McDonough wrote:
On the "benefits" side, the Institute of Medicine found that the theraputic effects of cannabinoids are "generally modest" and that for the majority of symptoms there are approved drugs that are more effective. For example, superior glaucoma and anti-nausea medications have already been developed. In addition, the new drug Zofran may provide more relief than THC for chemotherapy patients. Dronabino, the synthetic THC, offers immunocompromised HIV patients a safe alternative to inhaling marijuana smoke, which contains carcinogens.
Let me just remind everyone that <b>all drugs</b> (OTC, prescription, or illegal) have negative side effects. All drugs. I've been told this by many professionals at the hospital, and by many psychiatrists when they talk about why they want to be able to reduce their patient's drug intake. And this is why herbal remedies and aromatherapy are preferred to using Tylonel or Advil or Aleve or etc.
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ADDICTIVENESS OF CANNABIS OH EM GEE.
Abunai, firstly, don't believe what your health class is telling you about the drug, because it's mostly likely based off biased scientific studies. If you need examples on the different expirements that have been held and cancled due to professional control of expiremental bias.
Due to most general defintions: Marijuana is one of the least physically addictive drugs, HOWEVER, it can be psychologically addictive.
Paul Hager wrote:
It should be remembered, however, that a heavy tobacco smoker consumes much more tobacco than a heacy marijuana smoker consumes marijuana. This is because smoked tobacco, with a 90% addiction rate, is the most addictive of drugs while marijuana is less addictive than caffeine.
Now, to go to the bias against legalizing marijuana, I have an essay on its addictiveness that you may find interesting.
Ingrid Wickelgren wrote:
But withdrawal is just one component of addiction. Addictive drugs also have immediate rewarding, or reinforcing, effects that keep people and animals coming back for more. The drugs produce these effects, scientists believe, by hijacking the brain's so-called reward system. A key event in the reward pathway is the release of dopamine by a small cluster of neurons in a brain region called the nucleus accumbens. Researchers think the dopamine release normally serves to reinforce behaviors that lead to biologically important rewards, such as food or sex. Addictive drugs are thought to lead to compulsive behavior because they unleash a dopamine surge of their own.
Peter the addiction specialist at Dominion wrote:
Anything is addictive [in a psychological prospect].
Peter was telling us about this six year old he was councling who claimed he would kill his parents if it meant he could spend more time playing video games. I asked about the internet and if it was addictive as well. *cough*
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Okay. This is what I know from a PBS special about the brain. They did a special 15 minutes explaining one aspect of marijuana when it was time to study the teenage brain. (My parents had me watch this enlightening hour, but it was interesting, so I didn't mind.)
First off, when you experience a high from THC, it raises your dopamine levels to above where they could naturally go from any physical activity (including sex). Naturally, this makes a person feel exceptionally pleasured.
However, after repeated use for a long period of time, the dopamine receptors will wear out because of the barrage they are continually receiving. So when you are not high, your receptors will not be as sensitive, and you may suffer a slight depression that will continually grow worse as you age.
However, you'd have to be smoking nearly every other day for a couple of years for this to even begin to happen. Still, it's a negative consequence that shouldn't be neglected.
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The dumbness of pot heads has to do with short-term memory.
Paul Hager wrote:
<b>9>Marijuana impairs short-term memory.</b>
This is true, but misleading. Any impairment of short-term memory disappears when one is no longer under the influence of marijuana.
George Biernson wrote:
Whan a person smokes marijuana, no more than 25% of the THC is absorbed into the blood. About 40% of the THC that enters the body is stored deeply in body fat. The fat releases the THC into the blood with a half=life of one week, which means that if a person stops smoking pot it takes one week for the stored THC to drop to 1/2, two weeks to drop to 1/4, etc. Every week that the THC is stored in the fat, it will decrease by one-half.
Paul Hager wrote:
<b>Marijuana lingers in the body like DDT.</b>
This is also true but misleading. Cannabinoids are fat soluble as are innumerable nutrients and yes, some poisons like DDT. For example, the essential nutrient, Vitamin A, is fat soluable but one never hears people who favor marijuana prohibition making this comparison.
I'm unsure as to whether this means that the short-term memory is impared for a longer time due to the fat soluble properties of the cannabinoids. But that would explain your potheads idiocies.
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If you all really should be debating whether this should be illegal or not - look at the Netherlands. They have legalized marijuana, and black market funds on drugs have dropped significantly. Crime rates have been down. And there were surprisingly low amounts of people who started smoking more regularly due to its legality. I'd venture you to look at drug-related deaths as well, and see that they're lower than before as well.
Buying illegal marijuana is taking a risk whether or not it's been sprayed with other chemicals or laced with other drugs to induce more profits for the dealers.
Also, I would like studies that compare marijuana's prohibition to alcohol's brief prohibition.
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My whole stance is that cannabis should be legalized. Not advertised on television; only sold to 18 years and older; completely regulated by the government. (Like tobacco cigarettes, which can be identified and debated as so much worse for you than marijuana.) I would like there to be awareness and good information for the youth, so everybody knows exactly what they are getting into if they decide to take marijuana. And make it illegal to be high and drive, or high and at work - just as you would alcohol. Common sense.
Anyways. I hope I've given enough information so that a decent debate with real facts may ensue.