[b]First of all, lets try to keep the flaming and name calling down and try to have an intelligent discussion about marijuana.[/b]
Please refrain from stupid comments such as "lol stupid stoners" and "lol ignorant non-stoners". I know this will be hard for Facepunch to accomplish, but we can do it if we try.
There is a lot of research about marijuana, many which either don't have proper research backing them up or contradict other studies. This goes both ways for both pro and anti marijuana articles, so i'm going to try to post articles which back themselves up with sources/research and not pure speculation.
[b]Marijuana and cancer[/b]
Inhaling any kind of smoke is bad for you, however the active ingredient in marijuana, THC, kills damaged cells before they can become cancerous. There was another article which went much more in depth in the scienece behind it but I am unable to find it.
[QUOTE=cancer.about.com]The study found no increased risk of lung and head and neck cancer. However, it did find a significant increased risk factor in those who smoked two or more packs of cigarettes a day.
The study also suggests that marijuana contains more than 50% more of the chemicals related to lung cancer than cigarettes, its a chemical inside marijuana called THC that may prevent cancer from developing.
[/QUOTE]
[url]http://cancer.about.com/od/smokingandcancer/f/marijuana.htm[/url]
[url]http://www.smokedot.org/blog/07/10/11/marijuana-prevents-cancer-(federal-research)[/url])
[url]http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig5/armentano-p1.html[/url]
[url]http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,312132,00.html[/url]
[b]Driving and marijuana[/b]
Driving under the influence of ANY drug is obviously not good. This video and article show however that driving while stoned is safer than driving while drunk. This is because alchohol impairs judgement and increases risk taking, while marijuana simply slows you down and makes you more paranoid, thus making you more careful while driving because you are fully aware that you are impaired.
[quote=druglibrary.org]Marijuana's effects on actual driving performance were assessed in a series of three studies wherein dose-effect relationships were measured in actual driving situations that progressively approached reality. The first was conducted on a highway closed to other traffic. Subjects (24) were treated on separate occasions with THC 100, 200 and 300 g/kg, and placebo. They performed a 22-km road tracking test beginning 30 and 90 minutes after smoking. Their lateral position variability increased significantly after each THC dose relative to placebo in a dose-dependent manner for two hours after smoking. The second study was conducted on a highway in the presence of other traffic. Subjects (16) were treated with the same THC doses as before. They performed a 64-km road tracking test preceded and followed by 16-km car following tests. Results confirmed those of the previous study. Car following performance was only slightly impaired. The third study was conducted in high-density urban traffic. Separate groups of 16 subjects were treated with 100 g/kg THC and placebo; and, ethanol (mean BAC .034 g%) and placebo. Alcohol impaired performance relative to placebo but subjects did not perceive it. THC did not impair driving performance yet the subjects thought it had. These studies show that THC in single inhaled doses up to 300 g/kg has significant, yet not dramatic, dose-related impairing effects on driving performance. [/quote]
[quote=drugpolicy]
[b]Myth[/b]: Marijuana Use is a Major Cause Of Highway Accidents. Like alcohol, marijuana impairs psychomotor function and decreases driving ability. If marijuana use increases, an increase in of traffic fatalities is inevitable.
[b]Fact[/b]: There is no compelling evidence that marijuana contributes substantially to traffic accidents and fatalities. At some doses, marijuana affects perception and psychomotor performances- changes which could impair driving ability. However, in driving studies, marijuana produces little or no car-handling impairment- consistently less than produced by low moderate doses of alcohol and many legal medications. In contrast to alcohol, which tends to increase risky driving practices, marijuana tends to make subjects more cautious. Surveys of fatally injured drivers show that when THC is detected in the blood, alcohol is almost always detected as well. For some individuals, marijuana may play a role in bad driving. The overall rate of highway accidents appears not to be significantly affected by marijuana's widespread use in society.[/quote]
[url]http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/misc/driving/driving.htm[/url]
[url]http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/#accidents[/url]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3zou4F00Ic[/media]
[b]How harmful is marijuana?[/b]
[quote=hempcar.org]
[B]ANNUAL AMERICAN DEATHS CAUSED BY DRUGS[/B]
TOBACCO ........................ 400,000
ALCOHOL ........................ 100,000
ALL LEGAL DRUGS ................ 20,000
ALL ILLEGAL DRUGS .............. 15,000
CAFFEINE ....................... 2,000
ASPIRIN ........................ 500
MARIJUANA ...................... 0
----------------------------------------
Source: United States government...
National Institute on Drug Abuse,
Bureau of Mortality Statistics
[/quote]
[quote=drugpolicy.org]
[b]Myth[/b]: Marijuana's Harms Have Been Proved Scientifically. In the 1960s and 1970s, many people believed that marijuana was harmless. Today we know that marijuana is much more dangerous than previously believed.
[b]Fact[/b]: In 1972, after reviewing the scientific evidence, the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse concluded that while marijuana was not entirely safe, its dangers had been grossly overstated. Since then, researchers have conducted thousands of studies of humans, animals, and cell cultures. None reveal any findings dramatically different from those described by the National Commission in 1972. In 1995, based on thirty years of scientific research editors of the British medical journal Lancet concluded that "the smoking of cannabis, even long term, is not harmful to health."
United States. National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse. Marihuana: A signal of misunderstanding. Shafer Commission Report. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1972.
“Deglamorising Cannabis.” Editorial. The Lancet 356:11(1995): 1241.[/quote]
[url]http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/#harms[/url]
[url]http://www.hempcar.org/untoldstory/hemp_9.html[/url]
[B]Why is marijuana illegal?[/b]
Around ~400,000 people die yearly from smoking cigarettes, and around ~100,000 die from alchohol. So why is Marijuana illegal when the number of people dying from the actual consumption of the drug is so low? Sure, maybe a few idiots who were already idiots long before they smoked decided to jump off a bridge while high, but that's because they are IDIOTS and not because they were high. However this argument goes both ways for alcohol.
[quote=salon.com]
Many people assume that marijuana was made illegal through some kind of process involving scientific, medical, and government hearings; that it was to protect the citizens from what was determined to be a dangerous drug.
The actual story shows a much different picture. Those who voted on the legal fate of this plant never had the facts, but were dependent on information supplied by those who had a specific agenda to deceive lawmakers. You'll see below that the very first federal vote to prohibit marijuana was based entirely on a documented lie on the floor of the Senate.[/quote]
[url]http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html[/url] (Very good article, interesting read.)
[url]http://www.hempcar.org/untoldstory/hemp_5.html[/url]
[url]http://civilliberty.about.com/od/drugpolicy/tp/Why-is-Marijuana-Illegal.htm[/url]
[url]http://www.mapinc.org/norml/v07/n915/a02.htm[/url] (Drug laws must change, and why)
[b]Everything else about marijuana, including facts about addiction, brain cells, stupidity, and much more.[/b]
[quote=hempcar][b]Myth[/b]: Marijuana is addicting.
[b]Fact[/b]: Marijuana is not physically addicting. Medical studies rank marijuana as less habit forming than caffeine. The legal drugs of tobacco (nicotine) and alcohol can be as addicting as heroin or cocaine, but marijuana is one of the least habit forming substances known.
[b]Myth[/b]: Marijuana is a significant cause of emergency room admissions.
[b]Fact[/b]: The U.S. government reports that marijuana-related emergency room episodes are increasing. The government counts an emergency room admission as a marijuana-related episode if the word marijuana appears anywhere in the medical record. If a patient tests positive for marijuana because he/she used marijuana several days before the incident occurred, if a drunk driver admits he/she also smoked some marijuana, or if anyone involved in the incident merely possessed marijuana, the government counts the emergency room admission as a "marijuana-related episode." Less than 0.2% of all emergency room admissions are "marijuana related." This so-called marijuana-causes-emergencies statistic was carefully crafted by the government to make marijuana appear dangerous.
[/quote]
[url]http://www.hempcar.org/untoldstory/[/url]
[url]http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/[/url]
Again, please try to keep flaming and stupid comments to a minimum, and please read or skim through all of the articles with an open mind before posting.
[highlight]An [b]intelligent[/b] debate is encouraged[/highlight] so long as you have research which sites its sources and methods to back up your claims. Refrain from "marijuana sucks lol stupid stoners" comments please.
Although I enjoy weed it's no doubt that smoking ANYTHING isn't good for you. With that being said i'm not going to spend my life doing nothing fun just so i can squeeze out 2 or 3 more years.
[QUOTE=last_apoc;14782982]Although I enjoy weed it's no doubt that smoking ANYTHING isn't good for you. With that being said i'm not going to spend my life doing nothing fun just so i can squeeze out 2 or 3 more years.[/QUOTE]
Amen to that brother.
I've personally tried hemp, and I didn't like it.
I still think it should be legal though, seeing as my personal opinion doesn't change the fact it's not dangerous.
And of course, we live in a free country. Why should the government control how we live our life? It's, in all honesty, not fair. We should be able to control what we eat, drink and smoke. Even if it kills us.
After all, we have to die in some point in life.
What is with all the threads about marijuana and people trying to justify taking it?
And OP, I understand you're just informing people, but still I can imagine this will only encourage more people to argue.
Where's the bad? Otherwise, very good thread.
I agree with last_apoc. I really don't think that it causes 0 deaths either, as THC is pretty dangerous after a whole bunch is staying in your system. The only reason that people even try these damn drugs is because the health classes and other school/government owned things ham it up really bad. "Oh, weed is bad for you and one time can and will kill you 100% of the time hurrrrrr". That's not what we need, we need the real facts, and then people can decide for themselves if it's worth it. It's not in most cases, but in weed's case it is.
I love how these threads always leave out the studies showing Marijuana's impact on psychosis. Don't ask me to fetch them, I don't give a fuck enough.
Oh BTW, impaired reaction times are a BAD thing when driving.
[QUOTE=Tastyburger8;14783247]Where's the bad? Otherwise, very good thread.[/QUOTE]
Didn't you read the thread?
No one really cares, you smoke it you smoke it, if you don't you don't. We don't need a hundred threads on the same shit everyday.
people suffer because this is illegal, the more people read about it the sooner it will be legalized which is a good thing and an inevitable thing, just be patient.
I just find it hilarious that alcohol and cigarettes are legal while weed is not.
Stupid as fuck.
I like the part about cancer, marijuana kills the damaged cells before they become cancer.
yeah, it kills the cells. But hey no cancer, thats good right?
and i dont get why people want to smoke in the first place, it seems like they do it just cause there not allowed.
It's in the process of getting legalized.
[QUOTE=Fadern;14784091]I like the part about cancer, marijuana kills the damaged cells before they become cancer.
yeah, it kills the cells. But hey no cancer, thats good right?
and i dont get why people want to smoke in the first place, it seems like they do it just cause there not allowed.[/QUOTE]
Cancer works like this:
At first, one or two cells get their DNA all messed up and start multiplying violently.
If Weed kills one or two of those cells that's ok. You're not going to die by loosing a cell or two, you're going to die if those cells are allowed to mutate into cancerous lumps of fuck.
[QUOTE=Fadern;14784091]I like the part about cancer, marijuana kills the damaged cells before they become cancer.
yeah, it kills the cells. But hey no cancer, thats good right?
and i dont get why people want to smoke in the first place, it seems like they do it just cause there not allowed.[/QUOTE]
Judging from your post I doubt you've ever been high, and thus it's impossible for you to truly understand. People smoke because it's a fun and entertaining recreational activity, it's a good way to socialize with people and just have fun. Everything looks, feels, tastes, and sounds much better, and it makes you happy to be living and lets you see things from a different perspective.
[QUOTE=Slip777;14784174]Judging from your post I doubt you've ever been high, and thus it's impossible for you to truly understand. [/QUOTE]
Please don't use that argument, it makes us all look stupid.
Who lives longer, the man who takes heroine for 2 years and dies, or the one who lives up to 80 years with water and potatoes?
[QUOTE=Slip777;14784174]Judging from your post I doubt you've ever been high, and thus it's impossible for you to truly understand. People smoke because it's a fun and entertaining recreational activity, it's a good way to socialize with people and just have fun. Everything looks, feels, tastes, and sounds much better, and it makes you happy to be living and lets you see things from a different perspective.[/QUOTE]
Thats like saying you cant socialize without taking drugs. wait are you saying they do it like a hobby? just to pass time? yeah it will taste better and all that shit and i will be happy to live but then it ends and im back in the real world and thus want to have more to feel it again. thats really good....
I don't mind the fact people smoke it, that's cool, but the smell makes me rage instantly, I got no idea why.
[QUOTE=evilking1;14784423]Who lives longer, the man who takes heroine for 2 years and dies, or the one who lives up to 80 years with water and potatoes?[/QUOTE]
So I guess the guy who drinks water and eats potatoes just stares at the wall when he's not eating, sleeping, or drinking, and the guy addicted to heroine has a great life?
[QUOTE=Fadern;14784449]Thats like saying you cant socialize without taking drugs. wait are you saying they do it like a hobby? just to pass time? yeah it will taste better and all that shit and i will be happy to live but then it ends and im back in the real world and thus want to have more to feel it again. thats really good....[/QUOTE]
Everyone who smokes weed aren't a bunch of druggie misfits who go through their whole life high. There are people like that, but they're few and it's their choice.
All I was saying is that it's nice to relax with a few friends and smoke a joint. It could be considered a recreational activity just like playing video games. They're both pointless, and they both remove you from reality for a while. It's like saying everyone who plays video games is a WoW addict who spends their life on the computer, while you know that's not true.
[QUOTE=lmaoboat;14784518]So I guess the guy who drinks water and eats potatoes just stares at the wall when he's not eating, sleeping, or drinking, and the guy addicted to heroine has a great life?[/QUOTE]
No, the guy addicted to heroine dies from overdose and fucks up his life. Stay away from heroine, that stuff is [b]actually[/b] bad.
I don't know how heroine got into this discussion though, this is supposed to be about weed.
[QUOTE=evilking1;14784423]Who lives longer, the man who takes heroine for 2 years and dies, or the one[/QUOTE]
who lives up to 80 years with water and potatoes?
but then how could you have a great life when those two years consist of forcing yourself to get heroine?
I doubt he really is happy as much as i doubt that the man at his 80's is happy when he eats his potatoes and drinks his water staring at his wall those 80 years.
[QUOTE=Slip777;14784561]No, the guy addicted to heroine dies from overdose and fucks up his life. Stay away from heroine, that stuff is [b]actually[/b] bad.
I don't know how heroine got into this discussion though, this is supposed to be about weed.[/QUOTE]
I was asking the guy if he was implying that it's better to be addicted to heroin for 2 years and dying a likely miserable death is better because you're[B][I] Livin' on the Edge![/I][/B]
"Myth: Marijuana is addicting.
Fact: Marijuana is not physically addicting. Medical studies rank marijuana as less habit forming than caffeine. The legal drugs of tobacco (nicotine) and alcohol can be as addicting as heroin or cocaine, but marijuana is one of the least habit forming substances known."
While it might be not physically addicting, it can be very addictive mentally.
When I got a small anount of weed from a friend and tried it, my thoughts after 2 days where "I could learn by hard now and collect knowledge .... OR I could chill out and smoke half of a joint so I'm having a fun time watching tv."
I mean even sober its hard to learn but when you have the option of being stoned its even harder.
Heroine is sad. Just come yo the capital of norway.
The figures for Marijuana and illegal drug related deaths are probably not correct because people would be much less likely to tell the authorities that they smoke it. There's also evidence that it could be more harmful to smoke cannabis than tobacco because it has more harmful toxins.
[url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7150274.stm[/url]
Some results on a cannabis use disorder study; [url]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18031940[/url]
I'm not for or against any drug personally, I think it should be the users choice if they want to use it or not. I do think there should be rehabilitation plans for anyone who wants it though.
[QUOTE=The_Volcom;14784624]"Myth: Marijuana is addicting.
Fact: Marijuana is not physically addicting. Medical studies rank marijuana as less habit forming than caffeine. The legal drugs of tobacco (nicotine) and alcohol can be as addicting as heroin or cocaine, but marijuana is one of the least habit forming substances known."
While it might be not physically addicting, it can be very addictive mentally.
When I got a small anount of weed from a friend and tried it, my thoughts after 2 days where "I could learn by hard now and collect knowledge .... OR I could chill out and smoke half of a joint so I'm having a fun time watching tv."
I mean even sober its hard to learn but when you have the option of being stoned its even harder.[/QUOTE]
That's very true, but the same could be said about video games and TV.
I could study, or I could fuck around and play some video games, and then watch the new season of heroes while I try to do my homework.
[QUOTE=lmaoboat;14784603]I was asking the guy if he was implying that it's better to be addicted to heroin for 2 years and dying a likely miserable death is better because you're[B][I] Livin' on the Edge![/I][/B][/QUOTE]
It's not, but as it was a good quote I didn't bother to change it. Most of you get the point, and the ones who didn't, it would take me the 80 years to explain.
Toxins and that shit are everywhere. Unless you give up everything you have, and start growing carrots in Nigeria, you will always take stuff that kills braincells, etc.
[QUOTE=Tucks;14784647]The figures for Marijuana and illegal drug related deaths are probably not correct because people would be much less likely to tell the authorities that they smoke it. There's also evidence that it could be more harmful to smoke cannabis than tobacco because it has more harmful toxins.
[url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7150274.stm[/url]
Some results on a cannabis use disorder study; [url]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18031940[/url]
I'm not for or against any drug personally, I think it should be the users choice if they want to use it or not. I do think there should be rehabilitation plans for anyone who wants it though.[/QUOTE]
[quote]The study found no increased risk of lung and head and neck cancer. However, it did find a significant increased risk factor in those who smoked two or more packs of cigarettes a day.
The study also suggests that marijuana contains more than 50% more of the chemicals related to lung cancer than cigarettes, its a chemical inside marijuana called THC that may prevent cancer from developing.[/quote]
[url]http://cancer.about.com/od/smokingandcancer/f/marijuana.htm[/url]
[url]http://www.smokedot.org/blog/07/10/11/marijuana-prevents-cancer-(federal-research)[/url]
[url]http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig5/armentano-p1.html[/url]
[url]http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,312132,00.html[/url]
[quote]Myth: Marijuana is a significant cause of emergency room admissions.
Fact: The U.S. government reports that marijuana-related emergency room episodes are increasing. The government counts an emergency room admission as a marijuana-related episode if the word marijuana appears anywhere in the medical record. If a patient tests positive for marijuana because he/she used marijuana several days before the incident occurred, if a drunk driver admits he/she also smoked some marijuana, or if anyone involved in the incident merely possessed marijuana, the government counts the emergency room admission as a "marijuana-related episode."[/quote]
[url]http://www.hempcar.org/untoldstory/hemp_6.html[/url]
Read the thread please.
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