What, you've never known anyone who's smoked weed then freaked out and jumped out of a window?


You obviously don't know any marijuana smokers, my friend.

Oh, believe me, I do. It's just that they're all white, and it makes the guys act black, and the chicks want to sleep with black guys. They must get different stuff from the people you know...

Damn those nappy headed... oh nevermind.

I have been hearing arguments for the decriminalization of marijuana, if not its legalization, since my college days in the 70's. I have yet to find a single argument that would cause me to alter my opinion against its use. Since the 70's we have learned a great deal on how THC affects different organs of the body. Short term effects of marijuana on the brain can include problems with memory and learning, perception, difficulty in thinking and solving problems, loss of coordination and an increased heart rate.

In the past several years Americans have begun to ween themselves off cigarettes. Yet many of the same people who are opposed to cigarette use continue to support the legalization of mariuana, despite the fact that Marijuana carries the same health risks of cigarettes, and may even be worse. One study found that people who smoke marijuana frequently but do not smoke tobacco have more health problems and miss more days at work than nonsmokers. Many marijuana smokers have the same respiratory problems that traditional smokers do. Marijuana also presents a greater risk of cancer, since it has 50 to 70% more carcinogens than do cigarettes. In addition, it is a common practice of marijuana smokers to inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than cigarette smokers, which increases the lungs' exposure to the carcinogenic smoke.

There are other health issues associated with marijuana. It has been found that THC impairs the immune's ability to fight diseases. Lab experiments that have exposed animal and human cells to THC have shown that the normal disease-preventing reactions of many of the key types of immune cells were noticably inhibited.

Research clearly demonstrates that marijuana has the potential to cause or deepen depression and anxiety. In addition, heavy marijuana smokers have been found to have more trouble sustaining and shifting their attention and in registering, organizing and using information than did light marijuana users.

Marijuana has the same addictive qualities of cigarettes. Long-term users continue to abuse the drug even though it interferes with family, school and work. People trying to quit have experienced the same kind of problems as cigarette smokers have experienced including irritability, sleeplessness and anxiety.

While marijana use does not make one go on to heavier drugs, it does tend to cause them to want to use the heavier drugs. Many times a heavy marijuana smoker will, over time, feel the effects of marijuana less and less, and will want to try something "better." That is one reason why cocaine dealers also sell marijuana.

It has been argued that marijuana should be allowed for medical purposes, such as reducing nausea for cancer patients. But THC can be put into pill form and distributed with a doctor's prescription.

Considering all the health hazards and health costs associated with smoking cigarettes, I just can't see any reason to legalized or decriminalize marijuana. That would be going in the wrong direction.

www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/marijuana.html

Your tag line has a different meaning to me now.

Not to get into a big debate on whether it should be legalized or it is beneficial, but you just got your facts from a government website that of course will be biased against alot evidence that proves that marijuana may be beneficial or less harmful then the information we are shoved in our faces.

I know alot TF readers and posters have a conservative viewpoint, well follow your teachings and legalize it, tax it, improve the economy. Goes for prostitution also. Take a look at Nevada and the Netherlands.

It doesn't matter to me which way it goes. I am getting to the age where I can't stand smoke, stoners, drunks, or kids. But smoking a cigar after a couple of glasses of pinot noir talking about how my future kids will be different while the next door neighbors smoke a bowl sounds okay by me.

http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/

Cooking with cannabis circumvents all the negative health benefits associtated with the inhalation of smoke. Another plus is that is also keeps money in your pocket instead of putting into Big Pharma's bank roll. Furthermore anyone can throw some seeds down in the back yard and grow their own instead of going through the black market or spending their hard earned money on expensive prescriptions that ARE LESS EFFECTIVE than cooking it yourself. Also their is vaporization which heats marijuana just enough to release the THC and other cannabinoids (~400F) which maintains the health benefit with virtually no bad chemicals (tar). But the same government who allows use to drink ourselves into an oblivion, piss our money away through casinos and lotteries and smoke cigarettes till our lungs shrivel, won't enact legislation to protect those in need. God I love Big Brother.


Edit: The reason that presciptions such as the oral spray Sativex aren't as effective as cannabis is because it's not just THC that provides medicinal benefits. Cannabis strains such as Acapulco Gold, Panama Red, and Columbian Gold (strains popular in the 70s) for example all have different cannabinoid profiles. Each strain is thought to have a unique profile of about 400 chemicals that all interact with THC to produce different effects. For those who have tried marijuana (I'd be willing to bet a large # of people on this forum) you may have noticed that some may have made you sleepier and hungrier while some keep you up with a "cerebral" high rendering everything hilarious. That difference is due to the unique chemical profile of which the main players are THC, CBD, CBN, THCV, CBC, and CBl. Just wanted you to know that I'm not taking out of my azz.

It is better to incarcerate people who like to get high in order to protect themselves from craving harder drugs in the future. Incarceration will straighten them out. Oh, let's also send in paramilitary police units to break down your door in the middle of the night to get you, even though you may be a respectable citizens with no criminal record.

You see, this is the American way. The government and clueless evangelicals know far better than you pot smokers. Now cmon, let's all go grab some drinks after work. That's the good, acceptable drug because no self-harm, car wrecks, spouse beatings, or addiction results from alcohol.

So then you would naturally be for the prohibition of alcohol, if I read you correct. Also, you would be for criminalizing tobacco, right?

Personally I think they should legalize pot. Getting stoned and eating my weight in funyuns, cheetos, and taco bell isn't my thing, but I don't care what anyone else decides to get high on. As long as some crackhead head doesn't die on my lawn after overdosing on microwaved draino forcing me to clean his dirty a** up I don't care what he does.

That said if you knowingly break the law, get caught, and then cry about the punishment you're a b!tch.