Virtually every website and publication I have seen or read, not to mention former marijuana users, state that chronic use can lead to depression.
Then I should know an awful lot of depressed people after 30 years in the campus community. Yet I don't.
I wonder if it might be the other way around? Maybe people with a tendency for depression seek out things like marijuana or alcohol to self-medicate themselves? Personally I have history of clinical depression/anxiety, but which I've never treated because the meds give me unwanted sexual side effects, and I'm usually able to just man up and deal with it. I tend to want to drink when I feel low. Smoking some MJ seems to even me out quite a bit, and quells the urge to drink. The benefit of this is there are no carry over effects the next day like a hangover, and I am fully functional when under the influence of MJ. In fact, I tend to be more productive because it allows me to focus more easily on what I'm doing. So the data may support this claim, but the assumptions as to the reasons may be incorrect. I understand what the sources you are citing say, but I always tend to trust personal firsthand experiences more, and my firsthand experiences have affirmed my belief that MJ is for the most part a harmless substance. It is definately psychologically addictive, as are many enjoyable things in life, but I would compare the intensity of the addiction to caffeine addiction. You crave it but you aren't going to freak out if you don't have it. And the sensation diminishes very quickly after a few days, even after very long term use. My final point in this rant: when more kids find it easier to buy weed than beer, there is a problem. I know this was my experience in High School, and the drinking age was 18. This is because most dealers don't care how old you are, they just want your money. Alcohol regulations and random stings keep the liquor stores motivated in checking IDs and not selling to minors, and for the most part it works well: it really is hard for a group of 15 year olds to buy beer without either a fake id or an older buddy nowadays. This is why I feel like legalization and regulation would actually make it much harder for young people to buy MJ.
It has been my PERSONAL experience on my 50+ on this orb that the "depression" that you describe actually is MUCH more applicable to chronic drinkers rather than tree smokers. If you don't like tree or tree smokers, JUST SAY SO. Just don't keep trying to convince the rest of us that they are losers, when we know in reality it's more likely that heavy drinkers end up that way. SAVE A COOKIE PUNCH A STONER. :hihi:
Having never really been north of Alexandria (a favorite aunt lived there) when I lived in Looziana, I really don't know what goes on in the north state... ...but... Y'all ARE reeeaaaalllyyy close to Sooey Pigland up there.... :hihi:
Oh boy...and you mention not holding water... How about this...I've never been an evangelical Christian, but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be enjoyable. I've never watched two dudes have sex, but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be enjoyable. I've never done a lot of things that I'm pretty sure wouldn't be enjoyable. But does that mean that I need big brother to prevent me from doing those things, particularly if they do no harm to anyone? See how ridiculous your example is? No one's talking about whether or not you would enjoy it. Who cares if you don't like it? Millions upon millions of people do, and no gets harmed in the process. The logical fallacy in your argument is enormous. The point is this...you pretend to know what weed does to people because of a bunch of government propoganda and social hysteria. But there are many of us on here that have done it for extended periods of our life, and have known many others that have done the same. Therefore, we are far more educated as to what it does and doesn't do to people than you ever will be. My hardest semester in college, I took 17 hours of senior-level engineering courses, held a part-time job at an engineering firm, worked out everyday, smoked weed everyday (good sh*t, too), and still made a 3.7gpa. There are untold numbers of people that have had similar experiences. The secret is personal responsibility. I know that term has become somewhat of a myth in modern society, but I promise you, it still exists. If you don't want to do it, or even want to encourage people not to do it, that's perfectly fine by me. But, as a right-winger, you should favor anything that reduces the amount of government control over people's lives. Go back and read my post about how marijuana became illegal in the first place. It is literally the most asinine thing ever. I think that you're smart enough to see that, but too stubborn to admit it. Happy 4/20, Sgt. salty! I'm coming over, and I'm bringing my bong! :hihi:
Well, I've certainly never experienced that, nor have I known anyone that such a thing has happened to. But, let me ask you this...do you also oppose the multitudes of pharmaceutical anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, or SSRI medications that are incessantly pushed on our society? On a physiological level, those things are incredibly bad for you. They are addictive, and often leave the user in a far worse state than they were before they began taking them. Or do you accept them since these awful substances are considered legal by our government? The pharmaceutical industry is one very fat cash cow, and the FDA has evolved into little more than a racket.