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We know that nicotine and alcohol are both potentially capable of causing physical dependence over time. Ask anyone who has tried quitting smoking after having regularly done so after some years and they will tell you that the withdrawal symptoms are pretty uncomfortable and the cravings are pretty strong. Withdrawal in chronic alcoholics is even worse.
Marijuana has been shown to potentially cause psychological dependence, but I can't recall reading a study where it causes actual physical dependence.
In moderation, alcohol can be beneficial to health. Red wine in particular has antioxidants which are thought to be beneficial to the heart by lowering LDL cholesterol levels and increasing HDL cholesterol levels. Tobacco has medicinal uses as well, and is a culturally significant plant to many American Indian tribes.
The THC compounds in marijuana have been shown to have some potentially positive uses in medicine. It has been fairly well-known for a while that it helps ease glaucoma, is a relatively effective anti-nausea remedy, and a decent pain reliever.
As a disclaimer, I do smoke, drink rarely, and don't smoke marijuana.
My aunt passed away from lung cancer 8 years ago. During the chemotherapy sessions, she vomited constantly--and lost 30 pounds that she did not need to lose. She ended up actually rupturing her esophagus during one vomiting session. After surgery to repair this, the doctors prescribed strong anti-nausea drugs which still did not help the problem. She was in a lot of pain, despite being on pain medications like Vicodin and morphine. I had been told about marijuana being a good anti-nausea alternative for cancer patients, so talked with my aunt who was okay with trying it. I was nervous as hell buying it since I have a good job and the last thing I wanted to do was go to jail for buying drugs. The marijuana stopped the nausea and vomiting, and she even picked up some weight from an improved appetite. She was in less pain--she didn't live for too long, but at least her last few months were relatively comfortable.
I am fine with legalizing marijuana, and don't think it is any worse than tobacco or alcohol. People obviously need to make good judgments on when to use it and be responsible with it (just like with alcohol) but I don't think it is an especially harmful drug. It would also bring in a lot of tax revenues and jobs related with culturing and distributing it--perhaps even working on further researching its potential medical applications.
We are always going to have the prohibitionists and that is fine that they do not want to use tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana but they should not try to set a nanny state for the rest of us. Adults should be able to decide for themselves the risks and benefits of using/not using a particular substance.
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I truly dont understand the phobia .many people have at the thought of weed being legal, and yet being OK with alcohol. The detrimental effects of booze as compared to pot is a runaway no brainer. Granted, heavy, continuous use of either isn't exactly a healthy thing, however, alcohol is far and away more unhealthy than weed. The same can be said when comparing weed to arcogic pain meds, as to the addiction factor and the effects of addiction withdrawal, and anti anxiety meds, like xanax and the other benzadiazapines are worse than opiates.
This I learned from medical professionals. I've never been on such meds, but I've known people who were/are, so I asked questions to satisfy my curiosity. They told be that crash detox from these meds can easily be fatal, while the opiates are not near as dangerous in effect. The big issue with the latter meds is severe dehydration , from nausea and diarrhea can cause renal failure if not controlled. The benzys will cause wide systemic failure of a quite deadly nature. I've never seen or even heard of weed causing physical withdrawal of any kind, or of fatal overdose either. Yet, weedophobics discount this comparison as well.
It also confuses me how weed is classed as a schdl 1 narcotic, same class as heroin, while drugs like morphine are C2. With a pretty much zero addiction factor, it's considered more risky than modphine, which is as bad as heroin IMHO. Having experienced morphine withdrawal in the hospital after a crush injury,and having enough experience with pot to make a comparison, well...there is no comparison. My surgeon actually gave the wink and nod for using pot to help come off the morphine, a d it worked great,. Helped wonderfully with the nausea, and gave me an appetite, and with fluid intake as well. Lol, good old cottonmouth kept me drinking lots of water, which was a good thing.
Of. course, its big business for the government, keeping weed illegal, spending our tax dollars on "special agents and task forces" and "czars" to run it all. Giving these plumb positions to political buddies and campaign contributers, with all the sweet perks of the job, of course. It's quite infuriating, when I think about it,, and the phobics are OK with this as well. Nonsensical, a d doesn't lend to the prohibition argument, at all. At GBE e d of the day, IG just a plant. It requires no additives or chemical alteration for use, doesn't cause hangovers, addiction or liver damage, all in all, I'd have to say , as either a medical or social drug, its the least harmful of anything out there. My opinion, of course, but I think its well supported.
I have been smoking for about 20 years now I have never met anyone who is addicted to it. Not ONE!
I have felt the NEED for it I like because it helps with my ADD & after work it takes the stress away.
I have known people who are much more pleasant to be around when they smoke it, it helps level them out. It also helps with stress & anxiety. Like ANYTHING is can be abused but the majority of people who do smoke it understand this & respect it.
With more and more boomers retiring and not having to go to work anymore, I think there will be a lot who like the idea of zoning out like they used to do in the 60s. That is where the market will be.
Could be, but I also think marijuana is used for the medicinal purposes more than for recreation.
Cannabis is given to head injury patients because it stops drooling, calms patients down, and increases their appetites.
The fact that it also has amazing nueroprotective properties..causes cancer cells (only) to commit suicide (apoptosis)....and has huge anti inflammatory properties....the newest discovery is that cannabis users heal bone injuries faster...all wonderful bonuses of a wonderful herb.
Many of these properties have been known for years, but suppressed. no doubt because the pharmacy comps can't make money off what everyone can grow in their back yard. Patent US6630507 - Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants - Google Patents
I personally don't think marijuana can be abused...not at all.
It's not detrimental to health...not like cigs and alcohol are.
There are draw backs to all 3 of them, alcohol has negative effects on every organ in the body, smoking damages the lungs and leads to COPD. Depending how one ingest Cannabis will depend on the damage it can cause. If one uses edibles then cannabis is pretty safe, as long as one doesn't drive. If one smokes cannabis, then this can lead to the same damage as smoking cigarettes. When one smokes cannabis they normally inhale more deeply than when smoking cigarettes therefor depositing more tar into the lungs, yes, cannabis does produce tar when burned.
but what about all the pesticides and herbicide that they spray on the plants, its not like there any government control on growing, they going more maximum yield, you think they care about health beneifits
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It's quite infuriating, when I think about it,, and the phobics are OK with this as well. Nonsensical, a d doesn't lend to the prohibition argument, at all. At GBE e d of the day, IG just a plant. It requires no additives or chemical alteration for use, doesn't cause hangovers, addiction or liver damage, all in all, I'd have to say , as either a medical or social drug, its the least harmful of anything out there. My opinion, of course, but I think its well supported.
