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Okay, great! I never said there was anything wrong with MEDICAL applications. My dad has glaucoma, and if he didn't have eyedrops that effectively reduced the pressure behind his eyes, I would sure rather that he have an arguably ideal option than be in pain.
But for recreational use? Maybe there are long-term neurological effects, and maybe there aren't (I've seen studies that say there ARE, but those were in my piddly little graduate psychology studies, not the more widely acclaimed INTERNET that you prefer to quote). Aside from that, the very sources you quote have stated the respiratory effects.
Oh please do cite your sources.
Have you ever enjoyed alcohol before?
Quote:
"Marijuana smoke irritates the lungs. Heavy exposure of the lungs to irritation such as smoke increases the likelihood of lung cancer and other lung problems. Marijuana speeds the heartbeat and is unhealthy for people with high blood pressure or other cardiovascular ailments."
Again, cite your sources.
Besides, harm from smoking is the only negative effect you can attribute to marijuana, and that can be completely avoided by eating it instead. Marijuana is the safest recreational drug there is. I challenge you to find a safer one.
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That is enough for me. And by the way, lest you think I'm a hypocrite - I think cigarettes should be illegal, too. Not because individual freedoms need to be limited, but because the secondhand smoke limits the life and liberty of anyone in the presence of smokers.
If EVERYONE who did any kind of drug did so in the confines of their own homes, I couldn't care less. Unfortunately, the addict brain is so narcissistic, it doesn't care who else gets hurt.
If it were easy to get sober, everyone would do it.
I was on the board of a rehab for years...
You have no idea of the value in being away from your life, in a safe place where you can learn about addiction, get 28 days free from chemicals and get a foothold on sobriety.
That was a direct quote from the article posted by another (pro-marijuana) poster
Quote:
Originally Posted by LogicIsYourFriend
You have a twisted sense of personal freedom.
Your personal freedom ends where my begins, and vice versa. My right to flail my arms wildly in public ends where your face begins. Just like your right to burn sticks of toxic chemicals and exhale them ends where my epidermis and respiratory system begin.
That was a direct quote from the article posted by another (pro-marijuana) poster
I was talking about the study you claimed to have seen that claimed marijuana caused long-term neurological damage.
Quote:
Your personal freedom ends where my begins, and vice versa. My right to flail my arms wildly in public ends where your face begins. Just like your right to burn sticks of toxic chemicals and exhale them ends where my epidermis and respiratory system begin.
I agree. So you're in agreement that I should be allowed to smoke marijuana in my own home?
I wonder how you feel about banning all gasoline-fueled cars, since they pollute your air much more than any marijuana smoke.
If EVERYONE who did any kind of drug did so in the confines of their own homes, I couldn't care less. Unfortunately, the addict brain is so narcissistic, it doesn't care who else gets hurt.
Soo, everyone who uses any kind of drug is automatically an addict?? If I smoke marijuana on occasion, I bet you would label me a pot head then wouldn't you.
Geez, if I also have a beer with my dinner at times, does that also mean I'm a drunk too??
It's phrases like this that make you look totally ignorant. You clearly have some kind of issue with marijuana & are going to great strides to make users look like stoned-out druggies with posting your bogus studies, going by what you "heard" & the way you phrase things. Now you're down to "well, the smoke can hurt your lungs." No sh*t, Sherlock. If you breathe in any kind of smoke, its gonna damage your lungs. We've already went over this.
Nobodies buying it dude & you're starting to look really foolish. You can think however you want, I just dont like people spreading false information while they sit on their high horse, all the while probably currently doing or have done much worse drugs than marijuana, like alcohol or legal meds.
But for recreational use? Maybe there are long-term neurological effects, and maybe there aren't (I've seen studies that say there ARE, but those were in my piddly little graduate psychology studies, not the more widely acclaimed INTERNET that you prefer to quote). Aside from that, the very sources you quote have stated the respiratory effects.
"Marijuana smoke irritates the lungs. Heavy exposure of the lungs to irritation such as smoke increases the likelihood of lung cancer and other lung problems. Marijuana speeds the heartbeat and is unhealthy for people with high blood pressure or other cardiovascular ailments."
That is enough for me. And by the way, lest you think I'm a hypocrite - I think cigarettes should be illegal, too. Not because individual freedoms need to be limited, but because the secondhand smoke limits the life and liberty of anyone in the presence of smokers.
If EVERYONE who did any kind of drug did so in the confines of their own homes, I couldn't care less. Unfortunately, the addict brain is so narcissistic, it doesn't care who else gets hurt.
Taking graduate level neuropharmacology and brain development, what I got out of the lecture was that it really depended on whether a drug was a strong agonist, esp with dopamine, to determine how "hooked" person would be. Which interestingly enough, I don't recall studies metioning as fact long term side effects of marijuana smoking. I recall studies that mention the possibility, and showed a resonable correlation (meaning that there is a possibility, but not a very high likelyhood...so let's say correlation coefficent of maybe .55, not terribly strong but something within the realm of possibility).
Marijuana is not known to be addictive. Cocaine, being a very strong agonist and blocking the re-uptake of dopamine, is very very addictive. However, it does not have any withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol is again a strong agonist, and has very bad withdrawal symptoms. It can lead to Korsakoff 's Syndrome (causing confusion by anterograde amnesia...thus people don't remember past events). Yet, this is legal.
Which is why we should legalize and regulate drugs. We need to focus on damage control. There are many people who have just tried some drugs a few times and continue to live normal, healthy lives. I barely drink now, maybe on the weekends. Trust me, as mentioned in a previous post, I tried a good amount of stuff.
On a side note, my Brain States proff actually somewhat advocated the use of LSD. I mean it's a bit of a stretch, but it affects the serotonin in a part of the orbital frontal lobe or the "religious" part of our brain. Hence the religous nature of LSD.
I was talking about the study you claimed to have seen that claimed marijuana caused long-term neurological damage.
You didn't refer to that one. Look at any brain scan in any medical book or academic journal comparing activity in the brain of a person who has never used marijuana to a person who has used it regularly. There are tons. The last one I saw was in a journal in a psychiatric office (not for myself - for a client of mine).
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Originally Posted by LogicIsYourFriend
I agree. So you're in agreement that I should be allowed to smoke marijuana in my own home?
I wonder how you feel about banning all gasoline-fueled cars, since they pollute your air much more than any marijuana smoke.
Yep. I'd still think you were an idiot, but that's your prerogative. Wouldn't want to be ya.
Cars: Yeah, they can be just as frustrating. When I go running, I can definitely tell the difference in my breathing when running next to a road vs. running on a backwoods trail, and choose the latter when I can.
However, just because they are more PREVALENT does not mean they pollute MORE at the elemental level. (Take an advanced Stats class.) I would rather stand next to a busy road that attend a party where people are smoking up. As far as being around it, I view cigarettes and marijuana equally: do whatever you want, just keep it the hell away from me or anyone else's virgin lungs.
And FYI: Cigarettes eff up your brain, too. Rebound anxiety, depression, physiological equilibrium, etc.
Soo, everyone who uses any kind of drug is automatically an addict?? If I smoke marijuana on occasion, I bet you would label me a pot head then wouldn't you.
Anyone who NEEDS a drug so badly that they are willing to break the law, thus gambling their entire future, has something wrong with them - yes.
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Originally Posted by KerryB
Now you're down to "well, the smoke can hurt your lungs." No sh*t, Sherlock. If you breathe in any kind of smoke, its gonna damage your lungs. We've already went over this.
I maintain that it causes long-term brain damage. I have worked with psychiatrists and seen the brain scans.
However, I reduced my argument to the lung issue in order to seek common ground with my detractors at the lowest common denominator before working our way back to the most polarizing issues. Because I care more about communication than about being right. You could take a lesson, child.
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Originally Posted by KerryB
I just dont like people spreading false information while they sit on their high horse, all the while probably currently doing or have done much worse drugs than marijuana, like alcohol or legal meds.
I have never tried marijuana or even cigarettes, let alone anything worse. I do drink - usually beer, or wine with dinner. If it became illegal tomorrow, I wouldn't. Sure there are studies on the "benefits" of alcohol, too - polyphenols in red wine for the heart, minerals in beer for the bones - but I'm not going to pretend it would justify becoming an alcoholic. The risks still outweigh the benefits. So why do I drink? Because I'm weak, and I like it. Just admit you smoke for the same reason, and we'll all be happy.
Also, I never said that legal meds were any healthier. But if used properly and with a prescription, at least they've gone through the FDA and don't contain any unknown toxins.
Lots of legal meds can affect people other than the person taking them - just as sudden withdrawal from those meds (or illegal drugs) can cause behavioral problems and potentially violence against others.
It is always preferable to solve your problems with hard work than a substance. Want Spirituality? Meditation, not LSD. Want ideas? Do something creative, not marijuana. Want stress relief? Exercise, not alcohol. Want to forget? Confront, THEN move on - not blackouts. Substances are temporary; every ounce hard work is a step toward permanence.
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