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Cannabis

#41
I won't get into the gateway debate.

But I do find the cancer discussions fascinating.

Research has proven that lighting Anything and inhaling it - will increase cancer risk. Don't know why marijuana would be exempt from that.

[Don't get me wrong - I'd love to know for a Fact that it Doesn't increase cancer risk, but I have a hard time believing that.]
 
#42
Another point to lift, pretty much one of the only negative side that gets mentioned a lot is that you're inhaling smoke which isn't good be it camp fire smoke or cannabis smoke, but what about vapor? Is it right to assume that using a vaporizer makes the consumption of cannabis healthy or not damaging in any way?
 
#43
Jim Nazium said:
My personal opinion, apart from all of the excellent research that has already been referenced, is that it's less harmful than alcohol. Yes, it turns some people into burnout losers. I was one of them; that's why I quit smoking it. But I've never seen anyone die from smoking too much weed, while one of my cousins died in his 30s from alcoholism.

And without putting too much emphasis on this totally unscientific observation, think about it: no matter how much weed you smoke, you can still stand up, walk, and say your name. I'm sure we've all seen plenty of drunks who couldn't.
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You can overdose, but if I remember right you have to smoke about 50% of your body weight in under an hour... good luck ;)
 
#44
Ziltoid said:
I know every story has two side, but seriously what I saw in The Union is the total opposite of what I've always been told, yes the movie seemed biased, but to what extent?
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Id like to state that the director/filmmaker and narrater of The Union states that he has never used marijuana. I don't think that its biased at all he's just stating the truth.

Let me also say that as an infant I had 4 different heart surgeries before i was 1. The doctors said I wouldn't make it past 5. All my life I've had extremely high blood pressure and have not been able to take part in a lot of normal childhood activities. i've never been able to play "contact" sports or doing any rigorous activity like lifting weights and so on. To get to my point I've always read and been told that marijuana raises your blood pressure and in MY personal experience it has done the opposite. I first smoked marijuana when i was 12 and have been a daily smoker since i was 14 (i'm 21 now) and i can honestly say that my blood pressure is "normal" now that i no longer have to take pills for it and after explaining to my doctor that i smoke regularly he was amazed that my blood pressure went down significantly. Id just like to say that marijuana has helped me become a calmer more creative person and also helped me get off stupid prescription pills.
 
#45
There's only one thing that makes the argument for me, in NZ 5000 tobacco related deaths a year, over 1000 alcohol related deaths per year, 0 cannabis deaths per year.

Even my mum, who is a cop said "I see at least three domestic violence cases caused by alcohol every night, but I've never even heard of someone getting stoned and throwing a punch - at anyone."
 
#46
Without reading the entire thread I'll weigh in with my 2 cents. I'm sure it effects people differently but my personal experience is that when I was smoking frequently,...I was unmotivated. I was literally the guy in that one commercial that sat on the couch and played video games (EDIT: Actually I'd get the munchies, eat something terrible and pass out). Perhaps that's a character flaw that was amplified by the fact that I was stoned all the time, but since cutting it out I've been more interested in getting out of the house. I also have a job with more responsibility that pretty much prevents me from being a stoner; unlike my previous job where coming home and packing a bowl was pretty much the daily routine. I can focus a lot better at work. I also found myself to be very anxious and paranoid when I'm stoned and I don't like that feeling at all. That prevents me from driving (at least driving the speed limit,...or over) and getting involved in social settings. Again YMMV; maybe I was just a lightweight,...or getting really good (Inland NW) ****.

There are some people in my life who puffed tough for a long time and that was their way of coping with their problems,...or running away from them (I'd rather that than a bottle or a needle). Once they realized they couldn't hide anymore and faced their problems things seemed to get a lot better for them.

I had some really good times thanks to pot though and met some great people and had some mind opening experiences and I really do appreciate the ceremonial aspect of it and I really do believe that it helps in the creative process (hey we're musicians here).

I consider weed to be a relatively benign substance. Yeah it's not going to kill you and it probably won't ruin your life (unless you are more than a recreational user and have run in's with the law and that's borderline political) but to me recreational use is pretty much a kid thing to do. I'm not the expert on adulthood but to me,...there comes a time when you have to think about what's important to you. Getting stoned,...or growing up.
 
#47
SBassman said:
I won't get into the gateway debate.

But I do find the cancer discussions fascinating.

Research has proven that lighting Anything and inhaling it - will increase cancer risk. Don't know why marijuana would be exempt from that.

[Don't get me wrong - I'd love to know for a Fact that it Doesn't increase cancer risk, but I have a hard time believing that.]
Click to expand...

Seriously, everything causes cancer.
 
#48
my take on it:

the mental/psychological side effects of pot can be very harmful - i say this as someone who has seen at least two old schoolmates end up in mental hospitals from their cannabis use.

it doesn't agree with me, either, mentally speaking - leaves me very paranoid and anxious for weeks after. i'm sure this is to do with my own psychological make up,though i gather this is not uncommon.

in terms of society and law enforcement, it is definitely less disruptive than booze. on a smaller scale, i have seen it stunt the personal development of many people i know, like any drug i guess.

on a lighter note, some people seem to be able to smoke it endlessly and are fine. i don't know how they do it! but fair enough :D
 
#49
SBassman said:
I won't get into the gateway debate.

But I do find the cancer discussions fascinating.

Research has proven that lighting Anything and inhaling it - will increase cancer risk. Don't know why marijuana would be exempt from that.

[Don't get me wrong - I'd love to know for a Fact that it Doesn't increase cancer risk, but I have a hard time believing that.]
Click to expand...
it may be,but even if it is proven to be carcinogenic over time it is far more likely that physical harm or death will result from the fall out our insane "war on drugs" policy leaves in it's wake
 
#50
I still occasionally smoke cannabis, I used to smoke a lot more. Has it harmed me? Who knows, my lungs probably aren't any better for it at least.

The biggest problem I have with it.....smoking weed all day makes boredom an acceptable hobby. Staring at the carpet was never so interesting.

Used occasionally, in moderation, I'd very confidently say, it won't do much, if any, noticeable long term damage to an average person.

But hey, thats just, like, my opinion man.
 
#51
SBassman said:
Research has proven that lighting Anything and inhaling it - will increase cancer risk. Don't know why marijuana would be exempt from that.
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please explain where you read that "lighting anything and inhaling it" increases cancer risk.

heres a quote from the following government website:

http://www.drugabuse.gov/Infofacts/marijuana.html

"Marijuana smokers show dysregulated growth of epithelial cells in their lung tissue, which could lead to cancer;8 however, a recent case-controlled study found no positive associations between marijuana use and lung, upper respiratory, or upper digestive tract cancers.9 Thus, the link between marijuana smoking and these cancers remains unsubstantiated at this time."

im going to hazard a guess and say that the above website is probably more toward the anti cannabis, conservative side of things. in my mind, if even they arent willing to connect cannabis to cancer, its untrue, or, as stated in the above quote, in need of more research.
 
#52
TOOL460002 said:
please explain where you read that "lighting anything and inhaling it" increases cancer risk.
Click to expand...

Go research other materials that some people try to smoke.
For example, tea leaves. That's something natural and not soaked in all the chemicals that the cigarette companies put in their cigarettes. Yet, some articles will state that it, too, can increase cancer risk. Burning it will create particles that irritate your lungs, and in some case, promote cancer.
 
#53
Jim Nazium said:
My personal opinion, apart from all of the excellent research that has already been referenced, is that it's less harmful than alcohol. Yes, it turns some people into burnout losers.
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Pretty much. Politics aside, I've known enough people who have permanently smoked themselves stupid. I'm not talking basic zoned out stoner, but jaw-dropping how the !@#%@ did you make it through an open door stupid. :eek:
 
#54
Ziltoid said:
Another point to lift, pretty much one of the only negative side that gets mentioned a lot is that you're inhaling smoke which isn't good be it camp fire smoke or cannabis smoke, but what about vapor? Is it right to assume that using a vaporizer makes the consumption of cannabis healthy or not damaging in any way?
Click to expand...

It's not healthy. It's definitely healthier to not use it. I think the debate is actually about exactly how unhealthy is it when you compare it to other socially accepted unhealthy practices, like cigarettes, alcohol, or junk food
 
#57
I believe marijuana is a psychoactive substance, and therefore people with underlying psychotic disorders or a family history of such disorders should stay away. No person who is mentally healthy will all of a sudden become psychotic from weed IMO. Hungry and giggly, but not crazy.

Also, the way things seem to be going, legalization doesn't seem to be too far away...
 
#58
spade2you said:
It's not non-toxic. Mental capacity aside, if you've known someone who has smoked over the years or smoked a lot in less years, their cough/hack is pretty unmistakable.
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I was talking about vapor not smoke here in that question, to see if there was a difference and if taking pot by vaporization would be "not damaging" since most of the health issues since to be linked with smoke in the lungs.
 
#59
I'm pro weed.....me and my buddies have been for a while


Recently though one of my good friends decided he was gonna ruin his life (yay!!) and all he does is get high or drunk....albeit it does not seem that his incompetence is because pot it seems to be because of alchohol.

Hes drunk all the time, loses jobs, gets kicked out of his house, has sex with anything that moves and steals. Which is really sad because when he was sober and younger he was a really cool fun guy.

He always ad this personality, but i doubt it was pot that did any of this to him, infact the fact that it is illegal makes it worse.

Pot is VERY easy to get here and if you hang around the local mall/bus terminus you can get it in 2 minutes, but everybody who hangs out there is a loser burnout who do ecstasy and other hard drugs......If marijuana was not "related" to all this horrible substances then maybe people would not get into the dumb group of people who will go like "hey man try this out". If someone wants to fit in or is curious (and stupid) they will try the hard drug.

Smoking and drinking are just as bad and i don't see my buddies at bars sniffing lines or popping pills. If marijuana was seen in a group like taht and people ad more info on it i imagine it would not be a "gateway".

But studies show that only 1 out of 100 pot users will take anything more, which leads me to saying most of us pot smokers, don;t smoke tobacco and stick to "alcohol and weed ONLY".

I have tremendous respect for people who do nothing and stay clean, i don't think i'm a saint but its better then allowing yourself to push the limits.

In canada something like 90% of the drug budget targets pot, why not make it 0% and take down the kids who are popping ecstasy all the time! Seriously this is beginning to be a huge problem here :mad:


As well i bet there are just as many people who are burn outs because of weed as there are because videogames like World of Warcraft etc... I've heard of people dropping out or failing because video game addiction, which seems just as common as your regular pot burnout.
 

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