Medical Marijuana

[bloodyhatchetbear]

I'm going to guess that my post was misread a bit. I'm for the legalization of marijuana, medicinal or fully legalized. I just don't think it will happen debating it here.

[deloriagod]

@laura0077:

 

 

 

While you may have found some facts and simply copy/pasted them here, you're also falling pray to the gov't propaganda and mixing in your own bias opinions. Get some straight up facts, get rid of the gov't [cabbage] and stop acting like you can predict the future. From your posts you seem to think the gov't actually did scientific studies with maijuana which they didn't. If you even try to quote anything from Dr. Naha I'm going to laugh at you relentlessly since he even admitted all of his findings were total [cabbage]. Now you're so set on there being more accidents but I don't think you relise a few simple things:

 

 

 

1. You have no clue how many people already drive while high (irresponsible imo but I know a lot of people)

 

 

 

2. -Driving high makes you twice as likely to have an accident (far less than alcohol)

 

-Speeding almost triples the odds of being involved in an accident.

 

-Driving while fatigued similarly increases the odds of an accident.

 

-Aggressive driving nearly doubled the odds of having an accident.

 

-Lack of attention by a driver (for example, taking one's eyes off the road for more than two seconds) is a factor, the odds of a crash also nearly double compared to the odds of a driver paying attention to the road.

 

 

 

Of course with legalization we need people to use this substance responsibly and I would support harsh DUI laws. But I would like to say I've experimented with both alcohol and marijuana and alcohol messes up your brain a lot more than marijuana. So if you really want to get rid of a dangerous substance, take a stand against alcohol. It's more widely used than marijuana, more dangerous than marijuana (chance of death if you drink too much), and impares your judgement/motor skills more than marijuana. I really think you need to get all your facts straight before you start trying to take a stand against something.

 

 

 

Also I've seen you mention alcohol and marijuana being taken together a few times. Nobody I've ever smoked with has taken alcohol at the same time. If people are taking both at once, I'd have to say they're trying to hide from some problem they have..

 

 

 

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I would love to see marijuana legalized altogether but since that seems to be a long ways off, I would like to see marijuana used medically more often. My mom has fibromyalgia and she has 10+ different medications to take. Most of them don't end up working and it's just costing my family more and more for newer medicines that, surprise, don't work. One of these days I'm just going to buy my mom some marijuana, hand her my pipe, and tell her to see if that works any better than the tons of medications she takes (and still feels terrible).

[Laura]

@laura0077:

 

 

 

While you may have found some facts and simply copy/pasted them here, you're also falling pray to the gov't propaganda and mixing in your own bias opinions. Get some straight up facts, get rid of the gov't [cabbage] and stop acting like you can predict the future. From your posts you seem to think the gov't actually did scientific studies with maijuana which they didn't. If you even try to quote anything from Dr. Naha I'm going to laugh at you relentlessly since he even admitted all of his findings were total [cabbage]. Now you're so set on there being more accidents but I don't think you relise a few simple things: I never claimed that they ever did scientific evidence. But as I said before, there would be no point in weed, if it did not do something to make you feel relaxed or loose. As such, these are side effects.

 

 

 

1. You have no clue how many people already drive while high (irresponsible imo but I know a lot of people) I never claimed I did, I looked at the statistics of people driving drunk, and getting into wrecks. Based on that, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to predict the amount of people that would die because being high.

 

 

 

2. -Driving high makes you twice as likely to have an accident (far less than alcohol)

 

-Speeding almost triples the odds of being involved in an accident.

 

-Driving while fatigued similarly increases the odds of an accident.

 

-Aggressive driving nearly doubled the odds of having an accident.

 

-Lack of attention by a driver (for example, taking one's eyes off the road for more than two seconds) is a factor, the odds of a crash also nearly double compared to the odds of a driver paying attention to the road. Where did you get this information?

 

 

 

Of course with legalization we need people to use this substance responsibly and I would support harsh DUI laws. But I would like to say I've experimented with both alcohol and marijuana and alcohol messes up your brain a lot more than marijuana. So if you really want to get rid of a dangerous substance, take a stand against alcohol. It's more widely used than marijuana, more dangerous than marijuana (chance of death if you drink too much), and impares your judgement/motor skills more than marijuana. I really think you need to get all your facts straight before you start trying to take a stand against something. Alcohol, as I said before, has been here for hundreds of years, and is sown into the economy. You can't take it out. And we've witnessed what happens if you try this. You're also forgetting one variable: it's legal. It explain why more people die due to it, and use it more often.

 

 

 

Also I've seen you mention alcohol and marijuana being taken together a few times. Nobody I've ever smoked with has taken alcohol at the same time. If people are taking both at once, I'd have to say they're trying to hide from some problem they have.. No one you know has, it doesn't mean it hasn't been done. And if legal, you can bet that many teenage parties will combine these two, meaning to hurt someone or not.

 

 

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I would love to see marijuana legalized altogether but since that seems to be a long ways off, I would like to see marijuana used medically more often. My mom has fibromyalgia and she has 10+ different medications to take. Most of them don't end up working and it's just costing my family more and more for newer medicines that, surprise, don't work. One of these days I'm just going to buy my mom some marijuana, hand her my pipe, and tell her to see if that works any better than the tons of medications she takes (and still feels terrible).

I've heard of it, but have never heard of THC being prescribed to help people cope with the pain. While it would stimulate the CNS, it could possibly reduce the pain, but there are better and healthy alternatives.

[Zierro]

Marijuana's not sown into the economy? Do you know what hemp is? Back a few hundred years ago, farmers went to jail for not growing the plant. I don't get why you think marijuana is completely "useless". http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html

[IGoddessI]

I said I wasn't going to say anything but seriously dizziness as a number 1 concern is getting unreal I had to say something. Try longterm cognitive impairment (ashton 2002) (studies have been all over the place lately, especially in Australia), respiratory side effects (hall 1998), 10 per cent of regular cannabis users develop cannabis dependence syndrome in young adulthood (Coffey et al. 2001) and also exacerbates preexisting psychosis such as schizophrenia that may not have otherwise ever occurred in someones life (Hall & Degenhardt 2000). I couldn't give 2 craps what people do with their lives (speaking as an ex pot smoker) but at least educate people of more serious concerns. While I do support medical use of marijuana, I like to question things...

 

 

 

While yes it is their choice to have it medically, are they educated of all the dangers before making their decision? I would sue a doctor for telling me it may cause my sick mother dizziness, red eyes and give her the munchies.

 

 

 

The very last thing any of you would wish upon your mother...narrowly escaping an unbearable condition with help from cannabis as a temporary pain relief only to come home with schizophrenia. (as evidence suggesting cannabis can cause psychosis when the drug is stopped is not strong enough - Hall et al. 1994).

 

 

 

Percentages aren't real high but I think most of us here have experienced an "I never thought that would happen to me".

 

 

 

My brother as an example, 2nd youngest person in Australia to develop relapsing polychondritis and nearly died to it. A pot smoker, high at the time (he thought it would be hilarious) made the irrational decision to give him a smiley.

 

 

 

My example, a doctor prescribed me medication without asking me if I smoked pot. The two exacerbated short term psychosis and I went misdiagnosed for 5 years of my life that I'll never get back.

[Laura]

Marijuana's not sown into the economy? Do you know what hemp is? Back a few hundred years ago, farmers went to jail for not growing the plant. I don't get why you think marijuana is completely "useless". http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html

 

Useless? When did I say it was "useless"? Recreationally, yes, I think it is actually. Hemp was also grown for rope, clothes, and even early forms of paper. What we are talking about now is its recreational purposes.

[Zierro]

Many great musicians were inspired when using this drug for recreational purposes. And this goes back to the Jazz times, not just Rock. It doesn't just stop in the music industry though. I'm sure you've heard of South Park.

 

 

 

It's about as "useless" as sports and video games. People do both of those activities because they enjoy it, yet there are consequences if they take it to an extreme level. The same could be said with a mild drug like marijuana.

 

 

 

Video games have been known to take control of people's lives. An unhealthy addiction can be very detrimental to your health since you're not exercising your body and you're staring at a screen all day. Should they be illegal? Same goes for sports. People kill each other over competition, take steroids, lose tons of money on bets, etc. Does that mean sports should be illegal?

 

 

 

If there's something wrong with using marijuana occasionally for enjoyment, then there must be something wrong with doing anything for enjoyment because there are cons to everything - not just drugs.

[IGoddessI]

Is there a source that states that sports can bring out preexisting mental illnesses? Anything can be compared to anything when looking at which side you want to lean towards. I can influence someone to buy horse manure in the right sales pitch and body language.

[Zierro]

Is there a source that states that sports can bring out preexisting mental illnesses? Anything can be compared to anything when looking at which side you want to lean towards. I can influence someone to buy horse manure in the right sales pitch and body language.

 

 

 

Can you break your arm, leg, or even become paralyzed when smoking? And what is the point you're getting at? You're just saying you don't like my approach rather than countering anything directly.

[IGoddessI]

Can you break your arm, leg, or even become paralyzed when smoking?

 

 

 

Yes you can lol... Since we're comparing sports to smoking marijuana it would only be fair to say that you would be participating in physical activity while smoking.

[Laura]

Many great musicians were inspired when using this drug for recreational purposes. And this goes back to the Jazz times, not just Rock. It doesn't just stop in the music industry though. I'm sure you've heard of South Park.

 

 

 

It's about as "useless" as sports and video games. People do both of those activities because they enjoy it, yet there are consequences if they take it to an extreme level. The same could be said with a mild drug like marijuana.

 

 

 

Video games have been known to take control of people's lives. An unhealthy addiction can be very detrimental to your health since you're not exercising your body and you're staring at a screen all day. Should they be illegal? Same goes for sports. People kill each other over competition, take steroids, lose tons of money on bets, etc. Does that mean sports should be illegal?

 

 

 

If there's something wrong with using marijuana occasionally for enjoyment, then there must be something wrong with doing anything for enjoyment because there are cons to everything - not just drugs.

 

But sports is physical activity. Needless to say, this world today needs that. Video games can't harm people unintentionally, so I'm not sure why you're comparing that. When you smoke weed, take other drugs, etc, you can harm other people. While sports can offer physical activity, to build muscle. While you don't need sports, you do need at least some muscle mass. Steroids and such are all illegal, and yet people still take them. Which only furthers my point of the DUI's. In my eyes, there's nothing wrong with marijuana, if all's it did was make you feel good. Unfortunately that's not all it does. There's cons to everything, but when you start taking thousands, if not millions of innocent lives, people choosing not to take the drug, dying, just for the sake of a few teens the freedom to light up a joint.

 

 

 

Is there a source that states that sports can bring out preexisting mental illnesses? Anything can be compared to anything when looking at which side you want to lean towards. I can influence someone to buy horse manure in the right sales pitch and body language.

 

 

 

Can you break your arm, leg, or even become paralyzed when smoking? And what is the point you're getting at? You're just saying you don't like my approach rather than countering anything directly.

 

Are you saying you can't? :?

[Zierro]

I don't think you get my point. Marijuana is said to be "useless" because the cons outweigh the pros. But in reality, I can make anything look like the cons outweigh the pros. (sports and video games)

 

 

 

Yes you can lol...

 

 

 

Let me rephrase that. Can the act of smoking itself break one of your bones? And if you're saying there's still some freak of a chance that you can break your arm while smoking, then I'm going to say there's some freak of a chance that you can get knocked in the head while playing sports, causing brain damage.

[IGoddessI]

That's what I was saying Zierro, so we're agreeing on this point.

[Laura]

I don't think you get my point. Marijuana is said to be "useless" because the cons outweigh the pros. But in reality, I can make anything look like the cons outweigh the pros. (sports and video games)

 

You can make it look that way, sure, anyone can. But when you bring other human lives into the picture, millions of dollars towards drug withdrawn victims, thousands more spent going towards police equipment, more officers...I can go on if you want.

 

 

 

Is it really worth it for some kids to feel good? When there are other, legal alternatives?

 

 

 

Let me rephrase that. Can the act of smoking itself break one of your bones? And if you're saying there's still some freak of a chance that you can break your arm while smoking, then I'm going to say there's some freak of a chance that you can get knocked in the head while playing sports, causing brain damage.

 

Freak accident, sure. But let's pretend we bring this to court. Would the parent of sports victim press charges? Maybe, would she win? Doubtfully. Imagine now, you taking a puff of MJ, and decide to step into the car. Because you have blurred vision, slow reaction time, and such, and killed a person. Who's fault does it become now? Eh?

 

 

 

You can prevent that possibility by not smoking. Can you prevent accidents? Well, sure, but you will always have accidents.

[bloodyhatchetbear]

Ok, so here's the issue. People are basically trying to convert people onto their side of the fence on this issue. It's not gonna happen. One side has their opinions, the other side has the same. You aren't going to make your point known to the other side pretty much by yelling at them in text. We all know that one side says "marijuana is bad" and the other is like "no way man, there's not that much wrong with it". Neither side is going to wn the arguement, so I say we all agree to disagree and move on.

 

 

 

I do have one note to put up though: If it were to be legalized, whether medicinally or not, it would be a 21+ thing. They wouldn't allow someone underage to have it. Which is why that whole "Pot-head teenager" thing doesn't fly. If they were to get caught, they would be thrown in jail for underage use, the same way alcohol and tobacco is regulated. Now, this is not arguing one side or the other, this is just a little tid-bit of fact for all sides, including the people for it, considering I know a fair few teenagers who think they'd get access to it if it were legalized. Sorry, kids, not gonna happen.

[Laura]

Ok, so here's the issue. People are basically trying to convert people onto their side of the fence on this issue. It's not gonna happen. One side has their opinions, the other side has the same. You aren't going to make your point known to the other side pretty much by yelling at them in text. We all know that one side says "marijuana is bad" and the other is like "no way man, there's not that much wrong with it". Neither side is going to wn the arguement, so I say we all agree to disagree and move on.

 

 

 

I do have one note to put up though: If it were to be legalized, whether medicinally or not, it would be a 21+ thing. They wouldn't allow someone underage to have it. Which is why that whole "Pot-head teenager" thing doesn't fly. If they were to get caught, they would be thrown in jail for underage use, the same way alcohol and tobacco is regulated. Now, this is not arguing one side or the other, this is just a little tid-bit of fact for all sides, including the people for it, considering I know a fair few teenagers who think they'd get access to it if it were legalized. Sorry, kids, not gonna happen.

 

I was using the terms "kid" and "teens" quite loosely. I can change them if you want. :?

[bloodyhatchetbear]

I was using the terms "kid" and "teens" quite loosely. I can change them if you want. :?

 

 

 

As I said, it was meant for both sides, not just one.

[IGoddessI]

Bear - Just to play devils advocate

 

 

 

Say it's legalized 21+. It's a well known fact that kids learn behaviour and model behaviour as they grow older - some of it learnt by yours (the parent).

 

 

 

An example.. cigarette smoking: Children whose parents smoked are twice as likely to begin smoking between 13 and 21 http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/31304.php

 

 

 

What would be some of your boundaries? If a child/teenager under the age of 21 is in the constant environment of a house hold/community that smokes pot all the time..

[Zierro]

You can make it look that way, sure, anyone can. But when you bring other human lives into the picture, millions of dollars towards drug withdrawn victims, thousands more spent going towards police equipment, more officers...I can go on if you want.

 

 

 

Is it really worth it for some kids to feel good? When there are other, legal alternatives?

 

 

 

Why use the fact that it's illegal as a method of showing how "bad" it is? It will only make the conversation go in a circle.

 

 

 

Freak accident, sure. But let's pretend we bring this to court. Would the parent of sports victim press charges? Maybe, would she win? Doubtfully. Imagine now, you taking a puff of MJ, and decide to step into the car. Because you have blurred vision, slow reaction time, and such, and killed a person. Who's fault does it become now? Eh?

 

 

 

That makes it the person's fault because they were driving the car under the influence - not the drug. It's like stabbing someone with a pair of scissors. Is it the scissors' fault for being so pointy - or the person's fault for being violent in the first place?

 

 

 

To Goddess: I don't know what just happened. I was trying to show Laura that her logic was flawed because just like there are cases where marijuana causes harm, there are cases where video games and sports cause harm too. You said that I'm being biased so my comparisons count as nothing. I don't know how that counts as an agreement...

[bloodyhatchetbear]

Bear - Just to play devils advocate

 

 

 

Say it's legalized 21+. It's a well known fact that kids learn behaviour and model behaviour as they grow older - some of it learnt by yours (the parent).

 

 

 

What would be some of your boundaries? If a child/teenager under the age of 21 is in the constant environment of a house hold/community that smokes pot all the time..

 

 

 

If it were myself, I would treat it the way I would alcohol: Moderation and responsibility. If it's at a party, either get a designated driver or make sure you can crash there until you are completely sober. Also, if it were my house, it would not be all the time. But, as I said, it would be my house. I'm not sure how others would raise their kids.

 

 

 

I was raised like this. Learn to use it responsibly. My mother, when I was younger, didn't care if I did use it, as long as a) it didn't go into her house and B) I was responsible with it (i.e. no driving or getting into a car with someone that used it). I really didn't use it as often as alot of other people my age did, maybe I did it every couple of months? I treat alcohol the same way, because I know it can affect my judgement. Now, with that being said, my mother never smoked marijuana when I was growing up, she got the use of that out of her system before me and my older brother were born. She also did harder drugs at that age, but I learned from her mistakes not to do them. If more parents shared what they went through as kids, they may learn to be more responsible from said mistakes.

[Laura]

You can make it look that way, sure, anyone can. But when you bring other human lives into the picture, millions of dollars towards drug withdrawn victims, thousands more spent going towards police equipment, more officers...I can go on if you want.

 

 

 

Is it really worth it for some kids to feel good? When there are other, legal alternatives?

 

 

 

Why use the fact that it's illegal as a method of showing how "bad" it is? It will only make the conversation go in a circle.

 

I was simply stating that there are other legal alternatives.

 

 

Freak accident, sure. But let's pretend we bring this to court. Would the parent of sports victim press charges? Maybe, would she win? Doubtfully. Imagine now, you taking a puff of MJ, and decide to step into the car. Because you have blurred vision, slow reaction time, and such, and killed a person. Who's fault does it become now? Eh?

 

 

 

That makes it the person's fault because they were driving the car under the influence - not the drug. It's like stabbing someone with a pair of scissors. Is it the scissors' fault for being so pointy - or the person's fault for being violent in the first place?

 

Exactly, but it all could have been prevented if the drug came with severe consequences as it does now. I never implied that it was the drugs fault. Sorry if it seemed like that lol.

 

 

To Goddess: I don't know what just happened. I was trying to show Laura that her logic was flawed because just like there are cases where marijuana causes harm, there are cases where video games and sports cause harm too. You said that I'm being biased so my comparisons count as nothing. I don't know how that counts as an agreement...

 

But the fact that video games don't kill millions of people a year makes me wonder...how is that flawed? Nearly everything has consequences. No, make that everything. But what is the point to make some drug legal at the cost of thousands of people dying. Millions lost in money efforts-possibly over the amount that taxation would bring in.

[Zierro]

Pot doesn't kill millions of people per year either. You were using extremities to show that pot can be dangerous. I was using extremities to counter you and show that anything can be "dangerous".

[IGoddessI]

Bear -

 

 

 

I've found that myself too although not quite in the same experience as you. Being the oldest child in my family I got drilled in to me "No, no, no, no" and so I just did the opposite because my dad was very strict. However, going through my own drug experiences and learning from them I was able to educate my two brothers who decided on their own behalf to be drug free.

 

 

 

What are some of the harm reduction methods you'd recommend?

[bloodyhatchetbear]

Bear -

 

 

 

I've found that myself too although not quite in the same experience as you. Being the oldest child in my family I got drilled in to me "No, no, no, no" and so I just did the opposite because my dad was very strict. However, going through my own drug experiences and learning from them I was able to educate my two brothers who decided on their on behalf to be drug free.

 

 

 

What are some of the harm reduction methods you'd recommend?

 

 

 

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "harm reduction methods", could you clarify that a bit for me?

[Laura]

Pot doesn't kill millions of people per year either. You were using extremities to show that pot can be dangerous. I was using extremities to counter you and show that anything can be "dangerous".

 

Of course it doesn't kill millions a day. It's not legalized, nor in wide spread use. Look at alcohol consumption and driving, kills an estimated 1.8 million people each year. It doesn't take a rocket science to figure out that the same, or to some extreme, happen with pot, if made legal. Anything can be dangerous, but not everything can kill upwards of millions a year.