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2004/03/24, 01:36 PM
Good post Mutt. I agree with everything you said there. I'm not a user I am just very open minded when it comes to all issues. I respect everyones opinions. I'm not on a mission for you to agree with me. I just read all of the posts and people were more or less making assumptions with no actual facts. I really don't think there is a right or wrong here. My purpose is to add a little insight from a person who has lived a different life. Just trying to let people know there are always 2 side to a story. My purpose is definitely not to push my beliefs on anyone else, and I apologize if it came off that way.
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2004/03/24, 02:31 PM
I, too have lived a different life. I was a dime bag a day in ninth grade. That led to dropping oput 2-3 times, loss of my chances at a scholarship (I was 4.0 untilo I dropped out). I am lucky, I never got into harder drugs, but many of my buddies became speeders and crack addicts. very sad. They all had reasons to want to escape reality, and drug use was pretty common at the time, but still I wish i hadn't wasted so many opportunities in my life.
I put myself through college and am a healthy, happy parent/wife now, but so many of my teen memeories are missing and so much of the time I could have done constructive things was wasted.
I don't care how much research there is, or who makes a movie, I do believe it is a gate-way drug that leads to worse things. It also lowers your inhibitions and creates a lassez-faire attitude. That can lead to many life/health threatening situations. I was nearly raped when stoned out of my mind (thank the gods my boyfriend came into the room), I did a lot of really stupid, risky things back then that i would never had done if my judgement hadn't been impaired.
I am lucky, I am alive. My best friend at age 23 died of an overdose. My old group of buddies are mostly alcoholics with really dysfunctional lives.
I guess I am going to get off the soap box now.
Just my two cents worth.
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"To be able to go to the gym and train hard is a joy and a privelege, even though the hard work necessitates driving yourself through considerable discomfort. Savor this privelege and blessing, and revel in it."
Stuart McRobert, Beyond Brawn
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2004/03/24, 03:41 PM
The only problem I have with that is I was doing the same thing you were and none of those things happened to me. I guess I was raised in more of a hippie atmosphere where smoking pot was just recreational and everyone seemed happy all of the time and when it came down to responsibilities, school came first and the weekend was (relaxation) time. Moderation is the key I think. But no I can't speek for you, and those are pretty bad things that happened to you asimmer. I guess everyone is affected by things differently. My parents still smoke pot like once every 2 months, but I have yet to see any problems with that behavior. If you smoke a dime bag a day it can't be good. Just like if you drink a six pack a day. Ninth graders do not understand the consequenses of marijuana use or alcohol use. Hence the 21 drinking age. I probably should have left this post alone, but I am glad I got to here from other people who experienced that lifestyle. And I do have my doubts about the drug, some just from reading your posts. And by the way, I'm very glad your life is better now asimmer and you overcame all the bad things around you. OK I should quit talking about this before somebody gets mad at me. Sorry guys.
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2004/03/24, 03:45 PM
Fouts, dont worry we will not get mad at you. We are to high to get upset ( joke ) :laugh:
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2004/03/24, 03:48 PM
:laugh:Good one atiger. Like I said, I respect your opinion fouts, and I smoked weed when I was younger as well, no biggie. I just got out of that becuase it just seemed like a big drain on me mentally, physically AND financially. But, to each his own.
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2004/03/24, 03:57 PM
I'm glad you all have a sense of humor. Another reason I like this site. I also respect your opinions, and lookin at everything I wrote now, I think I have way too much time on my hands!
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2004/03/25, 08:53 AM
I guess the only problem I see with your parents type of potsmoking is that it is still illegal and could result in social services intervention if your parents ever got busted while buying their stash. You are older, I assume. But I do know people with young kids who still smoke pot and I think they are jeopardizing their children's safety. I do think your judgement and reaction times can be affected and that doesn't make for a good , safe environment for children. It seems harmless until you get busted buying it and have to explain to your kids.
But I am not trying to slam you, or your parents, everyone has to make their own decisions about how they raise their kids - I guess plenty of parents jeopardize their kids safety when they drink, also.
I really don't think that you can argue that it doesn't have its place in a healthy lifestyle. Burning anything and inhaling it is bad for you.
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"To be able to go to the gym and train hard is a joy and a privelege, even though the hard work necessitates driving yourself through considerable discomfort. Savor this privelege and blessing, and revel in it."
Stuart McRobert, Beyond Brawn
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2004/03/25, 10:42 AM
I fully agree with that, and I never knew my parents smoked it until I was over 18 and out of the house. You are right it is illegal and it definitely won't make you healthier. I just see more things wrong with alcohol than marijuana. And I can say that I am much happier having parents who smoke weed than having alcoholic parents. I completely disagree with parents smoking it anywhere near their kids though. My parents would never have done that. But I do agree with your post and I understand that there are people who put their kids in danger like that everywhere, and that's sad.
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2004/03/29, 06:16 AM
I dont think weed is any safer than drinking you shouldnt be behind the wheel with both of them. I do think weed should be legal because it hurts you just like ciggs and alcohol its even proven to help cancer patients with their sickness not actual cancer, so i think if you can drink and smoke you should be able to do some weed.
And i do know a case of someone dying in a car accident while being high and not being drunk or on any other drugs, My brother was killed being high he was driving and he was really paranoid which is very common but he thought a cop was following him so he started to go crazy he wasnt himself, i was in the car with him and I was also high I was so high I didnt know what was going on I just sat there well anyways we ran of the road and hit a tree my brother snapped his neck and died instantly I just broke my arm and leg and had a concusion the others were just scratched and scared to holy f***. oh and no there wasnt a cop behind us the only lites he was seeing were street lights no cars were around when it happened
So with that it has happened maybe not as likely as being drunk but it can!
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Killi
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2004/03/29, 12:02 PM
Wow, Thanks for sharing that, Killi, must have been a terrible thing to go through. I would say that out weighs any book as far as the effects of weed.
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If you fall down seven times, get up eight.
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2004/03/30, 11:47 AM
I just would like to say this,
Anything taken to excess is harmefull and some things should just be left alone.
Weed has the ability to relieve stress for short term use, but to extreme's it causes laziness in most people which lead a bunch of other problems.
Alchol has the ability to help prevent heart disease but to excess it can kill, distroy your body and cause violence.
Smoking over all has nothing mudecinal about it (smoked for 5 years and fighting to quit now) and it can kill both you and your physicall abilitys.
To sum up, it is not the drug but the person. Everyone has the ability to control what they do, how they do it and to take responsibility for what they do.
As far as weed, I had my hayday and I'm done with being a lazy dolt, becuase that is what it made me. I'm neither for or against it, I just believe that people should take a little responsibility and think before they act, and atleast have some moderation and consideration for others lives.
No harm intended here and no offensive, just be safe and smart.
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2004/03/30, 11:55 AM
And on a second note,
If you wish to be and athlete then don't put something in your body that will eventually either kill you or hinder you. Think about it, it's like being a hippocrit. I think the thing some of the people on here are trying to tell you is that if you love yourself enough to work out then be smart and don't fight your self. I mean no offense and to those that are offended I am sorry.
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2004/03/31, 11:17 AM
Couldn't have said it any better Valrash!!! Those were really good things you said and very true.
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Killi
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2004/04/29, 06:48 PM
You guys are all losers the first question i believe was, DOES MARIJUANA HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WORKING OUT. BEFORE OR AFTER. i would would like to know a little about it too. everyone got on the the subject about the regular side effects of the drug and how stupid you can or what not. i smoke and i havent had any problems yet with working out. i smoke before and after the workout. i feel really good right in the middle of the workout just like any other time when i was sober. so can you people just stick with the topic of DOES MARIJUANA HAVE ANY SERIOUS EFFECTS WHILE WORKING OUT. dam
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2004/04/29, 06:52 PM
Well dizzy, don't mince words, say what you REALLY mean.
============
Quoting from dizzyrapper18:
You guys are all losers the first question i believe was, DOES MARIJUANA HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WORKING OUT. BEFORE OR AFTER. i would would like to know a little about it too. everyone got on the the subject about the regular side effects of the drug and how stupid you can or what not. i smoke and i havent had any problems yet with working out. i smoke before and after the workout. i feel really good right in the middle of the workout just like any other time when i was sober. so can you people just stick with the topic of DOES MARIJUANA HAVE ANY SERIOUS EFFECTS WHILE WORKING OUT. dam
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A problem ceases to be such when you can laugh about it.
Charlie
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2004/04/29, 07:24 PM
Just wanted to add to the off the topic part of the thread. Most of the people I know who smoke pot, usually smoke pot while they are drinking...if that is a trend then maybe thats why you don't see to many pot only deaths. Ok, I'm done.
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2004/04/30, 09:40 AM
Dizzyrapper, it's evident that weed has adverse effect on the thought process judging by your post. As a trainer, if I was working and knew some stupid punk ass kid was working out after smokin, I would kick his ass out of MY gym.
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2004/05/05, 10:48 AM
every one on here is so black and white. i don't think that smoking weed now and again is a bad thing...or i wouldn't do it; but some people on here think it is like sticking a needle in your arm. i also know that it is very counter productive as far as fitness is involved. that is why it is EACH PERSONS CHOICE. i am sure some of you drink beer on the weekend, or after your weekly hockey game or whatever...that is bad for you too; but it is a chocie you make. yes you can be into fitness and make unhealthy choices now and again. if you are a pro bodybuiler that is one thing, but being fit and staying in shape is another. i think that people who are very ignorant to the subject (ignorant in the way of never having smoked) are the ones who think that it leads to teenage pregnancy and the like. come on, lets be real. more people get knocked up drunk than baked. smoking pot doesn't make a girl a crack whore. this is getting too long; so my point is that smoking weed isn't the devil, just counter productive and unhealthy...but can also be fun, just like having a few beers when you are responsible about it. hope i didn't miss my point too badly or run on too long about nothing but i had to post because i see this topic come up so much.
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2004/05/05, 11:09 AM
"i think that people who are very ignorant to the subject (ignorant in the way of never having smoked) are the ones who think that it leads to teenage pregnancy and the like"...
lol This is such a ignorant statement. How is the fact that I choose to not infect my self with a mood altering illeagal drug make me ignorant on the bad effects of it...? This type of statement just proves my point that those that smoke it or do other such drugs are affecting their thought process...
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LIFT HEAVY! BECOME STRONG, LIKE BULL!
7707mutt@freetrainers.com
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2004/05/05, 11:35 AM
i am not calling you ignorant, i am saying that you lack the personal experience. you can read all you want and be extremely versed on the physical effects and the sience behind it and still not understand it. my point was that not knowing how you will react to a situation (like being high) is very scary. i hate not being in control, i really hate being in a car when i am not driving. so i am the same way when it comes to my body. smoking weed isn't like getting snapped up on coke or jabbing a needle in your arm, but not having experienced that it is easy to lump it in with other drugs. by no means was i picking on anyone or calling them ignorant.i knew that was going to be a bad term as soon as i typed it. i am also not saying that smoking is a good thing, or that i recomend it to others, but for me i know i can controll it and it is fun. it just bothers me when people liken weed to much harsher things. i would rather have that "mood altering illegal drug" in my system than 90% of what some pro bodybuilders have. and i am not talking about anyone on here when i say that, so please don't take offence. and i am also aware that it is better to have neither in my system, i was just making a point.
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2004/05/05, 11:38 AM
ps in my first post i did explain why i used the term ignorant "(ignorant in the way of never having smoked)" so don't say that i called you ignorant in the way of the ill effects it has on your system.
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2004/05/05, 12:01 PM
Well I did take it to mean that those that have never smoked it are ignorant cause that is what it says. You do say that as someone that has not smoked it I can NOT say anyhitng bad about it. rationalize it how you want it still comes down to the fact that using it is just like using coke or crack. One drink of booze still impairs you so getting behind the wheel is still just as wrong and dumb as if you had 5 drinks. There is no middle ground. You still are a user and deep down these posts are you way to rationalize the use of a illeagal, and dangerouse drug. That is all I am saying.
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LIFT HEAVY! BECOME STRONG, LIKE BULL!
7707mutt@freetrainers.com
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2004/05/05, 12:19 PM
i am not trying to rationalize anything. i know why i do it, and i am just trying to be objective and help others understnad why and how i feel. i honestly do not feel that it is anything like coke or crack. that is almost (i stress alomost) like saying that using creatine and steriods are the same thing. the desired result is the same, but you are taking a compltely different road to get there. you want to get bigger, but one way is way safer than the other. being high from weed is not like being high on crack. i am aware this analogy is a bit of a stretch but i wanted to used a fitness example.
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2004/05/05, 01:37 PM
the difference between creatine and steriods (they do not produce the same results) is that one is a naturaly occuring substance and one is a drug. So that analogy is a false one sense weed and crack are much more alike than creatine and roids...
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LIFT HEAVY! BECOME STRONG, LIKE BULL!
7707mutt@freetrainers.com
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2004/05/05, 01:55 PM
that is why i said it was a stretch. crack and weed affect different systems in your body, and you get a differnt high in a different way. but you get high from both, and from creatine and roids instead of high you want to get big. that was all i was getting at with that.
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2004/05/05, 02:29 PM
i am out of the office to go golfing this afternoon so i guess we will have to agree to disagree for now. i might check up on you later though Mutt:laugh:
thanks for giving me something to stay awake for today, after the Leafs lost last night i wasn't sure i was going to make the day.:dumbbell:
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2004/05/06, 12:56 PM
Well, to each his own, who freakin cares. But, it doesn't change the fact that weed is STILL illegal.
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2004/05/10, 04:03 PM
I just stick with peyote for my meditation sessions:big_smile: No not really, but I just wanted to mention the religious value of certain drugs. Many of the worlds religions believ that these drugs bring you to a higher level of consciousness neccassary to become closer to thier god(s). And, since I think a persons religion should take presidence over every thing else, I believe they do have their place in the world. I am a christian and do not believ in their use for for my religous experiences, but I do condone them for religions that do, and as a means of taking away pain from those who are terminally ill, but other than that I do not condone their use.
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I have some good news! I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Gieco!
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2004/05/17, 02:10 PM
dahayz is right. No matter what any of our opinions are, it is stiil illegal. And if you are religious, you know that the bible says to obey the laws of the land.
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2004/05/17, 05:41 PM
As for having a 4.0 gpa and smoking, that maybe true now but what about 20-30 years from now? My husband had smoked pot since he was 14 years old. He did excellent in school, had a 4.0 gpa also. He is now 45 and hasn't smoked in a couple of years. BUT ask him how his memory is these days and he will tell you he doesn't have much of one and he will tell you why. IT IS FROM SMOKING POT. Also, pot can slow your reaction time down also. So, if you are driving your reaction time will be slower. I know how this all works because I have done it. I'm not proud of myself for the few times I did do it but I can say that what I am saying is true. My reaction time slowed and my husband has lost his mind.
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2004/05/25, 09:00 AM
Alright, seriously I don't want to even reply to this but all of these things you are saying are still based on opinion. Just because your husband says he lost his memory from smoking pot doesn't mean that it's true. My dad is 48 and has been smoking since he was 15 and he remembers things that even I don't; and I like to think I have a pretty good memory. Pretty much everything people have said on this post is their personal opinion. But until you can say these things and back them up with hard facts no one will listen. Trust me. Weed groes from the ground. It is not man-made like alcohol or other drugs. So it must have some purpose for being here, and they have already proved some medicinal benefits. My grandfather died of cancer but the last few months of his life they had him smoke weed and it eased the effects of his treatments and gave him back his appetite. Everyone is different and just because one person is affected a certain way by weed doesn't mean that everyone will be. It's your decision if you want to smoke it and no one elses. But I don't think that people should go around talikng about things that they only know about from a few personal experiences because it will always be an opinion. Leave those determinations to the scientists who can produce proof.
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2004/05/25, 09:06 AM
Fouts you keep spouting off "hard scientific proof is needed" but you prove you point with "personal experiences" how is that any different from what we post here. There are medical uses for it, but there are medical uses for opium as well..... that does nto change the facts....it is an illegal drug..... most medical studies out there point to the fact that is can cause major medical problems....maybe not for each person using, but then some use and abuse roids and get away with it. I fail to see how your arguments are any more compelling then mine.
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LIFT HEAVY! BECOME STRONG, LIKE BULL!
7707mutt@freetrainers.com
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2004/05/25, 09:08 AM
Lots of natural plants are poisonous, and alcohol is a naturally-occurring byproduct of the fermentation process (elephants are known to become intoxicated after eating fermented fruit in the wild). Just clarifying, not commenting on the topic of weed. :)
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2004/05/25, 09:21 AM
TOUCHE! Very true but I don't think I could drink from that fermented fruit. Even Jesus drank wine so I can't say alcohol is a terrible thing. All I was really stressing about the post is that no one has stated fact anywhere I have read throughout the post. I have learned that it is not a good thing to argue a point you know little about. I have done alot of research on weed and even gave references to books I've read but still people come back with personal opinions without much basis.
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2004/05/25, 09:31 AM
Hey Mutt show me these major medical studies.
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2004/05/25, 09:37 AM
Show me some you keep claiming that it is not bad so prove you point with studies from docs not tied tot he drug for it use..
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LIFT HEAVY! BECOME STRONG, LIKE BULL!
7707mutt@freetrainers.com
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2004/05/25, 09:43 AM
Smoking five or more marijuana joints a week can make you feel stupid -- really. A new study shows heavy marijuana use can actually lower your IQ (intelligence quotient).
Researchers say it's one of the first studies to look at the long-term effects of marijuana on intelligence. Although the immediate, mind-numbing effects of marijuana are well known, it's been difficult to study the long-term effects on users because researchers often don't have a starting point before marijuana use began on which to base their measurements.
In this study, which appears in the April 2 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, researchers compared the IQ scores of 70 participants before they started smoking pot (aged 9-12) with their current scores at age 17-20. Among heavy users who currently smoked more than five joints a week, IQ scores dropped by an average of 4.1 points.
Researchers say that drop might seem minor, but it's about the same degree of IQ reduction found among children who were exposed to an average of three drinks a day in the womb. And it's more than the decline found in children exposed to cocaine in the womb or to low levels of lead as infants.
But among light users (fewer than five joints a week), researchers found gains in IQ scores of about 5.8 points. Former users and non-users also had slight increases in their scores -- of 3.5 and 2.6, respectively.
The study authors say these finding have several limitations and should be interpreted with caution. The size of the study was small and did not look at the length of marijuana use. The young age of the participants may have also tempered some of the potential long-term effects of the drug.
Researchers say that marijuana has grown in popularity among youth in the last four years, so more study is needed to fully understand the consequences of both current and previous marijuana
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LIFT HEAVY! BECOME STRONG, LIKE BULL!
7707mutt@freetrainers.com
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2004/05/25, 09:44 AM
Call it what you want -- pot, marijuana, wacky tobacky. But there's strong evidence that long-term, heavy smoking of cannabis can cause serious memory and attention impairments.
A study published in the March 6 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association is the first to look at long-term, entrenched cannabis users who were seeking treatment for their habit -- largely because they were having trouble functioning in everyday life. Previous research looking at this issue has shown altered brain function and thinking among cannabis users -- even in the unintoxicated state.
This study -- the first to look at marijuana's long-lasting effects -- compares brain function in people who smoked marijuana long-term (an average of 24 years) with short-term users (10 years average) and people who did not use the drug.
It confirms what many have suspected: "that long-term heavy cannabis users show impairments in memory and attention that endure beyond the period of intoxication and worsen with increasing years of regular cannabis use," researcher Nadia Solowij, PhD, writes in the study. Solowij is a psychologist in the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University of South Wales, Sydney, and the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Solowij's study focused on 102 people who used cannabis nearly every day, 65 of whom were in a marijuana treatment program. After giving them a series of nine tests, researchers found that long-term users performed "significantly less well" than short-term users and nonusers.
Cannabis users made more errors on the tests and were significantly less able to recall newly learned words. They also had more difficulty performing increasingly complex tasks. Both long-term and short-term users performed poorly in estimating time intervals.
Overall, long-term users had widespread memory difficulties with learning, retention, and retrieval skills, according to Solowij. Shorter-term cannabis users are not impaired to an extent that would interfere with memory and thinking abilities in daily life, she writes.
These results do not indicate a severe memory problem but could nevertheless mean an impairment in memory and thinking that could impact functioning in daily life, she says. The impairments develop gradually and probably become evident on tests after one or two decades of use.
Her research suggests that people using other substances -- in addition to marijuana -- would have greater impairments. However, "the risk to most medical cannabis users is likely to be small, as long as they are not maintained at high doses for many years," she writes.
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LIFT HEAVY! BECOME STRONG, LIKE BULL!
7707mutt@freetrainers.com
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2004/05/25, 09:47 AM
Opium was used to get rid of pain until morphine came along. Now alot of people are addicted to morphine. Isn't getting high a way to relive some sort of pain mental or physical anyway. So really the medicinal value of opium comes no where near the medicinal value of marijuana. And once again I have studied this topic and did a good amount of research so my replies are not all based on opinion. I was just showing you how one person can say something but another can disprove the statement just as easily. You are obviously set in your ways and by already being against weed there is really no way to make you think any different. So I will not argue with you because it is pointless to argue with a person who refuses to be open minded to others views.
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2004/05/25, 09:54 AM
All of your research you just posted was of people who smoked excessively. I'm sure if you took an alcoholic and did the same study on them it would show the same thing. Excessive smoking is not good I'm sure. Neither is excessive eating, drinking, etc. It actually said that people who smoked small amounts raised their IQ scores.
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2004/05/25, 09:57 AM
Thos are just 2 that I found on web md. I am open minded when it warrants it to be. I am not open minded to drug use of any kind (the illeagal kind LOL) you are closed minded as well fouts as anyone here that is against weed at any level is ignorant and closed minded and from your tone stupid. I think maybe your "research" is false as it most likely was from sources that are pro weed, see that is my problem. I am 33, I have known people that have smoked it on all levels....they all are well not dumb but very much slower on theup take. I have seen 4.0 gpa fall to .1 and failed right out of college. Ont he other hand I have seen 4.0 people go on to many other collegs and level of study and not one that has gone on has smoked it. Does this mean that all that smoke are like that? Obviously not. But before you start making Broad statements that I am close minded look to you arguments...they are in fact the same as mine just on the other side. you are right you will never get me to see the "light" on this matter as I do think that those that turn to drug use of any kind at any level are weak minded people that can not deal with life in general. remember that I mean illleagal drugs.....
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LIFT HEAVY! BECOME STRONG, LIKE BULL!
7707mutt@freetrainers.com
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2004/05/25, 10:01 AM
So they did I never stated that I doubt that other uses of it are there or less valid. This post was about the effects of the drug...there are good uses for booze and for all other drugs, but how many people that use them use them in "small amounts" not many. All I can say is that you are entitled to your thoughts and beliefs, just as I am. Good luck I am out!
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LIFT HEAVY! BECOME STRONG, LIKE BULL!
7707mutt@freetrainers.com
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2004/05/25, 10:05 AM
I respect your opinion. Honestly. and I don't meant to have a negative tone to my words, but I have seen people who are hooked on legal drugs that are much worse off than friends of mine who smoke weed. I guess it is all about your environment in this way. You see things that maybe I don't. but in all of the cases of my friends failures weed seemed to play no role. I do not think that weed or alcohol are bad in small doses. So I guess it is really pointless for me to argue this as well because I am somewhat set in my beliefs also.
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2004/05/25, 10:16 AM
LOL well then on this we can agree to disagree LOL
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LIFT HEAVY! BECOME STRONG, LIKE BULL!
7707mutt@freetrainers.com
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2004/05/25, 10:30 AM
Good one. Sounds like the best solution. But if it weren't for people with different views the world would probably be pretty boring anyway.
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2004/05/25, 04:42 PM
Was just wondering if we could be done with this post already. Seriously, what good does it do to argue about something we know everyone disagrees on??? :angry:
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2004/08/28, 08:14 PM
Regarding what most consider myths about pot smoking are actually true. I've been a research assistant for many years and after reading the medical journals there is medical proof that pot induces enlarged mammary glands in men, joint aches, neurological impairment, low blood sugar, smoking any leaves of any kind is linked w/bladder cancer, lower to nill sperm counts. And with all things considered, everyone has different experiences and may not even realize the underlying dangers. Not everyone gets the munchies.
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2004/10/04, 03:08 PM
ok, here are some facts
1) the addiction to pot is mental, not physical. People who are sad or depressed, often become dependent of pot because it detatches them from their worries.
2) I've never heard of anyone dying from smoking weed. i have, however, lost many, many good friends to the affects of alcahole.
3) no-ones reaction to pot is the same. i personally, found that it makes me paranoid, therefore i dont smoke it. I have friends, however, that are fine with it.
4) YES, you will loose waight. regaurdless of "getting the munchies" It's just something in the drug. i wish i could smoke pot too lose weight, but i dont like it.
5) if wanting to loose weight, you have to smoke on a regular basis ie: everyday. but beware, it is quite possible you will become very vauge and spaced out. most of the people i know that have lost weight from it, usually no longer have the brain copacity to enjoy it.
In other words, yes it works, and you probably wont die, but you can't have your cake and eat it too.
ok, i'm done. :big_smile:
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2004/10/04, 03:14 PM
what? lol
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2004/10/04, 03:50 PM
Exposing the Myth of Smoked Medical Marijuana
Marijuana: The Facts
Q: Does marijuana pose health risks to users?
Marijuana is an addictive drug with significant health consequences to its users and others. Many harmful short-term and long-term problems have been documented with its use:
The short term effects of marijuana use include: memory loss, distorted perception, trouble with thinking and problem solving, loss of motor skills, decrease in muscle strength, increased heart rate, and anxiety2.
In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of emergency room mentions of marijuana use. From 1993-2000, the number of emergency room marijuana mentions more than tripled.
There are also many long-term health consequences of marijuana use. According to the National Institutes of Health, studies show that someone who smokes five joints per week may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes every day.
Marijuana contains more than 400 chemicals, including most of the harmful substances found in tobacco smoke. Smoking one marijuana cigarette deposits about four times more tar into the lungs than a filtered tobacco cigarette.
Harvard University researchers report that the risk of a heart attack is five times higher than usual in the hour after smoking marijuana.3
Smoking marijuana also weakens the immune system4 and raises the risk of lung infections.5 A Columbia University study found that a control group smoking a single marijuana cigarette every other day for a year had a white-blood-cell count that was 39 percent lower than normal, thus damaging the immune system and making the user far more susceptible to infection and sickness.6
Users can become dependent on marijuana to the point they must seek treatment to stop abusing it. In 1999, more than 200,000 Americans entered substance abuse treatment primarily for marijuana abuse and dependence.
More teens are in treatment for marijuana use than for any other drug or for alcohol. Adolescent admissions to substance abuse facilities for marijuana grew from 43 percent of all adolescent admissions in 1994 to 60 percent in 1999.
Marijuana is much stronger now than it was decades ago. According to data from the Potency Monitoring Project at the University of Mississippi, the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of commercial-grade marijuana rose from an average of 3.71 percent in 1985 to an average of 5.57 percent in 1998. The average THC content of U.S. produced sinsemilla increased from 3.2 percent in 1977 to 12.8 percent in 1997.7
Q. Does marijuana have any medical value?
Any determination of a drug's valid medical use must be based on the best available science undertaken by medical professionals. The Institute of Medicine conducted a comprehensive study in 1999 to assess the potential health benefits of marijuana and its constituent cannabinoids. The study concluded that smoking marijuana is not recommended for the treatment of any disease condition. In addition, there are more effective medications currently available. For those reasons, the Institute of Medicine concluded that there is little future in smoked marijuana as a medically approved medication.8
Advocates have promoted the use of marijuana to treat medical conditions such as glaucoma. However, this is a good example of more effective medicines already available. According to the Institute of Medicine, there are six classes of drugs and multiple surgical techniques that are available to treat glaucoma that effectively slow the progression of this disease by reducing high intraocular pressure.
In other studies, smoked marijuana has been shown to cause a variety of health problems, including cancer, respiratory problems, increased heart rate, loss of motor skills, and increased heart rate. Furthermore, marijuana can affect the immune system by impairing the ability of T-cells to fight off infections, demonstrating that marijuana can do more harm than good in people with already compromised immune systems.9
In addition, in a recent study by the Mayo Clinic, THC was shown to be less effective than standard treatments in helping cancer patients regain lost appetites.10
The American Medical Association recommends that marijuana remain a Schedule I controlled substance.
The DEA supports research into the safety and efficacy of THC (the major psychoactive component of marijuana), and such studies are ongoing, supported by grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
As a result of such research, a synthetic THC drug, Marinol, has been available to the public since 1985. The Food and Drug Administration has determined that Marinol is safe, effective, and has therapeutic benefits for use as a treatment for nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy, and as a treatment of weight loss in patients with AIDS. However, it does not produce the harmful health effects associated with smoking marijuana.
Furthermore, the DEA recently approved the University of California San Diego to undertake rigorous scientific studies to assess the safety and efficacy of cannabis compounds for treating certain debilitating medical conditions.
It's also important to realize that the campaign to allow marijuana to be used as medicine is a tactical maneuver in an overall strategy to completely legalize all drugs. Pro-legalization groups have transformed the debate from decriminalizing drug use to one of compassion and care for people with serious diseases. The New York Times interviewed Ethan Nadelman, Director of the Lindesmith Center, in January 2000. Responding to criticism from former Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey that the medical marijuana issue is a stalking-horse for drug legalization, Mr. Nadelman did not contradict General McCaffrey. "Will it help lead toward marijuana legaization?" Mr. Nadelman said: "I hope so."
Q. Does marijuana harm anyone besides the individual who smokes it?
Consider the public safety of others when confronted with intoxicated drug users:
Marijuana affects many skills required for safe driving: alertness, the ability to concentrate, coordination, and reaction time. These effects can last up to 24 hours after smoking marijuana. Marijuana use can make it difficult to judge distances and react to signals and signs on the road.11
In a 1990 report, the National Transportation Safety Board studied 182 fatal truck accidents. It found that just as many of the accidents were caused by drivers using marijuana as were caused by alcohol -- 12.5 percent in each case.
Consider also that drug use, including marijuana, contributes to crime. A large percentage of those arrested for crimes test positive for marijuana. Nationwide, 40 percent of adult males tested positive for marijuana at the time of their arrest.
Q. Is marijuana a gateway drug?
Yes. Among marijuana's most harmful consequences is its role in leading to the use of other illegal drugs like heroin and cocaine. Long-term studies of students who use drugs show that very few young people use other illegal drugs without first trying marijuana. While not all people who use marijuana go on to use other drugs, using marijuana sometimes lowers inhibitions about drug use and exposes users to a culture that encourages use of other drugs.
The risk of using cocaine has been estimated to be more than 104 times greater for those who have tried marijuana than for those who have never tried it.
Taken from a website, but encompasses much of the new knowledge present today. Specifically, it should also be noted that although old thought felt that marijuana was only psychologically addictive, new studies have discovered withdrawl symptoms including sleeplessness, anxiety, and peaked aggression. These symptoms would indicate that there is not only a craving (psychologically), but a physical dependence created.
Daniel Love
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