Adverse effects of Marijuana Use

[tommy]

Am I the only one who knows the adverse effects of Marujuana use? It's a free country, and I would use it myself if it relieved symptoms from chemotherapy etc. However, with the passage of the Medical Marijuana Initiative, and the possible legalization, the traditional barriers to the use of this drug are receding. There's a reason it's called dope. Cronic and long term use rots the brain, and clouds the clarity of our natural high.

[someguy]

Am I the only one who knows the adverse effects of Marujuana use? It's a free country, and I would use it myself if it relieved symptoms from chemotherapy etc. However, with the passage of the Medical Marijuana Initiative, and the possible legalization, the traditional barriers to the use of this drug are receding. There's a reason it's called dope. Cronic and long term use rots the brain, and clouds the clarity of our natural high.

Wow. I can't believe anyone still thinks stuff like this.

Marijuana use does not rot the brain. That myth, perpetuated by those who stand to lose profits if marijuana were legalized, has been proven false.

Myths and Facts About Marijuana

In fact, there is new evidence emerging that marijuana may in fact stimulate brain cell growth.

University Of Saskatchewan Research Suggests Marijuana Analogue Stimulates Brain Cell Growth

Marc Emery certainly seems to have all of his brain cells intact!

[ian-snazz]

Do you happen to have any scientific evidence to back up your claim or are you repeating what someone told you? I think that if you actually took some time to look into the scientific research, you would come away with a different perspective. Actually, the research shows quite the opposite. That's right, pot is good for you!! Oh yeah, and its CURING cancer. Check out: Cannabis Cures Cancer - "Run From The Cure" The Rick Simpson Story

[Hotspring 44]

Am I the only one who knows the adverse effects of Marujuana use?

If it has "adverse effects" on you, I adamantly recommend that you don't use it.

It's a free country, and I would use it myself if it relieved symptoms from chemotherapy etc.

Free Country?, that is a matter of comparison, degree and (of course) debate.

No "IF" but rather, does regarding the relief from chemotherapy and many diseases in many cases world wide.

It should be noted that; in the (free) Country most states prosecute anyone that they find using Cannabis; for what reason the person is using it does not matter to the authority.

However, with the passage of the Medical Marijuana Initiative, and the possible legalization, the traditional barriers to the use of this drug are receding.

Hoary for that! The time for that is long overdue!

There's a reason it's called dope. Cronic and long term use rots the brain, and clouds the clarity of our natural high.

It is clearly a matter of debate as to weather (smoking) cannabis is natural, but clearly the food value for humans of the cannabis seeds is scientific fact and not a "Dope", that is fact not a matter of scientific debate.
Furthermore, the evidence is coming in time and time again that, the medicinal value of cannabis has been far more positive than not.

To call it Marijuana stigmatizes it and simply has a semantic Doping effect on the under educated and under informed, and only bolsters the prejudices against it's legalization in this so-called free Country.

And lastly, calling it Dope and making erroneous statements like; "Chronic and long term use rots the brain" is pejorative.... ...()

[Veeja]

Anything over used can have adverse affects, whether its laziness forgetfulness or other. If you use it responsibly like anything else, it can be very beneficial. I would rather see alcohol outlawed and everyone smoking marijuana. The world might be a safer more peaceful place. Alcohol can rot the brain and liver. Now thats been proven. I think your just trying to ruffle people feathers.

Am I the only one who knows the adverse effects of Marujuana use? It's a free country, and I would use it myself if it relieved symptoms from chemotherapy etc. However, with the passage of the Medical Marijuana Initiative, and the possible legalization, the traditional barriers to the use of this drug are receding. There's a reason it's called dope. Cronic and long term use rots the brain, and clouds the clarity of our natural high.

[wendymd4]

Am I the only one who knows the adverse effects of Marujuana use? It's a free country, and I would use it myself if it relieved symptoms from chemotherapy etc. However, with the passage of the Medical Marijuana Initiative, and the possible legalization, the traditional barriers to the use of this drug are receding. There's a reason it's called dope. Cronic and long term use rots the brain, and clouds the clarity of our natural high.

Oh geez....How about alcohol, the horrors of abusing that substance are overwhelming, so are you then in favor of outlawing alcohol? How about cigarettes, the additives alone are lethal, outlaw that too???
Really though, outlawing a substance does not decrease it's use and I think it would do you good to do a bit more reading about the history of cannibis and then you'd realize it was once a huge one cash crop here in the US. It was used to make many things like paper (which would help stop deforestation)and rope which would eliminate one need for more petroleum based products.
The picture is much bigger than you are suggesting.

[podfish]

one thing that muddies the waters here is the association of dope with dysfunctional adults. A lot of the time when you're encountering kids whose home life is causing them problems, there's a lot of parental drug use. And similarly, young adults who are still living the high-school lifestyle, not developing themselves either in a career or creatively, are often spending a lot of time stoned. Personally I'm not convinced that there's any easy cause & effect relationship involved - if anything, it's symbiotic. But the correlation seems awfully high. Still, I've never seen any believable research explaining that (not that I've looked, particularly).
I don't have anywhere near enough information to make any judgment myself, but I can see why there are strong feelings on both sides.

Do you happen to have any scientific evidence to back up your claim or are you repeating what someone told you? I think that if you actually took some time to look into the scientific research, you would come away with a different perspective. Actually, the research shows quite the opposite....

[Claire]

Well, one thing I kno iz that it shure messes with yor speling. and also, um, what was I saying?

[arthunter]

I think that this is a very brave statement given the pro-marijuana opinions in our area. I had hoped that a fair, unbiased discussion regarding the pros and cons of marijuana use would follow, but I'm not seeing that in this discussion.... so I will also be brave and simply state that, in my experience, it's been pleasant but destructive ...

I have no doubt that there are medical benefits to be derived from this plant and I keep an open mind regarding future research, etc. But as one who chose to use marijuana daily for a period of 20 years, I can say that there are definitely some problems associated with it's use.

Though my marijuana years were spent blissfully planting roses in my garden and dreaming of better and more enlightened ways to live my life, those inspirations were seldom acted upon fully, because marijuana robbed me of the energy, clarity and tenacity to tackle long difficult tasks.... " pipe dreams " if you will ...

Marijuana also isolated me socially. My world consisted of other marijuana users who could identify with my life choices instead of the world at large. Often other people's needs became a burden to me because, once again, my energy and abilities depended upon what phase of "enlightenment" I was in, instead of sober thought leading to sober actions.

Though I wouldn't agree that marijuana "rots the brain", I would agree that it clouds the clarity of our natural high. Any substance that is used for pleasure replaces our natural ways of finding pleasure, in my humble opinion. Why go to the effort of achieving a natural high if you have a weed that does the same thing? How many potent life experiences are you missing by choosing this preference? What is the cost?

In the 60s and 70s, when marijuana began to be widely used, we argued about the psychological addictive qualities of the drug. Some people can take it or leave it, but for many people it IS psychologically addictive. If you go through withdrawal symptoms when you run out ( anxiety and sleeplessness ) then you're one of those people.

It took me a very long time to get off marijuana because I was thoroughly convinced that it enhanced my life. Now that I am off of marijuana I feel fully engaged in the world in a way that was not possible during my "enlightened" years. My powers of creativity did not disappear as feared, but I had more energy and personal power ( absent of paranoia ) to act on them. I've gone on to be a great contributor to my world and a successful artist. I replaced the marijuana high with real highs and they are far superior. My brain works !!! ... I remember things !!! ... my appetite is normal !!! ... I enjoy picking up the phone when it rings !!! ... all of these things were lost to me for a period of 20 years.

This is my personal experience and only my personal experience and I remain non-judgmental about marijuana use. I have friends that smoke marijuana and, though I do share my feelings about the drug, I fully realize that it's their decision and only their decision. I also have friends in their 60s who are hopelessly addicted. People who have stunning gifts to share with the planet but prefer to remain anonymous and stoned. I have one friend approaching 70 who just kicked her marijuana habit after 40 years. She's ecstatic and out there making up for lost time.

These are my personal thoughts about the drug, born from many years of experience. I woke up after 20 years and realized that I was in my late 40s and a lot of my life had passed, ... pleasantly but without consequence.

Bash me if you will ... but somebody had to say these things ...

Am I the only one who knows the adverse effects of Marujuana use? It's a free country, and I would use it myself if it relieved symptoms from chemotherapy etc. However, with the passage of the Medical Marijuana Initiative, and the possible legalization, the traditional barriers to the use of this drug are receding. There's a reason it's called dope. Cronic and long term use rots the brain, and clouds the clarity of our natural high.

[Veeja]

Heheheh!

Well, one thing I kno iz that it shure messes with yor speling. and also, um, what was I saying?

[Veeja]

Congratulations on getting your life in order. I wish for you a happy healthy future!
It goes to show, anything abused can be destructive. I personally slept through my 20's. But, I did not smoke pot all that much. I medicated in other ways. I think it has a lot to do with whats going on inside of us. I'm going through an illness right now, that marijuana is my medicine. I only use it once or twice a week. It gives me energy to go out and garden and sew. I can work all day with a toke or two. And I feel very creative. On the other hand my nefew at 22 will smoke pot all day everyday and play video games and watch tv for 24 hours and eat at mc donalds everyday( which I think to be very addictive and bad for you). He has also had a very hard life. If you are using it to escape your life, it can be very destrutive.

I think that this is a very brave statement given the pro-marijuana opinions in our area. I had hoped that a fair, unbiased discussion regarding the pros and cons of marijuana use would follow, but I'm not seeing that in this discussion.... so I will also be brave and simply state that, in my experience, it's been pleasant but destructive ...

I have no doubt that there are medical benefits to be derived from this plant and I keep an open mind regarding future research, etc. But as one who chose to use marijuana daily for a period of 20 years, I can say that there are definitely some problems associated with it's use.

Though my marijuana years were spent blissfully planting roses in my garden and dreaming of better and more enlightened ways to live my life, those inspirations were seldom acted upon fully, because marijuana robbed me of the energy, clarity and tenacity to tackle long difficult tasks.... " pipe dreams " if you will ...

Marijuana also isolated me socially. My world consisted of other marijuana users who could identify with my life choices instead of the world at large. Often other people's needs became a burden to me because, once again, my energy and abilities depended upon what phase of "enlightenment" I was in, instead of sober thought leading to sober actions.

Though I wouldn't agree that marijuana "rots the brain", I would agree that it clouds the clarity of our natural high. Any substance that is used for pleasure replaces our natural ways of finding pleasure, in my humble opinion. Why go to the effort of achieving a natural high if you have a weed that does the same thing? How many potent life experiences are you missing by choosing this preference? What is the cost?

In the 60s and 70s, when marijuana began to be widely used, we argued about the psychological addictive qualities of the drug. Some people can take it or leave it, but for many people it IS psychologically addictive. If you go through withdrawal symptoms when you run out ( anxiety and sleeplessness ) then you're one of those people.

It took me a very long time to get off marijuana because I was thoroughly convinced that it enhanced my life. Now that I am off of marijuana I feel fully engaged in the world in a way that was not possible during my "enlightened" years. My powers of creativity did not disappear as feared, but I had more energy and personal power ( absent of paranoia ) to act on them. I've gone on to be a great contributor to my world and a successful artist. I replaced the marijuana high with real highs and they are far superior. My brain works !!! ... I remember things !!! ... my appetite is normal !!! ... I enjoy picking up the phone when it rings !!! ... all of these things were lost to me for a period of 20 years.

This is my personal experience and only my personal experience and I remain non-judgmental about marijuana use. I have friends that smoke marijuana and, though I do share my feelings about the drug, I fully realize that it's their decision and only their decision. I also have friends in their 60s who are hopelessly addicted. People who have stunning gifts to share with the planet but prefer to remain anonymous and stoned. I have one friend approaching 70 who just kicked her marijuana habit after 40 years. She's ecstatic and out there making up for lost time.

These are my personal thoughts about the drug, born from many years of experience. I woke up after 20 years and realized that I was in my late 40s and a lot of my life had passed, ... pleasantly but without consequence.

Bash me if you will ... but somebody had to say these things ...

[AllorrahBe]

Tommy, thanks for sharing, but what do you mean when you say it rots the brain? Something specific?

Am I the only one who knows the adverse effects of Marujuana use? It's a free country, and I would use it myself if it relieved symptoms from chemotherapy etc. However, with the passage of the Medical Marijuana Initiative, and the possible legalization, the traditional barriers to the use of this drug are receding. There's a reason it's called dope. Cronic and long term use rots the brain, and clouds the clarity of our natural high.

[2Bwacco]

arthunter was brave, so i'll be brave too.

native californian, child of the '60s, am i.

This is the first i've read of a succinctly-stated first-hand experience expressing gratitude of escaping marijuana use!

thank you, thank you for sharing.

i cringe at the thought of my beloved state of California, where i was born, entering into the realm of legalization; my view is it will be a colossal mistake.

i'm ok with folks using it for their benefit, but get real, "medical" is euphemism for just "getting high."

thank you for sharing your accomplishments.

[Barry]

In my opinion, Marijuana can be used and/or abused, like many other things.

Whether or not you agree with this, it's still clear the criminalization of it causes more problems than it tries to fix, and it doesn't curtail availability or use. For instance, pot is much easier for kids to acquire than alcohol, so what's the point?

Acceptance, regulation, taxation and education is the clear answer, regardless if you thing it is advisable to use it or not.

Barry

[wendymd4]

arthunter was brave, so i'll be brave too.

native californian, child of the '60s, am i.

This is the first i've read of a succinctly-stated first-hand experience expressing gratitude of escaping marijuana use!

thank you, thank you for sharing.

i cringe at the thought of my beloved state of California, where i was born, entering into the realm of legalization; my view is it will be a colossal mistake.

i'm ok with folks using it for their benefit, but get real, "medical" is euphemism for just "getting high."

thank you for sharing your accomplishments.

Again I don't understand this logic. Are you also in favor of outlawing drugs such as alcohol and cigarettes (which have clearly been shown to do extremely destructive things to people)?
I don't smoke, doesn't work for me, but in moderation for others -so what.
I really see this anti-marijuana campaign as a repeat of what happened in the 40's-50's. There was a lot more to it than government being concerned about the 'dangers' of people 'getting high'. Have you read about our US history re: this???
People buy into all kinds of 'anti' campaigns based on fear and way too much ignorance about the larger picture.

[Sylph]

It "doesn't work for me" either, much to my disappointment!
I have friends who use it responsibly and I have no problem with that. I also have friends who use it too much (IMO) and I don't want to be around them when they are high.

I think it should be legal. Everyone could grow it and the whole crime and violence subculture would wither away. Cancer patients and little old ladies could use it without stigma.

On the other hand, many seem to revere pot as some kind of panacea. If legalization increased the use, or more frequent use, of pot, it could be a bad thing. "Rot the brain" could be a euphemism for many things including, lack of motivation, increased anxiety/depression...
I heard a psychiatrist on NPR who works with children and teens. He thought pot use was very damaging in the teenage years. Same could be said of alcohol, of course. The point was, that the doctor was rethinking his tolerant attitude toward pot in light of his client outcomes.
It's not easy to study because of the government restrictions. We need more studies of the effects of pot on the brain and behavior. Here is a study about daily pot use leading to depression in young women. It was done over 7 years, quite an project! (the researchers tried to control for the factor that the already-depressed kids were self-medicating).

Objective
To determine whether cannabis use in adolescence predisposes to higher rates of depression and anxiety in young adulthood.

Design
Seven wave cohort study over six years.

Setting
44 schools in the Australian state of Victoria.

Participants
A statewide secondary school sample of 1601 students aged 14-15 followed for seven years.

Main outcome measure
Interview measure of depression and anxiety (revised clinical interview schedule) at wave 7.

Results
Some 60% of participants had used cannabis by the age of 20; 7% were daily users at that point. Daily use in young women was associated with an over fivefold increase in the odds of reporting a state of depression and anxiety after adjustment for intercurrent use of other substances (odds ratio 5.6, 95% confidence interval 2.6 to 12). Weekly or more frequent cannabis use in teenagers predicted an approximately twofold increase in risk for later depression and anxiety (1.9, 1.1 to 3.3) after adjustment for potential baseline confounders. In contrast, depression and anxiety in teenagers predicted neither later weekly nor daily cannabis use.

Conclusions
Frequent cannabis use in teenage girls predicts later depression and anxiety, with daily users carrying the highest risk. Given recent increasing levels of cannabis use, measures to reduce frequent and heavy recreational use seem warranted.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC135489/

[Tars]

COn the other hand my nefew at 22 will smoke pot all day everyday and play video games and watch tv for 24 hours and eat at mc donalds everyday( which I think to be very addictive and bad for you).

Just noting that your nephew sounds like most of the 22-year-olds I've ever known, stoned, or unstoned. Probably more prevalent these days, 'cause their aren't many jobs to keep twennysomethings occupied!

If you are using it to escape your life, it can be very destrutive.

Amen! As can ongoing escapist behavior in any form.

Not so sure about the video game playing though. Have you noticed how many controls in all parts of life, have become like video game controls? Who knows, your nephew might be doing the equivalent of advance training in machine operations. I hear that pays big bucks!

[arthunter]

Just to clarify ...

I do think that marijuana has medicinal benefits and I am happy to hear that it is helping you to deal with your illness ... excellent !

Also, when I was smoking it daily, my life was just fine. I wasn't using it to escape reality, I was using it to enhance reality. There was nothing awful going on inside of me. I was married to a man that I adored, I had a successful career, a country property, nearby family, lots of friends.

I responded to this thread with a description of my experience to illustrate a point. What started off as a pleasant diversion from a busy life became an addiction which changed my behavior. Eventually it affected me deeply causing me to withdraw from family, ... to fantasize about things instead of doing them ... to overeat ... etc, etc... it also caused me to prioritize my life incorrectly ... the drug took over and I constructed my life around the drug instead of the other way around ...

When I stopped smoking marijuana my life really took off ... I traveled, built international businesses, volunteered ... I was a different person ...

Once again, these are only my experiences ... not all alcohol drinkers are alcoholics ... and I'm really not against marijuana, but I do want it characterized as a potentially addictive drug ... it's only medicinal if you're sick ...

Congratulations on getting your life in order. I wish for you a happy healthy future!
It goes to show, anything abused can be destructive. I personally slept through my 20's. But, I did not smoke pot all that much. I medicated in other ways. I think it has a lot to do with whats going on inside of us. I'm going through an illness right now, that marijuana is my medicine. I only use it once or twice a week. It gives me energy to go out and garden and sew. I can work all day with a toke or two. And I feel very creative. On the other hand my nefew at 22 will smoke pot all day everyday and play video games and watch tv for 24 hours and eat at mc donalds everyday( which I think to be very addictive and bad for you). He has also had a very hard life. If you are using it to escape your life, it can be very destrutive.

[someguy]

It's not easy to study because of the government restrictions. We need more studies of the effects of pot on the brain and behavior. Here is a study about daily pot use leading to depression in young women. It was done over 7 years, quite an project! (the researchers tried to control for the factor that the already-depressed kids were self-medicating).

Objective
To determine whether cannabis use in adolescence predisposes to higher rates of depression and anxiety in young adulthood.

Design
Seven wave cohort study over six years.

Setting
44 schools in the Australian state of Victoria.

Participants
A statewide secondary school sample of 1601 students aged 14-15 followed for seven years.

Main outcome measure
Interview measure of depression and anxiety (revised clinical interview schedule) at wave 7.

Results
Some 60% of participants had used cannabis by the age of 20; 7% were daily users at that point. Daily use in young women was associated with an over fivefold increase in the odds of reporting a state of depression and anxiety after adjustment for intercurrent use of other substances (odds ratio 5.6, 95% confidence interval 2.6 to 12). Weekly or more frequent cannabis use in teenagers predicted an approximately twofold increase in risk for later depression and anxiety (1.9, 1.1 to 3.3) after adjustment for potential baseline confounders. In contrast, depression and anxiety in teenagers predicted neither later weekly nor daily cannabis use.

Conclusions
Frequent cannabis use in teenage girls predicts later depression and anxiety, with daily users carrying the highest risk. Given recent increasing levels of cannabis use, measures to reduce frequent and heavy recreational use seem warranted.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC135489/

I think there is a high likelihood that people use marijuana because they are depressed, not the other way around, in most cases. That fact that there is a correlation does not specify which is the cause.

[Tars]

I found this portion of the study illustrative of it's built-in limitations:

Possible explanations for the high degree of depression and anxiety found in young women who used cannabis often include underlying characteristics that predispose to both anxiety and depression, self medication of pre-existing depressive symptoms, and an adverse effect of cannabis on mental health.²¹ The association with cannabis use persisted after adjustment for concurrent use of alcohol, tobacco, and other illicit substances as well as indices of family disadvantage—findings consistent with a more direct relation. We considered self medication with cannabis but found no prospective relation between depression and anxiety in adolescence and later frequent cannabis use, consistent with an earlier report.

Did these kids play video games? What was their homelife like? What does "family disadvantage" mean; is it economic disadvantage, single-parent household, abusive or neglectful environment - what? Are these mainly high-density urban environment kids, or from rural communities? How much TV do they watch? Are their parents Republicans or Democrats? Are they working?

I could go on (and on and on....) The point is that there are so many factors that affect a person's sense of well-being. I agree with Dr. Dean Edell that studies about the effect of one factor (in this case, substance)on a test sampling of people should be given a high level of suspicion.

Life just isn't that simple.

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics."

Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

[AllorrahBe]

Someguy, this is what I've found to be the case in recent years - however, I remember the good old days when we smoked because it was fun!! And sometimes it was cool. But now it's so potent I think that has an "extra" effect that has to be considered. I never knew anyone to "suffer" from it until recent years, so that's why I asked for specifics about it "rotting the brain."

Thanks to all for opinions and experiences expressed! It's still a puzzle to me, but at least I'm not just hearing my own voices in my own head!!

Rev. Allorrah Be
Clinical and Alchemical Hypnotherapist and BodyWorker
Circles of Light Ministries
Santa Rosa, California

I think there is a high likelihood that people use marijuana because they are depressed, not the other way around, in most cases. That fact that there is a correlation does not specify which is the cause.

[tezor]

I am a volunteer firefighter. A couple of years ago, as I was standing around waiting for the wreckage of another alcohol fueled accident to be cleared, I was talking about our culture with a deputy sheriff I know., One of his comments cracked me up. "I've never been to a domestic disturbance caused by pot!" Not to say it doesn't happen, just an interesting perspective. Anything can be abused, it's our job to listen to our bodies, and we must often overrule our minds, to have a healthy and harmonious life. Pay attention, the messages are often subtle. They can be clouded by many factors. From drugs, alcohol, food, sex, kids, and the rest. Best of luck out there...b

[Veeja]

I find it interesting Tommy is no where to be found after his posting on the subject. Like I said, he wanted to ruffle feathers. I am glad we have all had an opportunity to chat about this subject. Thank you Tommy! I don't think you have to have an illness to smoke pot. It helps with sleep, nausea, I could go on but, not enough time. I know people who use it recreationally, including myself. As far as I know, they are not depressed and function in society very well. In my opinion (and you know what they say about opinions. Hehe!) If you have an addictive personality, you have to be extra careful consuming anything. remember moderation. And that includes shopping,sex,stealing etc. Not that you should steal in moderation, but it can be an addiction. I wonder, when we had smaller villages, did we have so many addictions. Maybe we all just want to be loved.

Am I the only one who knows the adverse effects of Marujuana use? It's a free country, and I would use it myself if it relieved symptoms from chemotherapy etc. However, with the passage of the Medical Marijuana Initiative, and the possible legalization, the traditional barriers to the use of this drug are receding. There's a reason it's called dope. Cronic and long term use rots the brain, and clouds the clarity of our natural high.

[tommy]

Thank you Veeja for inquiring about me. I've been reading the posts, and offered "gratitude" on a few of the posts that mirrored my judgments about pot. I smoked daily from my mid 20's til my mid 30's. Then I started alternating w alcohol: pot one day, alcohol the next. I finally gave up regular use of pot in my early 40's, and within 6 months, quit a corporate job I'd had for 11 years. I'd seek relief from my corporate day job by getting stoned in the evening. I smoke about twice a year now, certainly noting its europhic affect, as well as the hangover the next day.

I do not support legalization. I think it'll only increase its usage. I feel a bit sheepish criticizing everyone for getting stoned, since I did the same thing! However, there are some things I'd hope to learn with age. It's just like wine - as much as I'd like to drink a few glasses each night, I limit my alcohol consumption to every other night at most. I think pot (and alcohol) gratify the desires of the lower body and cloud the possibilites of the upper or ethereal body tho I'm sure some would say that pot gets them high and into their ethereal body.

I hate what I consider to be the lack of integrity of the medical marijuana community: the pot shops that profess to be providing a medical benefit yet are basically in it for the money... and the profits of the pot doctors who write prescriptions & rent big billboards on 101S near Pennsgrove. Yet I know that making money was observed by Thomas Paine to be a particular American way.

My main concern is the use among teens - I think the studies that were cited confirm its adverse effects.

I find it interesting Tommy is no where to be found after his posting on the subject. Like I said, he wanted to ruffle feathers. I am glad we have all had an opportunity to chat about this subject. Thank you Tommy! I don't think you have to have an illness to smoke pot. It helps with sleep, nausea, I could go on but, not enough time. I know people who use it recreationally, including myself. As far as I know, they are not depressed and function in society very well. In my opinion (and you know what they say about opinions. Hehe!) If you have an addictive personality, you have to be extra careful consuming anything. remember moderation. And that includes shopping,sex,stealing etc. Not that you should steal in moderation, but it can be an addiction. I wonder, when we had smaller villages, did we have so many addictions. Maybe we all just want to be loved.

[2Bwacco]

A horrendous car accident comes to mind (101, multiple fatalities) where the driver had alcohol (over legal limit) and other drugs in his system.

...never been to a domestic disturbance caused by pot!...

Vicodin and oxycontin are both "legal" drugs -- but people still steal them and sell them illegally.

As long as folks grow their own marijuana at home i believe they are at risk for home invasions -- at gunpoint -- where the lives of all occupants of their homes are on the line.

I don't think "legalization" is going to change that. It is still easier to steal someone else's work than go to all the trouble to do it yourself.

Even now where medical marijuana is "allowed," folks are arrested on the highways carting around pounds and pounds of marijuana, large amounts of cash, and guns.

do you want to live next door to a marijuana farm?

[Veeja]

I respect your opinion and your journey. I don't think there will be that much of an increase in usage. It might bring people out of the closet. We want equal rights. Look at all the people drinking alcohol, cigarettes and taking presricption drugs. There is proof marijuana is safer then all of them. So, what if we have to hide behind marijuana used for medical purposes. Give us equal rights to use our drug of choice. And making money, well it cost money to grow it. How about the big corporations making money off acohol , tabaco and persricption drugs. Look at the stuff they put into your cigerettes. And all the tax payers money that goes into the health problems related to these drugs. I wonder in comparison how much is spent on health related issues with marijuana. A lot of our taxes are being spent on people in jail for a marijuana offense. And to answer your question about teens and marijuana. If they legalize it, you will have to be 18. Like that stops them with cigarettes and alcohol. Teens are having more of a problem these day with alcohol and other drugs. When I was a teen if you told me not to do something, I would want to do it anyway. I was rebellious. Of course my mother never explained why. She just said because I told you so, I'm your mother. It made me want to do even more. So don't vote on it! The growers will make more money that way anyway. Because when it become legal the big corperation will take over, and no body will be able to afford to be a mom and pop grower. And then what kind of chemicals will we see in our marijuana. At that point it might give you cancer, instead of the medicine it is today. Then everyone will say, well there wasn't any studies done before, and now we know pot causes cancer. Most of the cancer is caused from all the chemicals we use today. The same chemicals we are destroying our planet with. As you can see I'm very passionate on this subject. A smaller percent of the population is like you. Who could not control there addictive personalities. Don't make us pay for your mistakes. I'm am a responsible pot smoking human being. I give a lot to my community. Like I said before. I smoke once or twice a week. I don't need to escape my life. I love my life. And you should love youself. Pat yourself on the back for not escaping who you are anymore. But, don't make me pay for you not being in control.

Thank you Veeja for inquiring about me. I've been reading the posts, and offered "gratitude" on a few of the posts that mirrored my judgments about pot. I smoked daily from my mid 20's til my mid 30's. Then I started alternating w alcohol: pot one day, alcohol the next. I finally gave up regular use of pot in my early 40's, and within 6 months, quit a corporate job I'd had for 11 years. I'd seek relief from my corporate day job by getting stoned in the evening. I smoke about twice a year now, certainly noting its europhic affect, as well as the hangover the next day.

I do not support legalization. I think it'll only increase its usage. I feel a bit sheepish criticizing everyone for getting stoned, since I did the same thing! However, there are some things I'd hope to learn with age. It's just like wine - as much as I'd like to drink a few glasses each night, I limit my alcohol consumption to every other night at most. I think pot (and alcohol) gratify the desires of the lower body and cloud the possibilites of the upper or ethereal body tho I'm sure some would say that pot gets them high and into their ethereal body.

I hate what I consider to be the lack of integrity of the medical marijuana community: the pot shops that profess to be providing a medical benefit yet are basically in it for the money... and the profits of the pot doctors who write prescriptions & rent big billboards on 101S near Pennsgrove. Yet I know that making money was observed by Thomas Paine to be a particular American way.

My main concern is the use among teens - I think the studies that were cited confirm its adverse effects.

[arthunter]

the question of legalization is a difficult one ...

I am afraid that if the drug is legalized then more people will become addicted,.... but then, if it had been legal when I was smoking perhaps I could have just bought a joint occasionally instead of having a whole bag of the stuff in my house... a constant temptation ...

also, I never met a pot grower or dealer that I didn't like ... at the time, they were good hippies who believed in what they were doing ... they didn't carry guns or cause trouble ... they were peaceful and trying to change the world ... of course, that changed as time went on and pot became big, big business ... so yeah, maybe we need to legalize it just to get rid of the criminal element ...

if it's legal then it will become corporate ... legalization will also send the message that it's OK to alter one's consciousness ... and it is ... as long as you're able to visit those states of consciousness without living there ... that's the trick ... it can be so pleasant, so why return to this difficult world full of problems when there's an easy way out ?

Addiction to anything which completely changes your personality is quite serious. You can lose a lot to addiction... your relationships, your health, your sanity, your dreams, your power, your future ...

It's like alcohol, some people are fine with it and some people get addicted. Perhaps it's a matter of chemistry.

Since I posted my story 13 people have expressed gratitude and one person has written to me ... a 25 year old person who's completely addicted to marijuana and wants help ...

Personally, I think that if pot is legalized then some of the taxes and profits should be used to establish treatment centers for those who do become addicted ... but will that ever happen? ... has it happened with nicotine or alcohol? ... nope ... they make their money and if they destroy you, well it's your fault mate, ... just your tough luck ...

I respect your opinion and your journey. I don't think there will be that much of an increase in usage. It might bring people out of the closet. We want equal rights. Look at all the people drinking alcohol, cigarettes and taking presricption drugs. There is proof marijuana is safer then all of them. So, what if we have to hide behind marijuana used for medical purposes. Give us equal rights to use our drug of choice. And making money, well it cost money to grow it. How about the big corporations making money off acohol , tabaco and persricption drugs. Look at the stuff they put into your cigerettes. And all the tax payers money that goes into the health problems related to these drugs. I wonder in comparison how much is spent on health related issues with marijuana. A lot of our taxes are being spent on people in jail for a marijuana offense. And to answer your question about teens and marijuana. If they legalize it, you will have to be 18. Like that stops them with cigarettes and alcohol. Teens are having more of a problem these day with alcohol and other drugs. When I was a teen if you told me not to do something, I would want to do it anyway. I was rebellious. Of course my mother never explained why. She just said because I told you so, I'm your mother. It made me want to do even more. So don't vote on it! The growers will make more money that way anyway. Because when it become legal the big corperation will take over, and no body will be able to afford to be a mom and pop grower. And then what kind of chemicals will we see in our marijuana. At that point it might give you cancer, instead of the medicine it is today. Then everyone will say, well there wasn't any studies done before, and now we know pot causes cancer. Most of the cancer is caused from all the chemicals we use today. The same chemicals we are destroying our planet with. As you can see I'm very passionate on this subject. A smaller percent of the population is like you. Who could not control there addictive personalities. Don't make us pay for your mistakes. I'm am a responsible pot smoking human being. I give a lot to my community. Like I said before. I smoke once or twice a week. I don't need to escape my life. I love my life. And you should love youself. Pat yourself on the back for not escaping who you are anymore. But, don't make me pay for you not being in control.

[Barry]

...I've been reading the posts, and offered "gratitude" on a few of the posts that mirrored my judgments about pot....

BTW, I'd like to see people offering "gratitude" for thoughtful posts that they don't necessarily agree with or change your mind, but are a worthy contribution to the discussion. It could be that it brings up another POV/consideration, or even that they are particularly well written or witty.

[Tars]

maybe we need to legalize it just to get rid of the criminal element ...

Agreed! Most of the "dealers" I've seen recently, at least at the street level, aren't cute, or likable, they're criminal types. You wouldn't want them coming to your domicile to vend their wares, they might well bring other illegal behaviors with them - burglary, addictive drugs, etc.

one person has written to me ... a 25 year old person who's completely addicted to marijuana and wants help ...

And I'd like to say something to that person, so I hope they're still following the thread. My intention isn't to parse words, but I think the Merriam-Webster definition is pertinent:

"Addiction:

1 : the quality or state of being addicted
2 : compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly : persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful"

Please be aware that marijuana is not physically addictive, or inherently harmful. For some, such as yourself, its use becomes habitual - a habitual behavior, maybe benign like cracking your knuckles, or harmful like bulimic dieting.

If you want to break your habitual use of anything, in this case marijuana use, you'll be much more successful in the effort if you replace your marijuana habit with a different behavior - only you have any idea what alternate behavior would work. For example, way back, when I was struggling with nicotine, I somehow acquired a "worry stone", which I fiddled with when I was dealing with the habit of holding/a cigarette. While I kicked the nicotine addiction, I had a physical behavior to replace my cigarette-handling habit.

Back to the thread at hand:

In the long term, the legal status of marijuana has virtually no effect on it's use and availability. We can see this if we Google "'War On Drugs' + marijuana use". Use trends fluctuate independently of legality.

Some people dread large corporations taking over marijuana production if it is legalized. Yes, Marlboro, or whichever, will sell "Acapulco Gold" brand, with added chemicals to make it burn more smoothly. I foresee also, various brands of "blunts", which will include nicotine with the THC, so as to make a habit into an addiction. We voters will need to make sure that, while marijuana is legal, its manufacture, sales, and marketing are all highly regulated.

The good news: after the first period its legalized, when we'll be able to see marijuana plants on a majority of apartment balconies, we'll see that a lot of people realize there's a craft to producing quality consumable marijuana. Most folks'll just go back to buying it. It most likely will emulate beer brewing. Yep, anyone can do it at home, in controlled quantities. But If you want a really quality natural (no additives, organically grown & prepared) marijuana product, you'll become (or remain) a customer of one of our fine Sonoma County "micro-growers".

The status quo is functional but totally hypocritical - marijuana "dispensaries", "215 cards" et al, are embarrassing to thinking people. Fortunately they are only a temporary semi-solution, developed because politicians just don't have the gumption to create a more elegant legality solution.

[Claire]

When I was at the dentist the other day, the hygienist said there was a very direct correlation between smoking of ANY kind and bone loss around the teeth. If you lose the bone, you may very well lose the tooth . Apparently the heat of smoking causes certain chemicals that disintegrate the bone tissue or something; frankly, I was trying to zone out. The gist was: smoking -- bad. He strongly recommends eating more brownies and puts that in people's charts! Also he can always tell the pot smokers because their teeth are usually greenish.