Marijuana in Your Brain

[feedthetree]

I don't see any interesting debates on Marijuana here.
As a weed smoker and having a few states in America legalize weed
just wondering to see what others think of this "dangerous" drug.


Be legalized?

Or remain reefer madness free?

[Galeongirl]

It's equally dangerous as alcohol and caffeine, and far less addictive.

I do not see why it was ever banned, and do not see why it is now.

Legalize it and government control the sources, so the THC concentrations can be regulated, taxes could be a great source of income for the government, no sneaking around.... people are going to do it anyway, might as well make money off it!

For the record, I'm Dutch, yes.

[Irvine511]

Originally Posted by Galeongirl

It's equally dangerous as alcohol and caffeine, and far less addictive.

I do not see why it was ever banned, and do not see why it is now.

Legalize it and government control the sources, so the THC concentrations can be regulated, taxes could be a great source of income for the government, no sneaking around.... people are going to do it anyway, might as well make money off it!

For the record, I'm Dutch, yes.

[anitram]

I can't stand the stench of it and to be honest, don't particularly think it's fun to hang out with potheads (this is a sign of my age). For the record, I think cigarette smoke is just as repulsive and don't like being around smokers at all.

But I have no real objections to it being legalized.

[PhilsFan]

While I personally don't enjoy it, it should absolutely be legalized.

[Pearl]

I have no problem with weed. I disagree with anyone who lives and breathes pot, pardon the pun, because they are dependent on it, despite what they say. But the occasional weed smoking is fine by me.

However, CNN did a special on marijuana and while it showed how some can benefit from medical marijuana, it also said it is possible to become addicted to weed. Yes, the natural leaf is non-addictive, but lately there have been chemicals added to blunts (don't know the names of them) that are triggering addiction. There are some pot addiction treatment and rehabs around, so I would say whatever is going into pot these days is dangerous if people are claiming addiction to the point of needing rehab of some sort. So, even though pot is less addictive than cocaine or heroin, it's not entirely safe.

Oh yeah, legalize it. Alcohol is legal and that has been causing problems since time out of mind.

[Irvine511]

there are significant downsides to pot, just as there are with alcohol. i have seen people burn out on pot, to pardon the PSA sounding phrase.

i also think that marijuana use too young is harmful to brain development.

but same with alcohol.

while potheads can be annoying and boring, they also don't tend to kill people in car accidents, beat their wives, and abuse their children while stoned. unlike with alcohol.

[Galeongirl]

Hence why I said far less addictive. It is usually mixed with tobacco anyway so that doesn't help, but it's far less than cigarettes, alcohol or caffeine in terms of addiction.


For the record, I don't smoke while at uni because I don't want it to interfere with my studying. But in the holidays I can't say I mind it occasionally. And I do think the cooler attitude works better. I've plenty of friends who smoke, and I don't mind it if they do as long as it's outside. They know I quit, they don't offer, I don't ask. If you forbid your kids to do something, they'll do it anyway. Might as well do it safe and regulated then.

[MrPryck2U]

There's already a pot thread. It's on page 9.

[prbiker15]

In my slightly younger days, I was always against the legalization of marijuana, because I didn't know anything in detail about it, nor did I bother doing research. All I heard was family, friends and teachers exclaiming 'it's an illegal drug', etc. However, in the past year, there have been many factors that have caused my negativism to disappear.

I went to Europe last summer, and I was in Amsterdam for a few hours. Just being there and seeing it used casually was interesting and eye-opening. The university I attend has an unofficial section for pot smokers. And, that section is constantly full of students - all day, every day. Adding to that, I have many, many friends who smoke weed. Finally, when it was legalized in Colorado, I was impressed when seeing the projections of tax revenue, and to where the revenue would go.

I never plan to try it, or smoke it, as it does not attract me in any shape or form. However, I do believe that regulation for it can be established without being abused. We would be better off if it was legalized for recreational and medical use.

[lisag71]

Originally Posted by anitram

I can't stand the stench of it and to be honest, don't particularly think it's fun to hang out with potheads (this is a sign of my age). For the record, I think cigarette smoke is just as repulsive and don't like being around smokers at all.

But I have no real objections to it being legalized.

This is how I feel too. After hearing how many millions of dollars that pot has raised in taxes for Colorado I think that extra money could really help states. Also, perhaps it will take away some of the criminal elements of pot too. Even though I don't personally smoke I don't think it should be a crime to smoke pot. All the wasted time and money over arresting and prosecuting people could be used more productively.

[cobl04]

I've stopped smoking it, largely because I had a bad experience with another drug that freaked me out, but I always enjoyed it now and then and I definitely think it should be decriminalised. I'm not totally sure about it being legalised, because I think, for example, that smoking weed every night of the week for a month would lead to worse and perhaps more permanent health effects than drinking every night of the week for a month. I've got nothing to back that up, but I think it's a little more dangerous than drinking.

But yeah. If it was legalised I wouldn't really have an issue. Certainly won't happen here anytime soon.

My favourite comedian spends half the year living in LA because he can get access to medical marijuana. He has chronic hip pain, and despite surgery and trying a heap of other drugs, the only thing that gives him relief is medical marijuana. I think opponents of decriminalising or legalising marijuana don't think beyond the surface level of the issue. They just think everyone who smokes it is an idiot hippie who's a drain on society.

[digitize]

I hate the stuff, but I definitely think that it should be legalized. If some empirical study comes out of Colorado or Washington pointing to big issues, then I'll change my mind, but I don't expect that to happen.

[feedthetree]

I had a painkiller addiction for about a year or two in my early 20s, and I had always taken over the counter drugs like Tylenol PM, Benadryl, NyQuil, Vicodin, Advil, etc. I became dependent on Vicodin and Percocet, and was graduated to harsher stuff like Demerol and Morphine.
Not to mention constantly being prescribed Xanax, Prozac and Trazadone (a tranquilizer also used for depression but mainly for insomnia) but all during the while of abusing alcohol.
I tried marijuana when I was 17 and it made me paranoid so I didn't like it and I didn't continue using it.
By the time I reached my 30's, I have lost a kidney and was diagnosed with kidney failure. My doctor's looked at my drug and alcohol history and had no choice but to attribute my failing kidneys to my abuse.
About four years ago I had run out of Prozac and had a "mental breakdown" of some sort. It was scary. I felt complete out of control with my emotions and my emotions were not good. I actually contemplated suicide and had many suicidal thoughts.
I decided to medically supervised phase myself off of Prozac.
I also have decided to quit all pharmaceuticals, all over the counter drugs, alcohol, and change my lifestyle. I had a Red Bull a day addiction that was the hardest to combat. But I did it. I quit all of it.
I have never been healthier.
About three and half years ago though I decided to go with a doctor's recommendation of smoking marijuana for my anxiety, insomnia and most of all, my depression. I did a lot of research because I was hesitant to rely on yet another drug, rolls eyes. But let's face it, I still had some mental demons and issues to battle.
It relieves all of my symptoms with no side effects and so far, all of my tests have come back normal and my kidneys are amazingly healing. I eat right, exercise, I don't drink, but I do use cannabis on a regular basis.
I just cannot say how this has medicinally helped me and I couldn't fathom on restricting this relief on others.
And be careful when you say that marijuana is "addicting". It is addictive to those that are pre-disposed to have addicting natures. Sex, food, gambling can all be addictions as well. And yes, marjiuana use can be habit forming.

It is NOT physically addictive. You can quit smoking marijuana and not have any horrible detrimental side effects. You try weining yourself off of Prozac, or booze, or even cigarettes, and you will display a nasty range of withdrawal symptoms. My opioid withdrawal nearly KILLED me, thank god I was in a facility where they were equipped to deal with it.
I also noticed while in my rehab facility, there were NO marjiuana addicts or anyone there that was there to kick the habit. I asked my counselor, who has worked as an addiction therapist for over 30 years, had he seen anyone there for marijuana and he kinda smiled and said, "No, and you won't find any. It is not physically addictive. It can be habit forming, but it's pretty easy to quit, you don't need assistance. And sometimes the benefits outweigh the bad. Sooo... that's my stance on marijuana."

And I find that people are more intelligent if they use mj, because they can objectively change their point of views on things. They can see all perceptions and not just the narrow-minded of which they have been brought up to see. My sister, who is 17, started smoking (I'm not condoning it, but what can I do), and she says it opens her creativity. She studies high and takes tests high, and her tests are out of this range, she has earned enough credits to graduate a year early. So I don't know why they say it retards you.
If you don't smoke weed, you have no idea what we're talking about. But marjiuana is enlightening.
Other than it being habit forming and the damaging effects of the SMOKE itself... I just do not see any down side or con to it. And being habit forming of something that is just so harmless, I really don't see a big deal of it.

[Sicy]

I've been smoking since I was 17 (41 now) and I have never considered it to be a drug nor addictive and compared to alcohol which is legal, I feel alcohol causes way more problems than pot. I mean you rarely hear of a pot smoker murdering people or killing other drivers like alcohol does. But people that don't smoke or have never smoked have these strong opinions about how 'bad' pot is and that bothers me. There's the pot heads that do absolutely nothing all day but smoke weed and watch tv and yeah that's the stereotype. But then there are completely functioning weed smokers have successful jobs, their own place, a car etc that have no problems with it.

I live in California. It's been legal for a while now and i think it's great. I think it should be legal everywhere.

[BoMac]

Wait. I thought Colorado and Washington were the first two states to legalize it.

[Galeongirl]

Originally Posted by Sicy

I've been smoking since I was 17 (41 now) and I have never considered it to be a drug nor addictive and compared to alcohol which is legal, I feel alcohol causes way more problems than pot. I mean you rarely hear of a pot smoker murdering people or killing other drivers like alcohol does. But people that don't smoke or have never smoked have these strong opinions about how 'bad' pot is and that bothers me. There's the pot heads that do absolutely nothing all day but smoke weed and watch tv and yeah that's the stereotype. But then there are completely functioning weed smokers have successful jobs, their own place, a car etc that have no problems with it.

I live in California. It's been legal for a while now and i think it's great. I think it should be legal everywhere.

I don't think I've ever met a pot smoker that showed any sign of agression under influence. Then again I don't know many who smoke in public either, most of us just our own back yard, then we go gaming or watch movies and whatever.

Well if we're going the personal route: The reason why I started smoking pot was because I'm lightly autistic. With everything I do, I overthink, consider every possibility that could happen and go with the best one. In each social conversation, I have to think about the countless social rules there are and apply the correct one, while that goes automatically for normal people. It is exhausting, but it's the only thing I can do. Smoking pot shuts up the overthinking part of my brain and lets me rest for a while. It's an absolutely amazing feeling, even though I did not get addicted, I didn't crave it at all. I just smoked every time I started feeling overloaded again. For cases like me, it's helped a lot to deal with things and I do not see how this should be outlawed. I'll never get it on medical grounds as there is not enough research, but there are tentative studies that actually show positive links between autism and marijuana use.

[PhilsFan]

Originally Posted by BoMac

Wait. I thought Colorado and Washington were the first two states to legalize it.

It's not technically legal in California, but you can use it medicinally and getting a prescription for it is the easiest thing in the world. I visited California once when I was 18 and there were literally beachfront shops advertising marijuana prescriptions.

[Sicy]

Originally Posted by BoMac

Wait. I thought Colorado and Washington were the first two states to legalize it.

The first prop passed in 1996 in California
California Proposition 215 (1996) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by Galeongirl

Well if we're going the personal route: The reason why I started smoking pot was because I'm lightly autistic. With everything I do, I overthink, consider every possibility that could happen and go with the best one. In each social conversation, I have to think about the countless social rules there are and apply the correct one, while that goes automatically for normal people. It is exhausting, but it's the only thing I can do. Smoking pot shuts up the overthinking part of my brain and lets me rest for a while. It's an absolutely amazing feeling, even though I did not get addicted, I didn't crave it at all. I just smoked every time I started feeling overloaded again. For cases like me, it's helped a lot to deal with things and I do not see how this should be outlawed. I'll never get it on medical grounds as there is not enough research, but there are tentative studies that actually show positive links between autism and marijuana use.

That's interesting. It MAKES me overthink most of the time. But then again it depends on which kind you're smoking, indica or sativa.

[Irvine511]

Originally Posted by Sicy

It MAKES me overthink most of the time.

indeed.