Debate The Great Debate

As anti-Marijuanna laws worldwide are beginning to relax, the US continue to crack down on "reefer madness" and remain staunchly anti legalisation, I'm wondering what are M2A's views on the legalisation of marijuana.

And a question directed at any Canadian smokers, did the decriminalisation make any kind of difference to you or your smoking habits?

These two articles I read sparked this thread.

http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/7088864p-8021770c.html

http://theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030708.wmari0708/BNStory/National

 

I personally see nothing wrong with decriminalization, there's nothing worse about pot than there is about tobacco or alchohol. I've tried weed before, found it to be way overhyped, nasty smelling, and it just didn't do that much for me, so I've never bothered with it again, despite the amazing ease of acquisition here. Plus, I'm no big fan of coughing. But if other people want to smoke it.. *shrug* If I can't smell it, I don't care.

- Ark

 

OK first of all. WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE a debate forum!

OK. It has been found that marihuana has many medicinal properties (cant remember the souce). I'm not sure about smoking and side effects.

But just because tobacco is harmful doesnt mean that marihuana isn't. We have to see more scientific studies on harm of smoking it.

Still, just because some close-minded congresists say so, doesn't mean it should be banned. Unfortunately many decisions in the us (and everywhwere) are based not on the truth, but on what people would do/say if they act. And this sucks. I hate these grous of power influencing on political life.

*sigh* hey, that felt good

 

By the way guys, PLEASE try to stay on topic in this thread. There's a lot of potential for thread railroading with this topic, and I don't want to have to delete posts every time I check it

- Ark

 

Q: What are the long-term effects of marijuana use?
A: Findings so far show that regular use of marijuana or THC may play a role in some kinds of cancer and in problems with the respiratory and immune systems.

Cancer
It’s hard to know for sure whether regular marijuana use causes cancer. But it is known that marijuana contains some of the same, and sometimes even more, of the cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke. Studies show that someone who smokes five joints per day may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes every day (15) .

Lungs and airways
Lungs and airways—People who smoke marijuana often develop the same kinds of breathing problems that cigarette smokers have: coughing and wheezing. They tend to have more chest colds than nonusers. They are also at greater risk of getting lung infections like pneumonia.

Immune system
Animal studies have found that THC can damage the cells and tissues in the body that help protect against disease. When the immune cells are weakened you are more likely to get sick.
-http://www.nida.nih.gov/MarijBroch/teenpg9-10.html

TG- Though when you think of it, a lot of medicines have bad side effects.. But, looking at prozac, which would be used as an anti depressant as marijuana could be, the side effects for that are dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention, sedation, and weight gain (source).

Now that it's legal I smoke ten times the amount per day! (jk XD) Though I have been talking to people and they think that making it legal lessens the hype to smoke it, and I agree. And because of the implications of taking it the price of marijuana will sky rocket and part of the money will likely go to health care for those affected by the drug. 'Tis why alcohol is so expensive.

 

Well as far as the health issue goes, smoking a joint(and all the other fun stuff) is about as bad for you as you would think inhaling hot smoke from a burning substance into your lungs is. Ya got carbon monoxide and a whole host of badness getting into your system. Which is why vapourisers are the only real healthy method. As far as I know THC is harmless. There's been studies done on it and one camp says it can cause damage and one camp says it's harmless. So there's no definate answer yet.
This is why classifying it as a dangerous drug is a total load of
crap.

Decriminalisation is a step, but legalisation has more advantages(which is why I think all drugs should be legalised but that's another topic). But legal stuff taxed and all would still be cheaper and would be far better quality than what you could get illegaly.

Medicinaly it shouldn't even be an issue. Supplied with a vapouriser and it's far more healthy than any of the crap people take these days.

 

Makes you stupid?

 

Pot does make you **** stupid, on the short term. If you had enough of it, it could well make you stupid on the long term, but you'd need to smoke A LOT. It has medicinal, I don't know what they are, I just know it can be prescribed for certain things. However, I'd say it has adverse effecets aswell, but let's face it, what doesn't these days? Everything is turning out to be carsonagenic, too fattening, having too many callories, or some other bullshit meaning it'll shave 4 minutes off your life for every tonne of it you consume. I think it'd be better if it was legalised. I don't smoke it myself, some of my friends do though. I think legalising it would make it a lot safer to get, and would make it a lot more safe once it's got(make sure it's not laced with something). I think weed is better than drink, in terms of being with the people who are intoxicated. Stoned people just think everything's funny(or else that everything is trying to kill them, which is funny for you), whereas drunk people are often immature, violent, and not much fun to be around.

 

Stupid is the wrong word to use, that's just a stereotype used by people who don't smoke. It's not like you can't engage in intelligent conversation or anything. It's just tasks that require concentration. Don't expect to be doing any math.

But like DL said, everything gives you cancer or heart disease these days according to "recent studies". Apparently milk will kill you too, so smoke away.

 

this is the effects on one of my friend family.
eldest sister.(23). severe schizophrenia. she has been institutionalized. she constanly thought her brother. (my friend) was god.
eldest brother. minor schiz. his brain is basically fried, he thinks it's perfectly normal to walk down main street in nothing but boxer shorts.
youngest brother. cronic smoker. is now 16yrs old, and has the worst damn smokers cough i've ever heard.
and yes, the parents brains aren't that tops either.

pot may have some madicinal value for the terminally ill, but that's about it. anyone who thinks it's harmless, i invite you to vistit my friends house a while...

 

Like all drugs, it can have adverse effects on a small percentage of people. In this very small percentage it has been know to trigger schizophrenia or extreme paranoia which can be violent. This is just a very small percentage of people, for most people it has no severe mental side effects. I'm sorry to hear it, but that's just bad luck.

I've smoked now for a number of years and for the past 3 years I've smoked very heavily. I have no cough what so ever. I attribute this to the fact that I don't smoke ciggarettes, however most smokers do.
But if you start smoking(drugs or ciggerettes) at a young age when your body is still developing a lot it can effect you worse.

 

Pot is far worse for your lungs than tobacco is, containing over 5 times the tar and many other carcinogens, if I remember right. Not having a cough is probably due more to your own body chemistry than to pot being harmless.

- Ark

 

of course it isn't harmless... very few things are
even pure oxygen can be fatal..

the point is, that it isn't as harmFULL as people are led to believe. it is NOT a gateway drug, it does not lead to crime (other than the crime of actually purchasing the drug).

*shrug* on average, people will not smoke marijuana every day. they will have a few smokes with friends, and chill and watch a movie. or a quiet spliff on their own before they settle down to read or whatever, *shrug*
very few dope smokers would smoke as much as cigarette smokers.. who range from 1 a day, to .. jesus, however many packs a week. it may have more tar and whatnot, but you have to take into account that you really aren't smoking very much of it..

 

Also, I don't really smoke that much joints. I'm more of a buckets, waterfalls, bongs kinda guy. So I don't really get much tobacco in my lungs. But the crap we get here is full of very unhealthy ****. Legalisation will also mean better quality. It won't be soaked in deisel or mixed with god knows what.
The legalisation off all drugs would lead to cleaner, less risky drugs.

And wheather it's worse than regular tobacco is still not really conclusive. But you hold in marjuana smoke a lot longer than regualer smoke. Which will throw off some studies and is worse for you I'll give you that.

 

Agreed on that point, legalisation would cut down on a lot of the impurities.

- Ark

 

plus, with the tax you can impose on legalised marijuana, and growing licenses you can put more police on the streets to tackle REAL crimes, feed the homeless, and catch actual drug dealers, instead of small time suppliers.

 

Just thought I'd add this. It's a recent study.

http://content.health.msn.com/content/article/70/80972.htm

So put down those ciggaretts grab yourself a spliff.