Why Marijuana is bad

[Yamori]

I'd assume a fairly large percentage of posters here think weed should be legalized, including myself.

But just for some interesting discussion, what reasons can you come up with for why you SHOULDN'T use such things?

I myself used to indulge, but have decided never to do it again.

Here are a few reasons I can think of to avoid the drug:

1) It does more damage to your lungs than tobacco.

2) You can go to jail for it. ;(

3) If you have a predisposition to mental illness, it can trigger the full effects of it.

4) It affects your memory.

5) It can effect your decisionmaking process and lead you to make poor decisions.

I'd be interested to see what other negatives people can come up with.

[10sun]

alcohol does that, pot just makes me lay around giggling and pigging out.

[Graecus]

i suffer lapses of time if i smoke large amounts....

and...its expensive? (but so is alcohol )

"i want my time back!"

[labbats]

Don't forget the classic "gateway drug" debate.

I think the problem is that it makes people lazy and willing to settle for less. In the overall world stage, that just doesn't cut it, and soon enough we'd be wearing red pajamas and spending yen.

[mofish]

1) It does more damage to your lungs than tobacco.

This is way too broad. I somehow doubt that two tokes off of a pipe a day equals the amount of lung damage that is done by 20 full cigarettes a day.

Also, google 'Vaporizer'. And if you really want to live healthy to the max, eat it. Nothing wrong with pot brownies!

2) You can go to jail for it. ;(

This is not some sort of inherent problem with marijuana. Purely societal ie bullshit.

3) If you have a predisposition to mental illness, it can trigger the full effects of it.

This is a new one to me. Never heard this one. Been smoking for 10 years now and never once have had any sort of psychotic episode or breakdown.

4) It affects your memory.

Ive read, and have to say I agree, that is DOES affect the transition of short term to long term memory, WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE. Not while sober. Not some permanent effect. Id have to say my memory is better than most people's actually. Can memorize phone numbers after dialing them once, etc.

5) It can effect your decisionmaking process and lead you to make poor decisions.

I dont see this at all. THC is a cortical stimulant. This means your inhibitions stay fully intact. Look to alcohol for impaired decisions. Alcohol is a cortical depressant. Your guards are lowered, your inhibitions lowered. Look at the news every single night for examples.

[Jimmy Durante]

I'm not a pot smoker, but I believe it was Illucia who said (on the old NT) that it was initially criminalized in order to extradite Mexicans.

[horendus]

... and soon enough we'd be wearing red pajamas and spending yen.

Sign me up.

[mofish]

I'm not a pot smoker, but I believe it was Illucia who said (on the old NT) that it was initially criminalized in order to extradite Mexicans.

Yes, that is correct. 1929 in Texas. Right before the great depression. It was ok before that to have mexicans in the bread lines because white people had jobs. In comes the crash, and white people need welfare. Marjuana made illegal, thousands of mexicans deported.

[Arlos]

It was also a power play by Harry Aslinger, the head of the agency that was in charge of going after illegal alcahol during the Prohibition. The amendment repealing prohibition was about to be passed, meaning his federal agency was about to be gutted, since most of it wasn't necessary any more. So, he got together with William Randolph Hearst (king of inaccurate scare tactic yellow journalism), and concocted a bunch of false newspaper reports about the evils of marijuana. Those scare tactics, combined with the racial dislike of Mexicans resulted in railroading a anti-marijuana act through Congress.

Actually, many Congressmen who voted for the act later came out and said that if they had known what they were voting against was Cannabis (the term marijuana was used in the legislation), they never would have voted for it, as there was a fair amount of history of cannabis use in the US. Indeed, the US army had done a study on its use by enlisted personnel, and found it to be "Not an issue of any severity", certainly nowhere near the problems alcahol caused, even in troops stationed in South America, where pot use was extremely common.

As for Yamori's points:

1) Volume for volume, yes, pot smoke is worse for your lungs than tobacco. Then again, who in hell smokes the equivalent of a pack of tobacco each and every day, when it comes to pot? Most users, even heavy users, don't even approach 1/4 of that.

2) Well, if it were legalized, going to jail wouldn't be an issue, now would it?

3) Never heard this one either, and I did a fair amount of research into the issue for a couple long papers I did for a couple seperate college courses.

4) What mofish said. No reputable study has ever shown a permanent issue with memory loss. The ones that DO claim to show such would do things like have the monkey intake the pot, then cut off all airflow for several minutes. That's not a test of pot's effect on the brain, that's a test of what frequent severe asphyxia will do to the brain. (gee, repeatedly cutting the brain off from oxygen causes problems, what a shocker)

5) Again, see what mofish said. Also see the driving tests the CHP (California Highway Patrol) did on the effects of pot vs alcahol on drivers. (hint: all drivers performed significantly worse after drinking almost any alcahol. However, many of the drivers performed BETTER on the driving tests after using pot than they did when they were sober.)


Also, I don't buy the whole "gateway" drug thing at all. That's like saying that Glenlivet is a gateway drug to Jack Daniels.

-Arlos

[Yamori]

The mental illness thing is particularly in regards to schizophrenia. If you have a predisposition to it, smoking can potentially trigger the full effects, and if you are already schizophrenic, it can increase symptoms.

Considering that only 1 / 100 people are schizophrenic, and maybe 1 / 50 people are heavy pot users, there isn't a lot of data on it probably, but it is true.


As for the gateway drug thing, I didn't list that since it is total BS. It IS a gateway drug, but only because its illegal. When you buy pot from a drug dealer, you have a huge chance of being introduced to other heavier drugs. If you bought pot at the local walgreens liquor section, you wouldn't be introduced to more dangerous drugs.

[Tossica]

The mental illness thing is particularly in regards to schizophrenia. If you have a predisposition to it, smoking can potentially trigger the full effects

Ugh... there is no way "they" can provide ANY data to back that up.

[Yamori]

The mental illness thing is particularly in regards to schizophrenia. If you have a predisposition to it, smoking can potentially trigger the full effects

Ugh... there is no way "they" can provide ANY data to back that up.

Any stress to the brain can trigger predisposed mental illness. Pot isn't special, but it is included amongst the triggers.

I DO have definite proof that it makes pre-existing mental illness go worse though.

[Narrock]

I wouldn't say that marijuana is worse for you than tobacco, but it is definitely bad for you in many different aspects.

[mofish]

Yeah Im not arguing its a vitamin lol. But in no way should it be illegal.

[labbats]

It was also a power play by Harry Aslinger, the head of the agency that was in charge of going after illegal alcahol during the Prohibition. The amendment repealing prohibition was about to be passed, meaning his federal agency was about to be gutted, since most of it wasn't necessary any more. So, he got together with William Randolph Hearst (king of inaccurate scare tactic yellow journalism), and concocted a bunch of false newspaper reports about the evils of marijuana. Those scare tactics, combined with the racial dislike of Mexicans resulted in railroading a anti-marijuana act through Congress.

Actually, many Congressmen who voted for the act later came out and said that if they had known what they were voting against was Cannabis (the term marijuana was used in the legislation), they never would have voted for it, as there was a fair amount of history of cannabis use in the US. Indeed, the US army had done a study on its use by enlisted personnel, and found it to be "Not an issue of any severity", certainly nowhere near the problems alcahol caused, even in troops stationed in South America, where pot use was extremely common.

As for Yamori's points:

1) Volume for volume, yes, pot smoke is worse for your lungs than tobacco. Then again, who in hell smokes the equivalent of a pack of tobacco each and every day, when it comes to pot? Most users, even heavy users, don't even approach 1/4 of that.

2) Well, if it were legalized, going to jail wouldn't be an issue, now would it?

3) Never heard this one either, and I did a fair amount of research into the issue for a couple long papers I did for a couple seperate college courses.

4) What mofish said. No reputable study has ever shown a permanent issue with memory loss. The ones that DO claim to show such would do things like have the monkey intake the pot, then cut off all airflow for several minutes. That's not a test of pot's effect on the brain, that's a test of what frequent severe asphyxia will do to the brain. (gee, repeatedly cutting the brain off from oxygen causes problems, what a shocker)

5) Again, see what mofish said. Also see the driving tests the CHP (California Highway Patrol) did on the effects of pot vs alcahol on drivers. (hint: all drivers performed significantly worse after drinking almost any alcahol. However, many of the drivers performed BETTER on the driving tests after using pot than they did when they were sober.)


Also, I don't buy the whole "gateway" drug thing at all. That's like saying that Glenlivet is a gateway drug to Jack Daniels.

-Arlos

I heard that it can trigger the chronic misspelling of alcohol.

P.S. -- Please for the love of God tell me you didn't seriously write a paper about this in college.


P.S.S. -- I used to smoke a lot of pot too. And after you quit it's remarkable how crisp everything in life seems.

[Mop]

P.S.S. -- I used to smoke a lot of pot too. And after you quit it's remarkable how crisp everything in life seems.

-Thread over.

[mofish]

Thread not over.

The operative words in that sentence are 'A LOT.' I bet if you drink a case of beer every day the world isnt too crisp either.

[Tadpole]

BYOB

[Mop]

A case of beer I would consider an alchy... I would consider that about the same as smoking 1/4 oz a day - imo.

If you're smoking that much every day you really need to reconsider life...

I've been on both ends smoking 1/4 oz going to class kissing a banana slug, drinking all night, rinse repeat... and honestly I don't miss it~

[Guntaag Gorefeast]

I've got a minute so i google'd " schizophrenia marijuana psychology"

http://www.shttp://www.schizophrenia.co ... 00330.html

http://www.eurad.net/research/medical_practice.htm


"Studies carried out on conscripts in Sweden reported a substantial number of cannabis users suffering from Schizophrenia.

Marijuana increases schizophrenia by a factor of four to six"


zzz i know the name of the website if Europe Against Drugs~hardly unbiased


Fact is, theres countless websites which seem fairly credible and certainly cite very credible sources in most cases. My quick googleing of this has confirmed what i learned in a psyc class i took last year~ What pot does, is makes a person more suseptible (sp?) to schizophrenea to trigger in them.

I remember something about a 1/3'rds rule regarding people who have schizophrenia (please correct me if im wrong and this is another disease)...

1/3 Will get the effects of schizophrena and after a while it will go into remission...and then come back and so on for their entire lives.

1/3 Never experience symptoms? maybe...

1/3 Will get it and will never be able to fully control it and have to live with the symptoms for their entire lives

Now, marijuana was discussed while we were talking about schizophrena The teacher and several videos/ books agree'd that pot significantly increased the effects and the chance of the onset of schizophrenea in the user.

Im very sure that it's agree'd upon in the scientific community that pot is VERY bad for you if you have schizo, and can trigger the disorder to become active in you, and make its effects more vivid.

**In fact~ this reminds me~

When my dad was in highschool he was friends with a very smart dude. Top 5 in his graduating class this fellow was~ After they graduated this guy started smoking pot, a lot of pot~ I would have never heard about this guy except one day a few years ago i asked who the F lived in this house.
The house in question obviously at one point belonged to hippies, its a farm with a barn, pretty run down and its painted like a hippie van~There's an old combine with a "4 Sal 10$$" sign on it and "Fir Wud " for sale in the front yard. Well, my dads old friend who started smoking pot after he graduated, developed schizophrenea, ended up in that house and its pretty well known around town that if you go to his door, he will show up with a gun in your face suspecting you of being the guv'mint. Paranoid Schizophrenea all the way, its like the movie A Beautiful Mind, only the smart guy loses it in the end~


Personally, growing up in the last 19 years ive seen alot of my friends and folks around me start off small with cigs(big in middle school~), and beer, and then to pot... Honestly almost every single person to smoke pot reguarly for any extended period of time has moved on to lacing it with things, and other harder drugs. These harder drugs being coke and shrooms primarily around here. Sometimes meth and rarely (though not as rare as you might think/hope) they'd move up to acid.

I really cant think of anyone that i personally know whos choice drug started off at coke meth or acid, always pot. And of course, of all my buddies from highschool, not many of the heavy pot smokers have moved on to bigger and better things (college ~). Of all the kids i knew to do harder drugs, most of them are working at the fast food places around town. (Hey,nothing against flipping burgers, but they are flipping burgers to pay for their next buzz, not tuition and books)


I'd say the biggest downside of legalizing pot would definately be the gateway drug aspect. If pot is the gateway drug now, and ill admit fairly harmless(compared to coke ect), then if we legalized pot, what would the next gateway drug be? Kids starting off smoking pot in middle school and moving right up to acid or coke in highschool to piss their parents off instead of pot? "Hey I'm 18 now, pot is for pussies yo~ " Thatll be the day@@

Of course, the rareness of acid/coke is a deterrent to them becoming some kind of mainstream illegal substance should pot become legal. The best bet would be meth. It's dangerous to make but you can get everything you need at any store.

The schizophrenea issue, as much as ive talked about it, isnt really a huge worry for me. More people smoking pot would from the facts i remember would lead to many more cases of schizophrenea or worse cases ect, but i really am no authority on this and couldnt tell you how bad it would be or even really make a guess. However, i do seem to remember that THC in general could contribute to some other psycological and physiological issues. I wish i could remember more~


**Edited for spelling / a few schizo facts i mauled via typos and luckily caught before i went to bed~**

[Guntaag Gorefeast]

That being said, i certainly think the amount of money spent imprisoning people for possesion ect is entirely out of hand. As far as my issues with the judicial system go right now, this waste of time / money is about as infuriating as it gets. I dont know how i'd change things right off if i could, but spending billions on dealing with people busted for possesion shouldnt be happening. In extreme cases only should jailtime be used for possesion of pot IMO. I guess heavy fines on people in possesion and jailtime on guys with pounds of it would still make it enforcibly illegal.

Keeping it illegal like this would still keep the masses of people looking to be a 1337 rebel with a less dangerous drug, but it would probably not increase the actual amount of pot smokers...thus keeping the amount of people making the jump from pot to harder drugs down roughly where it is now. At least that's what i think would happen~

[Lueyen]

I'd say the biggest downside of legalizing pot would definately be the gateway drug aspect. If pot is the gateway drug now, and ill admit fairly harmless(compared to coke ect), then if we legalized pot, what would the next gateway drug be?

When talking about a "gateway" drug I don't think legality will really have an effect either way. Frankly I don't think legalization of pot would change availbility of it substantially. I suppose you could argue access to it... instead of stealing a few cigs from an adult young people could more readily steal pot. In all honesty I don't really think legalization would have a huge impact on people getting involved in drugs.

I think the whole reason pot gets called a gateway drug is in the chain of drugs people will normally use it's the first illegal one... and if this is the determination of what constitutes a gateway drug, then by default legalization would mean that it could not be a gateway drug and something else would take it's place. However I'm sure it would still be in the chain if you will.

Really though when I think of the term gateway drug, I think of a progression. I don't think you will see people suddenly skipping legal drugs and jumping right into what are considered harder drugs for a couple of reasons.

First fear, most people will not jump right into "hard" drugs out of fear of what it will do, or what lasting effects it will have. But as they try one thing and find out that it doesn't have the drastic effect(s) on them or thier lives that they may have thought it would, they get courageous and try something stronger.

Second for those who enjoy getting high in various forms, the novelty will wear off and they will move on to something else. They are less apt to jump from mild highs to extreme.

As far as the original question of why you shouldn't use marajuana, if placed in the theoretical context of being legalized, I think you could pretty much point to the same reasons for not using legal drugs. Frankly unless you have a condition that can be worsened by it, occasional and responsible use of marajuana is most likely no worse for you then tobacco or alchohol.

[mofish]

A case of beer I would consider an alchy... I would consider that about the same as smoking 1/4 oz a day - imo.

If you're smoking that much every day you really need to reconsider life...

I've been on both ends smoking 1/4 oz going to class kissing a banana slug, drinking all night, rinse repeat... and honestly I don't miss it~

Yeah I really agree with this Mop. I smoke a very, very little amount, and I dont smoke every day. It bugs me that when I smoke around some other smokers (more when I was younger, but some even now), that somehow Im looked down upon because Im a functional human being without pot, and I dont need or want to smoke an entire blunt. I dont give a crap what you think, if I want to pass, Im passing. If Im done Im fucking done. And that I dont take stupid-ass risks to get high. No, Im not getting up in the middle of the movie to go toke up in the bathroom asshole.

I was working with a guy recently that smoked 3 bowls before getting out of bed every day. Had 3 teenage kids to look over also. We would get to the worksite and he would sit in the truck for 2 solid hours and smoke pot and cigarettes. My work ethic dictates that I start busting my ass as soon as I get to work. Totally frustrating. He was having trouble finding work. He was going to be hired by a really good company, but refused to clean up to pass a piss test. Just refused. With 3 kids to support.

I guess its the old cliche; there is use, and there is abuse.

[Jei]

i really don't see why so many people smoke pot

its a waste of money, and its not good for you. plus i thought most people grew out of that by like 15 or 16

[Ironfang]

Never smoked it, never will.

Drugs, alcohol, tobacco and other stuff are props to make you feel better. Most work for a short time, more use = longer time.

The need to legalize pot would help in two major ways. One is to clear out the court system of stupid waste of time cases involving amounts that are not important, and two, it would be taxed providing a new source of revenue (like tobacco taxes) that could be used to pay for other programs.

The only parties that would be harmed by legalizing pot, at this point in society, would be the drug dealers who would be driven out of business as they could not make a large profit selling the stuff.

It is prohibition all over again, society has said, overall, that it is not too bad too smoke the stuff, so people continue to smoke up (in varying quantities) and it won't stop. Abuse of the drugs is the same as abuse of alcohol or gambling, there is little you can do to legislate against a personal addiction.