[youngjim]

Marijuana also contributes to immune deficiency...

I call bullshiite. Citation please? You wouldn't want anyone to think you pulled this out yer @ss?

[69er]

During my short existence on this planet, I've seen this argument hundreds of times, over and over, ad nauseum, and nothing is ever solved. Both sides dig in until rude ad hominin attacks start up...oh well....Up until 5 years ago I was extremely healthy, but I somehow got Chronic Inflammatory Demylineating Polyneuropathy. For me, it manifests itself as nerve pain (as one poster described above)where the mylin sheathing around the nerves get damaged. With CIDP the damage occurs in the arms and legs, unlike MS where the damage is in the brain and spinal cord....these errant nerve signals cause most of us pain pain pain. The treatment: immuno-globulin infusions every month or so and narcotics among other things. So guess who has a dependency on opiods now? I don't like em, but it has become a necessary evil. Anything people smoke can't be good for them, but the harsh laws have keep me from trying marijuana, and I've become an opiate addict instead. This life goes on.

[robertpaulsen]

"Marijuana also contributes to immune deficiency...
I call bullshiite. Citation please?"

"British Medical Association, Therapeutic Uses of Cannabis. 1997. P.48...."cannabinoids have been shown to have immuno suppressive effect ..... potentially damaging in individuals whose immune system is already compromised by HIV or chemotherapy."

"Cabral GA et al. Adv Exp Med Bio 288: 93-105, 1991. (THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, causes immunosuppression.)"

"Cusher et al. Cellular Immunology Vol 154:99-108, 1994. (Low levels of THC inhibited tumor necrosis factor thereby weakening the killing activity of lymphocytes against tumor cells. Marijuana's implication in a number of chronic diseases reflects its harmful impact on the immune system.)"

"Djeu et al. Drugs of Abuse Immunity and Immunodeficiency, 1991. (THC is able to interfere with the function of white blood cells taken from humans. Both neutrophils, which fight bacterial infection, and mononuclear cells of the immune system, which fight viruses, were suppressed by various concentrations of THC.)"