Posted on 11/09/2007 8:39:20 AM PST by SubGeniusX
By 57-to-43-percent margin, Denver voters have approved a ballot initiative that instructs police to make possession of marijuana in small quantities (less than an ounce) their lowest law enforcement priority. Denverites already had voted to repeal local penalties for possession of less than an ounce, with no noticeable effect on arrests; police just charged pot smokers under state law instead. Citing this history, the Rocky Mountain News says, "once again, the vote likely means nothing." But Mayor John Hickenlooper has promised to appoint a Marijuana Policy Review Panel to decide how the new ordinance should be implemented. Initiative organizer Mason Tvert says:
Although these officials say adult marijuana possession is already a low priority, it could undoubtedly be lower. For example, the City of Seattle, which adopted a very similar lowest law enforcement priority measure in 2003, handled just 125 cases of adult marijuana possession in 2006, whereas Denver -- a city with fewer residents -- handled nearly 1,400.
Tvert also notes that a similar initivative has had a significant impact in Missoula County, Montana, where the local prosecutor has told police to lay off pot smokers.
I still think the Navajo Flu in the Four Corners area was the result of paraquat-laced pot rather than the highly improbable, and yet to be repeated, isolated outbreak of a rodent borne virus - Hanta, which had theretofore never been known to have crossed the Mississippi river.
I even had one CDC researcher in the early stages tell me that that was one agent under investigation until they all were given the party line to espouse.
The Feds had laced the sh*t to try and discourage the use while tracking the stuff at the same time some months (years?) before that event.
You stoners, so amusing in your defense of that pseudo cure all.
The jury is still out on lung cancer, and you know it:
long-term marijuana smoking and respiratory complications noted an association with increased respiratory symptoms, suggesting obstructive lung disease.
Kristina Crothers, M.D., Brent A. Moore, Reena Mehra, M.D., John Concato, M.D., and David Fiellin, M.D.
Citation: Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 167, (February 12, 2007)
Adapted from materials provided by Yale University
Remember that it took many years of cigarette smoking by millions of Americans before the links between tobacco and lung cancer and other lung diseases were shown...
Everyone suspects that marijuana smoking will eventually be shown to cause cancer, but how much of a problem this will be, compared with tobacco, is hard to say.”
Oakley Ray, Ph.D. and Charles Ksir, Ph.D./ Drugs, Society and Human Behavior
“Analysis of the smoke contents of marijuana and tobacco reveals much the same gas phase constituents, including chemicals known to be toxic to respiratory tissue.[...]
With regard to the carcinogenic potential of marijuana, it is noteworthy that the tar phase of marijuana smoke contains many of the same carcinogenic compounds contained in tobacco smoke, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, such as benz[a]pyrene, which was recently identified as a key factor promoting human lung cancer.[...]
Bronchial immunohistology revealed overexpression of genetic markers of lung tumor progression in smokers of marijuana.
Preliminary findings suggest that marijuana smoke activates cytochrome P4501A1, the enzyme that converts polycyclic hydrocarbons, such as benz[a]pyrene, into active carcinogens.”
Donald P. Tashkin, M.D., Effects of Marijuana on the Lung and Its Immune Defenses
“Marijuana (MJ) smoking produces inflammation, edema, and cell injury in the tracheobronchial mucosa of smokers and may be a risk factor for lung cancer...
We conclude that MJ [marijuana] smoke containing Delta-9-THC is a potent source of cellular oxidative stress that could contribute significantly to cell injury and dysfunction in the lungs of smokers.”
The American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology by Theodore A. Sarafian et al., “Oxidative Stress Produced by Marijuana Smoke,”
“3-4 Cannabis cigarettes a day are associated with the same evidence of acute and chronic bronchitis and the same degree of damage to the bronchial mucosa as 20 or more tobacco cigarettes a day.
Research linking cannabis smoking to the development of respiratory cancer exists although there have also been conflicting findings. Not only does the tar in a cannabis cigarette contain many of the same known carcinogens as tobacco smoke but the concentrations of these are up to 50% higher in the smoke of a cannabis cigarette. It also deposits four times as much tar on the respiratory tract as an unfiltered cigarette of the same weight. Smokers of cannabis and tobacco have shown a greater increase in cellular abnormalities indicating a cumulative effect of smoking both.
The THC in cannabis has been shown to have a short term bronchodilator effect. This has lead to suggestions that THC may have therapeutic benefits in asthma. However, the noxious gases, chronic airway irritation or malignancy after long term use associated with smoking would seem likely to negate these benefits.”
The British Lung Foundation: “A Smoking Gun”
So, go ahead, burn your lungs out and risk jail time.
“The jury is still out on lung cancer, and you know it:”
I guess you’re too dense to understand how definitive the study I linked is. The lack of correlation between pot smoking and lung cancer is statistically certain.
As to other diseases, I’m sure there’s the potential for some. However, compared to both the legal killers (tobacco and alcohol), cannabis is quite benign.
Those are the facts. Don’t shoot the messenger.
” I guess you’re too dense to understand how definitive the study I linked is.”
LOL Just hilarious!
As definitive as the studies I`ve posted.
Absolutely hilarious to see the wildest, craziest proponents of medicinal marijauna use are regular potheads and stoners who hit their bongs every day.
Just too amusing.
Oh my. I had not heard that one. Figures.
>> I’m polishing up my parady of Paultards. What do you think?
I LIKE it!
It has “YouTube clip” written all over it!
Thanks for your concern....it is so genuine....
I went home with the blow-up doll
The way I always do
How was I to know
She was a neocon, too
It think it's better than the barista
It can be a group project too.
LOL!!
Like totally relevant, man.
I like the idea of a proup groject....I mean...ummmmm....
Oh wow.
Did you do that thing where you thought you were driving real fast and when you looked at your speedometer, you were going about 10 mph below the speed limit?
I've...uh....heard about that.
Many moons ago. ;-)
He doesn't want it posted for all to see however. Typically spineless, just like their 'hero'.
Hanta's all over the west now. Hundreds of cases have been reported to CDC since 2007.
A new one or one of the regulars?
I've noticed some new ones popping up lately, but they have older sign-on dates.
Not in clusters.
From the latest CDC report I could find:
“In 1993, a previously unknown disease, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), was identified among residents of the southwestern United States (1—3). HPS was subsequently recognized throughout the contiguous United States and the Americas. As of June 6, 2002, a total of 318 cases of HPS have been identified in 31 states, with a case fatality of 37%.* The association of hantaviruses with rodent reservoirs warrants recommendations to minimize exposure to wild rodents. These recommendations are based on current understanding of the epidemiologic features of hantavirus infections in the United States.
I told him not to freemail me again, and he just did. If he does it one more time, I’ll ping you on my response and get your ZOT 3-D sunglasses and popcorn.
I've got to go to beddie-bye now, but I hate to miss a good ZOT.
:)
He gone!
August7 gone November 9.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.