Posted on 06/22/2011 11:34:42 PM PDT by AustralianConservative
Government Senator Marc Bean recently called for a debate on the merits of decriminalising drugs in the wake of a report from the Global Commission on Drug Policy. A distinguished panel that wrote the report said the war on drugs had failed and recommended partial legalization as a solution to the blight of the illegal drugs trade on communities around the world.
Not so fast, warn medics.
Side effects of marijuana can include a heightened risk of psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia, depression, damage to memory and judgement and heart problems. Neurologist Dr Keith Chiappa said: “The use of marijuana, especially in younger age groups, should not be encouraged by any legalisation and should continue to be discouraged by specific programmes.”
Consultant psychiatrist Dr Chantelle Simmons said: “Cannabis use has been shown to be associated with difficulties in thought processes in 15-20 year olds.
“When you have a young adult, whose brain is still developing, there is a five times greater risk of schizophrenia.”
“It particularly adversely affects the developing brain and it’s also closely associated with psychosis.”
The Mid Atlantic Wellness Institute doctor added: “As a clinician, I try to focus on medical implications only, but I would have concerns that decriminalization would send a message that it was okay to encourage marijuana use.”
Dr Simmons added that studies had shown that marijuana use caused higher rates of depressive illness in adult women – four times the rate of depression found in non-users.
Teenage marijuana smokers have also been found to be less likely to complete high school and more likely to make poor career and life choices.
Dr Simmons said: “People say ‘it’s only weed, it’s natural’. It is a natural substance, but it can have significant adverse effects. It can not only cause psychosis, but exacerbate existing phychoses.”
(Excerpt) Read more at bermudasun.bm ...
This just shows you how little you have thought about it. I will not support any laws that permits the government to tax drugs. If you can’t figure it, that’s your problem.
Teenage marijuana smokers have also been found to be less likely to complete high school and more likely to make poor career and life choices.
Correlation does not equal causation. Perhaps people prone to depression and making poor choices are more likely to self-medicate with pot, alcohol, tobacco and so forth.
What you are saying is that you accept the welfare state we have.
Why are you making your thinking - and presumably, also your ACTING - against something you imply you realize is UNJUST contingent upon the consistent behavior of others?
What you wrote is like saying "I'll think about allowing Blacks to drink out of the same water fountain as soon as 'they' stop [insert any other arbitrary morally reprehensible condition in the world]."
And "demonization" is not to be compared to "illegalization." Getting cited and having to pay a $200 fine for smoking in a restaurant is NOT comparable with being thrown in the pokey and getting anally raped because you were sitting at home smoking some marijuana you grew in your own flower box.
Regards,
YOU didn't ANSWER my question either.
Nice try. Not really...
Then the answer is to make cordless drills illegal. /s
The point is that it is debatable, i.e., there are no objective arguments to be made for/against going to the disco, slamming your head against the floor, drinking Jim Beam, or smoking pot.
It should therefore be left to the INDIVIDUAL to decide what is best for him!
Regards,
If youngsters were seeking to "self-medicate" with marijuana then they would be doing better.
What you are talking about is self-destruct.
Growing tobacco is no more difficult than growing marijuana. In fact, it was so simple that even the Indians - who never even invented the WHEEL - could do it!
Regards,
I don’t know a lot about growing pot, but what makes sense to me is that growing any crop incurs expense. Curing and selling also incurs expense (can you say hydroponic), much like the production and distribution of cigarettes or alchohol. The ingredidients of cigarettes and alchohol are natural in the beginning.
If you are talking about growing a few plants on your patio..do you think it would stop at that?
It would turn into large fields and Uncle Bob’s Pot Shop. It would be taxed. With many different flavors..maybe even menthol, lol.
How dare you use logic? /s ;0)
And the point of your Ad Hominem innuendo is... ?
Regards,
Better than what? Alcohol or tobacco? I agree.
I never thought to myself we should tax anything, except China and Mexico.
If you want to count the crazy people who become helpless homeless bums, added to others from cancer and car wrecks then I would say many millions over the years.
Indians used it sparingly, ceremonially, and my own Indian grandmother grew her own for chewing, but she couldn't have produced cigarettes, and she is the only member in the family that used that coarse tobacco.
Growing good marijuana for smoking is relatively expensive and takes a good deal of time and knowledge. It’s not cheap or easy.
I see your attention span gave way, so soon too.
But if you now want to talk about alcohol and tobacco then you should be aware there are 400 chemicals in marijuana and a smoker gets more tar than cigarettes.
Since YOU are such an expert on marijuana, why don’t you tell me just exactly how much marijuana you’ve consumed in your research??? YOU STILL DIDN”T ANSWER MY ORIGINAL QUESTION WITH ANY SEMBLANCE OF FACT OR ACCURACY (why do you suppose that is?)
PS- As a courtesy; I’m going to go to bed (right) now, and will have to resume contact at a later time/date. toodle do
It’s not my fault your scribblings are incomprehensible. I notice you quit on the other thread when I challenged you to address the actual subject of it. That’s beyond your mental ability.
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