[fireman15]

I grew up in a place where marijuana use was wide spread and accepted. The police basically ignored it for my entire life. I have tons of friends and relatives who have been long time users. Since it was legalized in this state usage has gone way up and the problems users have caused for people like myself who worked in public safety and emergency medical treatment have increased greatly.

But it is not just young people that have difficulties caused by marijuana. The older people that I know who have been longtime users typically have predictable and sometimes severe issues that cause them great difficulties. Marijuana is a scourge on society largely because the issues that it causes are glossed over by propponents.

[dfwgator]

But aren’t these pretty much the same problems that go along with chronic alcohol abuse?

[BillyBonebrake]

I hear you, FRiend. I work ems in a NE metro area and we get quite a few calls that turn out to br cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. The patients don’t like the one known cure, though (quitting) ... so just call 911 over and over until there’s some miraculous new cure.

[Chickensoup]

see my post downstream about studies done on marijuana and violence with link.

[exDemMom]

The older people that I know who have been longtime users typically have predictable and sometimes severe issues that cause them great difficulties.

I am well aware of the issues that marijuana causes in developing brains, by killing off cells in critical brain areas. I have seen experts who say that this critical period lasts until about age 30, although I think that most experts agree that brain development continues until about age 25.

I am not aware of much research into the effects on the brains of older users, but am certainly interested in finding out more.

Marijuana is a scourge on society largely because the issues that it causes are glossed over by propponents.

I've had my share of conversations here on FR with marijuana proponents. One vehemently denies that NORML claims that marijuana is completely harmless, even after I report that despite many searches on the NORML website, I cannot find ANY reference to the scientifically documented harms of marijuana use. However, as marijuana is more widely legalized and the harms become more apparent to ordinary people, I have noticed that the adamant proponents of marijuana use are less vocal.

My feeling is that the experimentation into legalizing marijuana is not going to last long, as we learn the lessons that led our ancestors to make it illegal. But the brain damaged users are going to be with us for a long time, and represent a real social problem.