Research helps dispel marijuana myths

Sober Talk ^ | Thursday, August 1, 2002 | By BECKY CLARK, MSW, CSW

[Behind Liberal Lines]

As we endeavor toward a more lucid and informed discussion of substance abuse, let's deconstruct the mystique of marijuana and recognize it for the dangerous drug that it is.

Marijuana is a substance that's worthy of our concern. It is the most prevalent of all illicit drugs used in the country. The 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse reported that 34 percent of Americans have used marijuana in their lifetime and 5 percent are current users.

[Wolfie]

You wanna see indignation and anger, check out the pro-tobacco threads. And those folks aren't even being arrested (yet).

[Hemingway's Ghost]

When its marijuana, however, they don't allow themselves to make the concession. They cling stubbornly to the concept that marijuana is the greatest thing on god's green leafy earth.

I don't think you could say that about any anti-W.o.D. proponent who participates in the W.o.D. threads here on FR. I've been participating on these threads for ages and I've yet to run across a yippie like that.

[4Freedom]

Good post. Only 5% of the population in the USA using marijuana, regularly? That's hopeful.

The 'police action on drugs' we're waging is having an impact. It's time to start a serious 'war on drugs'.

Regular pot usage in the Netherlands is much higher and their crime is way up.

There's a movement underway in the Netherlands, after their most recent elections, to close the coffee/pot shops down and recriminalize alot of recreational drug use.

They'll have a long, tough battle back from their libertarian, recreational drug laws.

Most Dutch regret their liberal recreational drug and immigration laws.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Newest FREEPERS: Jay and Silent Bob

Snoochie Boochies!

[Between the Lines]

It is almost a tacit admission that, if something IS bad for you, it should be banned.

Do you wish to also prohibit alcohol, tobacco and fatty foods? Your name should be... Well Entrenched Behind Liberal Lines.

[A2J]

Well, for one thing, it policy of the courts for use the prison/treatment option when one is found in possession of as small a quanty as 3 grams, and suprise!, the great majority of people opt for "treatment".

So, it's your contention that the vast majority of the people involved in this study are people who have been ordered by the court to receive treatment.

Boy, the extent that pro-potties will go to in order to trash anyone who disagrees with you. Awful Democratic of you.

[FreeTally]

The thing I find disturbing is that so few of the pro pot people posting here can concede that you can make it legal but make the dangers of the substance clear (ie, make it not so cool).

No poster has ever said its not somewhat harmful. This statement is disingenuous at best. The fact that its "illegal" has millions of dolts thinking its the boogieman. Considering all of the lies about pot, people need to understand its NOT the boogieman. Anyone with a brain knows that if you inhale something into your lungs, it may not be that healthy for you.

The truth is that those who want to keep it illegal are the ones that do not want to talk about the REAL harm or good pot does. This is demonstrated time and time again. Hell, its "harmfulness" is part of the stupid rational that you drug-warriors use to convince the sheep it should be illegal.

[KDD]

An exhaustive search of the literature finds no deaths induced by marijuana. The US Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) records instances of drug mentions in medical examiners' reports, and though marijuana is mentioned, it is usually in combination with alcohol or other drugs. Marijuana alone has not been shown to cause an overdose death.

Source: Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), available on the web at http://www.samhsa.gov/; also see Janet E. Joy, Stanley J. Watson, Jr., and John A. Benson, Jr., "Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base," Division of Neuroscience and Behavioral Research, Institute of Medicine (Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1999), available on the web at http://www.nap.edu/html/marimed/; and US Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, "In the Matter of Marijuana Rescheduling Petition" (Docket #86-22), September 6, 1988, p. 57.

There are not a lot of substances that you can say that about.

The DEA's Administrative Law Judge, Francis Young concluded: "In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. For example, eating 10 raw potatoes can result in a toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death. Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man.

What are these terrible dangers you allude to?

[sweet_diane]

"all with an incredible indignation and anger at anyone who even SUGGESTS its a problem."

I see your point. IMHO, the problem is on both sides of this issue. How about the name calling and insults that fly from the pro WOD folks instead of legitimate arguments? There's quite a few examples right here on this thread... I don't think I have to name names.

FWIW, like was said earlier.. inhaling burning leaves can't be a good thing, yet there are many legal substances that can wreak havoc on the human body..Big Macs and many prescription drugs. How far are we, as a society, willing to allow prohibition to go?

[A2J]

Snoochie Boochies!

Yeah, real conservative dudes, eh?

[William Terrell]

"Chronic" is the street name for marijuana. It is popular with the gang-banging crowd

What is the world are you talking about? Cannabis now causes street people to gang-bang? If you live on the Left coast, it's early there and I'd suggest another cup of drugs before you attempt to word a thought.

[Wolfie]

Crime rates, and mairjuana usage rates, in the Netherlands are well below the rates in the U.S.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

You are missing the point.

I am arguing (see earlier post) that, by employing the arguments they do, the pro pot FREEPERS are discarding or undermining the very philosophical underpinning ("freedom of choice") that we value here. Once they start doing that for pot, they open the door to having that done for the very substances you mention.

The liberals WANT us to start arguing on the basis of good for you/bad for you instead of freedom. THe pot people have already taken the bait.

[Boner1]

She caught in a lie (title lie)

And must want to keep a job

[Whilom]

Don't expect cheers -- or even reasonable debate. The druggies, like smoke manufacturers everywhere, don't give a damn about people or societies -- or freedom. To them we're just a market and the sooner they can beat down resistance they can deal with impunity on the schoolyard, all the while masquerading as freedom-loving Tom Jefferson. Most Americans aren't fooled and won't be fooled. But like terrorists of all stripes, the druggies will continue sending their suicide bombers against America's conscience and consciousness. The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.

[FreeTally]

There is not one ounce of thruth in your entire post. I guess you take pride in "If I say it enough, people might think its true".

[Wolfie]

ping

[Khepera]

Drug users do not care about drug warrior excuses any more than drug warriors care about user excuses.

[steve-b]

What on earth are you talking about? The fact that inhaling smoke isn't a particularly healthy pastime (which I stipulated earlier) has nothing to do with the fact that the specific claims in this article are a load of clinton.

[freedomcrusader]

Regular pot usage in the Netherlands is much higher and their crime is way up.

I'd be interested in seeing those numbers.