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.

[kidd]

I favor de-Federalization of the WOD. Its a states issue. A state like Nevada may choose to make all drugs legal to everyone. A state like Utah may choose to make all drugs illegal, including alcohol. In between are a wide variety of choices. The role of the Federal government would simply be to place tarriffs on imported drugs. I would favor very high and restrictive tarriffs on imported drugs.

I myself would then choose to live in a state that licenses drug usage. It may be as simple as reading a statement on the health effects of a given drug and then signing a waiver that acknowledges that you have certain rights and responsibilities for the usage of that particular drug, much like what occurs when you obtain a license to operate a car. Signing such a waiver may result in higher health insurance costs (to cover your potentially risky activity for that particular drug), may result in loss of employment (thats up to your employer) and may result in refusal of emergency hospital care if there is no health insurance. I myself would obtain a license to purchase and consume alcohol - and since most people would obtain a license for alcohol, my health insurance would only be mildly affected and there is very little risk that I would lose my job. Someone who chooses to obtain a license to purchase and consume heroine would most likely see a significant change in their health insurance costs and may run a significant chance of losing their job - but thats there choice - and they could not be arrested for it. Licensing places the burden of the drug usage on the consumer - not on the general public.

[newcats]

Lets take these one by one....
What if my neighbor passes out with something on the stove or forgets to shut off the gas?and What if the fool lives in the apartment above me and passes out in the bathtub with the water running?

I have never known anyone to pass out from pot alone. Known plenty of people that have passed out from too many beers though. Are you just as worried about them?

What if my neighbor borrows my ladder when he's stoned and then doesn't remember it's mine?

Why can't YOU remember him borrowing it?

What if the fool is trying to kiss the cute, little, pidgeons out on the window ledge and falls on someone?

Where the heck did this come from? Been watching Reefer Madness again? That is far and wide the stupidest line I have seen on this thread yet! Congrats!!
It is evident from these and previous comments that you have never indulged in the "evil weed", so therefor you have no frame of reference to speak from. So your examples are moot. Why not stick to subjects that you have some experience with.

[newcats]

Lets "unsplit" the hairs then.....
Please show some credible research that supports ANY of those claims.

[newcats]

I posted a description of marijuana from an AMA medical encyclopedia in rebuttal.

What post # was your rebuttal? I have gone back through the thread, and have failed to find it.
Perhaps you THOUGHT you posted it? Having short term memory problems bud?

[4Freedom]

I thought marijuana was supposed to enhance your sense of humor? Evidently you don't have any experience with marijuana either.

If you do, it must be all bad. ;^)

[4Freedom]

My post #795 was a rebuttal to your post #762.

[newcats]

I thought marijuana was supposed to enhance your sense of humor? Evidently you don't have any experience with marijuana either.
If you do, it must be all bad. ;^)
Ahhhh...personal insults....the last resort of a desrperate man.
I do have a well developed sense of humor..when the humor is well thought out and even partially funny (See two can play that game)
And still you have not posted ANY evidence to support ANY of your comments. Or perhaps they are getting lost in that deep dark smelly place you have your head stuck in?
See the humor in that? :)

[newcats]

Large doses may result in panicky states, fear of death, and illusions. True psychosis [loss of contact with reality, (sound familiar?)] can occur, producing paranoid delusions, confusion, and other symptoms.... A more permanent state of apathy and loss of concern-the amotivational syndrome-has been attributed to prolonged, regular use.

Is that your idea of a definition? Perhaps if you would post the whole piece, it might be a bit more credible, instead of taking a couple of lines out of order and out of context. And where is the copyright information? What date was this published and so forth?
You have got to do better than this if you want to make this a fair fight. This is hardly a challange for my pot ridden brain cell.

[Whilom]

Opiates for the people is intrusive government.

[4Freedom]

I did the same thing you did. Why do I have to be all formal about it, if you don't?

That other post that has you all worked up was to Texaggie79. Evidently he got the joke, while you didn't.

You're wound up a little tight.

Sounds like you have a personal problem. Don't take it out on me. Ok?

Go medicate yourself.

[newcats]

I did the same thing you did. Why do I have to be all formal about it, if you don't?
Mine was a definition...yours was a description of possible symtoms...there is a difference.
As for the "stupid" post, that was indeed yours....memory problems again????

[joebuck]

"A 1988 study in the Archives of Surgery found that among 1,023 trauma victims, marijuana had been used by 34.7 percent, alcohol by 33.5"

Note that this doesn't say that marijuana was involved in the trauma, rather, it says that 34% of trauma vicims have used marijuana. Since Marijuana is detectable in the blood and urine much longer than other drugs and alcohol (THC is fat soluble) and given that this article earlier said that studies show that 34% of Americans have used marijuana, isn't this what you would expect?

[4Freedom]

Re-read my post #830, again. I wrote that post #791 was (mine) to Texaggie79 and that he got the joke and you didn't.

Now, you're having difficulty reading, as well.

Maybe it's not smoking marijuana alone that's the greatest danger to healthy brain function. Scientists should do a study of folks that smoke marijuana in close proximity to the fumes emanating from a cat litter box.

Do you volunteer?

LOL!

[tacticalogic]

Opiates for the people is intrusive government.

PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES

"Propaganda Techniques" is based upon "Appendix I: PSYOP Techniques" from "Psychological Operations Field Manual No.33-1" published by Headquarters; Department of the Army, in Washington DC, on 31 August 1979

Slogans. A slogan is a brief striking phrase that may include labeling and stereotyping. If ideas can be sloganized, they should be, as good slogans are self-perpetuating.

More here.

[jayef]

Are you familiar with memetics? Direct your inquiry there and you will see exactly where all the WoD BS is coming from. It is a meme that is dying. It won't last another generation, I promise!

[Whilom]

Sure you can quote from that book. You wrote it.

[tacticalogic]

Sure you can quote from that book. You wrote it.

I didn't, but you claim I did like it's some kind of accusation. Do you have a problem with people learning to recognize propaganda when they see it?

[TigersEye]

The American Psychiatric Association classifies marijuana as an addictive drug…

TS: I stopped reading here, as this association also claims that homophobia is a disease and homosexuality is a life style choice. Pass the bong, nothing to see here. BTW you would be surprised to find out that most pot smokers are not flaming liberals.

That's where I stopped reading too. The APA also says that sexual abuse of children causes no lasting damage or trauma. Not only that but the APA is probably the largest force behind the 800% increase in psychoactive drug Rx's for children under ten from 1990 to 2000. Verrrrrry responsible, eh?

PS: I'm a knuckle dragging conservative that makes Ghenghis Khan seem like a pinko.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Geez, is that thread still going?

[Ken H]

Well stated, good sir.

Dittoes to everything in that post.