Reefer madness?

Pharmacuetical drugs are far more damgerous than weed.
People die all the time from big pharma drugs. How many people die from weed? I don't think I ever heard of one death from weed.
I think they should legalize the use of weed, whether it is for pleasure
or health reasons.

By the way, I don't smoke weed.

Marijuana is not physically addictive but I suppose it could be pyschologically addictive.

wow! First, I have never in my life known anyone to go to the hospital because of marijuana. For those people that this has actually happened to, maybe you should check them out and not so much the marijuana.

As far as potency levels going up that means you smoke less...which is a good thing. I'm just trying to understand why so many people hate on marijuana. Its hurting few and the ones its hurting most is due to the fact that it is against the law.

Are you serious? The ER visits are probably from people who have anxiety attacks from the change in perception from pot, not the drug itself. The potency of pot today just makes it so smokers don't need to smoke nearly as much to get the same effect. It doesn't change the effect of the drug itself.

This is much ado about nothing. Fight the harmful drugs, like ecstacy which makes holes in your brain, cocaine which causes heart attacks, heroin which causes extreme addiction and high crime levels.

I do not sumise teenage marijuana use is a phase. Its more of a universal, omnipresent phase for all ages. I know of many adults who partake in the inhalation of the plant–only more discretely. In my opinion the drug does not effectuate any extreme adverse effects; to the contrary, I have also been told it enhances one's concentration. In any event, impressive blog...the writer appears to grasp a very acute sense of today's youth.

Certainly pot is far more potent than it was in the 60's. But I have never heard of someone going to the ER because they were high on it.

Nonetheless, what about the harm it does because it is smoked? That's seems a more damaging effect than the high.

Here we go again...

1. Higher concentrations of THC are a good thing. It is impossible to overdose on THC and no deaths have ever been reported. It simply means that less needs to be smoked to achieve the same high.

2. No link between pot and cancer, lung or otherwise, has ever been proven. In fact, the opposite has been shown in some cases. Pot is known to be therapeutic to many cancer patients and other sufferers of chronic illness.

3. Any mental effects are temporary. Only the heaviest users (100-200 joints per week for decades) show any long term mental damage and that is minor.

4. All ER admittances due to pot have been because the patient was freaking out or having an anxiety attack. This is no surprise with all the negative Reefer Madness propaganda out there. It is anxiety-related and based on beliefs about the drug, not anxiety attacks from the effects of the drug itself.

5. Pot is much safer than cigarettes or alcohol. There are no long term health effects except with extremely heavy use, and those are minimal. Negative behavior problems like those related to alcohol (such as violence) do not occur. Although reaction time is slowed, studies show that users are aware of this and compensate during such activities as driving (although I am not advocating driving high), while alcohol gives people a false sense of confidence and ups risk-taking.

6. The biggest problem with pot it its illegality. Many otherwise law-abiding citizens have their lives ruined by getting caught. Non-violent pot offenders clog our legal system. The black market symptoms often cited in anti-drug commercials (violence, terrorism) are a product of the legal status, not the drug itself (please reference the failed experiment of prohibition).

There is no reason for pot to be illegal if alcohol is not. Please see http://www.safer.org and http://www.norml.org to see the studies mentioned above.

Marijuana, while it definitely has its negative affects, also has its positive effects for such things as dealing with stress. However, it is rediculous to say it is a passing phase as many adults smoke but are afraid to be as open as college students with this habit. It is also rediculous to say that smoking marijuana is not addicting as many habitual smokers cannot quit as smoking pot allows enables them to eat and sleep. However, the case for the legalization of marijuana is in comparing it to cigarette smoke. Cigarettes have been one of the U.S. government's most profitable businesses, and compared to marijuana is far more harmful. Why shouldn't the government not try to make money as oppose to allowing it to be a huge expense as they try to fight it?
In any event the writer gives an interesting and balanced perspective on the subject, and I look forward to seeing more from her.

I work in Mental Health in Australia and see on an almost daily basis those that are affected by addiction, including marijuana. Drug induced psychosis is NOT a mere panic attack, and can end up a life-long debilitating disability (chronic schizophrenia is comparable to quadraplegia). Unfortunately people can only keep on smoking to find out if it happens to them. And unfortunately it can happen to anyone. If only I had a dollar for every time I heard: "I wish I had never smoked pot".........

Okay well I did have a comment.... i thought was helful, however it
has dissappeared from the screen...My thoughts about this subject
was varied, that i have not smoked marijuana but knew of a few people that have and compared to other stimulants that half of the
country is taking....this is the least, and mildest...Im not condoning
the use of drugs, nor am i suggesting that it may be a good thing
However a lot of senior ciitzens are pumped with legal drugs everyday that to me dont do anything but mask their contiuning ills, so maybe people should be more concerned about the now and forever effect these prescribed medicines are doing.

In my short 70 years of life, the only thing I've ever seen wrong with marijuana is its legality status.

I am a college student who has never smoked weed and I never will, and it boggles my mind that students think it is a harmless drug. It is not – it is a dangerous, mind-altering substance that is addictive and can ruin lives. Not everyone who smokes weed will end up dead, on the streets, or in the hospital, but none of them will ever reach their full potential. It takes away so much from their lives and changes who they are, just like all drugs do. I am confident that more studies revealing marijuanas dangers will be published in years to come. Unfortunately, I am also confident that the public will continue to ignore them.

I'm a high school student, and i can tell you that any type of drugs not just marijuana can come very easily from other students now day. The "Drug" clique could get their hands on any types of drugs with ease. Despite the fact that we get educated about the adverse effects of drug abuse, many students including some of my former friends started doing drugs since freshman year. It seems to be part of the high school phase to them even though they do understand the negative effects of doing drugs; they are willing to risk their health for "being cool." This problem is and will be hard to tackle unless more is done to control drug trafficking in general; otherwise America could face a generation of drug-abused adults.

I smoke pot everyday – unless I don't have any.......and I agree it's far less harmful then alcohol.....you can smoke a joint and in a few hours be back to normal – on the otherhand if had more than a few cocktails – chances are your not feeling to good......the major downside to me for smoking pot is the fact that it makes me hungry and I end up overeating – which is why I can't get rid these extra 10 pounds...Im not a doctor but I think it lowers your metabolim too – another reason why I can't lose these 10 lbs......and it has affected my short-term memory....I keep losing my car keys....LOL

I don't think you can generalize about marijuana in this way. It depends on the specific person and their personality.

My experience has been that folks who have addictive personalities will tend to get hooked on "something"...food, gambling, alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, work, etc.

Other folks just do not have addictive personalities. They do not push the envelope. These folks will not have many problems with marijuana because they are not inclined to do things to excess. Also, they like to be in control. Although they may think fun to lose control temporarily, they would not want to stay that way.

Do you guys really think that, because it is more potent now, people will use less? That's like saying sugar addicts will eat fewer twinkies if we add more sugar to them. And does the average pot smoker really consider this fact when they are lighting up? This generation was raised on "supersize it."

Anything, from crack usage to driving sleepy, that reduces your self-control and your ability to make wise decisions and quick correct responses is worthy of self-denial to protect yourself, and legal controls to protect other people from you. In the end, people that participate in such activities tend to be subject to the laws of nature. They either die young or ruin their lives. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are the extremely rare exceptions.

the only hospitalizations are due to anxiety attacks? sorry, no.

marijuana is a drug. like all drugs, some people are allergic to it, or overly sensitive to the side effects.

i am one of them.

i tried pot, once, at a party. everyone else was having a wonderful time. i found myself unable to breathe. it wasn't an anxiety attack. once the er doc finally got the truth out of me, he knew exactly what was going on. i was having an allergic reaction. ( i am also deathly allergic to bees and penecillin. keep in mind, for most people beestings are somewhat painful, and penecillin is a helpful drug. for me, they are a death sentence.) turns out, my uncle tried weed in high school, too. he ended up in a coma for 2 days.

marijuana, like anything else, can be very dangerous.

Please. I smoked almost every day for a couple of years in college and I pulled in a great GPA. I was in the Scholar's program at UMCP. I've been quite successful out of college as well. Most of my friends in the Honor's program (an even tougher program) were also daily smokers.

Marijuana will always have this stigma. What about alcohol? How many college deaths are due to alcohol? How many deaths in general? You'd sooner OD on potatoes than you would marijuana.

It's time to start being truthful with our youth about drugs. I came out of the D.A.R.E. program thinking that drugs were this awful thing that you get roped into doing with peer pressure, that they made you feel awful, and that you instantly became addicted. None of this has been true for me. All of the drugs that I've tried have been tried after careful research and due to my own curiosity. Not all of my experiences have been great, but I do feel like my mind has been opened in a lot of ways.

A friend of mine was recently in a really bad accident. He was in a coma and when he got out of it he was on a LOT of very powerful drugs. I can't imagine what it would be like to almost die, wake up in a haze of drugs, having never done any drugs, and have to take it all in and recover. I am thankful for my experiences with drugs (I am not saying that his remarkable recovery was all due to his experimentation with drugs, but I think it must have helped in some small way). I am also thankful that I went about it in a well-informed manner. I will be open and upfront with my children when the time comes to talk about drug use. Hopefully by that time a lot of what kids are using will be decriminalized so that we can regulate what's out there.

I'll be 62 and I have been smoking pot for almost 40 year's. In my 44 years as a hairstylist I've asked hundred's of people if they have ever known anybody that has died from smoking cigerettes and the answer is alway's yes. I then ask them if they have ever known anybody that has died from smoking marijuana and the answer is alway's no. In my 40 year's of smoking I have stopped several time's, the last time for one year. Marijuana is not a gateway drug, it's a person's personality that get's them to try other drug's. As far as marijuana being 5 or 10 time's as strong now than it was decade's ago I do not believe that is true, I wish it was (If somebody has developed a stronger strain please give them my email). In the past marijuana was almost all the sativa strain, 1 of 2 strain's of marijuana the other being the indica strain (which is the stronger strain). Now almost all marijuana is the indica strain. If the people and the political leader's of this country would wake up they would legalize it and put a $10 to $15 tax on every pack then we could afford to give health care coverage to everybody that need's it. We would'nt need more police (that we can't afford now), no new jail's, and you would free up the court system, all positive effect's. It would also take the business away from dealer's and make it more difficult for young people to get it.

I'm 30 yrs old, Ive been smoking weed since I was 13. Never had any issues. It is a matter of perception when you're on it. Sure, many people becom burnouts. I myself was one for about 2 yrs. Although that was in highschool when I didnt care about anything, that only helps the burnout phase. But since, I work full-time, am a manager of a company and make great money. I only smoke when I am not working or dont have something important (weddings, visiting parents, doc appts, meetings, etc) to do.
I am an "enhancement smoker" so to say. Almost anything I do, when Im high is 1000 times better. This doesnt mean it isnt interesting when I'm not, as life to me is great in all ways. I smoke every day I get off work. It unwinds me, relaxes me, helps me fall asleep, really reduces my stress levels drastically. Tell me that cigs or alcohol can do that w.o. the adverse side effects it has, that marijuana does not.

In response to a few comments.

Sarah: Perhaps it is different in Australia, but if I had a dollar for every time i heard someone say "I wish i hadn't smoked pot". I think I would have a total of 3 dollars to my name.

Debbie: Your comments were hilarious. Im right there with you. Food just tastes so damn good. And i lose my car keys all the time, then i find them in my hand. haha.

Lee: Im sorry but your comment about putting more sugar in Twinkies is absolutely absurd. I do buy the "highest" quality and potency of marijuana you can find. Why do I do this? So I don't have to smoke as much. I can take 1-3 hits of good "nugs" and be high for an hour. Where as the not so good stuff, i might have to smoke a whole joint (15-20 hits) just to get the same (yet lesser) effect. If sugar had a high people could feel like marijuana then yes, i bet you they wouldn't eat as much. But the fact of the matter is sugar and marijuana and not at all in the same category of comparison.

THC's LD50 value for toxicity would put the toxic levels for a human at having to consume over 1500 lbs of marijuana within 15 mins. THC affects the receptors in the brain. The parts of the brain that control vital functions such as respiration, digestion, motor skills, muscle, joint and bone functions do not have many receptors and therefore remain unaffected.

In closing, I can see myself smoking marijuana for the rest of my life. Its much better then alcohol. Which brings crime, black-outs, and just plain stupid decisions. Marijuana brings a calm, happy, peaceful totalization to our society.

And the rate of ER visits due to alcohol is...?

"The researchers found that there were an estimated 68.6 million ED visits attributable to alcohol from 1992 through 2000, averaging 7.6 million alcohol-related ED visits per year. Alcohol-related visits accounted for 7.9 percent of the total 866.5 million ED visits in that time period."

Absolutely, it can be dangerous. Some fellow posters have cited specific examples. However, I have yet to see a specific arguement detailing how pot is more harmful than it's legal counterparts. Not to state that it is definately less harmful. It's simply a matter of consistency. Society needs to compare all these apples side by side. Booze, legal, money making venture, regulated. Still results in crimes, addiction, health issues, death, and other adverse affects. Cigarettes, legal, money making venture, regulated. Still results in crimes (albeit a lesser severity than booze), addiction, health issues, death, and other adverse affects. However, the goverment would be hard pressed to change their stance on this. Legalizing pot would be way too much work for the suits on capitol hill. And for any lawmaker attached to the fight to legalize AND regulate this drug...it's career suicide. The storm of protests (whether rational in our eyes or not) would be from a demographic convinced that legalizing it would most certainly result in the apocalypse.

As for those saying that prescription drugs are just as bad. This is not apples to apples. Pharms have a risk associated with them that is outweighed by the necessary benefit. Nobody needs pot, booze, or smokes. Dude, some people just like 'em.

Signed,
A squeeky clean suburban mom

Also, to answer the posed question rather than spew my own political agenda.

I think smoking pot now is no more a gamble with your health than it ever was. It goes back to old arguement, correlation is not causation. Stating that an increase in THC levels in pot causes increased ED visits relating to pot and an increase in dependency is irresponsible. There are a lot of other variables to consider before suggesting that pot is more dangerous in 2008 than it was in 1978. This isn't a strong enough arguement for me. I also don't think it's just a phase college kids go through. I do believe it's as prevalent as several other "college phases" but I don't believe pot smoking is the single most rampant "phase" college kids have done with increasing frequency. There are a lot of illegal violations taking place on college campuses around the country...this isn't new. And it's not college that makes kids use pot, it's more likely there are studies on college students. The 60's and 70's have long been associated with pot. We have a huge huge demographic still around who grew up in this time. Where are the studies on them? So we look to college to give us our baseline for new users and frequency thereof, but we don't look to our past to see these kids future?

Jeff,

We'll see what you are saying when you hit the magical age of 40. It is a real age threshold when it comes to health. If you have ridden yourself easy, the transition is easier. But if you have ridden yourself hard... I would suggest that you have no idea what THC is doing to your endocrine and nervous systems.

I am suggesting that you can have a full life without the need for your periodic escapes from reality... Same word to all the alcoholics.

Getting to college, I realized how many people had problems with weed which is why I never got as deep into as I could. In high school, I experimented with it and in college I continue to enjoy it on occasion but I see people who do it constantly and cannot function without it. While marijuana is minimally physically addicting, I have seen people (many people) who have serious dependency issues and there are enough physical dependencies to make quitting annoying (inability to sleep, restlessness). I am saying this from experience with people who smoke daily, and some of whom who want to stop.

Marijuana isn't as bad as its made out to be in middle school with DARE but it isn't as innocent as many rebelling teenagers (like myself at one point) think it is after realizing that DARE was mostly lies and jumping to the opposite end of the spectrum. Not everything is black and white, maybe the scare tactics are lies but being just as extreme about marijuana on the other side of the argument is equally idiotic. Marijuana is not going to kill you if you occasionally use it, you won't end up a homeless crack addict but you can seriously hinder your life if you grow dependent on it while telling yourself "it's all good".

Also, for the record the emergency room visits are common but amongst new smokers, especially those introduced to potent strains of the plant. For someone with no tolerance or little tolerance, like myself, I only need one or two hits of most of the stuff college campuses get because in general the potency is high enough for me to start feeling intense effects from small amounts. Any more and I usually start to freak out, mainly because of the affects marijuana has on the heart (it beats faster) combined with a racing brain that will associate heart beating with heart attack. This is where the emergency room visits come in, extreme panic attacks brought on by inexperienced users who think they are having a heart attack when it is really just a panic attack (in fact non-drug influenced people who have panic attacks frequently end up in the emergency room as well if they have never experienced anxiety and think it is something worse).

So yeah, the emergency room stuff is kind of misleading, but once again weed isn't some wonder drug like many people thought it is. It may have medical applications and can be fun recreationally but there is no merit to smoking every day unless you want to throw away your money, get less high and have to smoke more and more while barely reaching what has become "normal" and in general just killing your lungs and your motivation to live life.

Another thing about the potency is that in the 70s, 1% or 2% THC potency made smoking a joint with friends like sharing some cheap light watery beer. The jet set got the strong stuff (when strains and breeding of what was once just literally a weed first started out). Then in Canada and Amsterdam and other places, strains got bigger and bigger and biologists and botanists made marijuana farming an industry with legitimate strains just like any other crop breeding plants for the purpose of making extremely powerful highs bringing THC potency up. This means that instead of drinking a light beer, some strains will be more like taking shots where each hit makes you more high faster. This means that people just smoking for the first time are going to be like people drinking for the first time except instead of starting with something like beer, they're thrown into the liquor department of things.. the drug is the same but they might not be ready for that kind of dosing. A few cheap beers and you might feel drunkenly buzzed but a few hard shots and you're going to feel messed up. Since no one goes looking for crappy, low potency weed, newbies are always going to be starting off with the strongest stuff without any intro experience and this is not good.

I've smoked most days for the last 8 years. I am 26 now. I'm not one to start blindly praising it as having no downfalls. I know the effects of the drug very well. It has hindered me from seeking a post grammar school education, it has hindered me from having a "successful" career. It has kept me blue collar. It makes me a bit lazy at times, a bit tired at times, and a bit forgetful at times. I accept these as part of my reality. There definitely are consequences, but it is a conscious choice that I have made. I am completely happy with my way of life and my existence. I'm an intelligent, happy person. It's not for everybody, but it is great for me.

Jeff:

Don't pay attention to Lee.....I'm over 40 years old and I'm in excellent health.....just got all my blood work done.....and I'm like you.....I'm an adult and I don't smoke when I have important things to do......I find it relaxes me – allows my mind to expand and definitely increases my culinary skills.

Yes, it is getting more potent, thank you for noticing! Unfortunately the authors conclusions are not in any way supported by the data and circumstantial evidence can be manipulated to point an accusing finger in any direction. Cannibus is stronger now due to the needs of patients...not the desires of the social user. Just as other pain medications have been refined to give patients the purest form of the pharma for the best effect...so too is this being refined so patients are not required to ingest huge quantities of the substance to maintain pain control. Cannibus has NEVER by any organization or testing body been PROVEN to be physically addictive to the human body. I use the medication due to the affects of being struck four separate times by DRUNK drivers.(no I was not drunk any of the four times yet alcohol is legal, hmmm interesting not one of those people who ran me over was under the influence of cannibus) I attended 4 years of college at a major university and maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while using this medication. I went back to graduate school and have an advanced degree and graduated with honors all while using this medication. I am currently a 40yr old professional with technical certifications and am able to maintain ongoing education as well as a respectable career in the technology sector. I have been using this medication daily for over 20 years. I do not miss appointments, fail in my duties for forget everything everytime I use my medication. The amount of mis-information or what is truly called propaganda thrown about by those who are either underinformed or part of the infrustructure of our society who directly benefits from prohibition is saddening and only ends up causing those of us with a need undue public scrutiny and ostracism. It would be nice to get some accurate information backed by legitimate studies from INDEPENDANT groups and then proven through real life studies of individuals who responsibly utilize the substance to improve their quality of life.

I have advanced cancer. It is a God send.

Most of pot's negative effects are indirect results of the short term effects of the drug, apathy, reduced problem solving ability, etc. If you're high throughout the day on most days then if follows that you're not going to be as productive as your peers, especially for a cognitively demanding field. From the research to which I've been exposed, I find it very unlikely that there are measurable long term negative side effects for casual users. It is well documented that alcohol is far more physiologically dangerous than THC.

I smoked a fair amount of pot in my teens and continue to do so on occasion to this day. I have a 3.8 college gpa, work for a large software company and make a six figure salary. For whatever political reason, or maybe its just good old fear, our government finds researchers that are willing to present research findings in a biased way to demonize various substances in the public eye.

Big pharma kills more people than marijuama. Even Obama knows that cause he says he hit on the weed. Obama will sit things straight. If the election is stolen LA riot will look like a tea party.

I think in this day and age, kids smoking pot is the least of our worries. With all of the drugs on the market that are easily accesible to children, legal or not, weed seems to me to be the least damaging. As a kid who smokes pot fairly regularly, I will tell you that whoever says it helps them study or engage in deeper or more intelligent conersation is a LIAR. Plain and simple. But I will say that I also don't believe that it is as damaging as most people think. I maintain a 3.8 GPA, participate in organized sports and several clubs in school and am president of and first in my class all without breaking a sweat, and while it isn't as easy as it used to be, pot is not to blame for any shortcomings in my acedemic or athletic performance. Now, I'm no "hipppie" by any name but if everyone smoked a little bud and took a breather there would be far less mental health issues for us to face in America. Thanks for humring me. Enjoy it in moderation folks, God bless.

It has been my experience, that if education were teaching anything relevant, necessary and intelligent, no one would need drugs or alcohol to lie their way through it. A subliminal or subconscious rebellion appears through the conscious level to react to the information being absorbed.
Food allergies such as wheat stimulate alcohol consumption. Other unnatural and dead foods tax the bodies metabolism, requiring substantive calming substances to "quiet" down the bodies outrage at being bombarded by dead foodstuffs.
The answer, get rid of the books and return to the garden. Nature won't lie to you.

"Do you guys really think that, because it is more potent now, people will use less? That’s like saying sugar addicts will eat fewer twinkies if we add more sugar to them. And does the average pot smoker really consider this fact when they are lighting up?"

Yes, we do. I know full well the quantity, quality, and potency of anything I buy. I always inspect it, smell it, taste it – I know exactly what it is that I'm buying. I can even tell how it was grown just by looking at it. I smoke only as much as I can handle, and I usually know ahead of time how much that is going to take depending on the quality. There's always the option of putting down the bowl when you're done... you can put out a cigarette if you don't want to finish it, same concept here. I smoke three times a day, every day: before work, on my lunch break, and at night before I go to bed. I do not get ANY withdrawal symptoms if I can't come by any that day, or week, or month. No headaches, no shakes, no irritation. I eat a little less, but there's no noticable difference to me.

Here's the problem with this analogy. You can continue to eat, and eat, and eat anything that comes your way if you're a food addict. You will gain weight, and that weight and fat and cholesterol and whatever else may eventually kill you. My grandmother plans out her next meal while she is eating her current one. However, you cannot smoke, and smoke, and smoke anything that comes your way. Eventually, you will get so "out of it" that you would effectively fall asleep. There are limits designed into this addiction, and these limits do not include fighting people, puking, or poisoning. Sure, you can cause lung damage by smoking (duh), but you CANNOT die of THC overdose.

You occasionally have cases where "newbies" smoke too much, but they never get physically sick, they cannot poison themselves with the substance like you can with alcohol.

The people who get sent to the ER are the asthmatics, the allergic, or the anxious/depressed/paranoid. I challenge you to do your research and find me ONE SINGLE LONE DEATH from the "killer" Reefer stick. No combinations of drugs, no pre-existing medical conditions. Find me a SINGLE CASE where someone has died from THC overdose and I will stop smoking instantly.

I have worked as a nurse for almost thirty years. I've seen many, many patients who have literally ruined their bodies with cocaine, heroin, tobacco, and alcohol etc. I have never read a history, viewed an xray report or a lab report that said one word about a patient suffering from an overdose of marijuana or the long term use of marijuana. I have never heard a doctor tell a patient that they really needed to quit smoking marijuana and believe me people are more forthcoming about their use than you might think. In fact, I once overheard one doctor tell another doctor not to be so judgemental about the patient using pot. He felt like if some one was in as bad of physical shape as the patient was (through no fault of his own) they might need to smoke a little weed once in a while. I've seen it used for AIDS and cancer with good success.

How hypocritical is it for alcohol to be legal in this country; a drug that kills thousands every year, either through automobile accidents or through longterm use, and marijuana to be illegal and it's use vilified with hysterical reactions from the general public with no such statistics associated with its use?

Legalize it, or at the very least decriminalize it!! Oh and by the way, I'm 52 years old and got high every day for a good 20 years. I'm kinda sorry I stopped though if the pot is as good as they're reporting it is nowadays. I'm a registered nurse and am working on an advanced degree. Plenty of brain cells to rub together thank you very much.

I would ask of the hospital ER's if Marijuana was the only drug taken or was it one of several or many drugs taken and not the actual or primary reason for the visit.

I have Fibromyalgia and Ankylosing Spondolitis and am in severe pain most of the time. I have been on narcotic medication for my pain, which didn't help much. Now I'm smoking pot, and it is much more effective in treating the pain, and much less sedating than the narcotic medication.

The truth is that pot isn't any worse than the "legal" drugs that are out there. Alcohol is responsible for the ruination of many lives, and is physically addicting, yet it is legal, and pot can't even be studied for medical use in this country and is classified the same as heroin which is patently ridiculous.

This is a political issue, not a health issue.

rarely does a drug test come up positive for marijuana alone when patients come to the ER. they come up positive for cocaine or meth in addition to marijuana in their system so they can come down from an extreme high. so your facts regarding patients going to the hospital with marijuana -only related problems are most likely incomplete.

The effect of marijuna is largely the individual experience, and is a result of the personality of the user. I have read numerous scientific studies performed abroad that support the notion of non-addiction. To sum them up, it has been found that THC (the primary chemical ingredient) affects the receptors, much like dopamine receptors are affected by heroin, etc. HOWEVER, the vast difference between the receptor actions is that in the presence of excess THC chemical, the receptors are able to "turn off" and therefore no damage is done. In the turning off of receptorsby these cells, once THC is removed, the receptors are able to turn back on to full function, thus resulting in no addictive "burn out" or "tolerance" observations. Unlike addictive drugs such as heroin, cocaine, etc, the presence of THC in a person's system does not prevent one's system from continuing to produce natural forms of THC (yes, there is natural THC in our systems). It merely temporarily floods the THC receptors to produce the high, and then once the THC is metabolized in the person's system, the receptors turn to normal.

This is not to say some people do not become addicted due to an underlying vulnerability or have a rare allergic reaction to the drug. For every good drug out there, there will undeniably be someone who is deathly allergic, and that goes for anything from peanuts to penecillin (which are derived from natural ingreients.)

Something must also be said for the synhesis of drugs as well. Marijuana is a natural subsance that comes directly from the earth with no processing. Opiates, such as heroin, or even methamphetamines, are derived synthetically into drugs. Not to say that anything natural is good for you either. But it is less likely to be contaminated or "unpure" if it hasn't been tinkered with prior to use.

As for societal effects of marijuana use, I must say that based on my personal experience, the drug has been significantly beneficial. In college I had terrible insomnia to the point where I was addicted to sleep aids like "lunesta". I tried herbal remedies, I tried medical remedies, I tried lifestyle remedies (exercising before bed, drinking warm milk, taking hot baths, etc) and I had to break my addiction on the sleep aids. Upon attempting to replace the lunesta with a small amount of marijuana, I discovered that sleep was easily obtained, no inadvertent side effects, and I was able to function normally the next day without yearning for the drug. My GPA improved drastically as a result of being fully rested. It's been 3 years since my gaduation, and occasionally the insomnia comes back so I just break out the old pipe an get a full nights sleep.

My grandmother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Her chemotherapy was so agressive that her body was rejecting the cancer, but made her so nauseated that she lost 20 pounds within a month. Her doctor perscribed Marinol, a THC-based drug, and she came to be able to keep things down. So I must say that the positive effects of the chemical THC "drug" must not be ignored based on a small comparative incidence of "addiction" due to personality disposition or rare allergic reaction.

I'm really so happy about the responses this comment board is getting. CNN isn't exactly reefer friendly, but this message board really points towards a better, general understanding of the plant's position as a cultural aspect. A Swedish study also found that marijuana smoking peers are more likely to be "engaged in college activities" and had a slightly better GPA(course, that’s in Sweden). There was a video on CNN about the potency of marijuana, and the reported ER (wholly marijuana related) cases are always in regard to sever paranoia (poor things). Just like alcohol, its absolutely imperative that as a society we direct "entertainment" substances, not take them away, and as for its carcinogenic properties, I know Colorado is heavily into vaporizers and cleaner, safer smoking methods which greatly reduce the rick of tongue, mouth, and lung cancer. And finally the "gate way drug" argument HAS to be broken down, its simply bad research and propaganda on a comparatively safe human entertainment activity.

Dear Kate Johnson, I too have the same physical challenges, and even after never smoking for 25+ years as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, and 7 years as an Emergency Mecical Tech/ambulance, I had to surrender and smoke some pot, to deal with the constant terrible aching pain.
I blackout if I drink, and alcohol addiction is prevelant in my family, so it's certianly not an option, and seriously limits the medications that are to be available to me. If the pain ended tomorrow, I could put it down, and never touch it again. Some difference between pot and liqour.
Every so often, it helps to take the edge of constant pain, and gives me relief, that 20 pills a day do not. Thank you for listening...Kate, keep your chin up, and have you tried Lyrica to help with pain relief?

The first thing that strikes me about this blog, is that the author is not actually familiar with marijuana, just what the "statistics" say. As others have pointed out, alcohol, tobacco, fried foods....take your pick, marijuana pales in comparison to the negative effects of many of these commonly used, legal things. Prescription medications tend to have a laundry list a mile long of negative side effects. Doctor-caused injury/illness, while obviously non-intentional, occurs at rates that "ER visits due to marijuana" can't even come close to. In addition, legalization paves the way for regulation. It's a lot easier to control and truly keep track of it if it is legal.

The stigma associated with marijuana reminds much of the stigma associated with chiropractic care. There are many reports that seem to claim chiropractic care causes strokes. The truth of the matter is walking down the street and glancing up at the sun is more likely to cause a stroke than being adjusted by a chiropractor. Yet many people will lead one to believe that it is dangerous to see a chiropractor. In reality, widespread use of chiropractic care would decrease health care costs and lead to a much healthier society. Now, marijuana may not have the same effects, but it does suffer from the same type of stigma. It is a safer form of treatment for some conditions however, simply because it does not bring with it the mile-long list of negative side effects.
I find it fascinating that people can be against something so natural, yet have no problem with all the toxic things we are constantly exposed to on a daily basis, many of which have been proven to have negative consequences on our health.

Lastly, in light of our "energy crisis," legalization of marijuana will also allow for cultivation of more hemp products. Hemp is one of the most easily renewable resources, it is a weed afterall. Widespread cultivation of hemp (which does not even produce anything smokable), would go a long ways in reducing our impact on the environment. It can be used as fuel similar to ethanol, for paper, rope, flooring, clothing, beauty products, and the list goes on.

In short, cannabis has the potential of so many positive effects, it's a shame we are still having this conversation. So no, I hope it is not a college kid phase, but a movement.

For those who were taken to hospital, I'd have to question whether they were on other drugs as well. This is extremely important and should be stated. I don't know anyone who has had to receive medical care as a result of smoking cannabis...no matter how strong it is.

This article is just what it says "madness."

The Feds should flood the market with drugs and put all of the dealers out of work. People want it, they will get it. Make it affordable to the dropouts.

The bigger question is any drugs worth gambling with your health.
NO but we do it any way, We smoke Start the day with a pot of coffee and continue it with 2 more. A beer or a few a day or a week. I have seen people use all kinds of street drugs I have smoked pot. I do not smoke it now I am a bit to old for it and it should be a young adult thing. I would rather people smoke pot than drink. How many deaths were due to pot last year? How many to budwiser? IF it was legal I would smoke it. Some people will be addicated some won't

I see life as a spiritual journey. Life is full of suffering as the Buddists say. Any addiction is a means of the mind/ego to relieve this sufferring. However, this tends to lock one into a state of mind which prevents further growth. Mary Jane as well as the many psychotropic drugs on the market dull the pain of everyday existance . It is an unfortunate fact that this very pain is that which enables us to change and get beyond our limited ego consciousness. Thus no spiritual savants condone drugs. The ego will always avoid pain and seek pleasure. (read "The Power of Now" for a better description of this.) But if you are an atheist, smoke away.

By the way I gave up smoking in college after I started coughing up blood. Probably not related to the pot but the coincidence swore me off pot forever.

That's one of the most idiotic analogies or interpretations I've ever heard. The most dangerous elment of pot are the caustic agents in the smoke itself. So...if it has more active ingredient-the less inhaled; a potential danger from a respiratory aspect anyway. It is well know by most at least semi-literate people, that while there are times and places were cannabis use is appropriate and safe-both medically and socially as well, there are times it isn't, (morning commute maybe) only a very uninformed person would really beleive ER cases or any other medical or crimminal event frequently takes place due to THC. Yet, we (US) will gladly sell you a fith of Jack, and maybe a pistola well, and send you on your violent staggering way......what a brillant social policy........and we really wonder why things are like they are????

Wow... Great article it really made me think about the reefer madness around college...I am now prepared to take on my college experience

Parents should inform their child about the bad effect of prescribed drugs addiction so that our next generation will not involve in this addiction. We should consult with doctor regarding this addiction.
http://www.addiction-treatments.com/

Of course it's a 'gamble' with your health, inhaling any smoke repeatedly is not good for you, of course the sun can give you cancer, make you go blind, send you to the ER too and some people are 'addicted' to sun bathing. I think that if a man or woman old enough to vote, purchase tobacco products and join the millitary wants to sit at the house and smoke some pot, then by all means go right ahead, It doesn't infringe on my rights or anyone else. What does happen is you get at least fined by the government if not incarcerated and have to be supported by higher taxes.