Marijuana - Good or bad?

abusing marijuana is significantly worse than abusing television, video games, and reading.

Howso?

Originally Posted by Wolfen

Howso?

Abusing marijuana can slow down your concentration, how you perceive things, and give you respiratory problems. It can also affect your memory. It affects the hippocampus, in your brain. Also, the possibility of developing a psychosis, at the very least if it could be hereditary.

It's pretty obvious that you can't compare marijuana to reading a book or playing video games.

Really, if you wish to find out for yourself, Google marijuana abuse and tell me what you find from several pages.

Originally Posted by WillZ4E

Abusing marijuana can slow down your concentration,

Source?

how you perceive things,

Source?

and give you respiratory problems.

Source for all methods of consuming cannabis, including vaporization and ingestion?

It can also affect your memory.

Source?

It affects the hippocampus, in your brain.

Source?

Also, the possibility of developing a psychosis

Source that isn't a widely disputed correlation study?

http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/59/9/1337

Originally Posted by Neurology.org

Background: Although about 7 million people in the US population use marijuana at least weekly, there is a paucity of scientific data on persistent neurocognitive effects of marijuana use.

Objective: To determine if neurocognitive deficits persist in 28-day abstinent heavy marijuana users and if these deficits are dose-related to the number of marijuana joints smoked per week.

Methods: A battery of neurocognitive tests was given to 28-day abstinent heavy marijuana abusers.

Results: As joints smoked per week increased, performance decreased on tests measuring memory, executive functioning, psychomotor speed, and manual dexterity. When dividing the group into light, middle, and heavy user groups, the heavy group performed significantly below the light group on 5 of 35 measures and the size of the effect ranged from 3.00 to 4.20 SD units. Duration of use had little effect on neurocognitive performance.

Conclusions: Very heavy use of marijuana is associated with persistent decrements in neurocognitive performance even after 28 days of abstinence. It is unclear if these decrements will resolve with continued abstinence or become progressively worse with continued heavy marijuana use.

http://alcoholism.about.com/od/pot/a/effects.-Lya.htm

Originally Posted by Alcoholism.about.com

Although legalization activists and many marijuana users believe smoking pot has no negative effects, scientific research indicates that marijuana use can cause many different health problems.

Short-Term Effects
The short-term effects of marijuana include:

* Distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch)
* Problems with memory and learning
* Loss of coordination
* Trouble with thinking and problem-solving
* Increased heart rate, reduced blood pressure

Effects on the Lungs
Smoking marijuana, even infrequently, can cause burning and stinging of the mouth and throat, and cause heavy coughing. Scientists have found that regular marijuana smokers can experience the same respiratory problems as tobacco smokers do, including:

* Daily cough and phlegm production
* More frequent acute chest illnesses
* Increased risk of lung infections
* Obstructed airways

Marijuana contains more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke and because marijuana smokers usually inhale deeper and hold the smoke in their lungs longer than tobacco smokers, their lungs are exposed to those carcinogenic properties longer.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...e-helps-others

Originally Posted by ScientificAmerican.com

“Marijuana is not the ‘soft drug’ people like to think it is,” says neuropharmacologist Veronica Campbell of Trinity College in Dublin, whose latest study uncovered the harmful effects of THC on young neurons. When Campbell and her co-workers treated brain cells from newborn or adolescent rats with THC, the neurons died, but THC did not have such deadly effects on neurons taken from adult rats. In fact, work from other labs shows that THC benefits adult neurons. “We don’t know why,” Campbell says. Several possibilities are being investigated for this “Jekyll and Hyde” effect.

Marijuana, like tobacco and opium, has powerful effects on the brain because certain compounds in the plant happen to have a chemical resemblance to naturally occurring substances in the body. Called endocannabinoids, these natural chemicals regulate important brain functions by controlling synapses in neural circuits that process thought and perception. According to several recent studies, these chemicals have many other functions in the brain and immune system, too—including regulating development and aiding survival of young neurons, as well as controlling the wiring of neurons into circuits for learning and memory. Smoking marijuana during the period of life when the brain is still developing obscures these critical chemical signals, Campbell suspects.

The slaughter of young neurons by THC could explain the developmental cognitive impairment seen in children born to women who smoked marijuana during pregnancy. In addition, some research on adolescent marijuana abusers shows brain damage in neural circuits that are still developing at that age.

In older brains, however, THC seems to have a protective effect. Campbell’s findings indicate that the biochemistry of neurons changes as the cells mature. The role of endocannabi*noids shifts to regulate different functions—most important, assisting in the survival of aged neurons. In patients with Alzheimer’s disease, THC protects neurons from death in several ways. THC boosts depleted levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which, when diminished, contributes to the weakened mental function in Alzheimer’s patients. THC also suppresses the toxic effects of the so-called a-beta protein that may kill neurons in Alzheimer’s disease. It stimulates secretion of neuron growth by promoting substances such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and it dampens release of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, which kills neurons by overstimulation. THC and other cannabinoids also have powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions that protect neurons from immune system attack.

Despite these benefits, THC and other compounds in marijuana also have many undesirable side effects on the brain. The trick for scientists will be to isolate the active ingredients in marijuana that are beneficial and develop drugs that can be applied in the proper dose for the specific age of the patient. Campbell finds that the beneficial effects of THC are seen in much lower concen*trations of the chemical than are found in the plants people use to get high. “It’s a matter of trying to balance that low concentration within a nice safety margin,” she explains. Synthetic THC-like drugs are already available, as is a naturally derived drug called Sativex that contains THC and other cannabinoids, approved in Canada for treating pain from multiple sclerosis and cancer.

In contrast to these well-controlled drugs, the weed itself is a complex witches’ brew of many brain-altering chemicals. The cannabis plant contains about 60 different cannabinoids, so the challenge lies in trying to tease out which are the important ones for protecting neurons, Campbell explains, echoing the views of other marijuana researchers. “Depending on how the plant is cultivated, the relative proportion of the different types of cannabinoids changes,” she says. “The ‘joints’ that are available now are much stronger in terms of their THC content than those that would have been around when people were thinking of cannabis as being quite a soft drug.”

Marijuana-Induced Psychosis May Foretell Future Episodes



What do you think about these articles? I couldn't really find anything significant on psychosis other than that last article. Other than that, I have met a person that apparently developed a psychosis after smoking pot or hashish. Not that I have much to go on from just that.

Also, remember that I'm mainly pointing out marijuana abuse, as in smoking it very regularly.

Worth noting is that I have personal experience with marijuana, and though it doesn't necessarily speak for anyone else but me, I definitely did not feel compatible with it. I felt unable to concentrate, and felt my intellect fade away. It's not for me.

I do think marijuana has positive aspects to it, and smoking it with responsibility will most likely not put you in great risk. To say it has no negative aspects to it sounds farfetched to me.

I disagree with these
Problems with learning
* Loss of coordination
* Trouble with thinking and problem-solving

Further, I think much better when Im high and I am capable of making important decsions while under the influence, however pot does affect everyone differently. The benefits I have recieved from smoking were less stress, increased appetite, good sleep, and a lot of laughing.

8bit, you don't need a source to know that marijuana affects your short-term memory. There will be sources claiming that it does and it doesn't, but it is undeniably obvious that it does.

I live in Boulder, Colorado. The biggest hippie/potsmoking city in all of the United States. And I'm not joking when I say that, it really is. 95% of the people here below their mid-twenties smoke weed on an almost daily to weekly basis. Guess what? Most of them, and by most I mean above 75%, slur their words and have terrible memory. They never remember to do anything and are completely unreliable.

I myself use to smoke weed very regularly, until one day I realized I was forgetting things and people were getting angry at me for it. To say that weed doesn't have an effect on your memory is ignorance.

I for sure know that it doesn't do any permanent damage to the brain. Marijuana effects people differently. It all depends on the user. It can be bad. It just depends on the USER.

I consider Marijuana a 'good' substance if used responsibly. Irresponsible use, by my definition, qualifies if a person uses the substance with strong frequence, and participates regularly in the more harmful methods of consuming it. However, from the information that I have been provided with and searched for, combined with my own experiences, I consider Marijuana of far less danger overall than either cigarette smoking or alcohol, and perhaps other drugs that are more freely availiable, and far further within the scope of 'normality'.

I suppose the thread question is awfully opinion based from the outset though; grounded partly on wether a person has enjoyed the experiences that the drug provided. And thats fine. I find it to be an experience I enjoy - in moderation, for the sake of prudence. And it isnt to say that I am not concerned with what does appear to be a correlation with some mental illness, although wether that is merely association or actual causation appears yet to be established.

I'm kind of torn between the issue. Currently, I'm in the process of sobering up, as weed has seamlessly seeped into many aspects of my life. And while I do believe it's a lot less harmful than smoking cigarettes and drinking, especially if a vaporizer is used, it's does have some negative side affects.

My short term and attention span isn't what it used to be. It's not bad, but remembering crystal clear details is a bit more difficult than it was when I wasn't smoking. It hasn't affected my grades in college (all A's and one B), but it has affected my social skills, even more so since I also have social anxiety. Also, it can be fairly psychedelic, especially if baked goods or a vaporizer is used (mainly what I use). I've had experiences which rivaled a light/mid dose mushroom trip in intensity. I don't know if I would consider it a bad thing, since some of these experiences have helped my personal growth, but it's pretty embarrassing when everyone else is chilled out and you're tripping balls.

Used occasionally, marijuana is relatively harmless. However, it's extremely easy to abuse, which is why I'm taking a break from the herb.

Originally Posted by Haku

I'm kind of torn between the issue. Currently, I'm in the process of sobering up, as weed has seamlessly seeped into many aspects of my life. And while I do believe it's a lot less harmful than smoking cigarettes and drinking, especially if a vaporizer is used, it's does have some negative side affects.

My short term and attention span isn't what it used to be. It's not bad, but remembering crystal clear details is a bit more difficult than it was when I wasn't smoking. It hasn't affected my grades in college (all A's and one B), but it has affected my social skills, even more so since I also have social anxiety. Also, it can be fairly psychedelic, especially if baked goods or a vaporizer is used (mainly what I use). I've had experiences which rivaled a light/mid dose mushroom trip in intensity. I don't know if I would consider it a bad thing, since some of these experiences have helped my personal growth, but it's pretty embarrassing when everyone else is chilled out and you're tripping balls.

Used occasionally, marijuana is relatively harmless. However, it's extremely easy to abuse, which is why I'm taking a break from the herb.

Then either you smoked some laced ****, or you are full of ****. And I don't know about America, but I for one never experienced laced weed. So you might think it was as intensive as a shroom trip, but unless the pot was laced with a tiny amount of acid or something it wasn't.

Originally Posted by DEKU3

Then either you smoked some laced ****, or you are full of ****. And I don't know about America, but I for one never experienced laced weed. So you might think it was as intensive as a shroom trip, but unless the pot was laced with a tiny amount of acid or something it wasn't.

No, it wasn't laced. I know my sources very well. Plus, it's extra if it's laced with anything. And laced with acid? LSD is an extremely fragile chemical that's immediately destroyed once a flame or an extreme heat source touches it. That's why acid is hard to keep at summer music festivals. PCP, maybe. Though you, as would those around you, would know if it was laced with PCP.

And just because you have never had any psychedelic experiences on weed doesn't mean others haven't. I'll tell you what. Gather an ounce of any grade pot, and make some cannabutter with it. Make some cookies, brownies, or whatever, and eat about 2 or more. Then come back and tell me that pot isn't as intense as a light/mid dose of mushrooms (and yes, I've tripped shrooms twice).

Originally Posted by Haku

No, it wasn't laced. I know my sources very well. Plus, it's extra if it's laced with anything. And laced with acid? LSD is an extremely fragile chemical that's immediately destroyed once a flame or an extreme heat source touches it. That's why acid is hard to keep at summer music festivals. PCP, maybe. Though you, as would those around you, would know if it was laced with PCP.

And just because you have never had any psychedelic experiences on weed doesn't mean others haven't. I'll tell you what. Gather an ounce of any grade pot, and make some cannabutter with it. Make some cookies, brownies, or whatever, and eat about 2 or more. Then come back and tell me that pot isn't as intense as a light/mid dose of mushrooms (and yes, I've tripped shrooms twice).

I know you can't smoke acid, I was referring to your statement about baked goods.

Also, I've eaten plenty space~foods (dash/underscore button is busted >.>). And it was pretty intense sure, obviously more intense then smoking it. It however, was nothing like a shroom trip. I don't know, maybe a really light one. I never took so little shrooms that I'd hardly feel it though, what would be the point?

I have heard a lot of people say they hallucinated when they smoked, but I have never even came close to hallucinating with all the differnt kinds of weed I have smoked.

I haven't heard stooners slur their speech while under the influnece. In some respects it helped improve my social life because I became freinds with a lot of stoners who are really good people. In the ten years that I have smoked there certaintly seems to be more benefits to smoking weed than negative effects.

What the heck?! marijuana is completely bad.

I can’t see how it got 34 % of the vote. That makes little to no sense what so ever.
There is no defending that drug, I mean we all know that nothing good comes out of it, nothing.

End of story.

What the heck?! marijuana is completely bad.

Anything to back that up other than what DARE tells you?

ok, I think I see what the problem is here. Nobody knows what the means are that you have to go through to abuse the drug. The only way you can abuse the THC in marijuana is if you smoke 35 joints that are made of the good stuff. (The source is there, I just have to make this quick. If you all still want me too, I can look it up and provide it again, but its common knowledge.) 35 joints! That means you have to smoke almost 2 joints in an hour. That is a whole lot of weed, a whole lot of money, and a whole lot of time. Only the wealthiest of people can smoke this much at a consistent rate. Of course, there are ways for this to happen. One could smoke a lot of hash, which is double in the amount of THC in half the material, but it would still take a lot of time to smoke.

There are real problems that do come out of abuse to this degree, but nothing that isn't reversible. Marijuana still holds itself at zero primary suspect deaths.

The induced psychosis thing I do totally agree on being true and think its one of the more greater reasons to smoke marijuana. If a person smokes marijuana and is high for more than 6-8 hours (just like Viagra, again I can provide a source for this one if need be) than it means that specific person is more at risk for schizophrenia. This can allow for doctors to have a very early diagnosis and thus allows them to research for earlier treatment of the condition.

Originally Posted by WillZ4E

http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/59/9/1337

This looks like a pretty good study, however, I am still skeptical of the claim that this shows proof that marijuana use reduces short-term memory, ability to process information, etc... considering they ignore many variables, such as the effects of the bleach and other chemicals in the rolling paper they use to roll the joint and the effects of the marijuana smoke itself.

Other than that, though, pretty convincing. I'd really like to see something like this redone, but with vaporization and ingestion. (and perhaps even bong smoke, as bongs are considered to be far safer than joints, considering they lack paper smoke, and filter the marijuana smoke through water.)

http://alcoholism.about.com/od/pot/a/effects.-Lya.htm

I've pointed out multiple times, in this thread and in others, that smoking marijuana can have minor/moderate detrimental longterm effects.

This confirms my claim, yes, but what it does not do is confirm your claim that any means of consuming cannabis, whether it be inhalation of smoke, inhalation of vapor, ingestion, injection, etc... is detrimental to the lungs.

I also doubt the impartiality of that article considering this statement:

Originally Posted by About.com

One study found that marijuana smokers were three times more likely to develop cancer of the head or neck than non-smokers.

Where as this study strangely seems to show the exact opposite of the above unsourced claim.

After adjusting for potential confounders (including smoking and alcohol drinking), 10 to 20 years of marijuana use was associated with a significantly reduced risk of HNSCC [odds ratio (OR)10-<20 years versus never users, 0.38; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.22-0.67]. Among marijuana users moderate weekly use was associated with reduced risk (OR0.5-<1.5 times versus <0.5 time, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.32-0.85). The magnitude of reduced risk was more pronounced for those who started use at an older age (OR15-<20 years versus never users, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.30-0.95; OR≥20 years versus never users, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.17-0.90; Ptrend < 0.001). These inverse associations did not depend on human papillomavirus 16 antibody status. However, for the subjects who have the same level of smoking or alcohol drinking, we observed attenuated risk of HNSCC among those who use marijuana compared with those who do not.

In other words, this study shows a correlation between an almost 3 times reduced risk of head and neck cancers and marijuana use.

Now, of course this is a correlative study, but it's far from the only study to show a reduced risk of head and neck cancers, or that marijuana use does not increase risk of head and neck cancers. This is simply the only study I could find that shows roughly three times anything.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...e-helps-others

Yes, marijuana use is shown to likely be harmful to development in children, as this study shows that marijuana use is shown to likely be harmful to development in young rats. It also fails to show the same results on cells within adult rats, and does not consider the possibility that cannabinoids promote new brain cell growth.

Marijuana-Induced Psychosis May Foretell Future Episodes

The issue with this study is that it's entirely correlative, and indeed, the one I was referring too. Yes, perhaps marijuana use increases risk of psychosis, however, it is also likely that those who experience psychotic episodes are more likely to seek out marijuana.

Originally Posted by psychiatryonline.org

The results do not prove that marijuana is causally linked with schizophrenia, the researchers stated; owing to the study design, it was not possible to control for potentially confounding factors such as hereditary predisposition, socioeconomic status, or other kinds of drug use. Nonetheless, the researchers concluded, marijuana use might well hasten the onset of schizophrenia since the subjects who developed schizophrenia in the wake of using marijuana did so at a younger age than the comparison subjects.

Similarly, I could do a study that shows that those who own a large house are more likely to be within a higher income bracket when compared to those with smaller homes, however, this does not imply that large homes make you more successful.

I do think marijuana has positive aspects to it, and smoking it with responsibility will most likely not put you in great risk. To say it has no negative aspects to it sounds farfetched to me.

I don't think I've ever claimed that smoking marijuana has no negative aspects.

Originally Posted by Lady_Akira

What the heck?! marijuana is completely bad.

I can’t see how it got 34 % of the vote. That makes little to no sense what so ever.
There is no defending that drug, I mean we all know that nothing good comes out of it, nothing.

End of story.

But it didn't get 34%, it got 40%. Your unsourced claims might be more convincing if you knew how fractions worked.

Originally Posted by 8bit

This looks like a pretty good study, however, I am still skeptical of the claim that this shows proof that marijuana use reduces short-term memory, ability to process information, etc... considering they ignore many variables, such as the effects of the bleach and other chemicals in the rolling paper they use to roll the joint and the effects of the marijuana smoke itself.

Other than that, though, pretty convincing. I'd really like to see something like this redone, but with vaporization and ingestion. (and perhaps even bong smoke, as bongs are considered to be far safer than joints, considering they lack paper smoke, and filter the marijuana smoke through water.)

Good point. Perhaps significantly different longterm results would show through ingestion and vaporization.

I've pointed out multiple times, in this thread and in others, that smoking marijuana can have minor/moderate detrimental longterm effects.

I missed that, though your statement some page(s) back made me think you actually were comparing marijuana addiction to constantly reading books, watching TV, or playing video/PC-games. Which I found to not make much sense. Also, I got that impression from some other previous posts, by other posters.

This confirms my claim, yes, but what it does not do is confirm your claim that any means of consuming cannabis, whether it be inhalation of smoke, inhalation of vapor, ingestion, injection, etc... is detrimental to the lungs.

Really? What about this bolded part? It seems to go for marijuana smoke in general - be it through a bong or a joint. Ingestion, I cannot speak for. Obviously, the lack of smoke should not hurt your lungs.

Originally Posted by Alcoholism.about.com


Effects on the Lungs
Smoking marijuana, even infrequently, can cause burning and stinging of the mouth and throat, and cause heavy coughing. Scientists have found that regular marijuana smokers can experience the same respiratory problems as tobacco smokers do, including:

* Daily cough and phlegm production
* More frequent acute chest illnesses
* Increased risk of lung infections
* Obstructed airways

Marijuana contains more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke and because marijuana smokers usually inhale deeper and hold the smoke in their lungs longer than tobacco smokers, their lungs are exposed to those carcinogenic properties longer.

I also doubt the impartiality of that article considering this statement:

Ah, okay. That site may not be the most impartial site out there, but that statement doesn't necessarily have to ruin the entire credibility of that article. It very well could, or it could not.

Also, what do you think about this? Marijuana Smokers Face Rapid Lung Destruction -- As Much As 20 Years Ahead Of Tobacco Smokers

Seems interesting.

Where as this study strangely seems to show the exact opposite of the above unsourced claim.

In other words, this study shows a correlation between an almost 3 times reduced risk of head and neck cancers and marijuana use.

Now, of course this is a correlative study, but it's far from the only study to show a reduced risk of head and neck cancers, or that marijuana use does not increase risk of head and neck cancers. This is simply the only study I could find that shows roughly three times anything.

Ah. We can't precisely know which study is correct of course, though I don't remember trying to make a point about head and neck cancer.

Yes, marijuana use is shown to likely be harmful to development in children, as this study shows that marijuana use is shown to likely be harmful to development in young rats. It also fails to show the same results on cells within adult rats, and does not consider the possibility that cannabinoids promote new brain cell growth.

Except in Alzheimer's patients, yes.

The issue with this study is that it's entirely correlative, and indeed, the one I was referring too. Yes, perhaps marijuana use increases risk of psychosis, however, it is also likely that those who experience psychotic episodes are more likely to seek out marijuana.

I brought it up also because I found it interesting, though I do not think it really proves a point, no. Though I certainly have heard of people needing medication for the rest of their life after having smoked marijuana or hashish. Medication for psychosis, of course. Interesting, and not in that it makes an undeniable point or anything.

Similarly, I could do a study that shows that those who own a large house are more likely to be within a higher income bracket when compared to those with smaller homes, however, this does not imply that large homes make you more successful.

Fair enough, a psychosis caused by marijuana could very well be something the person would have experienced sooner or later, though that hasn't been proven either of course.

I don't think I've ever claimed that smoking marijuana has no negative aspects.

You seemed to imply it, as I said before. I also wanted to say that to anyone that defends marijuana as if it is completely harmless. It sounds really naive to say such a thing.

Sorry, going a little far back, but I had to say this:

Originally Posted by tomas3345

(If mods want to remove this they can i just want to see different peoples stances on this topic.)

Hey, A lot of people tell others Cannabis is bad and can kill you.
I have done some research and i believe that Cannabis is no more harmful than drinking or smoking tobacco.

That, for the record is bad. Lol.
All in all, if it's unnecessary, my rule of thumb is don't bother with it. I'm not saying it's bad, but unnecessary in most cases.

from what I can tell weed is not much worse than cigarettes except a bigger high and less addicting, however I'm not going to smoke it because I know people who do seem different than people who don't(to me), they just don't quite seem as coherent.