I Love You, Mary Jane

koan · Post by **koan** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 1:02 am

It annoys me to no end when I hear people say that pot has no bad side effects. Have you ever tried to have a logical debate with someone who smokes a lot of pot?

New studies say that it increases the chances of psychosis.

I suppose one could argue that the world is a really scary place and there is no comfortable normal so pot helps people adjust to the ****edupedness that is life. It may be mellow but it isn't harmless.

I challenge regular pot users to defend the "it does no harm" position.

Post by **spot** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 2:16 am

Psychosis is an extent, not a flicked switch. It's something one can develop and recede from a degree at a time. One's circumstance and stress level bend perception, and that's what a psychosis is. A bent perception. Something which can be brought on by chasing logic just as well as by smoking pot.

My view is that smoking pot leads to a lifestyle with higher stress levels. Those stress levels may well be associated with the illegality of the pot and the possibility of prosecution. I find that quite as likely as some vague notion that it screws up the "chemistry of the brain" which seems, to me, to be so vague a concept as to be meaningless. Everything a person does or things changes the chemistry. Pot, if it has an effect which can be differentiated from stress, is still going to be acting at some remove from merely floating in there and getting in the way of the neurons.

I recall times when the possibility of prosecution was far lower. I suggest the incidence of psychosis was lower back then too, simply because there was comparatively little consequent stress. Besides, perception's always an internal thing, it's only odd if your peers are out of step.

koan · Post by **koan** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 9:02 am

They specifically mention schizophrenia as a risk.

There's the kind of crazy that some people think is fun, artsy and character building. Then there's the kind of crazy that makes people non functional and it's not fun at all. I think that some works of fiction have misled people to think that depressed people are self indulgent deep thinkers and that psychosis can be quirky and lovable. There's an Avril Lavigne lyric that says "I'd rather be anything but ordinary, please." That's a common sentiment among young people that I don't think they understand completely. I know crazy people. They are not ordinary and they are on disability.

Scrat · Post by **Scrat** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 9:05 am

I think the study has merit. Personally I haven't smoked pot in a decade or more. When I was a teen I smoked it regularly for a few years, it was the old homegrown stuff not these newer breeds which are way too potent IMO. The amounts of THC delivered definitely inhibits brain function in some ways, that's obvious. For me it is a potent and effective painkiller. I used to get ear infections, all the pills the doctors the doctors gave me did little for the pain. Pot would bring the worst pain to a screeching halt. It would also do the same to me, absolutely no motivation.

I'm all for medicinal use of it but not on the job and I don't think it is wise to use these modern forms of it on a regular basis either. I have dealt with a few pot smokers and it seems some people handle it better than others. Considering you deal with the public Koan you may be better able to judge.

koan · Post by **koan** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 1:01 pm

As you said, different people handle it differently and some people use it legitimately as a pain killer.

I have noticed that it has a tendency to kill ambition. Sure, too much ambition killed Macbeth but a little bit is required to make a living and support oneself or a family. I have seen the psychotic end of the spectrum too where a person is full of deluded ideas on how to make a million bucks without having to work. The not having to work factor remained the same.

I'm sure there are people who use pot regularly and function normally but I'm not convinced they represent the majority.

fuzzywuzzy · Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 1:55 pm

New study ????? We've known that for years. it's mainly to do with teenagers though and those who are already prone to mental illness that hasn't sufaced yet (kind of fast tracks it)

Very soon everyone will be tested for alcohol and pot and any other drugs on work sites and in business. My advice is to stay away from anything that could cuase you harm to that extent. Everyone is drug tested now when they drive so it's just a matter of time .

fuzzywuzzy · Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 1:58 pm

Oh by the way it also has another effect ....I can't take it because it helps me to die...that and morphine slows my heart down to the extent that it's extremely dangerous ...........So if you're like me you don't want to touch the stuff.

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 10:29 pm

It made me stupid when I smoked it. I certainly didn't need any help in THAT department.

yaaarrrgg · Post by **yaaarrrgg** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 4:18 pm

What the science should be looking at is how much money is wasted by locking up pot smokers, versus the actual risk they pose to society. These studies are sloppy and politically motivated. The study fails to account for "pot use" being a symptom of a dormant mental illness. How many perfectly sane people chose to do something that can put them in jail?

If these pot studies are to be taken seriously they need to control for two factors:

1. study individuals in a country where pot is legal

2. look at identical twins, different levels of pot use

Mental illness across twins is IIRC about 50/50, so they need to look at a deviation from that.

martha · Post by **martha** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 6:06 pm

First off I don't believe children should be exposed to any toxic materials including pot. I favor legalization of pot most definitely however. It's no worse psychologically speaking than alcohol use plus if its legalized there is the possibility for strength and cost to be controlled. If that isn't enough, legalizing marijuana will put a stop to much of the drug trafficking from Mexico to US.

BTW I am not a pot smoker because it makes me feel sick and paranoid so I'm not biased in this regard. Also I would never choose to have a relationship with another pot smoker but this is just me. I may choose to become involved with a drinker, for example.

koan · Post by **koan** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 8:37 am

People are well aware that alcohol and cigarettes are bad for their health. Pot, on the other hand, is touted as a great, natural painkiller that should be legalized because of all the great things hemp has to offer society. Because it's not legal there is no real campaign about the negative side effects. There is a larger picture anti-drug campaign but when you examine pot next to things like heroin it looks like a reasonably good option.

I'm in favour of legalizing all drugs but that doesn't mean I'm in favour of people using them. I'm not so sure that you'd fix your Mexico border problem. All the good pot comes from BC. Living in BC, it has come to my attention that most of the adults I know smoke pot. That could be why I spend more time online with you fine folks.

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 3:43 pm

koan;1355038 wrote: People are well aware that alcohol and cigarettes are bad for their health. Pot, on the other hand, is touted as a great, natural painkiller that should be legalized because of all the great things hemp has to offer society. Because it's not legal there is no real campaign about the negative side effects. There is a larger picture anti-drug campaign but when you examine pot next to things like heroin it looks like a reasonably good option.

I'm in favour of legalizing all drugs but that doesn't mean I'm in favour of people using them. I'm not so sure that you'd fix your Mexico border problem. All the good pot comes from BC. Living in BC, it has come to my attention that most of the adults I know smoke pot. That could be why I spend more time online with you fine folks.

How do you know we're not all smoking joints as we type? Must hoover my keyboard, it's full of crumbs, no idea why, but I haven't half got the munchies tonight....

:sneaky:;)

koan · Post by **koan** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 7:26 pm

Betty Boop;1355063 wrote: How do you know we're not all smoking joints as we type? Must hoover my keyboard, it's full of crumbs, no idea why, but I haven't half got the munchies tonight....

:sneaky:;)

Admittedly, I suspect most of you are... but, unlike RL, I can go back and quote when someone starts saying "I didn't say that!"

martha · Post by **martha** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 9:11 pm

Personally I don't get what pleasure people talk about from being high on marijuana?

Yes, legalizing pot would have a profound effect on border issues and drug cartels.

koan · Post by **koan** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 10:54 pm

martha;1355073 wrote: Personally I don't get what pleasure people talk about from being high on marijuana?
They stop taking **** seriously and aren't worried about anything. Neglecting to realise that some **** needs to be worried about.

Yes, legalizing pot would have a profound effect on border issues and drug cartels.
This isn't intended to be a thread about legalizing drugs for the main reason that: it's a loaded debate with many side issues. We haven't had a thread about legalizing drugs for some time and maybe we should start another. Last time it resulted in me being called a whole shwack of unrepeatable names but... hey, I'm always up for fun.

In the meantime, legalizing pot will do squat for border and cartel problems. Legalizing all drugs... now we're talking.

littleCJelkton · Post by **littleCJelkton** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 1:18 am

koan;1355076 wrote: They stop taking **** seriously and aren't worried about anything. Neglecting to realise that some **** needs to be worried about.

This isn't intended to be a thread about legalizing drugs for the main reason that: it's a loaded debate with many side issues. We haven't had a thread about legalizing drugs for some time and maybe we should start another. Last time it resulted in me being called a whole shwack of unrepeatable names but... hey, I'm always up for fun.

In the meantime, legalizing pot will do squat for border and cartel problems. Legalizing all drugs... now we're talking.

And do wonders for our overcrowded prisons