New Greece Study on Marijuana

[sharkman]

I heard about this study on a radio news broadcast this morning and thought it would make a good topic, although I can hear the dissenters already!

This study examined three groups of people: those who had smoked at least 4 joints a week for ten years, for five to ten years, and those who had only smoked 20 joints, and not in the last 2 years.

The results are alarming. The group that had used for over ten years did quite poorly on memory tests as well as decision making tests and learning new information. The 5 to 10 year group were in the middle but were both out performed by the non users. Here's the link:

http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/06..._pot_brain.html

I think the best course of action is just to avoid substances that damage your brain function. Legalizing this stuff is not a good idea.

[Riverwind]

The results are alarming. The group that had used for over ten years did quite poorly on memory tests as well as decision making tests and learning new information.

Anyone who has ever tried to have a conversation with a pot head would know this.

I think the best course of action is just to avoid substances that damage your brain function. Legalizing this stuff is not a good idea.

Alcohol literally liquefies your brain if consumed long enough. Should we make that illegal too?

[sharkman]

Four drinks a week for ten years will not damage your health. Four joints a week for ten years will. So, no, I don't think we should make booze illegal.

[geoffrey]

Actually alcohol is good for you in moderation, good for the ol' ticker.

Alcohol can be enjoyed responsibly, marijuana must be abused.

You must get high, you don't have to get drunk.

[Riverwind]

Alcohol can be enjoyed responsibly, marijuana must be abused.

Marijuana and alcohol are two different drugs that have different effects on the human nervous system. The only difference is getting typsy from alcohol is social accetable but getting stoned is not. There is no medical rational for saying being drunk is better than being stoned.

Futhermore, the medical studies that show alcohol is 'good' for you are so full of caveats and exclusions that they are virtually meaningless. Marijuana, on the other hand, has a number of well documented medical uses for people with certain diseases.

[Biblio Bibuli]

Alcohol can be enjoyed responsibly, marijuana must be abused.

You must get high, you don't have to get drunk.

Gee, I wish I could agree. I drink lots of expensive liquor .... http://www.pilsner-urquell.cz/cs/ ... and it's cutting into my expenses.

That's why I don't drink while driving. Might spill some.

[theloniusfleabag]

There have been numerous studies done, on many drugs including alcohol, which give different results too often for any one test to be 'definitive'.

Pot affects memory? Big surprise, it starts right after you smoke a fattie...."Uh...what was I just talking about?..." Then, memory gradually returns to normal, depending on pot use. Alcohol is one of the few drugs, and the only legal one, that actually kills brain cells. At least with quitting pot smoking, your memory capacity should return to normal. If you quit alcohol consumption, you still can't get back those brain cells.

If the truth be known, no drug, alcohol or otherwise, provides solely benefit without cost (to health).

Sometimes arguments for or against are flawed (eg 'alcohol in moderation can be good for you') because they suppose a benefit that could be attained by other means (exercise to raise the heart rate, rather than alcoholic stimulant, or for that matter, someone jumping out from behind a door and yelling "Boo!").

Other flaws that may have tainted this test are less obvious. Of the people tested, and especially of those that were admitted pot smokers, here are some questions that could greatly affect the outcome of any test.

Have they used inhalants (such as solvents or gasoline)?

Do they also take other drugs? Regularly?

Did they begin to 'get high' before the age of 12?

Do they also drink more than 10+ oz of alcohol per day/week?

[Drea]

Actually alcohol is good for you in moderation, good for the ol' ticker.

Alcohol can be enjoyed responsibly, marijuana must be abused.

You must get high, you don't have to get drunk.

What do you mean "must" get high?

I don't know anyone addicted to marijuana. I know plenty of people addicted to alcohol, and yes, they have to get drunk.

A person comes home from work, drinks a glass of scotch to take the edge off the day.

A person comes home from work, smokes a joint to take the edge off the day.

Please explain the difference.

[scribblet]

http://www.marijuanaaddiction.info/

Its addictive and kills the memory cells, it is also a gateway drug. No amount of facts or debate will change the minds of those who think its does no damage. There should be a roadside test for driving while drugged.

[Riverwind]

Its addictive and kills the memory cells, it is also a gateway drug. No amount of facts or debate will change the minds of those who think its does no damage. There should be a roadside test for driving while drugged.

Alcohol kills the memory cells as well as the liver cells and is the biggest gateway drug out there. Every drug addict started out drinking alcohol.

The debate is not whether marijuana is bad for you (it is - no debate). The issue is whether marijuana more dangerous than alcohol and if prohibition is really worth the social costs.

[GostHacked]

http://www.marijuanaaddiction.info/

Its addictive and kills the memory cells, it is also a gateway drug. No amount of facts or debate will change the minds of those who think its does no damage. There should be a roadside test for driving while drugged.

I would throw alcohol in that group as a gateway drug, but since it is not considered a drug, that is hard to convince people.

Most of my friends have gone away from alcohol and gone to pot. I hate what alcohol does to me. It takes me 2 days to recover from a hangover .. does not take more than 5 drinks to get me like that. I don't have a hangover in the morning from pot. A little fuzzy, but that clears up after you wake up and get the blood moving again.

To say that pot is more dangerous than alcohol is really not looking at the destuctiveness of alcohol. Legalize pot, and the government could make a killing.

[Biblio Bibuli]

To say that pot is more dangerous than alcohol is really not looking at the destuctiveness of alcohol. Legalize pot, and the government could make a killing.

Quote ONE pot head that's quotable and I'll quote you TEN alcoholics! Starting in biblical times.

And if you think marijuana didn't grow freely in biblical times you are sadly mistaken.

RED WINE IS JESUS!!!

[Slavik44]

I have a few problems with the study...

Mainly what are the before results, we have none. This doesn't tell me anything other then the fact that a PHD still can;t help you do a good study. For all I know thsi could tell me dumb people smoke pot, not that pot makes people dumb. This could tell me that people who succeed less at school are more likely to do drugs such as pot, they are not successfull at these tests because there are below average. Maybe people with very slight mental handicaps are more likely to do drugs, therefore likely to perform poorly on such tests. Maybe pot smokers are more likely to binge drink and thats why they performed poorly on this test. Maybe Pot smokers are more likely to eat doritoes and that is why they performed poorly on this test, maybe doritoes are the real problem. Based on this study we just don't know, and I personally would not want to spend 40 billion dollars a year based on this study, I would not want to stop housing projects so I can build prisons, I would not want to cut school education so I can fund in prison education programs, I wouldn't want to cut health aid to drug addicts just so I can spend more money to put them in prison. If Pot inhibits your decision making ability then perhaps the DEA needs to stop smoking the pot they confiscate.

[BubberMiley]

I've been stoned virtually my entire adult life (first thing in the morning till bedtime) and my memory is practically photographic. In fact, I make my living by dealing with hundreds of details and keeping track of complex systems (I'm an editor) and I've done very well (if I say so myself). There is a natural tendency to lose some memory as you get older, so I guess if you've been smoking more than 10 years, you're getting older. I've also recently learned to memorize chord charts to songs on first (or second) reading. Oh, and I can recite the alphabet backwards.

[BubberMiley]

Alcohol can be enjoyed responsibly, marijuana must be abused.

And when I say I'm stoned all the time, it's in extremely moderate amounts--granules even. It literally would take me a week to smoke a joint. But in that amount I can function wonderfully and focus on boring things without getting bored.

But given that weed in large quantities barely even makes you sick and never causes an OD, is it possible for it to even be abused?

[BubberMiley]

http://www.marijuanaaddiction.info/

No amount of facts or debate will change the minds of those who think its does no damage.

It appears no amount of weed smoked either. Especially when all the real (i.e., true) facts say it really does no damage.

[Drea]

Alcohol can be enjoyed responsibly, marijuana must be abused.

And when I say I'm stoned all the time, it's in extremely moderate amounts--granules even. It literally would take me a week to smoke a joint. But in that amount I can function wonderfully and focus on boring things without getting bored.

But given that weed in large quantities barely even makes you sick and never causes an OD, is it possible for it to even be abused?

That's the thing.... one can literally die from drinking too much.

My bro and I, way back in about 1980, smoked a whole friggin ounce just to see what would happen. We giggled, then we ate, then we went to sleep, got up the next day as usual.

At about the same time of my life, I had a girlfriend over for a sleepover. My big bro thought he'd have fun with us and encouraged us to have a "drinking contest". Vodka, straight out of the bottle... Well, my god, I was puking sick for days -- my friend thought I was going to die from alcohol poisoning (I'm damn lucky I didn't IMO)

[cybercoma]

I think the best course of action is just to avoid substances that damage your brain function. Legalizing this stuff is not a good idea.

Looks like they need to make several other things illegal while they're at it if this is the case.

[Wilber]

It is generally agreed that inhaling smoke from any burning substance is bad for you and can, if not will, eventually kill you. There are those who seem to believe that marijuana is an exception. What are the odds?

Pot and booze may have some therapeutic uses but let's face it, neither is particularly good for you. Any health argument is 90% bogus in both cases.

For those who claim they perform better under the influence of alcohol or cannabis, how the hell would you know? You're stoned for gods sake. What do you think the word "impaired" means?

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear Wilber,

For those who claim they perform better under the influence of alcohol or cannabis, how the hell would you know?

For some reason, I shoot pool better when I am 'half in the bag'... That's about it, though. I can do almost anything after a doobie.

Pot and booze may have some therapeutic uses but let's face it, neither is particularly good for you.

Too true. Any 'health benefits' from either come at a price. Pot does have some legitimate medical uses, though. Alcohol is good for cleaning wounds.

[geoffrey]

Dear Wilber,

For those who claim they perform better under the influence of alcohol or cannabis, how the hell would you know?

For some reason, I shoot pool better when I am 'half in the bag'... That's about it, though. I can do almost anything after a doobie.

I write tests better after some Bailey's in the coffee. Definitely agree on the pool too.

Pot and booze may have some therapeutic uses but let's face it, neither is particularly good for you.

Too true. Any 'health benefits' from either come at a price. Pot does have some legitimate medical uses, though. Alcohol is good for cleaning wounds.

Actually, to rain on this parade, alcohol as an antiseptic increases the chances of scarring, use something else. Soap and water tend to be the best actually.

[Wilber]

Dear Wilber,

For those who claim they perform better under the influence of alcohol or cannabis, how the hell would you know?

For some reason, I shoot pool better when I am 'half in the bag'... That's about it, though. I can do almost anything after a doobie.

Pot and booze may have some therapeutic uses but let's face it, neither is particularly good for you.

Too true. Any 'health benefits' from either come at a price. Pot does have some legitimate medical uses, though. Alcohol is good for cleaning wounds.

Drugs reduce anxiety and can help with calming the yips. They do nothing to improve skills. You think you can almost do anything after a doobie, so do drunks. That's one definition of being impaired. Poor judgment.

[sharkman]

Hmm two wordy responses in a row, someone sounds a little defensive! Why is it whenever pot is brought up in a negative light, pot defenders come out with diatribes on alchohol, like that makes it right. If they're doing it, I get mine.

If both users are damaging themselves, how is smoking pot justifiable? It's just a defence mechanism to make you feel better about the brain cells you are killing. Bubber, there's no way you can quantify your brain power before and after you started using, all I can say is you could have been a genius instead of an editor.

[BubberMiley]

Hmm two wordy responses in a row, someone sounds a little defensive! Why is it whenever pot is brought up in a negative light, pot defenders come out with diatribes on alchohol, like that makes it right. If they're doing it, I get mine.

If both users are damaging themselves, how is smoking pot justifiable? It's just a defence mechanism to make you feel better about the brain cells you are killing. Bubber, there's no way you can quantify your brain power before and after you started using, all I can say is you could have been a genius instead of an editor.

Pot doesn't kill brain cells. It just activates cannabinoid receptors that everyone has in their brain.

And my clients would notice if I made or missed any errors in documents I've edited while buzzed. I never have.

And, thank you, but I'm not even close to being a genius. Too much Welcome Back, Kotter as a kid.

[Black Dog]

If both users are damaging themselves, how is smoking pot justifiable?

How is eating McDonald's justifiable? How is watching crap like American Idol justifiable? The point is individual choices don't need to be justifiable or even rational: what matters is that they should rightly be left to the discretion of the individual.