Some erroneous comments about heavy marijuana-use

In 1972, Richard Nixon commissioned a report. There's a section on Moderate and Heavy Users. Remember, this information helped fuel the "degrading" of Marijuana for the past thirty years. Here's some of it's contents:

Practically all of the American research effort to date has focused on the large majority of individuals who use less often, that is, the experimental and intermittent users. Consequently, not enough is known about characteristics and behavior of the moderate and the heavy users, so it is difficult to distinguish accurately between the two groups.

Generally, the heavy marihuana user's life style, activities, values and attitudes are unconventional and at variance with those of the, larger society. These individuals are more pessimistic, insecure, irresponsible, and nonconforming. They find routine especially distasteful. Their behavior and mood are restless and uneven.

Heavy users place particularly strong emphasis on impulsive response in the interest of pleasure-seeking, immediate gratification, and individual expression.

They tend to evidence social and emotional immaturity, and are often resistant to authority.

This is a good one (though, not erroneous):

However, several surveys have also revealed that they tend to be curious, socially perceptive, skillful and sensitive to the needs of others, and possess broadly based, although unconventional, interests.

Back to the false-hoods:

The intermittent users (who by our definition averaged eight times a month under outside conditions) usually smoked one cigarette a session. The daily users (who by our definition averaged 33 times a month under outside conditions) were more likely to smoke more than one a session.

Some findings of the study:

In contrast to the intermittent group, the daily users almost uniformly reported that marihuana smoking produced relaxation, noting also increased alteration in perception or psychedelic-like effects. Similarly, they reported an increased sense of well-being, friendliness, carefreeness and decreased hostility. {Totally, contradicting paragraphs 3-5 of this thread. And themselves.

Smoking almost exclusively occurred in groups and was the focal activity around which these groups formed. The daily users exhibited a readiness to take part in but not to initiate a smoking session. {The difference between recreational and spiritual smokers.}

In contrast to the intermittent users, all the daily users in a group smoked when marihuana was made available. Yet these users were more inclined to seek the personal effects of the drug rather than the socializing effects sought by the intermittent users.

The daily users did appear to accommodate themselves better than the intermittent users to the effects of the intoxication on social interaction.


Despite a relatively high level of scholastic attainment and superior intelligence, they were not oriented toward achieving the traditional goals of the larger society.

Nonetheless, during the period of the Boston study, the subjects could not be characterized as displaying a general lassitude and indifference, carelessness in personal hygiene or lack of productive activity, all supposed to be characteristic of very heavy use. Even during the periods of heaviest marihuana smoking, they maintained a high level of interest and participation in a variety of personal activities, such as writing, reading, keeping up on current world events, and participating in athletic and aesthetic endeavors.

Additionally, all of the subjects maintained a desire to complete all aspects of the research study. Although they could be labeled 'underachievers" in terms of the traditional standards of the larger society, these individuals were motivated to pursue actively the interests and activities of their own subculture.

Their Summary:
Generally, most studies which have been undertaken indicate that individuals who are heavy marihuana users cannot find a place for themselves in conventional society. Their heavy marihuana use may reflect and perhaps perpetuate their unconventionality while providing social acceptance in one of the non-conventional subcultures.


Then they have a section on Very Heavy Users.
Generally, these very heavy users consume high amounts of very potent preparations continually throughout the day so that they are rarely drug-free. The very heavy User tends to lose interest in all activities other than drug use. A common element of the behavioral pattern is lethargy and social deterioration. Not surprisingly, these users have been held in low esteem and very heavy use has been subject to societal disapproval in almost all countries.

I hope you read it...

some of it is skewed to a very large extent.

I think these files have been hidden for a number of years, and recently have surfaced over the internet.

thank god for the ever truthful internet!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by beachguy in thongs

Generally, the heavy marihuana user's life style, activities, values and attitudes are unconventional and at variance with those of the, larger society. These individuals are more pessimistic, insecure, irresponsible, and nonconforming. They find routine especially distasteful. Their behavior and mood are restless and uneven.


They tend to evidence social and emotional immaturity, and are often resistant to authority.

In contrast to the intermittent group, the daily users almost uniformly reported that marihuana smoking produced relaxation, noting also increased alteration in perception or psychedelic-like effects. Similarly, they reported an increased sense of well-being, friendliness, carefreeness and decreased hostility. {Totally, contradicting paragraphs 3-5 of this thread. And themselves.

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the report wasn't contradicted by the ones who made it, but the statement made by the heavy marijuana users did oppose to the report commisioned by nixon..."i am not a crook" hahaha!!

i'm proud to be considered a heavy smoker, though sometimes i may be dry, it's a part of life i have to deal with - like not having the right supplies to do a job. it was nice reading an article that wasn't completely making us look like the bad people...

No, the findings in the report contradicted the generalization of the entire report.
I'm proud to be a heavy smoker, also, because I know my brain-cells have been multiplying faster than the rest of society.

thanks for information.