Marijuana is bad

[Oppositional P]

Why are you all so reluctant to consider the possibility that it's possible pot can be addictive?

[Thepossumdance]

PS here is the physical addiction of cocaine (note its not a normal physical addiction ie no normal withdrawl symptoms just this stuff)

"Cocaine attaches its self to the receptor sites in your brain where the pleasurable neurochemicals (dopamine especially) are stored, they then wash around in your system for a while making you feel high, before being excreted from your body and lost. The net result is that you are left with a shortage of dopamine, without enough dopamine you feel miserable and irritable and in extreme cases can experience what psychologist call adhenia where it is pretty much impossible to feel good about anything."



HE IS RELUCTANT BECAUSE SO FAR YOU ARE THE ONLY EVIDENCE THAT MARIJUANA IS AT ALL PHYSICALLY ADDICTIVE (i say "evidence" with a nice big smirk plastered across my face)

[geonagual]

You see marijuana as a drug...

I see it as a medicine

It is all about perspective.

[JaggedEdge]

Because we're god's among men.

[mrdevious]

Your lack of education is remarkable, but in a way understandable at the bullshit propoganda fed through backward logic. If you really want to make such claims, lets see a little debate on the matter backed by actual scientific studies, not the DEA's drug information page.

marijuana robs us of our ambition.

Have you not seen how many lawyers, politicians, and people in every single profession out there smoke weed? My sisters fiance smokes huge amounts and he's a high level executive. Mark Emery has one of the most organized and built-up political movements of all time. I personally have maintined a 78%-85% GPA in college throughout the past year, and the only reason I got such good marks was because smoking weed reduced my pain enough to manage the stress of school and being in extreme daily pain.
Overal I can't count how many hugely sucussful people I've seen who smoke weed. I'd also suggest you watch Pen and Teller's "Bullshit" episode on the war on drugs.

You should also read the countless testimony's of people on these boards, including myself, who get inspired to excercise and be active when they smoke pot. The "Abovetheinfluence" steryotype that we smoke pot and lay on a couch staring at the walls blankly is why none of us believe these prohibitionists bullshit, because nobody's seeing the purported consequences of these lyers.

Cannabis and the Brain: A User's Guide by Paul Armentano

e.Peak (31/10/2005) news: science: Study shows marijuana increases brain cell growth

marijuana impairs short-term memory and therefore learning.

Marijuana impairs memory very mildly to none at all in users with a high tolerance, it's only when you're new to it and have a very low tolerance that the effects on short term memory are more substancial.
Furthermore, the most recent medical concensus has been that the effects on memory are temporary and tend to clear up completely after a month of abstinance. This is because cannabinoids don't do any actual damage to the memory-based neurons, they only block them temporarily and clear out of their own accord over time.
I can personally say that I ACED my world and canadian history exams, which had an insane amount of history to remember, and I spent the whole 2 weeks of study and test writing smoking rediculous amounts of hash. I noticed no impairement in my memory retention whatsoever.

It should also be noted that cannabis has zero neurotoxicity, and one of the lowest physical toxicity levels of any known substance on Earth. It has also been shown to act neuroprotectively against alzheimers and physical trauma, while selectively destroying cancerous cells. And as if that were'nt enough, the supposed detrimental effects on the immune system are looking more and more like a farce. Don't take my word for it, check the science.

Cannabis Freedom Activist Network's Guide To Cannabis Research

Europe: Study: Marijuana Slows Alzheimer's Decline

MARIJUANA MYTHS

cannabisnews.com: Study: Pot Helps Hepatitis Treatment

This would not be such a big deal if not for the fact that it is so forgiving that half the people who use it do so all day every day to the extent that it has a profound effect on the quality of life and our potential to be successful.

Almost all the time life quallity and sucess are imparied only because social stigma; such as misinformed parents, workplace and school drug testing, and an unjust judiciary system, force smokers into criminal records, job loss, and denial of education services all because they decided to make a person health/life decision.

truth: the Anti-drugwar The "Dangers" of Marijuana

Marijuana As Medicine?:

The Sun Online - News: I'm 120 but my joints are OK

Entrez PubMed

Cannabinoids Research Articles and recent Cannabinoid Abstracts

Marijuana is addictive. Not just psychologically. I have been addicted physically numerous times, and it is rough. I've been warned about every other physically addictive drug enough that I was cautious enough to avoid anything serious. I wish I could say the same for pot.

The so called psychological addiction to marijuana is not a chemical response initiated by THC, but a learned behavioral pattern, an easy defence mechanism to stress which in and of itself relieves emotional stressors, and therefor conditions the person to depend on it when they use it as a crutch.
It's no different than people who overeat, addict themselves to television, gorge on chocolate, drink alcohol even without addiction, or masturbating excessively. It's all about instant gratificaiton and emotional release, whatever form it takes.

The withdrawl you experienced is rare, and certainly not as even close to as bad as harder drugs like heroin or cocaine. Besides, how does it make sense to not give the safer alternative of cannabis to the people, when the only current legal options are alcohol (one of the few drugs on earth that can kill you from withdrawl), and tobacco (indisputedly one of the most addictive substances out there). The only reason physical (and often psychological) withdrawl occures is because cannabis increases melatonin levels up to 5,000% depending on your tolerance. Melatonin is a very powerful hormone involved in sleep regulation, making you relaxed and tired (this is the cause of "burning out"). It's a very healthy substance with powerful anti-cancer attributes, and your body will inevitably become dependant on cannabis to maintain melatonin levels since it's own melatonin-triggering mechanisms no longer need to produce it themselves. It only takes 3-7 days to get your body used to producing melatonin itself again, and in the meantime you might lose some sleep. This "withdrawl" is no worse than caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and even sugar (refined sugars can actually cause strong addiction).

I could go on...

Please do. And back it up with some real scientific studies if you please.

House of Lords - Science and Technology - Ninth Report

Marijuana Health Mythology

Jack Herer - Chapters

[40oz]

I can think of a psychology text that states it clearly, but that's just one example. Usually insuflation is specified, but I still know examples that fit that bill

Well I don't know about your psych book but I found this within minuets of searching on google:

"At a certain point, c usage ceases to be a voluntary action: this is the onset of addiction. The positive reinforcement of the sensation of euphoria eventually alters the brain so that the use of c is obligatory"

Sounds like a physical addiction to me.

source:
The Neurobiology of Addiction

[Oppositional P]

ok i can't resist don't you mean

"By the way, in my high school I am the biggest pro-pot advocate around" ?

no i'm not gonna go and spend time looking for the shit just for you to try and find some way around and it say 'yeah but...' look it up yourself... the shit is all over... matter of fact, if you're so sure what you're talkign about, how about YOU provide ACCURATE (not GOVT. bullshit propoganda) that supports your theory.... you are the only one trying to say something diffrent then anyone else... so you are the one to make your case, not me.

now if i was going to an anti-weed website, i'd be the one in charge of making my case...

You're right about one thing. I can't prove that I was ever physically addicted to pot. There are, however, many things that cannot be proven.
I get the idea you all hate me now and I'm not surprised. I would have reacted the same way years ago

[Inferius]

There is no point in this, we aren't going to change your mind.

Who said the point was changing his mind?

We're not just up against this guy here, we're up against our own fucking government.

It doesn't matter if one person out of the millions who smoke finds himself regretting it and under the addictive pull of a mood-altering chemical.

WE all know it's effects, WE all know that marijuana does much more than Impair, that used properly and with respect to one's life, it can elevate almost all aspects of the human expirience.
We also know that the physical addiction of marijuana is slightly disputed, even with the scientific data. I myself find my stomach to be painful in a day of withdrawal, but this is so meaningless to me that I usually drink some water and forget about it.

Personally, I think the withdrawal effects stem from things like binge eating, lowered metabolism from a less active lifestyle (only for those who choose to smoke indica and relax, which is what indica feels best at), and of course in the mind. Sure, the brainchemistry might not be altered enough to cause a normal withdrawal, but I don't think anyone here can argue with the basic concept of Excessive pleasure leading to a decrease of pleasure, and then leveling out. This decrease of pleasure, if only a perceptual thing becuase it's not chemically based, will obviously have psychosomatic effects in someone who's been smoking daily and stops.

[40oz]

I don't hate you I want you to see the light

[mrdevious]

I don't hate you I want you to see the light

I second that.