THC as a self defense?

[vej33]

So I'm not that into botony or anything, but I do know that when plants have unique characteristics, it is the result of a unique set of problems it had to overcome. Roses have thorns like armys have weapons, they do it for protection. Some plants are poisonous so animals will be conditioned not to eat them (or die trying).

But what about Cannabis? What possible thing could this plant have needed to overcome, in order to develop the THC necessary to get us all rip-roarin high?

I was talking about this w/ a buddy of mine, and we thought maybe it could be poisonous to eat for some animals... or else if eaten in mass quantity, it'd get them high enough so that they wouldn't do it again (provided they had some sort of Fat in their stomachs)

What do we all think?

vej33 Reviewed by vej33 on 08-05-2007. THC as a self defense? So I'm not that into botony or anything, but I do know that when plants have unique characteristics, it is the result of a unique set of problems it had to overcome. Roses have thorns like armys have weapons, they do it for protection. Some plants are poisonous so animals will be conditioned not to eat them (or die trying). But what about Cannabis? What possible thing could this plant have needed to overcome, in order to develop the THC necessary to get us all rip-roarin high? I was Rating: 5

[slipknotpsycho]

just becuase thc is there doesn't nessicarily meant that was for survival....

that could of just been a side effect....

the resin however, (being that ti's sticky as fuck) could be conditioning to keep bugs and parasites off it (or they get stuck and die)....

[jaGerbom]

Notice the part where i said theory. very unlikely theory but i think its interesting.

[vej33]

im not sure that i buy that the plant "knows" we like it.

but a lot of the times i wonder if some other plants have psychoactive properties that only work with other animals that have the proper receptors.... like maybe some animals can't get high off of THC like we can, but maybe we can't get high off of other shit like other animals can.

Catnip, for instance? Cats go nuts for it, but not us...

Ever think that maybe all the other animals are HIGH, just from other plants?

[jaGerbom]

the resin glands arnt there to kill off bugs. its there to catch pollen from a male cannabis plant. when the female plant really starts to get desperate for some pollen they just grow their buds bigger for a better chance of getting pollenated. as far as thc gos i dont know if that is a defense against animals or what. i have heard one theory that thc is produced by cannabis because they know we like it. and they know if they have something we like, we will take care of them and help them survive.

[vej33]

Hell yea, that ancient fuckface only created fire to spark his joint!! :S5:

if he were around today, he'd likely say something like "you know in my day we didn't have dealers, we had to go chop that shit down, up hills BOTH ways. and we didn't have this fancy government paper to roll it up in, no, we just rolled it longways in a marijuana leaf. boy, and you think you kids get fucked up" imp:

[Mex]

Well you forgot one big thing, we get the THC in our systems after it has been activated by heat. If you eat it before it has been exposed to heat and activated, it will make you throw up. Since animals just go bite the plant and eat it raw, it makes them throw up. It also stinks, but not to us because we appreciate its scent .

[vej33]

see, who says weed doesn't allow you to learn?

[vej33]

unfortunately it is probably not growing as widely as it used to, before legality came into the picture. we have causes for endangered species, but none for endangered plants. each living thing on this earth is just that, a living thing. in the eyes of Mother Nature, we are no more important than the ant, or the rose, likewise none of those are more important than us. It'd sure be a shame if cannabis died out one day, and Mother Nature stopped getting stoned.

(though with the devout potheads i've encountered on this site alone, i doubt it ever will die out:thumbsup

[Delta9 UK]

I believe that there are many reasons for THC. The resin itself I believe is for water retension to protect the developing seeds from drying out in hot dry conditions. The THC in it however, I think has been bred to be more abundent by humans. It probabaly was much weaker in the past. Much like food crops that are and have been bred to produce bigger, tastier, more abundent fuits and vegies.

Totally

We modern humans have been around at least 140,000 years (likely more) and will have come into contact with this plant on many occassions.

That's plenty of time to select and encourage the good stuff :stoned:

Stone age man was a stoner - be sure :rastasmoke: