This is a good discussion; if people have different opinions, it doesn't necessarily follow that someone is right, someone is wrong. It's a good thing to question what we do from time to time, especially those things we enjoy a lot. So, no statistics here, just personal experience and observations.

About the health implications, I wouldn't deny that inhaling smoke is not harmful, to some degree. That's about all I know on the subject.

But on the addictive qualities, I've got some thoughts. We all have things we like that might fit the textbook definition of addiction, except for the biophysical manifestations. Music, political beliefs, sex, religion, lust for control, etc. have all caused some people to indulge in behavior that defies sense, sometimes in spite of obvious serious negative consequences. Even withdrawal from the various things I mentioned have a negative impact on many. I guess that the term "psychological addiction" is the one most used, even by the anti-pot side. The best they can do is say that, in so many words, some people have a preferrence for something that helps them feel good, and it makes them sulky when they can't get it. I can relate to this; I have to "kick" the habit every 3 months, due to the drug testing program where I work. And I do find that irritating, but only because someone's imposing their will on me, not due to a "need". So I associate the word need with the generally accepted definition of addiction, and the word want with ones prefferences.

As for the effect on my personal performance, I usually experience an increase in energy levels when I'm in that short time period when I can get stoned frequently. I clean up the house more, focus better on projects, just generally seem to be more alert and wanting to do things. Not to mention an increase in my desire to interact more with people. This could be self delusion, or a particular psychological character trait of mine; I don't pretend to know the cause, only stating the effects. I do seem to be more creative, and enjoy things more. But no withdrawal symptoms; it's just a thing that happens.

Also, and I'm not so sure this is universally true, I've read that the effects of THC vary in an individual relative to the dose; in lighter doses it acts like a stimulant, and past some point, it begins to supress a persons energy, like a sedative. With me, this seems to be true, and I don't like to use so much it interferes with my ability to do things, only enjoy it when it enhances what I'm doing.

I think that mind altering substances attract a lot of people who already have issues, and it may be that any study of effects would be heavily biased if this weren't taken into account.

What do you think?

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4252 Reviewed by 4252 on . A Critical Standpoint on Smoking Marijuana After reading these forums for around a month, and attempting to comprehend certain statements that have been made about smoking marijuana, Iā??ve decided to write a few of my thoughts about this ever so interesting plant. Let me first say that in no way am I against people smoking it, and I hope you can try to listen what Iā??m attempting to get across with an open mind. Hopefully it will make for good discussion, as I am trying to understand why certain people think they way they do about Rating: 5