Marijuana Can Be Harmful To Your Health

[qwlauren35]

Last edited Sat Oct 5, 2024, 10:05 AM - Edit history (1)

As America’s Marijuana Use Grows, So Do the Harms

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/04/us/cannabis-marijuana-risks-addiction.html?unlocked_article_code=1.P04.9LJf.AivlZpARCzws&smid=url-share

DISCLAIMER: My intention for posting this is not to return to "no marijuana". It's to point out that it's not safe for everyone, that it's not well studied, that it's potency is not well regulated, and a lot of these issues have to be addressed "after the fact". We basically put something on the market before all of the studies were done, and every once in a while, someone gets VERY sick. If you think about the drug advertisements on TV, they have to list the side effects and risks. No one does that with marijuana. I think that's a problem.

The NYT writes one-two sentence paragraphs, so you won't get the gist of the article if I post four. So I am taking some liberties to paraphrase the article into a few bullet points.

- due to the current government classification of marijuana, its effects and risks are not being studied, and doctors are unable to classify cannabis related illnesses. As a result, there's a lot of misdiagnosis, and people don't realize that cannabis is making them sick.

- due to lack of regulation in most states, there is no maximum potency that can be sold.

- one of the illnesses caused by marijuana use is cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, a condition caused by heavy cannabis use and marked by nausea, vomiting and pain. It can lead to extreme dehydration, seizures, kidney failure and cardiac arrest. In rare cases, it has caused deaths.

- many people are using marijuana to manage mental health issues like anxiety and depression; however, for a very small percentage of people, it can cause temporary psychosis (cannabis-induced temporary psychosis)and is increasingly associated with the development of chronic psychotic disorders.

-- almost all of the illnesses reported in the article are happening to ***heavy*** users. Starting at 20 times a month, and sometimes several times a day.

As marijuana legalization has accelerated across the country, doctors are contending with the effects of an explosion in the use of the drug and its intensity. A $33 billion industry has taken root, turning out an ever-expanding range of cannabis products so intoxicating they bear little resemblance to the marijuana available a generation ago. Tens of millions of Americans use the drug, for medical or recreational purposes — most of them without problems.

But with more people consuming more potent cannabis more often, a growing number, mostly chronic users, are enduring serious health consequences.

About 18 million people — nearly a third of all users ages 18 and up — have reported symptoms of cannabis use disorder, according to estimates from a unique data analysis conducted for The Times by a Columbia University epidemiologist. That would mean they continue to use the drug despite significant negative effects on their lives. Of those, about three million people are considered addicted.

While the drug can assist the endocannabinoid system, alleviate some symptoms of disease and otherwise make people feel good, regular heavy doses of it can also throw the system off balance. People must continue escalating their use to get the same effect. And quitting can cause anxiety, depression and other signs of withdrawal.

“Cannabis should not have a free pass as something that is safe because it’s legal — or safe because it’s natural — because actually it clearly causes harm in a number of my patients,

[WhiteTara]

1. Cool story, bro

I would love a case study or two to corroborate their story, you know?

Thanks for posting.

[Ocelot II]

6. Did you actually read the article?

It's no surprise that heavy marijuana use could be harmful to some people. Too much of anything is likely to be unhealthful.

[WhiteTara]

14. this part doesn't seem real.

The estimates are based on responses to the 2022 U.S. national drug use survey from people who reported any cannabis consumption within the previous year. The results are especially stark among 18- to 25-year-olds: More than 4.5 million use the drug daily or near daily, according to the estimates, and 81 percent of those users meet the criteria for the disorder.

“That means almost everybody that uses it every day is reporting problems with it,” said Dr. Wilson Compton, deputy director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, who was not involved in the analysis. “That is a very clear warning sign.”

[Voltaire2]

26. The criterion for 'use disorder' includes 'daily use'.

The rehab industry has successfully diluted the meaning of substance abuse to make just about anything you like to do a ‘use disorder’.

[PeaceWave]

65. My younger brother has been a daily user for 35+ years. I have seen the effects...

Including flakiness, mood swings and paranoia. I remember him being a happy go lucky kid. As an adult, from one day to the next, you never know if you're going to get Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde. As a result, he's damaged nearly every one of his relationships. Apologists will excuse daily use as a "lifestyle" and/or "means of coping." However, when you'd rather get stoned than visit your older brother who's in a coma in the hospital, you've got a "lifestyle" and/or "means of coping" that's going to burn a lot of bridges during your lifetime. Call it what it is - Addiction.

[Oopsie Daisy]

78. Thank you for your honest and frank assessment.

You and I think a lot alike.

[kimbutgar]

80. My older sister is a major smoker who won't speak to me now

I mentioned she needed to cool it on smoking and do something with her life send she hadn’t spoken to me since January. When I smell it on people I know I know they are addicted. She has always been one who gets depressed and blames her problems on our Mother who used alcohol to make her feel better. But she was always there for us regardless.

[Voltaire2]

83. perhaps you are biased in your assessment of people?

"When I smell it on people I know I know they are addicted." is a ridiculous criterion for determining addiction.

[kimbutgar]

85. Maybe but I've encountered that so many times and my assessment has been 100% correct

When I talked with the person.

[PeaceWave]

110. Know what's not a biased opinion? It's an expensive filthy stinky habit...

Today's marijuana is yesterday's tobacco.

[Voltaire2]

116. Opinions are by definition biased.

Lots of people just consume edibles. I have no idea how that can be considered stinky and filthy.

[qwlauren35]

7. That's a different article.

If you read the entire article, you'll see the anecdotes.

[WhiteTara]

15. It's so harde to take NYT as absolute truth

this part is hard to believe
The estimates are based on responses to the 2022 U.S. national drug use survey from people who reported any cannabis consumption within the previous year. The results are especially stark among 18- to 25-year-olds: More than 4.5 million use the drug daily or near daily, according to the estimates, and 81 percent of those users meet the criteria for the disorder.

“That means almost everybody that uses it every day is reporting problems with it,” said Dr. Wilson Compton, deputy director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, who was not involved in the analysis. “That is a very clear warning sign.”

[DenaliDemocrat]

35. I'm a toxicologist and I find your dismissive response

Uninformed. Of course massive use of any drug is likely to cause adverse effects. Ever heard of water intoxication? Yep. You can literally drink enough water to kill yourself.

Anyway, heavy use of marijuana in people with mental illness CAN and DOES worsen symptoms- even causing a psychosis that causes a break with reality. Its well documented and no, I’m not going to go cite a bunch of articles. You can easily find them.

Smoking marijuana multiple times a day is bad for the lungs. Inhaling any particulate in large quantities over time causes lung issues. Bakery workers get white lung. Coal miners get black lung. Asbestos eeirkers get asbestosis.

To think that you can use a highly bioactive substances heavily and daily without any adverse effects is just ignorant.

[Chin music]

54. I've seen 'water intox' on rehab/psych units.

From my experience it relates more to ex-alcoholics etc gulping water w the effect of an imagined(?) inebriation. It was so bad on some units, we had key wrenches to turn the water fountains off.
And yes, they behaved as if drunk. Vey bizarre. Never saw a water death like you describe though.

[ProfessorGAC]

59. It Can Cause Hyponatremia

My wife had that as a side-effect of a new med.
She was at the LL20, which means her sodium level was so low, that 20% of people who hit that number die as a result.
If you ingest too much water, the osmosis causes sodium to leave the blood stream into the digestive system & interstitial water in the body. Sodium level goes way up in the urine, way down in the blood.
Can be very dangerous.
She said she felt "loopy" which we could easily interpret as intoxicated. She also felt very weak, nauseous & overall rotten. Lasted 2 days, until I discovered it was a side effect of the meds. I demanded they take her off it, put her back on the original 2 this replaced, or she would refuse to take any meds & I'd bring her stuff from home and give them to her myself.
8 hours later, her urine sodium was down, blood sodium, up. The next morning, her levels were almost normal & she was ready to go home.
Putting valve keys on the faucets where you worked seems a very wise idea.
BTW: when the psych who prescribed that drug saw us again she said to my wife "You're lucky you married a scientist." Yeah, she actually said that! I did her job & my wife was "lucky". My wife changed to a different doctor.

[Chin music]

60. +1z

Wow.

[H2O Man]

92. I am a retired

mental health worker. Pot can and does worsen symptoms in some people with major mental illnesses. There are other cases -- far fewer -- where pot helps keep them stable. "Psychosis" is, by definition, a break from reality, rather than causing a break from reality.

[Bluesaph]

2. I know several people who developed psychotic disorders

From high potency cannabis. It needs more regulation.

[marble falls]

11. Puhleeze. Maybe we should do more regulation with autos, alcohol, cigarettes and firearms that kill tens of millions ...

... year in and year out.

Let's deal with some substantive problems first, shall we?

[Hugin]

46. No kidding. n/t

[Lulu KC]

47. Maybe if it occurs with someone you know and love, you'll find it substantive

I dismissed it, too, until I saw it. This led to meeting others who had also seen it. Many sad stories.
With what was on the streets in the 60s, I'm surprised we all made it through. This is different stuff.

[Shermann]

51. Personal experience can line the path to the anecdotal fallacy instead of the path to truth.

It's easy to spot when others are doing it, but much more difficult when it is yourself.

[Lulu KC]

73. Not quite following you but okay n/t

[Shermann]

94. I'll elaborate.

It is a fact that marijuana can cause harm, but it can also improve wellness. Whether the ratio of helpfulness to harm is acceptable to society or not starts as a statistical problem. A billion humans or more have experimented with marijuana over the past 3000 years. While this isn't a controlled experiment per se, we basically know the range of outcomes and the likelihood of them by now. So, it is fallacious to weigh a single anecdotal data point heavier than all the other data. Personal experience is indispensable in some scenarios but can lead to bias with problems like this.

[Lulu KC]

114. It's not just about marijuana

I'm a believer! If it didn't make me eat everything in the house, I'd be there every night. And I started a long time ago when it was what, a nickel bag for something about the size of a peanut butter sandwich?

What I am talking about is a serious, documented, well-recognized fairly recent phenomenon in the medical community that not all pot is what it used to be, and there is an increase of certain reactions, particularly in younger people. Particularly if they've had early childhood trauma (which is becoming more and more common with more guns etc. and all the things that have happened since I was young, societally) and a history of mental illness in their family. But not always! It's hard to get it connected to whether it's weed sold on the street or the dispensaries, but from what I have personally witnessed it was not from dispensaries. And when you reach a level of psychosis, with paranoia, you don't want to buy from dispensaries because they are "the government" and it's more sensible to trust the guy on the street you've never met before.

But I digress.

I could look up all the articles I have read and saved, but what I am saying is that something is different. And people can dismiss that. It's just another headline that flies by once in a while. Then? It happens to someone you know? And then suddenly all that research comes flying in and it's a case of, "Oh. It's not just happening to XXX. It's a trend." And then all that research makes a lot more sense.

Just anecdotal? Yeah, just anecdotal. Personal anecdote opening deluge of research you've dismissed as being fascistic or at least anti-fun? Chicken. Egg. But speaking for myself, shit got real when it hit home. I don't need anyone to validate that. It was my reality and I have the receipts.

I wish it upon no one else.

[Shermann]

118. I can't say increased drug-related psychosis isn't a trend

But I can say that you haven't made the case for "increased regulation".

[Lulu KC]

119. I am not making a case about anything

I responded to a comment about needing to pay attention to things that are "substantive." My belief is that this is substantive. I perhaps went on a tangent. I thought we could do that in a conversation.

[BidenRocks]

23. High potency is pricey

I go for the cheap stuff. It works for me.
But what do I know?
I'm 69 and been smoking since 1970.
Does anyone ask for the $100 a shot stuff at the bar?
Cannabis is the same. I will take the well.

[The_REAL_Ecumenist]

24. It's not the high THC level. It has EVERYTHING to do with people who have issues w/certain types of

Bipolarity, depression, etc. I have a friend who CANNOT use THC in anything because the 2 times she did smoke what she called "ditch weed". she has had psychotic breaks. I use FECO everyday to maintain my cancer free situationship, ( ). Trust me, I don't smoke it. I ingest the concentrated extract. The people who have the same issue that K.E. does can't even THINK about using what I do, which is a gram a day right before bed & I use medical grade Indicas. She just took 5 puffs off of the joint. She ended up in a hospital for observation for 2 days.

[obamanut2012]

41. Lol nope

High thc has zero to do with anything of it.

[Voltaire2]

45. Most research indicates instead that people

with pre-existing mental health problems may choose to self medicate with cannabis, and some of those people may make their problems worse by doing this.

It would be interesting to know how cannabis self medicating for various conditions compares to pharmaceutical treatments.

[Mossfern]

66. I can let you know ....

My husband self medicated with cannabis and alcohol for most of the 50 years I've been with him. Life was a roller coaster. The first time he stopped using cannabis he had a psychotic bi-polar break. The manic episode was truly frightening. I wasn't permitted to use the phone because the FBI was listening in and were coming to our home to rip the walls down. He barked at people passing by our property to "get out of his yard" and spent extravagantly on various things. He was aggressive and hostile.

He was put on meds and he mellowed out somewhat, and then he took himself off his meds because he claimed that he was "better" and started vaping and drinking again.

Recently he had to come off all substances because he needed mitral valve surgery. He detoxed in the hospital. After a few months, he entered a profound depression that brought him to the ER because he told me and our PC physician that he was suicidal. We found a psychiatrist who has prescribed Wellbutrin and Abilfy. He became a person I never met - it's taking time to adjust to this new person.

As of two days ago he took himself off of Abilfy (that prevents Manic episodes).

So....... bottom line: Yes the pot and booze did help him with his issues - for HIM. The psych meds made him a reasonable sane person who can relate to everyone, not just himself. If only there were fewer side effects.

[eShirl]

79. cannabis AND ALCOHOL

ok

[Mossfern]

106. Notice I said

when he stopped using cannabis is when he had the psychotic break. He was a highly functioning alcoholic and didn't stop until right before his surgery. He was not a "drunk" who got wasted on booze.

[k55f5r]

93. My next-door neighbor, Ilene,

was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, while working as an RN (40yrs).
She immediately quit her job and started THC OIL treatments under a cannabis caregiver.
That was 9 years ago, and she died last month - after her cancer dr. told her 4 months in 2015.

And also, the article says

- many people are using marijuana to manage mental health issues like anxiety and depression; however, for a very small percentage of people, it can cause temporary psychosis (cannabis-induced temporary psychosis)and is increasingly associated with the development of chronic psychotic disorders.

I wonder what the comparison between the side effects of the major anti-depressants on the market today with the side effects of cannabis would show. Most anti-depressants have a warning about "Suicidal thoughts"

Antidepressants carry a black box warning from the FDA, which is the strictest warning for prescription drugs. The warning alerts healthcare providers that antidepressants can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children and young adults under 25.

[Voltaire2]

99. exactly. Perhaps once it gets descheduled those studies can happen.

But there is zero incentive for pharma companies to do this research, so the funding for a serious research effort will have to come from somewhere else.

[RJ_MacReady]

3. "concern" noted

[marble falls]

4. Sez them.

[Ptah]

5. AMA: Marijuana doesn't impact brain function

According to a federally funded study published in the American Medical Association, brain processes such as working memory, reward processing and cognitive function are not impacted by using marijuana.

Working memory, which refers to the amount of information that is stored in the brain and used to execute cognitive tasks, has long been associated with being hindered by cannabis use. This makes the results of the study all the more surprising and could be the catalyst for a better understanding of how cannabis impacts brain health.

The study, which was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and published in the journal JAMA Network Open, focused primarily on moderate cannabis consumption for medical symptoms. To conduct the study, 57 recently certified medical patients were observed via functional magnetic resonance imaging as a means to monitor the brain during tasks. After one year of cannabis consumption, researchers scanned the brains of the study participants to see how brain function had changed.

“After year-long cannabis use for medical symptoms, we did not observe functional differences during working memory, reward processing or inhibitory control tasks, or an association of changes in cannabis use frequency with brain activation. Similarly, no significant changes in behavioral performance emerged,” the study found.

https://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/ama-marijuana-doesnt-impact-brain-function/Content?oid=36159969

[Ms. Toad]

17. Of the 120 who initially qualified for the study, those with Cannabis Use Disorder or daily use of cannibis

were excluded. 11 (just under 10%) were disqualified because of the presence of CUD at the start of the study. Those are the very people the NYT article suggests are the most likely to be impacted by marijuana use.

Not to mention that a study of 57 people (without a true control group - e.g. the control group did not receive the same imaging as those assigned for immediate initiation of therapy, not to mention that the main difference between the control group and the test subjects was the control group had to wait 12 weeks to start their medical marijuana therapy) isn't much of a study.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2823671?resultClick=1

[Voltaire2]

27. An actual evidence based study.

Most people don’t appear to understand the difference.

[LW1977]

8. Whatevs

Yawn

[BannonsLiver]

20. Yep. DU's regularly scheduled foray into reefer madness mode

[Voltaire2]

32. NYT has been Prohibitionist for a long time.

[Attilatheblond]

82. Do not forget, boys & girls, that in some cases, peanuts KILL!

It is always annoying when 'research' is cited to be always right like what we ingest or inhale is a one size fits all argument. It is to laugh. Not everyone who has a glass of wine will have a problem. Not everyone who drinks a glass of milk with suffer digestive distress.

One size does NOT fit all and I agree with your point about 'reefer madness'. It is to laugh.

[BannonsLiver]

95. Whoa I must have missed the peanut wars!

[RussBLib]

9. Same story

...everything in moderation.

But this is America, where excess is pretty standard fare.

https://russblib.blogspot.com/?m=1

[jfz9580m]

21. I love my MJ

Last edited Sat Oct 5, 2024, 03:47 AM - Edit history (3)

As you correctly said too much of anything is bad.

That said, I love my marijuana..helped me kick alcohol. The worst effects I have had from it are tied to societal paranoia over its use.

Whatever..I don’t get into this.

I am a scientist and therefore never bullish about anything, but with MJ societal paranoia has typically been pegged at the other extreme imho.

It is a given that whenever a product becomes profitable, wild claims will be floated by the advertising industry about its benefits. Adults have to learn how to make calls for themselves.

But while I have actually been affected by attitudes tied to the bullshit drug war, marijuana itself never bothered me. Has it been beneficial? I am partial to it and think so. Otoh being a scientist, I moderate my enthusiasm wrt any direct claims like that. But I certainly do dismiss a lot of the completely bs “concern”.

Addiction, mental health..these are some of the most complex problems in society. Looking for simplistic scapegoats is stupid. Also talk about warped priorities .

The one thing I am cautious about wrt mj has to do with its effects on the heart. Any psychoactive substance has to be used with caution. But there is too much Reefer Madness paranoia in society.

Potheads don’t have to be dysfunctional, lazy, stupid, paranoid people. However, as I know from personal experience, if a system wants to make that a self fulfilling prophecy (eschewing common sense) it is easy enough.

Oh well..haters gonna hate (I don’t actually smoke it though and one drawback of many studies is they don’t separate out the negative effects of smoking versus other forms of ingestion anywhere near enough). I am pretty sure I will be using mj for the rest of my life…

[multigraincracker]

33. It's not a black and white issue.

It’s all gray, or at least on a curve. The poison may be in the dosage. Having experience in addiction, my test is, can you stop? Can you put it down for a few weeks with no problems?
It does have medical applications, that doesn’t make it safe and harmless, just like all medication. I think you have to look at the curve and weigh the cost benefit of one’s use.

[jfz9580m]

39. I have a complicated history with marijuana

Last edited Sat Oct 5, 2024, 04:48 PM - Edit history (15)

Warning: overly long post.

I definitely find it easy to stop and never remember its existence during those times.

I had an experience 13 years ago with an institution with an extremely anti-marijuana attitude. The idiots seemed to think I had a distorted relationship with reality because I disliked the institution. It set me back a lot.

They seemed to think (the place I was working at) that only some sort of mental illness could explain a distrust and dislike of the institution. I disliked the place because it was annoying as all hell. (By contrast I really liked the institution I worked at before that..I was fond of my mentor/lab and liked the school).

In this place however, while my direct boss was cool, the place as a whole pissed me off and apparently that to them signalled a problem with me. Obviously this is my side and so I am not saying it is objective reality. However, I thought they were being more unreasonable than I was.

Once they found that I had marijuana in my system they behaved like total idiots. They seemed to think I was a schizophrenic or something . I was so taken aback I didn’t know how to react.

Fortunately they had me see a shrink/therapist unaffiliated with the institution, both of whom turned out to be professional and cool. That was, in fairness, one of the few things they got right.

Most doctors are cool. No healthcare professional can give you a blank check wrt habits that are still in a grey area societally (which MJ is). However, good doctors and scientists rarely resort to scripts in my experience. I usually would try to spare most of my healthcare providers details of my private habits (ie MJ use). It is not fair to them since it puts them in a difficult position either way. And I know I can figure stuff out quite safely for myself.

Anyway the shrink and therapist both seemed to recognise that I was a basically rational person in a difficult situation. They treated me with respect which was nice.

After that I was off MJ for 8 years starting from 2014.

And then two years ago I lost my mom. I was sober, but it was rock bottom emotionally. Around then I got an MJ presc and well long story short, I have become the laid back stoner I was 13 years ago and quite functional. I was always a little short tempered-the only mental issue I will concede to having . And that is not a personality disorder. It is just a short temper.

It is one thing to destigmatize mental illness. It is another to go around insisting that everyone you fall out with has one. We all have issues, but there exist a large number of essentially well adjusted adults with quirks. Unless you want a society with only “Stepford perfect” people or the “mentally ill”, you cannot just attack someone’s mental fitness in a dispute. It comes off as a lame attempt to discredit a person who is very critical of your institution and not in the slightest as about legitimate concerns around safety or mental health.

Anyway that is how I saw it and finally I fully back my own pov.

Destigmatization of conversations around mental health are not a blank check to go and: 1) grab people who are not seeking help, but are critical of your institution , 2) exploit your ability to get info on stuff like MJ use/their emails/webuse and 3) force bogus diagnoses and therapies that end up doing actual harm.
But I suppose all that does come in handy if you are worried about being sued. They need not have worried on that head. That sort of thing is not really my bag even assuming one could win it.

I have posted about some of this here before and then deleted it feeling embarrassed about sharing. Now I am saying this because I find some of the anti MJ stuff out there that objectionable. I could well be one of those people fraudulently categorised as having had issues due to MJ.

Actually my posts here if anything are a record of the positive effects of MJ. I was very angry for years after that experience. Back in 2020 and hell even earlier this year I remember posting angry rants about that institution.

But around about April this year I started to really feel like my old self again. And well here I am .

Before that I was a casual user and even now i can stop it. But I choose not to because I find the benefits outweigh ill effects.

The reason I do experiment with its positive effects is I am curious about its benefits. I don’t really like to talk about it because it is very much a private/dirty ie diy experiment.

Since it is very much a crude experiment the way I do it, I’ll just leave it at this: so far being on mj is working out well for my brain. I keep records of my use, diet, exercise, work etc. Normally I would be ashamed to admit to such things as it sounds so much like stuff an Si Valley tech bro (that ass Bryan Johnson comes to mind) would do ;-/.

I find it most beneficial when I use it with breaks in between: several weeks off; then a couple of weeks on. Then again several weeks off. Daily use could only work for me at a very low dose..so low as to be unnoticeable imo. YMMV. Very heavy use is probably not a good idea and smoking just about anything is a bad idea.

Two things to pay attention to are heart rate and bp. Those are affected by mj and have to be monitored. Harm reduction is key.

I wouldn’t bring it up except when an article like this one grates on me. They can pretend all they want that they don’t irrationally stigmatise MJ use, but they do still do that in my experience.

They want to dismiss a common sense reality which is that a lot of average people do quietly use it and it is only encounters with the anti MJ crowd that fuels some of the dysfunction and paranoia.

A completely unwanted and unnecessary “intervention” can actually do more harm.

You are not wrong about the test re addiction being “can you take weeks off?”. I have never had a problem with taking weeks off from any of the things I have experience with (nootropics, MJ and alcohol). Now I pretty much only use MJ save for the rare glass of wine.
Benzodiazepenes are the one other class of medication I have tried and that is a class of medication I avoid. Those are actually scary and addictive in my book. I knew the first time I ever took a benzo that this is something to avoid. Nootropics are definitely not for middle aged people..physical health issues and chronic sleep disruption. I found them useful at a few points in my life, but they are definitely not a long term solution for anything. That is my few cents on addiction.

I never have issues giving up stuff but I do think coercive systems anger people and make people deliberately choose destructive behaviors

I actually like to divide my life up into entirely sober periods punctuated with some MJ use done while reducing harm and maximising benefits.

I don’t really like to share these things, but there is so much nonsense out there about addiction that I did want to say this. I have mixed feelings about doing so, but I am not posting under my own name..
I would never voluntarily associate my actual identity with anything but the kinds of dull, dry, impersonal scientific journals I have published in. Certainly never with anything private or personal. I don’t get social media in that sense. But since I have posted here for 18 years, I hope that even as a handle I have some credibility like many of the other long time posters.

As for that institution, I at least have finally forgiven them (although they are pompous, self important asses-not unlike the NYT in personality come to think of it) because holding grudges and being resentful is bad for one’s own self ;-/.

I really do remember thinking at that time though: “This is the type of institution that would drive people to drink and drugs. How inane that they are “concerned” about addiction without any apparent understanding of the stresses of modern life that might make someone turn to those things. A horrible and nosy but dismissive and heavy handed employer like this being one.“

Btw there are several perfectly respectable studies on the benefits of marijuana (yes many are based on animal models or have other caveats, but they exist).
Eg:
https://www.salk.edu/news-release/active-ingredient-in-cannabis-protects-aging-brain-cells/
This is why I am interested in it.


Sorry about the logorrhoea. I was trying to address several points about harm reduction and mental health in one post (since it came up) and also succumbed to bitching about that institution for one last time .

[RussBLib]

89. thanks for your contribution

...reading it felt good.

I can also stop for days/weeks at a time. Never been a problem. Some of the stuff they've cooked up in the lab is so powerful it's rather absurd. I stay away from that, but wonder how many drivers out there are really high? Trusting in the wisdom of strangers isn't a very good bet, from my experience.

https://russblib.blogspot.com/

[jfz9580m]

98. Thanks for reading RussBLib :)

Last edited Sat Oct 5, 2024, 02:51 PM - Edit history (1)

I think we can never entirely safety-proof society wrt human stupidity. I expect legalization to bring with it with it a host of stories about people doing stupid and dangerous shit involving MJ (ugh…the worst of which would be - as you mentioned - people driving/using heavy machinery impaired. That is definitely terrible since it is putting other people’s lives at risk as well as your own). Odds are at least a subset of the people doing stupid shit involving MJ would be doing it with something else.

But that aside, imo it is all about common sense when using of MJ much like alcohol or even food: It is not for people who have certain mental disorders/bad reactions to it; daily heavy use is not good for most people; driving impaired is just completely irresponsible (No argument there); otoh if it works for you, figure out how to use it as responsibly as possible, ideally maximising any benefits and minimising any risks.

[multigraincracker]

91. Until a month or so ago I was taking 2 puff before bed for sleep.

That didn’t work. Sometimes I fell asleep other time it kept me awake. Is it the drug or me. Dosage? Never the same.
I really don’t like it being legal. Takes all of the fun out of it for me.

[jfz9580m]

103. I am glad it is legal!

I suspect one trigger for paranoia with anything illegal is just the fact that you are using something that is illegal..

[RussBLib]

111. quality is very uneven

In dispensaries, there is practically no such thing as a true indica or sativa these days. You buy a purported indica only to get anxious and active, you get a purported sativa only for it to make you sleepy. Almost everything is a hybrid these days. Summa dis, summa dat.

Maybe once it's legal nationwide, we can streamline and get back to some reliable strains, although I'm afraid that cat escaped that bag long ago.

https://russblib.blogspot.com/

[tulipsandroses]

10. In all my years working in mental health, I've seen very few cases where marijuana helped my patients.

They usually deteriorate. Especially patients that are diagnosed with Bipolar disorder.
My simple answer to my patients/ Everything is not for everyone. Some people can’t eat fish or nuts without serious complications. Same here, some people cannot use marijuana without risk of complications.

I am completely against it being promoted as safe for everyone.

[marble falls]

12. Nothing is safe for everyone. Lawn darts, anyone?

[Mosby]

18. People think it's medicine.

That's what they've been told and what the media promotes. It seems to bother people when I point out that there isn't any real scientific evidence that it does anything for pain. The latest idea is that it distracts people from their pain, that could be part of it.

What's also interesting is that doctors don't like to talk about it, when discussing symptoms etc. Probably because they have no training or guidance to rely on, so they don't know how integrate pot use into patient care.

[womanofthehills]

55. FDA review

“The available data indicate that there is some credible scientific support for the use of marijuana in the treatment of pain.”
— FDA review

https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2024/1/15/fda-finds-credible-scientific-support-for-use-of-marijuana-as-pain-reliever

My friend with MS is on lots of meds for pain but still has pain. I bake marijuana cookies for her and she takes tiny bites throughout the day. Her pain is definitely higher when she runs out of cookies.

[ProfessorGAC]

63. Very Common

In most states that have medical use, MS is very near the top of the list as a qualifier.
Here in Illinois it's #4, after Chemo, AIDS related wasting, & ALS.
That's how I got my card. I've had MS (very mild case) since 1995. It took the doctor 3 seconds to say he was going to approve the card & there was a 99.99% chance the state would ok it.
My symptoms are so mild I don't really need it. I just enjoy it once a day.
But, as you said, pain is pain. Pot helps my wife with the pain in her back, and her ability to function normally is clear & obvious. Her doctor will NOT prescribe opioid, so pit is a working option.

[Mosby]

68. Here's an article about neuropathic pain

Note that it's not the thc, cbd that's providing pain relief, it's a certain set of terpenes. Eventually research like this will lead to new medications where they extract the terpenes from the plant and put them in pill form.

UofA Link

[jmbar2]

84. Thanks for a balanced response

I am a little surprised at the defensiveness the article has generated here.

[msongs]

13. consuming an excessive amount can cause strong discomfort and paranoia. and remember when it took a whole

bag to get a buzz....those days are over

[Voltaire2]

28. So the good news is a very small amount is sufficient.

The tiresome panic over ‘it’s too strong’ just ignores how people use it.

[obamanut2012]

42. Right?

I smoke a small amount of some of this beautiful CA wees and it does the trick. Not a whole preroll aka joint.

[DFW]

16. Interesting, but, like alcohol, it will remain a spectator sport for me.

I have always hated the taste of alcohol in anything. So, I never drank it.

I never smoked, and always choked when trying joints handed me in college (plus, they stank). I must have inherited some evil gene mutation from my mom, since she “confessed” to me that she smoked marijuana with a jazz band she played with in the 1940s, but never got high from it. I once got fed some hashish-laced brownies in my second year of college, and was the only one in the room who felt nothing, where all the rest of them were high as a kite.

So, while I acknowledge that this is an important subject for millions, as long as some driver next to me on the road isn’t impaired by alcohol, cannabis, or even a large cheeseburger in his left hand while trying to drive, I’ll be reading about this subject from the observer gallery.

[Shermann]

96. Why anybody ever smokes is sort of a mystery

The first few packs really suck. You really have to be committed to the idea to power through and become a smoker. Chewing tobacco is even worse.

Spicy food can be this way, to build up your heat tolerance you have to torture yourself for a while.

Ethanol as an ingredient is really not great tasting. It does complement other flavors in the right proportion, but the burn is really where it's at (not unlike capsaicin).

[DFW]

129. I like a little spicy

Mild Szechuan or Thai curry (red, not green), but not chimchee style. I can’t taste a thing for two hours after eating that stuff.

[H2O Man]

19. Gosh!

[littlemissmartypants]

22. If I had some I couldn't use it without fainting.

It does something weird to my blood pressure.



Thanks for the heads up though. Pun intended.

❤️

[eShirl]

25. as soon as I read something like this, I know it's BS

What is now available is up to 20 times stronger than the joints from 20 years ago.

[Voltaire2]

30. Well it's true if you select the weakest possible

ditch weed for your ‘20 years ago’ sample.

There were strains of excellent cannabis back in the 70’s that would sit you right down after a few hits. There was also a lot of crappy weed. The huge difference now is that you know what you are getting.

[eShirl]

34. we had so much good 70's & 80's weed going around here, nobody bothered with the ditch weed

maybe I was spoiled

[jmowreader]

37. Tell me about it!

We've been seeing this claim for at least 40 years. The problem with it is, eventually cannabis is going to get so strong you won't have to smoke it - being within a mile of that weed will get you high.

[jmowreader]

38. Tell me about it!

We've been seeing this claim for at least 40 years. The problem with it is, eventually cannabis is going to get so strong you won't have to smoke it - being within a mile of that weed will get you high.

[Mosby]

70. You can get extracts that are 85-90% thc now

And there is enhanced flower above 40% thc.

Standard commercial from way back, 80s let's say was probably less than 10%.

Eta I just noticed that no one has mentioned using pot as a sleep aid. It's works quite well and I recommend "Paris OG" in vape form.

[Voltaire2]

100. 'hash oil' started showing up in the early 70s.

It was vastly potent. As I noted elsewhere, there were high potency strains of cannabis back then too. Lots of shit weed, but also you could get really strong pot. What basically nobody knew was the specific THC content of anything. It was all 'try it and see'. Now you can just look at the label. How that is a bad thing escapes me.

[Mosby]

104. Forgot about hash.

About 10-15 years ago there was some Lebanese blond going around Phoenix. It was "disguised" as rolos, the whole package, and each piece was wrapped in gold foil. Stuff was unreal. I nursed my little piece for like 6 months, lol.

[Voltaire2]

117. It wasn't hash, which has been used for centuries.

It was a smokable liquid thc concentrate.

[Shermann]

120. That just means you'd have smoked 20 times as much of the weak stuff. nt

[usedtobedemgurl]

29. I use everyday.

I did not use anything until about a year and a half, maybe two years ago. I hate being high. I don't like the feeling of not being in control. I was in a car accident. The lain was so bad I was suicidal. My son turned me onto Delta 8, which is legal in this state. I can almost guarantee if I had not started doing Delta 8 edibles (legal in my state), I would not be here. The pain was too ferocious. My physical therapist gave up after a few sessions, stating I was in too much pain to help. When I told my concussion Dr I was doing this, his reaction was negative. I explained it saved my life due to my suicidal ideations. He shrugged and was still against it!

I am a lightweight, so I can only nibble. A brownie about 2" x2" can last me a month or more, but the nibble makes me so high, I can endure the pain. I have had no ill effects I an discern. Some people are just against it. Just like some folks are against premarital sex or drinking.

Maybe it is my brain injury which precludes me seeing the bad effects on me, but I would be dead without it. Quite frankly, (this is an attack on the article, not you) the article is bullshit.


,

[Voltaire2]

31. CHS is an allergic reaction to cannabis.

It is very rare. The article sort of ‘forgot’ to point that out, or perhaps I missed it. It is somewhere around 0.1% of users, although as it has not been extensively investigated, the frequency is not well understood.

If you have this reaction you just stop using cannabis. The good news is that as pot really isn’t addictive, in the original meaning, stopping isn’t a problem for most people.

[eShirl]

36. agreed; that is no joke

[obamanut2012]

43. It didn't point that out, which I also noticed

[nolabear]

48. My son has CVS. You wouldn't believe the abuse he's suffered.

It’s cyclic vomiting syndrome, migraine related though no headache. Every few months he’s hospitalized for throwing up so much it’s dangerous. For years we’ve had to fight ER docs thinking it was CHS and treating him dismissively. Now he’s got a specialist and such a long medical record they believe him as long as someone advocates and makes them read it all. Only place he got respect was when he was admitted and the only bed they had was in oncology. Those folks even encouraged patients to use whatever they needed to counteract chemo affects.

[aocommunalpunch]

40. Back to prohibition it is!

The black market WILL be in control. SMFH.

[jcgoldie]

44. And yet...

Despite all of those issues still tremendously more healthy and less socially damaging than alcohol.

[jfz9580m]

49. Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding.nt

[Mysterian]

50. Water can kill you too

If it is not used properly.

[PedroXimenez]

52. jail doesn't solve any of those problems

it just ruins people's lives.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

53. For me to make an informed decision,

I'll have to try everyone's preferred weed.

Grab some Doritos on the way over.

[jfz9580m]

76. That's the spirit!

As for the NYT, they should chill out and grab an edible..pompous, self serious pills .
They really need to toke .

[valleyrogue]

56. It's the THC levels in the stuff. This is NOT the MJ of the 1960s.

That is the problem with legalization. Increased demand pressures manufacturers to make the product more potent.

THC levels are WAY higher than in the hippie era of the sixties. This leads to a host of mental issues.

There is no point in denying this. Legalization of MJ is more trouble than it is worth. Proponents want to try and con people into thinking today's MJ is just like the sixties' variety, but it is NOT.

[padfun]

86. My vape is 92% THC and my tincture is 96% THC

I like it strong. You just use less.

And Legalization of MJ is NOT more trouble than it is worth. It should NEVER be illegal!

[flying_wahini]

57. Aw come on. Spoken like someone who hasn't a clue about the culture at all. And it has been studied to death.

I don’t think it needs a free pass but these side effects are VERY rare. Usually these side effects abate with withholding weed. The most obvious side effects are from smoking it. Lung damage is probably the most common and it is easily avoided with edibles.
And yes, it is stronger than it used to be but not THAT much. If you just have a need to keep score the edibles have a dosage on it. Just like booze.
The same people that demonize it have no comment about the widespread effects of alcohol which is by far much more dangerous to the public. It’s health effects are much more publicly known. Alcohol is the”gateway” drug we should have been warned about. It really is the destroyer of families and it kills dozens people out on the open road EVERY day in Every city across the country.
I actually think that if it was legalized weed we would see a drop in alcohol related health issues, fewer drunk drivers on the road and fewer acts of violent crime.

Alcohol should be more tightly controlled than cannabis. (I know- Never gonna happen).
They need to legalize it in all States. Just my 2 cents worth.

[-misanthroptimist]

58. I came of age in the 70s

At least 80% of the people my age that I knew smoked weed. And most of those smoked daily or near daily. Out of hundreds, maybe thousands, of those people I knew precisely one who had a real problem.

Granted that today's weed is stronger, but that's life. There are people drinking grain alcohol this very minute in America. Some people will always overdo it. You can't stop it. (See: Prohibition and the War on Drugs). You make it legal and regulate it so it is safe for the vast majority of people. (And I'll guarantee you that an order of magnitude or two of people will have more problems with alcohol than marijuana.) As long as it is adults using it, it's no one's business.

[ismnotwasm]

61. We get patients with hyperemesis syndrome

And a few with poly substance disorder who should probably not use. Had one immunosuppressed patient who ended up back in the hospital in restraints because they misjudged how many gummies they ate—they cleared up fine

What more concerning is decisions to treat conditions with marijuana based on what you read on the internet.

[republianmushroom]

62. Yup, Marijuana Can Be Harmful To Your Health, so can

Drinking to much water, eating, smoking, vaping etc.

The bottom line, If you don't like it, dude, don't do it, but, it should be your choice.

I'm damn tired of someone wanting the govt. to take care of me from cradle to grave.

[kentuck]

64. It was more fun when it was illegal.

[hunter]

67. I'm jealous of you all who find cannabis a pleasant and useful drug.

If you ever want to meet psychotic-running-down-the-street-naked hunter, give him some cannabis brownies.

I can do that without drugs too, or by quitting cold-turkey whatever prescribed psych meds I am taking.

I don't think cannabis should be outlawed on account of people like me, however.

When cannabis was legalized here in California I bought some for our dog who had cancer. No, not as a potential cure, but to buy her and us a little more time to say good-bye. It seemed to work too, her appetite returned and she was eager to go on walks again. But that was temporary, only a few weeks.

[flvegan]

69. Written by someone living in a van, down by the river.

Probably.

[elocs]

71. At age 72 I've never used marijuana, never will. I don't need it. n/t

[Voltaire2]

88. how did you manage to get through the 60's and the 70's without getting stoned?

[PufPuf23]

72. Conservative religious beliefs can be dangerous to the health of non-believers and generate mental illness. Discuss.

Pot is relatively benign and should not be used if subject to mental illness or used while driving and other potentially dangerous acts nor given to children or those subject to mental illness or history of substance abuse problems.

Pot can be pricey and, if a person is spending enough on pot that impacts their life or lives of those close, is another problem.

Pot is easy and fun to grow if legal to grow.

A wise cannabis user knows the source, types and their own experience. Cannabis is not a magic cure-all or be-all.

Cannabis can be an anti-gateway to the ingestion of far more dangerous substances, even substances given by prescription in medical care.

Commercial cannabis products should be lab tested and clearly marked as to content and potency.

Stronger strains and concoctions limit secondary impacts from smoking and other side effects but need to be used with knowledge as can get more intoxicated than one should or want to be. In addition to THC, there are non-intoxicating cannabis derivatives available such as CBD (pain) and CBN (sleep).

One is more likely to have social problems with pot if they do something illegal in production or sales. One can experience social problems, slander, asset seizure and even incarceration from institutions, groups or individuals that demonize pot and often benefit from power and lucre associated from their bias and indoctrination. Easy for some to scapegoat or otherwise diminish an individual or falsely associate the cannabis user with far less benign substances for ulterior motive.

Legalization tends to harm small legacy cannabis producers and a new set of permitting, regulatory, criminal and criminal enforcement that is a major source of funding for bureaucracy and law enforcement.

This is spit balling, not inclusive.

For a start, conservative religious beliefs lead to violence and war and making those different less human.

[Prairie_Seagull]

74. And only a month before the election.

Hmmmmmm. Or should that be Ahem!

[retread]

75. Too much marijuana can be harmful to your health. Well duh! So can drinking too much water.

For example from Medical News Today:

Also known as water poisoning, water intoxication is a disruption of brain function caused by drinking too much water.

Doing so increases the amount of water in the blood. This can dilute the electrolytes, especially sodium, in the blood.

If sodium levels fall below 135 millimoles per liter (mmol/l), doctors refer to the issue as hyponatremia.

Sodium helps maintain the balance of fluids inside and outside of cells. When sodium levels drop due to excessive water consumption, fluids travel from the outside to the inside of cells, causing them to swell.

When this happens to brain cells, it can be dangerous and even life threatening.

[Blue Full Moon]

77. Just one of the scare stories

Trying to drum up support to make it illegal again. Very rare occurrences at best.

[Wednesdays]

81. "...it's not well studied..."

[Voltaire2]

87. But we will publish a long - comments blocked - article that acts as if it is authoritative.

I haven't said 'fuck the NYT' enough today.

[Polybius]

90. Constantly inhaling any type of smoke is not good for people

Doesn't matter what type or how clean the burn is. Even inhaling burning wood all the time isn't good.

[ThreeNoSeep]

97. Health benefits, Cannabis Abuse Disorder and the connection to psychotic breaks can all be real

They are not mutually exclusive.
I use cannabis to treat IBS, and could not live a normal life without my daily two hits from my pinch hitter. The amount is like 1/4 of a teaspoon of flower in the morning and evening, and the antispasmodic effect is like magic.
I have a son with CAD who slipped into psychotic episodes that might not have happened if he had not been consuming the huge amounts of weed through smoking, vaping and edibles. Sometimes he was ingesting 10-30 grams of THC a day as a freshman in college. If he'd practiced restraint. he might have just had a rough semester in college rather than dealing with a diagnosis of full-blown schizoaffective disorder by the time it passed. A lifetime diagnosis, and because of it, he will NEVER have a normal life.
I'm glad weed is legal in my state (Maine), but people who ignore the baggage that often accompanies consuming mind-altering substances will be hauling a different family burden when they have a loved one brought down, because they thought weed being legal and in a brownie or gummie meant there was no danger.
Some folks should stay away from it, and the problem of taking too much THC is waaaaay common.
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/young-men-highest-risk-schizophrenia-linked-cannabis-use-disorder

[jfz9580m]

102. Wait..10-30 g of THC a day?

That sounds insane. Could you have the dose wrong? Of course measuring dosage with pot used to be complicated. It is more precise these days.

I have a presc for 6 g a month: (2.6 g CBD/3.4 g THC) in edible capsule form. That is roughly the level at which I have consumed it always going by effects.

Man I do hope my sharing these things to attempt to destigmatize use does not come back to bite me in the ass.

You cannot always trust what you read on the net, but well..I have been posting here for some 18 years and I am not a troll.

[ThreeNoSeep]

107. Whoops! I meant mg not g

My fault. Sorry.
I meant to say he was consuming 10-30 mg of THC in a single sitting. For example, he would eat multiple 10 mg browines or drink an entire liquid concentrate in one sitting that normally would get many people high.

[jfz9580m]

109. Okay that makes more sense

Individual tolerance varies I guess.

[hunter]

113. Cause or effect?

My mind went a little sideways with adolescence and it took me about a decade to claw most of it back.

Nobody wanted to burden me with a mental health diagnosis because I was a nice young man who didn't drink or do drugs, etc., etc., a regular boy scout, even though the local police regarded me as an amusing diversion from their usually sordid late night to early morning duties. They'd drive me home instead of to jail or the E.R.. (Or wherever I claimed my home was...)

As a consequence I didn't get any treatment for my psych issues either, which actually may have been a good thing at the time, as mental health care was still quite primitive then.

At the time I thought everyone lived with a head full of crazy and that I just wasn't very good at dealing with it.

I'm probably lucky I didn't start "self medicating," I never stumbled upon any drug I found appealing. God knows drugs were everywhere. Possibly I was scared, after an acquaintance of mine who was developing a heroin addiction tried to kill herself in my bathtub, which was one of the worst weekends of my life.

Sadly people get written off as drug abusers and abandoned when there's a lot more going on.

[LAS14]

101. Certainly more thought should be given...

... to keeping it from children.

A few years ago when I got up in the middle of the night I found myself so dizzy and weak that we went off to the emergency room. I was admitted (don't remember what the hospital thought were the critical symptoms). Lots of specialists came around to try to figure out what was going on. They sort of settled on some sort of inner ear thing, although one of my symptoms was profound weakness. Couldn't squeeze a doctor's hand, couldn't raise my leg.

The next morning my PCP dropped by, and with a little grin said, "So what's with the marijuana in your blood?"

"Marijuana??? I haven't had any marijuana since 1970, when I tried it and exactly nothing happened!!!"

I made some enquiries of my family members who had been over for holiday season partying the night before. Lots of food from outside the home. With the help of my 40 year old son we zeroed in on a very thin bar of chocolate that was sitting, opened, on the kitchen counter. I ate 4 squares of it. That was the culprit. Apparently 1 square was the recommended dose.

The thing is, he was very sure that he had not brought it to our house. He was distressed because the only explanation was that one of his sons (9 and 10) had brought it.

My PCP says that it is VERY common to have to treat children who have overdozed on marijuana because they ate attractive food like brownies (or chocolate bars!!!)

Edit: ...keeping it from children and old ladies.

[obamanut2012]

121. Your son brought it

Abd left it out.

Minors have less access to commercial cannabis than alcohol.

[LAS14]

122. It's clear it belonged to my son. We both just think the boys found it at home.

That was distressing for him. That he didn't hide it well enough.

[sky_masterson]

105. What is bad for your health is a xanax perscripstion that becomes an addiction

that turns to alcoholism to combat the withdrawals of being out of xanax along with an Ambien addiction.
That is bad for your health!
What is good for your health is Weed Gummies that are habitual but not addictive , that has weened and improved the life of someone dear to me. She sleeps without pharmaceuticals, she doesn't drink, she eats gummies.
And life for her is so much better.
Anti Pot people can get bent.

[Voltaire2]

123. They scoff at us stoners while sipping their martinis.

It has always been a class and race issue.

[sky_masterson]

125. I've smoked Pot for 40 years

I haven't drank in over 6 years. Don't miss it.
I may not be the crispiest taco on the plate, but I'm here at DU and not Free Republic.

[gulliver]

108. You have to watch it, just like with alcohol.

Like with anything, you have to watch yourself and be moderate. People shouldn't have the idea that marijuana is harmless. The drug mainly appears to be harmless, but its holistic effect on the life of the user (and those around the user) can be terrible.

I speak from experience. I think my frequent pot use back in the early eighties didn't destroy my life, mind, or body. But I think it did set me back a year or two. It also made me less reliable and less present for others at the time.

It's great that pot is becoming more and more legal. Don't get me wrong. It was insane for it to be illegal. It's still insane that it isn't completely legal from the federal level on down. But, like with anything, you have to keep a close eye on it if you invite it into your life routine.

[Mossfern]

112. Exactly

Cannabis should NOT be illegal. The consequences of being charged for the "crime" of possession and use and sharing are far worse than any effect of the substance itself. That being said - education, labeling and regulation need to be in place to ensure that the quality and strength are noted for safety's sake.

It needs to be kept out of the reach of children just as prescription medications.
Edibles that look like sweets can be devastating if ingested by young children.

I've seen extreme use damage people's judgement and mental capacity, but that's their business, not mine.

[democratsruletheday]

124. correct...EVERYTHING in moderation

including cannabis. It's just common sense

[GenThePerservering]

115. Next bombshell report

Daily living can be injurious to your health.

It's not the MJ. It's WHY people use MJ.

[brewens]

126. I should have died a long time ago, I guess. Maybe I have the Keith Richards gene? That's okay I guess. I'd get along

with Keith pretty well after it's all over for all of you guys.

[alarimer]

127. I don't disagree with the premise.

For starters, researchers were not allowed to study it because of federal prohibitions.

Also the claims about the various ingredients are likewise not studied appropriately. Wildly exagerrated claims with no evidence (I mean, real scientific studies and not anecdata).

To me, it's like legalizing sports betting. There are always harms either way, they just have to be balance.

[Conjuay]

128. So can oxygen.

[awesomerwb1]

130. Haven't smoked in a long time

but the current stuff then was WAY too potent for me. Made me feel like a zombie. Today's hybrid stuff I hear is a LOT more potent even.

Sativa on the other hand? Made me happy, friendly, silly, and listening to music and during intimate moments felt awesome.

Some time ago someone gave me some gummies that were totally legal (I live in a shit red state where weed is not legal). Well mr badass here ate an entire gummy and was high(like he's never been) for 10 hours.