Marijuana - Wasted Potential

[Kalam]

Hey, a weed thread! How excellent; I'm coming down from a high right now.

 

[asaratis]

Marijuana is a hot topic. California seems to be leading the way toward legalization please visit my website and read my article on marijuana reform James World

I have already read it. You need to edit. Smoking marijuana is not illegal.

 

[California Girl]

Marijuana is a hot topic. California seems to be leading the way toward legalization please visit my website and read my article on marijuana reform James World

I think people who set up websites for no other reason than to 'have their say' on topics are kinda sad. Just sayin'.

 

[Modbert]

Pic related, I got a good laugh out of it:

 

[Mike458877]

Marijuana - Wasted Potential

I see the potential each day in wasted and burnt out people.

We should be careful how we open this can of worms.

I'm not saying we shouldn't, but, I have great reservations.

Mike

 

[PatekPhilippe]

Marijuana - Wasted Potential

I see the potential each day in wasted and burnt out people.

We should be careful how we open this can of worms.

I'm not saying we shouldn't, but, I have great reservations.

Mike

I agree.

 

[AVG-JOE]

Marijuana - Wasted Potential

I see the potential each day in wasted and burnt out people.

We should be careful how we open this can of worms.

I'm not saying we shouldn't, but, I have great reservations.

Mike

If Dick Cheny and Karl Rove had been pot-heads instead of paranoid coke freaks, "Bush" would still remind us of sex instead of fear and stupidity.

Jus' sayin'...​

 

[editec]

Decriminalize it and move on.

Freaking waste of human potential to be arresting and fining people for a harmless weed.

 

[chanel]

It's not harmless.

Health Hazards

Effects of Marijuana on the Brain. Researchers have found that THC changes the way in which sensory information gets into and is acted on by the hippocampus. This is a component of the brain's limbic system that is crucial for learning, memory, and the integration of sensory experiences with emotions and motivations. Investigations have shown that THC suppresses neurons in the information-processing system of the hippocampus. In addition, researchers have discovered that learned behaviors, which depend on the hippocampus, also deteriorate.

Effects on the Lungs. Someone who smokes marijuana regularly may have many of the same respiratory problems that tobacco smokers have. These individuals may have daily cough and phlegm, symptoms of chronic bronchitis, and more frequent chest colds. Continuing to smoke marijuana can lead to abnormal functioning of lung tissue injured or destroyed by marijuana smoke.

Regardless of the THC content, the amount of tar inhaled by marijuana smokers and the level of carbon monoxide absorbed are three to five times greater than among tobacco smokers. This may be due to marijuana users inhaling more deeply and holding the smoke in the lungs.

Effects of Marijuana Use during Pregnancy. Research has shown that babies born to women who used marijuana during their pregnancies display altered responses to visual stimuli, increased tremulousness, and a high-pitched cry, which may indicate problems with neurological development. During infancy and preschool years, marijuana-exposed children have been observed to have more behavioral problems and to perform tasks of visual perception, language comprehension, sustained attention, and memory more poorly than non-exposed children do. In school, these children are more likely to exhibit deficits in decision-making skills, memory, and the ability to remain attentive.

Effects of Heavy Marijuana Use on Learning and Social Behavior. A study of college students has shown that critical skills related to attention, memory, and learning are impaired among people who use marijuana heavily, even after discontinuing its use for at least 24 hours. Researchers compared 65 "heavy users," who had smoked marijuana a median of 29 of the past 30 days, and 64 "light users," who had smoked a median of 1 of the past 30 days. After a closely monitored 19- to 24-hour period of abstinence from marijuana and other illicit drugs and alcohol, the undergraduates were given several standard tests measuring aspects of attention, memory, and learning. Compared to the light users, heavy marijuana users made more errors and had more difficulty sustaining attention, shifting attention to meet the demands of changes in the environment, and in registering, processing, and using information. The findings suggest that the greater impairment among heavy users is likely due to an alteration of brain activity produced by marijuana.

Longitudinal research on marijuana use among young people below college age indicates those who used have lower achievement than the non-users, more acceptance of deviant behavior, more delinquent behavior and aggression, greater rebelliousness, poorer relationships with parents, and more associations with delinquent and drug-using friends.

Information provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2003.

How Marijuana (bud) Affects the Body and the Brain

As a parent and a teacher, my biggest concern is that legalization would not only make pot cheaper and more available, but also send the message that it is harmless. We are already seeing that with prescription drug usage.

 

[Douger]

I never arrest people for pot

See, this is what I'm trying to figure out.

Since we have such over crowding in prisons, wouldn't it make sense to lock up the criminals that are a menace to society and keep them in longer than using those cells for someone that just wants to chill and get high?

Start on Crapital hill. They are both.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

Of course, you're never going to see any actual numbers of people actually sitting in jail just for possession.... because those simply don't exist unless it was a LARGE amount, in which case the charge usually is distribution. The myth that millions are sitting in prison just for having a bud is just that -- a myth. Marijuana possession is a misdemeanor, not really much different from a traffic ticket. Just like a traffic ticket however, if you don't pay your fine you will do a little time in county.

With all that said, I still seldom see anyone making an intelligent distinction between decriminalization and legalization. The OP appears to favor legalization, which means states, localities and the fed would tax purchases of marijuana just like beer or cigarettes. This all sounds pretty neat until you realize the devil is in the details -- it would now be a federal tax beef if you grew your own marijuana, the shit you would be able to buy in the stores would be low-quality, and still there would be massive demand in the black market. So you see nothing's been solved at all with legalization and you have opened a whole new can of regulation.

Decriminalization is what you should be calling for. Which means you can grow your own for personal use, (NOT for sale) and use. It would be legal to transport. Of course, state laws would determine how much and if you can be under the influence while driving. Nothing in either of these scenarios will greatly reduce arrests. You're still going to have all the same scofflaws getting arrested, you're still going to have people sitting in jail for not paying their fines, and you're still going to have people growing it for sale and getting busted.

The entire argument is a false one, unless you're calling for complete "hands off" by government. And of course you know you're never going to get that.

 

[chanel]

Great post MM. I have no problem with decriminalizaton either. However, the argument for legalization often starts with "tax revenue". It's always about da money. And as far as medical marijuana goes, I read on here that there is a push toward using it for treatment of ADHD. There we go again with putting it in the hands of children.

Big can of worms indeed.

 

[Gatekeeper]

View attachment 8852

Thoughts?

My thoughts are I wish I could read what that says.


btw,,,why don't you say "discuss" anymore?

Holy Smokes, to heck with wanting to 'discuss' tell me more about that Ms. Santa avatar EchoZulu!
My pace maker alarm just went off.........if I had one it would'a short circuited. What was this topic all about?

 

[Gatekeeper]

Great post MM. I have no problem with decriminalizaton either. However, the argument for legalization often starts with "tax revenue". It's always about da money. And as far as medical marijuana goes, I read on here that there is a push toward using it for treatment of ADHD. There we go again with putting it in the hands of children.

Big can of worms indeed.

Yes a very big can of worms..........kinda like DUNE and the "Spice"

Well if alcohol and gambling, and other 'chit' was not making billions in revenues for the USA's treasure chest, both federal and state, I am sure they'd still be illegal. Funny how the feds and others say it's "Illegal" for citizens, but not for them when they see how much MONEY can raked in for them. As far as ole number '13' though, it's probably no worse than any cigarette, in most cases, and A lot less 'mind and physical altering' of one's body than drinkin alkie. I knew a few engineers in the electronics industry that toked day in day out and you would never know it.

OMG!! could THAT be the problem with some software companies and system crashes and flying a 150 miles past your destination, and...........and.......! I could be all wrong about this, the first time in my life I am wrong?
Well I made a useless post, but wtf.

 

[Mike458877]

I read on here that there is a push toward using it for treatment of ADHD. There we go again with putting it in the hands of children.

Wow, I hadn't heard that one yet. Not surprised though.

Are these researchers nuts? I will be the first to admit in regard to direct side effects and longer term effects that it would be safer than nearly all ADHD or ADD medications now available, but whew, the abuse and misuse potential is still very high and so is the potential for it being a pathway substance.

We already have a problem with responsible alcohol consumption, now we just wish to risk doubling it for the sake of money, in the name of medical science!

Introducing it to children, even as a medical treatment, IMO is one of those dark areas which is where the reservations I have are harbored.

The term "Burn Out" is a very real biological medical condition which takes place in the brain from extended longer term use. Couple that with it's ability to be a good pathway substance to the 10 - 25 year old age group, well the risk is high.

Mike

 

[Mike458877]

One thing which I am close to and I take into consideration when considering this is the military. The military is the most regulated and disciplined sector of our society, yet, we cannot control not just the disease of addiction, but, the progression to more potent substances as the person digs in deeper and deeper.

It often begins with the casual beverage, smoke and toke of pot or hash, onto more numbing and more potent escape substances. What makes anyone believe that we can fair any better with marijuana being part of main stream society?

Possible? Yes! Probable? No! ........ I think we dig ourselves in deeper.

As we hope for our adult society to be able to choose for themselves and to be responsible when entertaining themselves or medicating themselves, the odds as history shows us, are stacked heavily against us.

Mike

 

[DiamondDave]

yes the potential of marijuana is wasted

No

The people who are on marijuana are the things with wasted potential

 

[Si modo]

yes the potential of marijuana is wasted

No

The people who are on marijuana are the things with wasted potential

I agree.

 

[Mr. Shaman]

Is there something on there about how many people are serving time in jail for JUST possession of marijuana?

There SHOULD be people doing-time for STUPIDITY!!!!!
​

"Nationally, someone dies from an unintentional drug overdose — driven in large part by prescription drug abuse — on average every 19 minutes. What would America look like if we had just as many people using marijuana as we currently have smoking cigarettes, abusing alcohol, and abusing prescription drugs?"

"conservative"-Logic!​

 

[Photonic]

Don't forget that if they allowed free marijuana use it would actually up the level of tourism!

Not advocating for or against, just sayin'.