Why is Marijuana Illegal?

[Luissa]

From my understanding of pot, one effect is constriction of blood vessels and arteries carrying oxygen and vital nutrients to the brain and other vital organs.

Now... take a person with high cholesterol and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and they have a heart attack, collapsed arteries or blood vessels, or they have a stroke.

Since pot is illegal, I suspect most people don't admit to their physician to it as a contributing factor, provided their still alive or capable.

YOu are 100% wrong, for one marijuana prevents plague build up in the brain.
It also opens up blood vessels, and lower blood pressure. So if going by your logic, you could say it may prevent heart attacks.

The problem is you can get articles on both sides of the issue, so your left with...

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Hence, this leads to an increased likelihood of a stroke in the brain (clot that originated in the heart). It also increases the possibility of a small clot forming in the heart, which could also then travel to the arteries surrounding the heart and cause a heart attack.

Marijuana's Effects on the Heart - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com

Show me one case where this happened?
And you know how your eyes turn red when stoned? That is blood vessel dialation.

 

[Luissa]

From my understanding of pot, one effect is constriction of blood vessels and arteries carrying oxygen and vital nutrients to the brain and other vital organs.

Now... take a person with high cholesterol and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and they have a heart attack, collapsed arteries or blood vessels, or they have a stroke.

Since pot is illegal, I suspect most people don't admit to their physician to it as a contributing factor, provided their still alive or capable.

YOu are 100% wrong, for one marijuana prevents plague build up in the brain.
It also opens up blood vessels, and lower blood pressure. So if going by your logic, you could say it may prevent heart attacks.

The problem is you can get articles on both sides of the issue, so your left with...

---------------------------

Hence, this leads to an increased likelihood of a stroke in the brain (clot that originated in the heart). It also increases the possibility of a small clot forming in the heart, which could also then travel to the arteries surrounding the heart and cause a heart attack.

Marijuana's Effects on the Heart - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com

From your li common myth supported by those who wish to keep marijuana illegal is that there is "new evidence" showing marijuana is more harmful than was thought in the sixties. In fact, the most recent studies have tended to confirm marijuana's safety, refuting claims that it causes birth defects, brain damage, reduced testosterone, or increased drug abuse problems, all of which will be dealt with in more in depth later on. The current consensus is well stated in the 20th annual report of the California Research Advisory Panel (1990), which recommended that personal use and cultivation of marijuana be legalized: "An objective consideration of marijuana shows that it is responsible for less damage to society and the individual than are alcohol and cigarettes."

This is not to say that marijuana is a healthy drug. There are some serious effects that should be noted. Research shows that the two major risks of excessive marijuana use are:
* respiratory disease due to smoking and
* accidental injuries due to impairment.

nk:
Marijuana Myths and the Medical, Social, and Economic Benefits of Cannabis Legalization, Page 2 of 13 - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com

Heart attacks isn't even one of the major risks, and is probably impossible to find someone who died from a heart dues to smoking pot.

 

[Luissa]

From my understanding of pot, one effect is constriction of blood vessels and arteries carrying oxygen and vital nutrients to the brain and other vital organs.

Now... take a person with high cholesterol and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and they have a heart attack, collapsed arteries or blood vessels, or they have a stroke.

Since pot is illegal, I suspect most people don't admit to their physician to it as a contributing factor, provided their still alive or capable.

YOu are 100% wrong, for one marijuana prevents plague build up in the brain.
It also opens up blood vessels, and lower blood pressure. So if going by your logic, you could say it may prevent heart attacks.

The problem is you can get articles on both sides of the issue, so your left with...

---------------------------

Hence, this leads to an increased likelihood of a stroke in the brain (clot that originated in the heart). It also increases the possibility of a small clot forming in the heart, which could also then travel to the arteries surrounding the heart and cause a heart attack.

Marijuana's Effects on the Heart - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com

And here is some insight into the Harvard study your article is refering to.



"This week, The Week Online spoke with Dr. Lester Grinspoon, also of Harvard. Dr. Grinspoon is one of the world's foremost marijuana researchers and is author of several books including the seminal "Marihuana Reconsidered."


And here is part of his interview:

WOL: Dr. Grinspoon, what is your assessment of the Middleman report?
Dr. Grinspoon: (Laughs). I've been getting phone calls all week about it. I even spoke with Dr. Middleman this week to ask him for his report. It has not yet been written. In fact, he does have an abstract. Now, let me say that since 1967 there have been numerous reports and studies, each of which the American media has blown out of all proportion, stating one or another supposed ill effect of marijuana use. I can list them, if you'd like. 'Increase in the size of the ventricles, decrease in testosterone, destruction of chromosomes.' All were front-page stories, none of them have ever been replicated. In other words, they didn't pan out scientifically. Of course, the studies that contradicted them ended up on page 31 or thereabouts, if they got mentioned at all.

WOL: So you don't give much weight to Dr. Middleman's findings?

Dr. Grinspoon: Well, I would point out that out of 3,882 patients, we're talking about 9 who used marijuana within an hour of the onset of a heart attack. That's around 0.2%. By sheer mathematics, given that people sleep eight hours per day or so, we can deduce that 6.7% of those patients emptied their bowels within an hour of onset. It's incredible to me that the numbers here could be said to constitute a significant risk factor.

WOL: Dr. Middleman said in an interview that he believes that it is the increased heart rate from smoking marijuana that is responsible.

Dr. Grinspoon: Yes, and he put that increase at 40 beats per minute. In truth, that number is closer to 20 beats per minute, which is probably consistent with running up the stairs in one's house.

WOL: So you disagree with Dr. Middleman's characterization of the risk as 'significant'?

Dr. Grinspoon: First, let me say that I blame the media far more than I do Dr. Middleman. I read his abstract, and in its conclusion he cautioned against making too much of the data. Conceivably, there is some risk, although if there is, it is barely measurable. Even assuming that the data presented is right, one must still wait to see if it can be replicated.

WOL: You seem to be pretty skeptical about the chances of that happening.

Dr. Grinspoon: Well, in 1997, Kaiser Permanente did a large-scale study which included more than 65,000 admitted marijuana users, and they could not demonstrate any impact of marijuana use on mortality. If marijuana use really was a significant risk factor for heart attack, it is hard to believe that it didn't turn up there. Again, I'm not saying that there is absolutely no risk demonstrated here. But given the history of the research since 1967, I'd be surprised if these findings don't go down the same chute as all of the other front-page scare stories.
Marijuana Heart Risk Unlikely to be Significant, Says Expert

So pretty much the Harvard study is crap, and with biased data.

 

[GHook93]

By far the positives out weigh the negatives for making it legal. But from the devil advocates position, here they are:
(1) Its the gateway drug: As a person who has done many many drugs in my youth. I can say that my first drug experience was with weed. Did that get me to move on to trying coke, shrooms, acid, meth, H etc. I do not know. Either way the theory is faulty
(2) Weed kills ambition, makes people lazy and stupid: YES people can buck the trend, but this is affirmatively true. Nevertheless, I don't mind this. Less people for me to compete with in the job market. IT is not the government's job to stop for being lazy or fat.
(3) It impairs driving: True, but only of a fraction of the extent that alcohol does. Not to mention legalizing weed doesn't make driving under the influence legal. I can contest I drove stoned 1000s of times, its not as impairing as people might think. In fact I was usually so paranoid, I drove extra cautious. I don't see an increase in traffic accidents with legalization.
(4) Weed is addictive: Mentally, but you never hear of some one sucking dick, whoring, murdering or robbing for weed.
(5) Weed Causes the munchies: Fat people will get fat with or without weeds help! Not a good reason either.

 

[Contumacious]

By far the positives out weigh the negatives for making it illegal. But from the devil advocates position, here they are1) Its the gateway drug: !

That may have been your case. No evidence that it happens to everyone. But it doesn't matter. Neither the government nor your neighbor has the right to tell you to to smoke, mainline, snort....

Americans have a right ---secured by the ninth amendment --to self medicate.

.

 

[GHook93]

Typo douche bag. I am strongly in the pro-legalization camp.

Don't preach the constitution to me a nutjob like yourself knows nothing about the constitution!

By far the positives out weigh the negatives for making it illegal. But from the devil advocates position, here they are1) Its the gateway drug: !

That may have been your case. No evidence that it happens to everyone. But it doesn't matter. Neither the government nor your neighbor has the right to tell you to to smoke, mainline, snort....

Americans have a right ---secured by the ninth amendment --to self medicate.

.

 

[Jurginvoncelle]

Why is pot illegal? Because drug companies will go broke.
Pain medicines, depression medicines, etc. Do you think suspenders wouldn't be illegal, if belt companies couldn't make it so? LOL

 

[Jurginvoncelle]

I"d be fine if they legalized pot. Maybe I'd open a little head shop with a small cafe attached and serve homemade munchies . . .

That reminds me of Amsterdam.

Hey! The Dutch have a decent economy don’t they? Stupid domestic policy to make a commodity not only un-taxable for a “sin tax” but illegal in as much as possession.

 

[Paulie]

The whole "gateway drug" argument is bullshit.

Weed doesn't make your choices for you. YOU make your choices for you.

I suppose it's a hell of a lot easier to just blame weed for you deciding to roll up a benjamin and snort a big fat rail of coke, instead of manning up and taking responsibility for your own actions.

 

[☭proletarian☭]

The whole "gateway drug" argument is bullshit.

Weed doesn't make your choices for you. YOU make your choices for you.

I suppose it's a hell of a lot easier to just blame weed for you deciding to roll up a benjamin and snort a big fat rail of coke, instead of manning up and taking responsibility for your own actions.

I converted to Christianity to avoid responsibility for my actions. Now whenever I fuck up- I just blame Satan's influence and say a few prayers and all is forgiven.

 

[Paulie]

The whole "gateway drug" argument is bullshit.

Weed doesn't make your choices for you. YOU make your choices for you.

I suppose it's a hell of a lot easier to just blame weed for you deciding to roll up a benjamin and snort a big fat rail of coke, instead of manning up and taking responsibility for your own actions.

I converted to Christianity to avoid responsibility for my actions. Now whenever I fuck up- I just blame Satan's influence and say a few prayers and all is forgiven.

That's not really on topic, but I get your point.

That certainly isn't me, though. I renewed my christian faith recently, but I don't blame satan for my actions. I've fucked up a lot throughout my life and I blame no one.

 

[Jurginvoncelle]

The whole "gateway drug" argument is bullshit.

Weed doesn't make your choices for you. YOU make your choices for you.

I suppose it's a hell of a lot easier to just blame weed for you deciding to roll up a benjamin and snort a big fat rail of coke, instead of manning up and taking responsibility for your own actions.

I converted to Christianity to avoid responsibility for my actions. Now whenever I fuck up- I just blame Satan's influence and say a few prayers and all is forgiven.

You should convert to Rastafarianism
Because…

1 samuel 15:22 "Obedience is better than sacrifice."

 

[☭proletarian☭]

The whole "gateway drug" argument is bullshit.

Weed doesn't make your choices for you. YOU make your choices for you.

I suppose it's a hell of a lot easier to just blame weed for you deciding to roll up a benjamin and snort a big fat rail of coke, instead of manning up and taking responsibility for your own actions.

I converted to Christianity to avoid responsibility for my actions. Now whenever I fuck up- I just blame Satan's influence and say a few prayers and all is forgiven.

You should convert to Rastafarianism
Because…

1 samuel 15:22 "Obedience is better than sacrifice."

Fuck.


That's okay, though. I've seen the light of Muhammed. Now I just need a few pounds of c4 and BAM!- instant ticket to heaven, no matter what I do beforehand.

 

[Gadawg73]

There are two bad side efects to smoking reefer.