Blender - Oct 2007

[charmedguy18]

You know what's also good for treating chronic pain? Heroin. And we all know that heroin is perfectly healthy and safe.



 :roll:

But there's numerous amounts of research that confirm. The only 'research' that says pot is bad is the government's strewed studies they do...
Also, heroin is a human-made drug. Pot is a natural herb from the ground, not from mixing chemicals.

[charmedguy18]

Marijuana Boosts Brain Cell Growth

Most illicit drugs like opiates, alcohol and cocaine decrease the generation of new neurons in the brain, but marijuana appears to have the opposite effect on this process. Researchers from the University of Saskatchewan have published their findings on marijuana's effects on the brain in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. On top of the drug's promotion of brain cell growth - called neurogenesis - marijuana also appeared to have antidepressant and anti-anxiety properties.

A team, led by researcher Xia Zhang, worked with rats that were given a synthesized version of marijuana twice per day for 10 days. After this period, the rats displayed evidence of new neuron creation in the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in developing memories.

Zhang's team suspected the new brain cells might also be associated with a reduction in anxiety and depression, as previous studies had indicated medications used to treat anxiety and depression achieve their effect this way.

The researchers explored the possible antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects of the drug on the rats by exposing them and a control group of rats to a number of environmental/food based tests. The tests indicated that the rats who were given the marijuana displayed both a reduction in anxiety behaviors and indications of antidepressant effects.

The researchers conclude that there is a link between increased adult neurogenesis (brain cell regeneration) and modified behavior following cannabinoid treatment. They say the findings are important because they demonstrate the positive roles cannabinoids and their receptors play in brain processing and medicine.

Source: Journal of Clinical Investigation

oh, it kills brain cells eh?

Next
Make sure you read past the first paragraph.

Large Study Finds No Link between Marijuana and Lung Cancer

By David Biello
 
marijuana, cannabis


The smoke from burning marijuana leaves contains several known carcinogens and the tar it creates contains 50 percent more of some of the chemicals linked to lung cancer than tobacco smoke. A marijuana cigarette also deposits four times as much of that tar as an equivalent tobacco one. Scientists were therefore surprised to learn that a study of more than 2,000 people found no increase in the risk of developing lung cancer for marijuana smokers.

"We expected that we would find that a history of heavy marijuana use--more than 500 to 1,000 uses--would increase the risk of cancer from several years to decades after exposure to marijuana," explains physician Donald Tashkin of the University of California, Los Angeles, and lead researcher on the project. But looking at residents of Los Angeles County, the scientists found that even those who smoked more than 20,000 joints in their life did not have an increased risk of lung cancer.

The researchers interviewed 611 lung cancer patients and 1,040 healthy controls as well as 601 patients with cancer in the head or neck region under the age of 60 to create the statistical analysis. They found that 80 percent of those with lung cancer and 70 percent of those with other cancers had smoked tobacco while only roughly half of both groups had smoked marijuana. The more tobacco a person smoked, the greater the risk of developing cancer, as other studies have shown.

But after controlling for tobacco, alcohol and other drug use as well as matching patients and controls by age, gender and neighborhood, marijuana did not seem to have an effect, despite its unhealthy aspects. "Marijuana is packed more loosely than tobacco, so there's less filtration through the rod of the cigarette, so more particles will be inhaled," Tashkin says. "And marijuana smokers typically smoke differently than tobacco smokers; they hold their breath about four times longer allowing more time for extra fine particles to deposit in the lungs."

The study does not reveal how marijuana avoids causing cancer. Tashkin speculates that perhaps the THC chemical in marijuana smoke prompts aging cells to die before becoming cancerous. Tashkin and his colleagues presented the findings yesterday at a meeting of the American Thoracic Society in San Diego.

I'm not going to quote this one, it's too long. But if you aren't too closed minded to accept you could be wrong, then read it.

http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html


Also, if it were legal, there would be far less chemical huffing (that sometimes causes instant death). Also a lot less people would go to the store to buy Robitussen to get high (the active ingredient Dextromethorphan is a dissassociative drug that can most definately cause overdose, not to mention people getting the wrong kind with other ingredients than DXM, which can cause death if even a little too much enters the body).

Also, it boost creativity and lessens depression. So, please. Shut your ignorant face because you have no idea what you're talking about.

[craft]

Google News had an article a few months ago that said smoking pot made you twice as likely to develop a psychotic illness.

[charmedguy18]

Google News had an article a few months ago that said smoking pot made you twice as likely to develop a psychotic illness.

If you have a history of psychosis and/or schizophrenia, yes.

[Boy of Summer]

marijuana is a drug... alcohol is a drug....

tell me why there is any difference between the two..

For starters, alcohol is about a million-billion-gah-jillion times more toxic than MJ and has no redeeming medicinal value whatsoever.

They both are drugs and depressants.

Incorrect.

It is true that THC does function as a relaxant or a "depressant" in most people, it is not technically categorized as such since THC does very different things to different people based on the number latent THC receptors in each person's brain.

For instance, many people (such as myself) are born with an abnormal offset brain chemistry, and THC is one of those psychoactives which can help correct this imbalance by producing better clarity of thought and concentration, and does so brilliantly. Personally, the drug acts as an "upper" and inversely decreases my appetite rather than giving me "the munchies". It's always been that way.

Alcohol on the other hand is a very simple molecule that's classified as a "sloppy drug" that creates a blanket effect on the whole brain and numbs you from head to toe.

MJ on the other hand can actually sharpen you up in some cases given the appropriate dose...

PROOF:
[/i]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLmHL7YznUI

Though this is not the case with everyone, I believe it should be noted that there are acceptions to this rule (unlike alcohol where there are NO exceptions dealing with dose v.s. mental acuity). MJ can be bad for some people, and GREAT for others, it just depends on your chemistry. Demonising cannabis just because it doesn't jive well with a certain percentage of the population who get lazy and unmotivated under the influence is exceedingly naive, dogmatic and just plain ignorant.



Anyway, comparing alcohol and weed isn't as simple as comparing apples and oranges, it's more akin to comparing apples and skyscrapers. There's a huge difference.

everyone can make their own decision, but i know i've made mine.

That's great! And I really mean that. You and ONLY you (with the help of a knowledgeable physician in some cases) should be the one to decipher what's good for your body and what isn't. Everyone's different. What's good and helpful for one person, could be bad, or even deadly for the another.

[Boy of Summer]

Google News had an article a few months ago that said smoking pot made you twice as likely to develop a psychotic illness.

If you have a history of psychosis and/or schizophrenia, yes.

Exactly!

Yet another prime example of people trying to put the cart ahead of the horse.

[charmedguy18]

Google News had an article a few months ago that said smoking pot made you twice as likely to develop a psychotic illness.

If you have a history of psychosis and/or schizophrenia, yes.

Exactly!

Yet another prime example of people trying to put the cart ahead of the horse.

Also, if you have a history of anxiety attacks, it's not so good either. That is why I don't smoke anymore, because I have anxiety attacks when smoking. But I still don't think it's bad if you don't have those side effects. As all the evidence I've presented states.

[craft]

Okay---why are we talking about marijuana in a Nessa topic?

[Petertherock]

http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_mj2.asp

THC Attaches to Specific Receptors in the Brain

THC is up to no good in the brain. THC finds brain cells, or neurons, with specific kinds of receptors called cannabinoid receptors. Then, it binds to these receptors. [4]

When it attaches to a neuron, THC interferes with normal communication between neurons. Think of it as a disruption in the phone service, caused perhaps by too many users all at once. Let's say Neuron #1 needs to tell Neuron #2 to create a new memory. If THC is in the mix, this communication is likely to fail.

Certain parts of the brain have high concentrations of cannabinoid receptors. These areas are: the hippocampus, the cerebellum, the basal ganglia, and the cerebral cortex. [4]

THC Creates Learning and Memory Problems

The hippocampus is a part of the brain with a funny name and a big job. It's in charge of certain types of learning and memory.

Disrupting the normal functioning of the hippocampus can lead to trouble studying and learning and problems recalling recent events. The difficulty can be a lot more serious than "Did I take out the trash this morning?"

Interference with the hippocampus may also lead to lasting memory loss. Studies in rats show that taking in a lot of THC over a long period of time can damage neurons in the hippocampus. Chances are, if it happens to rats, it's happening to people who smoke marijuana. [4]


Smoking Marijuana Can Make Driving Dangerous

The cerebellum is the section of our brain that does most of the work on balance and coordination. When THC finds its way into the cerebellum, it makes scoring a goal in soccer or hitting a home run pretty tough.

THC also does a number on the basal ganglia, another part of the brain that's involved in movement control.

These THC effects can spell disaster on the highway. Research shows that drivers on marijuana have slow reaction times, impaired judgment, and problems responding to signals and sounds on the road. In one study of 150 reckless drivers, 33 tested positive for marijuana. [1] [4]


Smoking Marijuana May Lead to Lung Cancer

The list of negative effects goes on and on. Smoking marijuana may increase the risk of heart attack. Smoking marijuana may cause lung cancer because it has some of the same cancer-causing substances as tobacco. Plus, marijuana smokers tend to inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than cigarette smokers do. So more smoke enters the lungs. Puff for puff, smoking marijuana may increase the risk of cancer even more than smoking cigarettes does. [4]


What About Medical Marijuana?

THC, the main active ingredient in marijuana, produces effects that potentially can be useful for treating a variety of medical conditions. It is the main ingredient in a pill that is currently used to treat nausea in cancer chemotherapy patients and to stimulate appetite in patients with wasting due to AIDS. Scientists are continuing to investigate other potential medical uses for cannabinoids.

However, smoking marijuana is difficult to justify medically because the amount of THC in marijuana is not always consistent. It would be difficult-if not impossible-to come up with a safe and effective use of the drug because you could never be sure how much THC you were getting. Moreover, the negative effects of marijuana smoke on the lungs will offset the helpfulness of smoked marijuana for some patients.

Finally, little is known about the many chemicals besides THC that are in marijuana, or their possible negative impact on patients with medical conditions. [4]

[charmedguy18]

http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_mj2.asp

THC Attaches to Specific Receptors in the Brain

THC is up to no good in the brain. THC finds brain cells, or neurons, with specific kinds of receptors called cannabinoid receptors. Then, it binds to these receptors. [4]

When it attaches to a neuron, THC interferes with normal communication between neurons. Think of it as a disruption in the phone service, caused perhaps by too many users all at once. Let's say Neuron #1 needs to tell Neuron #2 to create a new memory. If THC is in the mix, this communication is likely to fail.

Certain parts of the brain have high concentrations of cannabinoid receptors. These areas are: the hippocampus, the cerebellum, the basal ganglia, and the cerebral cortex. [4]

THC Creates Learning and Memory Problems

The hippocampus is a part of the brain with a funny name and a big job. It's in charge of certain types of learning and memory.

Disrupting the normal functioning of the hippocampus can lead to trouble studying and learning and problems recalling recent events. The difficulty can be a lot more serious than "Did I take out the trash this morning?"

Interference with the hippocampus may also lead to lasting memory loss. Studies in rats show that taking in a lot of THC over a long period of time can damage neurons in the hippocampus. Chances are, if it happens to rats, it's happening to people who smoke marijuana. [4]


Smoking Marijuana Can Make Driving Dangerous

The cerebellum is the section of our brain that does most of the work on balance and coordination. When THC finds its way into the cerebellum, it makes scoring a goal in soccer or hitting a home run pretty tough.

THC also does a number on the basal ganglia, another part of the brain that's involved in movement control.

These THC effects can spell disaster on the highway. Research shows that drivers on marijuana have slow reaction times, impaired judgment, and problems responding to signals and sounds on the road. In one study of 150 reckless drivers, 33 tested positive for marijuana. [1] [4]


Smoking Marijuana May Lead to Lung Cancer

The list of negative effects goes on and on. Smoking marijuana may increase the risk of heart attack. Smoking marijuana may cause lung cancer because it has some of the same cancer-causing substances as tobacco. Plus, marijuana smokers tend to inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than cigarette smokers do. So more smoke enters the lungs. Puff for puff, smoking marijuana may increase the risk of cancer even more than smoking cigarettes does. [4]


What About Medical Marijuana?

THC, the main active ingredient in marijuana, produces effects that potentially can be useful for treating a variety of medical conditions. It is the main ingredient in a pill that is currently used to treat nausea in cancer chemotherapy patients and to stimulate appetite in patients with wasting due to AIDS. Scientists are continuing to investigate other potential medical uses for cannabinoids.

However, smoking marijuana is difficult to justify medically because the amount of THC in marijuana is not always consistent. It would be difficult-if not impossible-to come up with a safe and effective use of the drug because you could never be sure how much THC you were getting. Moreover, the negative effects of marijuana smoke on the lungs will offset the helpfulness of smoked marijuana for some patients.

Finally, little is known about the many chemicals besides THC that are in marijuana, or their possible negative impact on patients with medical conditions. [4]

Another government-funded site throwing completely untrue propaganda to keep prohibition.

[Nanc77]

yeah seriouly, you have to find a neutral site.