We all are RIGHT for our life style. Good conversation, lots of points
of view. Let's not argue, there can be no winner.

Each person will always have there own beliefs and what works well for
them for those that smoke or drink will not see no wrong with it it is a
part of there lives and as long as it is not causeing any problems or
even it it causing problems they will not see it and and some do and are
not having any problems that they know of to them there lives are
normally they are not harming anyone with what they do so they feel as
if they should be able to pick and chose what they put into there own
body's and how much of it.

Then you will have the ones that have never done drugs or drank and
might be total against it or ex drinkers or smokers which at times can
have the strongest thoughts against it. Why cause they no longer do it
and there lives have changed and usually for the better so they are not
wrong in there thoughts either. They know first hand what it was like to
get high either once in a while or everyday they have seen what it did
to them how it slowed them down and keep them from going forward. Now
days if you value your job most will quit smoking due to Insurance
companys drug testing is a big thing on the jobs either to get a job or
or to keep a job for drug test are done at random now you never know
when they might request one.

Now you want to get into the Medical part which regardles what you think
is not really in the above arguments. For now we are talking a whole new
field Cancer Patients sorry but yes it has been found out it helps them
with the sickness and also promotes them to not get sick and want to eat
for the chemo does cause the taste buds to totaly go off the scale and
nothing appeals to them. Now this I can understand. If I'm dying and pot
seems to help me get through the chemo and the benifits are clearly
there that smoking pot will help get me through the treatments is one
thing but not to smoke so much they end up in lalalalala land and don't
know what the hell they are doing. When they say it helps them they are
talking just as few hits not the whole damn ounce after each treatment
moderation usually means in small dosages.

As far as bi-polar they do have meds for that through the doctors that
do work and depression meds do work but........... these drugs can not
do what they are suppose to do if you are mixing pot with them then no
you will not get the effect that you are suppose to it is like any other
drug it does not matter if you get it legal or illegal if you mix them
cause awww this drug works and does this and this other one makes me
happy so hell lets just do them together sure if your in a haze all day
long then you will never see what the drugs reaction is doing to you
personally.


But regardless pot in most states is still illegal you can always move
to were it is not then you don't have to worry about that. But as long
as you live in the USA regardless it is still illegal so if you chose to
smoke it, chew it , cook it, dip it or use it on your salad if you get
caught you will have to suffer the consequences of law whether you agree
with the laws or not they are there and will prevail against you for
breaking the law, you can argue to the high heavens and you will still
end up with the same consequences.


But.............. my thoughts still remain if you want to smoke it smoke
it if you want to drink it drink it stay off the roads!! Yeah you hear
of drunks starting fights causing more car accidents due to drinking
that is only cause the smokers get that far gone they are in front of
the refrig eating instead of driving and kicking back and in there own
little world if they was to get on the road like the drinkers when they
were at that stage then ya you would most likely hear more but then how
do you know alot of the ones drinking are not already stoned when they
started that evening and of course only the breath test was done not the
drug test hummm bet if drug test were done those status would change
alot.

Myself I could careless if someone wants to stay stoned all the time
just don't try to convince me there are no down sides to it everything
has a down side I don't care what it is nothing is perfect.

Okay there I'm getting off my soap box. But I will admit Jean does have
alot of good strong points she points out and so does Lion and all the
others that have comment on this thread. There is nothing like a healthy
debate on any subject it does keep the mind working and thinking which
is why we have them.

jeanc here you go

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15145917/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4286435.stm

I think you are talking about casual use before contracting a disease
right?

Whew!

Dang Ms.Txs...
did you say all that in one breath?

Pot is a drug, and has chemicals that can damage the brain, pot smokers
loose short term memory due to dead brain cells, so is not good for a
human to smoke pot,
you can say anything u want about how is good for your health
but is not true, it just kills your brain cells making you act stupid
and become addicted to it..
any chemical that causes addiction is bad for you
addiction is a disease and needs to be treated,
any chemical use affects the brain, mind and psychical health...

true Morena but we take drugs everyday so why can't marijuana be used
just like anyother prescription drug? It does not have to be smoked.

ok

you asked for it...

MARIJUANA AND HEMP
The Untold Story
The purpose of this article (a 20-minute read) is to expose the numerous
facts about marijuana and hemp that have been suppressed--facts the
government does not want you to know.

You are encouraged to copy and distribute this document freely assuming
this work remains unaltered and is distributed free of charge. For
information on how to download this entire document in either HTML form,
or as a Microsoft Word document, CLICK HERE.


Author: Thomas J. Bouril, 1997

Portions copyright 1997 Cannabis Action Network and CANNABIS.COM




INTRODUCTION
Hemp is a plant that can be used to produce thousands of products. Hemp
is of the same plant species that produces marijuana; its scientific
name is Cannabis Sativa. Hemp has been used for thousands of years to
produce products like paper, textiles, oil, rope, and canvas. In fact,
the name canvas is derived from the Arabic word meaning cannabis. Hemp
grown for industrial use is very low in THC (the psychoactive chemical
in marijuana), thus making industrial hemp useless as a drug. Although
marijuana is mostly known as a recreational drug, marijuana also has
many medicinal uses.

During the 1930s, the American media propagated numerous false stories
depicting marijuana as an extremely dangerous drug. Because these lies
went unchallenged, marijuana and hemp were effectively banned in 1938.
Recently, hemp has been rediscovered as a natural resource that has
great economic and environmental potential. Marijuana for medicinal use
is also gaining renewed recognition. Ironically, as will be explained
shortly, it is possible that the real reason marijuana was banned was to
prevent hemp from ever becoming a major natural resource. What follows
are many astonishing facts about marijuana and hemp--facts that will
shock most people.

HEMP: THE WORLD'S MOST BENEFICIAL NATURAL RESOURCE?
AMAZING FACTS ABOUT AN AMAZING PLANT


On an annual basis, 1 acre of hemp will produce as much fiber as 2 to 3
acres of cotton. Hemp fiber is stronger and softer than cotton, lasts
twice as long as cotton, and will not mildew. Many textile products
(shirts, jackets, pants, backpacks, etc.) made from 100% hemp are now
available.

Cotton grows only in moderate climates and requires more water than
hemp; but hemp is frost tolerant, requires only moderate amounts of
water, and grows in all 50 states. Cotton requires large quantities of
pesticides and herbicides--50% of the world's pesticides/herbicides are
used on cotton. But hemp requires no pesticides, no herbicides, and only
moderate amounts of fertilizer.

On an annual basis, 1 acre of hemp will produce as much paper as 2 to 4
acres of trees. From tissue paper to cardboard, all types of paper
products can be produced from hemp. Global demand for paper will double
within 25 years. Unless tree-free sources of paper are developed, there
is no way to meet future demand without causing massive deforestation
and environmental damage. Hemp is the world's most promising source of
tree-free paper.

The quality of hemp paper is superior to tree-based paper. Hemp paper
will last hundreds of years without degrading, can be recycled many more
times than tree-based paper, and requires less toxic chemicals in the
manufacturing process than does paper made from trees.

Hemp can be used to produce fiberboard that is stronger than wood,
lighter than wood, and fire retardant. Substituting hemp fiberboard for
timber would further reduce the need to cut down our forests. Hemp can
also be used to produce strong, durable and environmentally-friendly
plastic substitutes. Thousands of products made from petroleum-based
plastics can be produced from hemp-based composites. Mercedes Benz of
Germany has recently begun manufacturing automobile bodies and
dashboards made from hemp.

It takes years for trees to grow until they can be harvested for paper
or wood, but hemp is ready for harvesting only 120 days after it is
planted. Hemp can grow on most land suitable for farming, but forests
and tree farms require large tracts of land available in few locations.
Harvesting hemp rather than trees would also eliminate erosion due to
logging, thereby reducing topsoil loss and water pollution caused by
soil runoff.

Hemp seeds contain a protein that is more nutritious and more economical
to produce than soybean protein. Hemp seeds are not intoxicating. Hemp
seed protein can be used to produce virtually any product made from
soybean: tofu, veggie burgers, butter, cheese, salad oils, ice cream,
milk, etc. Hemp seed can also be ground into a nutritious flour that can
be used to produce baked goods such as pasta, cookies, and breads.

Hemp seed oil can be used to produce non-toxic diesel fuel, paint,
varnish, detergent, ink and lubricating oil. Because hemp seeds account
for up to half the weight of a mature hemp plant, hemp seed is a viable
source for these products.

Just as corn can be converted into clean-burning ethanol fuel, so can
hemp. Because hemp produces more biomass than any plant species
(including corn) that can be grown in a wide range of climates and
locations, hemp has great potential to become a major source of ethanol
fuel.

Literally millions of wild hemp plants currently grow throughout the
U.S. Wild hemp, like hemp grown for industrial use, has no drug
properties because of its low THC content. U.S. marijuana laws prevent
farmers from growing the same hemp plant that proliferates in nature by
the millions.

From 1776 to 1937, hemp was a major American crop and textiles made from
hemp were common. Yet, The American Textile Museum, The Smithsonian
Institute, and most American history books contain no mention of hemp.
The government's War on Marijuana Smokers has created an atmosphere of
self censorship--speaking of hemp in a positive manner is considered
taboo.

United States Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew
hemp, used products made from hemp, and praised the hemp plant in some
of their writings. Under the laws written by today's politicians, George
Washington and Thomas Jefferson would be considered a threat to
society--they would be arrested and thrown in prison for the felony
crime of growing plants.

No other natural resource offers the potential of hemp. Cannabis Hemp is
capable of producing significant quantities of paer, textiles, building
materials, food, medicine, paint, detergent, varnish, oil, ink, and
fuel. Unlike other crops, hemp can grow in most climates and on most
farmland throughout the world with moderate water and fertilizer
requirements, no pesticides, and no herbicides. Cannabis Hemp (also
known as Indian Hemp) has enormous potential to become a major natural
resource that can benefit both the economy and the environment.

"Make the most you can of the Indian Hemp seed and sow it everywhere."
--President George Washington, 1794


Fibers needed to make rope, textiles and other materials were in such
short supply during World War II, the U.S. government temporarily
re-legalized hemp cultivation so American farmers could grow it for the
war effort. Although the government allowed more than 350,000 acres (550
square miles) of hemp to be cultivated during World War II, the U.S.
experienced no increase in marijuana use during that period.




Left: Introduction to the U.S. government?s 1942 pro-hemp film titled
Hemp For Victory.

Right: A farmer inspects his 8-foot-tall hemp crop, which is nearly
ready to harvest.

The surrounding images are from the 1942 U.S. Dept. of Agriculture film
titled Hemp For Victory, which was used to educate American farmers
about growing hemp for the war effort. This film portrays the hemp plant
in a very positive light. For years the government denied it made this
film, and records of its existence in The Library of Congress were
mysteriously missing. But in 1989, after an exhaustive search of
government archives, researchers uncovered the original library records
which prove Hemp For Victory was produced by the U.S. government. Video
cassette tapes of Hemp For Victory are now available for sale to the
public.



Left: A Marijuana Tax Stamp permitted American farmers to grow hemp
during World War II.

Right: A Wisconsin farmer harvests his hemp crop in September.



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


DO HEMP ADVOCATES HAVE AN AGENDA TO RE-LEGALIZE MARIJUANA?


Many prohibitionists discredit the need for a hemp industry because they
fear hemp is being used as a vehicle to re-legalize marijuana. The facts
must be judged on their own merit. The economic and environmental
benefits of hemp are very real. There are literally thousands of
American farmers who want to grow industrial hemp. The repeal of Hemp
Prohibition is also advocated by numerous major farm organizations,
including the conservative 4.5-million-member American Farm Bureau. Many
businesses are now producing hemp-based products and some large American
corporations (e.g., International Paper, Inc.) are beginning to advocate
the repeal of Hemp Prohibition.
It is entirely possible to repeal Hemp Prohibition without re-legalizing
marijuana because hemp grown for industrial use has no drug properties.
China and Eastern European nations are the world's leading growers of
hemp, but marijuana is still illegal in those nations. Although
marijuana is illegal in Canada, England, Germany, and Australia, those
nations have recently begun growing hemp for the first time in decades.
If the United States does not repeal Hemp Prohibition, a significant
economic and environmental opportunity will be lost--the benefits will
be reaped only by America's economic competitors.


MARIJUANA AS MEDICINE:
FACTS THE GOVERNMENT IGNORES

The DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) classifies marijuana as a
dangerous drug with no medical value. That classification contradicts
mounds of evidence showing marijuana to be a very safe and effective
medicine. Marijuana is more effective, much less expensive, and much
safer than many drugs currently used in its place. Marijuana can provide
excellent relief for those who suffer from cancer, AIDS, glaucoma,
multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, arthritis, rheumatism, asthma,
insomnia, and depression. If knowledge of marijuana's many medicinal
uses, its remarkable safety, and hemp's enormous potential as a natural
resource become widely known, the DEA fears that support for Marijuana
Prohibition will collapse, and thus threaten the DEA's budget. To
maintain the myth that marijuana/hemp is useless and dangerous, the DEA
prohibits medicinal use of marijuana, denies researchers access to
marijuana for use in clinical studies, and rejects all applications to
grow industrial hemp. In 1988--after reviewing all evidence brought
forth in a lawsuit against the government's prohibition of medical
marijuana--the DEA's own administrative law judge (Judge Francis Young)
wrote:

"The evidence in this record clearly shows that marijuana has been
accepted as capable of relieving the distress of great numbers of very
ill people, and doing so with safety under medical supervision. It would
be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for the Drug Enforcement
Administration to continue to stand between those sufferers and the
benefits of this substance in light of the evidence." Judge Francis
Young of the Drug Enforcement Administration went on to say:

"Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically
active substances known. In strict medical terms, marijuana is safer
than many foods we commonly consume." Judge Young recommended that the
DEA allow marijuana to be prescribed as medicine, but the DEA has
refused.

Although the federal government claims marijuana has no appropriate
medicinal use, the federal government contradicts itself by supplying
government-grown, FDA-approved marijuana cigarettes to 8 seriously ill
Americans remaining from its discontinued medical marijuana program. The
federal government closed its medical marijuana program in 1992 after
the AIDS epidemic created a flood of new applicants. In November 1996,
California voters approved an initiative (Proposition 215) that
re-legalizes the personal use and cultivation of marijuana for medicinal
purposes


MARIJUANA/HEMP WAS LEGAL,
WHY WAS IT BANNED?

For the first 162 years of America's existence, marijuana was totally
legal and hemp was a common crop. But during the 1930s, the U.S.
government and the media began spreading outrageous lies about
marijuana, which led to its prohibition. Some headlines made about
marijuana in the 1930s were: "Marijuana: The assassin of youth."
"Marijuana: The devil's weed with roots in hell." "Marijuana makes
fiends of boys in 30 days." "If the hideous monster Frankenstein came
face to face with the monster marijuana, he would drop dead of fright."
In 1936, the liquor industry funded the infamous movie titled Reefer
Madness. This movie depicts a man going insane from smoking marijuana,
and then killing his entire family with an ax. This campaign of lies, as
well as other evidence, have led many to believe there may have been a
hidden agenda behind Marijuana Prohibition.

Shortly before marijuana was banned by The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937,
new technologies were developed that made hemp a potential competitor
with the newly-founded synthetic fiber and plastics industries. Hemp's
potential for producing paper also posed a threat to the timber industry
(see New Billion-Dollar Crop). Evidence suggests that commercial
interests having much to lose from hemp competition helped propagate
reefer madness hysteria, and used their influence to lobby for Marijuana
Prohibition. It is not known for certain if special interests conspired
to destroy the hemp industry via Marijuana Prohibition, but enough
evidence exists to raise the possibility.

After Alcohol Prohibition ended in 1933, funding for the Federal Bureau
of Narcotics (now the Drug Enforcement Administration) was reduced. The
FBN's own director, Harry J. Anslinger, then became a leading advocate
of Marijuana Prohibition. In 1937 Anslinger testified before Congress in
favor of Marijuana Prohibition by saying: "Marijuana is the most
violence causing drug in the history of mankind." "Most marijuana
smokers are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their
Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This
marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes."
Marijuana Prohibition is founded on lies and rooted in racism,
prejudice, and ignorance. Just as politicians believed Harry J.
Anslinger to be a marijuana expert in 1937, many people still believe
law enforcement officials are marijuana experts. In reality, law
enforcement officials have no expert knowledge of marijuana's medical or
health effects, but they do represent an industry that receives billions
of tax dollars to enforce Marijuana Prohibition.

Before the government began promoting reefer madness hysteria during the
1930s, the word marijuana was a Mexican word that was totally absent
from the American vocabulary. In the 1930s, Americans knew that hemp was
a common, useful, and harmless crop. It is extremely unlikely anyone
would have believed hemp was dangerous, or would have believed stories
of hemp madness. Thus, the words marijuana and reefer were substituted
for the word hemp in order to frighten the public into supporting Hemp
Prohibition. Very few people realized that marijuana and hemp came from
the same plant species; thus, virtually nobody knew that Marijuana
Prohibition would destroy the hemp industry.

Bolstering the theory that marijuana was banned to destroy the hemp
industry, two articles were written on the eve of Marijuana Prohibition
that claim hemp was on the verge of becoming a super crop. These
articles appeared in two well-respected magazines that are still
published today. The articles are:

Flax and Hemp (Mechanical Engineering, Feb. 1937)
New Billion-Dollar Crop (Popular Mechanics, Feb. 1938)

This was the first time that billion dollar was used to describe the
value of a crop. These articles praise the usefulness and potential of
hemp by stating "hemp can be used to produce more than 25,000 products"
and "hemp will prove, for both farmer and public, the most profitable
and desirable crop that can be grown." Marijuana Prohibition took effect
within one year after both these articles were written.

MARIJUANA MYTHS

Myth: Today's marijuana is more potent and more harmful than it was many
years ago.
Fact: There is no medical evidence that shows high-potency marijuana is
more harmful than low-potency marijuana. Marijuana is literally one of
the least toxic substances known. High-potency marijuana is actually
preferable because less is of it consumed to obtain the desired effect;
thereby reducing the amount of smoke that enters the lungs and lowering
the risk of any respiratory health hazards. Claiming that high-potency
marijuana is more harmful than low-potency marijuana is like claiming
wine is more harmful than beer.

Myth: Smoking marijuana can cause cancer and serious lung damage.
Fact: There chance of contracting cancer from smoking marijuana is
minuscule. Tobacco smokers typically smoke 20+ cigarettes every day for
decades, but virtually nobody smokes marijuana in the quantity and
frequency required to cause cancer. A 1997 UCLA study (see page 9)
concluded that even prolonged and heavy marijuana smoking causes no
serious lung damage. Cancer risks from common foods (meat, salt, dairy
products) far exceed any cancer risk posed by smoking marijuana.
Respiratory health hazards and cancer risks can be totally eliminated by
ingesting marijuana in baked foods.

Myth: Marijuana contains over 400 chemicals, thus proving that marijuana
is dangerous.
Fact: Coffee contains 1,500 chemicals. Rat poison contains only 30
chemicals. Many vegetables contain cancer-causing chemicals. There is no
correlation between the number of chemicals a substance contains and its
toxicity. Prohibitionists often cite this misleading statistic to make
marijuana appear dangerous.

Myth: Marijuana is a gateway drug--it leads to harder drugs.
Fact: The U.S. government's own statistics show that over 75 percent of
all Americans who use marijuana never use harder drugs. The gateway-drug
theory is derived by using blatantly-flawed logic. Using such
blatantly-flawed logic, alcohol should be considered the gateway drug
because most cocaine and heroin addicts began their drug use with beer
or wine--not marijuana.

Myth: Marijuana is addicting.
Fact: Marijuana is not physically addicting. Medical studies rank
marijuana as less habit forming than caffeine. The legal drugs of
tobacco (nicotine) and alcohol can be as addicting as heroin or cocaine,
but marijuana is one of the least habit forming substances known.

Myth: Marijuana use impairs learning ability.
Fact: A 1996 U.S. government study claims that heavy marijuana use may
impair learning ability. The key words are heavy use and may. This claim
is based on studying people who use marijuana daily--a sample that
represents less than 1 percent of all marijuana users. This study
concluded: 1) Learning impairments cited were subtle, minimal, and may
be temporary. In other words, there is little evidence that such
learning impairments even exist. 2) Long-term memory was not affected by
heavy marijuana use. 3) Casual marijuana users showed no signs of
impaired learning. 4) Heavy alcohol use was cited as being more
detrimental to the thought and learning process than heavy marijuana
use.

Myth: Marijuana is a significant cause of emergency room admissions.
Fact: The U.S. government reports that marijuana-related emergency room
episodes are increasing. The government counts an emergency room
admission as a marijuana-related episode if the word marijuana appears
anywhere in the medical record. If a patient tests positive for
marijuana because he/she used marijuana several days before the incident
occurred, if a drunk driver admits he/she also smoked some marijuana, or
if anyone involved in the incident merely possessed marijuana, the
government counts the emergency room admission as a "marijuana-related
episode." Less than 0.2% of all emergency room admissions are "marijuana
related." This so-called marijuana-causes-emergencies statistic was
carefully crafted by the government to make marijuana appear dangerous.



1997: CANADA REPEALS
HEMP PROHIBITION

After a successful two-year trial period of permitting experimental hemp
cultivation, Canada repealed Hemp Prohibition in 1997. Canada's hemp
industry is now poised for rapid expansion. The United States of America
remains one of the last industrialized nations on Earth where growing
industrial hemp can result in a prison sentence.

The below photos show an August 1997 hemp harvest in Ontario, Canada.
Detailed information about Canada's brand-new hemp industry can be found
at: http://www.kenex.org


DOES PROHIBITION CAUSE MORE
HARM THAN MARIJUANA?

Recently, narcotics officers raided the house of a suspected marijuana
dealer in Wisconsin. The unarmed suspect, who offered no resistance, was
shot to death in front of his 7-year-old son. His crime? Possession of 1
ounce of marijuana. In Oklahoma, a wheelchair-bound paraplegic who used
medicinal marijuana to control muscle spasms caused by his broken back
was sentenced to 10 years in prison. His crime? Possession of 2 ounces
of marijuana. Another Oklahoma man is serving 75 years in prison for
growing only 5 marijuana plants. (These are not misprints.)

Prohibition is the number one cause of America's exploding prison
population. Many non-violent drug offenders are now serving longer
prison sentences than murderers, rapists, and other violent criminals.
It costs taxpayers $30,000 per year to imprison just one non-violent
drug offender. Politicians are spending billions of tax dollars to build
new prisons and jails so more and more non-violent drug offenders can be
warehoused. Meanwhile, funding for education and other services are
being strained.

Reducing drug abuse is a desirable goal, but law enforcement methods
used to obtain that goal are counterproductive. Prohibition costs
billions to enforce, creates a black market that generates violence and
corruption, and makes criminals out of millions of productive and
harmless adults. Adult use of alcohol and tobacco is accepted, but adult
use of marijuana is considered criminal behavior. Why?

The main rationalization for Prohibition is to keep marijuana away from
children. That rationalization does not reflect reality. Several surveys
reveal that teenagers can obtain marijuana easier than they can obtain
the legal drugs of beer or wine. In Holland, where sale of marijuana to
adults is openly accepted, the percentage of teenagers using marijuana
is less than half that of American teenagers. Because America's
marijuana trade is totally unregulated, marijuana dealers are on the
streets selling to anybody--especially teenagers. Regulating marijuana
like wine would put street dealers out of business, would make marijuana
dealers pay taxes, and would restrict sales to adults only. Prohibition
does not make it difficult for teenagers to obtain marijuana. Tougher
marijuana laws have not reduced marijuana use. Marijuana use has
increasedevery single year since 1991.

In 1937 (the last year that marijuana was legal) only 100,000 Americans
used marijuana. Now that marijuana is illegal, 30 million Americans use
marijuana, and marijuana is easily available to anybody who wants
it--including children and prison inmates. 600,000 Americans are
arrested for marijuana violations every year and thousands of them are
sent to jail or prison, where many of them can still obtain drugs. The
government can't even keep drugs out of its own prisons, yet the
politicians keep telling us they can rid the entire nation of marijuana
by spending more tax dollars. The government now spends $15 billion
every year (a 1,500% increase since 1980) waging a war on marijuana
smokers--a war that has lasted 60 years and is impossible to win.
Another $5 billion per year is lost in tax revenue that could be
generated if marijuana was regulated and taxed like wine.

For all practical purposes, Marijuana Prohibition is a
$15-billion-per-year government subsidy for drug traffickers, organized
crime, and street dealers. Because the government prohibits
well-regulated liquor stores from selling marijuana, the government
ensures that organized crime and street dealers will flourish.
Prohibition escalates violence and corruption as mobsters, street gangs,
and thugs fight for control of the marijuana trade. Just as Alcohol
Prohibition escalated violence and corruption during the 1920s,
Marijuana Prohibition does the same today.

Once all the facts are known, it becomes clear that America's marijuana
laws need reform. This issue must be openly debated using only the
facts. Groundless claims, meaningless statistics, and exaggerated scare
stories that have been peddled by politicians and prohibitionists for
the last 60 years must be rejected.



HOW HARMFUL IS MARIJUANA?


ANNUAL AMERICAN DEATHS CAUSED BY DRUGS

TOBACCO ........................ 400,000
ALCOHOL ........................ 100,000
ALL LEGAL DRUGS ................ 20,000
ALL ILLEGAL DRUGS .............. 15,000
CAFFEINE ....................... 2,000
ASPIRIN ........................ 500
MARIJUANA ...................... 0
----------------------------------------
Source: United States government...
National Institute on Drug Abuse,
Bureau of Mortality Statistics



Like any substance, marijuana can be abused. The most common problem
attributed to marijuana is frequent overuse, which can induce lethargic
behavior, but does not cause serious health problems. Marijuana can
cause short-term memory loss, but only while under the influence.
Marijuana does not impair long-term memory. Marijuana does not lead to
harder drugs. Marijuana does not cause brain damage, genetic damage, or
damage the immune system. Unlike alcohol, marijuana does not kill brain
cells or induce violent behavior. Continuous long-term smoking of
marijuana can cause bronchitis, but the chance of contracting bronchitis
from casual marijuana smoking is minuscule. Respiratory health hazards
can be totally eliminated by consuming marijuana via non-smoking
methods, i.e., ingesting marijuana via baked foods, tincture, or
vaporizer.
A 1997 UCLA School of Medicine study (Volume 155 of the American Journal
of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine) conducted on 243 marijuana
smokers over an 8-year period reported the following: "Findings from the
long-term study of heavy, habitual marijuana smokers argue against the
concept that continuing heavy use of marijuana is a significant risk
factor for the development of chronic lung disease." "Neither the
continuing nor the intermittent marijuana smokers exhibited any
significantly different rates of decline in lung function as compared
with those individuals who never smoked marijuana." The study concluded:
"No differences were noted between even quite heavy marijuana smoking
and nonsmoking of marijuana."

Marijuana does not cause serious health problems like those caused by
tobacco or alcohol (e.g., strong addiction, cancer, heart problems,
birth defects, emphysema, liver damage, etc.). Death from a marijuana
overdose is impossible. In all of world history, there has never been a
single human death attributed to a health problem caused by marijuana.


THE HEMP DIRECTORY



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

HEMP DIRECTORY INDEX

INTERNET LINKS


BOOKS AND VIDEOS


ACTIVIST ORGANIZATIONS


PUBLICATIONS


HEMP PRODUCTS




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


INTERNET LINKS
For detailed information on the health effects of marijuana, medical
marijuana, industrial hemp, activist organizations, businesses that sell
hemp products, the history of marijuana and hemp, and the government's
War on Marijuana Smokers, visit the following Web sites.

Marijuana Links (http://www.calyx.net/marijuana.html)
CANNABIS.COM (http://www.cannabis.com)
Drug Policy Foundation (http://www.dpf.org)
Drug Library (http://www.druglibrary.org)
Ecolution (http://www.ecolution.com)
Hemp BC (http://www.hempbc.com)
Hempen Ale--America's 1st Hemp Beer http://www.hempenale.com)
Hempstead Company (http://www.hempstead.com) Hempy's
(http://www.hempys.com)
North American Industrial Hemp Council (http://www.naihc.org)




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


BOOKS AND VIDEOS
The Hemp Revolution - An excellent videotape documenting the entire
history of marijuana and hemp ($20.00). Call: 1-800-649-4421

Hemp For Victory - The U.S. government?s 1942 pro-hemp film on videotape
($9.95). Call: 1-800-851-7039

Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts - Authors: Dr. John P. Morgan, Lynn
Zimmer (ISBN: 0964156849)

Hemp, Lifeline to the Future - Author: Chris Conrad (ISBN: 0963975412)

The Great Book of Hemp - Author: Rowan Robinson (ISBN: 0892815418)



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


ACTIVIST ORGANIZATIONS
Marijuana Policy Project
P.O. Box 77492
Washington, DC 20013
Phone: (202) 462-5747
Internet: http://www.mpp.org

NORML
1001 Connecticut Ave., Suite 1010
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 483-5500
Internet: http://www.norml.org

Cannabis Action Network
2560 Bancroft Way
Berkeley, CA 94704
Phone: (510) 486-8083



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


PUBLICATIONS
Cannabis Canada Magazine
#504-21 Water St.
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6B-1A1
Phone: (604) 669-9069
Internet: http://www.hempbc.com

HempWorld Magazine
P.O. Box 550
Forestville, CA 95436
Phone: (707) 887-7508
Internet: http://www.hempworld.com



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


HEMP PRODUCTS
Ecolution
P.O. Box 2279
Merrifield, VA 22116-2279
Phone: (703) 207-9001
Internet: http://www.ecolution.com
Products: 100% hemp clothing (jeans, jackets, shirts, shoes, hats,
shorts) and more.

Hempy's
617 West Grape St
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 233-HEMP
Internet: http://www.hempys.com
Products: 100% hemp backbacks, travel bags, clothing, etc.



New Billion-Dollar Crop appeared in the February 1938 issue of Popular
Mechanics Magazine. Just as this article went to press The Marijuana Tax
Act of 1937 took effect, which effectively killed the hemp industry.
Highlights of are in bold.


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


American farmers are promised a new cash crop with an annual value of
several hundred million dollars, all because a machine has been invented
that solves a problem more than 6,000 years old.
It is hemp, a crop that will not compete with other American products.
Instead, it will displace imports of raw material and manufactured
products produced by underpaid coolie and peasant labor and it will
provide thousands of jobs for American workers throughout the land.

The machine that makes this possible is designed for removing the
fiber-bearing cortex from the rest of the stalk, making hemp fiber
available for use without prohibitive amounts of human labor.

Hemp is the standard fiber of the world. It has great tensile strength
and durability. It is used to produce more than 5,000 textile products,
ranging from rope to fine laces, and the woody "hurds" remaining after
the fiber has been removed contain more than 77 percent cellulose, which
can be used to produce more than 25,000 products, ranging from dynamite
to Cellophane.

Machines now in service in Texas, Illinois, Minnesota, and other states
are producing fiber at a manufacturing cost of half a cent per pound,
and are finding a profitable market for the rest of the stalk. Machine
operators are making a good profit in competition with coolie-produced
foreign fiber, while paying farmers $15 a ton for hemp as it comes from
the field.

From the farmer's point of view, hemp is an easy crop to grow and will
yield from three to six tons per acre on any land that will grow corn,
wheat, or oats. It can be grown in any state of the Union. It has a
short growing season, so that it can be planted after other crops are
in. The long roots penetrate and break the soil to leave it in perfect
condition for next year's crop. The dense shock of leaves, eight to
twelve feet above the ground, chokes out weeds. Two successive crops are
enough to reclaim land that has been abandoned because of Canadian
thistles or quack grass.




Under old methods, hemp was cut and allowed to lie in the fields for
weeks until it "retted" enough so that the fibers could be pulled off by
hand. Retting is simply rotting as a result of dew, rain, and bacterial
action. Machines were developed to separate the fibers mechanically
after retting was complete, but the cost was high, the loss of fiber
great, and the quality of fiber comparatively low.

With the new machine--known as a decorticator--hemp is cut with a
slightly modified grain binder. It is delivered to the machine where an
automatic chain conveyor feeds it to the breaking arms at a rate of two
or three tons per hour. The hurds are broken into fine pieces that drop
into the hopper, from where they are delivered by blower to a baler, or
to a truck or freight car for loose shipment. The fiber comes from the
other end of the machine, ready for baling.






From this point on, almost anything can happen. The raw fiber can be
used to produce strong twine or rope, woven into burlap, used for carpet
warp or linoleum backing, or it may be bleached and refined, with
resinous by-products of high commercial value. It can, in fact, be used
to replace foreign fibers which now flood our markets.
Thousands of tons of hemp hurds are used every year by one large powder
company for the manufacture of dynamite and TNT. A large paper company,
which has been paying more than a million dollars a year in duties on
foreign-made cigarette papers, now is manufacturing these papers from
American hemp grown in Minnesota. A new factory in Illinois is producing
bond paper from hemp. The natural materials in hemp make it an
economical source of pulp for any grade of paper manufactured, and the
high percentage of alpha cellulose promises an unlimited supply of raw
material for the thousands of cellulose products our chemists have
developed.

It is generally believed that all linen is produced from flax. Actually,
the majority comes from hemp--authorities estimate that more than half
of our imported linen fabrics are manufactured from hemp fiber. Another
misconception is that burlap is made from hemp. Actually, its source is
usually jute, and practically all of the burlap we use is woven from
laborers in India who receive only four cents a day. Binder twine is
usually made from sisal, which comes from the Yucatan and East Africa.

All of these products, now imported, can be produced from home-grown
hemp. Fish nets, bow strings, canvas, strong rope, overalls, damask
tablecloths, fine linen garments, towels, bed linen, and thousands of
other everyday items can be grown on American farms. Our imports of
foriegn fabrics and fibers average about $200 million per year; in raw
fibers alone we imported over $50 million in the first six months of
1937. All of this income can be made available for Americans.

The paper industry offers even greater possibilities. As an industry it
amounts to over $1 billion a year, and of that, 80 percent is imported.
But hemp will produce every grade of paper and government figures
estimate that 10,000 acres devoted to hemp will produce as much paper as
40,000 acres of average pulp land.




One obstacle in the onward march of hemp is the reluctance of farmers to
try new crops. The problem is complicated by the need for proper
equipment a reasonable distance from the farm. The machine cannot be
operated profitably unless there is enough acreage within driving range
and farmers cannot find a profitable market unless there is machinery to
handle the crop.

Another obstacle is that the blossom of the female hemp plant contains
marijuana, a narcotic, and it is impossible to grow hemp without
producing the blossom. Federal regulations now being drawn up require
registration of hemp growers, and tentative proposals for preventing
narcotic production are rather stringent.
However, the connection of hemp as a crop and marijuana seems to be
exaggerated. The drug is usually produced from wild hemp or locoweed,
which can be found on vacant lots and along railroad tracks in every
state. If federal regulations can be drawn to protect the public without
preventing the legitimate culture of hemp, this vast new crop can add
immeasurably to American agriculture and industry.


Thanx Crazy J

LOL..that sure was a complete waste of your time. You didn't even begin
to address the question I asked.

Don't call me crazy, just because I'm of a different opinion than you,
Cappish? You want to get into an insulting match? Fine, we can do that.
I assure you you'll regret it.

Again, for those who either can't or won't comprehend what it is I am
saying, I'm not stating anything against its MEDICINAL use. And I NEVER
said ONE SINGLE SOLITARY THING against its use as a cash crop for
various agricultural purposes.

I asked you what health benefits it has to the recreational user.

You want statistics? I'll give you statistics...

Marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States.
A dry, shredded green/brown mix of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves of
the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, it usually is smoked as a cigarette
(joint, nail), or in a pipe (bong). It also is smoked in blunts, which
are cigars that have been emptied of tobacco and refilled with
marijuana, often in combination with another drug. It might also be
mixed in food or brewed as a tea. As a more concentrated, resinous form
it is called hashish and, as a sticky black liquid, hash oil. Marijuana
smoke has a pungent and distinctive, usually sweet-and-sour odor. There
are countless street terms for marijuana including pot, herb, weed,
grass, widow, ganja, and hash, as well as terms derived from trademarked
varieties of cannabis, such as Bubble Gum, Northern Lights, Fruity
Juice, Afghani #1, and a number of Skunk varieties.

The main active chemical in marijuana is THC
(delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). The membranes of certain nerve cells in
the brain contain protein receptors that bind to THC. Once securely in
place, THC kicks off a series of cellular reactions that ultimately lead
to the high that users experience when they smoke marijuana.

Extent of Use

In 2004, 14.6 million Americans age 12 and older used marijuana at least
once in the month prior to being surveyed. About 6,000 people a day in
2004 used marijuana for the first time—2.1 million Americans. Of these,
63.8 percent were under age 181. In the last half of 2003, marijuana was
the third most commonly abused drug mentioned in drug-related hospital
emergency department (ED) visits in the continental United States, at
12.6 percent, following cocaine (20 percent) and alcohol (48.7
percent)2.

Prevalence of lifetime,* annual, and use within the last 30 days for
marijuana remained stable among 10th- and 12th-graders surveyed between
2003 and 2004. However, 8th-graders reported a significant decline in
30-day use and a significant increase in perceived harmfulness of
smoking marijuana once or twice and regularly3. Trends in disapproval of
using marijuana once or twice and occasionally rose among 8th-graders as
well, and 10th-graders reported an increase in disapproval of occasional
and regular use for the same period3.


Percentage of 8th-Graders Who Have Used Marijuana:
Monitoring the Future Study, 2005

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Lifetime 16.7% 19.9% 23.1% 22.6% 22.2% 22.0%
Annual 13.0 15.8 18.3 17.7 16.9 16.5
30-day 7.8 9.1 11.3 10.2 9.7 9.7
Daily 0.7 0.8 1.5 1.1 1.1 1.4


2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Lifetime 20.3% 20.4% 19.2% 17.5% 16.3% 16.5%
Annual 15.6 15.4 14.6 12.8 11.8 12.2
30-day 9.1 9.2 8.3 7.5 6.4 6.6
Daily 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.0 0.8 1.0




Percentage of 10th-Graders Who Have Used Marijuana:
Monitoring the Future Study, 2005

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Lifetime 30.4% 34.1% 39.8% 42.3% 39.6% 40.9%
Annual 25.2 28.7 33.6 34.8 31.1 32.1
30-day 15.8 17.2 20.4 20.5 18.7 19.4
Daily 2.2 2.8 3.5 3.7 3.6 3.8


2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Lifetime 40.3% 40.1% 38.7% 36.4% 35.1% 34.1%
Annual 32.2 32.7 30.3 28.2 27.5 26.6
30-day 19.7 19.8 17.8 17.0 15.9 15.2
Daily 3.8 4.5 3.9 3.6 3.2 3.1




Percentage of 12th-Graders Who Have Used Marijuana
Monitoring the Future Study, 2005

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Lifetime 38.2% 41.7% 44.9% 49.6% 49.1% 49.7%
Annual 30.7 34.7 35.8 38.5 37.5 37.8
30-day 19.0 21.2 21.9 23.7 22.8 23.1
Daily 3.6 4.6 4.9 5.8 5.6 6.0


2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Lifetime 48.8% 49.0% 47.8% 46.1% 45.7% 44.8%
Annual 36.5 37.0 36.2 34.9 34.3 33.6
30-day 21.6 22.4 21.5 21.2 19.9 19.8
Daily 6.0 5.8 6.0 6.0 5.6 5.0


* "Lifetime" refers to use at least once during a respondent’s lifetime.
"Annual" refers to use at least once during the year preceding an
individual's response to the survey. "30-day" refers to use at least
once during the 30 days preceding an individual’s response to the
survey.



Effects on the Brain

Scientists have learned a great deal about how THC acts in the brain to
produce its many effects. When someone smokes marijuana, THC rapidly
passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical
to organs throughout the body, including the brain.

In the brain, THC connects to specific sites called cannabinoid
receptors on nerve cells and influences the activity of those cells.
Some brain areas have many cannabinoid receptors; others have few or
none. Many cannabinoid receptors are found in the parts of the brain
that influence pleasure, memory, thought, concentration, sensory and
time perception, and coordinated movement4.

The short-term effects of marijuana can include problems with memory and
learning; distorted perception; difficulty in thinking and problem
solving; loss of coordination; and increased heart rate. Research
findings for long-term marijuana abuse indicate some changes in the
brain similar to those seen after long-term abuse of other major drugs.
For example, cannabinoid (THC or synthetic forms of THC) withdrawal in
chronically exposed animals leads to an increase in the activation of
the stress-response system5 and changes in the activity of nerve cells
containing dopamine6. Dopamine neurons are involved in the regulation of
motivation and reward, and are directly or indirectly affected by all
drugs of abuse.


Effects on the Heart

One study has indicated that an abuser's risk of heart attack more than
quadruples in the first hour after smoking marijuana7. The researchers
suggest that such an effect might occur from marijuana's effects on
blood pressure and heart rate and reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of
blood.


Effects on the Lungs

A study of 450 individuals found that people who smoke marijuana
frequently but do not smoke tobacco have more health problems and miss
more days of work than nonsmokers8. Many of the extra sick days among
the marijuana smokers in the study were for respiratory illnesses.

Even infrequent abuse can cause burning and stinging of the mouth and
throat, often accompanied by a heavy cough. Someone who smokes marijuana
regularly may have many of the same respiratory problems that tobacco
smokers do, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent
acute chest illness, a heightened risk of lung infections, and a greater
tendency to obstructed airways9. Smoking marijuana possibly increases
the likelihood of developing cancer of the head or neck. A study
comparing 173 cancer patients and 176 healthy individuals produced
evidence that marijuana smoking doubled or tripled the risk of these
cancers10.

Marijuana abuse also has the potential to promote cancer of the lungs
and other parts of the respiratory tract because it contains irritants
and carcinogens9,11. In fact, marijuana smoke contains 50 to 70 percent
more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke12. It also
induces high levels of an enzyme that converts certain hydrocarbons into
their carcinogenic form—levels that may accelerate the changes that
ultimately produce malignant cells13. Marijuana users usually inhale
more deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers do, which
increases the lungs' exposure to carcinogenic smoke. These facts suggest
that, puff for puff, smoking marijuana may be more harmful to the lungs
than smoking tobacco.


Other Health Effects

Some of marijuana's adverse health effects may occur because THC impairs
the immune system's ability to fight disease. In laboratory experiments
that exposed animal and human cells to THC or other marijuana
ingredients, the normal disease-preventing reactions of many of the key
types of immune cells were inhibited14. In other studies, mice exposed
to THC or related substances were more likely than unexposed mice to
develop bacterial infections and tumors15,16.


Effects of Heavy Marijuana Use on Learning and Social Behavior

Research clearly demonstrates that marijuana has the potential to cause
problems in daily life or make a person's existing problems worse.
Depression17, anxiety17, and personality disturbances18 have been
associated with chronic marijuana use. Because marijuana compromises the
ability to learn and remember information, the more a person uses
marijuana the more he or she is likely to fall behind in accumulating
intellectual, job, or social skills. Moreover, research has shown that
marijuana’s adverse impact on memory and learning can last for days or
weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off19,20,25.

Students who smoke marijuana get lower grades and are less likely to
graduate from high school, compared with their nonsmoking
peers21,22,23,24. A study of 129 college students found that, among
those who smoked the drug at least 27 of the 30 days prior to being
surveyed, critical skills related to attention, memory, and learning
were significantly impaired, even after the students had not taken the
drug for at least 24 hours20. These "heavy" marijuana abusers had more
trouble sustaining and shifting their attention and in registering,
organizing, and using information than did the study participants who
had abused marijuana no more than 3 of the previous 30 days. As a
result, someone who smokes marijuana every day may be functioning at a
reduced intellectual level all of the time.

More recently, the same researchers showed that the ability of a group
of long-term heavy marijuana abusers to recall words from a list
remained impaired for a week after quitting, but returned to normal
within 4 weeks25. Thus, some cognitive abilities may be restored in
individuals who quit smoking marijuana, even after long-term heavy use.

Workers who smoke marijuana are more likely than their coworkers to have
problems on the job. Several studies associate workers' marijuana
smoking with increased absences, tardiness, accidents, workers'
compensation claims, and job turnover. A study among postal workers
found that employees who tested positive for marijuana on a
pre-employment urine drug test had 55 percent more industrial accidents,
85 percent more injuries, and a 75-percent increase in absenteeism
compared with those who tested negative for marijuana use26. In another
study, heavy marijuana abusers reported that the drug impaired several
important measures of life achievement including cognitive abilities,
career status, social life, and physical and mental health27.


Effects of Exposure During Pregnancy

Research has shown that some babies born to women who abused marijuana
during their pregnancies display altered responses to visual stimuli28,
increased tremulousness, and a high-pitched cry, which may indicate
neurological problems in development29. During the preschool years,
marijuana-exposed children have been observed to perform tasks involving
sustained attention and memory more poorly than nonexposed children
do30,31. In the school years, these children are more likely to exhibit
deficits in problem-solving skills, memory, and the ability to remain
attentive30.


Addictive Potential

Long-term marijuana abuse can lead to addiction for some people; that
is, they abuse the drug compulsively even though it interferes with
family, school, work, and recreational activities. Drug craving and
withdrawal symptoms can make it hard for long-term marijuana smokers to
stop abusing the drug. People trying to quit report irritability,
sleeplessness, and anxiety32. They also display increased aggression on
psychological tests, peaking approximately one week after the last use
of the drug33.


Genetic Vulnerability

Scientists have found that whether an individual has positive or
negative sensations after smoking marijuana can be influenced by
heredity. A 1997 study demonstrated that identical male twins were more
likely than nonidentical male twins to report similar responses to
marijuana abuse, indicating a genetic basis for their response to the
drug34. (Identical twins share all of their genes.)

It also was discovered that the twins' shared or family environment
before age 18 had no detectable influence on their response to
marijuana. Certain environmental factors, however, such as the
availability of marijuana, expectations about how the drug would affect
them, the influence of friends and social contacts, and other factors
that differentiate experiences of identical twins were found to have an
important effect.34


Treating Marijuana Problems

The latest treatment data indicate that, in 2002, marijuana was the
primary drug of abuse in about 15 percent (289,532) of all admissions to
treatment facilities in the United States. Marijuana admissions were
primarily male (75 percent), White (55 percent), and young (40 percent
were in the 15-–19 age range). Those in treatment for primary marijuana
abuse had begun use at an early age; 56 percent had abused it by age 14
and 92 percent had abused it by 1835.

One study of adult marijuana abusers found comparable benefits from a
14-session cognitive-behavioral group treatment and a 2-session
individual treatment that included motivational interviewing and advice
on ways to reduce marijuana use. Participants were mostly men in their
early thirties who had smoked marijuana daily for more than 10 years. By
increasing patients' awareness of what triggers their marijuana abuse,
both treatments sought to help patients devise avoidance strategies.
Abuse, dependence symptoms, and psychosocial problems decreased for at
least 1 year following both treatments; about 30 percent of the patients
were abstinent during the last 3-month followup period36.

Another study suggests that giving patients vouchers that they can
redeem for goods—such as movie passes, sporting equipment, or vocational
training—may further improve outcomes37.

Although no medications are currently available for treating marijuana
abuse, recent discoveries about the workings of the THC receptors have
raised the possibility of eventually developing a medication that will
block the intoxicating effects of THC. Such a medication might be used
to prevent relapse to marijuana abuse by lessening or eliminating its
appeal.


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

1 Results from the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National
Findings (Office of Applied Studies, NSDUH Series H–27, DHHS Publication
No. SMA 05–4061). Rockville, MD, 2004. NSDUH is an annual survey
conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration. Copies of the latest survey are available from the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 800-729-6686.

2 These data are from the annual Drug Abuse Warning Network, funded by
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, DHHS. The
survey provides information about emergency department visits that are
induced by or related to the use of an illicit drug or the nonmedical
use of a legal drug. The latest data are available at 800-729-6686 or
online at www.samhsa.gov.

3 These data are from the 2005 Monitoring the Future Survey, funded by
the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health,
DHHS, and conducted annually by the University of Michigan’s Institute
for Social Research. The survey has tracked 12th-graders’ illicit drug
use and related attitudes since 1975; in 1991, 8th- and 10th-graders
were added to the study. The latest data are online at
www.drugabuse.gov.

4 Herkenham M, Lynn A, Little MD, Johnson MR, et al. Cannabinoid
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5 Rodriguez de Fonseca F, et al. Activation of cortocotropin-releasing
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6 Diana M, Melis M, Muntoni AL, et al. Mesolimbic dopaminergic decline
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7 Mittleman MA, Lewis RA, Maclure M, et al. Triggering myocardial
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8 Polen MR, Sidney S, Tekawa IS, et al. Health care use by frequent
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9 Tashkin DP. Pulmonary complications of smoked substance abuse. West J
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10 Zhang ZF, Morgenstern H, Spitz MR, et al. Marijuana use and increased
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11 Sridhar KS, Raub WA, Weatherby, NL Jr., et al. Possible role of
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12 Hoffman D, Brunnemann KD, Gori GB, et al. On the carcinogenicity of
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13 Cohen S. Adverse effects of marijuana: Selected issues. Annals of the
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14 Adams IB, Martin BR: Cannabis: pharmacology and toxicology in animals
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15 Friedman H, Newton C, Klein TW. Microbial infections,
immunomodulation, and drugs of abuse. Clin Microbiol Rev 16(2):209–219,
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16 Zhu LX, Sharma M, Stolina S, et al. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
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cytokine-dependent pathway. J Immunology 165(1):373–380, 2000.

17 Brook JS, Rosen Z, Brook DW. The effect of early marijuana use on
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18 Brook JS, Cohen P, Brook DW. Longitudinal study of co-occurring
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19 Pope HG, Yurgelun-Todd D. The residual cognitive effects of heavy
marijuana use in college students. JAMA 275(7):521–527, 1996.

20 Block RI, Ghoneim MM. Effects of chronic marijuana use on human
cognition. Psychopharmacology 100(1–2):219–228, 1993.

21 Lynskey M, Hall W. The effects of adolescent cannabis use on
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22 Kandel DB, Davies M. High school students who use crack and other
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23 Rob M, Reynolds I, Finlayson PF. Adolescent marijuana use: Risk
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24 Brook JS, Balka EB, Whiteman M. The risks for late adolescence of
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25 Pope HG, Gruber AJ, Hudson JI, et al. Neuropsychological performance
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26 Zwerling C, Ryan J, Orav EJ. The efficacy of pre-employment drug
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JAMA 264(20):2639–2643, 1990.

27 Gruber AJ, Pope HG, Hudson JI, et al. Attributes of long-term heavy
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29 Lester BM, Dreher M. Effects of marijuana use during pregnancy on
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35 These data from the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) 2003: Substance
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Mental Health Services Administration, DHHS. The latest data are
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37 Budney AJ, Higgins ST, Radonovich KJ, et al. Adding voucher-based
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you can say all you want and research all you want
but I treat THC addiction and is not pretty,
is hard to see how a 18 y/o forgets the last sentence he said
and doesn't remember his own tell. number
is okay with you because you think your okay, but your not
that is one side effect of Cannabis, makes you believe your right
when your not!! is an ilucion , so keep posting everything addicts to
cannabis posted to get it legalized, it doesn't change a thing
about those affected by it!!

Gawd Michael if ya all only really knew how much I talk shssssssssssss I
would be told to stay in my corner all the time lol. lmao

But when we talk of one type of drug and you give them a legal drug to
get them off of that drug are we still not screwing with the brain cells
or the heart, liver , kidney or what ever so even the legal drugs can
and has done more damage than pot and yes that is a proven fact. There
are more people dying everyday on legal drugs then there is on pot alone
soooooo I'm not saying Pot is good for you but neither are the other
drugs I have seen so many go to the doctor for depression meds and have
several of them taking them all together my ex-mother inlaw almost died
on legal drugs that was for her blood pressure and heart normal problems
but the same doctor had her on drugs that was not suppose to be taken
with each other at any time we were lucky and caught it that was 15
years ago and she is still with us differnt doctor but.... just because
a doctor puts you on a drug there is still a down side to that drug too
whether it is legal or illegal.

jeanc you have issues I for one never insulted you and I did say if that
was the question you were asking, ok? That survey that I posted does
answer the question though if you read it. It is saying that smoking
does show that it can prevent the build up that causes alzheimers, so
yes there is a health benefit. I don't and can't condone the use of it
illegally. Abuse of ANY drug is a bad thing, whether it's over the
counter, prescription or illegal drugs.

you got that right Fed!!

Any drug abuse has it's consequences

JEAN...
chill out...
CrazyJ is a member here,and that was his work...

I was not insulting you,nor anybody else...

are you just paranoid?

if y'all don't like it so much...

then why do you continue to comment on this thread?

you asked for facts,and you have them...
deny it or not,agree or not,up to that person...

I do not give it to minors,nor do I condone it's use...

but I don't condem those who wish to consume it...

as with each of us,we all have the ability to say one word...


NO...

wow micheal, too m uch to read on my week off from work
any way, if you like it....make it real

Well, thanks for the clarification.

"you asked for facts,and you have them...
deny it or not,agree or not,up to that person..."

No, those are not "facts"; that's propaganda.

It only stands to reason, only makes common SENSE, that anything you
ingest into your lungs in smoke form like that is going to be harmful.
And it sure isn't going to be beneficial.

Again, I don't care if someone wants to get high. But if you're going to
advocate its use, simply state that's why you want to use it -- to get
high. Don't start arguing for its beneficial properties that are either
a) completely unfounded or b) even when they are (such as for medicinal
use) that that has anything whatsoever to do, in the long run, with why
you use it. Unless, of course, you somehow believe that smoking pot will
PREVENT cancer or other ailments. I haven't seen anyone go so far as to
state that, however.

Like they're stating, "I think I should be able to smoke pot because it
helps alleviate cancer symptoms."

Ummm....okayyyyy...

Unless it helps alleviate YOUR cancer symptoms, I don't see this as an
effective argument for the recreational use of smoking pot.

I have yet to see one person here simply admit, "I like smoking pot and
I think it should be legal because I like the feeling of being fkd up."

It's not that difficult to do, you know, admit you like getting high.
(Meaning the generic "you" of course, and applies to those who do smoke,
who do like getting high).

I used to love getting high...well, not so much getting high, but I used
to love getting drunk. I never once stated the reason I did was because
it was beneficial to my health and I sure didn't state it was because it
was beneficial to someone else's.

this only proves the point that you dont really read my words...

"It only stands to reason, only makes common SENSE, that anything you
ingest into your lungs in smoke form like that is going to be harmful.
And it sure isn't going to be beneficial."

I SAID...

you do not have to SMOKE IT TO ENJOY IT...









to quote Tommy Chong...



yer harshing my buzz maaaaaaaan

"this only proves the point that you dont really read my words...

Well, to be honest with you, I simply don't have time to read all of
them. But I wasn't addressing you, specifically. I was addressing you,
in part, and others, in part.

"It only stands to reason, only makes common SENSE, that anything you
ingest into your lungs in smoke form like that is going to be harmful.
And it sure isn't going to be beneficial."

I SAID...

you do not have to SMOKE IT TO ENJOY IT..."

No, I suppose you can also dry it out and use it for lagers in
hopscotch.

But seriously...okay, so you're talking about eating it, I presume. That
may lessen the chances of lung-related disorders but the toxins still
get into your bloodstream and can have adverse effects just the same.

Well when it comes down to it even Sweet N Low has reactions if taken in
high dosage so no matter what we eat drink smoke or how ever you decided
to ingest it, it is harmful to much of anything is harmful to our bodies
so do what makes you happy as long as your actions do not hurt another
in the process then just be happy with the way you live your life and
just be who ever you are just be real and honest with someone else when
your looking for a partner give them the choice either to accept you for
you or move on.

It's like with TV. If you don't like it, change the channel.
If you disagree with the herb, so be it. Just don't bag on those who
happen to NEED it for a condition they might have.
It's really not up to anyone to decide that it's someone's choice to
use it. It helps so many people in so many ways.
Yes some will abuse it like alcohol or even prescription pills, but
the majority of users are those in serious pain or who need it to
stimulate their hunger.