Marijuana

[Oakleaf51]

What are your views on marijuana usage? Do you find it acceptable? Do you use it yourself?
What do you think of it compared to alcohol and its associated problems? What about punishments for use and possession, and effects on our kids?

[Goodsoulette]

Legend, I know people who have eaten chocolate biscuits for 20 years, does that mean they are hooked. I just watched a programme aimed at school children about drugs. It was very informative, it made the case that everyone makes a choice at siome point in their life to take drugs or not and the keyu point was if you choose to, was to take them occasionally. The problems with drugs arent getting off your face, millions do that every weekend with alcohol, the problem becomes when you cant function without them.

[Goodsoulette]

It also reiterated that cannabis was not a fast track to taking heroin. It also made a good point that people often argue that cannabis is natural but most people are smoking skunk, which lets face it isnt all that natural. I would also like to add that I prefer squidge myself anyway.

[netibiza]

I think's it OK, far, far better than alcohol.

[Pippa68]

Yes that is true, Laurence..however alcohol is LEGAL. It may be illegal to drink and drive, but drinking alcohol is legal in itself.

Why can't the same apply to marijuana? of course it should be illegal to smoke pot while driving or under the influence. Just as it is with alcohol.

[Skreecheeboy]

Laurence all your points about train drivers are completely invalid. You're not allowed to drive a train under the influence of any type of substance including alcohol, so why single out weed? Get a life!
Legend, I agree that cannabis use is prevelant in people that have schizophrenia, but I would suggest that you might give the chicken and egg scenario some thought before blaming one for causing the other.
Goodsoulette, green is much more natural than squidgy! It's not genetically modified, it's bred to be better, they don't mess around with it on a molecular level, they just breed different varieties together to improve the quality, much like a doberman! Although squidgy is still bettter than your average dirt bar.

[Pippa68]

I would also like to add that my dad suffered from hallucinations, schizophrenia & paranoia whilst in the depths of alcoholism.

Marijuana has never had such an effect on him ~ and he can go for days without smoking a spliff. Whilst on booze he couldn't go a single hour without a hit.

[Skreecheeboy]

That's interesting Pippa, it just goes to show that what works for some, doesn't work for others and what doesn't work for some does work for others. It's ridiculous to have blanket bans on natural things that can be of immense benefit to some while they happily endorse and tax other things that don't work for people. Mad eh!

[Goodsoulette]

Skreech, do you know all the crap they spray on skunk these days. Its grown in a modified way, if I can buy totally naturally weed then brilliant but mostly its not.

[ALLO5775]

i have no problem with weed. i smoked for years. a couple bong hits and i slept like a baby. it don't bother me to see others smoke it. to be honest, i'd rather my kids smoke dope, than drink. (i hope they don't do anything) but weed i think is better than goin out getting drunk.

i didn't read all the posts, jusy the first page.

and if weed was soooo bad why do they give it to cancer patients????????????

[Skreecheeboy]

None of the set ups I've ever seen got sprayed with anything more potent than baby bio. It's not much different from what gets sprayed on our food, yes organic is better but if you're on a low income you haven't really much choice.Magic mushrooms grow on cow dung but you still eat them eh?

[The Sherman]

a lot have you have said you have only read first page not blowing my own trumpet but please look for an earlier post from me abou the different dangers of all drugs legal and illegal it makes for interesting viewing.!!!! its a loink to the bbc site

[MangoPete]

modern strains of bud are very dangerous. The crap that is put into resin such as old engine oil and plastic are unknown toxins and can be leathal.
Bud can also be dusted with other stuff!!!

I smoked it twenty yrs ago no prob, my oldest son smoked it 6 yrs ago no problem.
My second son smoked it 2 yrs ago first time at college .
He ended up cutting himslef up and hearing voices screaming to kill people, went to mental hospital and has been on anti psychotic drugs ever since it has totally F upped his life and mine. My older sons friend lost three years to smoking it. It is now very dangerous

My second son did not have a tendancy to any formof mental illness. It was we beleive the toxins in the spliff he shared at college. It is scarey .
It has changed be very careful, stick to chocolate

[mkjuk]

Smoking Marijuana mixed with tobacco in a spliff is obviously very harmful to the lungs - one spliff being much more so than a single cigarette. furthermore weed smokers who never smoked cigarettes can easily become addicted to tobacco as a consequence of taking up smoking Marijuana.

Repeated use of Marijuana alters the chemistry of the brain in the short term and may even alter the structure of the brain forever in an irreversable way.

repeated use increases the likelihood of the user experiencing mild delusions while high particularly paranoia which can to some degree remain with the user when they are no longer high. succeptable individuals may be more likely to go on to develop schizophrenia or other mental health problems than they would have been withought ever smoking Marijuana . Memory impairment is another symptom of repeated use

Smoking Marjuana pure by means of a bong or similar can reduce the harmful effects of tobacco but is likely to magnify the effects of the Marijuana itself.

taking Marijuana in combination with other drugs such as ecstacy / acid / mushrooms is also likely to exacerbate these effects

Becoming a cannabis user does usually in my experience lower peoples resistance towards trying other drugs such as E, coke etc as well as bringing them into contact with people who can supply such drugs (the same dealers)

While Marijuana is not physically addictive it can be psychologically addictive and dependancy can easily develop. should that happen lack of motivation in life can be a consequence.

like other psycoactive drugs, benefits of Marijuana lie in the insights that can be gleaned from an altered state of perception. a different kind of deeper, clearer and more directed thought can be achieved which can create permanent changes in the way a person thinks and the attitudes that they develop (continues)..........

[mkjuk]

(continued).........Tolerance to the euphoric and relaxing "high" of smoking Marijuana is very quickly developed but can quickly fall off again if a user stops smoking for a period of a few weeks.

Like all drugs Marijuana should be treated with respect and users should perhaps limit use to situations whereby they feel comfortable smoking the drug and be careful not to develop a dependancy.

The question of legalisation depends on one's attitudes towards the rights of the individual in society but one thing is for certain - It is illegal now and yet it has been incredibly easy for anyone of my generation (I'm 27) to get hold of for at least the last 10 years.

Are weed smokers all criminals?? Is prosecuting them a good use of an overstretched police force??

In my opinion it is impossible to compare alcohol and Marijuana in terms of "which is better or worse" as the drugs are so very different. Both have beneficial and enjoyable effects when used correctly and in moderation and yet both have related risks and dangers particularly when used to binge upon

[joro]

i have very close friends who use the drug everyday who smoke it just like a normal cig smoker would and just as a normal smoker without it they are irritable and moody.
it is very addictive although a smoker will always tell you its not.
it alters your personality dramtically almost like jeckle and hyde.
this is a very dangerous drug as long term use does affect your memory and the ability to hold a decent conversation!
also the drug is expensive not as much as others such as cocain and herroin, but smokers can easily spend �100 per week

any one who thinks the above info is wrong can only be an addicted smoker themselves

trust me the drug is addictive and dangerous i live with a user and it is hell!!