Cannabis - Evil Weed or Wonder Plant?
 

I wanted to post something about Cannabis mainly to see what peoples opinions are on it but also as a debating point of wether it is bad or good.
I was a bit unsure at first but since I feel pretty comfortable with people in this forum I though I'd give it a try.

As a Medicine
I have done a little research into Cannabis and found conflicting results. I have read about studies (sorry I cannot source them at the moment) where it could have potential for treating certain illnesses (cancer and ME for example). But the problem is some research shows that cannabis can exacerbate some mental health conditions (schizophrenia as an example). The thing is the chance of a bad reaction seems to be small in comparison to the potential benefits. I believe the health benefits may out weight the negatives, we just need further research into this area.

As a Recreational Substance
In regards to wether it is bad to use as a recreational substance I personally haven't got a problem using it. Research in the UK by the Government drugs council have rated cannabis less dangerous than smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. I look at is as something that relaxes and can stimulate your imagination, something that brings a little of the mystical into everyday life. That's probably why some native tribes and many other groups in the past have used it in a spiritual sense. It has even been used as a medicine to these kind of people. I understand that some people will not agree that you have to use anything to gain insight or relaxation, but this is why I think we should have the choice to do so or not instead of being criminalized and locked away fro something that does no harm to others and very little to yourself in general.

I'm going to leave it at that as I'm not the best at debating but thought I'd give it a try. Hopefully other can add to this and maybe enlighten myself and other regarding this subject. I can understand that some people simply do not want anything to do with it and that's fine, each to their own.

:D

Yeah it brings out some inspiration indeed, but I found that in my case, smoking too much makes me not experience the thing as before, it gets kinda washed out and I think there is something else to be considered - you get drunk, next day alcohol probably won't be as appealing, but I can smoke weed all day all week and never get in the "enough" state. But that's just my experience.
I don't think it's more 'dangerous' or 'bad' than alcohol, but it gets sometimes kinda unpredictable given the amount of % THC in the weed these days.

/waiting for someone to chime in, "hey dude that is so not true, in my experience..." :D

Cannabis also can also be woven making a good natural fabric. However, as any other tool, the use we make from the plant will determine whether it's bad or good.

Smoking cannabis nowadays wouldn't have any "religious" or "spiritual" uses; it will probably become something just for entertainment that can easily be used in excess. And it can be less dangerous, but it's quite much more addictive than cigarettes. And that leads to schizophrenia, amnesia,...

Any drug is addictive. But cannabis is extremely dangerous because it is very addictive, and the little harm it may produce is increased by the number of times you smoke it.

Well I don't think it's physically addictive, I've been smoking for years daily and when I got bored of it, I just quit and was ok. My friend started smoking cigarettes in about the same time I started to smoke cannabis, and when I quit, he was trying to quit. ;)

Don't care which it is, all I know is that it's good shiit.

Psychodelics are how we make tsaheylu on Earth. Natural psychodelics like marijuana and ayahuasca are how we get in touch with our spiritual sides, and reach levels of enlightenment that our egos prevent us from reaching when we are in our average, sober states. Criminalizing things like this is just another way that humanity has disconnected itself from nature.

These things have been natural medicines for thousands of years (ayahuasca has even been called "the medicine"). The only reason they're illegal is because they don't follow white man's laws.

I don't like any drugs, I even try to avoid medication as much as I can. No aspirin when I got a headache, for example; I try to eat something sweet instead so my brain has enough glucose to work with.

I just want to be OK without being dependent of pills or plants or anything. So even if it's just a recreational harmless substance, I'd rather have fun in other ways.

But that's me, I'm a weirdo. :P

I'm more ambivalent toward it. I know that it can cause problems but so can nicotine and alcohol. I think that the total restriction of it might not be the best solution since there are practical and medicinal uses for it. I think it should be used as medicine and the hemp should be used for clothing, rope, etc. Its a natural substance and like with everything else should be treated with some care and respect. Alcohol is abused all the time yet it isn't wrong to drink it. I think that here in the US we over react to stuff to much. We tried prohibition before and that just led to other problems.

I think one of the dangers is that some of these narcotic drugs are not in their pure form. Other stuff is added to it making it very dangerous. I'm not sure if this is the case with cannabis or not though.

I'm just curious. What exactly Cannabis does? Used properly and in excess.

If it's so harmless as you say I cannot honestly understand why its use is banned.

It's banned because during the prohibition people still needed a way to get their buzz, so they started smoking weed. I don't remember exactly, but I believe Mexicans kept coming into the US during that time to sell their goods, and the government didn't want em, so they put out these ridiculous campaigns against marijuana saying it makes you go insane etc..

rapunzel77: yeah I never attempted to grow any, but it's my understanding that most of the stuff nowadays is grown under strong UV lights and lost of chemicals in the soil, so it has a lot more THC per gram than it would ever have grown the 'natural way'.

ZenitYerkes: it slows you down man :D

Wait, it might be less harming than tobacco or alcohol, but that doesn't mean it's not harmful at all. I've done some research myself, it seems it produces chronic brain diseases in the long term.

But there is so much propaganda from both sides I cannot see what it actually does -unless I experience it myself. Is there anyone neutral here?

Seriously, I'm sure you know someone who smokes, just smoke a joint with them and you'll know, I'm sure they'll be obliging.

Long term it has never been proven to cause permanent damage aside from minor lung damage(no smoke is good for yah), and that's only if people smoke a LOT of it.

my uncle is a heavy smoker for 30 years lol, I don't think he has any brain damage xD

No. Really. Even candies produce caries.

What's sure is that to make you feel better, cannabis affects your brain connections in some way. Now I wonder if it does make you feel better with no consequences, or if it rather damages the brain.

Ah, and this is what I mean with contradictory information: Pro-Cannabis and Anti-Cannabis sides.

From my observation and study on the topic, I don't find cannabis to be bad enough to warrant the current laws against it. It is not addictive the way cigarettes are addictive (people may develop psychological addictions to cannabis, as they may to other substances like caffeine) and you don't have the danger of overdosing that you have with excess alcohol consumption.

I say legalize it and regulate its use as we do with cigarettes and alcohol. This would also add the benefit of largely eliminating the black market that accompanies the current legal state of cannabis.

I recall hearing somewhere that it acts like that because it does something with either blood pressure or amount of oxygen in the blood or both. If you ever tried breathing very deeply as if you just sprinted 100 m, but without any physical activity, you might get a bit 'high'. :glol:

But what I mean is that Cannabis, in spite of being less harmful than tobacco or alcohol, is not completely harmless.

Now, on the what it exactly does, I've got no idea. I'd like to have a neutral view on this, but unfortunately you've seen both sides seem to "dramatize" the effects the plant has when smoked.

But "brain cancer is a side effect of Cannabis", they're not saying that just because.

Cannabis - Evil Weed or Wonder Plant?
 

The thing is I don't think brain cancer is particularly common, yet lots more people than you think partake in taking it.

In states such as California, the state will not prosecute marijuana use that does not violate state law; however, to my knowledge, the use of marijuana is still a federal offense and you can be prosecuted under federal law.

It's great, and really, far less dangerous than legal substances. There's no reason to keep it illegal, ironically governments actually ignore a large source of potential income by doing so compared to the money they could make if it was legal, regulated and taxed, which would result in lower prices, guaranteed supply and quality, and better availability. The only people who would lose out are the people who currently profit off production and sales, who could easily perform it legally if they wanted to if it was legalised.

I'd love to see all behaviour altering substances (plus tobacco) made illegal. There's something very wrong about all of it.

Cannabis - Evil Weed or Wonder Plant?
 

Most people mix cannabis with tobacco and I'm sure that would create more lung problems than if you just smoked Cannabis by itself..Unfortunately many find it to be too strong by itself. I think that Cannabis is in comparison safer than tobacco and not nearly as addictive..You never see programs designed to wean people off Cannabis..

*giggles* Andi ;)

So have the best of us Andi...It sounds better than recreational use anyway..

I completely understand Andi.
However if you wanted you can do all that without using substances..but it would take a lot of effort and time..

It's good to see that most people here aren't too biased with regards of cannabis. It's hard to get any correct information as lots of it is part of the propaganda machine.

Here's a quote from a website stating scientific facts about cannabis (scientificfactsofpot.com) -

"In the stoner stereotype, pot smokers and dying brain cells go hand in hand. However, new research suggests the situation may be more uplifting than that. A drug that functions as concentrated marijuana does spur neurogenesis, the process by which the brain gives birth to new nerve cells. This very process is also responsible for aleviating anxiety and depression."

"The current debate over medical marijuana hinges on its use as pain medication. But an extract of the plant could one day form the basis of cancer treatments. New findings indicate that Cannabis extracts can shrink brain tumors by blocking the growth of blood vessels that nourish them"

"Although we prefer to vaporize marijuana to get a cleaner hit as well as for the conservation of pot, some people enjoy smoking it out of pipes or rolling joints. 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."

All these statements link to websites of reputable status, so they are not blindly making comments. Hope everyone doesn't mind all the quotes above!

nice info, thanks! I might even get a vaporizer :glol:

As far as I stand, I have never smoked it and never will. I just don't feel the need personally. However, I do not have a problem with other people smoking it, even when i'm in the room (as has happened on a few occasions).

I think the main problem is, as many have said, it used to be a reserved and spiritual experience, however as more people begin to use it recreationally, it completely loses that sense of spirituality that it once had. It now only becomes a tool to forget your problems, it becomes an easy way out for a short amount of time instead of being for connecting to your inner soul. It seems to have lost it's importance and significance and as such is seen as a dirty habit instead of an 'experience'.

I really don't believe it does you any good, just like smoking or drinking heavily don't either, but if someone wants to do damage to themselves, they can be my guest. :)

(I'm no saint myself, i'm just saying I really don't mind what other people do (To an extent))

I have a vaporizer but don't use it that often. It's hard to tell how much your taking in as you just need the tiniest amount. Also, because it's so easy to breathe the vapour, you don't realise how much you have inhaled and you get uber stoned. Suppose I need more practice with it...

I also have bought some mixing herb minus the tobacco/nicotine when I do have a joint instead of the vapouriser which is pretty sweet.

Some more interesting quotes supporting legalisation of cannabis (from Sky News Website)

The Beckley Foundation's Global Cannabis Commission document said the cannabis ban had backfired and called for a "serious rethink" of drugs policy.

The ban has had little or no impact on supply and has turned users into criminals, it said.

"Although cannabis can have a negative impact on health, including mental health, in terms of relative harms, it is considerably less harmful than alcohol or tobacco," the report claimed.

i've only ever had a few puffs but the last time i did i was walking to a set of stairs and everything turned green for about 5 seconds and i could feel myself falling towards the ground, but before i did everything returned to normal. I still havn't got the full expirience of it yet and i'm not eager. But if someone happens to have some then i wouldn't mind taking another hit.

As for medical uses it seems to cure alot of muscle pains and i've also talked to people back in highschool who regularly smoked it. they said it's not addictive like cigarettes. oh well, if you enjoy it then smoke it. if not then don't smoke it

BTW dont smoke TOOO much or you run the risk of kidney cysts. I saw one preserved at the UNSW medical museum/exhibit and it was (no shiit) the size of a textbook. nasty

http://images.picturesdepot.com/phot...cyst-18727.jpg

http://www.health.act.gov.au/gfx/pubs/1529736643_r0.jpg

Very good point Fkeu'itan. This is also true of other drugs and mushrooms that have been used for specific religious ceremonies and have fallen into recreational use. The other problem is that whereas in the religious use, the drug is mostly used in its natural form or as a tea but the recreational ones are not in their natural state. I am thinking in particular, cocaine or heroin. These drugs have been altered to increase potency. So, a drug that in its natural state might give you a buzz while participating in a religious ceremony then used for recreational use with increased potency has the potential to cause very serious harm.

ehh, thanks for the pictures :S and it's true weed can get a bit tricky sometimes, when I was smoking skunk for the first time, it was wild :D at first we didn't feel how strong it was so we had this massive joint all beginning to laugh like "hahaha man, what you're lookin at... no what you're lookin at..." :glol: 5 minutes later I felt like I couldn't change direction when walking and had the most insane "framerate drop", I was literally seeing everything in still pictures ranging in 1-2 per second. :D :D 10 minutes later I felt like everything I see is a dream, it was like flying through reality. :D It was the biggest blast I ever had from smoking pot lol.
Anyway if you're gonna smoke pot, make sure you already ate something that day. ;)

Has anyone had closed eyed visuals when smoking weed? I have and it is mental, just so many thoughts and pictures flashing in front of your closed eyes. One of the best things I have experienced was SEEING SOUND. I was laid in my room listening to a band called Astra (great when stoned) with the lights off on my own with candles lit and I closed my eyes and actually SAW the music. It was like watching an EQ and every note was symbolised in a colourful movement. Pretty monumental stuff :)