15 Things You Should Know About Marijuana

[xXSebaSXx]

I vaguely remember back in 1990 when I was serving in my country's army... we got a small pocket bible as part of our gear. I served 12 months and when I got out that bible was down to about 10 pages left. Getting rolling papers while patrolling the mountains of Colombia was just about impossible, so we used to roll the joints up on bible pages. I did read each page before burning up though... very spiritual experiences, but then the shooting would start and then it stopped being fun.
I can say that I smoked my "life-time" supply of herb in those 12 months and it never led me to any harder drugs, mind you I had access to all the coke you could ever want as we were mostly busting down cooking labs hidden in the mountains. Never touched the stuff while I was in Colombia and could have gotten it for free... I had to come to the US to try that stuff. Same with X and LSD... Never touched them until I got to the US, and it was never something like "I'm high on weed, I gotta get higher on something else"... It was the other way around, I'd get ripped on LSD and some times smoke up just to smooth the edges a little bit.

[supermonk]

Only a an idiot will consider any drugs to be 'cool'. As always, the saddest thing about all this is the denial by the users who can 'take it or leave it'.

My two cents.

[Pheonixx]

Slow down there Monk! Nobody said anything about drugs being cool. For the record IMHO they ain't. Last few posts were just a bit of fun mockery at that culture.

Pot lost all appeal for me @ 17- I benefitted for older sibling's stupidity- I stopped drinking just to puke before I was 20 too. As for coke, I occasionally did that til I was 30, and simply because lol I had some really good conversations with friends on occasion, but being cool never entered into it.

Fact is, in Western culture, the abuse stems from those who can't cope with life and seek to retreat from it's pain, or others who get fooled by needing a crutch for their daily stress, which becomes a habit, which becomes, eventually, a problem. Almost anything can qualify there too, from pot and other drugs, right up to sex and porn. Controlled or not, there will always be those who abuse themselves with anything. In our society, I am not thrilled any prospects of controls being lifted. The body count is just too high as it is.

Cool no.

[Darko_Lionking]

Here in Germany, when you smoke Dope, is Legal. But when you buy or sellt it, you get Lock Down !! LOL !! Laws here are so Stupid !!

[TheBare]

Marijuana is indeed dangerous. I hope you all stop this fuckin shit here.

Quote:
There are scores of scientific studies that prove that marijuana is a harmful and
addictive drug. New research now links marijuana use to:


Marijuana is the gateway drug for harder drugs: more than 60% of marijuana users progress to harder drugs (while the odds for non-users are 98 to 1);

The Gateway Effect
Marijuana use has not been found to act as a gateway drug to the use of harder drugs. Studies show that when the Dutch partially legalized marijuana in the 70's, heroin and cocaine use substantially declined, despite a slight increase in marijuana use.
If the stepping stone theory were true, use should have gone up rather than down. In reality, it appears that marijuana use tends to substitute for the use of relatively more dangerous hard drugs like cocaine and heroin, rather than lead to their use.
Thus, oftentimes strict marijuana laws themselves are the most significant factor involved in moving on to harder drugs like cocaine. Such is the case in Nevada and Arizona, the states toughest on marijuana use.

Fetal Drug Affects
Reproductive Damage
No trustworthy study has ever shown that marijuana use damages the reproductive system, or causes chromosome breakage. Studies of actual human populations have failed to demonstrate that marijuana adversely affects the reproductive system. Claims that marijuana use may impair hormone production, menstrual cycles, or fertility in females are both unproven and unfounded.
* I myself smoked during conception and pregnancy though my spouse did not
[Both kids have an IQ over 115]
* As with anything what you put into your body while pregnant will affect the fetus .. including drinking too much WATER

Hormones
Chronic marijuana use has not been found to alter testosterone or other sex hormone levels. In contrast, heavy alcohol use is known to lower these same testosterone levels.

Cancer
Smoking marijuana has the potential to cause both bronchitis and cancer of the lungs, throat, and neck, but this is generally no different than inhaling any other burnt carbon-containing matter since they all increase the number of lesions (and therefore possible infections) in your airways.
# Because smoked marijuana contains a variety of combustion compounds, it can damage the lungs and possibly the immune system. Several health committees recommended the development of an inhalation device that delivers pure THC -- the active ingredient in marijuana [You will notice though in countries such as India where they smoke PURE tobacco their incidence of cancer due to smoking is far lower than in other countries .. Read the additives that ciggy manufacturers put in commercial cigarettes
[far more harmful than raw tobacco]
*That being said
Concern over marijuana’s impact on respiratory health is easily remedied. There are no links between marijuana use and lung cancer or emphysema. The associations between smoked marijuana and symptoms like coughing and wheezing can be remedied with the vaporizer. The vaporizer heats the plant so that active ingredients boil off into a fine mist but the plant itself never ignites. The mist contains no tars or noxious gases, making respiratory complications a thing of the past.
There is a lot of unfounded rhetoric that states smoking pot can cause lung cancer because your inhaling smoke, like cigarettes. This simply isn’t true. Cigarette smoke causes cancer because the tobacco is radiated whereas marijuana isn’t. In fact, the American Association for Cancer Research has found the marijuana actually works to slow down tumor growth in the lungs, breasts, and brain considerably.

The Amotivation Syndrome

* Perhaps a bad example but check out the # of posts I've made and the amount of work I've put into them Then call me UNMOTIVATED

Mood Changes
*Happy camper when I don't
*Happy camper when I do

Depression
* LOL That's me alright

Fatigue
*Only from lack of sleep due to participating on these damn forums

Memory problems
*What was the question again??? [Believe me that has more to do with my age than anything else]

Hypersensitivity to Criticism
*You gotta stop smokin that shit Nono

Underachievement
12 years of University 3 degrees

Confusion or mental impairment
I'll have to admit it has made me a vegetable as I cannot even make myself understood by most people and cannot form a clear thought if my life depended on it ... NOT

Deteriorating Academic Performance
*SEE Underachievement

- Outbursts of Anger
* Just when my friends really piss me off .. usually lasts about 32-48 seconds

- Panic Attacks
* Only slight but cannot find anything that strong lately

- Hostility with lack of Insight/Remorse
*Hopefully this reply would not fall under this heading .. Give me a few beer and call me an asshole I'll rip your f'king head off [I don't drink anymore]

- Driving While Impaired
*That's just stupid .. But with MJ little damage can be done when you are driving at 20 kms per hour LOL

- Accidents
Only when someone hits you from behind 'cause you're driving 20KM per hour

- Tolerance and Physical Addiction
There are no substances within cannabis that have physically addicting properties, however a heavy long-term user of cannabis may be described as psychologically addicted, and may also receive slight withdrawal symptoms if the cannabis was removed.
* Just between you and I ,being a product of the 60s and a "Rockin Rolly" most of my life i have tried likely everything at one time or another ..No problems with quitting any of it .. Except for the most LEGAL one .. I am severely addicted to NICOTINE
As for MJ take it or leave it for weeks on end with no apparent change in my physical or mental state [even though at one time I would have labelled myself as Chronic .. that was a choice not a physical or physiological need]

I went to medical university, and we were told the same things.

I must have been back in the '50s Nono
Go back to school .. maybe things there have changed as well
A short??? refresher A few NEW Doctors findings

So there you have it. For additional information on the benefits of marijuana, I highly recommend the book The Benefits of Marijuana : Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual by Joan Bello.

ADD/ADHD

- Attention-deficit disorder
- Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
- The co-existence of attention problems and hyperactivity

Symptoms
- Excessive inattentiveness
- Impulsiveness
- Hyperactivity (constant moving and squirming)
- Constant feeling of agitation and restlessness
- Extreme procrastination and disorganization
- Impulsive behavior

Benefits
- Has a calming effect
- Improves ability to concentrate in some cases of ADD
Top

AIDS

- Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
- A chronic, life threatening condition caused by HIV

Symptoms
- Severe pain
- Anorexia/Weight loss
- Cachexia
- Severe nausea

Benefits
- Reduces neuropathic pain/muscle spasms
- Improves appetite and sleep patterns
- Reduces nausea/vomiting
- Reduces stress
Top

Anorexia

- A psychological eating disorder
- Denial of seriously low weight
- Distorted body image with obsessive fear of gaining weight
- Known to control weight through voluntary starvation, excessive exercise, or other weight control measures. (Diet pills or diuretic drugs)

Symptoms
- Weight loss from restricting food or purging it
- Amenorrhea (interruption of the menstrual cycle for at least 3 consecutive cycles)
- Bone loss
- Extra sensitivity to cold
- Bloated stomach after eating
- Fine hair grows on skin for warmth
- Yellowed skin
- Thinning hair

Benefits
- Increases appetite
- Improves overall mood
Top

Arthritis

- A disease of the joints that is usually accompanied by inflammation, pain, stiffness, swelling, and sometimes may lead to deformation of the joint structure

Symptoms
- Dry scalp with dandruff
- Dry skin which shows whitish spots in different part of the body - Ear has no ear wax
- Fingernails that appear brittle or splitting
- Ringing in ears
- Stretch mark which appears after losing weight
- Rectum itching
- Nose constantly itching
- Teeth have etch lines
- Varicose veins in legs
- Being Sterile

Benefits
- Helps with pain and inflammation
- Acts as sleeping aid by reducing pain and increasing quality of sleep
Top

Asthma

- A predisposition to chronic inflammation of the lungs where the airways are reversibly narrowed

Symptoms
- Wheezing
- Chest tightness
- Coughing
- Feeling short of breath

Benefits
- Can help reduce symptoms by opening up bronchial tubes
Top

Auto Accidents

- Pain from a previous car accident

Symptoms
- Head and neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Damage to internal organs

Benefits
- Helps reduce pain
- Sleeping aid
Top

Alzheimer’s Disease

- Most common form of dementia
- Incurable, degenerative, and terminal disease

Symptoms
- Memory loss that disrupts daily life
- Challenges in planning or solving problems
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work, or at leisure
- Confusion with time or place
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
- New problems with words in speaking or writing
- Misplacing things and inability to retrace steps
- Changes in mood and personality

Benefits
- Can help prevent the formation of Alzheimer’s plaques in the brain
- Slows the degenerative process
Top

Brain Injury

- Brain damage, the destruction or degeneration of brain cells
- Acquired brain injury, damage to the brain acquired after birth
- Traumatic brain injury, Damage that occurs when an outside force injures the brain

Symptoms
- Excessive sleepiness
- Inattention
- Difficulty concentrating
- Impaired memory
- Faulty judgment
- Depression and irritability
- Emotional outbursts
- Migraine headaches

Benefits
- Decreases swelling
- Helps with pain
Top

Cancer

- A class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth
- Can sometimes spread to other locations on the body
- Can form tumors
- Caused by abnormalities

Symptoms
- Patient usually suffer no symptoms until they begin chemo/radiation therapy

Benefits
- Stops breast cancer from spreading
- Reduces tumors and kills cancer cells for brain cancer
- Reduces tumors and slows cancers growth for lung cancer
- See Chemotherapy/Radiation Therapy
Top

Chemotherapy

- Cancer treatment
- Among the most powerful and toxic chemicals used in medicine
- Kills healthy cells as well as cancer cells

Symptoms
- Severe nausea which can last for weeks
- Dry heaves which can last for hours sometimes days
- Can rupture esophagus from excessive vomiting
- Severe fluid and weight loss due to lack of appetite/vomiting

Benefits
- Increases appetite
- Reduces pain
- Sleeping aid
- Helps with nausea
Top

Chronic Pain

- Not a condition or injury, but rather a frequent and intolerable symptom
- Pain that persists longer than the temporal course of natural healing, associated with a particular type of injury

Symptoms
- Pain that does not go away as expected after an illness or injury
- Pain that maybe described as shooting, burning, aching, or electrical
- Discomfort, soreness, tightness, or stiffness
- Fatigue and/or sleeplessness
- Withdrawal from activity and increased need to rest

Benefits
- Relieves pain
- Reduces swelling
Top

Chronic Nausea

- A constant sensation where there is a need to vomit
- Not a condition but a frequent and intolerable symptom from a condition

Symptoms
- A sick feeling that makes you want to vomit

Benefits
- Helps reduce nausea
- Increases appetite and helps keep food down
Top

Colitis

- One of a group of conditions which are inflammatory and auto immune, affecting the tissue that lines the gastrointestinal system

Symptoms
- Intense pain
- Tenderness in abdomen
- Depression
- Rapid weight loss
- Aches and pains within joints
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Changes in bowel movements

Benefits
- Reduces pain
- Increases appetite
Top

Crohn’s Disease

- An inflammatory disease in the intestines that may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from anus to mouth causing a wide variety of symptoms

Symptoms
- Persistent or recurring diarrhea
- Abdominal pain, tenderness, and/or swelling
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Rectal bleeding
- Stomach ulcers
- Weight loss
- Anemia
- Fatigue

Benefits
- Reduces pain
- Reduces nausea
- Increases appetite
- Reduced vomiting
- Sleeping aid thus decreasing fatigue
- Helps weight gain
- Fewer stools per day and fewer flare ups of less severity
Top

Epilepsy

- A chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures

Symptoms
- Convulsions
- Muscle spasms
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
- Strange sensations
- Strange emotions
- Strange behavior

Benefits
- Reduces seizures and muscle spasms
- Curbs symptoms
- Prevents loss of consciousness
Top

ESRD/dialysis patients

- End Stage Renal Disease
- Renal failure refers to temporary or permanent damage to the kidneys that results in loss of normal kidney function
- There are two different types of renal failure, acute renal failure and chronic renal failure
- Most patients use dialysis to treat ESRD

Symptoms (acute)
- Hemorrhage
- Fever
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Rash
- Diarrhea or bloody diarrhea
- Poor appetite
- Severe Vomiting
- Back pain
- Muscle cramps
- No urine output or high urine output
- Nosebleeds
- Inflammation of the eye

Symptoms (chronic)
- Poor appetite
- Vomiting
- Bone pain
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Itching
- Dry skin
- Malaise
- Fatigue with light activity
- Muscle cramps
- High urine output or low urine output
- Tissue swelling
- Irritability
Top

Side effects from Dialysis
- Hernias
- Loss of appetite
- Bloating and weight gain
- Muscle cramps
- Low blood pressure

Benefits
- Increased appetite
- Sleeping aid
- Reduced swelling
- Reduced fatigue
Top

Fibromyalgia

- A medically unexplained syndrome characterized by chronic widespread pain and heightened and painful response to pressure

Symptoms
- Extreme and widespread pain
- Chronic Head aches
- Jaw pain
- Fatigue
- Sleep disturbance
- Joint stiffness
- Difficulty swallowing
- Bowl and bladder abnormalities
- Numbness and tingling

Benefits
- Sleeping aid
- Reduces Fatigue
- Reduces pain
Top

Glaucoma

- A disorder usually associated with ocular hypertension (excess pressure within the eye)

Symptoms
- Gradual vision deterioration
- Peripheral vision deterioration
- Dim peripheral vision
- Tunnel vision
- Blurred vision
- Foggy vision
- Sensitivity to light
- Difficulty adjusting to brightness
- Halos around bright lights
- Mild eye pain
- Nausea
- Headaches

Benefits
- Can protect the nerves from damage
- Decreases the elevated IOP of patients
- Reduces nausea
- Helps patients see more clearly
- Reduces pressure in eye
Top

HIV

- Human Immunodeficiency Virus
- Damages immune system
- Interferes with your body’s ability to fight off viruses
- Makes you more susceptible to certain types of cancers and infections

Symptoms (Early)
- Fever
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Swollen lymph glands
- Rash

Symptoms (Late)
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Fever
- Cough and shortness of breath

Benefits
- Increases appetite
- Reduces pain
- Sleeping aid
- Helps with nausea
Top

Head Injury

- Refers to trauma to the head

Symptoms
- Blurred vision
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Head aches

Benefits
- Reduces pain
Top

Hypertension

- A chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure is elevated, also known as high blood pressure
- A leading cause of Chronic Renal Failure

Symptoms
- Headaches
- Morning headaches
- Ringing in ears
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Convulsion
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Chest pains

Benefits
- Can normalize blood pressure
- Sleeping aid to reduce fatigue
- Reduces nausea
- Reduced vomiting
- Increased appetite
Top

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

- A functional bowel disorder

Symptoms
- Chronic abdominal pain
- Discomfort
- Bloating
- An alteration in bowel habits in the absence of any organic cause
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Gas
- Weight loss
- Difficulty swallowing

Benefits
- Pain relief


Migraines

- A type of severe headache that usually occurs in episodes or attacks, which can last from 3 to 72 hours

Symptoms
- Severe headache (on one or both sides)
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Visions disturbance
- Sound sensitivity
- Pain over one eye

Benefits
- Reduces severity
- Relieves pain
- Reduces nausea
- Increases appetite
- Sleeping aid
Top

Muscular Dystrophy

- A group of genetic, hereditary muscle diseases that weaken the muscles that move the body

Symptoms
- Gait problems
- Waddling gait
- Falls
- Difficulty standing up
- Difficulty climbing stairs
- Difficulty descending stairs
- Firm looking muscles
- Enlarged muscles
- Decreased appetite
- Pain

Benefits
- Increased appetite
- Reduces pain
Top

Multiple Sclerosis

- Disorder where patches of myelin in the brain and spinal cord are destroyed
- Normal functioning of the nerve fibers themselves is interrupted

Symptoms
- Tingling/Numbness
- Difficulty speaking
- Impaired vision
- Painful muscle spasms
- Weakness
- Paralysis
- Tremors
- Loss of coordination/balance

Benefits
- Can help control uncoordinated muscle action
- Limit pain and spasticity
- Relieves tremors and unsteadiness
Top

Muscle Spasms

- A sudden, involuntary contraction of muscles, sometimes accompanied with a sudden burst of pain

Symptoms
- Twitches
- Tics
- Chorea (any disorder caused by involuntary movement or spasms)
- Seizures
- Spasms
- Pain in muscles and body

Benefits
- Can reduces muscle spasms
- Relieves pain
Top

Nausea

- A sensation of unease or discomfort in stomach

Symptoms
- Stomach pain
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Vomiting

Benefits
- Reduces Nausea
- Increases appetite
- Reduces vomiting
- Sleeping aid
Top

Paraplegia

- An impairment in motor and/or sensory function of the lower extremities

Symptoms
- Leg paralysis
- Lower body paralysis
- Bladder control problems
- Bladder incontinence
- Fecal incontinence
- Painful muscle spasms

Benefits
- Reduces pain
- Sleeping aid
- Reduces stress and anxiety
Top

Parkinson’s Disease

- A degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that often impairs the sufferer’s motor skills, speech, and other functions

Symptoms
- A tremor in one little finger
- Hand tremor
- Tremor in one hand
- Tremor in one leg
- Tremor in one arm
- Tremor in one side of the body
- Involuntary head nodding
- Difficulty walking
- Stooping posture
- Shuffling gait
- Stammering
- Difficulty talking

Benefits
- Reduces or alleviates symptoms
- Improves extreme slowness of movement and reflexes
- Improves muscle rigidity and tremor
Top

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

- An anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to one or more traumatic events that threatened or caused great physical harm

Symptoms
- Nightmares
- Persistent daily thoughts
- Flashbacks
- Headaches
- Gastrointestinal complaints
- Dizziness
- Chest pain
- Body aches
- Sleeping problems
- Emotional problems
- Emotionally numb
- Detachment
- Trouble feeling affectionate
- Startled easily
- Irritability
- Aggression
- Loosing interest
- Feelings of intense guilt

Benefits
- Reduces pain
- Sleeping aid
- Reduces stress
- Improves quality of life
Top

Quadriplegia

- A paralysis caused by illness or injury to a human that results in the partial or total loss of use of all their limbs and torso

Symptoms
- Loss of sensation in arms and legs
- Loss of ability to intentionally move arms and legs
- Incontinence of bladder and bowels
- Impotence
- Breathing difficulties
- Pressure sores
- Paralysis of arms
- Paralysis of legs
- Urinary incontinence
- Impotence
- Bowel incontinence
- Painful muscle spasms

Benefits
- Reduces pain
- Reduces spasms
Top

Radiation Therapy

- The medical use of ionizing radiation as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells

Symptoms
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness
- Red itchy skin
- Sore throat
- Hair loss
- Recurrent infections
- Bleeding
- Anemia

Benefits
- Reduced Nausea
- Increased appetite
- Reduced vomiting
- Weight gain
- Sleeping aid
Top

Seizure Disorders

- One of many medical conditions that are characterized by episodes of uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain

Symptoms
- Muscle jerking
- Uncontrollable blinking
- Seizures
- Uncontrollable limb shaking
- Inability to speak
- Inability to move
- Visual and/or auditory hallucinations
- Sudden uncontrollable crying or laughter

Benefits
- Less frequent seizures
- Sleeping aid
- Relaxes muscles
Top

Sleep Disorders

- A medical disorder of sleep patterns

Symptoms
- Irritability or sleepiness during the day
- Difficulty staying awake when sitting still, watching TV, or reading
- Fall asleep or feel very tired while driving
- Difficulty concentrating
- Slow reactions
- Emotional outbursts
- Napping daily

Benefits
- Can regulate sleeping patterns
- Sleeping aid
Top

Spinal Cord Injury/Disease

- Often results in loss of motion, neuropathic pain, muscle spasms, loss of bladder control, erectile dysfunction, and depression

Symptoms
- Paralysis
- Loss of sensation
- Loss of reflex function
- Loss of automatic activity
- Breathing difficulty
- Loss of bowel control
- Loss of bladder control
- Pain
- Sensitivity to stimuli
- Muscle spasms
- Sexual dysfunction
- Loss of function

Benefits
- Reduces muscle spasms and spasticity
- Suppresses muscle jerks
- Reduces pain
- Sleeping aid
- Increases appetite
Top

Sports Injury

- An injury to an athlete that occurred while participating in sports

Symptoms
- Pain
- Swelling
- Inflammation
- Heat
- Redness
- Loss of function

Benefits
- Reduces pain
- Reduces swelling and inflammation
- Sleeping aid
Top

Tourette’s Syndrome

- An inherited neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by the presence of multiple physical tics

Symptoms
- Repeated involuntary movements
- Uncontrollable vocal sounds
- Tics
- Facial tics
- Eye blinking
- Motor Tics
- Head jerking
- Neck stretching
- Foot stamping
- Body twisting
- Throat clearing
- Coughing
- Obsessive compulsive thoughts
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Abnormal sleep disturbances

Benefits
- Sleeping aid
- Helps with depression
- Reduced symptoms
- Reduces tics
And finally
That's all i got to say 'bout that
Anything within moderation is likely the best advise for anyone

[supermonk]

Originally Posted by Pheonixx

Nobody said anything about drugs being cool. For the record IMHO they ain't..

No problems there then. It's sorted.

[SLAYER]

Bumping this so hopefully more people will see the great thread starter post MrsABC made.

[Jerkules]

i used to love weed...


when i was a person

[4dude]

The picture thats on that link MrsABC posted should update thier map..... Its now legal in more places than it says there......... (The map is still valid so it should be updated)

Interesting things about it!!!

[hayedeh]

Read studies about that brain corrupting shit, that's terrible indeed