Legalize Marijuana?

[Zephyr]

#
and a domestic cat isnt a far different animal than a tiger LoL

Sure, but the difference is that stronger weed won't kill you, or indeed have any side effects worse than brickweed.

 

[kai]

Sure, but the difference is that stronger weed won't kill you, or indeed have any side effects worse than brickweed.

and that is exactly what the debate is about isnt it?


Israel Unleashes First 'Skunk Bomb'

Israel Unleashes First 'Skunk Bomb' | Danger Room from Wired.com

 

[kai]

Pardon my mirth

 

[Father Heathen]

Pardon my mirth

You're the British Bob Saget.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I can guarentee one thing... If cannabis is decriminalised people will grow to regret it.

Actually, it has been decriminalized in Denver, Massachusetts, Alaska (up to 2 ounces), and maybe California but I'm not 100% sure on that one.

 

[Jeremy Mason]

Actually, it has been decriminalized in Denver, Massachusetts, Alaska (up to 2 ounces), and maybe California but I'm not 100% sure on that one.

under 1oz

 

[TurkeyOnRye]

What you resist persists. If you want to manifest something in this world, you must attract it. You must make a space for it.

The US has the strictest drug laws in the world.
It also has the worst drug problem in the world.

 

[Stellify]

So, I was listening to the radio this morning as I got ready to go to class....

The DJ said that findings from a research study showed that using marijuana makes guys twice as likely to develop testicular cancer later in life. :cover:

Has anyone else heard anything about this?

He didn't specify if they differentiated between heavy use, moderate use, light use, etc....and I don't think they specified if it was just smoking it, or using it in any form.

My next question to you all is this:
For the sake of argument, lets say the findings are accurate, and you (hypothetically) were to be a current user of marijuana- would this study change your behavior? Would you stop using it completely? Just use it less? Say "screw it" and keep on like you have been?
Would these findings affect your opinion on whether or not marijuana should be made legal? Would it change the conditions under which you think it should be made legal?

 

[Sententia]

So, I was listening to the radio this morning as I got ready to go to class....

The DJ said that findings from a research study showed that using marijuana makes guys twice as likely to develop testicular cancer later in life. :cover:

Has anyone else heard anything about this?

He didn't specify if they differentiated between heavy use, moderate use, light use, etc....and I don't think they specified if it was just smoking it, or using it in any form.

My next question to you all is this:
For the sake of argument, lets say the findings are accurate, and you (hypothetically) were to be a current user of marijuana- would this study change your behavior? Would you stop using it completely? Just use it less? Say "screw it" and keep on like you have been?
Would these findings affect your opinion on whether or not marijuana should be made legal? Would it change the conditions under which you think it should be made legal?

Am I genetically suspectible to such cancer? If not, why worry?

If I was prone to lung cancer then should I smoke it?
Marijuana Cuts Lung Cancer Tumor Growth In Half, Study Shows

And in other news: Marijuana might cause new cell growth in the brain - health - 13 October 2005 - New Scientist

Oh and if you wanted to get a genetic profile there are a few companies that offer that now.
https://www.23andme.com/

 

[Nessa]

Legalizing marijuana would pretty much pay for our national health care ( if we not only included the tax revenue but the money we would save through it's enforcement). But yet there are still many people griping and harping about its dangers while smoking a cig, downing shots, and taking prescription heroin by-products.

That took some serious propaganda

 

[Shadow Wolf]

The DJ said that findings from a research study showed that using marijuana makes guys twice as likely to develop testicular cancer later in life.

Has anyone else heard anything about this?

I've never heard of such claims. As far as cancers in general goes, I've read marijuana can slow the growth and spreading of tumors. Not too mention it can also help with managing the pain.

 

[Zephyr]

So, I was listening to the radio this morning as I got ready to go to class....

The DJ said that findings from a research study showed that using marijuana makes guys twice as likely to develop testicular cancer later in life. :cover:

Has anyone else heard anything about this?

He didn't specify if they differentiated between heavy use, moderate use, light use, etc....and I don't think they specified if it was just smoking it, or using it in any form.

My next question to you all is this:
For the sake of argument, lets say the findings are accurate, and you (hypothetically) were to be a current user of marijuana- would this study change your behavior? Would you stop using it completely? Just use it less? Say "screw it" and keep on like you have been?
Would these findings affect your opinion on whether or not marijuana should be made legal? Would it change the conditions under which you think it should be made legal?

First off, have you read the study? It's pretty poorly designed. I'm just a 2nd year college student and even I found bucketfuls of problems with it. I don't trust it one bit, especially given that it was funded by the sort of people who would really want this result to come of it.

If it were accurate, I (hypothetically) would continue using it for its positive effects. Even if the study did say it doubled the risk (hell, according to their findings it still only increases it slightly, and at that, it's a BIG maybe), for many people the positive health effects would outweigh the bad.

 

[Stellify]

Am I genetically suspectible to such cancer? If not, why worry?

If I was prone to lung cancer then should I smoke it?
Marijuana Cuts Lung Cancer Tumor Growth In Half, Study Shows

And in other news: Marijuana might cause new cell growth in the brain - health - 13 October 2005 - New Scientist

Oh and if you wanted to get a genetic profile there are a few companies that offer that now.
https://www.23andme.com/

I've never heard of such claims. As far as cancers in general goes, I've read marijuana can slow the growth and spreading of tumors. Not too mention it can also help with managing the pain.

First off, have you read the study? It's pretty poorly designed. I'm just a 2nd year college student and even I found bucketfuls of problems with it. I don't trust it one bit, especially given that it was funded by the sort of people who would really want this result to come of it.

If it were accurate, I (hypothetically) would continue using it for its positive effects. Even if the study did say it doubled the risk (hell, according to their findings it still only increases it slightly, and at that, it's a BIG maybe), for many people the positive health effects would outweigh the bad.

I know marijuana has many other potential health benefits. I'm definitely not arguing that point

No, I haven't read the actual study. I've been sick and in no state of mind to slog through it. Most studies have bucketfuls of problems. That's why I brought it up here, I was mainly interested to see if it would change anyone's opinions if it DID turn out to be true.

 

[J Bryson]

If it did turn out to be true, then I'd simply consider it to be a side-effect no more or less nasty than those of many prescribed drugs.

 

[Nessa]

I know marijuana has many other potential health benefits. I'm definitely not arguing that point

No, I haven't read the actual study. I've been sick and in no state of mind to slog through it. Most studies have bucketfuls of problems. That's why I brought it up here, I was mainly interested to see if it would change anyone's opinions if it DID turn out to be true.

NORML's website addressed the claims .

According to the federal government, millions of people smoke marijuana regularly. By contrast, diagnoses of nonseminoma, which typically affects males between the ages of 15 and 34, are extremely rare.

How rare?
Nonseminomas account for fewer than one half of one percent of all cancers among American men.

Further undermining the study’s hypothesis is this: Since the 1970s, the percentage of American males smoking pot has climbed dramatically. By contrast, incidences of nonseminoma have risen only nominally during this same time period.

Since people will argue that NORML is a biased site I did a web-search and found the following :

Testicular cancers are relatively rare but highly curable, and occur predominantly in young and middle aged males. Testicular cancers were among the first types of cancers to be cured by radiation and/or chemotherapy, and treatment has been refined over the last two decades. Currently, over 70% of all patients are curable regardless of the extent of cancer. Thus, all treatment of testicular cancer is delivered with the intent to cure. However, it is important to know the extent of cancer and the specific type of testicular cancer in order to administer the best therapy

TC-Cancer.com | About Testicular Cancer > Nonseminoma


Sounds like a questionable finding on a rare form of curable cancer. And when you consider the word cancer tends to flash red lights, it's possibly an intentional misrepresentation.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I can guarentee one thing... If cannabis is decriminalised people will grow to regret it.

I'll bet money most people wont.

 

[Stellify]

Sounds like a questionable finding on a rare form of curable cancer. And when you consider the word cancer tends to flash red lights, it's possibly an intentional misrepresentation.

As someone who has done and will continue to participate in research, I hate to say this, but:
A rather large percentage of research is an intentional misrepresentation. To the point of not even being useful because it's so blatantly biased or vague. Although it can be hard to tell if you don't know what to look for. There's a ton of research-specific diction that's used that is incredibly vague without seeming to be so.

 

[emiliano]

Billions of US dollars (per year) are spent for marijuana. This money funds the drug cartels of Mexico and South America.

It seems the US would be better off regulating this marijuana trafficking. By legalizing marijuana, the US could tax the buyer (like cigarettes).

Should marijuana be made legal in the US and if so, would it change your mind on whether you would use marijuana?

On moral ground, this should no even be contemplated by any government anywhere in the world, the argument that it would generate revenues to the Government is absolutely immoral when the damages done to society are considered, and a good example are cigarettes smoking , no matter how much taxes are applied to the consumer is never enough to finance the cost that it bring on the health systems to thread the cancers, amputation, open heart surgeries, the chemotherapies, the slow death, the call for euthanasia and the pressure put on doctors that receive such request, to the marijuana you must add to all of these: the brain damage that will lead to psychosis (even the casual usage, will get you there) and it cost more, much more money that you could possible collect in taxes and when you consider that in the US the employer pay for the medical insurances of the people and their family that they hire, to even contemplate this in the present economic climax is crazy.

 

[J Bryson]

What health issues are we looking at? And would these health issues, if they exist, be more expensive than the current costs incurred by marijuana prohibition, enforcement, prosecution, incarceration, and probation/parole costs?

You specifically call brain damage one of the health issues. Could you point me towards any peer-reviewed study that states that marijuana usage causes permanent mental issues to the degree that serious medical and/or psychiatric attention would be required?

 

[gnomon]

On moral ground, this should no even be contemplated by any government anywhere in the world, the argument that it would generate revenues to the Government is absolutely immoral when the damages done to society are considered, and a good example are cigarettes smoking , no matter how much taxes are applied to the consumer is never enough to finance the cost that it bring on the health systems to thread the cancers, amputation, open heart surgeries, the chemotherapies, the slow death, the call for euthanasia and the pressure put on doctors that receive such request, to the marijuana you must add to all of these: the brain damage that will lead to psychosis (even the casual usage, will get you there) and it cost more, much more money that you could possible collect in taxes and when you consider that in the US the employer pay for the medical insurances of the people and their family that they hire, to even contemplate this in the present economic climax is crazy.

To date there is zero conclusive evidence that the mild to moderate use of marijuana will cause schizophrenia. Even heavy use studies have not reached any conclusive evidence of schizophrenia induced from marijuana smoking.

As far as money......

How much does everyone think it costs to to put approximately 500,000 individuals in jails, state prisons and federal prison for drug offenses the majority of which are for marijuana. This does not include the even greater number of marijuana arrests every year which go through the court system.