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Top 10 Marijuana Myths

chrisbrunner.com — As we grow up, we're lead to believe certain things whether they're taught to us or they're implied by the people we're around … many of these things are true, but some simply aren't. Please note that the intent of this article is not to advocate the use of drugs but to assail the use of misinformation. Without further delay, here is my top 10:

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  • NikoKun, on 10/10/2007, -2/+17Well that was a very good list, and very informative... There were a few things there that I didn't even know before. lol
    Good read.
    • CheezIt9109, on 10/10/2007, -16/+6I think the author did a reasonable job, but he still comes off as someone with a bias.

      Any reasonable person who has had experience with occasional, habitual, or rampant marijuana use should realize that the drug has a major effect on the person, not just in the short term (during smoking), but in the long term. Pointing out that a study used poor methods does NOT prove a point. It just shows that more study is needed, and seeing that marijuana is illegal, it is likely that this topic will not be properly addressed for some time. I would recommend anyone who disagrees with this point to take a course or read a book on basic neurobiology. Most typically cover the effects of drugs, and while Marijuana is certainly the drug that would be the "best" (fewest side effects, etc), it is highly, highly doubtful that it doesn't involve medium-longterm changes in the brain.

      • shadus, on 10/10/2007, -0/+14True-- However, the law and societal reaction to cannabis is strangely out of wack with its effects. Caffeine, Nicotine, Alcohol, etc.. all have effects on the brain and brain chemistry. Most of my problems with the current cannabis laws are simple: A) I don't want my tax money going to incarcerate people who are users... and it does. B) With the current scheduling of cannabis it can't be adequately tested further to discover what it DOES hurt in the longterm.
        • CheezIt9109, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7I agree with respects to the law, and perhaps part of our society, but I think there are a good deal of people out there who are intelligent enough to realize that marijuana use isn't that big of a deal. Even the conservative people I know are more of the mind that it's something they wouldn't do themselves, but see no more issues with than a smoker, drinker, coffee nut, or other such substance user.

          And completely agree on your last two points. It's ridiculous how much we spend on folks in jail for this "crime". Never really thought of B, but quite true.
      • capiCrimm, on 10/10/2007, -2/+9Everything changes your brain. If it didn't you wouldn't be able to store memories or think properly. Having a change in your brain is different from brain damage.

        Plus, he didn't use the fact that a study had poor methods, but that fact that the AMA supported legalization and that two population studies failed to show brain damage as the proof. He was simply illustrating where the myth came from, and why it seems to be false.
        • CheezIt9109, on 10/10/2007, -2/+3I studied neuroscience during my undergraduate years :-) I realize how complex the system is (actually, not really, and no one else does either!)...

          It may not cause brain damage, in fact, I doubt it does. Bad parenting doesn't cause brain damage, but does it result in negative changes to the brain?
        • jcaino, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1it results in poor behavior. the changes in the brain are neither positive or negative.
      • NikoKun, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5Every food you put into your body, effects your mind... the way you think, and has possible long term effects.
        And pot is no different... but it doesn't change who you are or anything... and any long term effects on heavy users, like memory lose, go away after just a short week or 2 of not smoking.
        Compared to most drugs... Pot have very few harmful side effects, and doesn't cause hardly any permanent damage.
    • TaylorTAP, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8Show me a stimuli that doesn't having an effect on my neurobiology. Such a weak argument your bringing.
    • hiikeeba, on 10/10/2007, -4/+3I would be interested to see any studies about the effects of the smoke (and second hand smoke) on the lungs. Regardless of the product, all smoke contains carbon monoxide. That can't be good for the lungs. I would expect that over time, you would see diminished lung capacity, as you do in smokers (maybe at a slower rate due to lower consumption) and non smokers afflicted by second hand smoke. That's why I say ban cigarettes and pot.
      • UltraKill, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1You do not have to smoke Marijuana in order to get high...
  • dreagen, on 10/10/2007, -4/+57These are the Myths that tear down a students trust in thier education. Most kids will hear these myths in Health class then realize they are not true. You can not lie to children, with this being the information age, kids will find out the truth.
    • nepawoods, on 10/10/2007, -2/+30If you have kids in a school that has a DARE program, opt them out.
      • Darksaber11, on 10/10/2007, -1/+27D.A.R.E. Drugs Are Really Expensive. That's my anti-drug.
      • shadus, on 10/10/2007, -1/+15D.A.R.E. Drugs Are Really Exciting. I got suspended for wearing a shirt that said that to school in the early/mid 90s :P
        • IllBeBack, on 10/10/2007, -32/+2And rightly so. Drugs aren't exciting, they are dangerous and addictive in most cases. Go away drug pusher.
          • nepawoods, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1"in most cases"???

            Might want to be a little more specific. Vague generalizations like that are why drug education isn't working.
          • toxicshok, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Pusher? Where are you living the 1980s
          • hobonetweaver, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Haha. DARE is what gets people interested in drugs. DARE is the pusher, exposing kids at such a young age. I still remember sitting there in awe at the description of psychedelic effects. They weren't correct, but still amazing.
      • UNL1M1T3D, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Does anyone know where I can get a real Dare shirt?
    • sabach, on 10/10/2007, -0/+15Furthermore they'll recognize this as a myth and wonder what other myths they might be being told about opiates, cocaine, crank, etc.
  • pedrovoltaire, on 10/10/2007, -2/+136marijuana can be bad for your health... once I ate an entire deep dish Pizza Hut pizza and then 50 sugar cookies. needless to say, this was followed up by no sort of physical activity...
    • theamazingkort, on 10/10/2007, -0/+17dugg because I work at pizza hut.

      you don't want to know how much grease you consumed by eating that pizza.. it's staggering.
    • forgiste, on 10/10/2007, -1/+10I work at dominos and I would NEVER recommend that. You know, the munchies is just an excuse to be a pig. I don't even get them.
      • theamazingkort, on 10/10/2007, -0/+21How's the oreo pizza? it looks painful to eat.
        • NnyCW, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I partially agree. I've never gotten the munchies, however food does seem to taste a bit better and there is a slight delay in that "full" feeling, at least for me.
  • goeatsmsht, on 10/10/2007, -7/+21# 11. If you play with it you'll go blind......
    Wait, what were we talking about?
    • FreakyD, on 10/10/2007, -1/+25That's BS!! I have 20/20 vision and the biggest wrists and forearms in the world
      • vuke69, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6My vision is crap, but I have forearms like Popeye. It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.
      • marx2k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0I;m over here, dad
    • Goodbyeworld, on 10/10/2007, -6/+9shake it twice, your playing with it.
      • StarWarsFever, on 10/10/2007, -4/+4you mean 'you're'....
      • goeatsmsht, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8I always thought it was the 3rd time that constituted playing with oneself
      • EmperorAwesome, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Thank you, tinkle fairy!
  • WiseWeasel, on 10/10/2007, -13/+44One non-myth, just to balance it out: Heavy marijuana use will make you waste a lot of time that could be spent bettering yourself, mentally and physically; use with moderation...
    • shadus, on 10/15/2007, -1/+44True that, but that's also true with just about ALL things in life. Eating, Alcohol, Computers, Masturbation, etc.

      Anything done to extreme excess is a waste of time. *shrug*.
      • Ramble, on 10/10/2007, -5/+4Anything except masturbation right?
        • shadus, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8No Ramble, I'm sorry... put it down. Just pull your hand away and do something else for a change.

          Even masturbation shouldn't be done to excess.
        • zengonzo, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1What's excess?
      • SJKat, on 10/10/2007, -1/+0Very interesting list about things in life...

      • WiseWeasel, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1That's very true... For me personally, though weed and Digg have been particularly difficult to moderate...
      • kimb00, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Don't forget WoW. My tool tips tell me that when I log in.
    • thomashauk, on 10/10/2007, -0/+18Heavy Internet use will make you waste a lot of time that could be spent bettering yourself, mentally and physically; use with moderation...
      • MacEnvy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2I consider the hours lost to Wikipedia to be "bettering myself".
    • HautePie, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Amen. There's a lot of time I lost at uni I'm not getting back.
    • Fr4nk2012, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5yeah, but the more i stay at home and not consume, the better off the planet and your children will be so...... what im sayin is i'm like, better than you and stuff too
  • Goodbyeworld, on 10/10/2007, -1/+34the only problem with weed in the inhalation. The hot smoke burns your lungs. Thats why hookahs and "special brownies" are so good.

    chocolate is more addictive than weed, and you don't see a war on candy!
    • drakenlot, on 10/10/2007, -1/+18Don't give Bush ideas!
    • capiCrimm, on 10/10/2007, -16/+1first, it's magic brownies, not 'special'. From what I've heard, since I don't smoke or eat weed, ingestion has very little effect compared to smoking. No clue if that's true. Second vaporizers would be a better option then hookahs if you don't want smoke.
      • hasansexy, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4Wrong, ingestion is more effective than smoking, it only takes longer for the thc to get into your system.
        • noumuon, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5sort of... the effect is different, as it has a longer onset. there will always be a perceived difference in subjective experience between something smoked and something ingested. there's also going to be a loss of thc with ingestion, as your intestinal tract won't absorb it all; there's also a loss of thc in smoking, as your lungs won't absorb it all. there's too much to consider to really conclude that ingestion is more effective than smoking, especially when considering the subjective experience.
      • damon5334, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3From what I hear, it takes more for baking than for smoking, so if that's what you mean, then you're correct. But eating a brownie can get you plenty stoned.

        I second the vaporizer, it seems like a better plan, plus from what I've read since it doesn't burn it, you can usually make it last longer.
      • UglyBunny, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1from http://thegooddrugsguide.com/cannabis/effects.htm
        "If you take it orally, you could be in for quite a ride. The liver metabolises THC into 11-OH-*9-THC, a compound three times more psychoactive. Oral cannabis is a powerful, almost psychedelic experience, very uncomfortable if you're not expecting it. The effects are slower to come on (1 to 2 hours) and last considerably longer (around 4 hours)"
    • Fr4nk2012, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1at first I thought you were saying hookers with a yankee accent, ....... ya'know I think i'll stick with that actually.
    • tehmoth, on 10/10/2007, -1/+0actually hookah smoking has a worse effect than traditional smoking
      • hobonetweaver, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Source? And what's 'traditional smoking' anyway?
    • DigitalBrian, on 10/10/2007, -3/+3"Chocolate is more addictive than weed"

      Dude I dont know where you got your information, I saw friends go down on weed when I was growing up, they were full force addicted to the crap, and I have yet to meet ONE person who is really addicted to chocolate.

      Also maybe the Weed itself is not that dangerous to people, but have you ever driven in a car with a stoner? the things they do is what makes Weed so dangerous.
    • marx2k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Why does everyone forget vaporization?
  • fortie04, on 10/10/2007, -1/+54Not a myth: use of marijuana could lead to hours and hours spent on digg.com
    especially in the video section
    • ch4os1337, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2Am I the only one who goes in the video section? and I bet I will be the only one who goes into the picture section too :(
  • jazzmann04, on 10/10/2007, -1/+32This just proves the point I've been telling people for years, whether or not Marijuana is bad for you (and there's no solid evidence that it is), what's the worst that happens with a stoner? He gets baked, eats a LOT of food, watches tv and goes to bed. And without Marijuana, we wouldn't have Robot Chicken!
    • soupyc, on 10/10/2007, -1/+25I've always put it this way: who would you rather be in a room with, 20 drunk strangers, or 20 stoned strangers?
      • damon5334, on 10/10/2007, -7/+1Depends... do the stoned strangers smell like BO or worse patchouli?
        • noumuon, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5and drunks don't smell?
        • NnyCW, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4Might as well say the drunks would smell like piss and vomit if we're going to stereotype.
    • NullPolarity, on 10/10/2007, -8/+1"And without Marijuana, we wouldn't have Robot Chicken!"

      You speak as though that would be a bad thing.
  • SeethisPass, on 10/10/2007, -3/+33Marijuana creates the ability to look at problems from two distinct viewpoints, straight/stoned, If used creatively it adds information that would otherwise be unavailable. It is therefore an enhansement to cognitive ability. A lot of money is spent less wisely.
    • Qposter, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1Pot makes you stupid and the solutions you come up with are stupid. Yeah different viewpoints come from dumb people... great.
      • bonhome, on 10/19/2007, -0/+0it enhances musicians, comedians,writer's, artists, and retards brain function in mathematical reasoning.
    • gropo, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Uhh no, Qposter. For instance, a majority of modern musicians like the cannabanoids. Why? Because it often enhances the way they perceive sound and helps them realize what 'works' in a song and what 'doesn't'. This isn't an objective, quantifiable persuit, but a creative, subjective one. A field where cannabis' effects excel.

      Carl Sagan, hardly a "dumb person" once wrote an essay expressing the point SeethisPass made above.
  • CaptainNoPants, on 10/15/2007, -6/+166 1. Marijuana is more harmful than tobacco - Many people think smoking marijuana is just as harmful as smoking tobacco, but this is not true for many reasons. (For example, most marijuana smokers smoke the bud, not the leaf, of the plant. The bud contains only 33% as much tar as tobacco; Not one case of lung cancer has ever been successfully linked to marijuana use; Cannabis, unlike tobacco, does not cause any narrowing of the small air passageways in the lungs.) Click here for more details.
    2. Marijuana is a gateway drug - We were taught in school that people who try marijuana eventually move on to crave harder drugs, usually with the implication that marijuana is addictive and coke or crack are just the next step. In hindsight, this is absurd. The primary basis for this "gateway hypothesis" is a recent report by the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA), claiming that marijuana users are 85 times more likely than non-marijuana users to try cocaine. This figure, using data from NIDA's 1991 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, is close to being meaningless. It was calculated by dividing the proportion of marijuana users who have ever used cocaine (17%) by the proportion of cocaine users who have never used marijuana (.2%). The high risk-factor obtained is a product not of the fact that so many marijuana users use cocaine but that so many cocaine users used marijuana previously. It is hardly a revelation that people who use one of the least popular drugs are likely to use the more popular ones - not only marijuana, but also alcohol and tobacco cigarettes. The obvious statistic not publicized by CASA is that most marijuana users - 83 percent - never use cocaine. Indeed, for the nearly 70 million Americans who have tried marijuana, it is clearly a "terminus" rather than a "gateway" drug. Click here for a recently-released 12-year study on the subject.
    3. Marijuana causes brain damage - The most celebrated study that claims to show brain damage is the rhesus monkey study of Dr. Robert Heath, done in the late 1970s. This study was reviewed by a distinguished panel of scientists sponsored by the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences. Their results were published under the title, Marijuana and Health in 1982. Heath's work was sharply criticized for its insufficient sample size (only four monkeys), its failure to control experimental bias, and the misidentification of normal monkey brain structure as "damaged". Actual studies of human populations of marijuana users have shown no evidence of brain damage. For example, two studies from 1977, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed no evidence of brain damage in heavy users of marijuana. That same year, the American Medical Association (AMA) officially came out in favor of decriminalizing marijuana. That's not the sort of thing you'd expect if the AMA thought marijuana damaged the brain.
    4. Marijuana use is increasing at an alarming rate - Reports of slight increases in marijuana use, especially among youth, are being used to convince Americans that a renewed campaign about the drug's dangers is necessary to avert an impending epidemic. According to government surveys of the general population, marijuana use began decreasing in 1980, after more than a decade of steady increase. By 1990, the downward trend showed signs of slowing, but use-rates remained substantially lower than those recorded in the 1970s. Today 34.3% of high school seniors claim to have smoked pot in the last 12 months which is down from 52.8% in 1976, 50.9% in 1986, and just barely higher than the 33.1% of 1996. See for yourself.
    5. Marijuana is more potent today than in the past - This myth is the result of bad data. The researchers who made the claim of increased potency used as their baseline the THC content of marijuana seized by police in the early 1970s. Poor storage of this marijuana in un-air conditioned evidence rooms caused it to deteriorate and decline in potency before any chemical assay was performed. Contemporaneous, independent assays of unseized "street" marijuana from the early 1970s showed a potency equivalent to that of modern "street" marijuana. Actually, the most potent form of this drug that was generally available was sold legally in the 1920s and 1930s by the pharmaceutical company Smith-Klein under the name, "American Cannabis".
    6. Marijuana is an addictive drug - It is now frequently stated that marijuana is profoundly addicting and that any increase in prevalence of use will lead inevitably to increases in addiction. Essentially all drugs are used in "an addictive fashion" by some people. However, for any drug to be identified as highly addictive, there should be evidence that substantial numbers of users repeatedly fail in their attempts to discontinue use and develop use-patterns that interfere with other life activities. National epidemiological surveys show that the large majority of people who have had experience with marijuana do not become regular users. In 1993, among Americans age 12 and over, about 34% had used marijuana sometime in their life, but only 9% had used it in the past year, 4.3% in the past month, and 2.8% in the past week. A longitudinal study of young adults who had first been surveyed in high school also found a high "discontinuation rate" for marijuana. While 77% had used the drug, 74% of those had NOT used in the past year and 84% had NOT used in the past month. Compare this to a truly addictive drug, such as the nicotine in smoked tobacco with a 90% addiction rate, and the argument for possible marijuana addiction starts to sound very silly.
    7. Marijuana damages the reproductive system - This claim is based chiefly on the work of Dr. Gabriel Nahas, who experimented with tissue (cells) isolated in petri dishes, and the work of researchers who dosed animals with near-lethal amounts of cannabinoids (i.e., the intoxicating part of marijuana). Nahas' generalizations from his petri dishes to human beings have been rejected by the scientific community as being invalid. In the case of the animal experiments, the animals that survived their ordeal returned to normal within 30 days of the end of the experiment. Studies of actual human populations have failed to demonstrate that marijuana adversely affects the reproductive system.
    8. Marijuana suppresses the immune system - Like the studies claiming to show damage to the reproductive system, this myth is based on studies where animals were given extremely high — in many cases, near-lethal — doses of cannabinoids. These results have never been duplicated in human beings. Interestingly, two studies done in 1978 and one done in 1988 showed that hashish and marijuana may have actually stimulated the immune system in the people studied.
    9. Marijuana smoke contains over a thousand chemicals - True but very misleading. The 31 August 1990 issue of the magazine Science notes that of the over 800 volatile chemicals present in roasted COFFEE, only 21 have actually been tested on animals and 16 of these cause cancer in rodents. Yet, coffee remains legal and is generally considered fairly safe.
    10. Marijuana is a drug without therapeutic value - Proposals to make marijuana legally available as a medicine are countered with claims that safer, more effective drugs are available, including a synthetic version of delta-9-THC, marijuana's primary active ingredient. For thousands of years, throughout the world, people have used marijuana to treat a variety of medical conditions. Today, in the United States, such use is prohibited. Although 36 states have passed legislation to allow marijuana's use as a medicine, federal law preempts their making marijuana legally available to patients. People undergoing cancer chemotherapy have found smoked marijuana to be an effective anti-nauseant - often more effective than available pharmaceutical medications. Indeed, 44% of oncologists responding to a questionnaire said they had recommended marijuana to their cancer patients; others said they would recommend it if it were legal. Marijuana is also smoked by thousands of AIDS patients to treat the nausea and vomiting associated with both the disease and AZT drug therapy. Because it stimulates appetite, marijuana also counters HIV-related "wasting," allowing AIDS patients to gain weight and prolong their lives.
    • drakenlot, on 10/10/2007, -0/+22Thank you, the site itself sucks the big ones cause it's slow.
    • ngmcs8203, on 10/10/2007, -8/+11Thanks. One thing about the healthier than tobacco myth. I was a stoner for a good 8 years before I became the special occasion smoker that I am now. I have seen the comparisons of a weed smoker's lung and a tobacco smoker's lung. Both are disgusting. The residue left on the lungs of weed smoker are covered with a thicker mucus membrane that can lead to several different respiratory problems in life. There are many factors that must be considered when saying one thing is not as healthy as another, and by just saying that we smoke the buds makes it healthier is not a strong argument. Dependency issues are unhealthy and are prevalent in many marijuana smokers caused by factors such as depression. Short term memory loss, IMHO, is unhealthy. Maybe not as unhealthy as the nicotine addiction from cigarettes. I am all for letting people do what they want to their own bodies, but you're not going to convince me that marijuana is a healthy recreational drug.
      • 40hands, on 10/10/2007, -3/+13You don't have to smoke it.
      • TrevorBelmont, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Claiming a connection between pot and depression is misleading, if I understand you correctly. It seems to me that a person who is feeling depressed would have more incentive to use a substance that caused a euphoric effect.
        Either way, marijuana dependency seems a vastly preferable solution to dependency on pharmaceutical anti depressants.
    • LucidHawk, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5Cofee.. hmm.. where can I get more information on that sort of thing? the chemical toxic breakdown of foods..
    • picsectionpleez, on 10/10/2007, -10/+2MY official list:

      (1) Marijuana is NOT more hamful than tobacco
      (2) Actually marijuana IS a gateway drug
      (3) Marijuana does NOT cause brain damade.
      (4) Marijuana use is NOT increasing at an alarming rate.
      (5) Marijuana IS more potent than in the past.
      (6) Marijuana is NOT addictive. (But IS habit forming)
      (7) Marijuana does NOT damage the reproductive system (but it DOES lower sperm count)
      (8) Marijuana does NOT suppress the immune system (any more than smoking anything else does)
      (9) Marijuana smoke contains 10's of 1,000's of chemicals.
      (10) Marijuana has tremendous therapeutic value.
      • aphid360, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6The difference between your list and the article's list? Evidence.
  • izzybr, on 10/10/2007, -3/+40Nice discussion of how pot as a 'gateway' is BS.
    Additionally, it has been proposed that lying to kids about the danger of drugs is the actual gateway. That is to say, kids are lied to for years and years, then when they realize pot isn't as bad as they had been told they begin to think maybe coke, heroin, etc isn't as bad as they were taught, and some of them try it.
    I just wish more intellectuals had the balls to admit their use. Then finally people would say 'Oh hey, this guy/girl can get through med school/law school/get a PhD and he's not that dumb'
    • jonnygraw, on 10/10/2007, -3/+7Well, in all reality, Heroin is not as bad as the government and the education system says it is. Heroin is relatively safe if administered properly and doesn't contain adulterants (like Fentanyl). Withdrawal symptoms only occur with three days of continuous use (approximately). Heroin, like most illicit substances, are very useful medicines. Namely, Heroin is a great pain reliever.

      In the end, no drug is intrinsically bad: there is a time and a place for every drug.
      • JasonDJ, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2There is a time and a place for these things, Mr. Garrison, and it's called college.
      • izzybr, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1To paraphrase Bob Saget: People (including presumably straight men) have sucked dick for coke, which isn't generally the case for pot. (1) So I can't really agree tha there's a time and place for every drug

        Source:
        1.) Half Baked, 1998, Universal Pictures
      • noumuon, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4the addiction rate is very high for heroin, but i agree with you, as the addiction rate is very high for morphine, and there isn't the same social stigma associated with that as there is with heroin.
        • speerross, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1tobacco is also more addictive than Heroin
          • dezmo, on 10/10/2007, -2/+2no it's not, heroin can get you addicted with one use, but you can use nicotine for a while without getting addicted
          • aphid360, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Sorry, but heroin can't get you addicted with one use... Not sure where you heard that.
            As mentioned above: "Withdrawal symptoms only occur with three days of continuous use (approximately)."
      • Rooster99, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3But he is right - I cant site a source for this information, but I know I got it from a reliable source (digg me down for that if you want, but look it up). They tested pure heroin on addicts, and they could easily withstand over 9 times the usual dose. Because ALL dealers cut their stuff, it is the impurities that usually kill people.

        Having said that, it is supposed to be incredibly addictive and I have seen what it does to people. Not good.
        • aphid360, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Impurities don't kill anyone. Why would a dealer cut their stuff with something lethal? To eliminate their customers?
          • MacEnvy, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1No. They cut it because heroin is ***** expensive, and they don't care about their customers. There's always another client.
        • jonnygraw, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0That is why Heroin should be legalized. Legalizing the drug will make it safer for everyone.
        • marx2k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Rooster, so why is it when heroin addicts quit for a while, lose their tolerance and try going back to their normal dose right before they quit, they tend to OD?
    • edwartica, on 10/10/2007, -0/+14A friend of mine also pointed out something about the gateway drug theory. He did a little pot in high school, and tried a few harder things such as coke. The reason why was not because the pot gave him an urge to get a better high, but it was because the dealer tried to get him on some of the other drugs he was selling.

      Yet another reason to legalize pot! :)
    • vjeko, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I know more or less 20 people that used to smoke pot (me included) and none of them went for harder drugs. I know i'm not a scientist but 0 out of 20 or so makes a valid point.
    • marx2k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Hell, I went the reverse way... I went from Exstacy and LSD to mushrooms to pot! Maybe LSD and Exstacy are the gateway drugs :/
  • SheilaNoya, on 10/10/2007, -8/+53#5 is wrong. I've been around for 57 years and the weed today is far better than most of what was available 30 years ago. Growers have learned that quality is just as important as quantity. Some of the weed today is so strong that I can't smoke it regularly like I used to because I get TOO high (yes, there IS such a thing, if you need to be functional). It makes it hard to just keep a slight buzz. Instead, you become incapacitated. Now where's my pipe?
    • uidzer0, on 10/10/2007, -15/+6This is very, very wrong. You've lost your tolerance. This plant has been grown for thousands of years, breeding isn't a new science.
      • CowboyJesus, on 10/10/2007, -2/+8You're retarded. In the past thirty years alone hydroponics, chemical treatments, and greenhouse lighting have come so far that it would be impossible for the average potency to stay the same. I'd bet your average outdoor grown dime bag is close to the same. I'd also bet if you smoked a bowl of white widow with your dad he'd tell you it's a whole different ball game.
        • Phrag, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Lets see. Hydroponics do not create more potent plants. They just allow for growing without soil so it is easier to do indoors. "Chemical treatments" are also called fertilizer and have been around for ever. Indoor lighting still does not come close to the light provided by the sun. The potential potency of pot has not changed significantly in the last few decades.

          What has been changed by these things is where Americans get their weed. It used to mostly be smuggled in from other countries in bulk. This bulk shipment degrades the quality of the weed. Growers who had their weed smuggled into the US went for quantity over quality since some of what they sent would inevitably get seized. Now there is more weed coming from inside America itself than is coming in from outside sources. This means less transporting and better potency for the end user. There are also more people growing smaller plots of higher quality weed so there is more high potency weed available. All this high potency weed was available during the last few decades, but not until recently has it been so readily available in the US.
        • UglyBunny, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Ding, ding, ding! Phrag is absolutely CORRECT.
        • marx2k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Phrag, you also forgot to mention that either using a 250W or 1000W light, the potency will remain the same.

          It's all about genetics and selective breeding
      • lewscroo, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3You're an idiot. Plants of all types have been grown for thousands of years but in the last hundred crop yields have increased dramatically due to science. You think corn farmers would be satisfied with the crop yields of even 50 years ago? I don't think so.
        • Phrag, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Monsanto and other corporations are genetically modifying these crops to produce bigger crops (along with other things). The same can not be said for marijuana. Your comparison doesn't add up.
    • browwiw, on 10/15/2007, -7/+42What the ***** is a 57 year old doing on digg? Oh, wait, you're high.
      • SheilaNoya, on 10/10/2007, -1/+18Is there some kind of age limit you'd like to impose for Digg users? I'll make a deal with you. You don't "assume" that I'm some fat old conservative grandma who is out of touch with the current world, and I won't "assume" that you are some 15 year old pimple-faced kid who is still trying to figure out how to hide the porn on your computer so your mother won't find it. Deal?
    • shadus, on 10/10/2007, -4/+6I have family that disagrees with you. However, I suppose a lot of the quality issues between then and now show up because of income variation-- eg: You buy better pot now than you used to as a teenager. Hell, I had a friend swear that pot couldn't get him high because when he was a teenager he bought the cheapest stuff he could find (more or a less just shake or extremely poorly taken care of bud.) He was a bit stunned to say the least when he got some "moderate quality" weed and got baked.
      • BobOki, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5Actually I would have to say that makes a lot of sense.
        If years ago you bought cheaper regs from lack of money, then yeah, getting older and buying the more avaliable higher quality KB, I would imagine its stronger.
        But this is just like saying that cars are getting faster just becuase you used to drive a vw bug and now have a corvette. Easier to do when talking about a non-tangable item as aposed to a well defined power difference.
        • wtfpwned98, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2Yeah, it does make a lot of sense. It's also true (and makes sense) that the corvettes of today are faster than the corvettes of the 60's. The bugs are faster too. Why on earth are you guys so invested in the notion that weed hasn't gotten any better? You don't have to smoke as much harmful carcinogenic plant matter anymore to get the same high. Win? Win.
          • Phrag, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Why are you so invested in the notion that pot has become stronger in the past few decades? You are playing into the prohibitionists hands and giving them legitimacy that they do not deserve. So far to 'prove' that pot has become more potent people have compared it to cars and GMO corn. Pot is not a car nor GMO corn so these comparison mean little to nothing. We also have someone claiming that hydroponic, 'chemical treatments' and HID lighting make it more potent. This statement should be obviously untrue to anyone who has grown pot indoors and out. None of these ideas make any sense and there is no actual proof of what you are claiming.
      • marx2k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Well, 50 years ago, did you have a collective of people worldwide selectively breeding marijuana for potency as well as other factors like shorted flowering cycle, disease resistance, tighter internodal space, etc etc? You might've had pockets of individuals or even small groups trying to do so, but nothing like you've had in the past 10 years, especially since the Internet has taken off. So I would agree that yes, weed probably IS more potent than it was half a century ago. Not really a bad thing, especially for hobby growers :D
    • GGreen420, on 10/10/2007, -3/+4good weed being more available is different from being non-existent. I get better stuff now than in college . it doesn't mean pot has gotten better, it just means I got a job. Perhaps your argument is correct, but you need to provide more scientific/journalistic evidence than your own stoned observations from 5 decades ago.
    • murf43143, on 10/10/2007, -1/+7Ok here is the deal with that. People who seed a field with thousands of plants 50 years ago, will have the same pot as people who plant a field today with thousands of plants. The reason they say it is better today is because people CARE FOR IT BETTER. By removing the male plants from crops, using stronger lights (HPS, and MH) and use better non-chemicals in the grow.

      If people did the same thing 50 years ago they could have grown kind bud also. But they didn't care to, or were uninformed. Either way, today you can botch a good seed, or make it beautiful, just like you could have 50 years ago.
      • zeromancer, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3hi. do you know what selective breeding is? it's when you isolate desired genotypes in a marijuana plant. this means the longer people selectively breed marijuana, the better it will become.
        • SheilaNoya, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4BINGO! Selective breeding, along with better growing and harvesting techniques, have definitely improved things.
        • Phrag, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2You also know that selective breeding has been going on for centuries if not longer so the idea that selective breeding has increased potency in any drastic way in the last few decades is nonsense.
          • toxicshok, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1How do we know the pot increase has been 'drastic' lets say from 1970 to 2000 it increased X% in potency. This could be a regular linear increase that has been going on since selective breeding was first introduced to agriculture.
          • marx2k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1As I stated above, you didn't have a world collective of individuals and groups selectively breeding marijuana until fairly recent. Though selective breeding has been around forever (hence why he have awesome apples, peaches, tomatoes, etc), it really hasn't applied to marijuana (as separate from hemp) until recently.
      • Phrag, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4Can we please stop with the pseudo-science. There are no lights better than the sun that people have been using to grow crops forever and there is no such thing as a 'non-chemical'. There was planty of kind-bud back in the 60's. Just because you couldn't get it doesn't mean it didn't exist.
    • capiCrimm, on 10/10/2007, -4/+26#1 is wrong too. My ancedotal proof is that i knew someone who died on it. Seriously, just toking away and BAM -- airplane engine falls on him. Never seen that happen with tobacco.

      Weed Kills, so wrong! Now Digg me up.
      • awesomeface, on 10/10/2007, -0/+34Oh no. I knew a guy who bought a used car through a newspaper. Ten years later, BAM! Herpes.
    • MattB123, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5I agree. I'm a little younger than you, but anecdotal evidence overwhelmingly supports the fact that it's stronger now. Also, all the years of selective farming brings out particular traits the growers find desirable. Generally, stronger is more desirable and can fetch a higher price.
      But I don't see this as dangerous if people have a clue about the relative strength. If a strain is stronger, then the user won't need to use as much to get the desired effect, thus reducing all the other potentially dangerous substances release during combustion.
      The rest of the article seems accurate to me.
      • Fr4nk2012, on 10/10/2007, -2/+2do you think that pot was invented in the 60's, or that growing was invented in the 90's
        • MattB123, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4No. Did something I said make you think I do?
        • UglyBunny, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I'm pretty sure it was your previous post that lead him to believe that. Selective breeding has been going on almost as long as agriculture. In the past 40 years the only things thats gone up is the availability of good weed. We used to get ***** compressed blocks of bud from mexico and other foreign countries. Now most bud in the states in grown there, not flown there. I don't need to have been around since the 60s to realize that.
      • Phrag, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Your pot may be stronger now, but not pot in general. Pot has been around for thousands of years and so has selective breeding. There may be more high-potency pot available in the US now than there was 50 years ago, but the same high potency stuff existed back then too. It is just easier to find now.
        • MattB123, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Hey, I didn't say I had any pot!
          But good point. I guess what I meant was that stronger pot seems to be more readily available. And I'm sure growing techniques have improved with knowledge and technology in addition to selective breeding.
          • Phrag, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Indoor growing technology has developed that allows people to grow high potency pot inside. Mostly I think it was the invention of HID lighting. This has definitely increased the amount of high potency pot available in the US. Growing techniques and selective breeding probably haven't made much of a difference lately because, as I said, these things have been going on for centuries.
          • marx2k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Growing techniques haven't made any difference in marijuana potency, but there have been several revolutions in growing techniques in the past 50 years. One of them, of course, is hydroponics. Another is HID lighting. Related to that would be the use of High Pressure Sodium and Metal Halide lamps (versus mercury vapor). Another is the VERY recent advent of electronic ballasts for HID lighting. The next will be LED lighting. None of these things cause potency gain, but they do raise the availability and ease of growth to the individual.

    • wtfpwned98, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6I agree, and as a 30-something ex-fanatical-toker who has followed the community and literature since I was a teen, I'm surprised to see anyone arguing that it isn't stronger today. Most older pot smokers have been acknowledging this fact for years. I'm willing to bet that uidzer0 and shadus have no idea what they're talking about. The simple fact is that our knowledge of the plant is much, much greater than it was 40 years ago. The biggest difference came in the 70's when everyone discovered that removing males produced far more potent seedless buds on the females, but then the war on drugs moved so many growers indoors, where artificial lighting cycles and climate control are even better for growing than what you could get relying on nature. We also have better genetics. If we want a big dog, we might breed a great dane with another great dane. In those days, the commercial seed industry wasn't there, so they just didn't take the time...too many mutts.
      Having said all of that: smoke a smaller amount and it's the same thing. Take two bong-hits and get a lot fewer carcinogens...don't smoke a whole joint of pure bud by yourself like you might have back in the day. Yeah, it's more potent. So what?
      • shadus, on 10/10/2007, -4/+2People who are so insecure in their own view they have to degrade other peoples views are so cute.

        *pat head*
    • elvisjulep, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4Grandma? Is that you?
      • SheilaNoya, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5I have 3 grandchildren, so I might be. Be careful what you say about me if you want to stay in my will.
    • noumuon, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3well, thc levels have gone up in high grade pot since the 70s. the thing people generally consider, though, is the thc content of the most readily available pot. there's far, far more commercial pot around than there is kind bud. depending on where you live, good nugs can run rampant through the area, but overall there is still more commercial when you consider all other locations. this is probably why it can sway either way, but the best of the best pot today (amsterdam/bc strains) are by far more potent than the best of the best of back in the day.
    • neodorian, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7I think the high end stuff today is more potent than the best stuff in the 60's and 70's just due to the breeding of the plants for stronger strains. That said, it's not a bad thing. Vodka is stronger than wine but you need to drink less of it to get an alcohol buzz. Today's high end cannabis is probably stronger than the high end stuff 30-40 years ago but you can get the desired effect from a few puffs whereas you used to have to smoke a couple of joints for the same effect. I'm really glad for this because as an occasional smoker myself, I used to smoke cheap stuff in college when I was poor. We smoked big joints and used bongs to get the necessary amount of smoke to deliver enough THC for a buzz. Today, if I want to smoke I can just put a little bit of good pot into a pipe and take one or 2 puffs and get the relaxing effects. Less smoke necessary to get the desired amount of THC. Less smoke = less health detriment.
    • asdfasdf, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2When legalized, it will be sold at different strengths. We can buy beer, wine, liquor, etc, and we know exactly how much alcohol is in each beverage. This will be what happens with Cannabis. We will have different forms of hash, Cannabis, snacks, baked goods, drinks, etc. Most people will smoke weaker stuff, somewhat like how people drink beer and not Everclear now. During the previous prohibition, the only thing available was the strongest moonshine smugglers could get.
      • khyberkitsune, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Umm, no. It'll be sold by strain. The only guaranteed way to determine a plant's chemical content is to do an assay on it, which usually involves destroying the sample in the process. Since no two plants are alike (even cloned marijuana may not produce the same THC content, it's really 15% genetics and 85% grower care) you'll NEVER get a guaranteed THC per toke content.
        • marx2k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0I would think THC content is much higher related to genetics than grower care
      • UglyBunny, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I'm pretty sure pot is already sold in different strengths. Usually B-grade to KB...
        • marx2k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0And your dealer thinks everything is KB so....
  • codehkr, on 10/10/2007, -43/+4Here we go... potheads, come out and try to comment on Digg.
    • f0rr3st, on 10/10/2007, -1/+25is being a smug douchebag your anti-drug?
    • blueimac540c, on 10/10/2007, -2/+30hey hey hey hey...









      smoke weed every day
    • drakenlot, on 10/10/2007, -25/+2I see this article got all the stupid people together...
      • FuckXboxx, on 10/10/2007, -3/+5You must be mistaken...this isn't a Halo article.

        Halo fans are the ultimate retards of the internet...you should check one of those articles.
      • noumuon, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6"I see this article got all the stupid people together..." ... as does every article on digg. do you actually, you know, take the time to read the comments on the other articles? stupidity runs rampant throughout humanity, and drugs aren't the cause. hell, i occasionally smoke pot, and i'd put my intelligence up against your intelligence any day. math league ftw!
      • vjeko, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Welcome!
    • 4degrees, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4its hard to comment on digg when you meth heads are up all night posting incoherent ramblings like that. :-P
    • Gerbil_Juice, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Might as well call anyone who drinks an alcoholic.
  • totorototoro, on 10/10/2007, -1/+9What about the munchies?
    • MeThePeople, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2in #10 it says it increases appetite helping aids patients regain weight
  • codehkr, on 10/10/2007, -1/+19On the serious side, there is too much money to be made in law enforcement when it comes to Marijuana.
    Alcohol was outlawed before, now its perfectly legal. Why? Because its healthier? Come on.
    • edwartica, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8Why, oh why, do we not learn from our past?
    • CowboyJesus, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4Alcohol is legal because prohibition spawned rampant crime and mayhem - ever heard of Al Capone? Too bad there wasn't a four million user base for marijuana when it was first outlawed.
  • jtingley, on 10/10/2007, -2/+71With every drug we must talk about the side effects:
    Side-effects of Marijuana use are as follows:
    -May cause some of the following symptoms-

    Coughing,
    mild to extreme euphoria,
    fits of uncontrollable laughter,
    overanalysys of insignificant things,
    underanalysys of significant things,
    uncontrollable craving for junk food,
    dry "cotton like" mouth, fatigue,
    a "way too deep" and even "scary" understanding of the nature of the universe,
    delusions of grandeur,
    oversensitivity of the skin,
    mild visual effects in same patients,
    paranoia in some patients,
    a feeling of "warm-handedness",
    the delusion that you're heart might be beating WAY too fast,
    a feeling of "Floating",
    a new-found understanding of music,
    enhanced creativity or in some cases the delusion of said enhancement,
    perception of inability to move,
    general lift in mood,
    The idea that EVERYTHING creative in human existence had to have been influenced by pot,
    heightened "connection" with those sharing the experience,
    temporary short term memory loss,
    temporary speech impediment,
    Loss of Nausea if it was present before dosage,
    Loss of Headache if present before dosage.
    Loss of Stress if present before dosage,

    Take once a day or as directed. Avoid driving or operating heavy machinery until you know how this will effect you.
    • revolvingcur, on 10/10/2007, -16/+1You had me. Then you misspelled "affect."
      • jtingley, on 10/10/2007, -0/+10ah come on, who out there doesn't accidentally switch out affect and effect from time to time. Spell checkers don't account for that one.
      • IllBeBack, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8How is that a "spelling" error?
      • Sabrielle, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Besides, this looks cut and pasted. Not the paster's fault if he/she was in a hurry to reply or post...
        • jtingley, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1no-no it's original, I wrote it. Strait from my brain to the Digg comment box.
    • DelSolid, on 10/10/2007, -0/+12The anti-nasuea & hunger inducing properties are what helps cancer patients cope with chemo and aids patients prevent the wasting effect.
      The anti-headache ability is a godsend to migrane sufferers.

      Both of the above uses are the only things that work for those patients and the .gov does not care.
      • jtingley, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Ya man, I get chronic severe migraines 1-2 times a month, No medication ever prescribed to me by any doctor has killed them 100%.
        What can I say... sometimes alternative medication is the answer.
    • andshewas, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1yay!
    • picsectionpleez, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1you win sir +1
    • Oraclese, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Thank you for this:
      "the delusion that you're heart might be beating WAY too fast"

      I honestly had no idea that this was a side effect of pot. It had actually worried me at times, and even caused me to smoke less.
      I don't like the feeling, even if it is a delusion, but I'm just glad that it's not actually my heart :p
    • stoanhart, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1The last three are my some of my favorites!
  • WilliamDavis, on 10/10/2007, -4/+36Many of the "myths" aren't myths. They're LIES, purposefully spread by liars, profiteers, and/or people who can't imagine what life would be like if they could mind their own business.
    • shadus, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who go "Eh, whatever it doesn't effect me." and those who go, "That's not my life style, force them to change and be like me because I can't accept outside views."

      If someone wants to get ***** at home, I have no problem with it regardless of what they're doing it on.
      • IllBeBack, on 10/10/2007, -9/+2Then why do all the people using weed always try to tell everyone how good it is and how harmless it is? Because they want you to use it too. Kind of fits in with your "force them to change and be like me" argument.
        • clothmonkey, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7If I like Digg and I recommend it to other people, is that me "forcing them to change"?
          Likewise for any given band, movie, video game, anything that I happen to enjoy?
          Unless people are being tied down, with their noses pinched closed, and a bong held up to their unwilling, struggling mouths, I don't know that you can call it force.
        • 40hands, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7Wow, that is one damn stupid comment. I'm not going to waste my time even trying to explain why your comment is stupid. Think about it.
        • WilliamDavis, on 10/10/2007, -2/+2"Then why do all the people using weed always try to tell everyone how good it is and how harmless it is? Because they want you to use it too. Kind of fits in with your "force them to change and be like me" argument."

          I'm not even using weed. I'm just sick of the war on drugs and everything it's caused. The giant problem with what you are saying... is that nobody is suggesting that government use billions of tax dollars to talk you into smoking weed, and nobody is suggesting that government should jail you for not using weed. For the most part, I don't care what you do, and I doubt many weed users do either.
    • doggo, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3"...people who can't imagine what life would be like if they could mind their own business." I love that phrase. So right.
  • banjokelly, on 10/10/2007, -5/+23Good list, but as someone for whom marajuana use triggered panic attacks and anxiety quite suddenly after years of occasional use, I feel obliged to say that despite a lot of myths, one thing that is true (because it happened to me) is marajuana CAN (I'm not saying "will") trigger mental health problems in predisposed people. The problem is you don't know you're predisposed until something bad happens. If you are willing to take the consequences of this risk, then go right ahead and smoke all you want, but don't complain that you weren't warned. Now digg me down for an inconvenient truth.
    • DelSolid, on 10/10/2007, -0/+15I believe what you say is true but just about anything that happens to you during a normal day can trigger mental health problems in predisposed people. Alcohol, stress, marriage, divorce, children, car accident, bad hair day, death, george bush, car needs new tires...
    • shadus, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7That's a reality of any psychoactive substance... so could nicotine, alcohol, or caffeine. There's a reason they put suicide warning labels on anti-depressant for use with teenagers. *shrug* Hell, my mother got her anxiety attacks and panic disorder from a near fatal asthma attack (PTS). If you're pre-disposed *anything* can flip that switch. The risk with pot is the same.
    • 40hands, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1If they're predisposed then its going to happen sometime...
    • PlagueMonkey, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1You forgot "temporary short term memory loss".
    • marx2k, on 10/10/2007, -1/+0I agree as well. Marijuana, after years of casual use, began causing serious anxiety attacks for me. However, I also used marijuana to deal with those attacks and overcome those issues. For me, the anxiety attacks were began with a strange feeling in my stomach, and then random bad thoughts followed. Once I got past the fact that the thoughts were simply a figment of the imagination and not based in reality, I quickly dealt with the fact that the only other thing was the feeling in my stomach. I just ended up getting used to that, but once you face your fears (on marijuana), you end up seeing them for what they are and they no longer scare you.

      Did I mention that introspection on marijuana also caused/helped me to quit a pack-a-day habit of 13 years?
      Psychiatrists used to use LSD and ecstasy on their patients to have them get in touch with parts of their brains they usually wouldn't. I use the herb.
      I should be in prison ;)
  • DelSolid, on 10/10/2007, -5/+12OK, I'll say it, I like weed so I am digging this article!
  • VanD, on 10/10/2007, -15/+6BC bud is good for you.
    I'm 20 and healthy as a horse.
    I'm am living proof.
    • shadus, on 10/10/2007, -0/+9Get back to me at 50, at 20 MOST people are healthy as a horse (not saying pot is bad for you, just commenting on how narrow that view is.)
    • Jonsblckhwk, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Marijuana with higher percentages of THC is healthier in that, one does not need to smoke as much tar to get the same amount of THC.
    • hobnob, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I'm can spel bettar then u
  • azprofessional, on 10/10/2007, -0/+12I used to smoke but quit, because my Heart rate shot through the roof everytime I smoked it. It felt like I was going to have a heart attack and couldn't figure out why. I am a social smoker and no one else smoking the same stuff had this side-effect, I thought it might be panic attacks but there was no real anxiety associated with it. Just a heart rate of 130-135, 30 seconds or so after consumption.

    I have chronic pain and enjoyed its help in pain management.

    Does anyone else know of similar experiences? Causes?

    Thanks
    • neutrascrub, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6everyones heart rate goes up during the initial high. However, if it continues after that, then you are paranoid. You need to focus on the fact that you're safe and you won't get caught. You will notice your heart rate drop to a normal level after that.
      • damon5334, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3A fast heart rate can be a sign of WPW, which would show up if you've ever had an EKG done. It's caused by extra connections to your valves that bypass the AV node (which regulates heart rate). Some people get them when they're stressed, or anxious. It can cause dizziness, or in extreme cases death. I have it myself, and I've been fortunate enough not to have a serious enough attack that I've passed out, but I have gotten light headed from it. For me it'll usually happen if I'm in a stressful situation, or sometimes happens when I get high. If you are worried about it, you should have a doctor do an EKG, it would show up on that, even if you don't have symptoms.
        • meepus, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4I know a guy who had this happen to him last month. He went to the ER because even after the high, his heart rate never went down. He felt the anxiety and all that and was completely miserable. He told the ER doctor exactly why that had happened to him, and the ER doc explained it like this:

          Getting high from smoking can be understood similar to an allergic reaction. Usually, you get the desired good 'high' reaction. Sometimes, and for each person there's a consistent likelihood of this (as in, I might have a consistent 2% chance, whereas you might have a 75% consistent chance), you have a bad reaction. A bad reaction to cannabis can cause the equivalent of a prolonged panic attack, but without any logical foundation. Like at any other point in time, you are more likely to try and create a justification for the way you feel than attempt to find the already existing pretext. That's why some stoners occasionally get unreasonably paranoid: the cannabis throws them a hail mary packed with fear, and they run a panic-touchdown with it without considering that if they just willed it away, it'd be gone. Instead, they encourage it.

          The doc said that aside from abstaining from smoking, the best cure for this is mental. If you know that there's no logical reason to panic you can calm yourself down by taking deep breaths, removing excess sensory stimulation (turning off the lights, music, etc), and telling yourself that everything is alright.

          He also said that my friend's heart problems weren't caused by the cannabis itself, but rather as a complication resulting from the panic attack. So basically, if you can respond well to the stress you won't have a problem with this. My friend overemphasizes all his problems and after he started panicking, he just fed the fire, so to speak.
        • marx2k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0meepus: he should eat a good eighth of golden teacher strain mushrooms, then :D
    • jtingley, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7@azprofessional
      Did you actually use a digital device to test you're heart rate or did you do it by finger on the pulse? I ask because some people experience the delusion that their heart is going really really fast and even get tricked trying to get a pulse. A digital device should show and accurate readout of a resting heart rate + a little that can be attributed to anxiety over the perception of accelerated heart rate.

      In short in most cases the heart rate thing is totally mental, getting you're mind off of it will make it stop.
    • curt082480, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1The first year I smoked (when I was 14/15) I got a really fast pulse rate, even once I thought I could hear my heart pounding away. Basically, all that went away with time. I guess I built up a tolerance and it was no longer an issue.
    • JasonDJ, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4I had a friend who had symptoms that went very much along with having a strong anxiety attack while smoking. He even vowed against smoking ever again because of it.

      Next day he went to get checked out by a doctor and turned out that the ER he went to for an infection gave him some antibiotics he was allergic to (and priorly documented as being allergic to) which caused the attack and some lasting negative effects on his heart.

      Point being, I wonder how many times people have negative effects while smoking weed that turn up to be something completely unrelated?
    • Farik, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3The more you think about the heart rate increasing, the more the heart rate increases (or seems to). Once you start the bad thoughts and hit that downward spiral - it's hard to get out of it.
    • skotski, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4Yeah, I have the same problem. Weed isn't pleasant anymore. I used to enjoy it but now it is just a tramatic experience. Nervous, heart pounding, feel like I'm gonna die...the bad effects far outweigh the good.
      I still support it and all, but it is no longer for me.
      • jtingley, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2It's all in you're head man. Getting into the mental loop of bad symptoms is just like getting bladder shy in public restrooms. It's a tough cycle to break but once you get out of it you'll be ok.
    • azprofessional, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Thanks for the responses, to specify I've used it for 7 years and have never felt this level of heart rate increase. This is not merely the initial jump from intake, and I have tested it digitally. I am aware of the paranoia tendancy, however this a bit different. I also forgot to add that about 1 out of 5 times I would get an extreme chill and shiver uncontrollably from it and feel really disturbingly sick.

      I am an experienced smoker who knows the difference between a fed paranoia and physical issues.

      Thanks
      • Oraclese, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I've also had this issue. Perhaps not as bad as you, and I've only been smoking for 2 and a half years. I've had slightly elevated heart rate (which I believe is because I think about it, and then it gets worse as I think about it more). On a couple occassions, however, I have got extremely cold afterwards, very clammy and cold ahnds and feet. It's a really unpleasant experience, which has caused me to smoke quite a bit less than I used to, and onyl at certain times where I know my mood is good enough to enjoy it.
      • MichaelJN, on 10/14/2007, -0/+3Are you on any prescription medications, particularly antidepressants? The methods some of these drugs work could definitely interfere with the pot and cause these symptoms.
  • dserfaty, on 10/10/2007, -4/+32legalize it
  • DelSolid, on 10/10/2007, -2/+24How come people don't talk about it's life extending properties?

    When I was high 5 minutes seemed like an hour so if you stay high for 1 year you will experience 12 years of living. You could live to be like 500 if you had a big enough stash!
    • yohnstoppable, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6Dugg for accurate math
    • AuburnTigers, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1haha, dugg for downright truthfulness. I always check the clock when I first inhale, then come back later to see that it's only been like 10 minutes and I'm blown away
    • NoPis10, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I was telling my friend this same exact thing last night after we thought 2 hours went by and in reality it had been 30 minutes. I kid you not.
      • duczduczducz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3try shrooms....
        • marx2k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Shrooms are the best example of 2 minutes seeming like 2 hours (4 hours when your carpet is trying to eat your and holes are opening up in your ceiling with little ass goblins peeking in on you)
    • h4ppymac, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1how did u get to twelve years?
      • DelSolid, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3the original statement was "5 minutes seems like an hour"
        so 5m * X = 1h where X is the life extension factor.
        Solving for x:
        convert your units.
        Since 1h = 60m and 1 = 60m / 1h we can multiply the right side by 60m / 1h without changing the equation
        5m * X = 1h * 60m / 1h
        the 1h's cancel out on the right
        5m * X = 60m
        divide both sides by 5m
        5m * X / 5m = 60m / 5m
        5m's cancel out on the left
        X = 60m / 5m
        minutes cancel out on the right
        X = 60 / 5
        X = 12

        So in the resulting description of "1 year you will experience 12 years of living" is due to the 1 year multiplied by the life extension factor X gives 1 * 12 = 12 years.

        I cant believe I came back 5 hours after my original post to show my work...
    • wilda86, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Weed logic at its best!
  • Tyorant, on 10/10/2007, -4/+8My mates' parents just found his "weed stash", he's been trying to educate them and convince them he's not going to get into heroin. This'll be useful. :-p
    • shadus, on 10/10/2007, -0/+10If my kids start smoking pot I'll treat it the same way I would treat Cigarettes or Alcohol before they're 18. No more, no less.
      • NinjaBoy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Id just take their stash and smoke it to my damn self.
      • duczduczducz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6what I always say is that if I ever notice a change in my kid's direction in life, laziness, etc, and know its from smoking, i'll draw the line.....but if i find his stash or something and wouldn't have known otherwise because he keeps his grades up, is outgoing, etc...then he's mature enough to use it!
    • Tyorant, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Yeah see.... he also kept his condoms in his "weed stash" box...
  • MrEddy, on 10/10/2007, -3/+12I tend to look at things like this. How much do I have to consume in order to get sick or die from something.

    Alcohol - Not really that hard to get sick and die from drinking too much
    Tylenol/Advil/other meds - all can easily kill you if you take too much. I'm sure a handful or less would do it.
    Cigarettes - Not sure how many you have to smoke but I know smoking too many can give you nicotine poisoning and kill you

    Heroin/Crack/Meth - this ***** is so strong and so easy to OD and kill yourself with I will never touch the stuff.

    POT - From everything I have read its basically not possible to OD and kill yourself with pot. You would have to smoke pounds of weed to accomplish this which is basically impossible.

    So if you ask me that simple fact alone makes me think that pot is probably one of the safest drugs in the world today. why is it that people worry about something this harmless? You should be putting your concern on what kills people...

    Alcohol abuse, guns, poverty, starvation, cancer, driving a car... These things kill TENS OF THOUSANDS!!!!!! of people every single year. I've yet to hear of anyone ever dying from pot. I'm sure some people probably have. but, I guarantee the number is tiny compared to all these other things which kill people.
    • Thorox, on 10/10/2007, -2/+3I've never seen a gun jump out of its box and shoot someone all by iteself...
      I've never seen a bottle of MadDog 20/20 behind the wheel of a car...
      I've never seen a car without a driver ever kill anything...
      • Xorsist, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3I think what you dont realize is that marijuana is a natural thing, cars/guns/etc. are not, they are man made. Blueberrys are natural and are healthy for you, marijauana is natural and does not kill you but makes you feel better. Making alcohol is natural but is bad for you, natural things can hurt you but some can also be healthy for you.
        • toxicshok, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2That relies on the logical fallacy of appeal to nature. B/c marijuana is natural does not make it good, though it is. Cars/guns/etc. are unnatural, but still pretty kickass.
        • Thorox, on 10/17/2007, -0/+1I think what you don't realize is that PEOPLE should take responsibility for their own CHOICES and ACTIONS instead of trying to legislate behavior.
    • alien420, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Yes, that is correct, you would have to smoke pounds, but you would pass out before you get smoke enough to die from it, so it is IMPOSSIBLE to OD, not basically.
  • exomni, on 10/10/2007, -1/+15There is a difference between "myths" and "blatant lies and propaganda".
  • FuckXboxx, on 10/10/2007, -3/+17I can't wait for all of the people to bash cannabis connoisseurs for simply enjoying their lives the way they see fit.

    If you're about to bash a cannabis user, ask yourself why. Why do you want everyone to live exactly like you?

    Cannabis is perfectly safe, harmless, and the only damage it does to society comes from the laws surrounding it, not the plant itself. Why perpetuate the harmful laws and propaganda?

    If you so truly hate to see someone "wasted" then help them instead of scolding them.

    OPEN YOUR MINDS!
    • bongobottom, on 10/10/2007, -4/+1"Cannabis is perfectly safe, harmless, and the only damage it does to society comes from the laws surrounding it, not the plant itself. Why perpetuate the harmful laws and propaganda?"

      It is not perfectly safe and harmless! Oh my gosh. I'm not saying it should be illegal, but you cannot say it is perfectly safe or harmless. People have killed themselves and others because they thought they could drive/operate heavy machinery while high because, "hey, it's perfectly harmless!" And just because it may not be as harmful as other things that are out there, doesn't mean there are no negative side effects. Have you ever studied drug/substance abuse, neuropsychology, biology at all? Or are you just mad because you want to smoke pot in public?
    • Defuser, on 10/10/2007, -7/+0Is "Cannabis connoisseur" some new kind of codeword for "Filthy, pot-head hippy"?
  • databoy, on 10/10/2007, -1/+18The number one truth about marijuana.
    Marijuana was banned because it will bankrupt the USA cotton industry and not because of its drug properties.
    • Xplorer, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5Exactly, and who doesn't love overpaying for cotton goods.
      Goods that would be cheaper if there was some more competition in the market.

      Anslinger screwed us all...
  • nastronomical, on 10/10/2007, -20/+3Ok weed heads. Why do YOU need to use it to function? Can you actually live without smoking? If not....its addiction and nothing thats addictive is good.
    • FuckXboxx, on 10/10/2007, -2/+7Well I use it for IBS that made it impossible for me to eat without becoming sick for 19 years of my life. Now I use it once a day and the anti-spasmodic properties work all day...if not longer.

      I'm guessing you watch TV. I would never introduce something as harmful as TV into my home. It's addictive, it rots your brain, and it increases violent tendencies.
      • Jonsblckhwk, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2I also use the sweet sweet ganja for IBS. Works like a charm.
      • toxicshok, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1TV increase violent tendencies!? How dare you say that, I'LL ***** KILL YOU DO YOU HEAR ME I'LL KILL YOUUUUUUUU.
        /sarc
      • Phrag, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Oddly enough, I feel less violent now that I don't watch TV. I honestly think that its just because I hate commercials and the majority of them make me want to beat the person who put them on the air.
    • feb420, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3Huh?
    • onelesd, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4When did death become the measure of addictiveness? BTW, anything that causes happiness has the potential to cause addiction.
      The song goes, "Don't worry - be happy." Not, "Don't be happy - worry."
    • 40hands, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4It's called doing something you enjoy. Ohh teh horror!! Name something you like to do in your spare time and I will ask you the same question. You people are very closed minded.
    • 4degrees, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7as he sips his 5th cup of coffee.
    • duczduczducz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5i can live without pot....i can't live without food...you might just say i'm addicted to it....but that's bad so i'll quit eating
    • noumuon, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5"Can you actually live without smoking? If not....its addiction and nothing thats addictive is good." - so since i cannot live without water, water is addictive, and since nothing that's addictive is good, water is bad. sure, that makes sense.
    • Antz0rz, on 10/10/2007, -2/+2i was going to say something about this but then i forgot what it was.

      oh look a shiny

      i'm hungry.
    • cowboydan1314, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0you should try smoking, nast. i bet you change your mind.

      oh also, do your research before you make claims.
    • Phrag, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Following your 'logic' (and I use the term loosely) anything that people can not live without is addictive and anything addictive is bad. I can't live without a paycheck. Does that mean that having a job is addictive and therefore bad? I have a diabetic friend who can't live without insulin. Does that make insulin addictive and bad? I actually can live without pot, but I have PTSD so that living would not be very pleasant for me. It seems like you didn't out much thought into that comment. Perhaps you should think it over and try again.
    • SeethisPass, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I can live without shoes, but I'd rather not. I have gone for several years at a time without smoking, I am demonstrably not addicted. All in all I see no reason to deprive myself of something I enjoy. I think of it much like a bank that employs a " customer charge" which is what they charge you to be their customer. I consider smoking to be my own customer charge, representing what I require in order to be able to persevere in granting that which society requires of me. It recharges my ability and upgrades my attitude when I am depleted.
  • catesbysimpson, on 10/10/2007, -14/+3This is nice and all, but there are several problems with it. Marijuana shrinks the dendrites that make up the brain. Of course, the dendrites expand back, but over time they lose that ability. Second Marijuana IS addictive. There are two kinds of addictions, mental and physical. With Physical addictions, your body needs more of the drug. Marijuana is not physically addicting. With Mental Addictions your mind 't needs more of the drug, to the point where you can't cope without it. Marijuana can create mental addictions.
    • stronglikedan, on 10/10/2007, -1/+8Citations? Oh, wait...you can't cite proof of this because your talking straight out of your ASS! Go away douche.
      • chicagodj, on 10/10/2007, -7/+1i would say every stoner I've ever known has been unable to anything without thinking that it would only be cool if they did it while high.
        i.e.
        Hey man we got to go see that movie that comes out tomorrow night. But we have to do it HIGH.
        or
        Wow that ride looks really cool but only if we rode it after we get baked.

        I mean seriously. If you cant think of actions in your life without pot then there is a serious problem. I would also say that would follow for any substance whether it be pot, alcohol, acid, anything.
        • 40hands, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6So you are saying there are stupid people in the world? Congrats on that brilliant deduction but it has nothing to do with what we're talking about.
        • noumuon, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3i could be considered a stoner. i have no problem not being stoned when i tutor people in math, when i do math, or when i learn math (although, it's fun getting stoned and doing physics; so yes, calculus is fun stoned). movies are a waste of time as it is, so i see no problem being stoned and watching a movie; all you're doing to begin with is distracting yourself for 2 hours.
    • finbec, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8Almost anything can create a mental addiction....food, sex, TV, computer, etc. I don't know why people keep bringing this up. It kind of 'goes without saying'. Duh. We typically save the word 'addictive' for things that are chemically addictive.
    • Foamator, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Buried for use of the word "addicting". Oh, and the ***** factor.
    • crimsoncircle, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Everything can be mentally addictive you fool. You can get addicted to chocolate, sex, masturbating, TV, games etc. etc.
    • Phrag, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Lets clear up some of this. Dendrites do shorten after long-term, habitual use of marijuana. The effects on them in occasional to moderate users in nearly undetectable. Even in heavy, long-term users they return to normal after a couple weeks. I can't find any sources that claim they loose the ability to grow back over time.

      Addiction is way too broadly defined if you really think it applies to pot. There are no people that I know of or have ever heard of that can't cope without pot. Yes there are some people who are lazy and choose not to stop because they don't want to deal with a little discomfort for a couple days, but that is a personal problem completely separate from pot use. I know people who were addicted to meth and alcohol. Calling pot addictive is insulting to the things that these people have to go through to get clean. You can die from alcohol detox and a meth detox will make you wish you were dead. Pot is nothing compared to these drugs and saying that it is addictive shows how little you really know about drugs.
  • mrbonuscup, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4mirror?? site not responding
    • Foamator, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4Server got stoned.
      • marx2k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Error 420: Server too stoned to respond and/or lost the index.
    • elnayrb, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1If you scroll up, you'll see a copy and pasted version.
  • imbob, on 10/10/2007, -6/+2lol i still think myth number 2 is wrong
  • plizard, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3feed your mind
    • Xplorer, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Remember what the dormouse said:
      "Feed your head. Feed your head. Feed your head"
  • rvz4ever, on 10/10/2007, -1/+21i am currently participating in a long term study to attempt to smoke myself retarded/dead. funding is the only problem now. to donate. contact me. cash only. thnx
    • Phrag, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Be careful. The DEA might come and help you reach your goal a bit earlier than expected.
  • edwartica, on 10/10/2007, -1/+14Very informative article! I don't do pot, and I never will, but I really feel it should be legalized.
    • dewyjuhl, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1Come on, everybody's doing it.. you're not affraiiiddd are you?
  • GamingTrend, on 10/10/2007, -10/+2And here I thought I'd go a whole day without an MJ thread on the front page. Clearly I was mistaken.
    • 40hands, on 10/10/2007, -1/+7Clearly you should shut the ***** up and not click on the thread, never mind comment in it.
      • GamingTrend, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Right. Anyone voicing any opinion counter to yours shold just shut up. That makes sense. I guess I'm not allowed to be frustrated about the multitude of threads devoted to pot on a site that used to be tech-centered.
        • 40hands, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2You didn't even express an opinion. You came in and said something stupid and you were told to shut the ***** up. If you hadn't noticed, Digg has changed over the last few years. It's turned into more then just a tech centered site. If you don't like it, block certain sections or find something else to do with yourself.
      • GamingTrend, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Yea, I have noticed that Digg has changed. Sadly it's turning into some bastard mutant child of MySpace, YouTube, and a bunch of copy/paste from the previous day with a dash of 'legalize it' every other story for good measure. You spout that you have three degrees yet you are too blind or stupid to see that your behavior is hypocritical at best. A quick dip into your posting history reveals that every post you make is antagonistic and rude, offering literally nothing but hostility to the conversation, but you don't have to go any further than this thread to see that. You also seem to stalk pot-related posts to spew the same nonsense over and over. You clearly have nothing new to offer to the conversation, so this is where I tell you that it is in fact YOU who should shut the ***** up and dodge the thread, never mind comment on it. If you do comment, it'll just be the same banal white noise - save your breath as we've already read it.

        I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that I'll get a nasty childish response like the ones you've already spewed at Jonsblckhwk, bongobottom, toxicshok, Defuser, IllBeBac, and many more.
        • 40hands, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1 Wow. You're calling me hypocritical? First of all, I would like to know how so? Second I would like to point out a few gems from your comment history:
          "Ever watch the news? You need to get out more..."
          "This pic lacks the funny. Fail."
          "as a soldier myself, let me be the first to say... ***** you, you tubby pasty-white sack of blow-hard *****. Get off your ass and pick up a weapon for a while, then we can talk about who is a phony soldier." (OHHH what an internet tough guy!)

          + some more boring useless ones. You're such a contributor. Pot, meet kettle.

          What I wanted to say in the thread has already been stated by others. I am rude when I feel rudeness is needed. Assholes come in these threads just to spout stupid ***** like you did above. If you come in with stupid ignorant comments, then be prepared to get told the ***** off. Ignore/bury the thread if you don't like it. This isn't rocket science kid.
          • GamingTrend, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1No, not every post is Shakespeare, but 100% of your posts are just the hiss of white noise. You may not know this as you are obviously quite immature, but telling everyone to ***** off when you don't like what they have to say won't win you any friends. Take your own advice and digg my comments down if you don't like them. Running around insulting people is the mark of insecurity. Don't worry though - you can have the last word and comment back if you'd like. If it makes you able to get through your emo "I hate everything/everyone" day, you knock yourself out.
        • 40hands, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Way to dance around the issue at hand once again. To tell you the truth, I really didn't expect much.

          Haha....now I'm emo and looking for friends on Digg? Fallout Boy, here I come! Yes my posts in this thread were mostly insults. Sue me. I think I was pretty nice to the teacher who had the "think of the children" argument. She was sincere and had an honest point. BTW: I am very flattered that you went through and read all of my 80 something posts on Digg!

          Some people come into threads asking for insults (aka: trolls) and I happened to be bored enough to give them just that. Sometimes it's fun to bitch people out. Did I mention that you're cute? Oblivious but still cute. Welcome to the internet! I'm sure Ill see you around.
      • Phrag, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3You know that if you like technology, then you can have digg open the technology page as the first thing you see when you go here, right? Go to your profile, click the Settings tab and then choose Customize Topics. Problem solved.
  • actics, on 10/10/2007, -8/+5If you think there's rampant misinformation about marijuana, there's even more regarding circumcision! (for those of you lucky enough not to know, that's where they remove part of your sex organ)

    http://digg.com/health/Top_10_Circumcision_Myths
  • a5tr0cr3ep, on 10/10/2007, -2/+8i am straight edge, because i choose to be not b/c the lies i have been fed. i agree with everything on the list. i just chose not to smoke it for personal reasons/beliefs. however i will say that some ppl with addictive personalties should avoid things like smoking, drugs, and booze and for those ppl i try to convince them that you can have "fun" sober
    • MWeather, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3"however i will say that some ppl with addictive personalties should avoid things like smoking, drugs, and booze"

      Don't forget TV, gambling, the internet, video games, food and sex.
    • Jonsblckhwk, on 10/10/2007, -2/+2Who are you to tell other people how to live?
      • vjeko, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2He's suggesting so chill out...everyone does it.
    • Phrag, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I think pot should still be legalized for those that can't or choose not to have fun sober. Of all the recreational drugs that can be used, marijuana seems to be the one that causes the least harm.
  • BrianCrosbie, on 10/10/2007, -12/+5It's funny to me that most of the potheads I've ever known are doing absolutely F-all with their lives, but yet there is still this lame debate. Who cares? It is what it is.

    In my experience (and all I have is my own experience), as soon as I put down the bong, my life got very full, and I felt 100% healthier and happier. The reason that people who smoke a lot of grass are called chronics, is because they are chronic avoiders. They mask their feelings and avoid life.

    Debate me all you want.... Da Nile is not just a river in Egypt.

    Peace/ Love
    • Terrk, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5It depends on your smoker. I know a few guys who fit what you said very well. Then I have some friends who smoke 2-3 times a month, and aren't like that at all. So you can't say that everyone who smokes pot is a pothead. The thing is, alot of people do the same thing with drinking.
      • Salomas, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3You can't get anything done when you're on the pot all day every day, just like you can't get anything done when you're hitting the bottle or grinding in WoW or chasing the dragon. None of these things are a problem if you do them only occasionally.
    • MWeather, on 10/10/2007, -0/+499% of the potheads you've known, you didn't know were potheads. So your opinion means jack *****.
    • vjeko, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Gates smoked pot, Steve smoked pot...how many millions do u have? Not saying money matters but they succeeded in their field of profession.
    • Phrag, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1The majority of all people do F-all with their lives. Thats why it is significant when someone does something good. I work in an office and most of the people here do not smoke pot (that I know of) and they are just sitting at a desk, waiting for the day they retire. There are also plenty of examples of people who use pot and then do things that most people only dream of. Look at the vast majority of entertainers for the last 40 years. If you are happier not smoking pot, then thats great that you figured that out and made your life better. You should also consider that some people, such as myself, function better with pot. It is the correlation between laziness and marijuana created by the governments propaganda that makes you notice people who are lazy and use marijuana more than those who use marijuana and are productive. No one at my job ever asks me or knows that I smoke pot because I am productive and don't usually bring it up.
  • saturnx8, on 10/10/2007, -15/+5thats great that all these things are "factual", however the most important fact is, in America it is still illegal to own, poses or use marijuana with out a medical prescription. so its irrelevant that any of