Study says marijuana no gateway drug
Marijuana is not a “gateway” drug that predicts or eventually leads to substance abuse, suggests a 12-year University of Pittsburgh study. Moreover, the study’s findings call into question the long-held belief that has shaped prevention efforts and governmental policy for six decades and caused many a parent to panic upon discovering a bag of pot in their child’s bedroom.
The Pitt researchers tracked 214 boys beginning at ages 10-12, all of whom eventually used either legal or illegal drugs. When the boys reached age 22, they were categorized into three groups: those who used only alcohol or tobacco, those who started with alcohol and tobacco and then used marijuana (gateway sequence) and those who used marijuana prior to alcohol or tobacco (reverse sequence).
Nearly a quarter of the study population who used both legal and illegal drugs at some point – 28 boys – exhibited the reverse pattern of using marijuana prior to alcohol or tobacco, and those individuals were no more likely to develop a substance use disorder than those who followed the traditional succession of alcohol and tobacco before illegal drugs, according to the study, which appears in this month’s issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.
“The gateway progression may be the most common pattern, but it’s certainly not the only order of drug use,” said Ralph E. Tarter, Ph.D., professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy and lead author of the study. “In fact, the reverse pattern is just as accurate for predicting who might be at risk for developing a drug dependence disorder.”
In addition to determining whether the gateway hypothesis was a better predictor of substance abuse than competing theories, the investigators sought to identify characteristics that distinguished users in the gateway sequence from those who took the reverse path. Out of the 35 variables they examined, only three emerged to be differentiating factors: Reverse pattern users were more likely to have lived in poor physical neighborhood environments, had more exposure to drugs in their neighborhoods and had less parental involvement as young children. Most importantly, a general inclination for deviance from sanctioned behaviors, which can become evident early in childhood, was strongly associated with all illicit drug use, whether it came in the gateway sequence, or the reverse.
While the gateway theory posits that each type of drug is associated with certain specific risk factors that cause the use of subsequent drugs, such as cigarettes or alcohol leading to marijuana, this study’s findings indicate that environmental aspects have stronger influence on which type of substance is used. That is, if it’s easier for a teen to get his hands on marijuana than beer, then he’ll be more likely to smoke pot. This evidence supports what’s known as the common liability model, an emerging theory that states the likelihood that someone will transition to the use of illegal drugs is determined not by the preceding use of a particular drug but instead by the user’s individual tendencies and environmental circumstances.
“The emphasis on the drugs themselves, rather than other, more important factors that shape a person’s behavior, has been detrimental to drug policy and prevention programs,” Dr. Tarter said. “To become more effective in our efforts to fight drug abuse, we should devote more attention to interventions that address these issues, particularly to parenting skills that shape the child’s behavior as well as peer and neighborhood environments.”
Indeed, according to the study, interventions focusing on behavior modification may be more effective prevention tactics than current anti-drug initiatives. For example, providing guidance to parents – particularly those in high-risk neighborhoods – on how to boost their caregiving skills and foster bonding with their children, could have a measurable effect on a child’s likelihood to smoke marijuana. Also, early identification of children who exhibit antisocial tendencies could allow for interventions before drug use even begins.
Although this research has significant implications for drug abuse prevention approaches, Dr. Tarter notes that the study has some limitations. First, as only male behaviors were studied, further investigation should explore if the results apply to women as well. Also, the examination of behaviors in phases beyond alcohol and marijuana consumption in the gateway series will be necessary.
From University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
- drug dependence,
- pharmaceutical,
- Ralph E. Tarter,
- Social Issues,
- substance use disorder,
- the American Journal of Psychiatry,
- University of Pittsburgh
- 140497 reads
Printer-friendly version | 
Send to friend
This is Great!
Medical Marijuana, Inc’s Educational Expo has a buy one ticket get one free to their Medical Marijuana Business Expo. They are going to teach you how to get in the Medical Marijuana business, how to grow medical marijuana and more: hxxp://medicalmarijuanaeducationalexpo.com.
Spread the word far and wide.
ive loved pot for 6 years had no affair with any other.
if you are going to do drugs, you are inherently predisposed to doing them. if you have the want in you to do them you will, regarless of what you start with.
cus i got married to marijuana and my connect was my best man
THE TRUTH DOCTOR
The very first thing you’ll see when after entering Oaksterdam U. is pictures of Families . So you say…………so what……… except the pictures are there for a purpose . These pictures show the Father’s that were once part of the family unit now seperated because of
” marijuana crimes “. Below the photos tell a story of why each one was incarcerated , their sentence & in detail tells how several of these men either have killed themselves or have been killed while in prison .
Their is now no Father .The family has been broken apart .
How can the Mother work when she takes care of her Children ?
Furthermore the Children are now worse off than ever before . For what purpose does incarceration serve for what otherwise is a victimless crime ? Cannabis helps rather than it hurts . Yet some of you will say ,
” well this man committed a crime & as a result of breaking the law he must pay for his crime ” …………
and some of you will say ” what about the man who committed murder then he too needs to be free ” . Murder is a crime and he must be prosecuted for his crime but , possessing a plant called Cannabis is not a crime .
This man did not commit a crime .
Rather the crime was committed against the man .
haha
know the truth or jsut remain ignorant. hemp for victory!
Ice is the new gateway drug to hell
Here is the real problem in USA the so called war on drugs really started when Carter admin decided to stop all pot flow from South America. They put all the military force into play and stopped most all big shipments of Colombian pot. At that time large fishing boats were bringing in major tonnage of pot. That supplied USA. Well they did not know this would backfire into smugglers turning to easy to smuggle cocaine. In large amounts. Before this pot was what kids experimented with but once pot became super expensive due to supply and demand. Cocaine became the new gateway drug due to price economic 101. Then came the war on Cocaine the cracked down on it. Stopped the major flow some what. Then Crack became the new gateway drug (rocks for $5 on every street corner in the USA.
In the mean time California has major boom in pot growers. And lax laws on growers. So the smart folks at the DEA steps in and cracks down on growers in California and Hawaii pot at this point was as expensive as Gold. And Hawaii has always been the hot bed for ice. So Ice has now become the new gateway drug any kid can now buy with their lunch money but cannot afford to buy pot. So kids take one puff and ruin their life's with about a 95% instant addition rate. This is all because of the war on drugs. My point is. It all economic whatever is cheapest is the gateway drug and it can be your med cabinet also it free. At least before the war on drugs kids had pot to experiment with and not all moved on to other drugs now it's just ICE. DEMAND A CHANGE LEGALIZE POT or buy a gun to shot the kids that robs your home to get money for ICE once they are addicted. On the big island thing are changing people are fed up with DEA spending big money to eradicate pot while ICE addiction murder and other crimes stemming from ICE are out of control so the people voted against DEA moneys and have decided pot not so bad after all. USA better wake up our country is being destroyed from within.
Addiction requires
Addiction requires withdrawal, tolerance, and it must occupy someone. I'm pretty sure that wearing clothes or using your brain doesn't produce some sort of tolerance. Addiction is a disease that involves substance abuse which can get so out of control that users need to abuse just to maintain homeostasis and, in some instances, not die.
Your argument appears flawed and poorly researched.
Oh, and the last time I checked, I don't think watching TV has ever made me vomit or make me feel really freaking fantastic all day. But, hey, that's just me.
UXaZfviYIhcTB
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
CCSKyuriPOYP
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
PwbbEvCAGgixVVK
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
XHQCnGpXmszedA
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
wpfrLPbduUTG
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
BnANqhORfZmAFcWBdH
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
sAhFNNVveU
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
wACAKJsNvODc
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
PDZswDTqfgixem
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
YYrSwOOmDSPqOBn
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
lDsQFLJpmpa
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
DBOnrQPYKr
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
vmntEJiydJoEO
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
hNxCQmiwxEU
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
TqnUZckdWTfhpapL
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
Last two comments
Last two comments were made by the same person (btw)
weed as a gateway drug
Let me get some thigns straight rele quick; i love weed, makes everything better. I smoke about twice a week with my friends then we go out and have a blast. Point being ive personally enjoyed and experienced weed as a recreational drug so im speaking from just common sense, not a preconcieved hatred or straight facts. As a gateway drug i see it being plausible for the extreme habbitual users, upwards of like (throwing a number out there) 3 or 4 times a day, who have built up a decent amount tolerance. Depending on the person, they might want to experience a better high and might seek other means. Personally i thought about doing shrooms, cause i heard its like a better version of weed. I havent yet, but the reasoning isnt beyond everyone. Does this make week a gateway drug? More or less, depending on the person, but it could be the same deal with alcohol. The main idea revolving around the desire to attain the effect more efficiently, could prompt a small amount of people to try other things (also considering the assibility of the other drugs contrast to weed). Does this make weed worse? Not rele considering this chain of events is mostly tailered to the person, accessibility, and the drug being used.
Weed, for all intents and purposes, is marginally bad for you. The carbon particles created by the burning of the leaves, easilly eliminated by a vapo, high end bong with multiple filters, and or baking. The only 2 side effects ive gotten is i sometimes forget small things (like where i put my keys) and im more prone to getting sick (especially during the winter). Ironaclly this prompted me to become better organized (so i can find my stuff easier) and eat healthy immunity boosting foods (like yogart) with regular excersize outside of highschool sports. I can drive high no problem and whats even funnier is that every single person i know that smokes and drives (around 50) acually drive rele slowly when theyr high. Honastly, wat other drug has "built in" safety side effects like that (not recomending doing it, just stating something i find humorous).
Finally, why the fuck do i care wat other people do if its not bothering me. If u do it cool, call me up ill rip with ya, if u dont, w/e i dont rele care. As long as ur not hurting anyone and being respectful of other peoples' opinions then go crazy. If u had a long day at work or u just finished a hard school week, go rip a joint with a few friends and watch a movie. Honastly, it'll probably do u some good.
reply
Hey i feel very bad about what is occuring with ur family, having personally gone through a sloppy divource with my parents i know how harsh it is on the individuals involved. However, from what i read i believe that ur husband's problem lies in his personality and genitics, not in the acual substance. Im not a doctor, but from personal experience ive noticed that the habbitual use of weed is caused by some personal and or emotional problem. Not being able to understand when a substance is hurting u, when it has been proven time and time again that it is not addictive, is a key note in a phycological problem. Blaming it on the weed is only a short sighted and convienant scapegoat.
I respctfully disagee about the addictive qualities.....
Study or no study I personally live with someone who is addicted to pot. I agree however that many (probably most ) will not become addicted. I smoked it in my youth and gave it up when I decided to get married and have children. No problem for me. On the other hand, my husband has ADD and he uses it to self-medicate. He buys a huge amount of it every 3 to 4 months and goes through what a normal person could make last for that duration into about a four or five day binge where his mood alters so badly that he really can not be pleasant to anyone, is red-eyed and looks at anyone and lies even though you are holding the bag he has bought in front of his face, taken directly from his drawer, show the pipe and lighter you took from his pants pocket before washing his pants that smell like pot while at the same time showing is email which has the transaction with his online dealer, a guy in BC that he buys it from. He even gets it delivered to his place of work, which is a good job that supports our family and has all kind s of benefits. Maybe you just think he is stupid,. Not stoned he is highy intelligent. But even with alll this proof, he will stare back with glossy blood shot eyes and say, " No, I am not smoking pot.... I promise.... I wouldn`t do that. I love you and the kids. (Denial and lies two big traits of any addict) During these binges my nice husband disappears. The kids are neglected while their 40 year old dad (who is normally quite attentive) plays video games, guitar or surfs the net for the four to five days. At night, just like many of you marijuana smokers are aware of, he gets the munchies and proceeds to go to the kitchen when we are all asleep so that he can eat all the rest of the children`s treats for the week. (Ice cream, cookies) It doesn`t even matter if it is my 9 year old daughters piece of pie she was saving. I have dealt with this cycle for ten years and now as I tell him I am leaving and would like sole custody of our children he still will not stop lying and causing these disturbances four or five times per year which pretty much coincide with all Christmas`s, Kids Birthday parties and special family events. After 10 years, I can say that there is no getting between my husband and pot when he feels the need to self-medicate himself into a red-eyed, slow speaking neglectful father and husband. In my heart, I know through ten years of hard core experience that marijuana is very addictive to some. He would love these posts to prove to me otherwise....but as I have a family slowly being ripped apart by pot, I know first hand it is not. Maybe it is just all the ADDer`s out there who get addicted. I think they also use Robitussin to quiet their mind. All I know for sure is pot for him is nothing what it was ever like for me.
Drugs & The War Against Them
American Euphoria
by
Richard Wilmot Ph.D.
dr.docwilmot@gmail.com
PREFACE
Even though most psychoactive drugs in America are illegal, there are so many drug problems in this country that experts have termed drug abuse an epidemic. Yet our knowledge of drugs and drug use and abuse is inadequate. How much is too much? What does “getting high,” mean to the drug user? Are you an addict or a label?
The purpose of writing this book is to answer questions such as these. The ideas and analysis presented here views “addiction” from a new and different perspective. It is a holistic approach to drug/alcohol use and abuse that will help to question current drug treatment and drug policy authority.
Do the current perspectives on alcohol and drug abuse need to be questioned? After spending more than twenty years as a drug abuse counselor, researcher and educator, I believe they do. It is time for reform. It’s time for a change in thinking about euphoric drugs in general. It’s time for critical thinking about drug issues.
My passion for drug studies grew out of my own experience with a variety of drugs, with the drug subculture while in college and later working in the “culture of recovery”. After having worked for the Addiction Research Foundation in Toronto, Canada, I received a scholarship to complete a specialized graduate degree (Ph.D.) in Drug Studies at the University of California at San Diego and spent years in the recovery field from doing research, drug counseling clients on Skid row as well as those in the film industry, editing the Journal of Drug Issues, lecturing at the Drug Policy Foundation in Washington D.C., and teaching courses in Drug Studies.
This book focuses on the divisions between the “recovery culture” and the “drug culture”. Simply put, members of the drug culture have an acceptance of drug use while the recovery culture has an abstinence only approach. They are exclusive subcultures with little communication or acceptance of each other… although the culture of recovery is considerably more politically powerful. When one enters treatment, one must become an active, participating member in the recovery culture or risk becoming a treatment failure. One must drop all ties and interests in the drug culture and become committed only to the culture of recovery. Recovery, from the standpoint of the “culture of recovery” must be one of “higher power” conversion.
Acknowledging that “addicts” could benefit from some of their drug experiences or part of their drug culture experience is unthinkable from the perspective of orthodox recovery. From the position of rehabilitation, all drug use is bad and any use is unacceptable. The people, places, and things that are associated with the drug culture must be disavowed. They are “triggers” to further drug use. Everything about the drug subculture is anathema from tattoos to clothing styles.
Yet over my years in the fields of drug studies and treatment, I realized that much of what treatment had to say about “addiction” and the “addicts” themselves was based on stereotypes, stigmatization, ignorance, arrogance, and outright bigotry. Perhaps this is why eight out of every ten people entering recovery go back to using drugs.
Historically there are a number of well-adjusted persons who made outstanding contributions to society, and took euphoric drugs. I have witnessed the same: people doing things that the recovery culture claimed were not possible for someone who regularly used drugs. These people would have been labeled “addicts” had they been noticed or caught. They were not “victims” of drugs; they had their use under control even though some used daily e.g. Pope Leo XIII. This history of controlled drug use led me to wonder about the differences between those whose drug use was non-problematic and those who abused.
Traditional thinking is that the difference is physiological. Addicts are different biologically. They are allergic to alcohol or another drug; they have a “genetic predisposition” to abuse; they have “addictive personalities”. The scientific evidence for each of these perspectives is in dispute. Essentially there are those who understand “addiction” to be a controllable behavior and there are those who believe addiction is a disease. Yet the “treatment” for the “disease” of addiction” focuses on “character defects” and surrender to a “Higher Power” i.e. healing by faith.
Rather, the most recent thinking is that “getting high: or “altering consciousness” is a universal biological drive arising out of the innate structure of the human brain. In other words, we are all “hard wired” to get “high”.
Viewing intoxication as a biological inevitability gives us a better understanding of how drug use differs from drug abuse. Such use is not necessarily immoral or pathological but natural. Much like sex, drug use for humans is a natural drive. Everyone has a need to alter their consciousness and they will do so even at their own peril… from sky diving to smoking “crack” cocaine. The challenge for society is to address this biologically based need to “alter consciousness” in safe, non-abusive ways that will provide people with the “peak experiences” they universally crave. Furthermore, there is a non-abusive code for “getting high” that can be learned so that people who drink or take other drugs do not end-up embarrassed , sick, dependent or dead.
To paraphrase this book: the ways in which we talk about drugs both to ourselves and to others perpetuates many of the problems with drugs. The content of what we have to say about drugs is a reflection of our puritan culture and our personal history.
The answer to our current drug abuse dilemma is to: “just say know” to drugs. This book intends to further that process. The next major civil rights issue to be addressed in America will be the decriminalization of drug use.
Not a gateway drug
Look, to all of you who are saying that marijuana is a gateway drug: It's not. That's like saying bread is a gateway drug. All drug users ate bread before they moved on to harder drugs. *gasp* Bread must be a gateway drug! No, but really, think about it like this: In a world where all recreational drugs are illegal, yes, marijuana will be a gateway drug. Why? Well, if you're buying from a dealer who just so happens to have more than just marijuana, well, one day when you're picking up a dime or some such from him, he might ask you if you want to try X drug. Now, if marijuana had been legal, and you were instead buying from say, a typical store of sorts, this situation would never have arisen. With legalization, the amount of exposure the harder drugs receive is diminished. So, legalize marijuana!
I agree 100%
It's a personal choice, It should not be the government's job to tell me what I can and can not do with my body if I don't hurt other people in the process.
It's just a choice.
Heres a little background for you. I do not smoke weed, actually never had. I do read the writing on the wall however. But the data is all present. Marijuana is no worse for you than alcohool or cigarettes, do some research you stepford moms...
With those people who have diseases such as HIV, MS, Rumatiod authritis, Fibromyalgia ect. its used to actually treat them. And has been proven in many studies to have less side effects than the next prescription medication. Its used as a pain reliever, stops nasuea and vomitting. and these people deserve the best treatement possible. Marijuana has also been tested to not be a "gateway drug". Oh yeah... its also being tested as a treated for Chemotherapy on a little sidenote. And recreational usage: get high, or dont, just dont be stupid, same with alcohool. Its all about what YOU want to do, so go ahead and legalize and give people their freedom of choice all ready...
blazed from denver
i agree with you completely doing drugs is the persons choice... it sounds like youve rolled a few times
American Euphoria
American Euphoria
by
Richard Wilmot Ph.D.
dr.docwilmot@gmail.com
PREFACE
Even though most psychoactive drugs in America are illegal, there are so many drug problems in this country that experts have termed drug abuse an epidemic. Yet our knowledge of drugs and drug use and abuse is inadequate. How much is too much? What does “getting high,” mean to the drug user? Are you an addict or a label?
The purpose of writing this book is to answer questions such as these. The ideas and analysis presented here views “addiction” from a new and different perspective. It is a holistic approach to drug/alcohol use and abuse that will help to question current drug treatment and drug policy authority.
Do the current perspectives on alcohol and drug abuse need to be questioned? After spending more than twenty years as a drug abuse counselor, researcher and educator, I believe they do. It is time for reform. It’s time for a change in thinking about euphoric drugs in general. It’s time for critical thinking about drug issues.
My passion for drug studies grew out of my own experience with a variety of drugs, with the drug subculture while in college and later working in the “culture of recovery”. After having worked for the Addiction Research Foundation in Toronto, Canada, I received a scholarship to complete a specialized graduate degree (Ph.D.) in Drug Studies at the University of California at San Diego and spent years in the recovery field from doing research, drug counseling clients on Skid row as well as those in the film industry, editing the Journal of Drug Issues, lecturing at the Drug Policy Foundation in Washington D.C., and teaching courses in Drug Studies.
This book focuses on the divisions between the “recovery culture” and the “drug culture”. Simply put, members of the drug culture have an acceptance of drug use while the recovery culture has an abstinence only approach. They are exclusive subcultures with little communication or acceptance of each other… although the culture of recovery is considerably more politically powerful. When one enters treatment, one must become an active, participating member in the recovery culture or risk becoming a treatment failure. One must drop all ties and interests in the drug culture and become committed only to the culture of recovery. Recovery, from the standpoint of the “culture of recovery” must be one of “higher power” conversion.
Acknowledging that “addicts” could benefit from some of their drug experiences or part of their drug culture experience is unthinkable from the perspective of orthodox recovery. From the position of rehabilitation, all drug use is bad and any use is unacceptable. The people, places, and things that are associated with the drug culture must be disavowed. They are “triggers” to further drug use. Everything about the drug subculture is anathema from tattoos to clothing styles.
Yet over my years in the fields of drug studies and treatment, I realized that much of what treatment had to say about “addiction” and the “addicts” themselves was based on stereotypes, stigmatization, ignorance, arrogance, and outright bigotry. Perhaps this is why eight out of every ten people entering recovery go back to using drugs.
Historically there are a number of well-adjusted persons who made outstanding contributions to society, and took euphoric drugs. I have witnessed the same: people doing things that the recovery culture claimed were not possible for someone who regularly used drugs. These people would have been labeled “addicts” had they been noticed or caught. They were not “victims” of drugs; they had their use under control even though some used daily e.g. Pope Leo XIII. This history of controlled drug use led me to wonder about the differences between those whose drug use was non-problematic and those who abused.
Traditional thinking is that the difference is physiological. Addicts are different biologically. They are allergic to alcohol or another drug; they have a “genetic predisposition” to abuse; they have “addictive personalities”. The scientific evidence for each of these perspectives is in dispute. Essentially there are those who understand “addiction” to be a controllable behavior and there are those who believe addiction is a disease. Yet the “treatment” for the “disease” of addiction” focuses on “character defects” and surrender to a “Higher Power” i.e. healing by faith.
Rather, the most recent thinking is that “getting high: or “altering consciousness” is a universal biological drive arising out of the innate structure of the human brain. In other words, we are all “hard wired” to get “high”.
Viewing intoxication as a biological inevitability gives us a better understanding of how drug use differs from drug abuse. Such use is not necessarily immoral or pathological but natural. Much like sex, drug use for humans is a natural drive. Everyone has a need to alter their consciousness and they will do so even at their own peril… from sky diving to smoking “crack” cocaine. The challenge for society is to address this biologically based need to “alter consciousness” in safe, non-abusive ways that will provide people with the “peak experiences” they universally crave. Furthermore, there is a non-abusive code for “getting high” that can be learned so that people who drink or take other drugs do not end-up embarrassed , sick, dependent or dead.
To paraphrase this book: the ways in which we talk about drugs both to ourselves and to others perpetuates many of the problems with drugs. The content of what we have to say about drugs is a reflection of our puritan culture and our personal history.
The answer to our current drug abuse dilemma is to: “just say know” to drugs. This book intends to further that process. The next major civil rights issue to be addressed in America will be the decriminalization of drug use.
Ask yourselves this question
Ask yourselves this question then..if marijuana is bad..how come Barack Obama openly admitts that in his time he did COCAINE and MARIJUANA. Does anyone know why? because obviously its not that bad..marijuana can be used for so many reasons besides what people think..its used to relieve anxiety and anger and it stops pain AND theres never been a recorded death to a overdose of marijuana..its safer then Ibuprofen and its ILLEGAL? why is that? Can anyone answer that question with out lies?
Seriouly?
Weed has been studied for over 25 years. Where have you gotten your info from because you are SERIOUSLY mistaken. As clinical research into the therapeutic value of cannabinoids has proliferated – there are now more than 17,000 published papers in the scientific literature analyzing marijuana and its constituents — so too has investigators' understanding of cannabis' remarkable capability to combat disease. Whereas researchers in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s primarily assessed cannabis' ability to temporarily alleviate various disease symptoms — such as the nausea associated with cancer chemotherapy — scientists today are exploring the potential role of cannabinoids to modify disease.
Investigators are also studying the anti-cancer activities of cannabis, as a growing body of preclinical and clinical data concludes that cannabinoids can reduce the spread of specific cancer cells via apoptosis (programmed cell death) and by the inhibition of angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels). Arguably, these latter trends represent far broader and more significant applications for cannabinoid therapeutics than researchers could have imagined some thirty or even twenty years ago.
State facts instead of your opinion and I might actually listen to you.
Look At Me
I started smoking marijuana before I ever took my first drink or pull on a cigarette. For new jobs who drug test and all types of other situations I would have to stop smoking marijuana for months at a time (one time for a couple of years). The time periods I quit smoking marijuana went by as a breeze and the times I started back were even more enjoyable. On the other hand when my girlfriends and other female company started complaining about the horrible stinch cigarettes left on me, it made me decide to quit cigarettes. OH MY GOD! Being that I quit smoking marijuana so easily on numerous occasions, I decided to quit cold-turkey like I did with marijuana. HOLY SHIT! The withdraws that I faced were out of this world! Every muscle in my body burned as my limbs shivered under the sheets each night. My nerves were uncontrolable making me snap on any innocent person with a question to ask me. After I got past it all I realized that cigarettes are 10t more addictive than marijuana. Right now the only thing I smoke is marijuana and I have no urge to do anything else. I work out every morning, work 5 days a week, go to school 3 days a week, and still find time to record music. I am in no way looked at as a "pot head". So for anyone who thinks that marijuana is SOO horrible, I just ask them to look at me.
The reason that there are
The reason that there are more teens in treatment is because their are more court referrals and/or other (family, friend, employer) referrals to treatment. When a kid gets in trouble for marijuana they give them a choice between treatment and a harsher punishment. Which would you choose?
Keep an open mind
I think we all should be open to the possibility that marijuana could be harmful and possibly should not be used as a medicine.
Although based on most studies i have seen i feel much more inclined to believe that its harmfulness is quite low (yes it is harmful, breathing in smoke damages the cells in your lungs. Although there are no implications yet that it can cause lung cancer. If you do not believe me look up Dr. Donald Tashkins he is a professor at UCLA who did a study on whether or not marijuana causes lung cancer.) but the question is to bring this harm into perspective because there are so many harmful things.
Also I think we need to question the logic behind why we legalize certain substances. If the argument is that we legalize substances because of the harm the substance does to the body and the mind then my question would be why is alcohol and tobacco usage legal when they clearly display equally harmful if not more harmful consequences to the body and mind the marijuana?
As for the gateway argument, i think it is ill founded. If i drink milk does that mean ill go on to drink alcohol? I think if we did a study we could clearly show that most users who abuse alcohol started with milk. Is milk a gateway drug? The flaw in the gateway assumption is initially that there is nothing in marijuana that causes one to want to do other more harmful drugs the same goes with milk.
Why then, do we link the two? If anything i would say it is because marijuana is illegal and people link it to other illegal drugs. If they can justify doing one illegal some what potentially harmful drug then why not other? If then that is correct then, it would not be marijuana that is the problem, it would be the prohibition of marijuana that is the problem.
I however have a bias in all of this because i am guilty of smoking marijuana and would like it to not be harmful and would like it to be legalized. Thus, I am in the mists of a great study to see whether or not it is worth the potential harm. Perhaps vaporization would greatly reduce the health risk.
Anyways if you have read this far and are as interested as i am than i suggest you study it. Dont become the typical uneducated stoner, read about it and study it, if people disrespect your personal choice than attleast make it an well known and thought out one for your own self respect. I think you owe it to yourself.
A did a study...
There should be new laws to help mitigate this. It is a sad fact but it is reality. Many teens are abusing the loophole which leads to addiction. I did a study at an Addiction Treatment Clinic in Malibu and I was surprise to see the statistics that more teens this year has been treated as compared to last year for marijuana abuse.
80%
you said always; however, i know plenty of people who have indeed not tried anything harder then marijuana and have never had the desire to do so. i believe that moving on to the much harder drugs is more of a choice than a "forced thing." the people who do not get a satisfying high from weed then choose to move to a harder drug, it does not guarantee that you will try harder drugs if you choose to smoke pot.
Blazed From New Zealand
Ive Smoked Weed Just Hada Cone Its Kept Me Healthy And I Just Wanna Say Its A Persons Choice To Decide Whether Or Not 2 Drop An Acid Trip Or Take A Line Of E. Statiistics Have No effect on The Persons Mind At The Time
yo
west
DUMB
Hello, Have you ever smoked pot because I have. But first I drank perfectly legal alcohol. And I still smoke and I have never ever wanted to use any other drugs for the fear of dieing and also i don't wanna fuck up my life due to the addiction that comes from that. I am a Casual smoker I smoke once every week to every two to three weeks. I have no Addiction to it and I have never tried or wanted to try other drugs.
seriously my ass
what does that have to do with weed? That is what everyone says on that side of the argument - you say we don't know anything but then you have nothing to back it up. Marijuana has been something that people have studied for a long time because they like it. it didnt just start getting studied. People have been learning about weed for years because they enjoy smoking it and want to learn more about it. Weed is in no way worse than cigarrettes. Everyone that i know that smokes cigs coughs up black stuff and is miserable whenever they exercise. i smoke weed everyday and i have no problem exercising. So dont give me that crap. Weed is not good for you, but anything that makes you feel good is probably not good for you (except for one thing but i think we can all figure out what it is).
I have no problem accepting that weed is a bad thing if there is legitimate info to back it up.
Interesting
I've made it only through the first couple comments in response to this blog and would just like to point out that anything in over consumption is not "good for you". Please, do me a favor and refrain from making this seem like its incredibly dangerous because realistically, there are an infinite number of ways we all die.
you are an idiot and
you are an idiot and shouldn't even be allowed near a computer.
FDA!!!
Do you know that most of the drugs approved by the FDA are the drugs that actually cause cancer and other LIFE threatning illnesses. Show me a study of someone or multiple people who are addicted to marijuana. You will find that there are more alcoholics and tobacco addicts than there are pot heads. Check the stats no related deaths to pot....all that do involve pot are in conjunction with another drug not pot alone. FDA that!!
SERIOUSLY?
Weed has NEVER NEVER, NEVER been HARDLY even studied until recently. YOUR INHALING SMOKE, but weed is worse. YES WORSE THEN CIGS. Why does everybody or, at least a lot, say "ooo its not harmful, its good for you, its not a drug its a herbbb." ITS BC THATS ALL THEY KNOW. just because it feels good and makes so called "better", doesn't been its actually GOOD AND HEALTHY.
Take for example RX drugs. Yea they are good for you and to help you, BUT HOW LONG DO MOST OF THEM STAY ON THE MARKET BECAUSE THEY CAUSE DEALTH OR COMPLICATIONS???
because they've never been fully studied and not always actually "good for you"
common sense
it is common sense we ban marijuana they just broke a law so why stop you are already "doing a bad thing" so might as well keep going into deeper water. people need to be educated on the difference between marijuana and drugs. that was not an error either. another possible factor is their outside influences such as the people they might hang around with. as long as people know the difference you will see a difference in centers such as these.
ignorant in so many ways
ignorant in so many ways.................there is nothing wrong with marijuana just like there is nothing wrong with coca leaves. once you start to add artificial chemicals then you have drugs. marijuana has been studied by top scientist but their work has been shunned from the medical community. marijuana honestly can not be abused. cigarettes and alcohol(both legal) are substances you can actually abuse. now common sense should kick in and you start asking yourself why is it illegal. but no one would really tell you why. you ask yourself the pros and cons and you dont know what to believe. think about the fact that people can drive high/stoned but people can not drive drunk. now alcohol and cigarettes (both addicting) are the legal ones. both can kill you. go online and try and look for marijuana related deaths. there are none. we need to be fighting against real drugs such as cocaine meth crack etc.... you know the actual drugs that are harmful instead of a stress reliever. oh and for those who say that it is wrong to use it because you will not learn how to cope with life problems. then people should stop going to yoga classes or aroma therapy or masoose parlors because these are all things that help cope with stress................. maybe people are just ignorant in so many ways.
Addictions
First off I disagree with anyone who states that marijuana is addicting. I am a frequent marijuana smoker and have been for some time. I show no signs of being addicted to marijuana. When a person is arrested for possession and is forced to get drug tested they must immediately stop smoking in order to pass. I have not heard of anyone who has failed to be able to do this no matter how often they smoke. That alone should show that everyone who believes marijuana is addicting is indeed.......... A FUCKING IDIOT. Next i would like to state that i agree marijuana is not a gateway drug. I agree 100% with the segment of the article which says, "the likelihood that someone will transition to the use of illegal drugs is determined not by the preceding use of a particular drug but instead by the user’s individual tendencies and environmental circumstances." I have no desire to go into harder drugs then marijuana. Throughout the years of smoking, i have started to despise harder drugs. Alcohol even seems much less appealing and i no longer enjoy it. In conclusion i find it funny that all the accusation that marijuana is a gateway drug, is addicting, is cancerous, etc. are all being proved wrong, and soon people will discover all the bullshit about marijuana that our government has been hypnotizing us with.
green king
love the way you put it ,yust comes to so how ganja inprove brain power. 2 be able to think straight without crooked ways. God bless!!!
Total disagreement
I disagreement with a lot of the comment on this post. Most of the guys will say that they can stop anytime they want. Tell them to stop for a month. You will end with answers such as "it is just cause i don't want to" " I am not interested for now". I had the same problem and saying the same things. I am a living example of that. I was smoking pot nothing else until I ended up in a drug rehab center. It is easy to talk when you are not stopping.
Post new comment