Marijuana Harmless? Hardly

[boulder]

Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution

 

We are in the midst of a major national debate on the legalization of marijuana. The outcome of this debate is likely to have profound implications for our society. To make an informed choice on this issue, we need accurate information about these implications.

 

There has never been a greater need for unbiased scientific data on the physical and psychological effects of marijuana use. Unfortunately, there has been more heat than light shed on this issue in the mainstream media.

 

Perhaps with this in mind, the National Institute on Drug Abuse has just issued a major research report on the effects of marijuana. The report may be surprising to most people who regard marijuana as a benign or harmless drug.

 

According to NIDA, marijuana is a drug that can and does cause addiction. THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, activates the brain's reward system in the same way as other drugs of abuse -- by triggering the release of dopamine.

 

Dopamine, a chemical found in the brain, is associated with a sense of euphoria. Like other drugs of abuse, chronic administration of marijuana depletes dopamine supplies and causes other brain changes, which creates a craving for the drug. After a certain period of time, cessation of use results in a defined marijuana withdrawal syndrome as demonstrated in both animal and human studies. These factors combined with other functional impairments define drug dependence or addiction. According to NIDA, more than 2 million people met the criteria for marijuana dependence in 1999 alone.

 

Marijuana also causes major problems with learning, memory, concentration and judgment. Individuals who smoke marijuana have an impaired ability to learn for at least 24 hours. Long-term users have been shown to be impaired for up to four weeks after cessation of use. In animal studies, rats treated with THC showed nerve cell loss resulting in memory loss. The nerve cell loss was "equivalent to that of unexposed animals twice their age," according to the report.

 

Robert Margolis is a licensed clinical psychologist in Roswell.

[Ferre]

There has never been a greater need for unbiased scientific data on the physical and psychological effects of marijuana use. Unfortunately, there has been more heat than light shed on this issue in the mainstream media.

yes,...we all know that by now.

 

Perhaps with this in mind, the National Institute on Drug Abuse has just issued a major research report on the effects of marijuana. The report may be surprising to most people who regard marijuana as a benign or harmless drug.

...hahaha,..now THAT'S a fine and neutral institute.

 

Marijuana also causes major problems with learning, memory, concentration and judgment. Individuals who smoke marijuana have an impaired ability to learn for at least 24 hours. Long-term users have been shown to be impaired for up to four weeks after cessation of use. In animal studies, rats treated with THC showed nerve cell loss resulting in memory loss. The nerve cell loss was "equivalent to that of unexposed animals twice their age," according to the report.

 

..yep,..I saw them test rapports,..shooting up these rats with concentrations I wondered they didn't die from...poor animals.(yes,..shooting up,..the crazy mthfcrzz)

According to NIDA, marijuana is a drug that can and does cause addiction. THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, activates the brain's reward system in the same way as other drugs of abuse -- by triggering the release of dopamine.

According to NIDA, more than 2 million people met the criteria for marijuana dependence in 1999 alone.

I really wonder WHO finances this NIDA,....but I don't have to guess here,...say hi mr Bush!

[Tom]

The new anti-Parkinsonian and anti-Alzheimer's drugs work by increasing the amounts of dopamine in the brain, they are also expensive, yet another reason why the drug companies don't want mj legalised.

 

http://www.gamers-forums.com/smilies/contrib/ruinkai/coolgleamA.gif http://64.207.13.28/mysmilies/otn/glasses/smokin.gif

[Ferre]

The new anti-Parkinsonian and anti-Alzheimer's drugs work by increasing the amounts of dopamine in the brain, they are also expensive, yet another reason why the drug companies don't want mj legalised.

 

http://www.gamers-forums.com/smilies/contrib/ruinkai/coolgleamA.gif http://64.207.13.28/mysmilies/otn/glasses/smokin.gif

Dopamine

3,4-dihydroxyphenethylamine

 

http://users.aber.ac.uk/jea9/index.6.gif

 

Dopamine is abundant throughout the central nervous system and has been linked to disorders including schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease.

 

Many drugs also display a similar chemical structure, such as Amphetamine and cocaine.

 

C11H15NO2/methylenedioxy-n-methylamphetamine has also proven positive results on Parkinson's and gives people suffering from it a better controle over their movements again.....these uncontroled movements caused by the drug called "el dopa", the "official medicine" they have to take for Parkingson's.......But this drug is better known as xtc and this makes it impossible for scietists to examine the effects on parkingson's simply becouse it is forbidden to examine an illegal drug?

 

you are right Tom, the drug companies have a great "lobby" goin on.