|
[ Functional Anatomy Archive ] [ Main Archives Page ] [ Glossary/Index ] [ FAQ ] [ Recommended Books ] [ Bulletin Board ] |
Search this site! | |
How harmful is it to my health to smoke marijuana on occasion? I havent had a joint in a few years, but was considering having one in the next few days. Please dont make any moral judgements as that is not what I am interested in hearing, only from a health perspective.
In Reply to: Marijuana posted by Miss Bliss on August 07, 2002 at 07:10:31:
Inhailing smoke is unhealthy in general. I also wouldn't advise people with high blood pressure or heart problems to use it (pot raises BP and heart rate). It's also a mild hallucinogen but that's why you want to smoke it. As far as any long term brain damage, I wouldn't think the occasional drag would hurt. I'm no expert just some stuff I have heard from them.
In Reply to: Re: Marijuana posted by Coburn on August 07, 2002 at 07:43:32:
Thanks Coburn. Thats what I was hoping to hear.
In Reply to: Marijuana posted by Miss Bliss on August 07, 2002 at 07:10:31:
Hi Miss Bliss, here's a couple of resources you might find interesting.
http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/1376.html
and part of an interview with Susun Weed, herbalist at http://abcnews.go.com/ABC2000/abc2000living/Chat_Weed.html
Tim from faa.gov at 5:33pm ET
What are your feelings on marijuana as a herbal healer.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Susun S. Weed at 5:34pm ET
All plants have healing abilities. No plant is good or bad in and of itself. For thousands of years, herbalists have recognized power plants. These plants have so much power they can take over human beings. For instance, tobacco. When native people grew it, they wouldn’t look at it. For instance, coffee, which causes rapid physical addiction. Even alcohol from fermented plants has a powerful effect on human beings. I think the point is not to avoid power plants but to recognize them and to learn how to use them wisely.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ras from [138.238.147.129], at 5:36pm ET
I know that marijuana tea is good for stomach aches and body aches. I want to know what else I can use it for.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Susun S. Weed at 5:37pm ET
One of the reasons that marijuana is not a drug and is not addictive is because it lacks alkaloids, substances which can dissolve in water or alcohol. Marijuana’s active ingredients are resins, which don’t dissolve in water. Traditionally, butter or other fats were used to extract these properties. Depending on the variety of marijuana, the person and the person’s expectations, a wide variety of effects may occur. Certainly, some altering of perception. A deeper embedding in the matrix of the body. A clearer view as to the general emotional state. And either relaxation or energization, depending upon which is needed. Careful studies indicate that marijuana is completely nonaddictive and noninjurious. So if it helps your stomachache it’s a placebo effect. The placebo effect 50 percent of the time with any substance will cure any problem. Since science would say there is no active ingredient, we would have to call that the placebo effect. If it works for you, do it and don’t get caught.
In Reply to: Re: Marijuana posted by thessa on August 07, 2002 at 09:20:56:
I think occasional use is probably fine, if one can use it only on occasion. But I disagree that it is not a drug, is not addictive, or not harmful. I don't know what studies Susan Weed is referring to, because I believe there are many studies that would show that it is harmful and addictive.
For one thing, it's a harsh smoke, and breathing that into your lungs can't be a good thing. Used on occasion, it obviously can be helpful (and should be legal). In my own case, I was defintely addicted to it when I was younger. I had a very tough time quitting and I would actually have vivid dreams of getting high for as long as 5 years after I quit. There is no doubt in my mind that it stayed in my system for a long time (unlike alcohol). I often craved having it. Of course, if you abuse anything, as I did in those days, I suppose it can become habit forming. Also, my brother never quit. He smoked till the day he died of asthma. He believed it helped his asthma because it made him feel better. Well, of course it made his asthma feel better. That's what drugs do, but it also contributed a lot to his demise. It also destroyed his confidence (as it had done to me when I smoked it), kept him in a miserable job that he hated, a run-down house that he was too high and lazy to fix because of how marijuana saps your energy, and now his kid is using it, dropped out of high school, and is not doing anything with his life either. Anyway, because of my experience, I'm against using it. But if someone can truly control it's use for only occasional enjoyment or medicinal purposes, than I'd say go for it.
In Reply to: Re: Marijuana posted by FW on August 07, 2002 at 12:53:52:
I just thought I should point out that "the Evil Weed" stresses both kidney and liver.
I can't find the reference, but I do remember this from my weed tokin' days (thankfully
long past).
I'd be wondering Miss Bliss if the temptation would be so strong if you were ensconced in
@ your own domicile, puppy at your feet...
In Reply to: Marijuana posted by Miss Bliss on August 07, 2002 at 07:10:31:
I would had that, for a similar level of feeling, it is most probably less nocive than alcohol. Especially if you are like me and you need only a very small quantity to get a buz.Actually, for me the worst drawback of marijuana is that sometimes I lose control and I eat things that I am not supposed to when the food phase comes.Also, with the product we can find today, I don't find the felling as fun as it was 10 years ago. It seams to be very high in THC, then we smoke much less, but we probably don't feel the effect of the other subtils substances which are not in proportion with THC anymore. Like many other things, even POT became "refined".Take careSerge
In Reply to: Re: Marijuana posted by FW on August 07, 2002 at 12:53:52:
Thanks, FW.I agree that drawing smoke into your lungs causes chronic lung problems over time with continued use.However, I know of no research showing any other damage from the chronic use of MJ. It is one of the safest substances known. Certainly occasional use has NO negative effects.The REAL danger of MJ use is the government's laws and enforcement of those unreasonable laws. Eventually, reason will prevail and MJ will be totally decriminalized.Walt
In Reply to: Re: Marijuana posted by Walt Stoll on August 08, 2002 at 09:52:10:
I hope you're right about it becoming decriminalized someday, it's ridiculous that people are rotting in jail because of it, but I think the political atmosphere will have to change dramatically and I don't see that happening, at least not for a long time.
I can only speak of my own experience, and can't explain it very well, but when I smoked I had a terrible time trying to quit. I had strong cravings. Maybe that was because of some kind of psychological habit-forming addiction more than a physical addiction (I was high every day for 3 years), but it seems as if it was physical to me because I swear I felt it was in my system for as much as five years after I quit. That may sound ludicrous, I don't know, but I don't know how else to explain it. It took five years after quitting before I finally felt cleaned-out and no longer had any desires to smoke more. I thought I had read somewhere that research had showed that the THC did stay in one's system for quite awhile.
In Reply to: Marijuana posted by Miss Bliss on August 07, 2002 at 07:10:31:
The motive of why we do the things we do is an important one to look at. Is it just for the high we get, or to relax by or are we using it for medical purposes, or are we just an addict and move from one drug to another;
Why not use deep breathing for our high-and music and sound to soar our body places into other worlds, laying down deep breathing in the noise out the mouth [blowing] and music by our head soaring and sound and vibration;
Why when we need to relax we don't use meditation and a bio feedback machine and connection with our higher power; Why use an instant fix, so we don't need to take the time?
A social thing, why then are we swade by others? Is health of body mind and spirit really our priority? A good shot of home made vegetable juice and trampoline makes us feel better in the long run;
Once we start old habits with a consciousness of self we are hooked and need a little every day.[very often any way];
Do you know there is a high of an energy that flows thru the body that is higher then any drug? It takes a clean system though to handle it flowing thru us!
If we are going to do something, just pay close attention if it feels to benifit you and how you feel in your head the next day and your lungs and use constant observation and watching your motive also;
Another question i would ask myself.
In Reply to: Re: Marijuana posted by Terri-Lynn on August 08, 2002 at 12:27:27:
Hi Terri-Lynn
I am here in the states now, and the opportunity has arisen to try some out. Saturday night there is a party, and the stuff that we are going to smoke is authentic. I need to let my hair down. I have had a lot of stress in the last year, and its time to unwind.
Yeah, I want the high. Thats what I am after. Although u make some very good points, that I need to think about.
You got me thinking about my lungs. Cigarette smoke affects me badly, I cant breathe around it, feel like I will suffocate. The last time I used pot was with some friends of mine, and I felt totally out of my head and body. Like my consciousness expanded hugely, but it was such an out of control feeling, that I didnt like it. I am hoping to have a different experience this time.
Thanks again for your insights. You have given me a lot to ponder on.
Sensual
In Reply to: Re: Marijuana posted by FW on August 08, 2002 at 10:56:55:
nt
In Reply to: do you still get cravings for it? (nt) posted by damon on August 08, 2002 at 12:58:40:
Nope
In Reply to: do you still get cravings for it? (nt) posted by damon on August 08, 2002 at 12:58:40:
Not everyone gets cravings for it. My partner smoked pot heavily in his teens, and was able to give it up cold turkey after having smoked it for many years, everyday. He initially gave it up to enter the military, but never got cravings for it, or even suffered any long term damage.
I have only smoked pot twice in my lifetime, and I have to say, his memory is as good or better than mine.
In Reply to: Re: Marijuana posted by FW on August 08, 2002 at 10:56:55:
I was curious, so tried to do a little research and found the following info (this from a site that appeared to be neutral on the use of it - thoughts from a pro-marijuana site are found below):
The initial effects created by the THC wear off within an hour or two after using marijuana, but the chemicals stay in your body for much longer. The terminal half-life of THC is from about 20 hours to 10 days, depending on the amount and potency of the marijuana used. This means that if you take one milligram of THC that has a half-life of 20 hours, you will still have 0.031 mg of THC in your body more than four days later. The longer the half-life, the longer the THC lingers in your body.
Research shows that marijuana is not physically addictive, but it can be psychologically addictive. It's not considered physically addictive because users show few or no withdrawal symptoms during cessation. Users build up a tolerance to marijuana, meaning that they need larger and larger doses of it to get "high." Psychological dependence usually develops because a person's mind craves the high that it gets when using the drug.
Although marijuana is known to have negative effects on the human body, there is a raging debate over the use of marijuana as a medical treatment. Some say that marijuana should be legalized for medical use because it has been known to suppress nausea, relieve eye pressure in glaucoma patients, decrease muscle spasms, stimulate appetite, stop convulsions and eliminate menstrual pain.
Until recently, the munchies were a relative mystery. However, a recent study by Italian scientists may explain what happens to increase appetite in marijuana users. Molecules called endocannabinoids bind with receptors in the brain and activate hunger.
This research indicates that endocannabinoids in the hypothalamus of the brain activate cannabinoid receptors that are responsible for maintaining food intake. The results of the study were published in an April 2001 issue of the scientific journal Nature.
From a pro- Marijuana site
Marijuana is prescribed to reduce nausea of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, to reduce the nausea of Aids patients and to relive the symptoms of glaucoma, to aid Epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Paplegia and Quadraplegia and in treatment of chronic pain. Physically, cannabis is relatively harmless Studies have observed interesting results, including that it causes structural changes in the brain, depresses male sperm counts, causes chromosome damage, lowers testosterone levels and damages the lungs. Most of these claims, however, have been unreplicated in humans or have been contradicted by other work. The most serious concern is its effects on the pulmonary system. Smoking the drug with a different apparatus or ingesting it without smoking at all could greatly reduce these effects.
The acute psychological effects of cannabis that cause its intoxicating properties are no mystery, as any user can report. Long term effects of cannabis use could possibly lead to the so-called 'amotivational syndrome', but scientific evidence is lacking. Marijuana is less toxic physically than alcohol, people don't get aggressive and abusive when they use Marijuana. Marijuana does not cause brain damage - 2 scientific studies have failed to find evidence of brain damage in humans. Cause Fatal Alcohol Syndrome - no link has been found between marijuana smoking mothers and birth defects of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Lower Testosterone - A U of Iowa study found that chronic marijuana use had no effect on testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, prolactin and cortisol in men or women. No one has ever died of a marijuana overdose! 90% of glaucoma victims can benefit from the use of Marijuana.
Marijuana is a supreme dilator of the airways, the bronchi, opening them up to allow more oxygen into the blood. Marijuana is the best dilator of the bronchioles. Medical research indicates that light Marijuana smoking would be the therapy of choice for mild emphysema to allow more fresh areas of the bronchi to open up for more transfer of oxygen and increase the quality of life. 60% of epileptics can benefit from Marijuana use.
Marijuana completely alleviates most migraine headaches - Marijuana could replace 50% of all the Valium, Librium, Thoracine and Stelacine used in the U.S.A today. Research indicates that chest pain, shortness of breath, headaches and such, which are usually symptomatic of heavy smog exposure, are usually alleviated entirely by light smoking of Marijuana throughout the day. Marijuana is the best way presently known to dry the mouth's saliva in dentistry. If legal, it would replace the highly toxic and deadly Probanthine.
Marijuana has been used medically worldwide for centuries. It is well known that Queen Victoria used a tincture of cannabis to help alleviate her period pains but Marijuana can also help relieve some of the symptoms of many illnesses.
The earliest record of medicinal use of the plant is that of Chinese Emperor Sehn-Nung from 5000 years ago, who recommended Cannabis for: Malaria, Beri-Beri, constipation, rheumatic pains, absent-mindedness and female disorders. Hoqa-Glio, another ancient Chinese herbalist, recommended a mixture of Hemp resin and wine as an analgesic during surgery.
It was in ancient India where this ‘gift from the Gods’ became a major part of folk medicine. Due to its psychoative properties, it was a very highly valued medicine. It is believed to quicken the mind, prolong life, improve judgement, lower fevers, induce sleep and cure dysentry.
The medical work of Sushruta claimed that it cured leprosy. The Bharaprakasha of about A.D. 1600 describes it as antiphlegmatic, digestive, bile affecting, pungent, astringent, and stimulates appetite. The wide variety of medicinal uses in India covered control of dandruff, headache relief, mania, insomnia, venereal disease, control of whooping cough, ear-aches and Tuberculosis.
The value and fame of Cannabis spread with the plant throughout the World. In parts of Africa it was valued for treating dysentry, malaria, anthrax and fevers. Even today the Hotentots and Mfengu claim its efficiacy in treating snake bites, and Sotho women smoke Marijuana before childbirth.
In Reply to: Re: Marijuana posted by FW on August 08, 2002 at 16:32:56:
'Gift from the Gods'.
Thanks for that info, FW.
In Reply to: Re: Marijuana posted by FW on August 08, 2002 at 10:56:55:
Thanks, FW.
MJ does have a unique metabolic pathway. As you know, it is metabolized in the liver. However, it has the unique characteristic that, once the liver has been exoposed to it, the liver starts making THC all by itself and continues to do so for years after the last exogenous exposure.
Some researchers have even taken this as a sign that THC is somehow healthy for the bodymind and that is why the liver has this ability.
Of course, the recent proofs of the effectiveness of medical uses of MJ would tend to say the same thing but the PTB will take a long time changing THEIR minds about something that leaves them with "egg on their faces".
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Marijuana posted by FW on August 08, 2002 at 16:32:56:
Thanks, FW.
Namaste`
Walt
Lightwalking,
Gregory
Follow Ups:
Re: Marijuana
Posted by Serge C. on August 07, 2002 at 22:17:04:
Follow Ups:
Re: Marijuana
Posted by Walt Stoll on August 08, 2002 at 09:52:10:
Follow Ups:
Re: Marijuana
Posted by FW on August 08, 2002 at 10:56:55:
Follow Ups:
Re: Marijuana
Posted by Terri-Lynn on August 08, 2002 at 12:27:27:
Is there some area of my life i'm unhappy about now, that is getting me to think, i'd like to have a high; Perhaps talking to someone and looking at solutions in an area is all one needs;
Follow Ups:
Re: Marijuana
Posted by Miss Bliss on August 08, 2002 at 12:53:17:
Follow Ups:
do you still get cravings for it? (nt)
Posted by damon on August 08, 2002 at 12:58:40:
Follow Ups:
Re: do you still get cravings for it? (nt)
Posted by FW on August 08, 2002 at 14:19:58:
Follow Ups:
Re: do you still get cravings for it? (nt)
Posted by Miss Bliss on August 08, 2002 at 14:52:35:
Follow Ups:
Re: Marijuana
Posted by FW on August 08, 2002 at 16:32:56:
Beyond the psychological effects that marijuana has, marijuana smokers are susceptible to the same health problems as tobacco smokers, such as bronchitis, emphysema and bronchial asthma. Other effects include dry-mouth, red eyes, impaired motor skills and impaired concentration. Long-term use of the drug can increase the risk of damaging the lungs and reproductive system, (but this is according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency). It has also been linked to heart attacks (source of this info not mentioned)
Follow Ups:
Re: Marijuana
Posted by Miss Bliss on August 08, 2002 at 22:04:09:
Follow Ups:
Re: Marijuana (Archive in functional anatomy.)
Posted by Walt Stoll on August 09, 2002 at 09:14:24:
Follow Ups:
Re: Marijuana (Archive in legalizing drugs.)
Posted by Walt Stoll on August 09, 2002 at 11:26:07:
Follow Ups:
[ Functional Anatomy Archive ]
[ Main Archives Page ]
[ Glossary/Index ]
[ FAQ ]
[ Recommended Books ]
[ Bulletin Board ]
Search this site!