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Week 9: Marihuana- a life-safer or killer?

Everyone heard about marihuana- on TV, from friends, from the internet or even from his/her experience, but do all of us know what it really is?
We are being bombarded by a huge amount of contrary information about it.  Let’s try to learn the truth.
                
            It is said to affect the delayed development of young people- causes concentration and memory problems. National Institute of Drug Abuse proved that only 3 for 100 regular smokers reported lack of motivation during 3-8 years. On the other hand, a psychotherapist Robert Rejniak disagrees with that opinion and says most of his patients suffer from stupor and lack of desire to live. Who should we believe?
            
           Another aspect of weed is its social impact. Especially on TV we can often see that marihuana high people may be aggressive and unpredictable- they are criminals. Some time ago I watched a document “Tabu”. There was a story of Los Angeles’s police work at night. They had a huge problem with drunk people- usually drivers. They caused car accidents, then they hit the roof with police officers, screamed, cursed and so one. There was a situation with young, totally intoxicated with alcohol, woman driving a car with her 3 year old sleeping daughter. One of officers in an interview said: “When we meet someone with weed, we are actually happy. We have never had any aggressive attack from them and that is a shame that we need to punish them because of having some amounts of that.” They said the increase in crime of marihuana smokers is a myth, because small addictive properties don’t make people steal or kill to get it, by the way it is not as expensive as other drugs.

           On the internet some time ago was an interesting poster about that case.



           I think there is nothing to discuss- no doubts about alcohol and its tragic influence on family and social life.

           The last thing I wanted to write about is the medical influence of that curious plant:
1. Alzheimer's disease-  it can be both a preventive measure and the drug used after the onset of symptoms.

2. AIDS/ HIV- although there are helpful medications available, they cause some side effects, as loss of appetite or trouble with sleeping. The therapeutic use of marihuana may avoid adverse effects.

3. Cancer- inseparable companion of cancer that prevents from vomiting.

4.Glaucoma- it reduces the pressure inside the eye.

5. Multiple sclerosis- it prevents adverse neurologic effects of that terrible disease, such as pain and muscle spasms.

6. Pain- a common medical use of marihuana as a painkiller. There is even a cannabis drug called Sativex.

If you would like to watch some interesting movie, here is the link:

I must admit that I have mixed feelings about it. I am not sure which side I should take.

Discussion:

1.       What do you think about marihuana? Do you agree with examples I wrote about?
2.       Are you for legalization of it?



Comments

Unknown said…
I'm for legalization, but it should be controlled. Let's face it - marihuana is not any worse than alcohol, but you can go to jail for possession. It is ridiculous from my perspective. At the same time, marihuana smoking shouldn't be encouraged.
The problem is that people don't mind evils they're used to, but fear and demonize little evils they aren't as familiar with. In our current reality people are encouraged to drink alcohol and even overuse it. Whenever you turn on tv or take a walk - you see alcohol commercials encouraging people to drink. This is in my opinion much worse than encouraging people to smoke marihuana, which is by comparison not as bad as alcohol, but you can go to jail for having even small amounts. It surely should change solely because the law isn't fair in this regard. I think, however, that encouraging people to drink acohol or smoke marihuana should not be legal.
Dalvia said…
Oh gosh, such a difficult topic! On the one hand, marijuana isn't a strong drug, more recreational, and also good for some medical purposes, on the other hand, if we start legelize "soft" drugs, they'll become notdrugs, but something different, and so drugs on another level will become "soft" drugs eventually, and at the end we could discuss about legilizing heorine and stuff... that's why it's difficult, I think....
Anonymous said…
Imprisonment for possession of marijuana is so stupid that it does not even have comment. If so policeman caught you with a bottle of vodka should be a life sentence. Funny. I am neither a proponent or opponent of marijuana but it should be an equal rules for all stimulants.

Therefore, I am for legalization. All that is forbidden attracts the attention of young people. For example, cigarettes. Once there were hardly available (martial law), currently the percentage of smokers is falling.
In my opinion this is the way we should go. Free country, free choice.
I think that, with taking a marihuana is the similar way like riding in motorcycle, if you have head on your neck and you can think nothing will happen to you, otherwise if you go too far it will be over. We know that this drug is doesn't strong like heroine but we must know the limits of this “fun”. About comparison marihuana to alcohol, I simply agree with this that a drug is little more safer than drinks for adults. I prefer see on the street cheered guy with twist than drunken and staggering drunkard.
What about legalization, probably I will agree for this term, cause with this or not anyway the people find out the way how to get the drug. The most important is to construct the law which permit government to skillfully supervision this whole business. Of course there will be needed to say that the marihuana is the only legal drug, not the rest of narcotics.
alt_pl said…
1. What do you think about marihuana? Do you agree with examples I wrote about?
Marijuana is not for every one and I am strongly against legalizing it. It should be granted in special shops for people above 21 or 25 years old. In other cases lots of young idiots ( like those attending Marsz Wyzwolenia Konopi ) who are underage would buy it and smoke.

2. Are you for legalization of it?
Look above.
Kasia Kmieć said…
I think that almost everything in life is acceptable as long as people are reasonable with it. Of course there are some negative effects but.. what doesn’t nowadays? If alcohol is legal, and it has much worse effects on health than weed does then why alcohol is legal? Or cigarettes? The argument that weed leads to harder drugs is an absurd. If someone will take other drugs it means that he/she would do it anyway. The argument that legalizing marihuana will lead to legalization of other drugs is just as ridiculous. I believe it's everybody’s own choice to take or not to take a drug. If something would happen after the induction only that person should suffer the legal and other consequences. What different is marihuana from nicotine, for example? It is only human who decides which is legal or not and it's often not based on people's health but on the politics.
Unknown said…
In my opinion, more drugs on open market = more problems and addicted peoples. We will be spend more money on addicted, the national budget is too strained for.
Oh gosh its horrible question. We are free it should be legal. I have only one objection. If you addicted to marijuana or alcohol, you must pay yourself for the treatment of addiction.
In my opinion marijuana is a drug and as such shouldn’t be legalized. On the other hand I do believe that marijuana as a stimulant for a party isn’t any different from alcohol or cigarettes, so maybe it should be legal to have a little portions for your own usage. I think that the main issue here is the problem of addiction. And here I’m convinced that marijuana is addictive and every addiction from stimulants have negative influence on life. It also dangerous to other people – I can’t imagine that driving a car after marijuana could be safe.
Unknown said…
Of course, you are right- driving a car under the influence of marihuana can't be safe and should be forbidden- as alcohol. In case of addiction it all depends on our body, some people need long years to get addicted and some have problem after a small amount of this stimulant.
Unknown said…
I agree with that addicted people should pay by themselves for the treatment, but I think national budget could rise after lagalisation very much, as long as black market is availlable.
Unknown said…
If legalization would become true than only for people after 21 years old- it's obvious that stimants as it can destroy young peoples' minds and health.
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said…
We are free people and we should decide for ourselves, that's why I am for legalization as well.
Unknown said…
1. What do you think about marihuana? Do you agree with examples I wrote about?

It is hard to say which site is trully right. I think we all know that drugs are around, sold enen in schools. Enyway... I think it would be very risky to legalize them from one and very importan reason that you did not took in to account. At the moment marihuana is sold only on black market. What will happen if you legalize it... It will go to the open market available for everyone, and what will black market do if they lose big part of income from marihuana? I would say that they will try to push more some of the hevy drugs that are not legit. Next we might have discusion about cocaine or some other heavy drug.

2. Are you for legalization of it?
I do not somke or use it and I do not plan on changing this. However if it have some positive influence or medical properties it should be allow to use in medicine. Compering alcohol to drugs is not a good idea. Those are two different cases. However I belive that everything is form people used in right amount (for responsible people to be precise).
Unknown said…
I am indignant with those commercial showing how alcohol will make you more confident, happy, enjoy football matches, love etc. This should be forbidden firstly.
Unknown said…
I think we shouldn't compare discussion abou marihuana and heroin, because those are the other kinds of stimulants, but yes, some people would try to do it this way. We are used to see people drinking vodka every weekend, some of them are overdosing it usually, and most of us don't see any problem with that drug.
Unknown said…
Good point, while speaking about income form marihuana, you are right, they would try to fill the gap, especially if legal marihuana will be better prepared, grown in good conditions and under control of specialists.
Sylwia said…
That is the 2nd time I’m writing it today. I think that everything is fine in good proportions. The problem is not to exceed a limit. For example alcohol is not bad. Usually people who overused it are dangerous for themselves and others. It’s all about reasonable limit.
Personally I don't drink, nor do I take any type of stimulants and I don't think anybody has a need to take it (Apart from medical prescription of course! Just talking about regular, healthy citizens). I believe that taking any type of stimulant, including smoking cigarettes, is a choice that a person might take, but doesn't need to take and therefore should learn to live by the rules concerning that particular stimulant in his or her country.
I am not for the legalization of marihuana, but I agree that it can be very helpful as a medical treatment and therefore support the idea of medicinal marihuana. I would support and reasonable usage of any drug for that matter. But I completely disagree that such things are needed for everyday life and to have fun - there are much healthier ways to relax and you can have a perfectly good time even when you are sober.

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