Jeff Sessions Claims Marijuana Only 'Slightly Less Awful' Than Heroin

[KingOrfeo]

Not making this up.

Now if you'll excuse me, my pot-jones is coming down, my hands are trembling, and I need to go to the bus station and suck enough cocks to buy a joint. I just hope I don't overdose and wake up in the ER yet again.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

All addictions are equal, sad and awful.



He was incorrect in saying only slightly less...

 

[zipman]

Not making this up.

Now if you'll excuse me, my pot-jones is coming down, my hands are trembling, and I need to go to the bus station and suck enough cocks to buy a joint. I just hope I don't overdose and wake up in the ER yet again.

He's a complete and total moron.

But if he really does want to get rid of drugs that cause life-wrecking dependencies, he should focus on alcohol.

 

[Rightguide]

Marijuana destroys brain cells. A Duke University study found a loss of 8 IQ points by age 38 with continued marijuana use. Just enough to keep people voting Democrat.

Study here:

http://www.pnas.org/content/109/40/E2657.abstract

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Marijuana destroys brain cells. A Duke University study found a loss of 8 IQ points by age 38 with continued marijuana use. Just enough to keep people voting Democrat.

Study here:

http://www.pnas.org/content/109/40/E2657.abstract

Stupidity never killed anyone man...

 

[Rightguide]

Stupidity never killed anyone man...

Indoobieditly so man...

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Dave's not here man!

 

[KingOrfeo]

Marijuana destroys brain cells. A Duke University study found a loss of 8 IQ points by age 38 with continued marijuana use. Just enough to keep people voting Democrat.

Study here:

http://www.pnas.org/content/109/40/E2657.abstract

Those findings are limited to adolescent-onset users, whose brains are still developing. There's no evidence it does any harm to your brain if you take it up as an adult.

 

[Rightguide]

Those findings are limited to adolescent-onset users. There's no evidence it does any harm to your brain if you take it up as an adult.

Oh, so as soon as you're 18 you're safe, right?

 

[KingOrfeo]

Oh, so as soon as you're 18 you're safe, right?

Well, as soon as you're 20, probably.

 

[Rightguide]

Well, as soon as you're 20, probably.

Bullshit. I know people who started as adults and lost their careers by age 35.

 

[KingOrfeo]

Bullshit. I know people who started as adults and lost their careers by age 35.

Not because pot damaged their brains, they didn't.

 

[Rightguide]

Not because pot damaged their brains, they didn't.

How the fuck would you know that? You object to all except your own beliefs just for the sake of objecting and dissembling alone.

 

[KingOrfeo]

How the fuck would you know that?

What I know is that there's no evidence of marijuana use causing brain damage in adults -- and there are enough potheads out there that such evidence would have been found by now if it did.

Which is not to say that there aren't any risks:

Risks

For many people, knowing the actual risks of cannabis is difficult. On the one hand, there are those who say it is extremely addictive and causes cancer and mental illness, on the other hand, there are those who say it is not addictive and can remedy cancer and mental illness. To add to the confusion, both camps can quote a large amount of scientific literature supporting their claims. There are two main reasons why the scientific evidence behind the risks of cannabis can seem so contradictory: firstly, prohibition makes studying cannabis' effects tricky for researchers; and secondly because media often reports studies that have major implications, but not the many subsequent studies that undermine them. For instance, a recent study that reported cannabis use causes an irreversible and large IQ drop was heavily reported, but the many subsequent studies that failed to replicate its findings were not. This is not just a problem when it comes to cannabis, but all media reporting on science.

It is known that cannabis is nowhere near as dangerous as heroin or cocaine, and is also much safer than legal drugs alcohol and tobacco. However, there are other illegal drugs, such as psilocybin and LSD, which are considered safer than cannabis.[8]

Adverse effects

As previously mentioned, cannabis impairs awareness and thus it is very dangerous to drive or operate machinery while under its influence. It can also cause adverse effects which, particularly in high doses, can be dangerous. Bad trips can provoke psychotic and suicidal symptoms. Harm reduction advocates recommend "trip sitters" as a way of dealing with the adverse effects of psychedelics.

Dependence

Cannabis dependence occurs in about half of long-term daily users. Cessation by a dependent user causes withdrawal, usually characterized by anxiety, cravings, low mood, and disturbed sleep. These symptoms usually last a couple of days to a week. [9]

Effect on the young

Cannabis use during pregnancy "is associated with decreased attention span and behavioral problems." Additionally, children exposed to cannabis in utero also are reported to have "lower scores on tests of visual problem solving, visual-motor coordination, and visual analysis" than children who were not exposed.[10]

Although a 2012 study purported to find that cannabis use in adolescents leads to a drop in IQ, subsequent studies have found no such effect. But a UK study did find a 3% drop in school exams taken at age 16."[11]

Relationship with mental illness

The link between cannabis use and mental illness is controversial and hotly debated. Cannabis use is associated with anxiety disorders,[12] but not depressive disorders.[13] Correlation does not imply causation, however, especially when cannabis is so heavily associated with relieving stress. Many sufferers of depression and anxiety who self-medicate with cannabis believe it helps them more than many other remedies.

The relationship between cannabis and psychotic illnesses is more controversial and intricate. It is thought that cannabis with a high concentration of THC (ie. cannabis that is smoked to get high) worsens pre-existing psychotic illnesses[14], but cannabis with a lower concentration of THC and higher concentration of CBD (ie. most medicinal cannabis) can help remedy psychosis.[15] It is thought that, for people with a genetic predisposition towards psychotic illness, heavy use of cannabis with a high concentration of THC can "nudge" them into psychosis.[16] However, it should be noted that something as seemingly harmless as living in a city carries the same risk of "nudging" someone into psychosis.

Lung damage

Smoking cannabis can cause bronchitis episodes.[17] Sharing water pipes and smoking with multiple people in a confined area ("hotboxing") can contribute to the spread of respiratory disease.[18]

Relationship with cancer

Perhaps the most hotly debated risk of cannabis use is its effect on cancer. Some claim cannabis is a one-way ticket to the graveyard, others claim it can cure all cancers. There is evidence that isolated THC can decrease the growth of cancerous tumors[19], but there may be other material in cannabis smoke that is carcinogenic, and it is not known if THC counteracts it or not. Frequent smoking of cannabis may be linked to bladder cancer, for instance.[20] Harm reduction experts recommend eating or vaporizing cannabis as a way to avoid possible carcinogens in the smoke.[21]

Gateway drug hypothesis

Main article: Gateway drug theory

In conclusion...

Essentially, in all non-psychotic people beyond the point of puberty, light to moderate cannabis use is not thought to cause problems so long as you aren't doing anything stupid like driving stoned, and have a trip sitter present if you're experimenting with a dose higher than you're used to. Heavy, habitual use, especially of stuff with a high concentration of THC, does carry risks, and really this should go without saying.

You object to all except your own beliefs just for the sake of objecting and dissembling alone.

The word "dissemble" does not mean what you think it does.

 

[adrina]

How the fuck would you know that? You object to all except your own beliefs just for the sake of objecting and dissembling alone.

That idiot Sessions should actually look at the chemical dependency studies.

But then why would a knee jerk reactionary idealogue look to science.

 

[Rightguide]

That idiot Sessions should actually look at the chemical dependency studies.

But then why would a knee jerk reactionary idealogue look to science.

He doesn't have to, all he has to do is enforce federal law, left wing rectal prolapse notwithstanding.

 

[adrina]

He doesn't have to, all he has to do is enforce federal law, left wing rectal prolapse notwithstanding.

Well it's nice to know you support laws regardless of their effectiveness, logic, grounding in science or practical application.

I'd be surprised, but...

 

[slipslopstud]

Whatever Jeff Sessions is smoking to make that RIDICULOUS claim, he should stop and get help.

I'm sure cigarette tobacco use has claimed more lives a year than heroin, but I'm sure Sessions won't put tobacco on the chopping block.

 

[james_1957]

There's nothing wrong with smoking a little weed.

 

[Wrong Element]

Not because pot damaged their brains, they didn't.

You can definitely overindulge. But people aren't dropping dead in record numbers because of marijuana.

If Sessions were from a state where he had to actually work at getting reelected, he'd presumably know this.

 

[KingOrfeo]

You can definitely overindulge. But people aren't dropping dead in record numbers because of marijuana.

If Sessions were from a state where he had to actually work at getting reelected, he'd presumably know this.

He presumably does know it, but doesn't see how it makes any difference.

 

[Hard_Rom]

When tobacco is made illegal and alcohol prohibition is brought back then marijuana can be controlled. Cigarettes still kill many and booze is the ultimate gateway drug. Know far more coke heads who started of with a booze problem.

 

[adrina]

You can definitely overindulge. But people aren't dropping dead in record numbers because of marijuana.

If Sessions were from a state where he had to actually work at getting reelected, he'd presumably know this.

People aren't dropping dead in any numbers because of marijuana use. I can think of one storiy I've seen about death directly attributable to pot smoking. I think you'll find more instances of death by aspirin than by marijuana usage.


clucky clicky

 

[Hard_Rom]

People aren't dropping dead in any numbers because of marijuana use. I can think of one storiy I've seen about death directly attributable to pot smoking. I think you'll find more instances of death by aspirin than by marijuana usage.


clucky clicky

Folk have a tendency to drive on the stuff. Wouldn't be at all surprised to find many young folk involved in car accidents while high. A proper roadside test is needed before going whole hog on legalization is needed, IMO.

Lots of older folk on percs too. Would not be surprised to find out that contributes to some crashes.

 

[KingOrfeo]

Folk have a tendency to drive on the stuff. Wouldn't be at all surprised to find many young folk involved in car accidents while high.

Worst thing that ever happens to me is missing a turn because I'm thinking of something else.