Single Joint=20 Cigarettes And Huge Lung Cancer Risk: Researchers

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Delthefunky

So legalize it and cut out the middle man . . .

I'm all for legalizing it and treating it like liquor.

Make possession of it by a minor illegal, make it a felony to sell or supply it to a minor.

Make it so that its a automatic suspended license for a year for people caught driving under the influence of it.

Make it so that its illegal to fire people that show up for work under the influence.

Then tax the crap out of it and put the tax benefits to health care.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Sorry, that statement was a general statement not specific to you.

Just checkin'. I'm not advocating pot, I just don't think it should be a crime to consume it. Keeping it illegal causes more problems to society than legalization, IMO.

[8 Ball]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Did I say anything about nutrution? Alcohol has a huge heart and artery benifit when consumed responsibly. And there is ample scientific data to back that up.

Alcohol causes cancer.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I'm all for legalizing it and treating it like liquor.

Make possession of it by a minor illegal, make it a felony to sell or supply it to a minor.

Make it so that its a automatic suspended license for a year for people caught driving under the influence of it.

Make it so that its illegal to fire people that show up for work under the influence.

Then tax the crap out of it and put the tax benefits to health care.

I completely agree. Great post.

And I also think there should be responsible research into both the benefits and risks of cannabinoids for pain relief. I've never understood why cannabis can't be made into a safer pill or injection--if it could, you could have a painkiller that would be much less habit forming than an opiate and ideal for chemotherapy patients because of its positive effect on appetite.

Why isn't that research happening? I can't speak to the situation in Canada, but in the U.S. I can tell you that the government is ONLY interested in research that shows the harmful effects of marijuana. And if you want the government to issue you marijuana cigarrettes for research purposes, that better be exactly what your grant proposal says you're going to do. For that reason, it's best to take any recent research into the topic with a sizeable grain of salt.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Shawnski

Recent article had a bunch of classmates/teacher going to the hospital as some nut decided they would bring in some home made brownies for their unsuspecting piers. Same shinguard, different pile.

This is solid evidence that you don't get a room full of kids high on the sneak, but nothing else. The same thing would have happened (go to the hospital) if they were all unwittingly boozed-up.

Originally Posted by Shawnski

I have been there and done each since many of you were but a twinkle in your parents' eyes. Pot IS the bigger evil, don't fool yourselves.

Well, that's your opinion. It doesn't exactly make it so.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by 8 Ball

Alcohol causes cancer.

So does the sun...yet the sun also provides health benifits.

Nice try though.

[Hack&Lube]

Apparentely, all things that cause humans pleasure cause cancer.

[DementedReality]

im torn ..

if the govt legalizes it and takes over the distribution, it will:

a) reduce the quality
b) increase the price
c) make it more available, which means I will be able to get it and if I can get it, i will smoke it and if I smoke it, I will be stoned which isnt good for productivity.

since as of now, i have no idea where to get it, i dont smoke it.

i think one very good argument for legalization of all drugs is to take as much profit out of the hands of organized crime. as long as they have a product that no one else can provide, they will continue to have more money than those fighting them.

i think drugs comes down to personal choice. frankly, beer, smokes and pot dont bother me. if i was at your house and you went outside to smoke, i couldnt care. if you had a beer, i couldnt care. if you decided to shoot up, i would leave and never come over to your house again and probably not spend much time with you anymore. if you took coke out at my house, i would ask you to leave and not invite you back. but thats my choice, id rather have control over my choices than to give the govt that ability over me.

[Dope-AS-Fack]

They cant tax pot cause its a plant right?

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Dope-AS-Fack

They cant tax pot cause its a plant right?

The government can tax anything they want to.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Dope-AS-Fack

They cant tax pot cause its a plant right?

Tobacco is a plant too...

[Dope-AS-Fack]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

The government can tax anything they want to.

yeah thats wat I thought, crazy stoners and there theories on why it isnt legal

[Winsor_Pilates]

I'm with Firefly on this one.

I'm sure pot isn't good for you, especially your lungs but 1 study without much substance won't convince me it's worse then cigs.

The most unscientific part of the whole thread is the original quote from the study.

smoking a single joint is equivalent to inhaling the damaging contents of 20 regular tobacco cigarettes

equivalent in what way? which damaging contents? all of them? all 20X?

what about the damaging contents in cigarettes that aren't even in pot? I guess pot is still 20X worse for those contents too.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by DementedReality

im torn ..

if the govt legalizes it and takes over the distribution, it will:

a) reduce the quality
b) increase the price
c) make it more available, which means I will be able to get it and if I can

d) dramatically decrease the revenue for Thousands of criminals who currently sell it
e)dramatically decrease the violence and crime used to make that revenue

[MacDougalbry]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I'm all for legalizing it and treating it like liquor.

Make possession of it by a minor illegal, make it a felony to sell or supply it to a minor.

Make it so that its a automatic suspended license for a year for people caught driving under the influence of it.

Make it so that its illegal to fire people that show up for work under the influence.

Then tax the crap out of it and put the tax benefits to health care.

So you're saying people should have the right to show up for worked stoned? (!)

[Burninator]

I have a tough time understanding why marijuana is not legal. Alcohol is without a doubt the most damaging in our society today.

There are some positives to legalizing it. First it would be safer and pure because it would be controlled and government regulated. It would stop crimes related to the trafficking of it. The government could tax it and make their share. It would free up space in prisons. It would free up police officers and space in the legal system. It's a much safer drug than alcohol. It's impossible for someone to overdose from marijuana.

Of course it's not a perfect drug either. There are problems. Possible health effects, chance of addiction etc. But I am much more in favour of freedom in this case. People should be able to put whatever they want into their body as long as they don't harm anyone else. People should have that choice.

[Shawnski]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Well, that's your opinion. It doesn't exactly make it so.

That is not opinion, that is experience. Big difference in my books. And not just my experience. Talk to a few friends of mine. Oh wait, they are dead. Took their own lives. All big fans of bud. Talk to some other of my past friends, some who are still in denial, living far less than their potential lives.

And yes, alcohol has killed some of my past friends too. Hell, I can't believe I had another birthday last week. Reskless and wild I was... pot driven for many years....

No Rouge, my opinion means squat obviously.... since I happened to have survived it and can tell you about it now... means nothing.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

That is not a health benifit, it is a lesser of two evils. Thats like saying instead of smoking 20 cigs a day I only smoke 5, so it is a health benifit.

First of all, learn to spell. There's nothing like being in an argument with someone who only spells half their words correctly.

Secondly, wtf are you talking about? Let's recap, shall we?

The doctors told my sister to smoke MORE POT because it would PROLONG her life. What part of that isn't a health benefit? It's the lesser of two evils? Quick death vs slower death? I suppose if you want to look at it that way...

Thirdly, I just wanted to put a thirdly in to show you how it's supposed to be done...

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Really? So because I believe in personal choice I must be taking a hit from the bong? Kind of a harsh generalization to accuse someone you've never personally met of being a pot smoker just because of their political beliefs.



Sure and I've seen families destroyed by gambling, alcohol and sex but these things aren't illegal. At some point people need to stop blaming the drug and start blaming the person responsible for not having any self-control.

Wasn't necessarily referring to you past the first line, there were plenty of other targets in this thread.

As for the last paragraph, I am simply refuting the consistant defense used by pot smokers that marijuana use is not only harmless, but doesn't hurt anyone beyond the user either. Complete and utter BS. Has nothing to do with legalization or criminalization. Completely irrelevant to me.

[Flameschick]

So you think that the government shouldn't dictate what people can and cannot put in their bodies and that drugs should be legalized with individuals left to decide whether to exercise their legal rights?

Wouldn't it only be appropriate then that if the government has no control over what you can and cannot put in your body, then it shouldn't be responsible for dealing with the consequences of your choices? If you say you and you alone get to decide what to do with your life, then you and you alone are responsible for the consequences, right? The government didn't tell you to do crack, so why should it have to bail you out when you o.d.? Why should I, a non-crack-doing taxpayer as represented by the government, be forced to pay for your medical bills? If you choose to drink and get into an accident that takes a life, why should I, as a non-alcoholic, pay for a legal-aid lawyer for you? You did the crime, so to speak, you do the time. Don't pass the buck, and don't skimp the responsibility.

The government should act similarly to private insurers when it comes to health insurance. As a taxpayer, since it's my money being used I should get to decide who to cover and who not to cover. If you engage in risky behaviour, then I as represented by the government should be able to say, "Nope, I'm not covering you." I choose not to engage in activities I know would put a burden on the health care system forcing my fellow citizens to pony up their hard-earned dollars. You as a user/alcoholic/etc. on the other hand are acting selfishly and with total disregard for the consequences of your actions on your fellow citizens in terms of emptying their wallets. Why exactly should I bail you out when you hold me in such contempt?

Ask any doctor if they'd prefer to see our limited resources spent on the latest MRI equipment or on more hospital beds in the pediatric ward, etc. rather than on housing alcoholics and junkies so they can continue their miserable existences. If you're one of the latter, couldn't I rightfully use against you the stand that you took in terms of no one being able to tell you what to do and say to you, "Sorry, you and you alone made your choice so it's your responsibility alone to deal with the consequences. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got kids with leukemia to look after."? It's odd how some people believe that boozing or taking drugs is a victimless activity. It puts a huge burden on the health-care system, diverting resources away from such things as research into cures for diseases, updating medical technologies, preventative maintenance public awareness programs, etc.

If you want the freedom to make choices, then you have to assume full responsibility for the consequences. Leave the rest of us out of it. Perhaps if you are forced first-hand to realize the enormity of the financial cost to yourself of your actions, you might engage in healthier pursuits instead of boozing or smoking or toking. It's a cynical way of doing so, but a serious hit to the pocketbook might make someone think twice about doing drugs or boozing.