How Marijuana Works

Beyond these effects that marijuana has, marijuana smokers are susceptible to the same health problems astobacco 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, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). It has also been linked to heart attacks.

It is truly amazing that there is even a debate on legalizing marijuana while we are waging a war on tobacco use and tobacco users in the US. Smoking cigarettes is even being banned in apartments and public areas - even outside. There is even talk of banning cigarettes in the US military.

Why in the world would we even consider legalizing another lethal drug?

It's less lethal than alcohol, mocowgirl. It's less lethal than cars or MacDonald's burgers. It's less lethal than an additional 100 pounds of lard ass. It's less lethal than not exercising.

It is responsible for huge excesses of effort for enforcement, and a militarization of the domestic police in the name of 'the war on drugs'. Hence, it's continued prohibition is a lethal threat to the Constitution.

It is an intrusion into a human's right to live the life he might desire, because someone, somewhere wants to control what he puts in his own body.

Are you writing from the 1950's? Are you in the former Soviet Union?

If you are so all fired up about this, why not take a few minutes of your precious and uninformed time and read about the entire attempt to prohibit alcohol in the USA during prohibition and then ask yourself, what is different about this?

The world will not come to an end because you are afraid. I don't use or like pot, but I support your right to lead the life you wish to lead, and choose the manner of your exit. This stuff is almost never implicated in violent crime, as opposed to alcohol, its constant companion.

Please, get real. Think. If you are worried about pot smokers being able to think clearly, you are setting a very, very poor example.

Because "another lethal drug" is probably the last harmful drug that is widely used. I'm including Coffee and caffeine on the "more addictive" list. If you notice, all the items they listed that were side effects were not very harmful at all, and are only temporary (while you are high). Think of the tens of billions being made by drug lords, and the gang wars being fought over this drug. If we legalize it, we can regulate, tax, and control it better than if it only exists on the black market. Marijuana has enormous health benefits, the US Government even has 2 patents on the positive medical benefits of marijuana - yet it is a C2 with "no medical benefits" (Gotta love the double standards of our government!). Pretty much the only negative of it, is the smoke in your lungs. That can easily be taken care of with a vaporizer or baking it into food/drinks. Also, the increased heart attack risk is if you smoke TWO to NINE OUNCES a week. That's an extreme amount that only the biggest of pot heads would smoke. It would take about a bowl an hour to smoke all that.

Marijuana is also the least lethal drug. Deaths from caffeine each year? 1,000-10,000. Deaths from aspirin a year? 200-1,000. Deaths from marijuana per year? ZERO. That's right, the lethal point would be to smoke 15,000 joints in one hour. That is not even humanly possible, and if it were, I would die a very happy man.

A quote about the heart attack study from another expert:

“We’re talking about people who are stoned all the time. We’re talking about the marijuana equivalent of the guy in the alley clutching a bottle of cheap wine. If you do anything to that level of excess, it might well have some untoward effects, whether it’s marijuana or wine or broccoli,” Mirken added.
(http://blog.norml.org/2008/05/13/marijuana-may-up-heart-attack-stroke-risk/)

Also, I'm gay. And this issue actually bothers me as much as not being allowed to marry. Why does it matter to someone else what I do in my own home which would not effect anyone else one bit?