I Think Marijuana Should Be Legalized

Many people today want marijuana to be legal as a recreational drug but i am still skeptical with regard to how safe it is. Is there anyone on this blog who can honestly say that after smoking marijuana they became addicted to it or that it did them any other harm? I am prepared to accept the possibility but remain unconvinced. Here's your chance to speak up if you are a 'dope victim'. This is not a joke. I just want the truth, no nonsense please.

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Amylynne · 31-35, F

I know a lot about this.
first, safety
an LD50 is a measurement of lethality give the test animals X amount of the substance,, increase the dosage till it kills half of them
they have not been able to establish an LD50, seems you cant poison a mammal with this substance.
Second,, addictive qualities
there are two kinds of addiction, chemical and mental
pot is not physically addictive. There are negative side effects for a heavy user when they go cold turkey.
but mental/ emotional addiction is independent of the substance used.

I live (part time)in a "free state" for cannabis, and here have been some challenges. the worst is that kids are getting hold of the most potent extracts, and these are very strong,, and tho not addictive or poisonous of themselves, kids have few tools for resisting pleasant but unhelpful behavior, like being wasted all day.

so no it was not the "gate way drug"
that would have been Sugar, a story for another time

persistentone22 · M

It is definitely addictive. Heavy users get withdrawal symptoms, and more importantly the body downregulates its receptors and production of its own cannabis-like compounds. That said, I still weigh costs of making it illegal versus legal and have a hard time justifying the costs of illegality.

References:

Budney AJ, Hughes JR. The cannabis withdrawal syndrome. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2006;19(3):233-238. doi:10.1097/01.yco.0000218592.00689.e5.

Gorelick DA, Levin KH, Copersino ML, et al. Diagnostic Criteria for Cannabis Withdrawal Syndrome. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2012;123(1-3):141-147. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.11.007.

Rotter A, Bayerlein K, Hansbauer M, et al. CB1 and CB2 receptor expression and promoter methylation in patients with cannabis dependence. Eur Addict Res. 2013;19(1):13-20. doi:10.1159/000338642.

Morgan CJA, Page E, Schaefer C, et al. Cerebrospinal fluid anandamide levels, cannabis use and psychotic-like symptoms. Br J Psychiatry J Ment Sci. 2013;202(5):381-382. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.112.121178.

Anthony JC, Warner LA, Kessler RC. Comparative epidemiology of dependence on tobacco, alcohol, controlled substances, and inhalants: Basic findings from the National Comorbidity Survey. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol. 1994;2(3):244-268. doi:10.1037/1064-1297.2.3.244.

Amylynne · 31-35, F

@pone22: Science rules! thanks for the refs too
have been tracking that part of the system, the altered natural cannibinoid and endocrine variations.
i think it takes heavy use to see addictive behavior, and I am find few studies that cross reference addictive personalities

persistentone22 · M

@Amylynne: Right, I suspect it is about addictive personality as much as the drug. Unfortunately, there are people with addictive personalities, and those people can become very dependent on the drug. Would those people just find a substitute drug if they could not get marijuana? Is marijuana substantially worse than likely substitutes? These are probably not easy questions to answer.

Amylynne · 31-35, F

I think such personalities would use whatever they can find,, seen that with other drugs , also, I think we are culturally creating discouraging these personalities.
Instant Gratification,, and escalation of sensation, end to encourage that.

will999 · 70-79, M

Hello Amylynne. OKAY we'll leave the full story for another time but out of curiosity what is the LD50 of Sugar? It's too late for Elvis but I'd still like to know.

Amylynne · 31-35, F

30 g/kg.
thats 30 grams for each Kilo you weigh

will999 · 70-79, M

Thanks Amylynne. I'd better go easy on the choc- chip cookies hey. They're about 400 grams a pack and I bet the main ingredient is sugar.