|
| Cannabis: The Facts |
|
Posted by FoM on January 12, 2002 at 21:08:49 PT Research suggests cannabis has medical benefits Source: BBC News 
Cannabis has a mildly sedative effect, which leads to decreased blood pressure, increased appetite, feelings of relaxation, mild intoxication and increased sociability. People who smoke the drug usually feel its effects within minutes and they may last up to three hours. The effect is delayed when eating or drinking the drug so that it lasts longer and may be more difficult to control. Cannabis may impair short-term memory and affects body coordination. First-time users may feel confused and distressed and anxiety, panic and suspicion are not uncommon side effects. High doses can cause coma, but there are no records of fatal overdose. Heavy use can lead to confusion, aggravate existing mental disorders and sap energy. Some people believe cannabis can lead to hard drug use, such as heroin, but the majority of users do not go on to take heroin. Long-Term Risks Long-term use of cannabis can cause lung cancer, bronchitis and other respiratory disorders associated with smoking. It is unclear if there is more risk of these disorders than with tobacco. However, cannabis users tend to inhale more deeply and the drug does contain higher doses of tar. People may become both physically and psychologically dependent on cannabis. Studies also show that regular, heavy use of the drug may cause nerve damage and affect learning. But there is evidence that cannabis can relieve the symptoms of some chronic conditions, such as multiple sclerosis. Source: BBC News (UK Web) Related Articles & Web Site: Medical Marijuana Information Links A History of Debating Marijuana Legalization Cannabis a Medical Miracle - It's Official Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
 |
| Comment #6 posted by DdC on January 13, 2002 at 22:07:35 PT |
| Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 03:04:24 -0800 From: Steve Kubby steve@kubby.com Subject: CANCER RISK IN RELATION TO RADIOACTIVITY IN TOBACCO AND CANNABIS by Steve Kubby, AMMA Some scientific studies suggest that the radioactivity of tobacco, not its tars, may be the primary cause of lung cancer. Where does the radioactivity come from? It comes from the inorganic fertilizers used to grow tobacco. In fact, evidence suggests that cancer from smoking tobacco was unknown prior to the use of inorganic fertilizers. An ordinary Geiger counter will confirm that most commercial fertilizers are mildly radioactive. Heavy fertilizing concentrates radioactive isotopes of lead and polonium in plant tissue. Smoking concentrates the lead and polonium to dangerous levels and then deposits the radioactive isotopes on the lungs, resulting in long term exposure to carcinogenic ionizing radiation. Based upon this and other evidence, it would appear prudent for medical cannabis consumers to insist upon organically grown medicine, in order to avoid any harmful exposure to heavy metal isotopes. ---------- A summary of a study on tobacco and radioactivity is provided below, Radiol Technol 1996 Jan-Feb;67(3):217-22 Leaf tobacco contains minute amounts of lead 210 (210Pb) and polonium 210 (210Po), both of which are radioactive carcinogens and both of which can be found in smoke from burning tobacco. Tobacco smoke also contains carcinogens that are nonradioactive. People who inhale tobacco smoke are exposed to higher concentrations of radioactivity than nonsmokers. Deposits of 210Pb and alpha particle-emitting 210Po form in the lungs of smokers, generating localized radiation doses far greater than the radiation exposures humans experience from natural sources. This radiation exposure, delivered to sensitive tissues for long periods of time, may induce cancer both alone and synergistically with nonradioactive carcinogens. This article explores the relationship between the radioactive and nonradioactive carcinogens in leaf tobacco and tobacco smoke and the risk of cancer in those who inhale tobacco smoke. Sources; + Federal Center for Disease Control, 1990. Organic Cannabis/Tobacco vs Chemical Cigarettes Fear in the Fields Santa Cruz Legalizes Cannabis if its Organic! The PotHeads Will Survive http://boards.marihemp.com/boards/politics/media/38/38846.gif [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by Sam Adams on January 13, 2002 at 15:39:14 PT |
| I'm running low on toilet paper....I'll have to print out some more Reuters articles........ [ Post Comment ] |
|
Comment #4 posted by Craiggoth on January 13, 2002 at 07:05:57 PT:
|
| Yeah, the risks aren't really risks if you think about it. Any mood altering drug is gonna have some risks, and those brought by cannabis aren't too risky. It can affect learning etc etc, if too much is consumed, but so can alcohol. People just have to accept it as being a reasonably safe and socially acceptable drug...because in my opinion, and in the opinion of many scientists, doctors and much of the general public, that is what it is. If you use too much of any given drug then you're gonna suffer, that's a fact...it annoys me when I hear people moaning about the bad affects of cannabis if too much is taken. If it was legalised then it would probably just be used the same way as alcohol is used...that is not daily (although some people DO use it daily). It would probably be used at parties, and when socialising...in a responsible way. What about the affects when it isn't used everyday? I don't see much of a problem...and I use it on and off through the week. [ Post Comment ] |
|
Comment #3 posted by Jose Melendez on January 13, 2002 at 05:48:24 PT:
|
| "High doses can cause coma..." Sure. I have not been able to find ANY reputable claims of marijuana induced comas. The only reference to a cannabis coma was refuted in: http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/nc/nc1e.htm "Another case report (Hughes et al., 1970) relates severe diabetic coma with ketoacidosis after the ingestion of huge amounts of marihuana by a mental patient. However, it appears that the pronounced vomiting secondary to the marihuana ingestion caused a severe electrolyte imbalance and alkalosis. Possibly a vulnerable glucose-regulating system responded to the severe stress inappropriately. Retrospectively, there was no history of diabetes noted previously but this was not confirmed or ruled out by lab tests prior to the episode. """Studies also show that regular, heavy use of the drug may cause nerve damage..." Contrary to the "facts" reported above (but not supported by any references or footnotes), cannabis has been shown to relieve pain from nerve damage, see: http://www.nature.com/nsu/010906/010906-7.html and: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/newsid_248000/248384.stm Also, from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10869379&dopt=Abstract " Direct measurement of oxidative stress revealed that cannabinoids prevented serum-deprived cell death by antioxidation. The antioxidative property of cannabinoids was confirmed by their ability to antagonize oxidative stress and consequent cell death induced by the retinoid anhydroretinol. Therefore, cannabinoids act as antioxidants to modulate cell survival and growth of B lymphocytes and fibroblasts."Find out more about cannabis and it's antioxidant properties here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?form=4&db=m&term=cannabinoids+antioxidant&dispmax=20&relentrezdate=No+Limit See also: http://www.sciencenet.org.uk/slup/CuttingEdge/Jul00/cannabinoids.html and on: http://www.cityweb.co.uk/cannabis/index.htm there is a clear refutation of the claim marijuana causes nerve or brain damage. Follow the link called "The Fiction."
What seems to be a well researched college paper is at: "It is unclear if there is more risk of these disorders than with tobacco."
Baloney. From: "...women who are current marijuana smokers but did not smoke tobacco, were found to have only 56% of the risk of cancer death as compared to other women who were non-smokers of both tobacco and marijuana. "So, cannabis use may actually reduce the risk of cancer death. Note that 400,000 US citizens die each year from tobacco use, while we still see a statistcal ZERO deaths from cannabis use. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by RavingDave on January 12, 2002 at 22:25:08 PT |
| I was not aware of any studies which have demonstrated either a physical or psychological dependency upon THC. In fact, quite to the contrary, everything I've ever read has seemed to indicate the complete lack of dependency, other than a "desire to repeat a pleasurable experience." I am also unaware of any research showing nerve damage among long-term users. Although I believe the statement that long-term use can affect learning, these effects have been shown to disappear if the user discontinues use for 30 days or more. I've never seen any indication of permanent disability. If anyone can point me toward the research of which the writer speaks, I'd love to take a look. If there is no research to back up these claims, then it is disturbing that someone would quote hearsay in the guise of facts. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by MikeEEEEE on January 12, 2002 at 21:38:21 PT |
| The only positive point is this: But there is evidence that cannabis can relieve the symptoms of some chronic conditions, such as multiple sclerosis. Nothing is said about the ill effects of prohibition. [ Post Comment ] |
| Post Comment |  |
 |  |
