Pegasus Research Consortium

CNN-8pm EST-11 August 2013 TONIGHT: Dr. Sanjay Gupta changes mind on weed (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/11/sanjay-gupta-marijuana-debate/2636043/)


TV doc Sanjay Gupta says the public has been misled about marijuana.

The haze surrounding Sanjay Gupta's stance on medical marijuana use has cleared.

The TV doctor says he just wasn't looking hard enough.

CNN's chief medical correspondent announced his change in heart Aug. 8 in an online op-ed, Why I Changed My Mind on Weed, promoting his special Weed, a documentary premiering tonight at 8 p.m. on CNN.

Gupta says he used to oppose the use of medical marijuana. But after more research, he says he has changed his mind, and has apologized for earlier statements, including his 2009 TIME magazine article Why I Would Vote No on Pot.





Gupta told Piers Morgan on CNN. "And I did part of that misleading."




Mason Tvert, the director of communication for the Marijuana Policy Project, a national group promoting the legal use of medical and non-medical marijuana, says the situation illustrates the establishment's misinformation and scare tactics for the past 70 years.

"Most Americans are recognizing that marijuana is not as harmful as they were led to believe," he says. "There's so much evidence out now that any person looking at it objectively would have to call our current marijuana policies into question."

The often-cited health risks associated with marijuana, he says, are not as malignant as previously conceived. And, like Gupta, he points out that alcohol and nicotine are just as unhealthy and cause a larger number of deaths compared to cannabis.

But Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse says the issue isn't whether marijuana is less harmful than alcohol or nicotine, it's whether society is willing to deal with the harm legalizing another drug could cause.

"If you look at the data ... the costs associated with drugs in our country, which are gigantic, are driven mostly by legal drugs because they're so accessible. (The legalization of marijuana) will immediately increase the adverse affects."

Though some compounds in marijuana may be beneficial, she says it's difficult to determine if they can be extracted for treatment, to avoid the drug's harmful effects.

Also, she says, marijuana poses an even more unique challenge, because each plant and its chemical levels, including THC, vary.




Volkow says marijuana is very harmful to the developing brains of adolescents, who may have more access to the drug if legalized, and may interpret it as less harmful or dangerous because doctors condone its use. She notes that prescription medications, while legal, are the leading cause of drug-related deaths for adolescents.

Gupta's proclamation, and the growing movement to legalize marijuana and medical marijuana, "definitely make the work we do more difficult," says Jamison Monroe, founder and CEO of Newport Academy in California, a drug treatment program for adolescents. "I don't think you could say just because one drug is legal something else should be legal. If it does become legalized though, there should at least be an age limit."

Volkow also questions the use of the term "medical marijuana," because the medicinal use of the drug or its chemical contents has yet to be assessed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration, which is required for all medicines used in the USA.

Though Gupta's comments may be well-meant, she says, he may be jumping the gun.

"I wish I could stand up and say to people 'Yes, this will help.' I want to help, but it would be irresponsible on my part," Volkow says.

"The evidence is not there and if we look at what has happened in the past with cocaine and even methamphetamine, doctors also believed these drugs would be beneficial, until they realized the (negative) effects."

The Pot Book: A Complete Guide to Cannabis (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594773688/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1594773688&linkCode=as2&tag=pegasreseacon-20)



EDITED BY JULIE HOLLAND M.D.

The Pot Book contains the work of over fifty contributors, primarily MDs and PhDs, each writing (or being interviewed) about their areas of expertise. After three years of putting this book together, I'm convinced that cannabis can be re-introduced to physicians and patients as the multifaceted medicine it once was.  I think we will see in the next decade or so an explosion of research into the therapeutic use of cannabinoids as medications.  

Exploring the role of cannabis in medicine, politics, history, and society, The Pot Book offers a compendium of the most up-to-date information and scientific research on marijuana from leading experts.  The Pot Book also examines the risks associated with cannabis use, and puts them in the context of potential benefits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_812w4AokLc


? Julie Holland, MD discusses The Pot Book - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_812w4AokLc)


TABLE OF CONTENTS (http://www.thepotbook.com/potbook/home_files/TABLE%20OF%20CONTENTS%20-%20THE%20POT%20BOOK%20copy.pdf)

Before pot was illegal, it was a medicine used for thousands of years to treat everything from muscle spasms to insomnia.  Cannabis has powerful anti-inflammatory activity, it can act as a free-radical scavenger, and most importantly, cannabis has anti-cancer properties.

Cannabinoids can kill cancer cells by apoptosis (triggering programmed cell death) while sparing healthy cells, and can also prevent tumor blood supplies from forming, which is called angiogenesis.

Cannabinoids also have a pro-metabolic effect, meaning they may be helpful in stopping the progression of diabetes (partially through its anti-inflammatory action on the cells of the pancreas), as well as helping to normalize blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Cannabis is a medicine that can slow the prevention of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries, the cause of many heart attacks and strokes) and can modify autoimmune diseases including arthritis, Crohn's disease, and Multiple Sclerosis. (Cannabis doesn't just relax the spasming muscles and bladders of MS patients; it actually seems to modify the course of illness and may slow neurodegeneration through its neuroprotective effect.) 

The United States has taken out a patent on the use of Cannabis as a neuro-protectant, though they continue to keep the plant in Schedule I, reserved for drugs with the highest potential for abuse and no medicinal use. Groups of physicians and nurses including the American Medical Association have requested a review of this scheduling.


There are other important uses of this plant.

Cannabis seeds are a complete vegetarian protein and can be used as food for people, livestock, and birds. Hempseed oil not only provides the exact ratio of essential fatty acids our bodies need, but it can also be used as a fuel.

Hempseed oil is a renewable fuel source, which could decrease our reliance on foreign oil. 


Hemp (the non-psychoactive stalk of the cannabis plant) can make many consumer goods including paper (decreasing deforestation that complicates our climate maintenance) rope, canvas, and clothing more absorbent than cotton.  Importantly, with compostable cellulose, hemp can replace our current plastic bag and Styrofoam "plastic vortex"/landfill crisis.

Cannabis was made illegal in 1937, soon after alcohol prohibition was repealed. 


New York City, where I practice medicine, arrests more people for marijuana offenses than any other city in the US. Although Caucasians constitute the majority of pot smokers, African-Americans and Latinos experience a disproportionate number of marijuana-related arrests.

Renewable bio-fuel, food, clothing, paper, and medicine--and America can't have any of it.  Because it makes us laugh. As a psychiatrist,


The Pot Book is a not-for-profit project, with all proceeds from book sales funding research into the therapeutic uses of cannabis and cannabinoid-based medicines. If you'd like to donate to the Holland Fund for Therapeutic Cannabinoid Research, please
click here (http://www.maps.org/hollandfund/donate.html).

I don't know this doctor, but he was not in a position of being "misled", he was in a position in which he could misled others, and this, to me, sounds more like he is trying to gracefully change sides, probably because the other side is going to be more profitable. :)

Amazon.com: Marijuana Gateway to Health: How Cannabis Protects Us from Cancer and Alzheimer's Disease (9780983426189): Clint Werner: Books (http://www.amazon.com/Marijuana-Gateway-Health-Cannabis-Alzheimers/dp/098342618X/ref=pd_sim_b_2)

Reviewed By Mary Pat Jacobs of the Sonoma Alliance for Medical Marijuana

Once started, reading Marijuana Gateway to Health is hard to stop.



Clint Werner's training in journalism is evident throughout, making his book a definite smile to read. It may seem difficult to find humor in the egregious assaults against this benign and beneficial substance, but Werner has done it. Readers will laugh often at the factoids he places in ironic juxtaposition to the ridiculousness of the drug warriors' actions.

One need read only a page or three of this book to be well armed with information. Author of many books on wellness, Andrew Weil, M.D., wrote,



The 'End Notes' are invaluable, as Werner's association with Dr. Donald Abrams gave him access to world class researchers, medical professionals and long-time activists. It is also obvious that he went much further on his own to dig out the history and truths in the book.

Werner begins by explaining how the endocannabinoid system was discovered and how it interacts with receptors throughout the body, then describes exciting evidence that cannabinoids, especially THC and CBD, counteract a variety of diseases in ways that conventional drugs have not.

Study cascades into study proving that marijuana can actually impede and even stop cancer-cell growth. It augments the protection of brain cells from Alzheimer's, stroke, traumatic injury, the effects of MS, Parkinson's and other cerebral disorders, and actually stimulates the formation of functional new brain cells.

He recounts how these findings were discovered in spite of obstinate federal obstruction — from NIDA, the DEA and policymakers. The book reads much like an adventure mystery, complete with heroes and villains.




Werner ends on the upbeat, chronicling "The Marijuana Renaissance" as attitudes change incrementally throughout society and government. It is more like a glacier than an avalanche to be sure, but moving in a positive direction.




concludes the author.

He makes it hard to disagree.

Oh I busted up laughing:

QuoteBut Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse says the issue isn't whether marijuana is less harmful than alcohol or nicotine, it's whether society is willing to deal with the harm legalizing another drug could cause.

Uhhhh.  $40 Billion in drug war costs gone, uh... People less fearful...  Uh...

She makes it sound as if, should We legalize it, suddenly 250 million of Us would start using.  Being novice, We might create problems.

There are few who would smoke/use who don't "because it's illegal."  Make it legal and not much will change except We won't be paying $40 Billion a year to fight it.

For the record, I am not one of the individuals who considers marijuana a miraculous substance.  From a herbalist point of view, it is another tool in the box; it has its' indications and contra-indications, like any other plant.  I consider stoners who claim that it cures everything, and has no possible drawbacks, to be among the most annoying and obnoxious individuals on the face of the Earth.

With that said, at the end of my last stay in Nimbin, I was smoking a relatively small amount, probably three times a week.  Marijuana is something which I enjoy in moderation, but which I actually find leads to seratonin depletion and irritability if I have too much of it.  I think it can have some health benefits, and is also appropriate for people with certain medical conditions, such as cancer; but again, it isn't a magic bullet.

I want to see it legalised, but after that, I'd truthfully like to see all of the heat and noise about it go away.

I also think that all this media reversal means They have found a way They think They can control it, and Us THROUGH it.

thankyou thor for starting this thead.i ended up oversleeping and missed the show.gupta has been one of the paid shill doctors for about ten years now.doing all the typical medical topics that the msm needed to promote whatever big pharma agenda.as bayer now controls most of the pot patents through theft of growers seed using the dea as the thief.its time for bayer to start making money on their investment.
this is also to appease the mob of pro pots that invaded the republican national party last election.the media wants to call them t partiers but i bet alot are there for pot even if they are falling under different lables.the next ellection may be more heated than the last presidential.we are already seeing the hillary and christie crap three years out.

Fourwinds,
Rather excellent thread sir, some shiny for you me thinks.
This is why we are here, so we can discuss a subject with impunity, a subject that frankly needs discussing.
And this is another reason why ats can kiss my shiny metal ass.

Elvis

Quote from: Amaterasu on August 12, 2013, 02:50:16 AM
I also think that all this media reversal means They have found a way They think They can control it, and Us THROUGH it.

Well Dang it...

1) if its legal they can tax it like cigarrettes and booze. It will still be cheaper than the street price

2) it will kill the drug cartels because if its legal they won't need to smuggle it from Mexico or Colombia and and people will use that more than meth etc because it is legal

3)  Since most people I have seen that are heavy users are always in a state of silly stupor... THEY will have control of the sheep. Just keep em doped up and they won't be messing with politics etc

4) it will  boost the economy with Hemp products ( I can finally get good hemp rope again at a decent price :P )

Now one thing... I see all this noble talk on the web about medical use and hemp products being bantered about...

but fess up now... yawl are ONLY interested because you can smoke it...  and get wasted

     "but fess up now... yawl are ONLY interested because you can
smoke it...  and get wasted".

  Lol, well yeah ;)

But the whole point of seperating weed from other nasties IS  the whole point.

Leave folk alone to grow and smoke it responsibly for gods sake.

Take it out of the hands of the criminals.

If you dont like it then dont smoke it.
Elvis.

       



                      "3)  Since most people I have seen that are heavy users are always in a state of silly stupor... THEY will have control of the sheep. Just keep em doped up and they won't be messing with politics etc."

            I However slightly disagree on this point.
             When smoked imo in conjunction with booze!
the partisipant is as you say " in a silly stupor" or as i say "monged" :o.

    However when used in moderation on its own folk will question EVERYTHING.


Just look at your record collection. No smoke means no good music.
And that is a fact.

      Hey i like this colouring in business :D

Elvis.

Quote from: Elvis Hendrix on August 12, 2013, 10:34:57 AM
    However when used in moderation on its own folk will question EVERYTHING.

I will agree that used in moderation it is no worse than having occasional drinks..

But all my years in high school everyone that smoked was in a constant state of giggling insanely at everything and reaction times were slow...

Then recently in the convention business where a lot of the teamsters smoked regularly... reaction time was causing dangers

Smoking it for recreation is the same as going to a bar... but smoking at school or on the job is the same as drinking on the job

We all know that is wrong :P but more people smoke on the job then drink on the job :P

As for music...  That depends... The music I listen to does not require smoking to create :P

But then I am a little Medieval :P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0rVNQw1DQM

And just as an FYI  Zorgon's full name is  Sir Zorgon of Shalott ;) (duly registered with coat of arms :P )

  I wouldnt suggest smoking while in control of a 747, or while performing heart surgery. :o

I do however belive it is on our good earth to help us.

        " And on the seventh day, god stepped back and said "There is my creation, perfect in every way... Oh, dammit I left pot all over the place. Now they'll think I want them to smoke it... Now I have to create republicans."

   Bill Hicks.




Elvis.

Well it is said Jesus was the First Hippy :P

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/p168x128/1094811_189727494537135_1284277485_n.jpg)

my problem with hemp is it will cross polinate w my good stuff.i would want hemp made from the smoke stuff.even though the quality of the hemp products may go down.
second.i drive stoned .work stoned .live basically stoned.i work partime for the leading group of tower technicians in the nation.our time in a construction job is usually third to a half the time of other companies.our safety record is the highest in the nation.all injuries by straights.none died or permanently crippled.a continual pothead is the tip of the speer in my opinion and the best employee there is.if you can get him to work.thats why i work parttime.my family needs me more than the money.

           Smokers and Shakers

William Shakespeare
« » Place in History
William Shakespeare was a 16th century English playwright who is widely considered to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, dramatists of all time. His plays, which include such classics such Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, and Hamlet, are still performed, adapted, and swooned over today.

Place in Marijuana History
Researchers found traces of cannabis on clay pipes uncovered in the garden of Shakespeare's home in Stratford-upon-Avon. The pipes dated from the 17th century (Shakespeare died in 1616), so they are contemporary with Shakespeare. And Shakespeare wrote about a "noted weed" in one of his sonnets. I think we can all guess what he was talking about...

Why It's Awesome
Remember those plays I mentioned earlier? Those aren't the only ones: Shakespeare also penned A Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello, and Macbeth. If smoking a bit of grass helped Shakespeare create masterpieces, then stoners everywhere have another reason to assure their parents that they are not, in fact, wasting their lives. I, for one, would love to see a sonnet composed by a contemporary pothead. Shall I compare thee to a Doritos Locos? Thou art more flavorful and delicious.


"The illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world." – Carl Sagan, renown scientist, astronomer, astrochemist, author and TV host.

"The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the prohibition law. For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in this country is closely connected with this." – Albert Einstein quote on Hemp

and obviously as we know the list is endlesssssssssssssss 8)

Elvis.

             Autos


Auto-flowering cannabis seeds differ from regular cannabis seeds in that their flowering phase is not governed by photoperiod. This means that, unlike regular cannabis seeds, autoflowering seeds will commence flowering after a certain period of time, regardless of whether you have switched the lighting to 12/12 or not. It is this quality that makes auto-flowering cannabis seeds ideal if you require a constant supply of marijuana.

Autoflowering strains are typically very short in stature, as you might expect from a plant with such a limited vegetative phase. This makes them particularly useful for stealth grows. The small stature often means a relatively low yield, but this is compensated for by a very rapid turnover. It is up to the grower to decide if auto-flowering seeds are suitable for his/her needs and circumstances.

With their ruderalis heritage, auto-flowering cannabis seeds are quite often suitable for outdoor grows in northern climates, but check with your seed supplier that this is the case before planting them outside.

Best auto-flowering marijuana seeds? Well here are some we like.
Lowryder#2
Easy Ryder seeds
Blue Cheese
Auto Bubbleicious
Nirvana Short Ryder Auto.
What is the History of Auto-Flowering Seeds?
Auto-flowering is a natural trait, inherited from wild growing ruderalis species. Ruderalis species are a subspecies of cannabis sativa that have naturalised in the northern wildernesses, mostly in Russia and Eastern Europe. In northern climes, where the summers are short, summer days can be very long with up to 24 hours of light per day. Under these atypical light conditions it is crucial for wild plants to flower and spread seed as early as possible before the onset of winter. Ruderalis, unlike other types of cannabis, has adapted to make the most of the long days of short northern summers by developing the ability to flower in a short period of time, regardless of the length of daylight available.

The availability of auto-flowering versions of quality cannabis species is the result of intense and diligent breeding programmes. By crossing the auto-flowering properties of ruderalis with the THC production of other varieties, breeders have developed potent strains that will commence flowering within a month of planting (sometimes as little as a fortnight) and finish in as little as 8-10 weeks, all under 18hrs of light. The auto-flowering trait is recessive however, and isolating the trait through hybridization requires a great deal of time and experience.

How to Grow Auto-Flowering Seeds
Many cannabis growers use auto-flowering cannabis seeds as part of continuous hydroponic grow systems. With a bit of planning it is easily possible to set your grow room up to produce a continuous supply of buds from auto-flowering seeds.


One of the greatest advantages of auto-flowering seeds is that they avoid the need for separate grow rooms and nurseries. Because the lighting regime doesn't change throughout the grow, it is possible for all plants to share the same room regardless of what stage of growth they are at.

With such a short grow cycle, pot size, light quality and nutrients all play a crucial role (even more so than normal) in defining the size of the yield.

So with your grow room under a continuous 18 hour light cycle what you need to concentrate on is keeping it full and productive. Stagger planting new seeds by a couple of weeks to keep a continuous supply growing. Plant new seeds each time you either harvest buds or remove a male. Male plants of auto-flowering strains will show themselves between 2 and 3 weeks after germination, about a week before females.

All auto-flowering cannabis strains work well in both soil and hydro systems. For best results plant the newly germinated seeds directly into their final pots (1-2 gallon or 5-10 litres) and place them directly under 18 hour lights. Beware, smaller pots can result in smaller yields.
Start young plants on a veg phase nutrient regime at about 1-2 weeks. Switch to flowering phase nutrients as soon as you see flowers begin to form, usually at about 4 weeks. This is also the right time to switch from MH to HPS lighting if that is what you are using.

For outdoor marijuana grows in the northern hemisphere, May – August is the optimum time for growing auto-flowering cannabis strains, although with a bit of planning you can organise successive harvests right through to November.

Mature auto-flowering cannabis strains are normally no more that 20" (50cm) tall, this makes them ideal for high density, compact grow systems similar to Sea of Green set-ups.

What Auto-Flowering Strains are Available
There are several varieties of auto-flowering cannabis seeds available on the market. Perhaps the most famous is the original Lowryder from The Joint Doctor, one of the first auto-flowering strains to become commercially available. Lowryder is also responsible for a whole range of hybrids including Lowryder#2 and Easy Ryder seeds.

Other auto-flowering cannabis strains of note include Blue Cheese, Auto Bubbleicious and Nirvana Short Ryder.


Elvis

       
   Whats all the hubbub, Bub?

(http://i1284.photobucket.com/albums/a572/paparumbo/grapefruitnevilleshaze02_zpsa9c6e8b9.jpg)

Elvis ;D

i wish i could get organic to look like that.im planning on a drip system next month.too much water waste as it is plus ive heard it oxygenates the roots better

Quote from: Elvis Hendrix on August 12, 2013, 11:01:57 AM
I do however belive it is on our good earth to help us.

Like cicuta. :)

water hemlock.no thankyou.

Armap,
Your in portugal right, youve got the perfect climate for a wickid guerilla
crop :-X
A small clearing, a few Autos and bobs your uncle...

you could sit under the stars and write your first novel ;)

Elvis

Serious question here. Does marijuana cause lung cancer? Very curious about this as my lungs are my weak point.

My humble - legalize it. Let's make some money on supply and demand instead of taking it in the pants to fight a losing battle.

Quote from: VillageIdiot on August 12, 2013, 02:43:44 PM
Serious question here. Does marijuana cause lung cancer? Very curious about this as my lungs are my weak point.

My humble - legalize it. Let's make some money on supply and demand instead of taking it in the pants to fight a losing battle.

Mate anything you smoke will hurt your lungs.

have it in tea or crumble in cookie mix.

Elvis.

Robo,
im envious, I simply dont have the space and my wifes job would be seriously compromised if inspector plod came a knocking.

green fingers too you mate.

Elvis.

Just this week I read a story on "MSN" (sorry...no link) about a little 5 year old girl in Colorado. She has a rather nasty form of Epilepsy. Up until recently (past year or so) she suffered from up to 300 grand mal seizures per week (that's like two an hour), frankly, I'm surprised she survived.

Her parents heard about someone who was helped by medicinal Weed, so they got their daughter a medical Pot card, and started her oh a regimen. She had lost all ability to walk, talk, and was just about done in the cognitive dept as well. Today she get two drops of "Oil". She walks, talks, rides her bike, kind of like normal 5 year olds.

When I read the story I cried, when I read that Pot had been that much help, I cried again, for different reasons. Dudes! The shit gave her her life back!

I've been a chronic smoker for 45 years. At first, mostly "just cause", but, now, with some actual research being done; I consider my decision in the late 60's to become a "Pot Head" to be one of the best, most logical and intelligent decisions I've ever made.

At 66 Weed helps me to overcome the effects of time and arthritis on my hands, makes typing, coding, engineering easier. It also appears that it may help with one of my greatest fears, Alzheimer's (I'm a software engineer...EVERYTHING I do in a mental exercise). It also improves One's ability to "Focus".

In addition it also helps to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, regulate intra-ocular pressures, relieve stress, improve appetite, and on and on. There are far fewer "downside" elements with Weed than most other substances.

Oh yes, one other "good point": It's ET approved!

http://www.alternet.org/drugs/how-5-year-old-girl-gave-cnns-sanjay-gupta-new-perspective-medical-pot

Quote from: zorgon on August 12, 2013, 10:06:59 AM
Now one thing... I see all this noble talk on the web about medical use and hemp products being bantered about...

but fess up now... yawl are ONLY interested because you can smoke it...  and get wasted

Uh, yeah.  LOL!  "Just wanting to get high" is really just treating stress.  But surely this life is not full of stress!

Quote from: VillageIdiot on August 12, 2013, 02:43:44 PM
Serious question here. Does marijuana cause lung cancer? Very curious about this as my lungs are my weak point.

Weed isn't as bad for your lungs as tobacco, but as Elvis said, smoke inhalation in any form is not going to be all that great.  There are other ways to take it, though.  Cookies work, and some people make blended juice from the leaves, as well.

As far as legalisation is concerned, the benefits of that are not as simple as people seem to think.  Marijuana becoming legalised, will inevitably mean that the state awards a monopoly to large corporations for growing it, and then outlaws small growers entirely.  Decriminalised marijuana, could therefore in effect mean that people actually have less freedom than they do right now, because if corporations gain the ability to grow it, then the public will get lazy and simply buy it from them, irrespective of whether or not the material is the same quality as when people were growing it.

So I don't want to see full legalisation, in that sense.  If they cease putting people in jail for consumption, that will be enough.  You do not actually want full decriminalisation, for the reasons already stated.

Quote from: Amaterasu on August 12, 2013, 04:12:16 PM
Uh, yeah.  LOL!  "Just wanting to get high" is really just treating stress.  But surely this life is not full of stress!

I enjoy contrast, personally.  Being stoned all the time bores me, in the same way as being sober all the time does.  If I'm stoned all the time, I get used to it to the point where I don't notice it, so I might as well not be stoned at all.  Hence, being sober for a certain period, and then being stoned intermittently is my ideal.

Drugs to me are a lot like bullet time, from the Matrix films.  If you're in slow motion all the time, that just becomes your new definition of normal, so it is no longer anything special.  Whereas if you're in slow motion some of the time, and normal speed the rest of the time, you really notice the difference.  It has more of an impact.

Agreed that alternating periods of use with periods of non-use.  But the point remains:  the "just want to get high" behavior is really wanting to relieve stress.

As for lung cancer:

Marijuana Not Linked To Lung Cancer When Use Is Light Or Moderate, Unknown With Heavy Use

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/20/marijuana-lung-cancer_n_3474960.html



Study: Cannabis Smoking Not Associated With Increased Lung Cancer Risk Or Other Serious Pulmonary Complications


http://blog.norml.org/2013/06/19/study-cannabis-smoking-not-associated-with-increased-lung-cancer-risk-or-other-serious-pulmonary-complications/

Breathe Easy: A Marijuana Study Finds No Lung Cancer Links


http://www.sfweekly.com/2013-06-19/news/ucla-medical-marijuana-cancer/full/


And then there's the scare stories:

Heavy marijuana smoking may double risk of lung cancer, Canadian study finds

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/08/01/heavy-marijuana-smoking-may-double-risk-of-lung-cancer-canadian-study-finds/

Yeah:

QuoteThe researchers admit the study could not trace how much the men used marijuana or tobacco after the initial interviews. They speculate that similar patterns would have continued through their 20s and 30s.

Mr. Morgenstern said it is also possible, though, those individuals who contracted cancer and who had been heavy pot smokers when young switched to cigarettes later, meaning the tobacco, not marijuana, made them sick.

GOOD study.  Heh.

i knew a woman who died of lung cancer one month after she could not find any pot.i think its gonna be found that radon is the culprit of most lung cancer.its in natural gas .coal.anything tuat comes out of the ground.and of corse the nuke test and the radio active fertilizer put on the tobacco farms in the old days.and now fukushima.but they will blame the west coast cancer on pot legalization instead of the fuku truth.
in gorrila grow .i earn every gram.with none to sell.varmits wipe out ninety percent.then lugging water in the hottest part of the year.skeeters like florida has and chiggers that find me tasting like a ribeye.but i get to breed the plants and get better every year.the sad part is almost all my clothes are camo .lol.its still better than gaming the legal system.searching for dealers and burning up miles on the car.strangers and bad influences.boring but peaceful.i dont like coming down.its too chaotic

always rotate breeds so you dont get burned out.blueberry this week.monticello madness nextweek.variety.but i dont sit on my ass.im either learning or doing.mostly learning on the net.

Quote from: robomont on August 12, 2013, 05:26:05 PM
i dont like coming down.its too chaotic

Would..."stressful" work as an adjective as well?

yes.i dont believe humans were designed for the level of stress that exist in this world.we should not need a plant to happily exist but as long as it does .im gonna use it.life is more successful and peaceful for me in this state of mind.its worked for me for five years of fulltime use.before that i too was a flipflopper .i chose to go with what works for me.

I agree, Robo.  And so, You are not a "pot head" - You are treating stress.

Unless You WANT the title, but You're still treating stress. [grin]

thankyou amy
.you are correct.

Quote from: robomont on August 12, 2013, 05:59:48 PM
thankyou amy
.you are correct.

[smile]

It's only important for Me to make that point, because I have been saying for years that the "just want to get high" phenomenon is a medical application, specifically to treat stress.

Quote from: petrus4 on August 12, 2013, 04:16:37 PM
So I don't want to see full legalisation, in that sense.  If they cease putting people in jail for consumption, that will be enough.  You do not actually want full decriminalisation, for the reasons already stated.

That's what Portugal did some years ago and has been ignored by most countries. :)

Production and distribution is still illegal.

Ahh, I've deliberately only just opened this thread..as with the UFO's, my mind is already decided upon on matter.

It should be legal - no doubt about it.

Not only for all the endless scientific reasons - but simply because there is NO legitimate basis to make it illegal in the first place! I have openly told my doctors here in the UK that I smoke weed, and I refuse their pharma's...They all nodded in agreement and without judgement.

I first smoked it fooling around with friends. Then from 17 as a medical means, to overcome back pain, insomnia, and an unhealthy habit (or lack of) with food.

These days, all the above, and it's enhancement in regards to my music and spiritual vibe  8)

Only negative's: Can make me inherently physically lazy (but is mentally stimulating), and it can knock my short term memory round quit a bit aha.

Quote from: Sinny on August 12, 2013, 08:30:41 PM
Ahh, I've deliberately only just opened this thread..as with the UFO's, my mind is already decided upon on matter.

It should be legal - no doubt about it.

Not only for all the endless scientific reasons - but simply because there is NO legitimate basis to make it illegal in the first place! I have openly told my doctors here in the UK that I smoke weed, and I refuse their pharma's...They all nodded in agreement and without judgement.

I first smoked it fooling around with friends. Then from 17 as a medical means, to overcome back pain, insomnia, and an unhealthy habit (or lack of) with food.

These days, all the above, and it's enhancement in regards to my music and spiritual vibe  8)

Only negative's: Can make me inherently physically lazy (but is mentally stimulating), and it can knock my short term memory round quit a bit aha.

ET: Depends on what breed ya get - but you can go shopping about and find one that suits you.

Although I do admit, certain actual lazy arses will become even lazier and will most likely slow society down .... Then again, I think society needs to slow down  ;D

Quote from: Elvis Hendrix on August 12, 2013, 10:34:57 AM
       
Just look at your record collection.
No smoke means no good music.
And that is a fact.

OK   One Hundred Years of Great Artists at the Met - complete mint set (http://www.thelivingmoon.com/forum/index.php?topic=3577.0)

you got that right tfw.
and ill bet tool had some of the best there ever was.

Well lets make it legal and when everyone is a pothead lost in lalaland ala Cheech and Chong we can reassess the 'danger' :P

8)

Everyone here already knows about the medical benefits of weed, so I don't need to go into that.  If you don't, I'd advise watching the two documentaries about Jack Herer and Rick Simpson, which are hopefully still on YouTube.

With that said, as a smoker myself, I will honestly tell you that cannabis does have a single potential danger that I know of.  I have personally had a momentary psychotic (as in, extreme fear and paranoia) break from smoking particularly Sativa dominant bud in a joint, with equally Sativa dominant hashish, and tobacco.  I have also had reasonably severe paranoia on other occasions as well, and every single time it was due to smoking Sativa specifically.  I have also noticed that tobacco can induce paranoia in me on its' own as well, and will make the Sativa paranoia worse if I smoke them together.

Know your strains, kids.  Be very, very specific about them.  For fun and medicinal smoking, you want Indica dominant hybrids.  I am not intending to demonise or condemn Sativa strains in any way here, but I will say that I consider Sativa to be much better for weed's industrial uses; hempseed, hempcrete, rope, canvas and such.  As far as I know, before criminalisation that was fairly common knowledge.  The very fact that Sativa usually has less resin means that it is easier to industrially process anyway.

Quote from: zorgon on May 10, 2015, 09:43:16 AM
Well lets make it legal and when everyone is a pothead lost in lalaland ala Cheech and Chong we can reassess the 'danger' :P

8)

Do you truly consider it rational to assume that every single person on the planet is going to immediately become a 24/7 smoker, once cannabis is legal?  I do not.

Quote from: zorgon on May 10, 2015, 09:43:16 AM
Well lets make it legal and when everyone is a pothead lost in lalaland ala Cheech and Chong we can reassess the 'danger' :P

8)

Typical comment from someone who obviously knows nothing about being a "pothead."

Cannabis combined with radiotherapy can make brain cancer 'disappear,' study claims — RT News (http://rt.com/news/205907-cannabis-brain-cancer-disappear/)

Quote from: petrus4 on May 10, 2015, 02:45:57 PM
Do you truly consider it rational to assume that every single person on the planet is going to immediately become a 24/7 smoker, once cannabis is legal?

No only 80% of Amerikans :P

QuoteI do not.

So you don't admit that SOME will be pot heads and zone out in lalaland? :D

LOL

Look what I find amusing in all this is that the ones who want to become potheads :P are pushing for MEDICAL benefits of MJ. There is NO QUESTION that there are tremendous medical benefits... but the smokers don't really care about that or the myriad uses of hemp

They just want Lalaland :D

One thing I find funny in this whole situation is how, apparently, people in the US are so obsessed by it, it's almost a religious thing. :)

Quote from: thorfourwinds on May 10, 2015, 05:01:42 PM
Typical comment...

::)

Quotefrom someone who obviously knows nothing about being a "pothead."

Back in my high school days in Toronto I knew many people that were "potheads"... in those days those who wanted to smoke did... it wasn't the serious crime as it turned into in the US.  The ones who smoked didn't give a damn about the "medical uses"  In fact that was rarely if ever even brought up because in the early 70's it was all about 'doing your own thing'  Free Love get high...

Those friends that did smoke  were high a lot... When they were high they were giggling at everything, and very slow reaction time. We used to tease them when they were high :P


Here in Vegas pot smoking was going on all the time with the Teamsters at the convention center.  Yes we all KNOW that people should not smoke and drive forklift just like they should not drink and drive.  But they do anyway... and yeah  its dangerous for the rest of us :P

But see? Here you go again... using a Cancer Cure link  to address my point of Zombie Apocalypse Lalaland Potheads :P

The two are NOT the same.

For the record:

I have ALWAYS said it should be LEGAL.  It is easier to control it, get the drug lord out of it and save us tons of money in law enforcement, jail cells and ruined lives. Arrest should ONLY be made for abuse same as we arrest drunks and hold them responsible for what they do under the influence

I KNOW the weed is full of medical ingredients that can cure all sorts of things

I KNOW that hemp has a thousand and one uses  I use hemp rope exclusively for my Medieval stuff and that was all we used on the old Schooner...

So stop comparing apples and hand grenades :P

I know human nature :P  Potheads will be everywhere  especially in the beginning

So Thor...

are YOU going to be at Hemp Con?

::)

I would LOVE to have been there at setup  LOL  Hear the gossip from the Teamsters

It would be hilarious considering the current random testing if you so much as bump a crate

::)

Quote from: ArMaP on May 10, 2015, 05:43:01 PM
One thing I find funny in this whole situation is how, apparently, people in the US are so obsessed by it, it's almost a religious thing. :)

This has been my point :D  The obsession is for smoking it  with the cover story of hemp use and medical benefits. :D


BTW  John Lear has obtained Medical MJ and it has helped him tremendously. His wife got it but had the wrong strain the first time and it did nothing. Someone got her the right stuff  concentrated and it is working

Will update you on that  When Sgt does the Great Deumstick Caper  :P

And yes Nevada has Legalized medical MJ for some time

QuoteI know human nature :P  Potheads will be everywhere  especially in the beginning

So, how come Colorado is not all 'lalaland'?

Quote from: thorfourwinds on May 10, 2015, 06:03:01 PM
So, how come Colorado is not all 'lalaland'?

::)

Haven't been there yet to check out the results :D

LOL Maybe Pegasus can get in on the action and make a few million :P  Won't be long before it's legal here

But we will only ship Local :P

Quote from: zorgon on May 10, 2015, 05:46:21 PM
So Thor...

are YOU going to be at Hemp Con?
::)

Sure would be an exhilarating experience for me, personally, considering my 4 decades 'in the bus'.  :P

Well if ya make it stop by the house :D

So how goes the battle on the Home Front?

(https://scontent-6.22773.fna.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/11140039_913160905394112_8693257555078040429_n.jpg?oh=b0bef43c368d3f3a22c51912650f0600&oe=55D0DED6)

Yeah right :P

Quote from: thorfourwinds on May 10, 2015, 06:03:01 PM

(http://www.thelivingmoon.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10005/Cover-uncensored-38.jpg)

So, how come Colorado is not all 'lalaland'?

Not everyone in Colorado wants to use the stuff.  I got some edibles and some oil to try for my muscle spasms.  It didn't help me.  I'm not a smoker, so that isn't an option.   I joined a gym instead, and I have swim dates there with my grandson.   I guess that makes me a "Catfish."

Shasta

Quote from: Shasta56 on May 10, 2015, 08:17:01 PM
I guess that makes me a "Catfish."

(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/f3/bd/b9/f3bdb997aa9860856c1b4f35e2735adb.jpg)

(https://foggyd.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/bong_baby-thumb1.jpg)

Bwahahahahaa

Published on Jul 30, 2014
??To celebrate marijuana legalization in Colorado, Munchies columnist David Bienenstock recently traveled to Aspen, to attend a legal seminar hosted by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws—America's oldest and largest group dedicated to legalizing cannabis.

And since the late Hunter S. Thompson was one of NORML's earliest and most consistent supporters, we figured what better way to embrace the sweet smell of herbal liberation in the Rocky Mountain State than by throwing a small victory party at Owl Farm—the author and advocate's home and "fortified compound" in Woody Creek—featuring an appropriately over-the-top pairing of fully legal cannabis and high-end cuisine?

??Pulling this off required first and foremost the permission and kind hospitality of Anita Thompson, Hunter Thompson's widow, who resides at Owl Farm and keeps a close eye on her dearly departed husband's literary legacy.

Then, to handle the culinary and scientific feat of preparing a multi-course marijuana-infused meal of the highest order, we partnered Chef Chris Lanter of Aspen hotspot Cache Cache with cannabis-infusion expert Tamar Wise, former head of science at the world's largest marijuana edibles company.??

In all, we infused four different oils, using four different ganja strains, for use in four different preparations (three savory and one dessert), with a joint of each strain set aside for smoking

All served to a highly select group of heads at Owl Farm, including NORML's founder, and Hunter S. Thompson's close friend, Keith Stroup—our guest of honor.

And now, it's time to: Buy the ticket, take the ride...

Former Cops Get Busted Stealing Weed Candy

(http://www.thcfinder.com/uploads/files/former-cops-get-caught-stealing-weed-candy.jpg)

Yes you did read the caption right. Two former Goodyear, Arizona cops were arrested recently after stealing over 20 pounds of cannabis infused chocolate from a package shipped from California that arrived at OnTrac, the shipping company that the two men were now employed by as security. The box arrived marked as cannabis chocolate from the west coast state, weighing in at a whopping 50 pounds total. David Carpenter and Eric Scott Whittington were both arrested and are awaiting their court dates for stealing the medicated candy.

http://www.thcfinder.com/marijuana-blog/news/2014/07/former-cops-get-busted-stealing-weed-candy

Colorado's Cannabis Candy and Drinks

(http://reagangirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/marijuana-drinks-300x225.jpg)

Congress to Discuss Allowing Veterans to Use Medical Marijuana | High Times (http://www.hightimes.com/read/congress-discuss-allowing-veterans-use-medical-marijuana)


30 April 2015

Federal lawmakers will soon gather on Capitol Hill to discuss the issue of allowing veterans to have the same access to medical marijuana as their civilian counterparts.

The United States House of Representatives is scheduled to debate a number of issues pertaining to veteran's affairs later this week, including a recent proposal by Congressman Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, which would enable military veterans suffering from debilitating mental and physical conditions to use medical marijuanain states where it has been made legal.
 
Although the federal government prevents physicians employed with the Veterans Administration from even discussing marijuana as a potential treatment option for their patients, Blumenauer has drafted a simple amendment that would prevent the agency from using its funding to impose this prohibitionary stance.

The objective of this modest policy adjustment is to simply prohibit the VA's budget from being used to prevent veterans from taking advantage of their state's medical marijuana program.

Fortunately, many legislative forces have shifted their attitude in regards to the use of medical marijuana, especially when it comes to treating the men and women who have suffered the wrath of a serious health issue as a result of serving the United States at a time of war.

Congressman Blumenauer, along with Representatives Tom Reed of New York, Sam Farr of California and Dana Rohrabacher, also of California, believe the federal government owes it to those soldiers who have found themselves scarred while defending our nation an opportunity for a better quality of life through the medicinal benefits of cannabis.

"It is unacceptable for our wounded warriors to be forced out of the VA system to simply seek a recommendation on whether or not medical marijuana is a good treatment option," Blumenauer said in a statement.

"We should not be preventing access to medicine that can help them deal with these injuries to survive and thrive. I encourage my colleagues to show compassion to our veterans and pass this amendment."
 
Read More:http://www.hightimes.com/read/congress-discuss-allowing-veterans-use-medical-marijuana

Quote from: zorgon on May 10, 2015, 05:32:38 PM
No only 80% of Amerikans :P

So you don't admit that SOME will be pot heads and zone out in lalaland? :D

LOL

The amount of emoticons leave me confused as to whether you are serious or not.