> the risk of death associated with the use of a variety of commonly-used substances.
But just looking at risk of death isn't enough. I'm pro legislation, but I think downplaying risks does harm.
Marijuana may be even safer than previously thought, researchers say
81–90 of 208 posts
Re: Marijuana may be even safer than previously thought, researchers say
#82I don't smoke but I don't care if you do.
Because of my field of work, I am subject to drug testing and I like my job so I don't partake but it really doesn't matter to me if someone else wants to.
It doesn't make any sense to me to spend billions of dollars every year to try to stop people from obtaining and ingesting a plant.
Even if it were a deadly poison, it still wouldn't make sense to me.
For example, if drinking Hemlock infused tea were to became fashionable and people were dropping left, right and center from it, I would still think it's absurd to spend billions of dollars to stop consenting adults from doing so.
Since it makes no sense in that case, I have not heard a convincing argument for prohibition of a much less harmful (and often helpful) plant.
Re: Marijuana may be even safer than previously thought, researchers say
#83Earlier quoted context omitted.
Out of the zillions and zillions of weed smokers over the past 100 years, there has never once been a reported case of someone dying due to carcinogenic responses to the smoke. Granted, there has never been a formal study, but there have been adjacent studies and by all intents and purposes it appears to be safe. Google around: https://www.google.com/search?q=marijuana+lung+cancer
Today we have have vastly stronger, concentrated wax/oil that can be up to 99+% THC enabling much faster and bigger consumption. Weed consumption and delivery will continue to be refined, a fatal dose is "impossible" only until it is not.
Consuming anything with a sort of deadly, self-destructive intent can lead to death, one way or another. But I'm sorry, if you're going for an LD50 experience with weed, you're not going to get there --ever. Its just not possible unless you've created a medical experiment designed to kill the subject, and to get to that place I'm quite certain additional drugs would be required.
Another fruitful Google search: https://www.google.com/search?q=ld50+marijuana
Re: Marijuana may be even safer than previously thought, researchers say
#84Earlier quoted context omitted.
"There have been numerous studies in which the effects of marijuana have been assesed on performance in driving simulators and even a few studies conducted in city traffic. Much to everyone's surprise, the results of many of these studies revealed only relatively small impairments in driving skills, even after quite large doses of the drug. Several of the early studies showed no impairment at all, but as driving simu…
I'd rather just replace the ignition system with a short driving game that you have to complete to start the car I've heard there are cars with a breath analyzer connected to the ignition. A driving game would hopefully pick up more than alcohol, so I like that idea. Unfortunately, I suspect many drunk drivers will just do what they do with the current systems and have their sober girlfriend pass the test for them.
have their sober girlfriend pass the test for them.
Good point. It needs some form of seat sensor that turns the engine back off if the person in the driving seat changes.
Re: Marijuana may be even safer than previously thought, researchers say
#85Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yet it's legal to smoke, with a license, at our nation's capital.
I don't think anyone, regardless of their own take on the issues, would argue that current drug policy in the U.S. is internally consistent.
True. I wasn't necessarily trying to imply that anybody does. It was more to illustrate that we live in one of those countries now. In most of the US, you could get thrown into jail but it's fine as long as you're where all the politicians are.
Re: Marijuana may be even safer than previously thought, researchers say
#86Earlier quoted context omitted.
>We gain tax money from it being legal AND drug users aren't funding pretty horrifying criminality in countries like Mexico and Columbia. As a note, I remember an article somewhere about how it was meth the drug that gave more profit to drug mafias. So it'd still be a problem. The question is, bigger or smaller? I'm pretty sure there's data of the translation from marijuana users->hard drugs users.
I'm pretty sure there's data of the translation from marijuana users->hard drugs users. The data for oxygen is far more alarming. 100% of hard drug users users first started out on oxygen. Furthermore, if nobody was allowed oxygen, all illegal drug addiction would stop. Oxygen is the ultimate gateway drug.
DHMO is pretty bad too: http://www.dhmo.org/
Re: Marijuana may be even safer than previously thought, researchers say
#87Earlier quoted context omitted.
I agree. People are far too blasé about drinking and driving in the US. It also seems like the punishment is often fairly light for the first few offenses (e.g. a small ticket, no penalty points, or similar). People from the US I've spoken to often claim this is because in some areas not having a car is pretty unworkable due to a lack of public transport or alternatives. So if driving was revoked then people could ge…
I think car-centric town and transport planning actually has a hell of a lot to answer for. Most drink driving accidents in the UK are rural. Not so many in human-scale/public transport provisioned cities - and the UK has a much bigger drinking problem than the U.S. Also, in the US, buses equate to poverty in the minds of many, and that attitude is going to be hard to shift, so... roll on driverless cars? I don't thi…
Given that one silicon valley bus route pretty much act as a homeless shelter, not surprising.
Re: Marijuana may be even safer than previously thought, researchers say
#88I've never been a user, but I do support legalisation. The reason I support it even though I myself wouldn't benefit is: - It is at least as safe as tobacco and alcohol. So even if we leave the question of what is safer on the table, I think most people would agree based on available evidence that it isn't LESS safe than those two, and they're legal. - The "war on drugs" has been a disaster. It has actually hurt econ…
> drive under the influence The research about Marijuana's impact on driving is inconclusive, but there are indications that it might have no negative impact (for the most recent example: https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.documentcloud.org/documents/1667... ) and even that it might reduce risks of crashes. As a result, it's unfortunate that it's apparently socially acceptable to assume without question that marijuana has a…
No. Just, no. Speaking from my own experience, and that of my friends, marijuana can make you a shittier driver. I very much doubt the current scientific consensus is that marijuana in general makes you a better driver. It is possible that there are some strains with a certain cannabinoid ratio that has a minimal impact (like low in THC), but there are other strains that have a major impact.
Re: Marijuana may be even safer than previously thought, researchers say
#89Earlier quoted context omitted.
"People who drive under the influence of any mind altering substance (be it alcohol or weed)" How bout coffee, energy drinks, cold medicine, most prescribed prescription medicines have some blurb about possible mental effects, tea, kava, nodoz caffeine pills, numerous herbal products ... We only complain about certain psychoactive drugs, and not others. Theres no logic behind it aside from residual cultural Puritanis…
There is definitely logic behind it: anything that impairs one's driving can result in a DUI. Commercially available egogenics (caffeine) do not impair one's driving under typical doses.
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Re: Marijuana may be even safer than previously thought, researchers say
#90I've never been a user, but I do support legalisation. The reason I support it even though I myself wouldn't benefit is: - It is at least as safe as tobacco and alcohol. So even if we leave the question of what is safer on the table, I think most people would agree based on available evidence that it isn't LESS safe than those two, and they're legal. - The "war on drugs" has been a disaster. It has actually hurt econ…
Obligatory cynicism: The point of the "War on Drugs" is to perpetuate the "War on Drugs." It's a jobs program, a funding program, and serves government's natural desire to grow and control. From this point of view the program has probably been pretty successful.