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Why I Changed My Mind On Weed

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Re: Why I Changed My Mind On Weed

#31

Post by [deleted] »

arc_of_descent wrote: post #9
tareqak wrote: post #6

Honest question: How many drug companies' bottom lines would be affected if marijuana was legalized right now? Reminds me of the quote: If you're not a part of the solution, there's good money to be made in prolonging the problem.

The problem with drug and tobacco companies is that marijuana is a garden weed. Anyone can grow it (if it becomes legal). Or rather, no large investment to start a weed farm. Tobacco and drug manufacturing plants require a significant larger investment. So the lobby for anti-marijuana is strong and controlled by rich people.

[deleted]

Re: Why I Changed My Mind On Weed

#32

Post by fnordfnordfnord »

ahoy wrote: post #13
tptacek wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems clearly safer in some respects, and I agree with you on the policy implications, but I think the apples-oranges safety comparison that gets made between MJ and (alcohol, tobacco) is misleading and a little dangerous. MJ is not purely benign. There's some evidence that it reacts very badly with a small subset of the population. That's obviously true of alcohol too, and if you want to argue that it's "as safe…

Food coloring also reacts very badly with a small subset of the population, but we aren't banning M&M's

The blue ones were banned for a while, but that was because they give you super-powers.

edit: Sorry, it was the red ones that were "banned" for a short time. The public was frightened of red dye, even though according to Mars, they did not use the red dye that was suspect.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M&M's#Color_changes_summarized...

Re: Why I Changed My Mind On Weed

#33

Post by _sentient »

tareqak wrote: post #6

Honest question: How many drug companies' bottom lines would be affected if marijuana was legalized right now? Reminds me of the quote: If you're not a part of the solution, there's good money to be made in prolonging the problem.

I was under the impression that the primary anti-marijuana lobbies were funded by tobacco companies along with the beer/liquor industry. Medical use aside, marijuana would primarily be competing with those other recreational substances.

Re: Why I Changed My Mind On Weed

#34

Post by Hinrik »

tptacek wrote: post #17
ahoy wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Food coloring also reacts very badly with a small subset of the population, but we aren't banning M&M's

Who said we should ban M&Ms?

In the past it has been banned in quite a few countries (including my own) due to concerns over the food coloring agents used.

Re: Why I Changed My Mind On Weed

#35

Post by tptacek »

oinksoft wrote: post #30
tptacek wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Drug companies would be affected positively by MJ legalization. Look at how drugs are developed and marketed, at how drug companies compete with generics over marginal improvements in outcomes (or, sometimes, no improvement at all), and look at the conditions from which drug companies derive most of their profits. It's hard to see much of a threat from cannabis. For that matter, look at Abbott Labs, one of the larges…

History shows that the major pharmaceutical companies will try every dirty trick in the book to position themselves as the exclusive producers of medical cannabis if and when the plant is descheduled at the federal level.

Could you please point me to the part of history that shows that?

Re: Why I Changed My Mind On Weed

#36

Post by apalmer »

tptacek wrote: post #21
jgrahamc wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He's a practicing neurosurgeon with published research, but, like half of HN, doesn't know what he's talking about when it comes to radiologic safety; therefore, his opinions on pharmacology are irrelevant to you? I guess. I guess you are right. I probably should listen to his opinion about this. I just have a hard time with media personalities who are willing to spout crap when they don't know what they are talking…

I'm not saying it's a good thing the guy was CNN's subject matter expert on camera for radiation safety, just that he's got a legit claim to subject matter expertise regarding pharmacology. CNN is still awful.

What are his pharmacology credentials?

Anyways far as I can tell his big revelation here is "yeah when i told you i looked at the facts before i really didn't but this time i did!". Makes me take all of his conclusions with a grain of salt.

Does seem clear indication that the american mainstream is getting acceptance for the idea of medical ganja though.

Re: Why I Changed My Mind On Weed

#37

Post by tptacek »

apalmer wrote: post #36
tptacek wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not saying it's a good thing the guy was CNN's subject matter expert on camera for radiation safety, just that he's got a legit claim to subject matter expertise regarding pharmacology. CNN is still awful.

What are his pharmacology credentials? Anyways far as I can tell his big revelation here is "yeah when i told you i looked at the facts before i really didn't but this time i did!". Makes me take all of his conclusions with a grain of salt. Does seem clear indication that the american mainstream is getting acceptance for the idea of medical ganja though.

I'm going to go with his license to prescribe drugs and his neurosurgery practice on that one.

Re: Why I Changed My Mind On Weed

#38

Post by Retric »

apalmer wrote: post #36
tptacek wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not saying it's a good thing the guy was CNN's subject matter expert on camera for radiation safety, just that he's got a legit claim to subject matter expertise regarding pharmacology. CNN is still awful.

What are his pharmacology credentials? Anyways far as I can tell his big revelation here is "yeah when i told you i looked at the facts before i really didn't but this time i did!". Makes me take all of his conclusions with a grain of salt. Does seem clear indication that the american mainstream is getting acceptance for the idea of medical ganja though.

It is a little more than that, he is saying that US research has an obvious bias that he was not aware of.

Re: Why I Changed My Mind On Weed

#39

Post by revscat »

nakedrobot2 wrote: post #4

the headline should read "over-credulous member of establishment is finally swayed by overwhelming evidence to the contrary, although he has to travel to the ends of the earth to be convinced"

This is a good thing, I think. If even establishment figures are starting to realize the destructiveness of these policies then so much the better for those who are affected by them.

Re: Why I Changed My Mind On Weed

#40

Post by madaxe »

rickdale wrote: post #5

One of the biggest issues with marijuana in this country is the lack of research behind it. Here in Michigan where over 60% of the people voted for medical marijuana, they just outlawed medibles. Meaning no pot brownies for patients. Which makes no sense when applying medical marijuana. Caregivers and patients are outraged because they feel like they know more than the judges or politician do, and I have to agree. On…

I lost 70lbs smoking pot. Health is better than it has been in years. Munchies go both ways, you just have to learn to "flip the switch".

I'm a filthy criminal.

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