IAP Political Forum

I know threre are still some who believe inhaling smoke deep into the lungs is harmless....i guess that's why firemen wear oxygen masks....Oh, well....

Inhaled cannabis smoke has more harmful toxins than tobacco, scientists have discovered.

The Canadian government research found 20 times as much ammonia, a chemical linked to cancer, New Scientist said.

The Health Canada team also found five times as much hydrogen cyanide and nitrogen oxides, which are linked to heart and lung damage respectively.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7150274.stm

i bet few Americans are soon to sue the dealer as he never told them that Cannabis is more cancerous than tobacco.

Okay so cannabis smoke has toxins and poisons in it....I'm not too surprised.

But how many people have died from cannabis or cannabis smoke compared to cigarettes or cigarette smoke?

Irrelevant.

It's like asking how many have died from heroin and alcohol. So what?

Both kill....that's all that is needed to know.

I don't think I agree with that analysis.  It's about risk assessment.  Like you said, alcohol kills, but not only is it legal but a great many people drink.  Why?  Because in moderation the risk is minimized.  The same argument can be made for about speed limits.  But we still have 75 to 70 mph speed limits.  Why?  Because it's a trade off. 

And one that I am not entirely comfortable with the government deciding for us...

I don't think whether a substance is legal or illegal makes any difference when it comes to mortality and morbidity.

So shouldn't that mean we start banning alcohol now?

Everyone knows this already. The fact is that people know this and are willing to take the risk. The State has no right to stop them (the State's job is to uphold people's rights not to impose the morality of the majority on the minority).

What? Another flawed study on MJ from Pat?

What variety of cannabis did this noxious smoke come from?
There are about 5000 varieties of cannabis. Each has discreetly different levels of chemicals in the smoke. They all smell and taste a little different. Does one variety of rose or onion have the same smell (chemical composition) as another?

Also, one variety, or even sample, may have lots of ammonia in it (or not) due to how it was cured, and how it was grown.
Temperature of the smoke when sampled may vary the concentrations of components as well. Were these factors all controlled?
Were the levels of ammonia salts similar with water pipes and vaporizers?


Let me guess, the actual paper hasn't been peer reviewed or replicated, and it costs $45 to read?





I guess it makes a good case for potent weed:  Better to smoke a hit or two of the Dank than waste your lungs smoking 4-5 hits of something with less cannabinoids to catch the same buzz.





Also, the photo editors at The Beeb need to learn what ganj looks like. That pic in the article is pathetic.

 :D

 ???

You know what I really don't understand? How people can read about all the awful pollutants they are putting in their bodies, yet still choose to smoke. Why on earth would you?
I mean, hydrogen cyanide? Are people actually willing to breathe that stuff in? :o

I know, right?

You could get better shit from high schoolers!




As for weed, there is one major difference between it and alcohol/ciggerettes. Weed is not physically addictive. If used sparingly, no major problems occur, and in fact, the benefits are discovered... much like red wine.

What is red wine?

I think you might be referring to scotch, bourbon or whiskey....but..... If used sparingly....say two fingers of a 12yr old scotch on the rocks after work should cause no major problems occur.....

lol

Well, the word on the street is that red wine is actually good for your heart, or so say those fancy-shmancy doctors (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/red-wine/HB00089).

Hey, if it's an excuse to drink, I'm not gonna fight it. My family has always been big wine drinkers.

Well okay but the difference here is you average smoker is smoking 25 grams of tobacco/day whereas someone smoking 25grams of hydro everyday is going to have heavier and more immediate problems than the possability of cancer, imo.


The other difference of course is tobacco companies are still making money hand over fist with tobacco, meanwhile this represents an unfair buisness practice since I too have access to a naturally grown substance that is addictive, causes major health problems and offers absolutely no benifit except looking cool, (just like tobacco). I call it 'candy' but you might know it better as crack, heroin and pot. I fail to see why the tobacco companies can sell their product and I can't start up my own business.

I would also just mention for the heck of it that even heroin has very little in the way of harmful side effects that stem directly from the drug. Simply slowing down your metabolism is not so bad (mind you they end up forgetting to eat properly etc etc).



Just sayin.
Ahk

Heroin is a narcotic....narcotics have uselfulness when used for their primary purpose....pain control. Pain comes in all shapes and sizes and of differing durations....a narcotic used for mild/moderate pain of short duration (tooth pulled, knee scope, etc) will not become addictive and will not cause the high that those who use heroin seek......severe and prolonged pain (cancer) will require doses that give a high...but the high is the last thing this person wants and generally uses the time of peak effect to sleep in order to endure the return of the pain....the duration of use for this person will make it physically and psychologically addictive......the heroin user desires only the high....high dose narcotics in absence of pain will cause the high....prolonged use will lead to physical and psychological dependence and tolerance (where an increase in the drug is needed to obtain a prior high)......other effects of narcotic use (using Vicodin, but true for all narcotics):

Common:

The most frequently reported adverse reactions include: lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, nausea and vomiting. These effects seem to be more prominent in ambulatory  than in nonambulatory patients and some of these adverse reactions may be alleviated if the patient lies down.

Other adverse reactions include:

Central Nervous System: Drowsiness, mental clouding, lethargy, impairment of mental and physical performance, anxiety, fear, dysphoria, psychic dependence, mood changes.

Gastrointestinal System: Prolonged administration of VICODIN Tablets may produce constipation.

Genitourinary System: Ureteral spasm, spasm of vesical sphincters and urinary retention have been reported with opiates.

Respiratory Depression: Hydrocodone bitartrate may produce dose-related respiratory depression by acting directly on the brain stem respiratory center. (see OVERDOSAGE).

Special Senses: Cases of hearing impairment or permanent loss have been reported predominantly in patients with chronic overdose.

Dermatological: Skin rash, pruritus.

OVERDOSE:

Hydrocodone: Serious overdose with hydrocodone is characterized by respiratory depression (a decrease in respiratory rate and/or tidal volume, Cheyne-Stokes respiration, cyanosis), extreme somnolence progressing to stupor or coma, skeletal muscle flaccidity, cold and clammy skin, and sometimes bradycardia  and hypotension. In severe overdosage, apnea, circulatory collapse, cardiac  arrest and death may occur.

Wasn't showing...

It's still not showing.

Guys, hit REPLY to view Patton's reply.

Heroin is a narcotic....narcotics have uselfulness when used for their primary purpose....pain control. Pain comes in all shapes and sizes and of differing durations....a narcotic used for mild/moderate pain of short duration (tooth pulled, knee scope, etc) will not become addictive and will not cause the high that those who use heroin seek......severe and prolonged pain (cancer) will require doses that give a high...but the high is the last thing this person wants and generally uses the time of peak effect to sleep in order to endure the return of the pain....the duration of use for this person will make it physically and psychologically addictive......the heroin user desires only the high....high dose narcotics in absence of pain will cause the high....prolonged use will lead to physical and psychological dependence and tolerance (where an increase in the drug is needed to obtain a prior high)......other effects of narcotic use (using Vicodin, but true for all narcotics):

Common:

The most frequently reported adverse reactions include: lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, nausea and vomiting. These effects seem to be more prominent in ambulatory  than in nonambulatory patients and some of these adverse reactions may be alleviated if the patient lies down.

Other adverse reactions include:

Central Nervous System: Drowsiness, mental clouding, lethargy, impairment of mental and physical performance, anxiety, fear, dysphoria, psychic dependence, mood changes.

Gastrointestinal System: Prolonged administration of Tablets may produce constipation.

Genitourinary System: Ureteral spasm, spasm of vesical sphincters and urinary retention have been reported with opiates.

Respiratory Depression: Hydrocodone bitartrate may produce dose-related respiratory depression by acting directly on the brain stem respiratory center. (see ).

Special Senses: Cases of hearing impairment or permanent loss have been reported predominantly in patients with chronic overdose.

Dermatological: Skin rash, pruritus.

:

Hydrocodone: Serious overdose with hydrocodone is characterized by respiratory depression (a decrease in respiratory rate and/or tidal volume, Cheyne-Stokes respiration, cyanosis), extreme somnolence progressing to stupor or coma, skeletal muscle flaccidity, cold and clammy skin, and sometimes bradycardia  and hypotension. In severe overdosage, apnea, circulatory collapse, cardiac  arrest and death may occur.

So if it's flagged as spam until a moderator approves it, then wtf? I think it was the drug names in caps.


Anyways Patton, um, I hear ya. I wasn't trying to make heroin sound inoculate by any stretch. I agree the addiction, leading to long term usage and the effect that come with that would be a "harmful side effect that directly stems from the drug". Was that the gist of it?


Ahk

Pretty much.......

This study is irrelevant since cannabis is smoked mixed with normal tabacco.

But those who smoke tabbacco only when they smoke cannabis some much less than regular cigarette smokers.

Now compared to alcohol, cannabis is innofensive.
Alcohol is not only a drug, it's poison. It's a poison before it's a drug: It damage your brain much before it become addictive.

... the weird thing: I've recently stopped smoking and haven't lit up in about a month... and I have had chronic pain in my heart ever since. May be heart burn - but I never used to get it when I smoked pot.

Yes, it's anectodal... but I felt like sharing...

I'm reporting this to the mods. Scotch on the rocks? Heresy!!