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Lothar121

I quoted the National Institute of Medicine quite a bit, so I wanted to explain before you read who these people are.

The National Institute of Medicine: The nation turns to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies for science-based advice on matters of biomedical science, medicine, and health. A nonprofit organization specifically created for this purpose as well as an honorific membership organization, the IOM was chartered in 1970 as a component of the National Academy of Sciences. The Institute provides a vital service by working outside the framework of government to ensure scientifically informed analysis and independent guidance. The IOM's mission is to serve as adviser to the nation to improve health. The Institute provides unbiased, evidence-based, and authoritative information and advice concerning health and science policy to policy-makers, professionals, leaders in every sector of society, and the public at large.



Is Marijuana a “gateway drug”?

Although when you first look at the statistics, it appears a person that uses Marijuana is more likely to go on to harder drugs. However the question is “Is Marijuana the cause of people going on to harder drugs?”. Another way to look at the statistics that drug warriors often ignore is the vast majority of Marijuana users don’t use other drugs. Of each 120 Marijuana users, only one goes on to be a regular user of cocaine, the 4th most popular illicit drug. The National Academy of Science’s branch called the Institute of Medicine did a meta-analysis on all Marijuana studies from 1999 and below. Their conclusion sums it up best "There is no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of Marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs." In addition to this, the Candian Senate Committee did a 30 million dollar meta-analysis and concluded "There is no convincing evidence to establish the gateway hypothesis. Data from population surveys show that out of 100 cannabis users in adolescence, about 10 will become regular users and 5 will move to using other drugs." The Rand institute, another prominent organization has also rejected the gateway hypothesis.


Does Marijuana cause brain damage?

You hear it all the time. “Marijuana users are stupid!” But what is the real cause of stupidity? Is it actually the Marijuana? It appears to not be so. The Institute of Medicine concluded "Earlier studies purporting to show structural changes in the brains of heavy Marijuana users have not been replicated with more sophisticated techniques." The more recent meta-analysis specifically by The Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society in July 2003 had a more interested statement. “"I suppose we expected to see some differences in people who were heavy users, but in fact the differences were very minimal."” This analysis was the most conclusive ever done on brain damage and Marijuana with modern sophisticated science on humans.


Does Marijuana damage the immune system?

There is more controversy in Marijuana and the immune system. This is especially true when Marijuana is smoked. However, surprisingly, it is not as bad as some would think. In the Institute of Medicine’s meta-analysis they concluded “"The short-term immunosuppressive effects are not well established; if they exist at all, they are probably not great enough to preclude a legitimate medical use. The acute side effects of Marijuana use are within the risks tolerated for many medications."” U.S. Surgeon General, wrote in a 3/26/04 editorial for The Providence Journal in Rhode Island: "Reseach on AIDS patients has debunked the claim of harm to the immune system: In a study in San Francisco General Hospital, AIDS patients using medical Marijuana gained immune-system cells and kept their virus under control as well as patients who received a placebo. They also gained more needed weight." This comes from another study referenced Annals of Internal Medicine, 8/19/03, Vol. 139, Issue 4, pp. 258-266. Furthermore Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts, author Lynn Zimmer, Ph.D. wrote: "There is no evidence that Marijuana users are more susceptible to infections than non-users. Early studies that showed decreased immune function in cells taken from Marijuana users have since been disproven. Indeed, not a single case of Marijuana-induced immune impairment has ever been observed in humans."


Does Marijuana hamper reproductive functions?

Very commonly thrown out is the idea that Marijuana destroys the reproductive system. It doesn’t seem to do so in any permanent sense. The National Institute of Medicine concluded "[T]he effect of cannabinoids on the capacity of sperm to fertilize eggs is reversible and is observed at [concentrations] which are higher than those likely to be experienced by Marijuana smokers." Grinspoon, author of Marihuana Reconsidered and Marihuana -- the Forbidden Medicine, says he is familiar with Schuel's findings on cannabis and fertility but remains skeptical. With more than 70 million people who have tried cannabis and an estimated 12 million who are regular users, he says the evidence should be more widespread. "The fact of the matter is people have difficulty accepting the fact that cannabis is one of the least toxic substances known to man," Grinspoon says. "We keep searching with these microscopic lenses for things, but it just doesn't show."


Has anyone ever died from a Marijuana overdose?

In the entire history of Marijuana, there has yet to be a single fatal overdose observed in a scientific setting. Stephen Sidney, M.D., associate director for clinical research at Kaiser Permanente, writes in an editorial published 9/20/03 in the British Medical Journal (Vol. 327, pp. 635-635): "No acute lethal overdoses of cannabis are known, in contrast to several of its illegal (for example, cocaine) and legal (for example, alcohol, aspirin, acetaminophen) counterparts." Furthermore, Francis Young in a conclusive DEA administrative judge hearing concluded “ At present it is estimated that Marijuana's LD-50 is around 1:20,000 or 1:40,000. In layman terms this means in order to induce death, a smoker would have to consume 20,000 to 40,000 times as much Marijuana as is contained in one Marijuana cigarette.”


Does Marijuana ever make people sick and die when used long term?

Again, the National Institute of Medicine’s report on Marijuana concluded "[E]pidemiological data indicate that in the general population Marijuana use is not associated with increased mortality." In a 1998 editorial, The Lancet, an esteemed British medical journal, wrote, "On the medical evidence available, moderate indulgence in cannabis has little ill-effect on health." We can move on to 2001 where a detailed examination of the health and psychological effects of Marijuana use from the National Drug and Alcohol Centre at the University of New South Wales in Australia noted that Marijuana "makes no known contribution to deaths and a minor contribution to morbidity ." In 1997, Kaiser Permanente released a 10-year study of 65,171 men and women in Northern California. The study interviewed patients on their drug and alcohol use and found no statistically significant association between Marijuana use and death


Does Marijuana cause cancer?

The Institute of Medicine found that: "There is no conclusive evidence that Marijuana causes cancer in humans, including cancers usually related to tobacco use." Perhaps the reasoning why the carcengenic tar isn’t causing cancer is related certain cannabanoids having anti tumor properties. Principal investigator Manuel Guzmán and colleagues at Complutense University in Madrid, Spain have found that cannabinoids significantly lower vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) activity in mice and in tumors from two people with late-stage glioblastoma multiforme—the most common type of brain tumor. VEGF is known to facilitate cancer growth by stimulating blood vessel formation, and some studies suggest that it also directly promotes tumor cell proliferation. As far back as 1974, a US government funded study at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond found evidence that ingredients in Marijuana slowed the growth of three kinds of cancer in mice, but the study was subsequently shut down and its findings little reported.


Is Marijuana addictive?

Although Marijuana is not physically addictive like tobacco, it can lead to psychological addiction like many other things in life. However, this addiction is usually very benign. Meta analysis from the National Institute of Medicine “"In summary, although few Marijuana users develop dependence, some do. But they appear to be less likely to do so than users of other drugs (including alcohol and nicotine), and Marijuana dependence appears to be less severe than dependence on other drugs." The 30 million dollar Canadian meta-analysis further verifies "Research conducted internationally shows that between 8 to 10 percent of cannabis users may develop some psychological dependency, a much smaller portion than for many other drugs, illegal and legal, and comparable to some prescribed medications. ... For most dependent users, stopping use for a few days is usually sufficient to eliminate any symptoms of addiction."


Would legalizing or decriminalizing Marijuana increase use a lot?

Canadian meta-analysis concluded: "Whether countries are prohibitionist such as Canada, Sweden or the USA or more liberal as in Australia, The Netherlands or Spain, levels and patterns of use vary according to other factors and are little influenced by the policy." For example, Americans by percentage use Marijuana at rates nearly twice as high as their Dutch counterparts, the study found.” Domestically in the states, the Institute of Medicine verifies this "There is little evidence that decriminalization of Marijuana use necessarily leads to a substantial increase in Marijuana use." It is further verified that Marijuana use is more related to culutural and demographic factors from the Drug Policy in Connecticut and Strategy Options: Report to the Judiciary Committee of the Connecticut Assembly when they said “ States and regions that have maintained the strictest criminal penalties for Marijuana possession have experienced the largest proportionate increase in use.” This isn’t to say that we should hand out Marijuana and use will go down, is it to say Marijuana use is largely separate from our legal constraints and more related to people’s attitudes and behaviors independent from law.


Does Marijuana cause laziness of anti motivational syndrome?

The National Institute of Medicine concludes “"When heavy Marijuana use accompanies these symptoms, the drug is often cited as the cause, but no convincing data demonstrate a causal relationship between Marijuana smoking and these behavioral characteristics."

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jewishjake420

Hmmm. I know they are scientists but i am alot less motivated while I'm high. Unless they mean that I am not motivated because I have used pot. Which is wrong because I wasn't motivated before I used pot either.

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Buzzby

I suspect that the connection between heavy Marijuana use and lack of motivation is causal, but not in the assumed direction: the lack of motivation precedes the heavy Marijuana use.

People with a lot of interests and activities don't have the time for heavy recreational drug use. I find myself so busy that I don't have time most days to get high until late in the evening, sometimes only a few tokes before bed to facilitate an easy transition into sleep. Most of the things I do require linear rational thought, something made more difficult by being high. I get great creative ideas when I'm high but their development is best done straight. Different mental modes are appropriate to different activities.

The only circumstance in which I get high a lot is when I'm between projects and am not motivated to do anything else. Perhaps this is the origin of the "amotivational syndrome" myth.

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Cassius

There are also many stoners who use marijuana as a way to motivate themselves to do other activities, such as exercising.

Motivation is all in your head, and you can use marijuana to motivate yourself just as you can use marijuana to escape reality and wallow in your lack of motivation.

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Higher Logic

Smoke a pure Sativa and I bet you'll be motivated When I get high I usually start to clean the house or something.

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hauptmann

This happens with me alot. I always go around making sure everything is tidy, organized and aesthetically pleasing. This happens alot when I only take 1-3 small hits. When I eat cannabis however, that is a totally different ballgame.

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jewishjake420

Yea, i guess I am motivated. I'll either make a beautiful meal or I will work on my musician skills. Good point Higher Logic.

Higher Logic

Exactly. If I take a lot of hits the opposite may happen, but I find that when I'm sober and not motivated to do something a little bud makes me want to get out and do something. It's all about how you use the herbal

The grass done got greener on the other side 'o the fence

Lothar121

Yeah I have noticed a few formatting errors that I will correct for future versions and expansions of this faq.

BTW, glad that people are using cannabis! I hope to again someday to help my migraines/stress/anxiety. ATM, the law is not on my side in Texas. So enjoy the medicine for me

YouLiveAndLearn

Anyway I could get the links to some of the stuff you quoted. Just as proof. I just have someone who believes this is nothing but stoner talk. Thanks...