Marijuana.com

Jimmy Jim

In my experience I have encountered several people who had previously had serious abuse problems with alcohol. However, smoking marijuana has helped them to overcome their addiction to alcohol and once again become productive members of society.

True, an Asaholic could say that they were just substituting "one drug for another," but the fact remains that these persons were badly affected by the "legal" one, and made remarkable progress with the "ilegal" one.

 

paulpeterson

Jimmy, your point is quite cogent and correct-In fact, last fall, at a conference in Berlin, it was indicated that from an observation of 104 persons that what they call "hram reduction" strategies, indicates that yes, the dangerous and addictive use of "alcohol" can, in fact, be better and more easily controlled by using cannabis. In fact, the writer of the California 215 proposition, I think his name is Denis Peron? tha got busted in Utah last fall, was "prescribed" cannabis for that very purpose-to treat his alcoholism (I have also heard of many people using this to down grade from cocaine or heroin use (heavy addictive use at that). One treatise from a hundred years ago or so even suggested a combination of cannabis (for the urge control) and whiskey (for the pain, or something). Of course, with this society having these biases and prejudices against cannabis, it will take a long time for "them" to accept that 1) cannabis has no direct "addicting" properties (craving, withdrawal, relapse), and only an indirect "between system" mechanism via an increase in secretion of anxiety producing chemicals for a few days after ceasing heavy use of same. Also, a guy at the University of Iowa told me recently that from spec pictures, there are no so-called "structural changes" from heavy use, there are no so-called "stimulus-reward center" changes (unlike with cocaine, etc)., and since cannabis does not kill brain cells but save them from "excitotoxins", it does not produce dead areas or losses in grey matter (but like all drugs it does at least readjust chemical balances, to what extent they are still learning-I'm thinking not moreso than for the ordinary activities of daily living-it depends on how you use it-if you withdraw with use, the withdrawal tendency from learned behavior will more affect your progress than the drug itself-due to the strong "set" & "setting" (associational cues). Apparently, for instance, the increase in dopamine production is only 35% or about the same for "acquisition" of food (cocaine I think is 100% or more-highly directly addictive, from that very thing-and the potential for "burning" the dopamine producing cells-like has been observed with "methamphetamine" use, etc.).

So far, at least, it appears that cannabis is the least onerous of all drugs studied, including for alcohol (many harsh "liquid brain changes) and nicotine-the most highly addictive and toxic chemical of all, I am told. Lets hope this societal bias thing changes soon enough. Paul

MJane

What I'd like to know is, if a doctor prescribes cannibus, why is it that the patient gets busted?! The person is only following doctor's orders. If the state wants to incriminate someone, why don't they go after the DOCTORS prescribing the weed rather than the patients?! I've always wondered this.

FootlongFatty

im pretty sure if a doctor perscribes it , you can't get busted AT ALL, because its for a good reason. Doctors can also prescribe marijuana pills, and if a patient is on the pills, it doesn't necesarily mean they automatically have the right to smoke pot as well, so i from what i know, the patients dont get busted.

__________________
"In the future, scientists will prove we never even existed" -Sage.

Mamabudz

Since both doctor and patient are breaking FEDERAL laws which supercede STATE laws, both can and will be busted FEDERAL marshalls and/or LOCAL COPS deputized as FEDERAL MARSHALLS.

That is what the DEA and FBI do to close down the Compassionate Cannabis Clubs in California depsite Prop 215.

Sorry to deliver a bummer to you folks

~ better take a few cookies...you feel right as rain

Mama Budz