Parents Forum

HappyMomma · 07-02-2008, 09:14 AM

Yep.. that's the point. Everybody tolerates things differently - to say it's "not possible" is dangerous in itself.

FWIW, If had to pick which substance would be illegal between the two - I would say alcohol should. With that being said, I still don't want my child doing either, at least until she is an adult and only if it's LEGAL. ;-)

Sirk · 07-02-2008, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mindy

Plus there are 4 thousand chemicals in cigarettes, and none in pot.

wtf

Quote:

The main mind-altering (psychoactive) ingredient in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), but more than 400 other chemicals also are in the plant.

Fact Sheet - MARIJUANA

JCarter2 · 07-02-2008, 10:41 PM

Sirk, that 'fact sheet' is a bunch of BS

The number of chemicals in something has nothing to do with its safety and toxicity.

Marijuana Does NOT Cause Lung Cancer

Here is a study from the University of California. (What sounds more biased, an anti-drug organization, or a state funded university?)

Quote:

Wednesday, May 24, 2006; Posted: 2:11 p.m. EDT (18:11 GMT)

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- Marijuana smoking does not increase a person's risk of developing lung cancer, according to the findings of a new study at the University of California Los Angeles that surprised even the researchers.

They had expected to find that a history of heavy marijuana use, like cigarette smoking, would increase the risk of cancer.

Instead, the study, which compared the lifestyles of 611 Los Angeles County lung cancer patients and 601 patients with head and neck cancers with those of 1,040 people without cancer, found no elevated cancer risk for even the heaviest pot smokers. It did find a 20-fold increased risk of lung cancer in people who smoked two or more packs of cigarettes a day.

The study results were presented in San Diego Tuesday at a meeting of the American Thoracic Society.

The study was confined to people under age 60 since baby boomers were the most likely age group to have long-term exposure to marijuana, said Dr. Donald Tashkin, senior researcher and professor at the UCLA School of Medicine.

The results should not be taken as a blank check to smoke pot, which has been associated with problems including cognitive impairment and chronic bronchitis, said Dr. John Hansen-Flaschen, chief of pulmonary and critical care at the University of Pennsylvania Health System in Philadelphia. He was not involved in the study.

Previous studies showed marijuana tar contained about 50 percent more of the chemicals linked to lung cancer, compared with tobacco tar, Tashkin said. In addition, smoking a marijuana joint deposits four times more tar in the lungs than smoking an equivalent amount of tobacco.

"Marijuana is packed more loosely than tobacco, so there's less filtration through the rod of the cigarette, so more particles will be inhaled," Tashkin said in a statement. "And marijuana smokers typically smoke differently than tobacco smokers -- they hold their breath about four times longer, allowing more time for extra fine particles to deposit in the lung."

He theorized that tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, a chemical in marijuana smoke that produces its psychotropic effect, may encourage aging, damaged cells to die off before they become cancerous.

Hansen-Flaschen also cautioned a cancer-marijuana link could emerge as baby boomers age and there may be smaller population groups, based on genetics or other factors, still at risk for marijuana-related cancers.
Source: CNN.com

Keep in mind, this study is mainly on HEAVY smokers. The typical cannabis smoker smokes only about once a week or so, compared to the typical tobacco smoker smoking a pack or so daily.

Lastly, no one recommends smoking cannabis while driving. I hate to say it, but if someone where to crash while under the influence of any drug, including cannabis it is due to their lack of judgment in deciding to drive while under the influence that caused them harm. The drug did not force them to drive.

Amber · 07-03-2008, 05:06 AM

Ummmm, I used to be the "typical cannabis smoker" and my norm wasn't once a week. More like once a day. So I find that argument a bit redundant. A normal pot smoker doesn't go out and buy just one joint to last them all week. They're gonna buy at least a dime bag, normally a twenty sack. And most of my friends bought at least half ounces to last them the week. One joint wouldn't last all week.

And the argument that the number of chemicals in something does not make it dangerous is not a valid argument. Why add chemicals in something to make it safe??? If cigarettes have 4000 chemicals in them, you can guarantee your butt that 3999 of them are put in the tobacco by man, which means NOT NATURAL which means addiction and danger. Just common sense.

Xero · 07-12-2008, 11:03 PM

I think pot being illegal has a lot to do with the fact that it would be nearly impossible for the government to put taxes on it. They're already all over that with alcohol. It would just never work if they tried that with marajuana because it's so easy for anyone to sell. It's a major money sucker for them, so I figure that's probably why pot isn't legal and alcohol is. But maybe not. I would not allow my children to smoke it. I do think it's less harmful than alcohol or cigarettes, however I don't appreciate the idea of pot messing with my child's mental state of being. It seems like I'd be giving him permission to deplete a tiny itty bit of his intelligence. And that's what makes your whole person! But that's the only reason pot bothers me. That I suppose and pot tends to make it easier for other thoughtless (but not necessarily harmful) things to happen in social settings, if you know what I mean. =) I guess I also wouldn't knowingly let my child do anything illegal without my permission.

Xero · 07-13-2008, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mindy

Hi Xero! Your little man is cuter than EVER! Love his necklace!

Hi!

Thank you very much! He's getting big as heck! And yeah I read something Kaytee said about baltic amber necklaces helping teething, so I got him one and I think it helps. He's got two top teeth and the bottom two are sooo about to come in, so yeah.

Xero · 07-14-2008, 10:41 AM

Doing good! He's more interested in X-Box 360 lately than parentingforums lol. He's such a nerd. I think it's cute, now that Eli's getting older and easier to play with, and now that I've gone back to work (like 2 days a week, 16hrs or so), they are reeeaaaally bonding. It's so adorable. It just warms a mother's heart. Eli crawls after him wherever he goes saying "Dadadadada" and if he chases him, he crawls away super fast laughing and trying to get away. I love this age. It's the cutest yet.

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