Law & Ethics - September 2006

Doesn't Marijuana cause brain damage?
The short answer: No.
The long answer: The reason why you ask this is because you probably heard or read somewhere that marijuana damages brain cells, or makes you stupid. These claims are untrue.

The first one -- marijuana kills brain cells -- is based on research done during the second Reefer Madness Movement. A study attempted to show that marijuana smoking damaged brain structures in monkeys. However, the study was poorly performed and it was severely criticized by a medical review board. Studies done afterwards failed to show any brain damage, in fact a very recent study on Rhesus monkeys used technology so sensitive that scientists could actually see the effect of learning on brain cells, and it found no damage.

But this was Reefer Madness II, and the prohibitionists were looking around for anything they could find to keep the marijuana legalization movement in check, so this study was widely used in anti-marijuana propaganda. It was recanted later.

(To this day, the radical anti-drug groups, like P.R.I.D.E. and Dr. Gabriel Nahas, still use it -- In fact, America's most popular drug education program, Drug Abuse Resistance Education, claims that marijuana ``can impair memory perception & judgement by destroying brain cells.'' When police and teachers read this and believe it, our job gets really tough, since it takes a long time to explain to children how Ms. Jones and Officer Bob were wrong.)

The truth is, no study has ever demonstrated cellular damage, stupidity, mental impairment, or insanity brought on specifically by marijuana use -- even heavy marijuana use. This is not to say that it cannot be abused, however.


) I forgot, does marijuana cause short-term memory impairment?
The effect of marijuana on memory is its most dramatic and the easiest to notice. Many inexperienced marijuana users find that they have very strange, sudden and unexpected memory lapses. These usually take the form of completely forgetting what you were talking about when you were right in the middle of saying something important. However, these symptoms only occur while a person is `high'. They do not carry over or become permanent, and examinations of extremely heavy users has not shown any memory or thinking problems. More experienced marijuana users seem to be able to remember about as well as they do when they are not `high.'
Studies which have claimed to show short-term memory impairment have not stood up to scrutiny and have not been duplicated. Newer studies show that marijuana does not impair simple, real-world memory processes. Marijuana does slow reaction time slightly, and this effect has sometimes been misconstrued as a memory problem. To put things in perspective, one group of researchers made a control group hold their breath, like marijuana smokers do. Marijuana itself only produced about twice as many effects on test scores as breath holding. Many people use marijuana to study. Other people cannot, for some reason, use marijuana and do anything that involves deep thought. Nobody knows what makes the difference.


7) Is marijuana going to make my boyfriend go psycho?
Marijuana does not `cause' psychosis. Psychotic people can smoke marijuana and have an episode, but there is nothing in marijuana that actually initiates or increases these episodes. Of course, if any mentally ill person is given marijuana for the first time or without their knowledge, they might get scared and `freak.' Persons who suffer from severe psychological disorders often use marijuana as a way of coping. Because of this, some researchers have assumed that marijuana is the cause of these problems, when it is actually a symptom. If you have heard that marijuana makes people go crazy, this is probably why.

8) Don't users of marijuana withdraw from society?
To some extent, yes. That's probably just because they are afraid of being arrested, though. The same situation exists with socially maladjusted persons as does with the mentally ill. Emotionally troubled individuals find marijuana to be soothing, and so they tend to use it more than your average person. Treatment specialists see this, and assume that the marijuana is causing the problem. This is a mistake which hurts the patient, because their doctors will pay less attention to their actual needs, and concentrate on ending their drug habit. Sometimes the cannabis is even helping them to recover. Cannabis can be abused, and it can make these situations worse, but psychologists should approach marijuana use with an open mind or they risk hurting their patient.
Marijuana itself does not make normal people anti-social. In fact, a large psychological study of teenagers found that casual marijuana users are more well adjusted than `drug free' people. This would be very amusing, but it is a serious problem. There are children who have emotional problems which keep them from participating in healthy, explorative behavior. They need psychological help but instead they are skipped over. Marijuana users who do not need help are having treatment forced on them, and in the mean-time marijuana takes the blame for the personality characteristics and problems of the people who like to use it improperly.


9) Is it true that marijuana makes you lazy and unmotivated?
Not if you are a responsible adult, it doesn't. Ask the U.S. Army. They did a study and showed no effect. If this were true, why would many Eastern cultures, and Jamaicans, use marijuana to help them work harder? `Amotivational syndrome' started as a media myth based on the racial stereotype of a lazy Mexican borracho. The prohibitionists claimed that marijuana made people worthless and sluggish. Since then, however, it has been scientifically researched, and a symptom resembling amotivational syndrome has actually been found. However, it only occurs in adolescent teenagers -- adults are not affected.
When a person reaches adolescence, their willingness to work usually increases, but this does not happen for teenagers using marijuana regularly -- even just on the weekends. The actual studies involved monkeys, not humans, and the results are not verified, but older studies which tried to show `amotivational syndrome' usually only suceeded when they studied adolescents. Adults are not effected.

The symptoms are not permanent, and motivation returns to normal levels several months after marijuana smoking stops. However, a small number of people may be unusually sensitive to this effect. One of the monkeys in the experiment was severely amotivated and did not recover. Doctors will need to study this more before they know why.


10) Isn't marijuana a gateway drug? Doesn't it lead to use of harder drugs?
This is totally untrue. In fact, researchers are looking into using marijuana to help crack addicts to quit. There are 40 million people in this country (U.S.) who have smoked marijuana for a period of their lives -- why aren't there tens of millions of heroin users, then? In Amsterdam, both marijuana use and heroin use went *down* after marijuana was decriminalized -- even though there was a short rise in cannabis use right after decriminalization. Unlike addictive drugs, marijuana causes almost no tolerance. Some people even report a reverse tolerance. That is, the longer they have used the less marijuana they need to get `high.' So users of marijuana do not usually get bored and `look for something more powerful'. If anything, marijuana keeps people from doing harder drugs.
The idea that using marijuana will lead you to use heroin or speed is called the `gateway theory' or the `stepping stone hypothesis.' It has been a favorite trick of the anti-drug propaganda artists, because it casts marijuana as something insidious with hidden dangers and pitfalls. There have never been any real statistics to back this idea up, but somehow it was the single biggest thing which the newspapers yelled about during Reefer Madness II. (Perhaps this was because the CIA was looking for someone to blame for the increase in heroin use after Viet Nam.)

The gateway theory of drug use is no longer generally accepted by the medical community. Prohibitionists used to point at numbers which showed that a large percentage of the hard drug users `started with marijuana.' They had it backwards -- many hard drug users also use marijuana. There are two reasons for this. One is that marijuana can be used to `take the edge off' the effects of some hard drugs. The other is a recently discovered fact of adolescent psychology -- there is a personality type which uses drugs, basically because drugs are exciting and dangerous, a thrill.

On sociological grounds, another sort of gateway theory has been argued which claims that marijuana is the source of the drug subculture and leads to other drugs through that culture. By the same token this is untrue -- marijuana does not create the drug subculture, the drug subculture uses marijuana. There are many marijuana users who are not a part of the subculture.

This brings up another example of how marijuana legalization could actually reduce the use of illicit drugs. Even though there is no magical `stepping stone' effect, people who choose to buy marijuana often buy from dealers who deal in many different illegal drugs. This means that they have access to illegal drugs, and might decide to try them out. In this case it is the laws which lead to hard drug use. If marijuana were legal, the drug markets would be separated, and less people would start using the illegal drugs. Maybe this is why emergency room admissions for hard drugs have gone down in the states that decriminalized marijuana during the 70's.

2006-09-14 14:16:40 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous

Why is the State allowed to prosecute(and win) cases against firearm manufacturers for someone using one of their guns in a crime. If Ford was sued for a drunk driver in an F-150 killing someone or Boeing being sued for a terrorist hijacking a plane, the case would be immediately thrown out. What is the difference between these. So are people are held responsible for their actions except when a gun is used, so if a gun is used it's the maker or the gun it's self at fault rather than the criminal who pulled the trigger?

2006-09-14 14:01:54 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-09-14 13:12:10 · 7 answers · asked by aintree_jones 1

with all the rapists and child molesters on the street
wouldn't it be a community service.

2006-09-14 13:11:45 · 25 answers · asked by Enigma 6

2006-09-14 12:57:28 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous

My question, 4 hiers, can one hier sell thier undivided share before probate process ? Does estate administrator, one is approved, have any authority to stop the sale?

2006-09-14 12:55:45 · 5 answers · asked by moontreker 2

I use the name HeXagog on everything. I even started up some things bearing my name. Someone else has stolen my name. I need to take legal action so that he cannot use it any longer. Preferably without spending hundreds of dollars. This is extremely important. I have proof that I registered my domain before him, will that help? his domain is hexagog.com, mine is hexagog.ca. try whois-ing the two. mine was first!

2006-09-14 12:53:46 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous

I have seen people on Craigslist.com selling used mattresses (obviously worn and used). Isn't this illegal in CA? I know there are regulations for retail mattress resellers, but what about private sales?

2006-09-14 12:48:02 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous

I am being forced to hire an attorney in newjersey, for a trial and I cannot pay anyone, The cops hung me by the handcuffs and disabled me and havent been able to work! I had a public defender but the judge releaved him cause I was living with a girl in Florida,and attempted to go back to work,but lost that job in only 3 weeks

2006-09-14 12:43:03 · 11 answers · asked by hiseasyacht 2

Should abortion rights be extended to little babies. I mean, they don't really do anything..... right?

Think About it. (That's a hypothetical example people).

2006-09-14 12:41:46 · 8 answers · asked by Wocka wocka 6

Legalizing Marijuana?
I am writing a Persuasive Paper for my oral comm. class in college and my paper is on "Legalizing Marijuana" and i was wondering what you people thought about it. Do you all think marijuana should be legal or not? If you think it should be legal then give me a reason why you think that and if you know any books or websites i can get information from then let me know. Thanks guys!

Additional Details
Marijunana is not anymore addicting than ciggs or beer, in fact it is better and safer for you. It makes you calm and if you have noticed that it hasn't killed anyone like ciggs or beer and no one has murdered anyone while driving! But that is my opinion!

2006-09-14 12:34:11 · 21 answers · asked by Shooting Star 2

I recieved the letter today (9/14) with a court date set for 9/15 at 8:45 am. What happens if I do not show up? Will a call to the court tomorrow suffice??

Also, this is in regards to a lawsuit from a vendor against myself/business (a business I no longer have). Can my wages and/or accts be garnished??

2006-09-14 12:32:46 · 6 answers · asked by maramimi 1

2006-09-14 12:22:57 · 4 answers · asked by ric w 1

What is the biggest problem in the world in your opinon? Global warming? Abuse? Psychos out to kill? give me somethign solid and more general than something like Bush..... something hazardous to the world....


i think it's humans in general but......i cant look selfishness or example as the problem because it not....damn it! i don't know how to explain.....


anyways- YOUR OPINON!

2006-09-14 12:20:34 · 17 answers · asked by Christin T. 3

I mean I go to church and I love God and yet the world thinks that it is a bad thing. C'MON!!!!!!!

2006-09-14 12:20:14 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous

In Canada, the simple discussion amongst Christians who want freedom from persecution over their Biblical beliefs is being met with rage by gay extremists.

2006-09-14 12:10:16 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous

I am a recent law school graduate with plans on taking the bar, but realistically minded enough to realize I may not pass it. If this happens and I don't want to go through the whole process again, what other jobs (beside a contract administrator) are available for JD's who aren't licensed attorneys? Back when I started law school I kept being told there is SOOO much I can do with my degree, but the cupboard seems to be pretty bare lately. Help! (And if you know of one of these jobs in the Austin, TX area, for God's sake, let me know!)

2006-09-14 11:58:20 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous

I was in a bad ambulance accedent in 1984 and , I was the passenger (E.M.T. ) my driver had no licence,becuase he had seasures,(I did not know ) my attorny said I had to come to his offace to for my settelment check,when I got there he was rood and told me to get out and there was no check.But every once and awhile I run into people that worked at the ambulance company and they say it had to close becuase of my law suit and the owner told my sister I got a huge settelment? how can I find out if my attorny took my setelment.

2006-09-14 11:56:33 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous

1. 'It is NECESSARY even in the present day that the Roman Catholic religion shall be held as the ONLY religion of the state TO THE EXCLUSION OF ALL OTHER FORMS OF WORSHIP'

2. 'The Roman Catholic Church should be IN UNION WITH THE STATE AND THE STATE WITH THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH'

3.'The Roman Catholic Church has the power of employing force and of exercising direct and indirect temporal power'

Source - Vatican 'Syllabus of Errors' Pope Pius 9th
Officially approved teaching by the infallible teacher of the Roman Catholic Church.

2006-09-14 11:43:59 · 11 answers · asked by democracynow 2

do you agree with what the supreme court decided

2006-09-14 11:41:34 · 1 answers · asked by iluvhipos 3

what steps need to be taken?? has a spouse ever been convicted of this?

2006-09-14 11:41:24 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-09-14 11:40:51 · 7 answers · asked by Sonya O 1

re--trial

2006-09-14 11:35:32 · 2 answers · asked by sandra p 1

is it true that is a law that an 18 year old cant date any1 under 18

2006-09-14 11:21:28 · 9 answers · asked by Skittles 4

I need some opinions for research.

2006-09-14 11:03:30 · 6 answers · asked by digs_harleys 2

I live in texas.

2006-09-14 10:58:24 · 19 answers · asked by Mr.happy 4

I filed for divorce and the court date is on September 25. and I put on the papers that I want sole custody and he will have open visitation rights since he's never been there for his daughter. I'm doing the divorce by myself without a lawyer(Pro-Se) and a sheriff already took him the summons of divorce and I went through all the steps. He already told his dad he's not going to appear in court that day and he lives in Puerto Rico and I live in New Jersey. We were married on June 2002 and he left on August 2002 with another woman and if I don't call for him to speak with our daughter, he doesn't. So what do you think? I'm really nervous

I would really like him being part of her life. I was raised by my dad but my mom was always around so it was all good. That's why I let him have open visitation rights too.

Oh I went to the child support office like a few months after he left he owes over $2,000 and I haven't seen a cent since

2006-09-14 10:54:35 · 10 answers · asked by Meche 5

I had my trial stopped and was ordered to hire a private atty because I live with my girlfriend in florida! Says she should help pay for private atty,and when the trial resumes I could be forced to go to trial without council

2006-09-14 10:52:26 · 3 answers · asked by hiseasyacht 2

2006-09-14 10:41:55 · 15 answers · asked by dan d 1

Gay marraige has gained a lot of attention in the last few years, mainly because of popular support. I'm not gay, and I'm not married to two (or more) women... but I am quite curious to see if one "sin" is worse than the other in the eyes of the people.

2006-09-14 10:32:45 · 24 answers · asked by adjezhri 2