For those of you who are opposed to marijuana (particularly those who've actually smoked it before), why?

Question

I ask this from the standpoint of someone who does not smoke pot, but has many friends who smoke pot and claim it to be non-addictive and not as bad as cigarettes and beer. I would like to know your own personal reasons for opposing marijuana.

Answer 1

Check this site out.

http://www.whitman.edu/biology/Stuproj/YoungB/physio.html

Effects of Marijuana Smoking on the Lungs

One of the major arguments that has been presented opponents of legalization of medicinal marijuana is that smoking anything is unsafe and marijuana smoke is even more harmful than tobacco. These people claim that there are over 400 chemicals in "crude" marijuana and no one should allow sick people to be exposed to them. (There are over 800 chemicals present in "crude" broccoli.) They also claim that there are twice as many carcinogens present in marijuana smoke than in tobacco smoke. One of the major opponents of rescheduling marijuana is Dr. Gabriel Nahas, who says medical marijuana is a cruel hoax.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse said in its 1990 report on marijuana's pulmonary effects, that they found, "No difference in prevalence of chronic cough, sputum production or wheeze was noted between the marijuana and tobacco smokers (included within their study), nor were additive effects of combined smoking of tobacco and marijuana on the prevalence of acute or chronic respiratory symptoms apparent." (citation) (NIDA book, p. 65)
The study also found that marijuana smoke and that of tobacco affected the lungs in different ways. Tobacco smoke predominantly caused degeneration of the peripheral airways and alveolated regions of the lung, while marijuana smoke affected mainly the large pathways. Because these two drugs affect different parts of the pulmonary system, their damaging effects can be additive.(citation) (NIDA book, p. 72)
Another study, this time conducted by the National Center for Toxicological Research, used 62 male rhesus monkeys to test various effects of regular (heavy exposure twice weekly) and chronic (heavy, regular smoking) use of marijuana. After a year of smoking, then seven months without exposure, some of the monkeys were sacrificed and autopsies were performed on them. The results were very encouraging as they said, "The data presented here suggest that seven months after the last smoke exposure, there is not evidence of increased marijuana smoke-induced carcinogen-DNA adducts in the lungs of exposed monkeys." (Citation) (redo and get citation from SciCitationIndex) Furthermore, the report concluded in saying, "The general health of the monkeys was not compromised by a year of marijuana smoke exposure as indicated by weight gain, carboxyhemoglobin and clinical chemistry/hematology (studies of the oxygen-carrying capacity of red blood cells) values."
There are inherent risks in inhaling hot vapors, especially those that contain particulate matter such as tar found in smoke. This is an undisputed fact, but the dangers associated with marijuana smoke are not as drastic as some people would have you believe, and the risks involved can be greatly reduced by utilizing alternative methods of ingestion.


Good Luck

Answer 2

My personal reason for not wanting to smoke marijuana is that I have already had cancer 3 times and do not want lung cancer and have to go through any more surgeries or cancer treatments.

Contrary to popular belief, marijuana is stronger than regular cigarettes. I am not against other people smoking it. I think that it should be a personal choice, and should not be illegal.

Alcohol is much worse. Unfortunately, the drug companies don't want pot to be legal because they know how good it works, and know that they would lose a lot of money when people realize how much better it is than some legal drugs.

Many legal medications have nasty side effects that pot relieves.

I used to smoke it in the 60's. It kept me calm when I wanted to be violent. It kept me home when I wanted to go out and get drunk. It helped me deal with the pain of a broken neck. It helped me stay centered enough to take college classes, instead of going to bars to hang out.

Answer 3

marijuana is bad, alcohol is bad, and so are cigarettes. they can all be addicting just as well so it depends on you to see how strong you are to not make these addicting. there are a lot of people who have done it and have stopped for no apparent reason. they just stopped because it was just a phase to them. they grew up and realized that this was a wrong decision for them and it had to stop immediately. others who have no common sense in them believe that this makes their life better than others. i and opposed to marijuana because i've seen what it can do to people and how it affects their life. you burn your brain cells and lose the capability of storing memories or even things you've learned in your mind. you become forgetful and have very bad mood swings (sometimes seeming bipolar) and you become really lazy. smoking this or any other drug alters you mind and makes you believe that life is something it is not. dont do drugs.

Answer 4

One reason someone who has smoked it might be opposed to it is simply because it has a different effect on every person that uses it and they may have had a bad experience.

Answer 5

Look at this way: If you get caught with cigarettes and beer underage, they take your beer. If you get caught with marijuana at ANY age, you visit the jailhouse and it goes on your permanent record. The slight difference between being high and being drunk isn't worth all of that!!

Answer 6

I just wanna say..........Hey man, I forgot what I was going to say. Oh yeh, um, no really give me a second. Did it for 10 years in the 70's, seven days a week. Wasted 10 years of my life. Had a blast, but I can't remember a thing about it.

Answer 7

mothers milk and weed leads to heroin,

can anybody here ever lighten up