• The KillerFrogs

Sewo arrested, controlled substance

Hoosierfrog

Tier 1
Don’t [ deposit from a bull that looks like Art Briles ] because you were wrong (both from a statistical and logical POV). You asked that question with a very clear purpose of implying that weed leads to heroin use.

Well okay then! Since you are obviously clairvoyant as to my intent, state your logic and statistical evidence to the contrary.

I never insinuated it lead to anything. I merely asked a question as to whether there were many heroin users that don’t start out using weed. As I said, I smoked a bit at TCU and never had the urge to do anything else. So why would I assert a causal relationship.
 

McFroggin

Active Member
Yeah, let’s see it...

And before ya post some bogus link. Here it is in the first line according to the CDC...

https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/faqs/does-marijuana-lead-to-other-drugs.html

Waste of my time. You are quoting CDC generalizations. There are many large studies that demonstrate THC is a gateway drug, leads to physical addiction, increases the odds of psychosis, and can cause irreversible brain damage uncontaminated by other substances. It’s incredibly dangerous, especially for those under 25 in which the brain hasn’t fully developed.

But what do I know, I’m only subspecialized in adolescent addictions.
 

Hoosierfrog

Tier 1
They may or may not have gotten their start smoking weed, but there’s that whole causation and correlation thing.

Do you think that maybe the type of person who is likely to get into heroin is also likely to smoke weed? Could you then suppose that the fact that they started smoking weed first had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that they eventually started shooting heroin?

FWIW, I have a ton of highly successful friends (almost all with families, all in their 30’s and 40’s) who smoke weed. Some just occasionally, some every day. It has become much more common place... a lot of people now do it to relax after work instead of drinking.

I think you are probably right, I didn’t intend to assert a causal effect. Just asking a question, which could have easily been put as are there many people that never used pot that ended up on heroin. I’m just curious.
 

Mean Purple

Active Member
Nobody came into this talking health food or cure-all. So let's be intellectually honest.

It's an intoxicant. It will have negative effects. Point I think SBF was trying to make is that - while not "good" for you per se - data suggests better for you systemically than alcohol. That's it. We'll get better health data as this steps out of the shadows and soon we'll figure it all out.
Yall should relax. Like others, I'm really only here to detail the thread.
 

Horned Toad

Active Member
I think we will likely discover that weed leads to a profound level of apathy. Most will work through it but I think we will see a higher level of people who have no ambition to do anything and will be happy to choose to live off of the hard work of others.
Along with apathy I think overuse of MJ leads to a loss of ambition. Back in the day, I saw a lot of people who just got used to getting by. Worked just enough to get high and get some munchies. I’m pro legalization but there is a risk in overdoing everything whether it’s alcohol, drugs, sex, food, sports forums... but I don’t think you should legislate against being dumb.
 

Chico Dusty

Active Member
Waste of my time. You are quoting CDC generalizations. There are many large studies that demonstrate THC is a gateway drug, leads to physical addiction, increases the odds of psychosis, and can cause irreversible brain damage uncontaminated by other substances. It’s incredibly dangerous, especially for those under 25 in which the brain hasn’t fully developed.

But what do I know, I’m only subspecialized in adolescent addictions.

You just presented some strong generalizations. I’ve read over 50% of ppl over the age of 18 have tried marijuana at some point in their life. Of those, an estimated 44% still use it today. Based on your thoughts, we should see a high number of those ppl that have used cocaine or heroin. However, those numbers aren’t even close. Not even in the same ballpark. And further, that’s a large chunk of the US pop using this “incredibly dangerous” substance - wouldn’t we see a lot of people coming forward experiencing psychosis and irreversible brain damage? Does that happen, sure, but a very very low percentage. Instead, I see a ton of ppl that use it to help take the edge off and relax, similarly to ppl getting a drink after work.

Let’s see the data that support these claims. If you sub-specialized adolescent addiction, surely you are familiar with these many large studies that demonstrate marijuana is a gateway drug. I’d love to take a look... for real. I have strep throat currently, so I have some time to read up and educate myself.
 

netty2424

Full Member
You just presented some strong generalizations. I’ve read over 50% of ppl over the age of 18 have tried marijuana at some point in their life. Of those, an estimated 44% still use it today. Based on your thoughts, we should see a high number of those ppl that have used cocaine or heroin. However, those numbers aren’t even close. Not even in the same ballpark. And further, that’s a large chunk of the US pop using this “incredibly dangerous” substance - wouldn’t we see a lot of people coming forward experiencing psychosis and irreversible brain damage? Does that happen, sure, but a very very low percentage. Instead, I see a ton of ppl that use it to help take the edge off and relax, similarly to ppl getting a drink after work.

Let’s see the data that support these claims. If you sub-specialized adolescent addiction, surely you are familiar with these many large studies that demonstrate marijuana is a gateway drug. I’d love to take a look... for real. I have strep throat currently, so I have some time to read up and educate myself.
It’s tough to convince anyone against MJ to think otherwise.

Like anything else in this world, moderation is key. Food, alcohol, MJ, etc etc etc.
 

tcudoc

Full Member
I am not here to argue, but, to say that all doctors are on board that THC is a harmless drug is not really true. I just read an editorial a couple of days ago on the issue by a well respected physician. He brought up some interesting points.

Twenty five years ago, we were all told that oxycontin was a harmless, less addictive treatment option for chronic pain...

In medicine, I have learned that everything goes in cycles. The old thoughts get recycled and what was once standard of care can become malpractice, only to become standard of care again 20 years later. There is more we don't know than there is that we do know.

I don't really care too much about THC and the legalization issue, but I do think that as it becomes more pervasive in our culture, we will all get to see what the downsides are, and I feel certain that they will be worse than some on here currently believe. If the benefits of decriminalizing it are greater than the downsides, well that is that. Alcohol is similar. Banning it didn't work well and created a criminal element surrounding it. I believe we have all seen the huge downsides to alcohol in the hands of those who cannot consume in moderation.

I think adults that choose to use THC usually are able to do it in moderation and not have it impact their lives in too much of a negative way. Those persons are typically well established in their careers and have a lot to lose if they get too out of control with it. If you have kids in junior high who begin using it, I believe that it could greatly affect their motivation to study hard and be successful for a large percentage of them, which will impact the next generation. I envision something like Idiocracy with a bunch of people just sitting around, smoking pot and playing video games all day. Technically, they aren't hurting anybody. But if you have an entire generation made up of a large percentage of these types of people, I think the big picture downsides are there. Look at what the opioid epidemic did to rural America in places like West Virginia. I can't even imagine the next generation behind the millennials. Imagine a bunch of people who want to sit around stoned all day and still get undeserved trophies for being generally awesome.

Everybody knows someone who smoked a ton of pot as a kid and still scored 1400 on the SAT and now they're an engineer making six figures. But if we are honest, we know many more who did the same thing and have amounted to not much at all. It is not a horrible drug, but I don't think we can say that it will not have any negative impact. Alcohol is likely far worse, at the moment, because it is ubiquitous in our society and has been legal and accepted for many decades. I think the jury is still out on what a legalized THC America will look like in the long run.
 
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satis1103

DAOTONPYH EHT LIAH LLA
Waste of my time. You are quoting CDC generalizations. There are many large studies that demonstrate THC is a gateway drug, leads to physical addiction, increases the odds of psychosis, and can cause irreversible brain damage uncontaminated by other substances. It’s incredibly dangerous, especially for those under 25 in which the brain hasn’t fully developed.

But what do I know, I’m only subspecialized in adolescent addictions.
I 100% agree people should not start this before 25 (when brain is fully matured). Knowledge of that effect on brain development is based on good science.
 

Spike

Full Member
Nobody came into this talking health food or cure-all. So let's be intellectually honest.

It's an intoxicant. It will have negative effects. Point I think SBF was trying to make is that - while not "good" for you per se - data suggests better for you systemically than alcohol. That's it. We'll get better health data as this steps out of the shadows and soon we'll figure it all out.

I'll drink to that!
 

LisaLT

Active Member
Yep. Addiction is horrible. Do you suppose there is a single person among those heroin deaths that didn’t get their start smoking weed? And no, I’m not saying they were addicted to grass. Just tossing out a question...
Much more likely they started with other opioids
 
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