Why Am I So Strongly Opposed?

[Historian]

Readers of this forum will have no doubt realized long ago that I am vehemently opposed to the legalization of marijuana for personal use. At the same time, I have also felt that prison sentences for small quantities for personal use is ridiculous and a waste of prison space as well as unnecessary character destruction.

I do not entertain – or even read – economic arguments, because no economic gain, I feel, can make up for the immense social costs our small, already dysfunctional society would face. If the export of ganja is our only hope for economic survival, then we are truly lost!

Source of letter below: The Daily Gleaner, Sat., March 8, 2014
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2.../letters1.html

LETTER OF THE DAY - Yes, ganja can damage the brain
Published: Saturday | March 8, 2014

THE EDITOR, Sir:

Marijuana is a gateway drug. Its use has side effects that affect the structure and function of the brain.

Yes, marijuana can damage the brain! Dr Daniel Amen has done SPECT brain scans on persons who have abused substances, including marijuana. In one study, he looked at a 57-year-old physician who had abused cannabis for 30 years. This doctor was unable to stop using it because of feelings of anger, irritability, agitation and anxiety when he tried to quit.

The first study was done when the doctor used marijuana heavily to the point of intoxication for three consecutive days. SPECT brain scans were done. The second study was done when the physician was off cannabis for one month and SPECT brain scans were done.

The study without marijuana showed decreased temporal lobe activity, likely from prolonged use of cannabis, but there was also patchy increased uptake, especially increased uptake in the deep left temporal lobe, often associated with anger, irritability and anxiety.

DECREASE IN OVERACTIVE AREAS

The study with heavy marijuana use showed overall marked decreased activity, especially in the prefrontal cortex and temporal lobes, associated with attention, memory and motivational problems. There was also a decrease in the overactive areas noted when the person was on marijuana compared to when the person was off marijuana. Dr Amen reported that the scan series may argue for the possibility of 'self-medication'; however, this 'medication' has the side effect of potential long-term damage of the brain.

Last month, I had an elderly female patient who drank ganja tea one morning, hoping that it would reduce her back pain from spinal stenosis. She had used about a centimetre of it to make the brew. When she came to see me, she exclaimed, "Doctor, I am dying, I feel like my brain does not belong to me." She had taken it because a neighbour suggested that she try it. I had to refer her to the emergency department of a nearby hospital for her to be stabilised.

Information for this letter was obtained from http://www.amenclinics.com/about-us-...-gallery/item/...

ALDYTH BUCKLAND

Medical Doctor

aldyth_buckland@yahoo.com

[Lazie]

I just accept that I am on the unpopular side of the argument so I just leave it alone. I saw a new piece where Colorado police are now training to pick up the signs of a person under the influence of ganja.

[Sir X]

Why i am scared out of my wits by non progressive Jamaican MDs...Its a private clinic!... For a limited time until November, 30 2012, schedule an Amen Method full evaluation and save $580!

It's funny that these "studies" never take into account if these people are heavy drinkers or hard drug users, .I remember a "study" years back that said that "40% of people that end up in the emergency room test positive for marijuana" and their conclusion was that cannabis use was somehow responsible for them ending up there. Guess what? About 40% of people have used cannabis in the last 30 days, which would show up on a drug screen.


A new study from Tel Aviv University has found that THC, the psychoactive component in marijuana(The US patent 6630507 is for that very reason) ,it can protect the brain from cognitive damage, especially following injury. Medical marijuana has been found to be beneficial in treating pain, insomnia and lack of appetite, but this study has found that THC also helps the brain protect itself before and after an injury.

Professor Yosef Sarne at Tel Aviv University’s Adelson Center for the Biology of Addictive Diseases at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine discovered this as he was performing experiments to discover the biological makeup of marijuana and tested his hypothesis on lab mice. His results are published in the journals Behavioural Brain Research and Experimental Brain Research.


Read more at http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/...jREhEwEKA6o.99


I made a post about this earlier last week about the non progressives in Jamaica,MDs that just copy and paste ,NIDA propoganda.Now think this Qucak did his scan in 2012 why dont we hear of it more voiciferously from these anti ganja people?

Studies like these failed the cause and effect probe ,crucial in science,
a must ! It is frustrating to continue to read articles stating conclusions about cause-and-effect results derived from correlational studies.

That is pretty much the first rule of scientific exploration: just because two things exist together does not mean that one of them caused the other. They can easily be caused by a third thing.

Look man its $580 US for the discounted scan ,hurry up before it runs out..opps its over that was 2012...lol


The first thing that made me smile ,ganja is a gateway drug,showed his Quack credentials right there ,I guess he didnt read the Chevannes report,but he has time to get some B.S off the net.

Jamaican MDs are not into science,but Quackness.

[Karl]

On the negative side: There shall be tremendous economic costs associated with -
a) illnesses - mental and others;

b) things people under the influence 'get up to';

c) other associative activities.

I am for decriminalizing the use of the product...but...

[Sir X]

Negligible,I will let you in on a secret ,money affi mek in the medical industry.Let me explain ,ganja side effects is little to non existent,compared to other known sins ,alcohol or smoking it is a non issue,but if some Quack MD can diagnose your anxiety,depression,trembling,psychosis etc to ganja for a billing reason they will.Who stands to gain mental health clinics,psychiatrist and of course drug companies.The president was shrewd in his words ,its a public health issue..i.e insurance billing.

So all that money will go to the medical field to bill and out of the criminalisation process,where it should be ,its a win win political situation.Those that believes it causes all the ailmnents in the world will be happy to treat it as a mental/public health issue and those that wont,will not be criminalised.

I can live with that.

[Sir X]

DR AMEN : THE PLACE TO GET YOUR BRAIN MEDICINE AND SCAN FOR YOUR MARITAL CONFLICTS.

http://www.amenclinics.com/conditions/marital-conflict

http://www.amenclinics.com/

http://store.amenclinics.com/supplements

Money affi mek.

[Jangle]

Good arguments X. But don't generalize about Jamaican doctors. Many actually know the benefits of ganja and support decriminalization. Ganja use has a long way to go in its PR campaign to clean up its image. Cigarette and alcohol have centuries of a head start.

[Assasin]

have to mash down the lies on both sides first. Weed mashup nuff youths but it also have its good. Until we can accept...

The cigarette PR had to be mashed down and it took time.

[Sir X]

I did premise it with non progressives ,amazing he would write such a letter and some to post ,when deductive reasoning would say its Qucak science ,he first premise his letter with ganjabeing a gateway drug then jumps to brain damage..huh ?..so the brain damage leads to addiction or the addiction leads to brain damage ,the inference is clear ...dummies!

Then you question the obvious science out there , brain scans,neuro imaging has been around from the 70s,studies have been done to find exactly what he claims ,Dr Gupta spoke about it,no proof its a gateway drug,Professor Chevannes report spoke on such,the brain damage study at best inconclusive as per time of brain age , but studies are ongoing to the point of some research suggesting its a possible treatment for alzheimers and dementia.

Sorry if i am harsh but it seems regurgitating NIDA propoganda is the norm in jamaica,science is rejected.The science is out there, Gupta isnt the 1st,but the most visible.

Ahhmean dis bredda find a breakthrough scan in medical science in 2012 ,something that scientist have been searching for from the 70s but with a $580 deduction ,you can get a scan to see if ganja smoking show degenerative white matter,what if i had a previous brain injury or disease?

Another point of deductive reasoning ,if its so harsh on the brain ,where are the links to ganja and alzheimers and dementia ?

None !

[Sir X]

I will tell you another secret,the insurance companies are going to go to war with these MDs and mental health clinics because they dont want to pay for some Quack MD saying this person is addicted to ganja and it causes x,y,z and b.

They are going to ask for documented scientific proof,I see them do it every day in the hospitals ,if your medical diagnosis cant be validated in X hours ,they give you a 24 hour notice for discharge.Hospitals and treatment centers want their money.

$3000 a day for a hospital bed.

Early days yet.

[HL]

I can see both sides.....

The research on the advantages of marijuana have been well established.

There are negatives too. It's effect on especially young brain, it's abuse etc are equally established

I find it hard to envision Jamaica(ns) successfully coping with it's legalization.

'Jamaicans' are extremely aggressive and highly indisciplined. I can see weed smokers walking into public places (like courthouses, police stations, schools...etc...etc...)smoking weed because it is 'legal'.

LAST: Trying to understand why the Doctor used centimeter as a unit of mesurement for weed. [1 cm = 0.393700 inch]

[Sir X]

I cant see why not ,heavy regulation ,you have no smoking areas that will be heavily fined ,issue ganja cards for anyone who smokes in public ,grows it at home ,heavy enforcement.Zone areas.Age limits etc ,the key is heay taxation by way of regulation with enforcement ,e.g tie it to your drivers liscence or bank account number,if you dont pay your fine liscence revoked or bank account taxed and revoked.

Jamaicans love dem money,they will comply.Crimninalisation isnt the way.

[Mosiah]

'Jamaicans' are extremely aggressive and highly indisciplined. I can see weed smokers walking into public places (like courthouses, police ststions, schools...etc...etc...)smoking weed because it is 'legal'.

We're not that bad. People generally don't smoke in public spaces in Jamaica and they don't need to see a "no smoking" sign. And now that they have a law against it...of course, there are some institutions that will ignore such a law, like bars and sporting grounds. Cavalier and MBUFC do have a no smoking rule at their stadia. Compliance was not 100%, but close.

And I am quite surprised that the country has complied pretty much with the noise abatement law. People are coming out early for parties and leaving by the required time.

So, don't look for all Jamaica to start smoking just because weed is decriminalised or legalised.

The key to minimise abuse of any "drug" - marijuana, alcohol, whatever - is jobs.

[Sir X]

Well said.

[HL]

From my limited experience, I know the noise abatement act works well in the tourist areas. Very nice to know that it is working locally too.

Your last sentence (about job creation) should be tattooed on the foreheads of each government member--including your prime minister!!