Marijuana CAN Kill People

[LiberalLovinLug]

21. OMG that gov site is so full of hyperbole and downright lies

"Previous research has found a significant increase in the risk of heart attack in the hours after marijuana use."

https://www.alternet.org/drugs/fact-versus-fiction-three-new-scientific-studies-debunk-marijuana-myths
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28207342


Writing in April in the American Journal of Public Health, an international team of researchers from the United States and Switzerland assessed cumulative cannabis use and cardiovascular risk in a cohort of over 5,000 subjects over a period of more than two decades. Authors reported , "Compared with no marijuana use, cumulative lifetime and recent marijuana use showed no association with incident CVD (cardiovascular disease), stroke or transient ischemic attacks, coronary heart disease, or CVD mortality." They concluded, "In this community-based cohort of young adults followed for more than 25 years, we found no evidence to suggest that cumulative lifetime or recent marijuana use, at levels typical of most recreational, occasional users of marijuana in the United States, affects risk of future CVD events through middle age

"Marijuana users are significantly more likely than nonusers to develop chronic mental disorders, including schizophrenia."

Studies have shown that young people that are susceptible to mental illness and schizophrenia should not be smoking pot as it can make it worse. But that does not apply to the vast majority of users.

" studies show that marijuana use by mothers during pregnancy may be linked to problems with attention, memory, problem-solving skills, and behavior problems in their children."

Same with alcohol. Its not rocket science. If you are pregnant you shouldn't be doing drugs or drinking.

"Marijuana use directly affects the brain — specifically the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, attention, decision making, coordination, emotions, and reaction time."

love the way they conflate each of those conditions into one big clusterfuck. All of those conditions are temporary if minor. You don't lose your brain. And the motor skills like attention, decision making, coordination, and reaction time, are negligible even when operating a motor vehicle. In fact one is more attentive driving in a way because you are aware you need to be, and the harm is usually driving too slow than driving too fast. NORML has a variety of studies showing the mild effect it has on motor skills and driving.
http://norml.org/library/item/marijuana-and-driving-a-review-of-the-scientific-evidence


"Smoke is harmful to lung health. Toxins and carcinogens are released when marijuana is burned. When these toxins and carcinogens are smoked, they are inhaled into the lungs, increasing health risks. Smoke from marijuana contains many of the same toxins, irritants, and carcinogens as tobacco smoke."

I'd believe the The National Center for Biotechnology Information journal over a government website:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1277837/

In conclusion, while both tobacco and cannabis smoke have similar properties chemically, their pharmacological activities differ greatly. Components of cannabis smoke minimize some carcinogenic pathways whereas tobacco smoke enhances some. Both types of smoke contain carcinogens and particulate matter that promotes inflammatory immune responses that may enhance the carcinogenic effects of the smoke. However, cannabis typically down-regulates immunologically-generated free radical production by promoting a Th2 immune cytokine profile. Furthermore, THC inhibits the enzyme necessary to activate some of the carcinogens found in smoke. In contrast, tobacco smoke increases the likelihood of carcinogenesis by overcoming normal cellular checkpoint protective mechanisms through the activity of respiratory epithelial cell nicotine receptors. Cannabinoids receptors have not been reported in respiratory epithelial cells (in skin they prevent cancer), and hence the DNA damage checkpoint mechanism should remain intact after prolonged cannabis exposure. Furthermore, nicotine promotes tumor angiogenesis whereas cannabis inhibits it. It is possible that as the cannabis-consuming population ages, the long-term consequences of smoking cannabis may become more similar to what is observed with tobacco. However, current knowledge does not suggest that cannabis smoke will have a carcinogenic potential comparable to that resulting from exposure to tobacco smoke.

It should be noted that with the development of vaporizers, that use the respiratory route for the delivery of carcinogen-free cannabis vapors, the carcinogenic potential of smoked cannabis has been largely eliminated [47,48].



Some other laughable gems from that site:

There is mixed evidence about whether marijuana can cause cancer, partly because most people who use marijuana also use tobacco, a substance that does cause cancer

Ah....no, for one. Most people who use marijuana do NOT smoke tobaco, at least not today. And also...of course its more carcinogenic to smoke both, ITS BECAUSE OF THE NICOTINE NOT THE THC. But further more, marijuana may in fact inhibit cancer growth:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/279571.php

"THC, the major active component of marijuana, has anti-cancer properties. This compound is known to act through a specific family of cell receptors called cannabinoid receptors," says Dr. Peter McCormick, from UEA's School of Pharmacy.


Poisoning

Eating foods or drinking beverages that contain marijuana have some different risks than smoking marijuana, including a greater risk of poisoning.


Oh my gawd. Can they reach any more? No one has ever died of a marijuana overdose. Only if you injected cyanide into a brownie would it be 'poisonous'.



Sorry but even if there were some small amount of truth somewhere on that page, it has lost all credibility from all the hyperbole, bait-switching and downright lies.