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hedgehog

(36,286 posts)

60. Oddly enough, lots of people would insist that marijuana is harmless,

Wed Apr 16, 2014, 09:47 AM

Apr 2014

therefore there couldn't be any brain changes involved! The questions to be resolved are what kind of brain damage, how permanent, what's the dose relationship and what's the effect of age. I'm especially leary of the possible connection to schizophrenia.It's possible that this is a matter of activating a pre-existing tendency and/or activating it earlier than otherwise. This is an area that needs careful study.

That said - alcohol is clearly harmful to developing brains. (BTW - we know about fetal alcohol syndrome - fetal MJ syndrome?)

That said - drinking gasoline is harmful to the brain, but there is no law against it. We need to find out any and all consequences involved with smoking marijuana, and be honest about the results. After that, it's better to allow individuals the freedom to harm themselves than to distort our society with laws against something so many people use.

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Casual marijuana use linked to brain changes [View all] shawn703 Apr 2014 OP

Brain changes .... if this is true ... better than Brain damage .... MindMover Apr 2014 #1

smoking kind bud every day for forty years is gonna change something otherone Apr 2014 #2

For sure, and if you drank alcohol for 40 years .... MindMover Apr 2014 #4

Why do people justify one drug by saying another is worse? joeglow3 Apr 2014 #70

Probably because it is true ... MindMover Apr 2014 #71

Possibly it's because one is legal to do while the other is not... LanternWaste Apr 2014 #72

What does legality have anything to do with one drug being more destructive than another .... ? MindMover Apr 2014 #73

I agree.....if we are discussing legality joeglow3 Apr 2014 #74

Ok, so alcohol is more destructive to the human body than MJ ... MindMover Apr 2014 #75

This message was self-deleted by its author FarrenH Apr 2014 #88

Decades of research FarrenH Apr 2014 #89

Well said, and welcome to DU .... nt MindMover Apr 2014 #94

And all the subjects were evaluated as "normal" RainDog Apr 2014 #103

Yeah FarrenH Apr 2014 #105

I think it's good for both sides of this debate RainDog Apr 2014 #106

I do speak Afrikaans (as a second tongue) FarrenH Apr 2014 #107

interesting info RainDog Apr 2014 #108

Just a reply to this FarrenH Apr 2014 #140

Thank you. n/t bitchkitty Apr 2014 #113

I'm not sure hollowdweller Apr 2014 #111

:-) otherone Apr 2014 #112

You rock MindMover! Nightjock Apr 2014 #3

We all rock together ... just don't bogart that joint .... nt MindMover Apr 2014 #5

Loving People Every Day Also Causes Brain Changes billhicks76 Apr 2014 #15

Yeah, changes like Politicalboi Apr 2014 #6

Calmer, more appreciative of simple joys...yes, definitely brain changes. cheapdate Apr 2014 #7

I'll take pot any day over alcohol. n/t RKP5637 Apr 2014 #8

As an extra bonus... seabeckind Apr 2014 #9

That's what I thought SCVDem Apr 2014 #25

I rec'd your OP not because I agree with the study, but because I agree with this: scarletwoman Apr 2014 #10

This neffernin Apr 2014 #44

It changes culture too PTB... Booga booga! tridim Apr 2014 #11

Been a regular smoker for nearly 40 years.. mountain grammy Apr 2014 #12

Message auto-removed Name removed Apr 2014 #64

Actually, no. I quit several times for years because of kids, jobs, schedules, etc. mountain grammy Apr 2014 #67

Message auto-removed Name removed Apr 2014 #68

Figured you were, but us old lawbreakers get pretty defensive. mountain grammy Apr 2014 #69

not addictive is rght wilt the stilt Apr 2014 #81

Message auto-removed Name removed Apr 2014 #82

Well then, there you have it: pot is FAAAAR worse than alcohol. kestrel91316 Apr 2014 #13

did it say anything about the brain changes from demigoddess Apr 2014 #14

This reeks of bullshit and Gereman's comments are extremely apposite FarrenH Apr 2014 #16

+1x1000 tofuandbeer Apr 2014 #18

LaGuardia's team found the Fed's were lying when he was Gov. freebrew Apr 2014 #59

here's a link about that situation RainDog Apr 2014 #109

"areas you don't want change" WovenGems Apr 2014 #17

Unless it's that cheap $10/oz crap we used to buy across the border. Then maybe not. jtuck004 Apr 2014 #19

Obviously the solution Steerpike Apr 2014 #20

Indeed. WheelWalker Apr 2014 #24

More from our MSM of misinformation and propaganda 90-percent Apr 2014 #21

Dead on! The tabacco industry, also. emsimon33 Apr 2014 #45

How much did the booze industry pay for this shite study? tabasco Apr 2014 #22

DEA obxhead Apr 2014 #31

Well, duh.... that's why one does it. No shit Sherlock. WheelWalker Apr 2014 #23

Oddly enough, lots of people would insist that marijuana is harmless, hedgehog Apr 2014 #60

here's what the research says about itself RainDog Apr 2014 #78

All change is not harmful. All permanent change is not 'damage'. WheelWalker Apr 2014 #85

So this study is going to tell people who've been smoking pot since the 60s YOHABLO Apr 2014 #26

Liberals should be open-minded about this subject. ... JEFF9K Apr 2014 #27

Well, thanks for chming in, Mr. Helper ... tabasco Apr 2014 #34

Sounds like you are one who is not. JEFF9K Apr 2014 #56

I'm plenty open minded JackInGreen Apr 2014 #47

Openly accepting "poor research" isn't being open-minded ... JEFF9K Apr 2014 #57

What I'm saying is JackInGreen Apr 2014 #58

Effect only on "developing brains"? BigDemVoter Apr 2014 #28

smile don't worry be happy... Billy Budd Apr 2014 #29

+1 WheelWalker Apr 2014 #32

Follow the money, obxhead Apr 2014 #30

Isn't that the entire point of the stuff? Scootaloo Apr 2014 #33

reporting what we already know otherone Apr 2014 #50

don't let nothing happen to you... icarusxat Apr 2014 #35

I am very sorry for your loss. They_Live Apr 2014 #37

Brain development was stifled in his then 7th grade brain... icarusxat Apr 2014 #95

Blame the pot. Always!!!!111 tridim Apr 2014 #53

True icarusxat Apr 2014 #96

I had a similar experience with 2 close relatives ... JEFF9K Apr 2014 #65

Recent brain research icarusxat Apr 2014 #97

Do you have links to this research? RainDog Apr 2014 #120

That may be true, but is it a reason to criminalize it's use? Starboard Tack Apr 2014 #118

people say... RainDog Apr 2014 #121

The article cited here actually was peer reviewed. icarusxat Apr 2014 #124

I don't crave references RainDog Apr 2014 #126

"That's how people talk about such subjects..." icarusxat Apr 2014 #128

well RainDog Apr 2014 #131

Not quite certain how I have been misleading anyone... icarusxat Apr 2014 #134

how did your brother die? RainDog Apr 2014 #119

He died in a hospital after going in for a minor leg injury icarusxat Apr 2014 #123

I'm so sorry to hear. RainDog Apr 2014 #125

52 is a little young in this day and age. icarusxat Apr 2014 #129

I agree RainDog Apr 2014 #130

Totally agree with what you say here... icarusxat Apr 2014 #135

There's more research available on cannabis than many FDA-approved drugs RainDog Apr 2014 #136

More studies is not what I said... icarusxat Apr 2014 #137

pardon. I agree. I want to see more research RainDog Apr 2014 #138

The war's over, man. Iggo Apr 2014 #36

.... DeSwiss Apr 2014 #38

Daily meditation causes brain changes too. Jackpine Radical Apr 2014 #39

Life causes brain damage. tridim Apr 2014 #54

Gonna toke up tonight after reading this.. LW1977 Apr 2014 #40

I remember all the Reader's Digest articles citing a constant stream of studies showing all sorts of byronius Apr 2014 #41

Smoke weed and worship Satan. All hail the Dark Lord. cheapdate Apr 2014 #42

Anti pot story brought to you by alcohol companies, bars and other legal death dealers workinclasszero Apr 2014 #43

Don't forget the petroleum,cotton and logging industries.They made sure it became illegal in the 1st judesedit Apr 2014 #62

Thanks for the info workinclasszero Apr 2014 #91

DEA funding linked to reefer madness propaganda Fozzledick Apr 2014 #46

I'm sure it's possible that this is true. But it seems minor compared to the side effects of... DesertDiamond Apr 2014 #48

Another horse shit study DiverDave Apr 2014 #49

Saw this "study" mentioned on the snooze seabeckind Apr 2014 #51

Oh, in case you haven't seen them... seabeckind Apr 2014 #52

Voting Republican for 40 years rickyhall Apr 2014 #55

That's bs. Pot smokers miss less work, are more productive & get more promotions according to other judesedit Apr 2014 #61

any mind altering drug will change your brain Shivering Jemmy Apr 2014 #63

Message auto-removed Name removed Apr 2014 #66

I hear tazkcmo Apr 2014 #76

Is a shirt and tie good enough, or do I need a jacket too? jberryhill Apr 2014 #77

Well then, I'm glad I don't use it casually. CrispyQ Apr 2014 #79

I've heard it causes open-mindedness. GliderGuider Apr 2014 #80

I'm surprised that a mainstream outlet actually published Gerdeman's point, BlancheSplanchnik Apr 2014 #83

Bummer, man. leftyladyfrommo Apr 2014 #84

This study is questioned by a major science pub editor RainDog Apr 2014 #86

consuming cannabis makes you smarter! n/t wildbilln864 Apr 2014 #87

...and nicer. (n/t) Iggo Apr 2014 #93

and therefore the US gov should not provide cannabidiol to cancer patients wordpix Apr 2014 #90

The name of the college kind of intrigued me... jmowreader Apr 2014 #92

this isn't a very compelling study killbotfactory Apr 2014 #98

Got the discussion going though... icarusxat Apr 2014 #99

but this research itself notes it doesn't demonstrate causation RainDog Apr 2014 #100

and AMEN ... MindMover Apr 2014 #101

In other words RainDog Apr 2014 #122

I know quite a few Ted Nugent types I used to work with.,,,, 4bucksagallon Apr 2014 #102

which is why I put on a tux to get high arely staircase Apr 2014 #104

Its called the "I need Cheetos now" effect. zonkers Apr 2014 #110

"brain changes".. sendero Apr 2014 #114

as a neuroscientist for over 40 years, I can tell you this greymattermom Apr 2014 #115

+10000 sendero Apr 2014 #116

^^^ This WheelWalker Apr 2014 #117

+1000 nt Live and Learn Apr 2014 #139

This is just blatant misinformation/exaggeration and is what the prohibitionists want ... MindMover Apr 2014 #127

Bull. Shit. ChairmanAgnostic Apr 2014 #132

This sort of reporting is intentional RainDog Apr 2014 #133