My apologies for getting this little nugget out to you guys late but you know how it is when you’re trying to pay attention and…well, you know how it is. Nevertheless, guess what I’ve got!?!
The Federal government’s annual report highlighting substance abuse. Now that may not sound interesting when I put it like that but if you look through the 300+ pages like Paul Armentano of NORML did right here. You’ll find even more myth busting information by comparing the data but in the meantime, here’s the breakdown.
Four More Bullsh*t Mary Jane Myths BUSTED!!!
Myth: Marijuana use is prevalent in low income and urban areas thereby justifying the “War on Drug” and aggressive treatment and surveillance of poorer (read: Black and Latino) neighborhoods.
…..combating numerous drug warrior myths and stereotypes (such as the notion that high rates of illicit drug use — yes, the New England states lead in this broader category too — are typically relegated to poorer, urban, more racially diverse areas).
Myth: Marijuana use is neither determined nor undermined by state drug laws. People use marijuana if and when they choose to and not because states make marijuana possession laws harder.
…..it should be noted that despite the prevalence of medical marijuana states in these rankings, the authors of the report acknowledge that there is no evidence that the implementation of medi-pot laws is increasing the use of cannabis or other illicit drugs.
Myth: Establishing medical marijuana laws do not directly affect an increase in casual marijuana use.
They also call into question the notion that marijuana use among the general population is in any way influenced by the legal status of marijuana.
Myth: The Northeast loves them some Mary Jane. Nearly every state in the region made it’s way into the top spots for marijuana use.
The totals in the category ‘marijuana use in the past year among persons age 18 to 25‘ is even more New England-centric, with every northeast state (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) all included in the top percentile (along with Alaska, Colorado, New York, and Oregon). In the category, ‘marijuana use in the past month among persons age 26 or older‘ Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont top the list (along with Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, and Oregon).
So, according this report by the United States government marijuana use is not the big bad monster that they make it out to be. With social concerns and morals aside, I wonder if a level-headed person would read this and ask themselves what the implication of this data means.
At the very least, our government has inflated the seriousness of marijuana’s affects on society. The decision to do so may have caused a focus of limited state resources on treating a problem that may not have been a priority compared to other social issues.
At the very worst, this data shows a how an entire class of people (poor/brown) have been manufactured into a criminal class justifying the pursuit, expense and time required by the state to prosecute them when their marijuana use maybe less prevalent than in other (upper-class/white) areas. So if the real intent of the state is to pursue those that use illicit drugs the their polices effort to lock up offenders would correlate with drug use. This one theory begs the question of the states willingness to exploit their own criminal justice system to violate the rights of citizens to fund private industries that benefit from such discretion, specifically, the courts, the prisons and the legal industry.
Don’t be intimidated by false marijuana myths, educate yourself and stop the stupid with real data made by the same people that we’re fighting. Shout out to Norml for doing the hard part, now all you have to do is repeat it. Almost like cheating on a test but not. Until next time, people
Below is more misleading and false propaganda from the DEA regarding California Medical Marijuana. It surprises the hell out of us here at The Mendo Mount the type of blatant lies and misinformation the federal government puts out against Medical Marijuana Growers and Users! Below is the information found on their website at :
The assertion that all medical marijuana is headed for seriously ill patients is misleading. Statistics from the California Branch of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) shows that a survey of Californians reports the top three reported uses of medicinal marijuana: 40% Chronic Pain
22% AIDS-Related
15% Mood Disorders
(23% All other categories)
In California there is no state regulation or standard of the cultivation and/or distribution medical marijuana. California leaves the establishment of any guidelines to local jurisdictions, which can widely vary. For example, Marin County allows up to six mature plants, and/or a half-pound dried marijuana. It’s neighbor, Sonoma County permits possession of three pounds of marijuana, and allows cultivation up to 99 plants, and physicians may recommend more for “exceptional patients.”
Local and state law enforcement counterparts cannot distinguish between illegal marijuana grows and grows that qualify as medical exemptions. Many self-designated medical marijuana growers are, in fact, growing marijuana for illegal, “recreational” use.
Elected law enforcement officials, i.e. Sheriffs and District Attorneys in California have been targeted by the “marijuana lobby.” Political action by groups such as NORML have endorsed and supported candidates favorable to medical marijuana. NORML tracks local elections and takes credit for the defeats of anti-marijuana candidates. Last year the DEA arrested a major marijuana trafficker in Humboldt County who was an undeclared candidate for sheriff.
The DEA and its local and state counterparts routinely report that large-scale drug traffickers hide behind and invoke Proposition 215, even when there is no evidence of any medical claim. In fact, many large-scale marijuana cultivators and traffickers escape state prosecution because of bogus medical marijuana claims. Prosecutors are reluctant to charge these individuals because of the state of confusion that exists in California. Therefore, high-level traffickers posing as “care givers” are able to sell illegal drugs with impunity.
The California NORML website lists federal defendants for the largest indoor marijuana cultivation operation in the U.S., which occurred in Northern California, as “green prisoners.” While unscrupulously claiming to be “medical marijuana” defendants, in fact these two individuals were dangerous, armed fugitives believed to be responsible for drug-related murders and other violence.
DEA’s San Francisco Field Division coordinates the statewide Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program (DCE/SP). The number of plants eradicated and assets seized represent the largest totals in California history.
“As marijuana quickly becomes more and more socially acceptable, millions of Americans are beginning to understand the lies that they have been told about pot. Here are the five biggest myths about weed that have prevented any kind of legalization movement from getting on a roll.
1. Marijuana Causes Cancer
Many have said that smoking pot and smoking cigarettes is the same thing and, therefore; marijuana must cause cancer, as well. Not only have countless independentstudies disproved this, but some have actually found that marijuana decreased tumor growth by as much as 50%. (Sorry, cigarettes will still kill you.)
2. Marijuana Is Addictive
While prolonged use has shown to leave signs of dependence, marijuana does not actually contain a “nicotine-like” compound that causes it to be addictive. (This is similar to being “addicted” to soda.) There are little to no withdrawal symptoms, especially when compared to the withdrawal effects of drugs like cocaine or heroin – or even an alcohol-induced hangover.
3. Marijuana Is a Gateway Drug
Simply put, numerous studies have unequivocally disproved the idea that using marijuana leads to use of harder drugs. Marijuana has actually successfully been used to reduce hard drug users’ dependence on drugs. So, in reality, it is the exact opposite of a gateway drug.
4. Marijuana Causes Brain Damage
Another myth where the exact opposite thing is true: Not only have studied disproved the ideathat marijuana damages your brain, they have found that it actually protects your brain from the damage that heavy drinking can cause.
5. Marijuana Has No Medical Uses
The government has often defended its marijuana policy by citing their own studies that say that marijuana does not have any therapeutic effects. Not true. Aside from the uses listed above, marijuana have been proven to have beneficial effects on people suffering from migraines, glaucoma, AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, epilepsy, stomach disorders, and dozens of other health problems.
Category: Culture | Posted on Wed, April, 20th 2011 by THCFinder
Happy 420, or as you may call it, National Marijuana Day! Oh, that crazy drug that appeals to aging hippie Baby Boomers and today’s college kids alike. Although it seems to bring different generations and types of people together, public perception of pot seems to be extremely polarized, too. Staunch supporters see it as a miracle drug, while those who oppose its use and legalization condemn it as an addictive and harmful substance. The truth lies somewhere between these two extremes.
So, in honor of the popular plant plenty of pot smokers will be honoring today, I thought I’d come up with some of the most widely-spread misconceptions about weed’s effect on health …
MYTH: Marijuana causes cancer. Not sure where this myth came from, being that pot is actually effective for relief in people trying to cope with harsh cancer treatments. But someone (maybe those DARE folks?) has been spreading the rumor that smoking pot can lead to lung cancer, just like cigarettes.
MYTH: Marijuana causes brain damage. This one seems to be as old as the day is long. The common stereotype that even pot smokers themselves will laugh about. “All that weed killed my brain cells, man!”
TRUTH: Now, a couple of old hippie potheads I know very well may be a little slow on the uptake at times, but for that, I blame personality tics, astrology (you know Pisces can be all over the place), and senility — not pot. Science has proven as well that even heavy (long-term and even daily) marijuana usedoesn’t lead to brain damage. Researchers found only a “very small” impairment in memory and learning among long-term marijuana users. Score.
MYTH: Pot is a “gateway drug.” Toke up one day, shoot up the next. That’s what naysayers may say. Guess what else is a gateway drug? Coffee. It leads to harder stuff, like Red Bull.
TRUTH: Again, this seems like it was a cockamamie fable made up to make sure youngins don’t get stoned. A study that analyzed data from the U.S. National Household Survey on Drug Abuse found that teens who tried hard drugs were predisposed to do so whether or not they tried marijuana. I’ve never heard of anyone who tried pot and that’s why he or she moved on to harder stuff. For the most part, it seems pot smokers stick with pot.
MYTH: Smoking pot is addictive. This frequently trotted-out-to-teens myth makes me think of those old-timey black and white anti-”Mary Jane” propaganda movies like Reefer Madness!
TRUTH: “Addictive” is the wrong word here. “Dependence” may be more fitting. And that, experts know, is not the result of anything in the marijuana itself. In other words, it doesn’t have a compound that is similar to nicotine, and there are little to no withdrawal symptoms. If someone seems “hooked” on the herb, it’s because he or she has an addictive personality or leans on pot to self-medicate.
MYTH: Marijuana impairs the immune system. As with any drug, there are rumors floating around that smoking up will inevitably wreck your ability to fight off illness.
TRUTH: No one really knows for sure what, if any, effect pot has on immunity. Studies have shown it affects the immune system in some way, but researchers couldn’t tell you what. And there are no human studies to date that connect that effect with increased infection. So, I wouldn’t worry about it too much, man.
END OF STOCK SALE!! All 10*gs are now 8*! Both 8*gs are now 5*!! Don't forget about our edible specials & glass… wp.me/p1r6rh-1bG1 year ago
END OF STOCK SALE!! All 10*gs are now 8*! Both 8*gs are now 5*!! Don't forget about our edible specials & glass specials! Stop by before 10p 1 year ago
Happy 420, or as you may call it, National Marijuana Day! Oh, that crazy drug that appeals to aging hippie Baby Boomers and today’s college kids alike. Although it seems to bring different generations and types of people together, public perception of pot seems to be extremely polarized, too. Staunch supporters see it as a miracle drug, while those who oppose its use and legalization condemn it as an addictive and harmful substance. The truth lies somewhere between these two extremes.
