reason.com — That's the conclusion of a new report in Britain that seeks to rank the actual physical and social harms of 20 recreational drugs. The report was commissioned by the UK's House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee. According to news@nature.com...
Aug 15, 2006 View in Crawl 4
Closed AccountAug 15, 2006
well no s**t. those drugs aren't illegal because they are bad for you, they are illegal because of $$$$.its too bad people are too stupid to look into the facts and find this out for themselves, instead of listening to bulls**t government propaganda.
jonesinAug 16, 2006
@threemagic:Are you kidding? It's ridiculously easy to ferment alcohol, and tobacco can easily be grown in just about any soil. The reason folks don't do it themselves is because it's cheap and easy to get.
saskaAug 16, 2006
@scinortcele - Marijuana use by young people is problematic for a number of reasons. It reduces motivation, as you saw, it affects them while their brains are still developing, and they frequently have too few daily responsibilities to be interested in using the drug in moderation. I have rarely seen it turn out well for people who started smoking pot when they were in high school (or, god forbid, junior high). On the other hand, people who use it for the first time in college or later tend to be able to manage the use versus the daily life.
spyrochaeteAug 16, 2006
andor biblical insightburning bush ftw
kinesis8Aug 16, 2006
I've taken E socially in the past (40 pills, 2/night & spaced out over 6 years) and currently smoke low amounts of MJ at night as a sleep aid. As a graduate school student, I can say that I haven't experienced any permanent symptoms of memory loss or neurological impairment. I agree with most of the posters that moderation is key for anything. Regarding the debate about whether alcohol or MJ causes more accidents, I think that if you do your research, it's pretty well known that alcohol causes the most accidents. As for MJ usage combined with driving, nearly all fatal accidents that showed usage of MJ also showed high levels of intoxication from alcohol. Comparatively, there has not been a high percentage of fatal accidents resulting from only MJ usage. Articles derived from police reports showing this can be found on google. Can't say anything about LSD because I simply don't have any need to try it whether or not it has any negative ramifications. That said, I think the analysis that these scientists have put out is pretty shallow as seen on the website. They definitely need to give much more detail about their testing methods & sample population before any of us should take their results seriously.
Closed AccountAug 16, 2006
"I am a Christian. Jesus said everything in moderation. I support the right to smoke marijuana and do whatever else makes you happy so far as you are not endangering others."Jesus was such a pot head...<a class="user" href="http://www.cannabisculture.com/backissues/cc11/christ.html">http://www.cannabisculture.com/backissues/cc11/christ.html</a>
veterAug 18, 2006
You do realize productivity isn't all there is to life, right? Your type of attitude is what's killing millions of Americans every year. The top 5 leading killers of Americans are stress-related. Most agree that it is due to more work, less sleep, and lack of relaxation. Fun is a good thing...it's probably why you're on this site.
veterAug 18, 2006
Well, the fact that an enourmous number of people believe their lives have been changed by psychedelic use says otherwise. You do realize how big of a statement 'XXXX changed my life' is. It isn't one people typically just throw around. Theres a reason why they were used by psychologists and are heavily touted as having many potential medicinal uses (MDMA in particular).Ask Francis Crick how LSD changed his life.
gdbluAug 25, 2006
Marijuana, LSD, and Ecstacy are all safer than Alcohol and Cigarettes - Really?If MJ, LSD, and Ecstasy were legalized and sold commercially the "social harm" statistics would change dramatically and probably not favorably. I can just imagine some of the headlines in daily newspapers and reports on news channels about the horrific accidents involving driver's trying to spark their bong, dropping a joint in their lap, watching the "far-out colors" while speeding through a red-light, or even just paying more attention to a lover while on X than to the road. What about someone on a "bad trip" at your kid's football game, the gas station, or the grocery store? What if the stat read "More than two-thirds of child passengers ages 14 and younger who died in LSD-related crashes during 1997–2002 were riding with the LSD-driver; only 32% of them were properly restrained at the time of the crash," instead of "alcohol?" What was that famous board game question? If you knew that by inventing the automobile you would be responsible for approximately 50,000 auto-related deaths per year in the U. S. would you still build and market it? Now substitute "LSD Sparkle Tabs" or "MJ's Gig-Joints" and see what you get.Perhaps, the reason these drugs were ranked as causing less "social harm" is because they are "illegal" - not commercially available at the local 7/11 or Quickstop. If 42 mil people drink alcohol and 2 mil use "illegal" substances how do you compute the "risk analysis?"We humans have unique group and individual gene structures (genetics), and respond differently physiologically and neurologically to the environment in which we live and of which we partake. Drugs effect people differently and each person's response to drug use is also different. Why do some people become addicts while many others do not? Why do some people "kill" while drunk or on drugs and others do not? Tommy's grades go up while using acid, but Billy drops out and begins a life of crime - why? Would a government be more inclined to have their constituents "dosed daily on X" rather than consuming alcohol potentially causing more violence and accidents? Why do most people outgrow substantial drug and alcohol use with no ill effects, how do some people self-recover while others slide irrevocably into a drug and alcohol induced death spiral?Addiction is a disease, even though it may start out as voluntary use, causing chemical changes in the brain, requiring more of the "addictive component" to achieve the same results, leading to the addict's life becoming unmanageable and (s)he unable to stop. LSD, even after just a day or two, requires a higher dose to achieve the same high. All addictions progress in a similar fashion whether or not it's alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, eating disorders, etc., and they all effect the "pleasure/reward" system of the brain. The changes to the brain can be permanent after many uses or after only one dose.Genetic make-up accounts for 25 - 50%+ of an individual's predisposition to becoming addicted to "something" that directly affects "their pleasure/reward" system, and upbringing and peer group accounts for the remainder.My point, I'd be wary of any report and the underlying "perhaps hidden" agenda favorably comparing legal vs. illegal substances for a hundred different reasons (some of which are commented on above - so, read up). Drug use to alter perception has been around for thousands of years, probably since the first time Bo-BO ate that funny looking plant. The real question is, should illegal drugs be made legal and commercially available to every consumer? I vote "no."gdblu<a class="user" href="http://www.treatment-centers.net">http://www.treatment-centers.net</a>Note:"Psychosis. The effects of LSD can be described as drug-induced psychosis-distortion or disorganization of a person's capacity to recognize reality, think rationally, or communicate with others. Some LSD users experience devastating psychological effects that persist after the trip has ended, producing a long-lasting psychotic-like state. LSD-induced persistent psychosis may include dramatic mood swings from mania to profound depression, vivid visual disturbances, and hallucinations. These effects may last for years and can affect people who have no history or other symptoms of psychological disorder."<a class="user" href="http://www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/Hallucinogens/halluc3.html">http://www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/Hallucinogens/halluc3.html</a>
nimbuscottAug 29, 2006
But not when taken at the same time. Moderation, people.
eliasalucardSep 17, 2006
Yay! More LSD and Cannabis to everyone! Seriously, Alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs in the world.
Closed AccountDec 18, 2006
The range of drugs goes from alcohol, which is termed the "dirtiest" drug because of the many ways it affects the brain, to prescription drugs and illegal street drugs such as heroin, cocaine and meth. <a class="user" href="http://www.cirquelodge.com/Treatment/DrugAbuse/DrugAbuse.php">http://www.cirquelodge.com/Treatment/DrugAbuse/DrugAbuse.php</a>
mssk8r04Jul 8, 2008
i've explained it this way for ages.but no one listens.apparently something is wrong if the government says it's wrong.and people obey like sheep.however i concur.marijuana = moonshineboth illegal for the same reasons.
darkhighOct 30, 2009
LSD causes auditory hallucinations, and it doesn't matter if you are predisposed.Everyone claims LSD has a variety of benefits and downsides, but you can't diagnose yourself.