What is Digg?774 Comments
- hocine, on 01/07/2009, -32/+517The "possibility" of becoming addicted? What kind of addiction? Why not mention that THC is less addictive than sugar? And why only consider the health problems associated with smoking, and not vaporizing or eating the drug? It's so hard to find unbiased pot-related articles. :(
- lazybuoy, on 01/07/2009, -18/+416Note that if in the article you replace marijuana with alcohol, everything is still true except without the health benefits.
- runrun401, on 01/07/2009, -13/+298All his arguments against marijuana legalization could apply to alcohol abuse. However, I doubt you'll see him advocating another prohibition on alcohol, when US tax revenues were 5.3 billion dollars in 2006.
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxfacts/displayafa ... (note figures in thousands of dollars)
Legalize marijuana, and tax it.. Even if you taxed it at 25%, it would be cheaper than black market pricing. In addition, it would create a new industry overnight, and thousands of American jobs. Americans who would be paying income taxes instead of collecting unemployment.
Gupta has a couple of valid points.. It should remain illegal to operate a vehicle under the influence (even though most people drive like 20mph under the limit when they're high). Also, smoking any substance for a long period of time will be detrimental to your health. Vaporizer ftw. Besides, the free market will sort out that problem... lower tar strains, buds infused with extracts (think salvia) so less plant matter is consumed, bakeries producing THC edibles, etc. - ndnspongebob, on 01/07/2009, -25/+290sounds like dr. sunjey gupta needs to take a massive bong hit and chill the ***** out, people should be allowed to do what they want as long as they are not hurting anyone
- kemp34, on 01/07/2009, -6/+142While we're at it, if we're talking about ***** being illegal because it is bad for you, we need to go right ahead and make illegal:
Aspartame, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrogenated Oils, Soda (diet or sugar), Alcohol, Tobacco, Corn Oil, Upper Food Chain Fish, all fast food, all sugar candy, anything with caffeine in it, all other highly acidifying foods, etc.
The argument that marijuana should be illegal because it may be bad for your health is probably the dumbest argument one could make. - iambobbmac, on 01/07/2009, -8/+127Note that smoking marijuana can be replaced very easily with vaporizing or baking marijuana, and if neccessary - take a THC pill.
- alandickson, on 01/07/2009, -13/+121"The first is that marijuana isn't really very good for you."
Leaving the options of marijuana being: good for you, okay for you, bad for you, really good for you, very good for you... etc. - StickWST, on 01/07/2009, -7/+113I dugg this just so people can say the possible hundreds of comments pointing out how wrong this guy is. I'm sure he never mentioned alcohols legal status for a reason, it'd completely uproot his standpoint.
- amoirae, on 01/07/2009, -7/+106How many people a year die of alcohol poisoning? In 2002 there were about 1300 deaths from alcohol poisoning.
http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summarie ...
How many people a year die of marijuana poisoning? I can't find any instances. - xprojects, on 01/07/2009, -12/+92"That's why I, like many other doctors, am unimpressed with the proposed legislation"
That's why doctors don't write laws, especially ones that ignore research. - BlacklabelSAR, on 01/07/2009, -7/+86Gupta is a Health Industry shill.
He's already shown that when he tried to smear Michael Moore's Sicko, and then had to apologize for being full of *****. - ChrisOrr, on 01/07/2009, -7/+84I like how not one post here argues in this guys favor. This is good because this guy is a Big Pharma paid off mouthpiece of a ***** who shouldn't be allowed to sell his "medical advice" over the internet as fact. Nothing he said makes a good point as to why marijuana should be illegal, but people still take it as such because he, as an "expert", said it. ***** crooks like this trying to ruin my good life, weed is smoked because it feels good and increases enjoyment. I'm not addicted, I go months at a time without it, cold turkey. I've never been "depressed" or "anxious" because of it. If you think weed makes you depressed or anxious, you've never smoked weed.
- Royish, on 01/07/2009, -10/+76Dr. Sanjay Gupta is a moron. Marijuana is a safer alternative to drinking. Why arrest people for it?
I am sure at his ridiculously gaudy wedding they sucked back a few cocktails. Medical reasons or not, it was made illegal for bad reasons and the plant is wrongfully demonized.
Maybe those ridiculous anti Marijuana attack ads of the 80's worked on him, but they sure don't fool most people. - JenniferInMO, on 01/07/2009, -10/+72All the reasons to support legalization of marijuana are right here in this article: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/1743834 ... It is the most comprehensive, well sourced and informed article on the failed, misnomer the "War on Drugs."
There are over 10,000 law enforcement officials who actively support an end to the War on Drugs: http://www.leap.cc/cms/index.php - LeviticusKrain, on 01/07/2009, -6/+66More examples of Gupta's nonsense. Express your discontent with this pick on change.gov. Why continue the criminalization of a drug (hardly worth the name drug) which is so beneficial to so many people? Just to fill up our prisons even more?
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/1/6/214957/9543 ... - bsmang, on 01/07/2009, -13/+71He's an idiot. I thought so before and I think so even more now.
- mikbunn, on 01/07/2009, -0/+58Don't stop at oral consumption!
We should ban cars, planes, trains, inoculations, swimming pools, hot tubs, televisions, overly soft beds and cushions, any highly strenuous exercise, antibacterial soap, carnivorous, venomous, or poisonous animals, flatulence, heavy machinery, guns, cleats, cell phones, microwaves, and fire.
Oh wait, all those things make life better and more interesting, when used in moderation. So does weed. Shut the ***** up and legalize it. - pintomp3, on 01/07/2009, -8/+63What do you expect from a corporate shill?
- Nosferotu, on 01/07/2009, -1/+55And if you replace it with cigarettes, it's wrong because they're much worse.
The idea that we need to make marijuana illegal so that some people can't hurt themselves with it voluntarily, while leaving others who could really benefit from it out in the cold, just seems inhumane. Laws are to keep people from hurting each other - what someone wants to do to themselves is their own business.
Basically it's like this:
Illegal marijuana - hurting cancer and alzheimers patients.
Legal marijuana - Not hurting anyone (people have responsibility for hurting themselves with it)
Where's the goddamn debate?
And moreover, who cares if it has health benefits. Even if it had zero benefit to anyone but to get them stoned, I would still support its legalization, and I don't even use it. I've had nothing but bad experiences using it. But it's not my place to tell someone else THEY can't use it. Nor is it the government's place.
Ultimately, you gotta take the Kantian view on this - live by an underlying principle which is applied to all things. If we're going to make laws against things people can potentially hurt themselves with, we can't very well do it to marijuana but not cigarettes, alcohol, caffeine, and hell - even legal prescription drugs. While we're at it, knives are pretty sharp, we might want to do away with those. I hear cars can kill people. People use belts to choke themselves... hell, any length of material could be used for that. You know, we'd better just lock everyone in human-sized cages and feed them through tubes. Otherwise, these people are liable to try something and get hurt by it! - twiztidsinz, on 01/07/2009, -2/+56Ever heard of double standards?
- Nodaki, on 01/07/2009, -2/+48"How many people a year die of marijuana poisoning? I can't find any instances."
Put it into the context of the entire history of mankind and you will find your answer to be the exact same.
The fact is cannabis is one of the safest substances on the planet. Have you ever heard of a cannabis allergic reaction? People are allergic to all sorts of things, but not weed. Hmmm. - Plasmatica, on 01/07/2009, -1/+47Ever heard of consistency?
- oldhick, on 01/07/2009, -1/+46How about, have you ever heard of freedom to decide for myself????
- MCBowelmovement, on 01/07/2009, -4/+47If in fact Marijuana were to cause anxiety or paranoia in a user, I'm willing to bet it's more a side effect of the fact that it's ILLEGAL rather than the marijuana itself. On that note, the only reason that marijuana can ever be considered a "gateway" drug has more to do with the method of procurement than it does the drug itself. No one ever smokes some weed and thinks to themselves, "Man, I'd sure like some blow right about now, maybe some meth!" It's because they have a dirtbag for a dealer that's suggesting they try some. Don't even get me started on the non-violent, productive citizens that are turned into violent criminals as a result of being put in jail with psychopaths because they had a joint stashed in the glovebox. Sickening. There's no absolutely no argument for the possesion, growing and use of Marijuana to remain criminal.
- inactive, on 01/07/2009, -4/+44These are reasons smoking pot isn't good for you. NOT reasons why it should be illegal.
You can make a case for criminalizing salt. It's certainly not good for you in the quantities most Americans consume it. But that doesn't make it a legal matter.
I don't smoke pot. I've never actively smoked pot. However, I will never support criminalizing it because there is no clear and present danger presented by the legalization of pot. Moreover it's a possible tax revenue stream that's currently not being exploited.
In summation, Dr. Gupta makes a few points but misses the big one: that the Government should have nothing to do with the matter. - inactive, on 01/07/2009, -5/+45Just for the sake of due diligence, it should be noted that this is a piece from 2006.
- Dou6, on 01/07/2009, -5/+45To me, this is about personal freedom, not getting high.
- inactive, on 01/07/2009, -9/+47The guy's kind of anti free-healthcare I wonder why he was picked at all; unless healthcare is off the table now.
- lolwaffle, on 01/07/2009, -6/+42It really doesn't make sense for marijuana to be illegal, while tobacco and alcohol are legal.
- keanon, on 01/07/2009, -6/+42I hope this guy is voting NO on coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, and inhumanely raised meats, too.
What a poorly reasoned editorial. - m0llusk, on 01/07/2009, -3/+39Prohibition isn't good for you, either. He needs to focus more on assuring people that masturbation is natural.
- JenniferInMO, on 01/07/2009, -9/+44Bookmark it: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/1743834 ...
The most comprehensive article on the failed War on Drugs. It doesn't do into the health aspects, but it makes an airtight case. - KirbyMeister, on 01/07/2009, -2/+35I support weed legalization. No I don't wanna get high. I just don't want to be spending government (read: MY) money to stop other people getting high, when there are much worse drugs out there that can kill you.
- cam0man, on 01/07/2009, -1/+34the question isn't 'is this good or bad for you' it's 'should people being going to jail for this'.
i'd rather have my kid smoking joints every day than eating pop tarts, 2 big macs, a couple big gulps, and a snickers bar. there's a lot of things that people are putting into their bodies that seriously do harm them and are much bigger social issues to worry about than weed.
Lets do two things.
1) Not make what we put into our bodies something you can go to prison for
2) Inform people on the effects they will have if they do put these things in their bodies and let them make a rational choice themselves. - rossnyc, on 01/07/2009, -1/+34...and when's the last time you heard of some guy smoking a joint then beating his wife?
- card51short, on 01/07/2009, -2/+32Fast food is horrible for you...it should be banned too, right Sanjay?
How about typing? I heard it can lead to long term injuries. BANNED.
Seriously this guy makes some of the worst arugments I've ever heard.
"Sure it's a wonder drug for some people...but...IT'S BAD FOR YOU!!!! Now here, take 2 prozacs, ingest some riddlin and be sure to remember you valium."
God the government loves us so much to protect us from weed :) THANK YOU GOVERNMENT!!! - roodammy44, on 01/07/2009, -1/+28He's probably even more against drinking as it has much worse effects.
If he's not then he's a raving hypocrite.
I wonder how many people would be on his side if he was campaigning against the legalisation of beer. - Tiak, on 01/07/2009, -1/+27Alcohol abuse was an example, more or less the same arguments could apply to KFC legalization. Studies show that KFC users become more likely to use KFC again and that there are significant health risks posed by frequent usage of KFC.
While KFC might not impair one's ability to drive a vehicle quite as bad as marijuana, the enormous risk of heart attack amongst daily KFC users, as well as the depression caused by frequent KFC use in the long term trump the risks of memory loss with marijuana use. - einrobstein, on 01/07/2009, -4/+30The opinion of a medical doctor should not have the same weight as a sociologist or an expert in the field of criminal justice. Addiction and the other side-effects of marijuana (and other drug) use should be examined and treated medically, but the legal status of those substances is better left to those who understand the effects of the war on drugs. Keeping marijuana illegal enriches organized crime, deprives the government of billions in tax dollars, doesn't allow the government to give a reasonable "if you're going to use it, do it in moderation" message.
Tobacco, alcohol, and McDonalds are not very good for you either, but none of them should be illegal. People must be educated about the true risks of their behaviour and then allow them to make their own decisions about what to put into their own bodies (when they aren't harming anyone else). - chrissku, on 01/07/2009, -5/+30McDonalds has about 20 items on their menu that are much worse than pot, and they sell that garbage legally.
- sunburner, on 01/07/2009, -6/+31Compelling argument Mr. Gupta. Thanks for looking at all sides of the issue. I agree that we should keep incarcerating people who have done no damage to another person's life, liberty or property.
- Bukowsky, on 01/07/2009, -6/+29The article only talks about the negative health affects. Sure, we all know it's not good for us... We also know that alchol, cigarettes, energy drinks, asprin and cough medicine is bad for us. They're all legal, and heavily abused by millions.
I wish the article would talk about how legalizing it or even decriminalizing it would provide a jolt to the economy. - kemp34, on 01/07/2009, -0/+22Sex can kill you. Ban it.
Sitting on a couch watching TV is VERY bad for your health. Ban TVs and couches.
Cooking with metal cookware may be harmful to your health as the metal leeches into your food. Ban cookware.
Monkeys have been known to pass killer diseases to humans. Kill all monkeys.
Desk jobs are clearly attributable to a killer sedentary lifestyle. Ban desk jobs.
The sun may cause cancer. Make going outside illegal.
***** stupid people trying to make ***** illegal for dumb ass reasons against all basic logic, moral soundness and practical sensibility. ***** them. - einrobstein, on 01/07/2009, -1/+23Yes, because it means that at least 10,000 police officers aren't complete retards, which is more than I thought.
- kokoshka, on 01/07/2009, -2/+22Ever heard of shut the ***** up?
- KibibyteBrain, on 01/07/2009, -1/+21Still, many things that are legal are bad for our health or dangerous. Meat, flying in small aircraft, potato chips, candy, alcohol, tobacco, playing contact sports, the list could go on all day. If good health were mandatory by law, we'd live in a totalitarian dictatorship to rival all others.
As a social libertarian I oppose laws against drugs that do not pose 1) a direct danger to society(which is pretty hard to imagine) and
2) the potential to destroy society's ability to function(like, very dangerous drugs that could impact the ability to issue insurance, or could lead to accidental death/injury).
THC doesn't seem to fall into either category. The only real danger it poses is that its much more difficult to legally document that someone was intoxicated by THC while driving vs. Alcohol, but this doesn't seem like reason enough to ban it and arrest people for having it. - woofers07, on 01/07/2009, -2/+22List of things that "isn't really very good for you."
Alcohol
Cigarettes
Fast food
Cholesterol
Oversleeping
Too much sun
Fox News
Internet Porn
feel free to add more... - beaverfetus, on 01/07/2009, -12/+32Pot is addictive. It is psychologically addictive, hundreds of thousands of Americans seek treatment for pot dependance every year. Drawing a huge distinction between psychological and physical addiction is pretty ridiculous, both dependencies have negative effects on quality of life, which can be devastating.
People who are psychologically addicted to pot report physical symptoms on withdrawal. Agitation, depression, mood swings, that kind of crap. It's not pleasant, and a lot of people have trouble quitting due to the distress which accompanies abstinence.
I think pot should be legal for a variety of reasons; that pot is harmless, is not one of them. Repeating lines like "pot is as addictive as sugar!" is the kind of hyperbole that makes the scientific community (a powerful, and potential ally) roll their collective eyes. - trem0lo, on 01/07/2009, -7/+26What a load of BS. First he points out the amazing medical properties of marijuana. Then he recognizes the growing and successful medical community and proceeds to slap them in the face by saying "people just want to get high legally" in the same article. What a shill.
- twiztidsinz, on 01/07/2009, -2/+21A THChill pill? :D
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