marijuana

IS MARIJUANA A DANGEROUS DRUG

ABSTRACT

Drugs have been a major issue in our society for some time.  There are several factors that need to be taken into consideration while assessing whether or not drugs are dangerous.  Doctors do research on drug use with their limited evaluative skills and lack of first hand experience with drug use and regurgitate conclusions formulated by one of their grandiose readings.  As a user of all forms of cannabis, amphetamines and opiates, I present to you a minority report without bias, taking into consideration all the studies and offer my personal research conclusions on the use and effects of cannabis.

MARIJUANA IS A SOFT DRUG AND SHOULD BE LEGALIZED

The use of cannabis has been a problem for many governments as it is considered by some to be a dangerous drug.  Some researchers claim that there are biological reactions to the drug causing psychiatric illnesses.  Some researchers assert that there are impairments in mental function, short term, during intoxication, and long term, even after a period of abstinence.  Some would say that there are negative effects from having a society with cannabis users.  Some people believe cannabis has medicinal properties and finally, there are those who use cannabis in the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment.

There is no good reason to believe that cannabis use may be a continuing cause of psychotic disorders, i.e. illnesses in which symptoms of hallucinations, delusions and impaired reality testing are predominant features.  High does of THC does not produce auditory or visual hallucinations, delusional ideas, thought disorder or symptoms of hypomania as per the Georgotas & Zeindenberg (1979) studies have concluded.  Either their research data, i.e. the reports made by the patients) is flawed or their conclusions are flawed.  Firstly it is difficult to communicate with drug users as they have literacy issues and secondly it is difficult to differentiate between and communicate with a drug user the essential criteria to form the conclusion that they are experiencing auditory or visual hallucinations.  As for delusional ideas, a person does not have to be a drug user to have delusional ideas.  Some people believe in aliens and foreign planets, spending billions of taxpayers monies looking for these delusional concepts.  This does not mean that they are insane or it is substance induced.  The fact that Georgotas and Zeinderberg (1979) could formulate the conclusion that drug users have a thought disorder is astounding.  Generally speaking cannabis users are relatively stupid, however it is not cannabis induced.  It is a sociological and economic problem.  In the capitalistic economy, people with a low socio-economic status have little chance to survive with tough competition.  Poor people are stuck in their class due to social learning theory (Bandura, 1986).  They are stupid because their parents were stupid.  Their thought disorder have the inability to communicate clearly with the researchers which is a result of their stupidity, not the drug use.  As for the conclusion that cannabis users suffer from symptoms of hypomania; it is a grand generalization.  Some users, dependents on the quantity of their usage, their personality type, social and environmental surroundings, financial position, ability and availability may indulge in hypomanic activity, however all users are different and generalizations cannot be made as Georgotas and Zeindenberg have.  There are several other studies to prove that cannabis use induces psychoses; Carney et.al., 1984; Drummond, 1986; Edwards, 1983; Weil, 1970; Bernardson & Gunne, 1972); Cohen & Johnson, 1988; Klonsky & Moore, 1971; Onyango, 1986; Chopra & Smith (1974); just to name a few.  These researchers began their research with a conclusion and formed their research to suit their bias.  They have not been critically evaluative.  They do not seem to understand that there is no concrete evidence, theories or comprehension of psychiatric illnesses; it is pretty much a ‘hit and miss’ field.  New students, lacking the ability to think and formulate personal opinion and original thought, regurgitate flawed predecessors, leaving the whole field of psychology and psychiatric, vacuum.

Thornicroft et. at. (1992) compared 45 cases who had a psychosis and showed positive urine test for cannabis with over 45 controls who had a psychosis but either had a urine test  negative, or reported no cannabis use.  They found few demographic or clinical differences between the groups.  McGuire et.call (1994; 1995) compared 23 cases of psychoses occurring in persons whose urine were positive for cannabinoids with 46 psychotic patients whose urine were negative for cannabinoids or reported no cannabis use.  The two groups did not differ in their psychiatric histories or symptoms profile (McGuire, Jones et. al., 1994)

Considering Thornicrofts’ and McGuires’ studies, it is fair to assume that psychoses and cannabis use are not related.

A multitude of studies have shown that cannabis disrupts performance on a variety of cognitive and psychomotor tasks, however these effects are only during the period of usage and not long term.  Various studies have been clinically researched to formulate the conclusion that cannabis intoxication results in impaired mental function.  Braff et. al. (1981) reported impaired speed of visual information processing; Chait & Pierri (1992) reported slowed reaction time, lack in concentration and lapses in attention; Moskowitz et. al. (1972, 1974) reported deficiencies in attention to visual and auditory tasks; Moskowitz et. al. (1972), Caswell & Marks (1973a), MacAvoy & Marks (1975), and Caswell & Marks (1989) reported a lack in performance with concurrent tasks; and Melges et. al. (1970), Tinklenberg et. al. (1972); Caswell & Marks (1973b), Cahit & Pierri (1993) reported higher cognitive functions impairment.  With all these reports on the impairment on mental functioning, we have to keep in mind that this research is based on cannabis ‘intoxicated’ persons.  A person who is intoxicated with alcohol will also display impaired mental functioning.  This does not mean that the drinkers’ life is ruined, the person will suffer from neurological damage or the person will be a liability to society.  Block et. al. (1992) and Block & Ghoneim (1993) concluded that the acute and chronic effects of a drug need not be the same and can be markedly different.  As a daily cannabis user of a gram a day for three years, over ten years ago and some intermittent usage over the years, I can personally affirm that there is no long term damage, neurologically, or psychologically.  There is also no display of aggression while intoxicated on cannabis unlike alcohol and opiates.  

Although the use of cannabis has no neurological or long term psychological impairment, it does pose a problem to the larger community.  Users of cannabis usually do not feel that they need to contribute to society.  They are usually unemployed due to a lack of skills and training as a result of being stuck in a low socio-economic status (Bandura, 1989).  Their social circle influences them toward a life in drugs and they stay on cannabis and dependent on government welfare for the rest of their lives.  This is a great loss in labor to society, not to mention the costs related in the upkeep of the user and the unemployed degenerate children they will eventually breed.  In order to maintain the drug habit, users usually also get involved in a life of crime, which is an additional cost to society.  As cannabis is illegal in most countries, the criminal justice system is also overburdened with this problem.  It should be noted however, that not all cannabis users involve themselves in crime and crime related violence.  All users are also not social degenerates.  A certain percentage of cannabis users are recreational users, or social smokers, similar to social drinkers, as opposed to withdrawn, isolated, dependants.  There are even a number of travellers who bring foreign money into the country to have a good time smoking cannabis, drinking, eating and socializing.  Even though cannabis does have a detrimental effect to society, it should be kept in mind that the negative effect cannabis users have on society is not a consequence of the drug itself, but the structure of the economic system, sociological structure and the psychological makeup of degenerate individuals.

However detrimental Western researchers would like us to believe cannabis is, India is a subcontinent with yogis, sadhus, the holy men who use cannabis to aid with spiritual development, for philosophical reasons such as the non-action doctrine and the whole concept of renunciation and detachment.  There is no evidence for this argument as there can not possibly be any means of measuring spiritual enlightenment.  India is a rich country with a history of script, mathematics, language, tools, architecture, art, religion and philosophy dating back 5000 years.  Its’ culture is in depth and greater than any other nation in the world.  Hinduism was founded in India and Buddha spread his teachings to the Shaolin temple in China over 2000 years ago.  Hinduism and Buddhism both have a philosophy of karma, rebirth, and liberation from rebirth through virtue and discipline.  Some schools of Hinduism, the followers of Shiva to be more specific, believe that the Lord Shiva was a smoker of cannabis.  As cannabis is associated with a God of scripture, devout followers grow matted hair and smoke cannabis as their Lord would wish them to.  It is the way of the Lord.  It is the way of the people.  It is meant to bring one closer to God.  To bring upon an awareness.  To clear the mind of disturbing thoughts.  To assist in meditation.  To escape mundane activities.  To avoid destruction of the environment.  To avoid destruction of life.  To avoid destruction via non-action.  To escape the blind accumulation of wealth.  To escape the desire of undesirable pleasures.  To avoid sexual contact.  To avoid unnecessary dialogue.  To avoid excesses.  And finally detachment from objects of attachment.  A way to enlightenment.

There have been a number of research studies into the effects of cannabis, however the validity of these researches can be questioned.  The findings of most of the research are negative and totally contradictory to reality.  Firstly, there are no brain imaging techniques available on the market to assess the disharmony in brain functioning.  Secondly, the understanding of mental functioning by psychologists and psychiatrists of current day is extremely minimal.  Thirdly, the assessors do not have first hand knowledge of the effects of cannabis usage.  Finally the researches are not exactly masters with critical evaluative skills.  With these evaluative techniques in hand, it is fair to assert that the use of cannabis does not induce psychotic illnesses.  At the time of cannabis intoxication, there may be impairment of mental functioning, dependent on the quality of the cannabis, the tolerance of the user, the general ability of the user and the current mental state of the user.  As for long term effects, there are none.  There are social concerns of the use of cannabis; cannabis users are generally unemployed and dependents to government, some even indulging in criminal and crime related violent activities.  These problems are however generated from a failing economic structure.  There is also research on the medicinal value of cannabis, however they are flawed.  Cannabis does not relieve the symptoms of any illnesses or cure any diseases.  There are some in the other parts of the world that pursue the use of cannabis for the use fo spiritual enlightenment, however there are no research studies to affirm this grandiose claim as credible doctors  would not be able to comprehend the philosophy of philosophy.  Cannabis is a soft drug, the legalization of which would benefit society on the whole, from decreased crime, savings in costs to the justice system, increased tax, increased tourism and increased community morale.