(ed:..i am kind of gobsmacked that in this day and age that a ‘scientist’ would peddle such utter bullshit as is in this attack piece on cannabis..

here is just one paragraph: let’s unpack it..eh..?..)

‘Although difficult to overdose, cannabis can be physically and psychologically addictive. It can affect road safety – one third of New Zealand cannabis users have admitted to driving under the influence of cannabis, and in the US state of Washington the AAA reports fatal car accidents involving drivers who recently used marijuana has more than doubled since legalisation’.

ok..

‘Although difficult to overdose’..

now just these four words summarise the tone/spin/bullshit used by this ‘scientist’..

..because she knows full well it is virtually impossible (not ‘difficult’) to overdose on cannabis..in fact i think the only deaths from cannabis have occurred from bales of the stuff falling on peoples’ heads.

so that’s lie/spin number one..

‘cannabis can be physically and psychologically addictive’.

let’s take the ‘physically addicted’ first..eh..?

now this is possibly the biggest whopper in this nougat-block of misinformation..

(disclaimer:.i have been addicted to tobacco – alcohol – heroin – cocaine – barbiturates – and eating animal-flesh – over the course of my life..and have tried/used most other intoxicants (except ‘p’/speed – i have always avoided speed like the plague..it’s almost immediate damage to users/seeing and talking to longtime users scared me off..)

and i have gone from being on everyones’ top-ten list of ‘who is gonna o/d-die this year?’ during my ‘speedball’-years – to today being a fairly healthy/fit vegan who is teetotal – except for cannabis..

i use cannabis to help ease/still the life-long anxiety-issues that have plagued me..it also helps keep the likes of desires for heroin/cocaine at bay..

heroin is unique amongst all those drugs in that addiction to it solves all of lifes’ problems both large and small – (why i/most loved it so much) and replaces them all with that big one – an ever-growing addiction (which for most becomes a full-time job in itself..and too soon stops doing what it originally did for you..it really is a lose-lose!..you are just left with this monkey/gorilla on your back..ruling your life..)

..and with the possible exception of crack-cocaine (in use-addiction) heroin is the most all-round addictive of that suite of drugs..(and the memories of the ‘good’ bits/honeymoon-period/the temporary-solace it can provide do linger/force the ex-user to be vigilant about/against lapsing – and like many other ex-addicts of the above drugs – i find cannabis a great tool/help with this..)

..i tell you all this to possibly confirm for you that i do know of what i speak – of physical-addictions – and of course withdrawals..having experienced them from all of the above – with some of them (heroin especially) quite a few times..most of them cold-turkey (but that’s another story..eh..?..)

..and many times in my life after heavy use (in anyones’ terms) of cannabis i have also experienced (voluntarily and involuntarily) periods of abstinence and so of course ‘withdrawals’ from that drug..

..and so i know that for you to claim cannabis is some heavy physical-addiction number – and this being a major argument against its’ use – really is a groin-stretcher..eh..?

..the actual physical-withdrawal may be a slightly restless sleep for a couple of nights..(pot makes you sleep like a baby..)..and maybe desiring a smoke..but that is it..!

..and that suite of intoxicants are long gone – a present day comparison i can make is with black tea..

..’cos here/now i can go without having a smoke..but you’ll drag my cuppa tea from my dead/cold hands…

(..and as for psychological-addiction..also see above…concluding in/with ‘black tea’..)

which brings us to driving – and while exceptions can be made for inexperienced drivers..(first learn to drive well..!)..you have painted another negative-picture..

..where the reality/scientific-facts/experiments prove a very different set of results..(i’ll leave you with your scientific/research-skills to widen your readings on this subject to include them – you may even be surprised at what you find..!..)

..and as for cannabis being found in the blood of drivers killed in accidents – this is essentially meaningless – as this will show up to 30 days after the cannabis has been consumed..

..so..eh..?..

i will give you credit where credit is due – in that your reporting of the longterm physical-effects from using cannabis confirms these are minimal..

‘When it came to physical health, the results were surprising, with marijuana consumption having no negative impact on a dozen health factors including lung function, systemic inflammation, BMI, or metabolic health. The only significant adverse impact was on periodontal health with cannabis use being associated with tooth loss.’

..that is all correct – over the years i have smoked sheds-full of pot/hashish and recently i had a medical that included a lung-function test – i was told i have the lungs of a twenty-something..(!)..q.e.d..eh..?..

and i do agree that children/young teens should not use cannabis..but the realities of/from life under the yoke of a blackmarket in new zealand – is that by age 11-12 children know where the local tinny-houses are (or can easily find out)..

..in fact tourists starving for a smoke in far-flung parts of these empty-islands..would be well-advised to seek out surly-teenagers on bicycles as the best sources of that information..they for sure know where the local tinny-house is..

so once again the case for legalising/regulation is made..as this will make it much more difficult to get such easy access at such young ages..it’s a no-brainer..

..in finishing i would repeat what i urged above – that you become much more widely read on/about the realities of this drug..

..there is enough misinformation out there from the untutored and the self-serving..

..we don’t need scientists adding to the pile..eh..?)

Source: Nano Girl Michelle Dickinson: Study reveals bad news for toking teens – Opinion – NZ Herald News