Question by Henry: Is there a good argument, backed by facts or statistics against marijuana’s legalization?
I don’t use but I do support people’s right to. I always thought medical marijuana was a little bit of a joke until I realized from my aunt how horrible chemotherapy is. We live in Texas and my aunt is in almost constant agony. She is not expected to live but we are hoping. I see medical marijuana patients praise and adore it not because it gets them high but because it’s the only thing that’s guaranteed to work instantly and consistently. And cancer medication is EXTREMELY expensive, weed is dirt cheap and there’s no risk of O.D or dependency.

Every study or article i come across debunk’s the traditional view of marijuana being a bad drug. One study said that small amounts of THC actually INCREASE one’s driving skill because you become very cautious and aware. No one’s ever going to O.D on weed alone and even the smoke is widely believed to be harmless since pot smokers have virtually none of the health problems cigarette smokers do. Another study says weed decreases your chances of getting badder cancer.

The only negative i come across is bronchitis but even then that’s hardly anything compared to lung or liver cancer since it’s not even permanent.

I think that the smoke has to have some bad effect but then what do you say to people who use vaporizers? They’re becoming a lot more popular and everyone says a vaporizer is better than smoking in every single way. And of course hemp can make clothing, hemp paper, hemp milk, hemp oil, it’s almost as diverse in it’s uses as soy.

I honestly think lobbyists help to keep it illegal as well. (one of the few conspiracies i actually believe) and i think that legal weed would put Shady Carlos from the inner city out of work. Also wouldn’t decriminalizing weed take away that forbidden fruit aspect? Cigarettes are far less appealing now that people have been educated with actual facts.

My aunt says if she had weed, she’d use it to try and get some of her life back. So I’m unsure as to whether or not i would give my own aunt pot! lol.
What do you guys think?

Best answer:

Answer by Douglas S
There are no “statistics” or “facts”, because large scale marijuana use in a major country has never been tried.
No one can answer the question as no one can give facts or figures for a post apocalyptic world.
There has been no apocalypse.
(Purposefully dramatic to make a point.)
Medical marijuana for palliative care should probably be ignored, if not condoned outright.
That’s my opinion.
The problem will be some snarky wit who claims we’re all going to die anyway….

As for driving stoned, I know better.
I’d guess most people alive in the US today, know better, too.
It isn’t safe, and having a stoner holding his head and mouthing: “Whoa, Dude!” at an accident sight, is not as good as preventing the accident.

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Alcohol detox is what happens when the toxic buildup from alcohol abuse is removed from the patient’s body. In an alcohol detox center, the person is treated both to eliminate the alcohol and to manage their withdrawal symptoms. For some people, these withdrawal symptoms can include sweating, panic attacks and anxiety, nausea and vomiting, and hallucination. Most symptoms are merely uncomfortable, but in some cases they can be fatal. The seriousness of someone’s withdrawal symptoms depends on how deep their addiction goes. If you are addicted to alcohol, you should know more about alcohol detox centers and what goes on inside them. Here’s a chart that demonstrates the need for alcohol detox in America. .

Some alcohol detox centers are holistic in nature, but many offer medication to manage the worst of the withdrawal symptoms (such as hallucination and delirium tremens, and seizures). The drug administration phase of an alcohol detox program is closely monitored to make sure that the person doesn’t become addicted to the drug that is supposed to be helping them. A few alcohol detox centers even offer a detox option where the addict is under light sedation through most of the detoxification process, making the withdrawal symptoms as easy to take as possible.

The drug dosage is highest on the first day of treatment, when the withdrawals are the worst. The dose is gradually decreased until it’s stopped entirely. If someone is using medication to help in their alcohol detox program, they should not drink. Using alcohol while in an alcohol detox center is not only counterproductive, it can be dangerous if the alcohol interacts with the medicine. Care must be taken so that the alcoholic doesn’t come to depend on the drugs and end up subsi

Many people, although they succeed in their alcohol detox program, never really lose the compulsion to drink. An alcohol detox center’s services help with the physical side of alcohol addiction, and can only work when they are used along with mental health counseling and behavior modification therapy. 12-step programs are a great way to get the companionship and moral support the addict needs. Many twelve-step programs have a faith-based or spiritual component, because faith in a higher power has been shown to help heal an addiction.

When the patient leaves the alcohol detox center, they will need more help and continued support. Without it, many alcohol abusers go right back to drinking. It takes a lot of time and effort to break an addiction to alcohol. If you or someone you know has a drinking problem, don’t be embarrassed to seek help. There are programs in your area that can help you overcome your addiction, and your doctor will be able to find the right alcohol detox center for you.

Continued alcohol abuse can lead to addiction and alcoholism. An alcohol abuser’s urge to drink is so strong that they can’t overcome it on their own- they can’t stop drinking even though it’s ruining their work and social lives, their relationships, their finances, and their health. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse is a disease that if left untreated can be fatal.

An alcohol abuse problem that hasn’t progressed to full-blown alcoholism is called alcohol dependence- the person’s body has adapted to the presence of alcohol and needs it to function normally. When an alcohol abuser suddenly stops drinking, they can suffer painful and debilitating withdrawal symptoms. The longer a person has been abusing alcohol, the more harsh their withdrawal symptoms will be. Here are some withdrawal symptoms the alcohol abuser needs to be aware of:

• Elevated heart rate

• Tremors

• Excessive perspiration

• Vomiting and nausea

• Insomnia

• Anxiety and restlessness

• Hallucinations

• Seizure

Alcohol abusers, while not yet true alcoholics, can still suffer health and social consequences and they still have a chance to bring their drinking under control. However, even though alcohol abuse isn’t as severe as alcoholism, it isn’t a safe way to drink. According to the NCADD (National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence), over 18 million Americans have an alcohol abuse problem. Of all US traffic crashes that involve fatalities, alcohol plays a role in almost half of them. The distinction between an alcohol abuser and an alcoholic isn’t much consolation to someone who’s just lost a loved one to a drunk driver.

It isn’t always easy to tell if someone is a real alcoholic, but there are signs that can be seen. Not all alcoholics have all these symptoms, and because of the secretive nature of some alcohol abusers, it will be hard to find some of them. Here’s what friends and family should be looking for:

• A person who only drinks alone, or keeps their drinking a secret.

• The person not having the ability to stop at one or two drinks.

• Blackouts (full or incomplete) where the drinker has no memory of what has happened.

• The drinker will get annoyed when something takes away from their opportunity to drink.

• The person will give up hobbies and other things in order to drink more.

• An alcohol abuser will get irritable when they are unable to drink.

If you or a family member is an alcohol abuser that has not reached the point of real alcoholism, you may see some of these symptoms, except for the withdrawals and the strong compulsion to drink. If the alcohol abuser has built up a tolerance and they are unable to stop drinking without help, they have become an alcoholic. If you aren’t sure, here are some questions you need to ask:

• Do you wake up in the morning wanting a drink?

• Does your drinking make you feel guilty enough to want to hide it?

• Do you often think “I should quit drinking or at least cut back”?

• Do you get angry or annoyed when people talk about your drinking habit?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, you may be an alcoholic or an alcohol abuser and you should seek help.

It isn’t always easy to tell if someone is a real alcoholic, but there are signs that can be seen. Not all alcoholics have all these symptoms, and because of the secretive nature of some alcohol abusers, it will be hard to find some of them. Here’s what friends and family should be looking for:

• A person who only drinks alone, or keeps their drinking a secret.

• The person not having the ability to stop at one or two drinks.

• Blackouts (full or incomplete) where the drinker has no memory of what has happened.

• The drinker will get annoyed when something takes away from their opportunity to drink.

• The person will give up hobbies and other things in order to drink more.

• An alcohol abuser will get irritable when they are unable to drink.

If you or a family member is an alcohol abuser that has not reached the point of real alcoholism, you may see some of these symptoms, except for the withdrawals and the strong compulsion to drink. If the alcohol abuser has built up a tolerance and they are unable to stop drinking without help, they have become an alcoholic. If you aren’t sure, here are some questions you need to ask:

• Do you wake up in the morning wanting a drink?

• Does your drinking make you feel guilty enough to want to hide it?

• Do you often think “I should quit drinking or at least cut back”?

• Do you get angry or annoyed when people talk about your drinking habit?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, you may be an alcoholic or an alcohol abuser and you should seek help.

Drug Enforcement Agnecy (DEA) – http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/index.htm
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) – http://www.samhsa.gov/
National Institue of Health (NIH) – http://www.nih.gov/