LSD and PA members?

Let me put in my two joints...er, cents worth...

According to The Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA), the most highly respected organization of its kind, while it is true that marijuana can be (not is, but can be) a "gateway" to other drugs, the #1 gateway "drug" is...tobacco.  Pot is a close second, with alcohol a close third.

Re Syd Barrett, Mystic Fred's claim is ridiculous.  Barrett's psycho-emotional problems long pre-date his use of drugs: he was apparently misdiagnosed as a child, and had been suffering from a clinical condition for decades.

In this regard, the claim that marijuana or drugs can "cause" schizophrenia shows a complete lack of understanding of the disease.  Schizophrenia cannot be "caused" by anything - it is a bio-chemical condition of the brain.  And although it is possible - maybe - that marijuana or other drugs can "catalyze" a non-evident schizophrenia, there is far too little evidence to support this yet.

As well, it has not been noted yet that more people are addicted to - and/or abusing - prescription drugs than all illegal drugs combined.  And prescription drugs can have just as a serious an adverse effect on the brain and body as any illegal drug - indeed, they can often be worse, especially when taken in combinations.

I also want to provide some statistics re something that has been mentioned.

Tobacco-related diseases (lung cancer, throat cancer, emphysema, etc.) kill well over 500,000 people per year - in the U.S. alone.  And alcohol-related illness (cirrhosis, etc.) kills well over 100,000 people per year - in the U.S. alone.  And this does not include the 25,000-35,000 that are killed in drunk driving-related accidents.

In this regard, the smoking of marijuana has never been found to be the cause of death in a single person in the history of humankind, unless the marijuana was "tainted" with something else (PCP, etc.).  Nor have hallucinogens (LSD, mescaline, psylocybin) been found to be the cause of death of any person, unless these drugs were "cut" with something else (speed, meth, etc.).  And even if such cases could be found, more people die from snake bites and lightning.  Nor has anyone committed a crime – much less a violent crime – while under the influence of marijuana, again unless the marijuana was tainted, or the person was using other drugs as well.  Indeed, marijuana tends to make people somewhat more “docile” – while alcohol often brings out the “beast” in an otherwise passive person.  Finally, neither tobacco nor alcohol has been found to have any medical value at all (other than using alcohol in a pinch as a mild anesthetic).

Marijuana, on the other hand, has a number of proven medical uses.  It is used by glaucoma patients to ease pressure on the eyes.  It is used by cancer patients to ease the nausea associated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.  It is used by AIDS patients to ease nausea and increase appetite.  And because THC lowers blood pressure overall (there is a short spike in blood pressure at first, but after this, bp lowers significantly), it is now being used by cardiac patients.  Indeed, in this final regard, marijuana could end up saving thousands, perhaps millions of lives.

Marijuana and cancer?  Nope.  Although any foreign substance in the lungs is not a good thing, there has been no statistical correlation found between marijuana and lung disease.  In fact, consider the following.  The country of Jamaica - which has the highest per capita consumption of marijuana in the world - has one of the lowest lung cancer rates in the world.  Yet China - which has among the lowest per capita consumption rates of marijuana of any country - has one of the highest lung cancer rates in the world.  (It is no coincidence that the Chinese are rabid cigarette smokers.)  This single fact speaks volumes more than all the conjecture and paranoia of the anti-pot crowd.

Heroin, cocaine, crystal meth, MDMA.  These (and others) are the true dangers, the drugs that kill, that have no medical value, that should strike fear in the heart of every God-fearing (even atheist…LOL) person, and that should be kept out of the hands of every child (and adult).

This does not mean that other drugs – marijuana, hallucinogens, etc. – are necessarily “good.”  But it is important that we deal in facts and not fear.  “Just say no” was not simply an abject failure; based on demographic statistics throughout the U.S. over an extended period, it actually drove more teenagers to say “yes” – since kids often use a form of “reverse psychology” when confronted with authority.