Marijuana!! A Aussie's perspective and a few FACTS!!

Let me first start by saying that I am a Pro-Marijuana supporter, but saying that i will try and be non-bias and only supply facts and also personal opinions.

For many years debate has been raging on Marijuana, Is it good? Does it have health benfits? Does it lead to stronger drug use? Should it be legalised or should there be stronger laws to outlaw it with stronger penalties?

I have personally smoked Pot (easier to write) for over 30 years, sometimes on a daily basis, other times i wont smoke it for months.

What is Marijuana (Pot,MaryJane,Dope Cannabis,Hemp and so on) and a brief History!

 Cannabis (/ˈkænəbɪs/) is a genus of flowering plant that includes three species  or subspecies, sativa, indica, and ruderalis. The plant is indigenous to central Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis

Artists drawing of the 3 natural strains

 Cannabis Sativa appears naturally in many tropical and humid parts of the world. Its use as a mind-altering drug has been documented by archaeological finds in prehistoric societies in Euro-Asia and Africa. 

The Earliest written record of Cannabis use was written by Greek historian Herodotus's reference to the central Eurasian Sycthian's taking cannabis steam baths around 404BC. Through history the Greeks and Roman's have documented using Cannabis, while in the middle east and also widely spreed thru the Islamic Empire through to North Africa.

In 1545 it was brought to the western world from Chile by the Spaniards to be used for its fibre and also North America for rope, clothing and paper manufacture.

Cannabis in its many forms has been used for thousands of years by many cultures for various reasons, for medial, spiritual, recreational and for the manufacture of goods, such as paper, clothing and rope products.

It has been found in acient tombs in china dating back 2700 yrs, The Hindus of India about 2000 BCE referred to Cannabis as "The Food of the GODS".

The are many many more cultures in our recent and ancient history that have used Cannabis in some form.

If you would like to read more in depth about Cannabis read the wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis

there you will find links to history and about ever aspect of it .

The Modern Twist on Cannabis.

Ok one of the myths

You can overdose on Marijuana?

This is simply physically impossible, to overdose on Marijuana you would have to smoke approx 1500 pounds of Marijuana in 15 minutes, (I'm good, but dang not that good) and you would die of carbon monoxide poisoning first. Can blame the plant on that one can we!!

So far there is no reported death related directly to Cannabis intake in the world.

Compare this to alcohol(which is legal in the majority of countries in the world) just in America 88,000 deaths are attributed to alcohol, In Australia on average 15 people a day die as a direct use of alcohol!

Makes you think what should be legal and what should be illegal doesn't it !!

Cannabis is being studied by many scientists and academics for possible health benefits and treatments of many serious diseases and illnesses, these are still studies running and are still not completed.

 

It may help reverse the carcinogenic effects of tobacco and improve lung health.

 According to a study published in Journal of the American Medical Association in January 2012, marijuana does not impair lung function and can even increase lung capacity. 

 

It can help control epileptic seizures.

 Marijuana use can prevent epileptic seizures, a 2003 study showed. 

 

It also decreases the symptoms of a severe seizure disorder known as Dravet's Syndrome.

A bit about Dravet Syndrome (a terrible infant version of epileptic seizures)

 

THC slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

 The 2006 study, published in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics, found that THC, the active chemical in marijuana, slows the formation of amyloid plaques by blocking the enzyme in the brain that makes them. These plaques are what kill brain cells and cause Alzheimers. 

 

The drug eases the pain of Multiple Sclerosis.

 Marijuana may ease painful symptoms of multiple sclerosis, a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in May suggests. 

 

Marijuana might be able to eliminate Chron's diseases

 A recent study in Israel showed that smoking a joint significantly reduced Chron's disease symptoms in 10 out of 11 patients.

 

Pot soothes tremors for people with Parkinson's disease

 Recent research from Israel shows that smoking marijuana significantly reduces pain and tremors and improves sleep for Parkinson's disease patients. 

There are so many more benefit's it would need at least another 50 post's..  LOL

But in all seriousness, there are so many positive's and yes i know studies are still being done, but IMO it is too serious to just label as illegal and convict people on those grounds, even for recreational us, how many people you know smoke a few bongs or joints and go out fighting ?? zero!! Compare that to at the local pub on a friday night, Its like friday fight night!!

Yes there needs to be controls and legislation to cover things like drive a motor vehicle under the influence, just like with alcohol.

Like i said I have smoked for over 30 yrs, always have always will, its like anything, USE YOUR COMMON SENSE !!