HOW DOES MARIJUANA AFFECT THE BRAIN?

i am 14 i smoke alot of weed and i have add and ever since i have been going to school high my grades have been going up

P.S i dont smoke weed to escape life ..i do it to enhace life

I have smoked weed sence i was like 12 and Im 18 now.
I never had good grades and it made me lazy.
but without it life sucks, I mean it makes food,movies and sex better.
So i choose to smoke.

i've read people talking about a "dreamy" state of mind. THINK PPL. thats the reason a lot off people smoke anyways. im 17 and have been smoking straight up everyday for 3 years.the date is Mon June 29 and i got caught 3 days ago by my mom. she cried and made me feel bad. it was a pretty bad day and now im getting tested every week until i go to college. but i must say you could never replace every second i was high. i havent felt any short term memory loss other then my own stupidity. not everyone is smart and not everyone has good short-term memory function. so instead of blaming the drug, blame yourself. and u like to eat more to which is a plus for everyone.

Im 19 and smoked marijuana since i was 10, and i never had all that stupid shit you guys/people are talking about. You need to have control of marijuana, dont let it control you..

well let me tell you from some experience.

Marijuana can be a good or a very bad drug for you.

If your and anxious person like me you shouldnt take marijuana.

I used something simular to marijuana that does the same as it does.

And i couldnt sleep normal for a month and a half.

i kept waking up from sleep every day.

when i would wake up id have extreme memory problems like: i didnt know where i was and who i was.

then i had depersonalisation and thats when i had to go and see the doc

they put me on antpsychotics.

NOW THERE MARIJUANA IS A BAAAAD DRUG.

and just because you dont have memory problems you most likely will suffer with psychological problems later on wether you like it or not.

Recently, as in two days ago, I smoked weed. I have only smoked weed maybe 10 times in my whole life and i'm 18 years old. every time I smoke weed I get this forgetful feeling the next few days as if I can not remember things that have just happened hence "loss of short-term memory". It is disgusting to me and I am no longer smoking weed, indefinitely. when you want to make a future for yourself and want to attain the edge in today's society that means retaining knowledge. how could you do that if you can't remember what just happened. I am not saying that people can not function on weed I am just saying, wouldn't you rather get it the first time then having to study 10 times harder than you would've had to? I have sat back and watched weed affect the lives of a close few friends. one in particular reeks of weed everyday and is one of the most non self motivated people i know. the only reason he is going to attempt school is for football. and as far as legalizing it, I don't know about anyone else but my mind turns immediately to the leaders in this country whether they be politicians, principles, CEO's, or your parents. weed has the possibility of affecting and hindering their decisions and that directly translates to a shift in the paradigm. Allotting space for human error and passing legislature that shouldn't be passed, false sentencing, uncanny punishments and the list goes on. If we allow weed and other mind altering substances to be accessed and used by the people of America then we also commence in the beginning of the fallout of a beautiful country. I am not willing to take that chance or support that decision. some things in this world, organic or not are just not meant to be.

if you want to fuck your life up through away your dreams and ambitons smoke pot.

Smoking marijuana causes no lasting effect on the brain, it does not make you more susceptible to trying harder drugs like heroin and cocaine. Marijuana is probably the most versatile plant on the planet and the fact that its illegal is just plain ridiculous.

Viewers, who are read this post, please take into consideration to read my comment. The whole reason someone would even read this article is because their probably worried about marijuana's negative effects. Well I can tell you from personal experience with this very substance, that cannabis horribly affected my life. Now I know many people would disagree with statements made by me and the author of this post, but the truth of the matter is marijuana affects different people, different ways. This difference can be split into three different categories, people with positive effects, people with neutral effects and people with negative effects. All I'm trying to say is anyone even being concerned about marijuana risks shouldn't even be using it! You either love it greatly with all your might or absolutely hate yourself for trying it. If you are one of the worried type, that thinks his or hers career, loved ones, state of mind, or overall enjoyment of life is in jeopardy, you should stop using marijuana completely. If you are one that loves to get stoned, that thinks he or she can handle their career, loved ones, state of mind, or overall enjoyment of life then you should smoke that sh** every dam day! Marijuana isn't for everyone, and sometimes your actions can cost you more than you think. I support both sides, legalize or not, you have the choice and decision to use Marijuana. It’s just a matter of time that will tell you if you really lived your life like you wanted it to be. Your overall outcome of life success will be vividly shown over the years to come. Peace & Love.... Remember LIFE RULE'S!

I am 16 years old.
I have been smoking since I was 12 years old.
I started with my old bestfriend Kassie and her mom.
It was amazing, it was like I was like in anohter world. I was having the time of my life and then when I got inside I just slammed on like 45 hotwings. ((:
I was trippen out, I got on Myspace and told everyone. It was something that I would never forget. HONESTLY.
A few days later my mom came to my school to get me because I had a Doctor's appointment, so I thought. As we got into the car she started crying and I asked her "what's wrong?" and she said "Lindsey what happen at Kassie's party?"
And all hell broke lose I told her everything that happend and her and my father were very mad, sad and the worst, dissapointed. It was one the worst/craziest times of my life.
Well Im going to be a Jr now and weed has been a HUGE part of my life. These days its anywhere and everywhere. And so many people can get it, easily. But its a matter of how you think honestly weed is addicting but you have that choice to say yes or no. So be yourself and dont follow your heart and not your friends like I do.
---Onelove(:
Lind$ey.

I smoked weed for a month

kids teens people dont smoke it it will screw ur life up
u get that feeling once u really get "high" then ur brain functions suck ur reaction times suck and ur life feels "dreamy" dont smoke anything not even cigs

I need to find out how to reverse this dreamy feel... anyone help?

People use weed as an excuse for everything now-a-days. I guess some people use it to relieve stress. Right? Well whats going to happen when their high is gone? The dude who said he smokes weed every single day says he doesn't have any symptoms or changes of the body. Right? Im sure he's saying that because its HIS BODY!!! OTHER PEOPLE MAY NOTICE THE CHANGES IN YOUR BODY! YOU HAVE GOTTEN USED TO THE GRADUAL CHANGES MARIJUANA HAS DONE TO YOU! OTHER PEOPLE NOTICE! and the people who smoke weed with you and say your their friend or versatile, ARE NOT YOUR REAL FRIENDS CAUSE THEY ARE ENCOURAGING YOU TO SMOKE A POTENTIAL HARMFUL DRUG! Some scientist say that they have not found any harmful chemicals in the drug right? IM HIGHLY CONFIDENT THAT THERE ARE HIDDEN CHEMICALS IN IT THAT CAUSES MASSIVE CHANGE IN THE BODY. Scientist haven't found it yet, but its a matter of time before they do...
and this is coming from a 15 year old high school student....

As many others have commented from both the academic and public sector. This article is riddled with scientific error. Not worth going through the entire list. But as a science man when I hear things like, "So if one has to remember what he did five minutes ago, after smoking a high dose of marijuana, he has trouble.." Trouble? Where's the research to confirm these fictitious people had "trouble"? It's like those science people back in the day that tried to corlerate skin color with intelligence. Nonsense like that. If you don't like Cannabis don't smoke it. I wish this guy would write a paper on real problems like American obesity. End proabition. End war.

Why are the corporations always bad-mouthing marijuana? Because the "partnership for a drug free America " is sponsored by tobacco, liquor and pharmaceutical industries who fear the fre growing and use of an herb that would change their life and perception better than booze, butts and legal deadly drugs. More people die in America every day from legal drugs than illegal drugs. Even the creeps who make nylon rope fear America returning to those great days when rope was made of hemp. It's all got to do with money. Corporations don't give a damn about you. They want your money and marijuana is not in their control of what you do with your money. Corporations hire the ;politicians we elect who whore their conti nued laws against something that is better and cheaper for you than the rotten , addictive hard legal drugs they peddle. MARIJUANA is better for epilepsy than they deadly pharmaceutical drugs that the law and the drug company pushes on us plus a million other uses for marijuana that are AGAINST THE ESTABLISHMENT'S PROFIT MOTIVES JUST LIKE THE GREEDY INSURANCE INDUSTRIES WHO JUST BRIBED OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS--- TO KEEP THEIR UN-AMERICAN HEALTH PLANS ALIVE THAT KILL MOST AMERICANS----WITH $ 135,000,000 FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO KEEP MARIJUANA ILLEGAL AND OTHER SNEAKY IMMLORAL, UNETHICAL ASSAULTS AGAINST THE NAIEVE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
RIGG KENNEDYP---CITIZEN

P.S there are no actual peer-reviewed references here so I wouldn't consider it a viable source

Seriously like 73.9%+ of the United States of America smokes MARIJUANA.

|Not to be a labeler| But this is MOST an estimate, including everyday City Business workers (which 2/30 will do inside their house after work!).
Notice how so many teenagers and parents are doing marijuana secretly every single day of the week, month, and year. Half of the pot smokers know how the limit the usage of marijuana consumption.

There is even a Holiday in America where mostly every age from age 12-50+ smoke marijuana. You can see some videos on youtube.

If Legalized, there can be such an amount of weed you can consume a week. People that are addicting and smoking 20+ grams, will have these effects!
A smoke once and a while has no severe effect.

Before i started smoking weed i had a horrible speech impediment, i stuttered all the time. I smoked basically non-stop for 3 months and my stuttering went away compleately. I felt so much more confident in myself and i was always having fun. About two months ago we went on a rodie and were to blazed to realize we still had the bong in my car. somehow ended up in a park and a cop pulls up, sees the bong were busted. Ive been clean for 2 months now because of this bullshit and i dont feel like myself anymore. Ive noticed that my stuttering has been coming back. I really hope marijuana becomes legalized because thats the only thing that gave my life meaning and the fuckin government took it away.

MARIJUANA IS GOOD I DONT CARE WHAT ANYONE IN THE WORLD THINKS ABOUT IT OBOMA NEEDS TO GO AHEAD AND LEGALIZE THE STUFF AND BE DONE WITH IT

WEEEEEEED IS AWESOME I SMOKE EVERYDAY. ME AND MY PEOPLES LOVE TO SPLIT A OUNCE IN LIKE 2 DAYS ALL I GOT TO SAY TO EVERYONE THAT LOOKS AT THIS SITE.. SMOKE MOTHER FUCKING WEEED CAUSE THERE AINT NOTHING BETTER TO DO!! EVERYBODY TRIES AND EVERYBODY LOVES IT SO TELL YOUR FRIENDS TO GET SOME WEED AND SMOKE IT EVERY DAYYY !

today was the first day i used marijuana. i emptied out a cig and stuffed it with the drug. i tried it and nothing happened then as i was finishing the second one i started feeling it. i felt like i wasnt there like i was dreaming it felt good until i thought i was gonna die. i felt tired but i thought if i slept i wouldnt wake up. its been about 10 hours since i smoked it now and i feel like i still cant think straight and i cant remember clearly wat i did today or even an hour ago. is this gonna stay forever???

I smoke mary jane an average of five times a week. When I smoke, it helps me comprehend much more, and reveals things that i wouldn't understand or notice if I were sober. I say it needs to be legalized.

I smoke weed and i love it! I'm a white kid in 7th grade in jhs 185 lets see the fukin cops find me i smoke across the street from the school in memorial where all the kids smoke and the retarted teachers or security guards never say shit and if they REALLY don't see us their stupid cause we don't stop for nobody. I am a white boy and die to be black, and since weed i havn't been made fun of for being white but was treated like a cool black kid and i got into the best sp class 721 which is for the smartest kids in the school in 7th grade snd i love marajuana aka pot aka weed aka grass aka the shit and i just rote this to show you how stupid people are the cops dont give a fuck if they see this probably because they all do it too and yea bitches

dont listen to any one weed is something u can relax to chill out or just having a good night.i belive that weed only harms us and like me and sting we excpectd that and if i had the chance to go back in time and change to stop smoking weed i would not.i love u weed..........

p.s got any buds

hmmmmm well to start off i am a smoker. i have been smoking for like 3 1/2 years now! i love it. im always laughing and i am really social when i am high!! i dont see my self ever quiting! i happen to think im pretty smart and weed does not effect my memeory! i pass all my school test and i and valydictorian of my class!! so the research is wrong!

its as simple as everyone reactions to weed is different. i am a weed user love a smoke ,plays with my head a little in the morning but so what its a plant so fuk:P

First off this paper has so many mistakes in it i wouldn't put too much stock in it. Do your own research don't let peers and media say what is good or bad (and you have to get your research from a creditable source. Uncle Joe who has smoked pot all his life doesn't count because he is obviously bias and is addicted to the drug... so all of you with years of pot smoking under your belt are bias, sorry.)
Second i read 4 or 5 of your comments and you all have the typical pot-head comments. Open your eyes, you people treat pot as if it were your best friend, and in some really sad cases a god.
I am disgusted by people who treat pot as if it were a homeless beaten child out on the street. People who say they think or learn better while they are high is exactly like that one guy who says he drives better when he is drunk.
You weren't born with a lit bowl in your mouth so nature didn't intend for you to smoke the stuff... your lungs were meant for air and that is all!
I don't know how you can't see that you are a slave to a dried up plant. and i don't know how you can stand being that way.
That said its okay to have fun, its okay to get drunk, its okay to get high, its part of life that every one should experience but too much of a good thing is always bad! Use your fucking head!

And if you think i am wrong see if you can put the shit down for a week knowing you have it stuffed in your sock drawer... just one week... bet you cant...

oh yea everything is fucking natural it all fucking comes from fucking earth fucking oil is natural and so is fucking chlorine gas try inhaling that.

Oh one more thing get a job and cut your hair!

I am severely dismayed by the usage of this entire page. Several of the stated facts are clearly false, and this misinformation of the public is only amplified by the horrific grammar. And in response to the essay's overall message, I very strongly disagree with the format. I can understand why you might dislike or hate marijuana, but in a research paper your bias should not be so apparent and controlling of the point of the paper. And to comment on some of the reactions, some of the "proud potheads" are just as arrogant as that dumbass who took everything literally and used jumping off of the Empire State Building as an example of something with no upside. I even have a reason why that is beneficial- that creates one less virus of a human to corrupt and blasphemize the planet with its refuse and quite possibly exempts them from their personal problems. I have friends that are total assholes sober but are actually somewhat easy to deal with when high. They use that same arrogant tone to try and shoot down any of my ideas and I absolutely detest it. And I won't say that marijuana and THC have no negative effects on the body. I have seen them firsthand in the manner of wrecked lives that are going nowhere. However, these people should not have tried it to begin with. In order to get high, one has to have some brain cells to sacrifice. I have also seen several good reactions to marijuana and THC. It gives people just a moment to stop and catch their breath (which when under the effects of THC can be much deeper), even if just for a moment. That one moment can give somebody the opportunity to think through their dilemmas and relax. If anybody feels the need to respond to this, I warn that I'll never see it on this page. However, you may feel free to email me at rjndh@yahoo.com and I will do my best to respond.

ok so i was skating home from school and i saw some friends who were looking for money for weed one of them decided to rob someone so we all went in a v-gutter and waited he came back with some money and we called our guy we were walking to get it and the cops picked us up we went to jovie for awhile but the point is that we went to jovie because we wanted some nug.since ive gotten out ive gone from weed to ecstacy to aderall to coke to tweak then down to zanex then narcos then heroin ive gone way up and way down im 14 yrs. old and my parents have no idea. i love weed but it gets you addicted to getting high. and after a while it doesnt matter what it is your using to get fucked up its amazing but it has side effects.(then again so does food)

lol at the guy that says that marijuana doesn't do anything to your brain, and that it can function normally, even better, while using weed. i'm pretty sure that that guy is a lying internet addict

Look at all these posts! Every stoner in here, including me, is paranoid that the drug we love so much is bad for us. Well @#$% it! There are a lot of things that are bad for you, but everything is okay in moderation.

i reckon its sad how people can waste away there lives by smoking weed or even any drug for that matter. i had a friend who did exactly this. he wasnt just any friend though, he was my best friend. he started doing it around age 17, hanging out with the wrong crowd and just getting into alot of trouble. The hardest thing for me was just watching him go from a straight A student to a complete loser. Sometimes i tried confronting him about it by it just felt taboo so i just pretended he was okay, pretended like i didnt know. I wasnt going to say anything until he came to his senses and asked for help, like we used to when we were 10, always looking out for one another. eventually he became this distant figure, like a dream that i couldnt escape nor could end. we stopped hanging out eventually. when id see him around town with that zombie like face i'd almost want to beat him up for putting me through this only for it to end like it did. i would avoid him as he would stumble up to me asking for money to fuel his addiction. i would run away on purpose looking him in the eyes and just pushing him away. i felt horrible inside but i knew i was doing this because the pain of all those childhood memories we shared together as best friends would wizz through my head, and then looking at him they would cry out at me out of hopelessness and despair. essentially my friend became a slave to this drug and it was controlling and brain-washing him. sadly this long tagic dream would come to an end. one night like a nightmare i learnt that my friend had died from a toxic overdose of multiple drugs.

Wow people are funny. Can't we all just get along?
I agree with the above comment. WE ALL have bigger worries than arguing over who does what in THEIR lives and why. I doubt anyone has room to judge so lets stop being so judgmental.
I like marijuana and you don't or vice-versa... who cares.
There's really no reason to be getting so fired up about it.
Life is too short.
XOXO

I agree i dont think its right to judge stoners i may not have a 3.7 buy i have a 3.2 and i have been smoking everyday since i was 11 and i ahve no negtive long trem affects on me!

~peace, love, and pot!

As Smokey in Friday would say

"Man, ain't nothing wrong with smoking weed! Weed is from the earth. God put this here for me and you. Take advantage of it man. Take advantage."

But then again, that is just a film. That is exactly what all these potheads think they're in when they are getting high. They smoke it to get away from the real world because they are weak people and cant cope or they are so sad and depressed and pathetic with their crap lives they have to smoke it for fun.

Weed has negative effects on the brain and everyone knows it apart from drug users. Its obvious they are going to defend it and have a totally biased opinion.

And you say weed has never killed no one? WRONG!

a man who was a constant abuser of the drug killed his own wife in a rage of paranoia. A well known side effect of marijuna. Please dont tell me he would of done it anyway. No chance. Just like alcohol makes you a big and confident man and you'll walk to any girl across that club to chance your luck at taking her home for the night, weed also has its strange effects on the brain. I'll admit it effects everyone differently. Some people may have genetic properties that are far better at coping with the chemical compounds of marijuana. However, all in all, the majority of people will experience paranoia, a loss of realism, out of touch with the real world, short memory, verbal issues such as mumbling etc.

I have friend who i went to school with who smoked since they were 15 and i know longer speak to them because i feel absolutely annoyed having to listen to them slur on and i could read them a book in the time it takes them to read a sentence. This is all down to constant abuse of the drug. They also become anxious as well. Users of the drug may not realise it because once they have finished their high then they have forgotten what went on during it.

It is quite sad to see so many people have to use a drug to live a decent life. Funny how all the most successful people in the world dont use these drugs isn't it.

Its a harsh thing to say but maybe more people need to die from this drug in order for people to realise how dangerous it really is.

Anyway, each to their own, i bet there are people smoking a joint now while they read this and thinking "ghat(that) tuy(guy) has no idea what he is on about".

I am so infuriated by how the media and government make marijuana look. Alcohol is at least 10 times worse than marijuana. If you were to conduct this same study while a test subject was under the influence of alcohol, I'm sure the results would be FAR more devastating than marijuana. Everybody kind of just looks past alcohol because its socially acceptable and marijuana is not because of how the media and government portray it. I am growing very tired of all of this "war on drugs". I don't see any DEA raids going on with the brewery's of America. People often forget or aren't even educated that alcohol, believe it or not, is also a drug. An addictive drug at that. Marijuana has almost no addictive qualities. Its more of a habitual thing, such as playing a video game, or watching a certain television program, you do it because you enjoy it, not because your addicted. Also, i just want to let whoever is reading this know that i am only 15 years old, and i smoke marijuana from anywhere to every day of the week, to not smoking marijuana at all during a week. I have a B average in school.

LOOK AT IT THIS WAY, YOU TELL YOUR DOG TO GO ONE AND IT DOES BUT EVENTUALLY ITS GO GO BACK TO DOING WHAT IT WANTS UNTIL ITS FULLY TRAINED... THATS BASICLLY WHAT YOUR DOING TO YOUR BODY WHEN YOU SMOKE.. YOUR TRAINING IT TO GET USE TO THE SIDE EFFECTS... AND AS FAR AS DOIN GOOD IN SCHOOL IT HELPS YOU DO BETTER IF THATS WHAT YOU WERE DOIN IN THE FIRST.. YOUR JUS STUPID IF YOU LET IT FUCK YOU UP IN SCHOOL... WEED DOES MAKE YOU THINK HARDER ON THINGS BUT THE HARD PART IS REMEBERING WHAT YOU WAS THINKING ABOUT WHEN YOU WAS HIGH LOL IF YOU CAN DO THAT THEN YOU WAS MENT FOR THE DRUG.. JUST DONT USE IT AS A GETAWAY DRUG.. USE IT AS A THINKING DRUG BUT AT THE SAMETIME KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING TO YOUR BODY.

I would like to comment to all the "smokers" out there who think that pot doesnt affect them. I will tell you a short story. I grew up in the late 70's where pot was a staple of life. The only way to listen to good music was to be high, the only way to tolerate my mom was to be high. Going to school high was the norm, as was smoking on the street with cops just up the block. The side affects for me were negligible. I am a college graduate and successful. I quit smoking when I became pregnant and realized that life is different when I didnt smoke. Now, my husband on the other hand has been smoking since he was 13 and has continued to this day. Never finished college but he is successful at work but family life is somewhat strained. He's kind of like the osterich. He smokes pot and thinks his worries will go away and really doesnt face them head on. His memory has gotten continuously worse also. Hey guess what, everytime we are getting ready to go somewhere, he disappears and finds a place to smoke a joint to get him thru the day. Those special times are times we are waiting in the car for Dad to come out, waiting for dinner for dad to come out, waiting to open Christmas presents because Dad has to smoke his joint before facing anything. It has become all consuming at least from this side of the fence. Im not saying not to smoke, all I am saying is dont let it interfere in the important things that life has to offer. Sometimes its good to feel the pain so we can mature and learn and grow as fathers,mothers, friends.

Signed;
An affected wife and mom!

I have been smoking pot for 6 months now everyday. I used to be anti-pot.. until I did some research and found out for myself what it actually did for me...so far, it has benefited me more than any other drugs I dabbled with...the great thing about it is its natural and has no side effects which comes with alchohal, illicit street drugs etc. And although it can be habit forming, I use it sparringly to make sure that when I do smoke pot, I am doing something enlightning, such as reading, watching a good movie, contemplate, sort out some issues, meditate, painting, writing or when I am stressed out and need to relax. I do however, find that when I talk to people, my words are jargoned and I cant formulate the right vocabulary or view point while induced... but other than that, when I am sober, life goes on, I am fine, happy and feel less aggravated, irritated, depressed, anxious and symptoms of my ADD is decrease... the loss of short term memory does occur... however, if one was to stimulate the mind enough and learn how to focus and divert attention on the subject at hand rather than allow the mind to wander off in lala land, the mind could very well expand if properly controlled and using techniques to build the brain function.

I also feel that when i am high on pot, I am more spiritual and tend to expand my consciousness which then helps to balance the right and left brain.. not only that, allow me to explore the inner space of my spiritual realm. makes me to question, who i am, what am I here for, what are my goals, and what can I do to achieve inner peace? while high, i question these things most people would not question while on any other drugs.... so i think it has benefitted me spiritually as well as mentally

as far as lung cancer.... i want to look into vapourizor as I heard it removes a big percentage of tar and toxic chemicals ....

I'm 31 years old. I've been smoking since I was 17. I smoke pretty much every day and am high even as I type this very sentence. Do I have memory problems? Occasionally, but who wants to remember everything anyway? Do I know that it's not healthy to inhale the smoke of any burning substance, regardless of what positive or enjoyable effects it may produce? Of course I do. So why for the past 14 years have I smoked virtually every single day? Because I love weed, plain and simple. Sure, I've quit a time or two. I quit once for a year. But I love weed. So I smoke. I love the smell, the taste, and the high of high quality bud. My life wasn't any better without it, and it isn't really any better with it. It's something I enjoy. BUT, if I can't get any for a week or two, that's ok. I don't get upset. I don't whine like a bitch. I don't suck d!cks in an alley like a crackhead fiending for rock to get some weed. I just wait until next week, or the next time one of my friends rolls a fatty. So, coming from a true smoker to all you people who think it's somehow healthy to smoke weed, WAKE UP! It's not. But if you're like me, you're going to smoke when you want to smoke anyway. And that's ok. One can say what they please, but alcohol is far worse for the individual as well as society as a whole than marijuana. It's in the statistics, you go dig them up. A wise man once said, "Why the fuck it's illegal, I don't know. Aspirin is perfectly legal but if you take thirteen of them motherfuckers it's gone be yo last headache!"

Good article - thanks for the knowledge! As for all you stoners gung-ho for smoking weed, quit bashing the article. Majority of you have claimed in doing so not only are you 'intelligent' and free from bad side effects, but also that your grades in college have improved significantly. News flash genius's - more than 75% (of this is a estimated percentage) of you spelled things incorrectly, had typos incessantly throughout your little rants along with disgusting grammar, and couldn't write sentences that flow correctly. Apparently, weed does affect your brain. If you enjoy getting high, well - good for you! On the contrary, if you enjoy getting high and then want to come up with fabricated theories and statistics about how weed is so healthy, well, just realize you're not fooling anyone. Do everyone a favor and when you get high, don't try to prove points or make an argument.

WOW! I really really hope some of you start to get it! And for every person who said "don't knock it 'til you try it", all I have to say is "been there, done that"! I suspect that some of you will get that it really doesn't matter if you are smart or dumb or successful or lazy or whatever... what matters is that by living life on marijuana's terms you are not living life on your own terms. Since it does feel good to be high,I would suggest that most users know it affects brain function on some level...otherwise what would be the point? So, knowing this, isn't it funny how we defend this drug like it is our best friend or our lover?

Environmentally speaking, marijuana crops ravage the environments they are grown in due to the fertilizers, etc that are used to ensure their potency... This is not a harmless drug that it just so fun for us...

All I have to say is that I hope for all of you stoners that someday you will get it and start living life for yourself instead of this plant, until then- enjoy your high! Ignorance truly is bliss!

I haven't smoked in 6 years because I joined the military, but I used to every single day. Weed effects everyone differntly. For me, the main benefit was it increasing my thought process and breaking it down. Second, time was slowed for me, I could prevent myself from falling because I saw it happening in slow motion, the exact opposite of alcohol where one second you're up, next second you're halfway fallen, 3rd second you're on the ground. But, to keep this short, everyone has different opinions, you can try it once or twice to try to get the smokers point of view, but that might not be enough. The fact is, you probably won't ever get it, and that's life. Some people lie Obama some like McCain, some people like hard stiff beds, some like it soft.

Hi, I'm a high school student and I have a few questions for anyone who smokes weed and does actually get like a 3.5 or higher GPA.
1) Can you go a day, a week or longer without smoking it and still maintain your grades and everything?
2) I think one of the main reasons why it's illegal is because not a lot of people, especially if they live in the city, have access to it unless someone brings it in. I can tell that people really benefit from the stuff so people might kill to get it. So where do you get it from?
3) Finally, when did you start? How were you before hand? And would you advise someone who was stressed or didn't have the best grades to smoke it?

BTW, I have been shuffling between 1st and second honors and i am involved in programs outside of school, including community service.

Ok. when i read this information im wondering what kinda of pot you used? did u lace it with anything? was it grown in anything? Or did you give the person the weed to smoke stem and seeds and all? did u clean it? Where is the test papers showing that you did this? In order for me to agree with anything that you have said id like to see the test. steps, process, info, everything.

I'm trying to make sense of wat happened to me when I was stoned.. Felt like everthing I was doing was scripted and played out, I was way over thinking everything in a really paranoid way it was like I was going insane... Was just wondering if there is anything I should be worried about??? Any helpful info would be great

weed is the right stuff to be smoking it is good for your body an it gives you better lungs

Anyone who says weed has no effects on the brain and memory loss is in great denial from marijuana. I smoked for ten years and every time I got high my memory was altered severely. So you users that keep wanting to defend marijuana, maybe it's time to get your self analyzed and quit being so blind and ignorant.

Alot of people smoke pot to escape from reality of the real world. Smoke it for over twenty years daily and then tell me it's not addictive. I know people who smoke all the time and if you ever get to have a one on one conversation with them they will tell you how hard it is to get off it and because of this they don't...and I'm not talking about casual smokers or those who have done it for a few years , I'm talking all day all night and for decades. I know I was one of them. Don't kid yourself.. marijuana is addictive and in the long run it will fuck you up in more ways than one.

im in high school and im a chronic user and i find that it helps me in school. Ive smoked weed since grade 5 and now im in grade 10.in science my mark went from a 35% to a 79% in 2 weeks ....so from me weed is AWSOME

Marijuana is good. Beware my friend for it is also...evil

all haters are just ignorant. smoke a joint lay back and let the good times roll.

Evendentally you have not been around alot of people that smoke. If I were to put a list in front of you, and gave you 2 minutes to look at them, then tested them on you, how many would you get right? More than likely the last set. Those are the ones that the brain is going to remember the most. It is not just the pot smokers. The problem with this is that you used two people. That is not enough to do a case study. I can watch a show and could not tell you what they were wearing. I am paying closer attention to the story line that their clothes. Not many people could answer that. I do not even smoke, and think that this paper is what is not helping with the enevitable. More people die from the use of alcohol and cigarettes. I have never heard of anyone dying from an overdose of marijuana. I know people that do their job alot better, school work and concentrate better when they are high. You are generalizing. I have been around it for the past 41 years and what you saying in this paper, I have never witnessed. The only time that this paper is slightly correct, from experience, is if you smoke a high quanity. Most that I know, use it to relax or concentrate.

Ive been with a hard-core stoner for 7 years. He has done more lethal drugs, such as coke, acid and stuff like that( he is 40 years old, no light weight). As have I. I haven't smoked up in 7 years. My hubby has tried to quit but goes through such bad withdrawals. You can't say that it isn't addictive cos it is. VERY ADDICTIVE. The mood swings are so tremendous, chills, aches and pains, cold sweats. He quit Dec 2008 and was back to smoking less then 2 months later. He is trying to quit again, and lets just say it has been hell in our house. It does make your reflexes slower, and tends to cause more accidents then driving sober. Have you ever realized why you feel so different when stoned???..its just like alcohol, impairing your judgement, by poisoning your body...duh meat heads. In Ontario Canada, a cops can take you in for a blood test to check for drugs, and if they are found in your system, you will get handed the same punishment as with impaired by alcohol. Quit being burn outs, no matter what...your only making excuses for yourself. And yeah it does cause memory damage...I see it first hand..answering the same question 4 times in an hour is proof..

well do ma have affects on your memory im not a smoker or pot head but im curious

hey my name is darkgoddess and i have been smoking since i was 9 and im 19 i cant go one day with out smoking it and my boyfriend is 26 and he can go 5 days with out it and i dont see how the fuch he can do it.

weed is good for you and you should smoke it every chance you get

I personally don't think weed should be judged in any way. You have to act as if were a human being. If you, an anti-marijuana person, were being told that you were no good by someone who didn't even know you, you would be pretty pissed and probably think, "Hey man, I don't know you, and you don't know me, so why don't you shut the hell up and start running your mouth once you've met me." Right?

Right. So I think it's wrong for people to say "Oh, you are just some hippy who can't even focus on reality." and stuff like that. If you haven't smoked pot before, then just keep quiet until you have, because I guarantee that you will enjoy it.

Weed was perfectly legal until the early 1930's all because of some paranoid old hag who thought immigrants were going to kill him.

Who says God didn't smoked weed himself he created it and sounds like a pretty chill guy to me it could take allot of grass to keep that chill

Okay,
So first off, I've read through the first two pages of responses, along with the work itself. I believe it is obvious that every person varies on an intellectual sprectrum, basing my evidence on the fact that many of the bloggers and the author NEED to work on their grammar. Secondly, I am an avid marijuana user and believe that the drug has actually enchanced my psychological capabilities. I think all of the time and realize actualities consistently (e.g. ever notice how governments act very similarly to mafias with taxes and rights...). Marijuana produces different effects on everybody for the reason that we are all individuals. It doesn't make you dumber, just allows others to appropriately percieve you for who you are; meaning if your naturally dumb or uneducated, I believe it is clearly evident through your actions while under the influence. Anyways, dont judge or publish false evidence because it does nothing but influence societies. And monsters are created from societies...

I have a boyfriend of 19 years old hes about to be 20 on july and hes been smoking weed since 12 years old and just now he realice that he forgets things and he smiles like a retarted person and when hes talking about something and he doesnt remember what he was saying or hes going to get something and when he goes and get it hes like why did i came here for dummmmmm he work,but am surprice hes able to work cuz he has a really bad brain but i dont know if smoking weed hase to do with his ACTITUDE he has a realy bad actitude and when he dont smoke hes allways mad every little noice gets him mad what do you gays think what can anybody tell me if weed hase to do with his actitude?

wow i can't begin to start i just read like half of these replies and i would like to say i have smoked weed for 2 years about that and my dad has just found my bowl..... lol yea and he told me to quit now scene being on weed my average has gone from a 75 80 to a high honor student with a 92 first quarter 93 second and 94 third ....this year going towards the fourth i wonder will i be right there still or what..... please comment i'm 16 and im typing right now and this has spell check right on it lol to the people talking about spelling

Listen i just started smoking this past year and i'm really tired of people judging me and others who do/have done it. i believe you should try it atleast once... i mean its a free country if you dont like it than dont do it but if someone does it and there responsible and get there shit done then there shouldent be any Problems because im a Sophmore in college and the semester i smoked i actually did better than in any other semesteri rased it from a 3.6 to a 3.9 GPA so please all of you people who think they earned the right to judge please stop because smoking weed doesn't make me or anyone else a bad person. ?Thanks, Mike

I have been smoking on and off over 3 years, and have recently been smoking at least 3 times weekly. I haven't noticed any changes, neither for better or for worse. In the end, I think that the side effects are largely influenced by a person's expectations. If you think your grades will go down because you toke, then they will. I havent had a change in my grades, my test scores are above average, and I got a 1700 SAT, which is not bad. Personally, I like smoking. It gives me some time to think before I go to bed, lets me relax and reflect on life. If you toke, have fun. If you don't, have fun. Either way, life is great.

any1 who protests against weed has probably never done it before

ive never done weed but i really want to

Sure, maybe marijuana isn't as harmful as other drugs or no one or few people are know to have killed anyone when high on marijuana. However, marijuana nests itself in users lives, just as any other drug does. It may not be physically addictive like other drugs, but it is psychologically addictive, which is exactly like a habit one can't break, but worse. If you do smoke marijuana or if you were to smoke marijuana, you're putting your life in the hands of a controlling drug. Now, I'm not necessarily saying that you could die from marijuana, but rather you aren't living. Sure you're alive, but you're just wasting your time, getting high instead of going out in the world and doing something productive.
I know some people who smoke marijuana. One of them is schizophrenic and thinks her neighbor is going to kill her, so she moved several places - even though she couldn't afford it - and dragged her husband around with her, who also smokes marijuana. Their lives are no where near worth bragging about, for they live away from the rest of society with their not-so-lovly house and dogs, smoking pot to pass the time.
So those of you who do smoke marijuana, ask yourselves this: Do I really want to continue smoking and spend my time getting high, or would I rather like to make my life productive, maybe see the world, and get out of that secluded little room where I smoke and hide my joint?

P.S. THC, the active chemical in marijuana, can stay in the body for up to 3 weeks.

Marijuana is strange. It makes everything unreal. I still can't put my finger on it. It's not quite as simple as JUST zapping short-term memory. There are a lot of things that occur that can be really confusing and strange--psychedellic. When I'm high my body and my mind turn into a living playground. I can literally walk around while listening to music, and feel as though I am experiencing the music in a profound way. Similarly, if I read or write while blazed, I'll experience it more vividly. Associative memory is STRONGLY enhanced when you're high. I can get the nuttiest--or the most profound--idea for a story or a poem when I'm high all because of looking at a tree.

When done in moderation, marijuana is FINE. Indeed, probably even RECOMMENDED. It provides a different mode of perception, and I would argue even of consciousness. It profoundly alters your state of mind. And it's not wrong to want to go to a different place once in a while.

Those who write that all marijuana does is make you stupid because of the memory-loss don't know it has some positive effects as well.

yes it does take it from me.try smoking 3 grams a day and dont tell me its not going to effect you.you guys only smoke .2 under probably jus a bowl a day and you people dont have any effects.but yes it does effect.

i totally agree what the doctor has to say about the effect that marijuana has on the mind and emotions.your pot head minds are jus so closed up with marijuana use that you will never see what is going on with your brain and emotions.i was once a very articulate memory sensory person until i introduce myself to marijuana.what you people dont understand is that when you become oprone to marijuana use u actually shut off your emotions and memory way to become a person.i cannot really concentrate on stuff that i do know it takes up to five seconds to relaize what is actually going on when before it was an automatic thing.the reason why you have such an argument to it is because of you small amount of marijuan use..for example witht he first bulletin starting with ''i smoked pot straight now since i was 13 years old im 25 now i smokeit everyday literally trough a bong.''he say i smoked pot straight now since''really way to concentrate...it has effected me alot and now sick of it.theirs times when dont know what iam saying...you havent gotten to the point where you brain hurts for constantly then shut the fuck up....marijuana is a powerful drug and the effects are tremendous when in taking much inside the brains nurologigial europia sensormy meormory thing a migie.before this argument would be so articulate where you would say this guy never smoked weed what a faggot..iam done now cause dont know what iam thinking bye dont smoke weed really effects your brains.dnt belive try smoking 5 grams a day for 8 years...

I have a Grandson who has begun smoking m.j. for about three or four months and he is failing 10th grade. All he wants to do is be with his friends and skip school. You tell me what has happened after smoking m.j. Very concerned.

ok. so this person really dooesnt seem to know a whe lot about the plant itself, so why would you listen to what they have to say? i mean, how many people smoke the leaves of a marijuana plant? only if youre hard up for the stuff. the part that is usually smoke is the bud. (where the seeds are)

sometimes i think the drug companies are making up bad stuff against marijuana... its a big threat to drug companies though.

London, Apr 19 : Researchers at the Harvard Cancer Center in Boston, Massachusetts, US have revealed that the active compound in marijuana, tetrahydrocanabinol (THC), may slow the growth of lung tumours, and reduce the spread of the cancer in mice.

The preliminary study found that human lung cancer tumours grew less in mice, which were given temperate doses of the mix.

The researchers expect that drugs made from the compound can be a possible cure for the disease.

Lead researcher, Ramesh Ganju, said that that THC restrains cancer growth by stopping the development of blood vessels within the cancer.

“Previous tests on human lung cancer cells in a dish suggested that THC blocked the signalling of a substance known as epidermal growth factor (EGF). Under normal circumstances, EGF may promote blood vessel development,” New Scientist quoted Ganju, as saying.

Previous studies have also found that THC can contract brain tumours. Yet, experts warn people against smoking marijuana.

“I wouldn’t advise that. It could make the cancer grow faster,” said Ganju, noting that THC might trigger breast cancer.

He added that that ” lot of work needs to be done” before scientists fully understand how THC acts on tumours.

Some studies have found no connection between cannabis use and cancer, and some have concluded that that cannabis smoking is ‘more harmful’ than tobacco because the smoke is taken in deeply into the lungs.

I thinks it's funny that people say that weed does this, but doesn't do that, or it has side effects while others say there are none. Everyone has their own experiences, just because you have a good or bad experience doesn't mean everyone else will experience the same thing as you. Everyone has their own opinions. Nobody is right or wrong. For one person, maybe weed contributes to memory loss and maybe it doesn't. Maybe weed makes sex better, maybe not. I respect everyone's decision, whether they choose to smoke or not, because like I said before, everyone is different, but just because you don't smoke weed, that doesn't make you a better person than someone who does smoke.

heyy
i am a young girl who has a dad who is addicted to drugs..
all i have to say is it toatally ruins your life..
and in a way it has ruined mine and effected it alot soooo..
what im trying to say is ..
the world we live in today does not need "drugs" to add on to our problems,
i mean maybe wayy back then god put it on earth not expecting us
to grow this much so quickly.. but the world we are in now .. its just stupid to do it is also agaisnt the law and obviously unhealthy...so why do it?
my dad regrets IT ALL !
and when people say mary jane isnt addicting...........
marajuana ISNT PHYICALLY ADDICTING ITS MENTALLY ADDICTING SO WHEN YOU HEAR “IT IS NOT ADDICTING,GO HEAD TRY IT … ´they are wrong !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
im just trying to help !

thanks
-Reighan

i dont really think weed is like a bad drug but it kinda does effect your body. but all i gota say is i havn't done anything stupid or none that shit from smoking. but for some people that smoke and cant handle their high are stupid they need to learn to control it. well drinking is more worse because when your drunk you do all kinds of stupid shit and act like a dumb ass..

High doses of marijuana can result in hallucinations. Marijuana smokers experience the same health problems as tobacco smokers such as bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchial asthma. Extended use is associated with anti-motivational syndrome, lung damage, and risk to reproductive systems.

I agree with what he said, because its true some people do have a bad trip out...and some dont, it just depends how you grow your shit or whos lacing your shit with bare chemicals or other substances in it..because those things play a huge roll to how you behave.

The test with student a and student b had no baseline to compare
Doesn`t sound like a proper test

Well I have to say that MJ is simply an amazing thing.
My life has been horrible and when I started smoking I got a completely new view on things. I made me relax and truly enjoy life for what it is, it makes the simply mundane task seem so important.
If it wasn't for MJ I would probably have committed suicide.

If it was legalize think of all of the billions of dollars the government could make by taxing and distributing it.

And hey I have anorexia but thanks to MJ I have been getting a healthy appetite.

Sure it makes me feel like time is going crazy fast, and it makes me laugh a lot, and it makes me sleepy. So what? Isn't that the POINT of being high? To feel that way? If it didn't do that then no one would smoke it and we wouldn't be debating over it.

Now I happen to think that this was very well written and not dumbed down like all stoners apparently act like.

and I was high when I typed this.

Yeah, pwned.

The effects of weed are different for everyone. It seems that most of the negative effects only happen when you're stoned. Some negative effects stay with you if you're a really heavy smoker, but they will eventually go away if you stop. Actually, I smoked weed a week before a huge science test that I did not study for, and I also have ADD. I didn't know anything on It, or so I thought... When I took the test, I knew just about every awnser, and I finished the test quickly. When I got the test back, I had received a 97 on it. Memory loss and attention problems eh? Not for me! And I have ADD on top of it. It was almost as if it was compleatly gone! And the same thing happened to a very close friend as well. He was with me at the time of the smoking, and took the test at the same time I did. he finished before me, but got a lower grade. Well that seems to happen alot anyway... But seriously! I paint posters and sell them. And since I have ADD, I procrastinate alot, so It takes about a couple of weeks to make them, Even though I love painting them, School just takes alot out of me. Especially in the winter. When I smoke pot, I'm like addicted to working, and somehow I end up finishing them in a couple of days! Hah! Motivation problems? Not me! And of course you wont be able to remember what happened five minutes ago when you've just smoked pot! You're High! You're not gonna care! But I remember long term things Quite vividly after I come down off of the High. Of course I don't remember everything that happened when I was High, but the stuff I do remember, I can see them like I'm watching a video now... Its like... regular memory before, no memory when Its happening, and Photographic Memory after!!!

holy shit... people having a discussion on MJ.. yay lets have some fun. lets agree we all have tried it, and loved it. either for one reason or another people use MJ to cope, to socialize, or to simply have fun. we can all agree there are pros and cons to everything including MJ, but lets remember the great thing about being human is that we have free will. free will to smoke a plant that grows from the ground and use the effects to our benifiets. how can anyone judge another on only the basis of using MJ and sterotype one as a STONER. what does stoner mean?? i am almost 19.. could you believe i have smoked for 12 years? am i an ADDICT? i think not, being dependent on something makes you an addict, i do not need mj, but i do love it and want it. i can im agine how it could be the gateway drug...but is that not the persons choice to use another drug..how can you blame that on mj? anyways everybody just needs to relax..go load a bowl and take a puff =) smoke on

I've been smoking quite chronically for 7 years now (I'm 23)

First off let me start by saying, Marijuana effects everyone in a different way

you have:

- The people who just get high and laugh and eat a fuck ton
- The people who use it for medical reasons (I have 3 hernaited spinal discs as well as degenerative disc disease)
- The people who get high and pass out
- The people who get high and freak out (My wife)
- The people who use it and actually do something with their life (I've graduated high school at 16, Working on my Masters in Bio Mechanics)
- The people who use it once and don't like it

I don't use it for an escape from reality, i use it for pain relief, I got addicited to Morphine for a while when I was written a nice little Rx for MS Contin

When I started to smoke weed (Just being a stupid teen and falling into peer pressure) I noticed my grades shot straight up, I could actually concentrate
I went from a 2.8 GPA to 4.0 made NHS, got a full ride scholarship to the Univeristy of Dayton.

Sure yeah you get hungry and laugh at shit

Sure you may freak out

It's all about composure, mind over matter, act normal, don't let anyone know you're high

I go through about a quarter a day, My wife says my mood improves drastically when I smoke, I'm more easy to talk to. She doesn't smoke because it just isn't for her. The only downside I see to weed is money, and legal issues. Personally I have a nice little farm for personal use. Oh did you hear? California is losing 14 BILLION a year on weed.Know what they're proposing? Making it Legal (Not decrim, actually LEGAL) So they can tax 50 an ounce on it.

I really don't see the issues with weed, some people don't like it some do...It all depends on the individual..

Ever try DXM? Now there is something we should worry about
Colonzepam?
Xanex?

I don't see weed as a major issue, like stated so many times..How many crimes get commited whilst smoking? (Besides the possesion, or consupmtion, or DWI/Intoxication)

You get pulled over for example... I've been high as fuck to the point where I can't even focus. Cop didn't know I was high, I kept my composure, and on my way with a nice warning to slow the fuck down in the rain.

It's almost 6am and I'm very tired cramming for a test

So all in all, I'm sick of seeing the flaming, this isn't the place in my opinion.
I'm tired of all the propaganda, everyone I've ever met that has smoked, does smoke, tried it once, doesn't think this, they know about the stigma and propaganda that exists. People that have NEVER smoked, about 80% of them say, well it's not bad there are worse things. and the rest are like

"OMFG are u sruiiz lol i r nub that duzznt know wtf im talkin bout and i listen to bullshitz from urrone omgomgomg pot is soooo bad"

So please....there are worse things out there...

Quit being fucking childish and learn that everyone has their own opinions
If you're really that sick of it start a fucking support group and go QQ to a fucking congress member

It's almost 6am and I'm sick of writing (I've been up since oh 11am, smoked all day, wow I've ate 2 meals and I'm not deadly tired, contrary to popular belief)

Sorry for spelling errors but I broke my glasses and I'm on a shitty laptop from the 90's

i am a marijuana toker! its natural its a buety! so legalize it dammit it will put drugdealers out of business and it well bring the crime down! and am not saying dat drugs r gud! i dnt consider weed as a drug but i do agree in the banning of crystal meth and otha chemical made drugs

Marijuana has it's goods and bads. It should be illegal it does mess it your system and your brain. You shouldn't get into that uch trouble for get caught with it but hey you do, right? Smoking marijuana isnt worth the trouble you get in, trust me. I mean it does help your feelings sometimes but find a different way to express yourself.

i have been on drugs before i was taking canabis but the effect hit me cupple of years down the line i had panic atackks i starting laughing over stupid things i dint no what i was talking about most of the time i started selling some aswell i got kicked out of school for it i couldnt get back in another school now i just live with my nan in the house at 30 i couldnt live with my mom i got kicked out and plus my dad didnt want me i have nothing to do i never done my gcses i wish i could go back in time so listen to me dont do drugs and this is not a lie

I've smoked grass for years now... It geared me towards more creative expenditures, and since then I've become lead guitarist / vocalist for a band, a strong creative and technical mind in the TV industry, and a health nut.. The greatest things I attribute to my marijuana use are works of art I've created while "inspired", as well as eating ridiculously healthy.. Thanks to pot, I've taken the time to research and understand things. I'm not perfect by any means, but I think pot smoking has helped me put the things I value most (outside of family and friends) into perspective, and I have no regrets!

I just want to say that i LOVE all potheads, peace be with you all. I just takes the edge of this fucked up system they call society

Pot has completely turned my life around, before I smoked pot I had no job, no home and no money. After i started smoking pot I took up college, got myself a fiancee, have a great home and I'm off to Uni soon and I owe it all to cannabis if it wasn't for this great plant I have no doubt I would never be where I am today. It's made me think with a more open mind, examine things more closely (such as media) and helped me to keep my head in a crazy cold world I love you mary jane.

Cancer cure?

Hey fellow weed smokers, I thought I'd share some information with you all about cannabis. I was stoned the other day and browsing the world wide web and came accross a video on youtube, the video is a documentry about a man who freely distributes cannabis oil extracted from the THC crystals. The man gave it to many cancer patients some with only months to live and all recovered. I believe the real reason cannabis is illegal is because cannabis is a CANCER cure, in the 1800's-1900's it was widely used as a medicine, the USA had millions of acres of the stuff but gradually closed it down and never spoke of it again. In study's on rats with brain tumours the cannabis made the tumour dissapear while protecting the surrounding normal brain tissue unlike conventional techniques. This needs to be looked into more.

Alright what I have to say, being a " pothead " for the last 8 years of my life. Yes sometimes it can affect the brain & yes sometimes you can't get words out properly. That doesn't say that it's a negative affect. If I'm stumbling over my words because I'm high well it's simply because I'm high. Not because my brains not functioning correctly. I know what I attempting to spit out. I don't exactly agree with all the " testing " eaither because like you said these people only indulged in the use of marijuana every other week. Well that's speaking for those few people that occasionally enjoy smoking. As I've heard other people say on this they smoke everyday and overall it doesn't affect their lives quiet like those who only occasionally smoke.
maybe you should redo some studies with a larger group of subjects more broad groups ranging from first time users to flowerchild hippie old heads because most people that just start smoking weed or don't use as much as others are affected wayy differently ie; anxiety/paranoia/memory loss. yadada. coz i can tell you what i had for dinner last night my conversations i had before i went to sleep what i did the second i woke up. common misconceptions of the way the drug affects the brain is how often the user uses. I can say like anyother stoner that yess we do grow a tolerance, so i can argue and say our potheadly brains aren't affected like occasional users or first time users. so i'm not bashing and saying your wronge im saying do more studies on more people and you might be a little surprised by how many smokers dont forget things aren't paranoid dont have anxiety attacks and what not. Marijuana simply makes my day that much easier and i'm positive alot of others can agree with me.

for one thing it might have bad side effects but they are so small they dont do shit to you. weed is good. i have fun when i smoke it. i have a better life because of it. Any drug can be bad if you abuse it but if u smoke weed like once everyday, or every other day that aint gonna do shit to you. but if your life is based around weed then obviously thats a problem. for one reason, you give up on shit cause ur to busy getting high. the only reason its not legal is for one thing people have no knowlodge of it. they frown upon u for smoking it all tho they dont even know what it is. Then u got the government. they cant make enough money off of it so why the fuck would they legalize it. yo straight up wweed is harmless.Oh and if you try to tell me im stupid cause of my spelling whatever i never have been good at it. Thank you for reading and....yea whatever

I'm 16 years old and have smoked dope for 3 years now. My dad is a very nice guy for letting me smoke pot with him. pot is not bad for you. I know what the effects of weed is on the body and i also know that it is illegal. but i think that the government should legalize it and then tax it like Amsterdam. Yeah I know that You all are thinking that I'm just a 16 year old trying to look big but i don't care. My father has tought me alot about marijuana. He's just teaching me the basics of dealing right now. But the only reason why he does is because i asked him too. Parents should smoke weed with their children at least once and if the kid don't like it then don't smoke with them again. But kids smoking pot with their parents is a great way to bond. The parent will be able to keep an eye on their kid and make sure the kid isn't doing anything stupid like breaking into a house.The kid will be at home safe and sound. So to all you parents out there, Smoke pot with your kid it's a very good way to bond.

In my opinion, smoking pot is a social thing for sure. Alot of teenagers do it because they don't know where they fit in yet, and it helps them "discover" themselves in a sense. You have to make the wrong friends to find the right friends.

I don't think smoking pot should be considered socially unacceptable. If people have a problem with other people smoking pot, they should keep it to themselves, because not everyone leads a white picket fence perfect life. In fact, I take that back- NO ONE lives a perfect life. Marijuana is a plant that comes from the earth. How do you defend pills that the government gives out to people? Take this pill if you have depression, take this pill if you can't sleep at night, take this pill if you cant get your dick up, take this pill if you need an excuse to take a fuckin pill! What harmful effects do THOSE drugs have on the human body? Does anyone ever stop to consider that? "Hey guys, I'm a pillhead, I just took 7 oxys and Im perfectly fine!" But they cant legalize a drug that, when used in moderation, can help you sleep and can help with a lot of things.

My 15 year old sister has ADD. She started smoking pot with me and some of my friends, and now she does fine in school. Her attention is more directed to things that it needs to be directed on, and she can concentrate on her homework, something she couldnt do before.

I dont understand what it is with you people who think that the world fuckin revolves around you... It's not cool. some people will smoke pot and that should be fine. Nobody is trying to infect your lives with it, we just wanna be calm and relaxed and in our own little worlds. So just chill out and smoke a doobie, you'll feel better about life.

if you smoke weed only once a week or every second week..its not going to affect you mentionally would it ? i am 15 and i been smoking with all my friends since 2 years ago now i think. anyways let me know, thanks a bunch

Hi guys my names megan i have bin smoking ciggarettes since i was 11 and im now 15. I have bin smoking bud for 2years now n i feel fukin fab haha. I love the feeling cuz ya jus dont care about anyfink n make a fool outa yaself hah !!!

I dont think there is anyfink roing with it personaly becuase most of ma friends smoke it and deal it :)

Ly xx

Ok, ive been reading these comments and most people are on the same page...
For me, smoking weed is okay, as long as im not smokin in the day or when i have something i need to do. I used to smoke about 3 to 4 blunts a day, everyday for about a year and a half... n im talkin about that potent shit like the sticky green kind or the mid, the kind wit the red hairs. It was cool for a while, but then it got kinda old. I felt like i was always behind... i dont smoke as near as much as i used to but i smoke about 2 or 3 times a month now.. usually when im really stressed or when i just need to clear my mind. I used to smoke black and milds also and i dont recommend that shit to anyone.. it was harder for me to give up blacks than to give up weed. I dont smoke blacks anymore and im VERY proud of myself for that..

But weed on the other hand, im good with it as long as i dont get so high to where i trip myself out.. because im a thinker. Ive always been a thinker, even before i started smokin. After smokin for a few months, i would sometimes trip myself out.. mainly because i would be doing shit or ridin around wit my boyfriend and his lame ass friends.. and i would have unecessary shit on my mind. After i realized that smokin was gettin to me i stopped for a while...

Once i started again i was in a relationship wit a guy that i wasnt so sure about because he was VERY sneaky.. so after we broke up i was still smokin everyonce and a while. He used to fuck with me a lot though because he's the type that likes to play games and fuck wit your head.. so one day i was runnin errands and i had a lot of shit on my mind because i had my kids and i had to take my cousin a few places.. my ex was playin on my phone n shit.. when i would be out sometimes i would think that he was following, he had me shook sometimes for real... partially because of the paranoia from smokin and partially because of the type of guy he was... anyway, later that day i went to my friend's house to chill out and smoke a blunt... lets just say i started freakin the fuck out because someone kept callin the house FROM THE HOSPITAL I TOOK MY COUSIN TO EALIER THAT DAY, playin on the phone and we had just finished smokin n havin a convo about my crazy ass ex... im talkin about i FREAKED THE FUCK OUT.. after i calmed down me and my friend was just sittin there like "what the fuck...???" lol.. that shit was CRAZY.

I dont smoke that much at all now and sometimes i feel the urge because im tired from work, school, and my kids... so i just want to smoke, chill out and fall asleep... i have strong will power so if i really WANTED to quit i could... i quit tobacco all on my own and i was puffin on blacks every chance i got.

I feel like i can be okay smokin weed if my head stays clear and i keep it at a minimum.

"I have no side effects other than a burnt out feeling after smoking all nite, and in teh morning of course but no brain problems like teh ones your website describes ... Chris, 7 July 2006"

Chris here, is living proof of what marijuana does to one after smoking it for 12 years.

After i graduated highschool, i smoked weed all Summer, and i even skipped out on college registration for the fall semester beacause i was too worried about meeting up with my buddies to buy some bud and roll a fat blunt. Yeah, i guess looking back to that summer things were all fun and shit but after a while all that weed was really fucking with my head. Its only fun after a while but you have to come to a realization that your just wasting your fucking life getting stoned all the time. I dont understand how some of my friends function at their jobs or school when they're always high. Well actually people i know who went to class high had no fucking idea what the teacher was taking about for the last hour. I always have that one person telling me how weed got them good grades and helped them concentrate, and i just think,.. what a load of shit! Have you ever read an essay that a kid wrote stoned? Its fucking retarded, and funny, but really poorly done. Im not trying to say you should stop smoking weed all together, but at least in moderation. Like seriously, burn outs are the most obviouse people to point out and they never have anything good to say besides talking about a new piece they purchased to get them fucked up.

ive been smoking daily for about a year now but have been smoking for about 2 or 3 years and ive noticed that many of you smokers are in denial or are too perma-fried to notice but thc is stored in the brains fat cells for two years....now it doesent take much to sit back and look at the accumulative affects of it on your brain. but marijuana also takes its toll in a different way it can hault the maturing of the brain.....that means if youve been smoking since your early teen years and your 20 you still have the maturity level of a teenager(knew a 45 year old who paid 200$ a month to sleep on the couch in my friends house and all he did was smoke drink and crack penis jokes) not to mention the brain fully matures when your about 23. i might also add thier are many forms of addiction it doesent have to be chemical, cant figure out why you have to smoke everyday or stay regular this is why your addicted and just cant see it. i also see it as a gateway drug(would i really have tried shrooms,acid, or ecxtacy if i hadnt started smokin bud. these are all points too look at and you cant really contend with science no matter how smart you fellow stoners think you are. but you can roll up a fatty j, toke a big ol bong bowl outta ur quad perk, chief a tough platnum trip flavored blunt.....etc but pay attention to what i have to say too much of a good thing can be somewhat harmful

Everyone here is so hateful and negative. People need to find something better to do than worry about a spelling mistake, or making sure you tell that guy off on the internet article about weed. Everyone on here that has said something negative needs to sit back and smoke a joint. That is a major pro right there. What about this one, laughing; lowers levels of stress hormones and strengthens the immune system. Thats a fact, and frowning is the only thing I'm not doing high. Get yourself a vaporizer to alleviate the carcinogens, and youve got it made. Your not on this earth for long so you mightas well make a good time of it.
Just blaze!

I have been an avid pot smoker for quite some time now (Since I was 18) and I have to say that I love it, I would never quit because I dont believe its harmful to you, alright yes you can lose your memory and become "Stupid" not remembering what just happened some time ago.. and it might cause a problem for you. Although this is Temporary. The same with being Paranoid.. Smoking pot in my use has made me more aware of whats going on, I am able to be myself and still be under the Influence. I have drivin stoned and while at some times it has been a Total NIGHTMARE. I have learned when to drive and when not to drive being stoned, Same thing with being tired.. my loss of judgement I have always believed is in what I think of me having ADD.. Now being 25 Years old, Ive come to the conclusion that Pot is Only a problem if the person smoking it lets it become a problem..

If you know when to Quit then your doing alright.. sometimes I cant remember things that I have done years back or even a couple days ago or weeks even.. I dont think its the Pot, as much as I do my ADD.. perhaps there both to blame, The Government we have controlling our lives Needs to butt out.. Legalizing Pot would cut down crime and send less people away.. If your not in control and you hurt someone else or even yourself then you need to seek help, for those who have HIV/AIDS or just want it to Unwind because there stressed then thats perfectly fine, Pot is a drug that is only classified a drug by our Wonderful Government, and being stated as an Illegal Substance, Pot is NOT a Drug, it comes from the earth just like heroine and I believe cocaine. The effects last only so long and then they wear off.. just like with cocaine ( I only did Coke like 4 times in my life, More or less) but Ive never done herione so I dont know and I dont plan on it. Marijuana has been proven to help people with Incurable Illnesses, If this wasent the case they wouldent have made it "legal" to HIV/AIDS in some other state other than NY State. (Sorry cant think of it right now) So in Conclusion LEGALIZE POT AND FUCK OUR GOVERNMENT!!! HELL YEAHZ!!

the one thing unhealthy about marajuana, that i can

think of, is the effect it has on your lungs. i am not sure how bad it is

for your lungs, but it is definitely not as bad as tobacco or other types of

smoke. also, if you want to use marijuana and not damage your lungs, you can.

people make foods all the time with marijuana. i have a PHD, not that it means

anything (it just means i got an A+ in bullshitting) but as a licensed doctor

i can tell you some things that you might not know:

1. medicines/drugs that are perscribed or given to patients make them sicker

which requires the patients to take more of the medicine/drug.

2. almost every doctor i work with uses marijuana.

3. i see people who smoke cigarettes and die of lung cancer and i see people

who smoke marijuana and cigarettes and never develop a cancerous cell in their

body. i beleive marijuana kills cancer.

4. alcohol is literally poison. you can die if you consume too much alcohol.

5. we live in a society where everything and everyone is controlled. marijuana

makes you out of control because it makes you question everything. the people

that want everyone under control do not want you to use marijuana so they make

it illegal. that answers the age old question: why are cigarettes and alcohol

legal while marijuana remains illegal? bob marley once said: "...everyone who

call themselves governments and this and that, why them say you musn't use da

herb?...because it make ya rebel...against what?"

6. this website is another piece of evidence showing you that people do not want

you to smoke marijuana. i did a google search for "marijuana and the brain" and

this website was at the top of the page. obviously the author of the website

is amazed at the amount of responses he/she has recieved, but it sounds to me

that he/she has been lied to since he/she had the motivation to make this

article.

as for the article itself (note that it was written for a class - biology 202)

it has some truth to it. yes, marijuana does effect short term memory, but as a

neurosurgeon what i'm trying to say to you is who gives a fuck? i really don't

care what happened five minutes before i got high. so if you are reading the

article and saying to yourself: "i'm not going to use marijuana because it

effects short term memory." then you are a fool plain and simple.

i hope that people who are not currently using marijuana will read this and start

using it. marijuana makes you use more of your brain's capacity as well so why

wouldn't you use it? everyone on this planet, escpecially people in the U.S.

need to open their eyes and free their minds of mental slavery. marijuana can

do just that. so live above the influence...of people that are lying to you.

P.S. not every doctor will tell you these things because most of them are either

brainwashed or just do not know.

so, Akudo Ejelonu don't post bullshit on the internet.

then again, you probably smoke everyday and the only reason you made this page

was to see how many responses you could get. touché.

Dr. P. Smith

OK laST COMMENT. people say weed had a mental addiction and some people become depressed when they get off it and blah blah blah. I'd bet they had depression before the drug but didnt know it and were fixing themselves the whole time without realizing. If you only smoke pot to have fun thats dumb save it for weekends. On average after a month of not smoking pot there is no THC whatsever in your system. if you had no depression before you smoked it your fine after it leaves your system. IF you had depression before you smoked during your smoking and after then its unrelated to your mental dependency on marijuana. MILLLLLLIONS of americans suffer from depression. thats the people that marijuana had greatest appeal to whether they admit it or not. it works WAY better than Pharmacuetical drugs. Weed not legalized because it could put minor painkillers, some major painkillers, anti-depressants out of business at such a cheaper price. My favorite quote was from this scientist that said if 'Marijuana was discovered today on some remote mountain it would be hailed as the miracle drug of the millenium" Studies show that cannabinoids actually help deter the growth of tumors and this shit was supposed to give you luing cancer? iof FU**ING helps cancer people. still bad on your lung capacity and can make you cough but still ont that bad.

MAN I HAVE BEEN RANTING AND RAVING I HOPE THIS GETS POSTED!!!!

I DID RESEARCH PAPER AT A BYU WHICH IS A GOOD INSTITUTION WHICH MEANS I ACTUALLY DID REAL RESEARCH SO I KNOW MY SH*T SO PLEASE READ THIS.

One last comment. I think it should be legalized with an 18 year age restriction. my first bowl came when i was 19. im algad i waited till iw as older to smoke. i still have my purpose in life. the people who dont do shit with their lives starting smoking at age 10. that's bad. i never once smoked with anyone udner 17 i think. grow up then smoke is my philosophy. and SOOOOOOO many poeple who graduate high school dont go on the college so if some pothead doesnt go to college you blame the weed. what about the other MILLIONS of NON potheads who dont go to college and work dead end jobs. maybe the potheads who do this no college bad job, are doing this for the same reasons as these MILLioNS of other people who have no college and bad job. MILLIONS OF AMERICANS SMOKE POT. MILLIONS. 20 million i think but so many more that do it secretly.

ok so i was reading through some more comments after i just posted my last one. True i am glad that i stopped smoking pot and came home to live with parents because i was trapped living that lifestyle of hanging with exact same people everyday and was satisfied with it. I plan to start my own little garden in a closet once i get money and just use that for myself. i want to illegally grow for my own use and not tell a soul. smoke alone but hang out with other people that may or may not smoke. thats because i personally do believe i was smoking for my own medical benefit. i dunno why people who aren't suffering from something smoke so much of it but at least the people who I knew, that smoked as much pot as me, about half of them had been at one point in their life diagnosed as depressed/bipolar. i think that the people who love weed would probably be clinically depressed and why this drug is so appleaing is because it allows them to be more themselves. people who smoke it and say its not that great probably were nromal to begin with. but im willing to BET that if you took most potheads before they smoked pot they could have probably been diagnosed as clinically depressed. they just never went to a doctor to find out. i was in my AP psychology class and when the teacher was describing clinical depression i was like oH my god that's me. i hope if it gets legalized in New York that it also gets legalized for depression patients who have already been diagnosed before its legaliztion(i realize people will fake it) I never smoked pot to be a rebel but because it helped HELPED my mental health enough that it was worth doing osmething illegal. i believe in government and laws but i also believe so strongly in marijuana that i am willing to risk getting caught and charged with a felony.

Ok so I have been on anti depressants for 2 years now, Lexapro and Zolaf. I have clinical depression which runs in my family. I was raised STRICT mormon and Republican and thought that everything was bad. I went to BYU the mormon university and decided to write my research paper on the re-prohibition on alcohol. I found how stupid trying that was but it got my looking into legalization of marijuana. I was so ridiculously against it but I spent hours researching it from an 'against' it perspective and my mind was changed. I didn't go out and buy a bag the next day but I did write my BYU(strictest college on the earth) HONORS writing research paper on the legalization of marijuana for economic reasons. I still thought the stuff was bad but looking at why alcohol is legalized the same goes for pot. Now about a year down the line I had to oppurtunity to smoke weed and decided to see/feel it for myself. I smoked pot everyday for 7 months straight since that day. I stopped having to spend money on anti depressants or sleep aids. I could actully BE myself when on it. Wish legalization for depression was up there too cause they work better than anti depressants in MOST people like hundreds better. I then dropped out of BYU and moved back home to family. I have been home for 2 months now and have not toked once. I had to go back on pharmaceutical meds which don't work nearly that well. Take sleep aids and what not. It was the effects i had before pot so its not dependency issues. From day one OFF the drug i had no withdrawals or fiending. I have quit smoking cigs before and that hard os i know what addiction is. Sure 100% ONE HUNDRED PERCENT plan on smoking pot again when i move out of the parents house but i'm fine waiting till then. It allows me to be myself. I liked smoking a personable bowl when i woke up and more when i got home from work. I liked being high not so-crazy-baked-i-don't-know-who-i-am-anymore. I did get -crazy-baked-i-don't-know-who-i-am-anymore quite a few times but only weekends and such. Basically i saw myself as a pothead that smoked medically recreationally got really high. That's my story in a nutshell. This article was a joke. complete joke. no quotes or real references. weed affects everyone differently. i know people who tried it before but chose not to smoke again cause they didnt like it. but me on the other hand smoke almost 200 days straight from my first puff. that's all i have to say. wonder if a soul will read this too HAHA

p.s. i think researchers should look into difference form sativa and indica strains. i know the medical dispenseries know their difference but people don't realize that a sativa an up high that wants to do something and indica is couchlock. if some guys smokes 10 bowls of northern lights no one will be surprised when he calls in sick to work. so these anti drug adds that say 'the girl melted into the couch' she was smoking an idica. which i like at nihgt for sleep. If the commercial shows a girl having fun with friends in public that are not high and being very social and eating tons of food she smoked a sativa. not all weed is downers.

i have a friend that smokes mj and now he has gone
wako,,,i want to know if it is possible that mj wakoed him
mj-----marijuana
wako-----mad,,,staked naked

First of all, any drug abuse is bad. I used to abuse marijuana, alcohol and other drugs. If you use marijuana to escape your life and use it to get rid of dealing with problems then you're using it wrong. If you use marijuana to enrich your life and don't abuse it then it will be enjoyable. Don't smoke up before that calculus exam. Marijuana effects logical thinking because the THC forms lesions on the hippocampus blocking nervous transmissions when you need to think logically. Marijuana enhances creativity because when you're stoned you enter a higher plane of consciousness. Only about 10% of your brain is used during normal consciousness and smoking pot opens up circuits of your brain that are otherwise unused. So smoke up when you want to enhance creativity. But if you need to think decisively and logically, don't take a toke. It's really in the way you use it. I graduated near the top of my class even when I abused it. It's a dramatically harmless drug, and study after study says it's much safer than alcohol and should be decriminalized and or legalized. But the truth is you should put Mary Jane in the coffin when you're done with her. Take her out of the coffin every once and awile and go on vacation with her, but her back in there when you're done.

i read most of these posts,
i im self concious about my marijuana usage,
but this was exactly the information i was looking for to get a correct bias oppion on marijauna, it has oppened my mind about marijuana and the effects.

And by the way i am 19 years of age, i take my experiences into consideration when speaking on a subject as broad as this. There is only so much good in something as well as bad but its for you to judge and not another soul unless its about them their own experiences.

Not one person that has replied to any form or topic about Marijuana can say if its beneficial or harmful to anyone unless its YOU expressing what it has done to YOU....I've ran into weed plenty of times which i regret but it has shown me a different side of my self as far as expressing myself and opening up, decreasing anxiety.(Just a pinch!!!) There has only been one time in my life where i used weed and actually had a good day, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I felt as if nothing bothered me, i joked and laughed on a whole different level. It really brought the best out of me to a certain extent. No, while i was in school that day high, i didnt sit down, focus and complete the work that was needed to be done. I was just high as fuck having fun. Able to focus physically but not mentally drawn to the thought of even careing about my work that day. I countinued to abuse the drug that summer and it left deeply imprinted scars within me emotionally and mentally. I am able to focus normally but not like i use to b4 i came in contact with weed. Symptoms suck as Paranoia, big emotional inclines, big emotional plumages, explinations of life in general, expressions of how im feeling are easier to put together,.....ITS Endless for me. I am also living with a spinal condition called scoliosis and i know that weed may affect me differently with this problem much differently than others, but i urge others to do what helps you. If Marijuana brings out your creative side, from freestyling some rap shit to just opening you up to a whole new world educationally, then DO WHAT FITS YOU. Personally, due to my latest encounter with weed, i will Never do it again. I wouldnt tell anyone what to do with their life and neither should anyone else. Different people have different opinions on what it does to you, but only you will know. Please remember, No one knows you like yourself.