Here's a link to the "Brewton Standard" Newspaper's site. -->Here<-- Feel free to go post a comment, but be aware that comments are moderated so your comment, like the one I left, may never get published to the site.
The following is EXACTLY as it appears on their website.
Drug is harmful, addictive
Monica Shockley
Guest Columnist
Over the last year or so there has been quite a bit of talk about marijuana becoming legal to possess. The argument is that marijuana is not as harmful as alcohol, the state is spending too much money on trying to fight it, and the ever favorite — marijuana is not addictive. Well, to give the argument its day in court, let’s examine the facts.
Let’s take a look at the effects of marijuana and the effects of alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant; it slows down the functions of the brain, releases the brain chemical dopamine. It can numb a person’s pain and it can make a person sleepy. The more a person drinks, the central nervous system slows down and permanent changes can be made in the brain. Short-term effects of alcohol consumption include poor coordination, double vision, lowered reasoning ability, lower heart rate, slowed breathing and anxiety. From this information a person can say that the consumption of alcohol is harmful to the body. The harmful effect becomes worse the more the person consumes.
Now let’s look at marijuana. Marijuana comes from a plant called Cannabis Sativa. This plant can be dried and smoked by the user. Marijuana contains the chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or as otherwise known as THC. This chemical has been proven to change how the brain works. In addition, marijuana also has 400 other chemicals. Side effects of this drug include problems with memory, changes in the senses, loss of sense of time passing, poor coordination, faster heart rate, higher rate of lung infections and difficulty thinking and solving problems.
Looking at the problems associated with the consumption of both alcohol and marijuana, it is clear that both are dangerous.
The second argument is the state is spending too much money trying to enforce the laws against the use and possession of marijuana. It is a fact marijuana is illegal. The officers of the law are bound by the oath they take to uphold the laws. The district attorneys are bound to prosecute the law without bias. The laws are created by the Alabama Legislative Branch. Those representatives are bound by the people that they are elected by. Now, if the argument still holds that the government is spending money on enforcing the law, then the answer is simple, quit smoking marijuana, or help prevent tits use. It would only seem appropriate during these hard financial times to do your part to help the government save money.
When the inevitable happens, and the issue of legalizing marijuana comes up in your neighborhood, review the facts. Marijuana is dangerous and it can be addictive. Then ask yourself this question if you were getting on a plane or in a car and your driver or pilot was high from the use of marijuana, would you get in, would you trust your life to a person under the influence? I can tell you my answer; I would not want to take that chance.
Guest Columnist
Over the last year or so there has been quite a bit of talk about marijuana becoming legal to possess. The argument is that marijuana is not as harmful as alcohol, the state is spending too much money on trying to fight it, and the ever favorite — marijuana is not addictive. Well, to give the argument its day in court, let’s examine the facts.
Let’s take a look at the effects of marijuana and the effects of alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant; it slows down the functions of the brain, releases the brain chemical dopamine. It can numb a person’s pain and it can make a person sleepy. The more a person drinks, the central nervous system slows down and permanent changes can be made in the brain. Short-term effects of alcohol consumption include poor coordination, double vision, lowered reasoning ability, lower heart rate, slowed breathing and anxiety. From this information a person can say that the consumption of alcohol is harmful to the body. The harmful effect becomes worse the more the person consumes.
Now let’s look at marijuana. Marijuana comes from a plant called Cannabis Sativa. This plant can be dried and smoked by the user. Marijuana contains the chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or as otherwise known as THC. This chemical has been proven to change how the brain works. In addition, marijuana also has 400 other chemicals. Side effects of this drug include problems with memory, changes in the senses, loss of sense of time passing, poor coordination, faster heart rate, higher rate of lung infections and difficulty thinking and solving problems.
Looking at the problems associated with the consumption of both alcohol and marijuana, it is clear that both are dangerous.
The second argument is the state is spending too much money trying to enforce the laws against the use and possession of marijuana. It is a fact marijuana is illegal. The officers of the law are bound by the oath they take to uphold the laws. The district attorneys are bound to prosecute the law without bias. The laws are created by the Alabama Legislative Branch. Those representatives are bound by the people that they are elected by. Now, if the argument still holds that the government is spending money on enforcing the law, then the answer is simple, quit smoking marijuana, or help prevent tits use. It would only seem appropriate during these hard financial times to do your part to help the government save money.
When the inevitable happens, and the issue of legalizing marijuana comes up in your neighborhood, review the facts. Marijuana is dangerous and it can be addictive. Then ask yourself this question if you were getting on a plane or in a car and your driver or pilot was high from the use of marijuana, would you get in, would you trust your life to a person under the influence? I can tell you my answer; I would not want to take that chance.
My comment that has yet to be published:
Where do you guys find "Guest Columnist" anyway? You might try to find one that can actually back their points up with facts rather that just printing "umm, Drugs r bad mmmk" Well... scratch that, there's no way to back this article up with facts.
Fact: Marijuana comes from both Cannabis Sativa AND Cannabis Indica.
Fact: The majority of the cultures on this planet have considered the Cannabis plant medicine for thousands of years.
Fact:Half the medicines sold in this country were Cannabis based until the early 1900's
Fact:Alcohol causes approx 85,000 deaths annually in the US. Cannabis alone has never been the cause of a single death, if it had folks like the "guest columnist" would be parading those stats on every news broadcast available.
Fact: The US Government has been supplying Irvin Rosenfeld with medical cannabis since 1982, he just smoked his 115,000th joint. That's 300 joints every 25 days for 27 years—10 to 12 per day.
It just occurred to me I could go on like this all night. People, please.... do your own research, the internet has all the resources you need to make an informed decision on this matter. You can find ALL the studies done on cannabis (even studies commissioned by the US Government) right here on the net. Don't be "sheep" and by into the same propaganda that you've been force fed for 70+ years.
Fact: Marijuana comes from both Cannabis Sativa AND Cannabis Indica.
Fact: The majority of the cultures on this planet have considered the Cannabis plant medicine for thousands of years.
Fact:Half the medicines sold in this country were Cannabis based until the early 1900's
Fact:Alcohol causes approx 85,000 deaths annually in the US. Cannabis alone has never been the cause of a single death, if it had folks like the "guest columnist" would be parading those stats on every news broadcast available.
Fact: The US Government has been supplying Irvin Rosenfeld with medical cannabis since 1982, he just smoked his 115,000th joint. That's 300 joints every 25 days for 27 years—10 to 12 per day.
It just occurred to me I could go on like this all night. People, please.... do your own research, the internet has all the resources you need to make an informed decision on this matter. You can find ALL the studies done on cannabis (even studies commissioned by the US Government) right here on the net. Don't be "sheep" and by into the same propaganda that you've been force fed for 70+ years.
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