Hardrock69's Reefhead Madness Thread

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  • Hardrock69
    DIAMOND STATUS
    • Feb 2005
    • 21833

    34 Sourced, Peer-Reviewed Medical Studies Proving Marijuana Cures Cancer


    Cures Brain Cancer

    The development of new therapeutic strategies is essential for the management of gliomas, one of the most malignant forms of cancer. We have shown previously that the growth of the rat glioma C6 cell line is inhibited by psychoactive cannabinoids (I. Galve-Roperh et al., Nat. Med., 6: 313-319, 2000) …




    Excitotoxicity is a paradigm used to explain the biochemical events in both acute neuronal damage and in slowly progressive, neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we show in a longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging study that Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), the main active compound in marijuana, reduces neuronal injury in neonatal rats injected intracerebrally with the Na+/K+-ATPase inhibitor ouabain to elicit excitotoxicity. In the acute phase Δ9-THC reduced the volume of cytotoxic edema by 22%. After 7 d, 36% less neuronal damage was observed in treated rats compared with control animals. Coadministration of the CB1 cannabinoid receptor antagonist SR141716 prevented the neuroprotective actions of Δ9-THC, indicating that Δ9-THC afforded protection to neurons via the CB1 receptor. In Δ9-THC-treated rats the volume of astrogliotic tissue was 36% smaller. The CB1 receptor antagonist did not block this effect. These results provide evidence that the cannabinoid system can serve to protect the brain against neurodegeneration.


    Recently, cannabinoids (CBs) have been shown to possess antitumor properties. Because the psychoactivity of cannabinoid compounds limits their medicinal usage, we undertook the present study to evaluate the in vitro antiproliferative ability of cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychoactive cannabinoid compound, on U87 and U373 human glioma cell lines. The addition of CBD to the culture medium led to a dramatic drop of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism [3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2 H tetrazolium bromide test] and viability in glioma cells, in a concentration-dependent manner that was already evident 24 h after CBD exposure, with an apparent IC50 of 25 μM. The antiproliferative effect of CBD was partially prevented by the CB2 receptor antagonist N -[(1 S )-endo-1,3,3-trimethylbicyclo[2,2,1]heptan-2-yl]-5-(4-chloro-3-methylphenyl)-1-(4-methylbenzyl)-pyrazole-3-carboxamide (SR144528; SR2) and α-tocopherol. By contrast, the CB1 cannabinoid receptor antagonist N -(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1 H -pyrazole-3-carboximide hydrochloride (SR141716; SR1), capsazepine (vanilloid receptor antagonist), the inhibitors of ceramide generation, or pertussis toxin did not counteract CBD effects. We also show, for the first time, that the antiproliferative effect of CBD was correlated to induction of apoptosis, as determined by cytofluorimetric analysis and single-strand DNA staining, which was not reverted by cannabinoid antagonists. Finally, CBD, administered s.c. to nude mice at the dose of 0.5 mg/mouse, significantly inhibited the growth of subcutaneously implanted U87 human glioma cells. In conclusion, the nonpsychoactive CBD was able to produce a significant antitumor activity both in vitro and in vivo, thus suggesting a possible application of CBD as an antineoplastic agent.




    Cures Mouth and Throat Cancer

    These results show the cannabinoids are potent inhibitors of Tu183 cellular respiration and are toxic to this highly malignant tumor.


    Cures Breast Cancer

    Invasion and metastasis of aggressive breast cancer cells are the final and fatal steps during cancer progression. Clinically, there are still limited therapeutic interventions for aggressive and metastatic breast cancers available. Therefore, effective, targeted, and non-toxic therapies are urgentl …


    Invasion and metastasis of aggressive breast cancer cells is the final and fatal step during cancer progression, and is the least understood genetically. Clinically, there are still limited therapeutic interventions for aggressive and metastatic breast cancers available. Clearly, effective and nonto …


    This study provides novel insights into the crosstalk between CB(2) and CXCR4/CXCL12-signaling pathways in the modulation of breast tumor growth and metastasis. Furthermore, these studies indicate that CB(2) receptors could be used for developing innovative therapeutic strategies against breast canc …




    Background ErbB2-positive breast cancer is characterized by highly aggressive phenotypes and reduced responsiveness to standard therapies. Although specific ErbB2-targeted therapies have been designed, only a small percentage of patients respond to these treatments and most of them eventually relapse. The existence of this population of particularly aggressive and non-responding or relapsing patients urges the search for novel therapies. The purpose of this study was to determine whether cannabinoids might constitute a new therapeutic tool for the treatment of ErbB2-positive breast tumors. We analyzed their antitumor potential in a well established and clinically relevant model of ErbB2-driven metastatic breast cancer: the MMTV-neu mouse. We also analyzed the expression of cannabinoid targets in a series of 87 human breast tumors. Results Our results show that both Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the most abundant and potent cannabinoid in marijuana, and JWH-133, a non-psychotropic CB2 receptor-selective agonist, reduce tumor growth, tumor number, and the amount/severity of lung metastases in MMTV-neu mice. Histological analyses of the tumors revealed that cannabinoids inhibit cancer cell proliferation, induce cancer cell apoptosis, and impair tumor angiogenesis. Cannabinoid antitumoral action relies, at least partially, on the inhibition of the pro-tumorigenic Akt pathway. We also found that 91% of ErbB2-positive tumors express the non-psychotropic cannabinoid receptor CB2. Conclusions Taken together, these results provide a strong preclinical evidence for the use of cannabinoid-based therapies for the management of ErbB2-positive breast cancer.


    Breast cancer is a very common disease that affects approximately 1 in 10 women at some point in their lives. Importantly, breast cancer cannot be considered a single disease as it is characterized by distinct pathological and molecular subtypes that are treated with different therapies and have div …




    Cures Lung Cancer

    Cannabinoids inhibit cancer cell invasion via increasing tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1). This study investigates the role of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) within this action. In the lung cancer cell lines A549, H358, and H460, cannabidiol (CBD; 0.001-3 μM) elic …


    Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide; however, only limited therapeutic treatments are available. Hence, we investigated the role of cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2, as novel therapeutic targets against NSCLC. We observed expression of CB1 (24%) and C …




    Cures Uterine, Testicular, and Pancreatic Cancers

    Cannabis has been used medicinally for millennia, but has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat any medical condition. Cannabinoids are the components in cannabis; some are commercially available to treat symptoms. Get detailed information in this clinician summary.




    Cures Prostate Cancer

    The potent anti-proliferative and cytotoxic effects of ANA on metastatic prostatic cancer cells might provide basis for the design of new therapeutic agents for effective treatment of recurrent and invasive prostatic cancers.






    Cures Colorectal Cancer

    Colon cancer affects millions of individuals in Western countries. Cannabidiol, a safe and non-psychotropic ingredient of Cannabis sativa, exerts pharmacological actions (antioxidant and intestinal antinflammatory) and mechanisms (inhibition of endocannabinoid enzymatic degradation) potentially bene …


    Cures Ovarian Cancer



    Cures Blood Cancer

    In the current study, we examined whether ligation of CB2 receptors would lead to induction of apoptosis in tumors of immune origin and whether CB2 agonist could be used to treat such cancers. Exposure of murine tumors EL-4, LSA, and P815 to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in vitro led to a signi …


    Plant-derived cannabinoids, including Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), induce apoptosis in leukemic cells, although the precise mechanism remains unclear. In the current study, we investigated the effect of THC on the upstream and downstream events that modulate the extracellular signal-regulated …




    We have recently shown that cannabinoids induce growth inhibition and apoptosis in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), a malignant B-cell lymphoma that expresses high levels of cannabinoid receptor types 1 and 2 (CB1 and CB2). In the current study, the role of each receptor and the signal transduction triggered by receptor ligation were investigated. Induction of apoptosis after treatment with the synthetic agonists R (+)-methanandamide [ R (+)-MA] and Win55,212-2 (Win55; ( R )-(+)-[2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3-(4-morpholinylmethyl) pyrrolo-[1,2,3- d , e ]-1,4-benzoxazin-6-yl]-1-naphthalenyl-methanone) was dependent on both cannabinoid receptors, because pretreatment with N -(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1 H -pyrazole-3-carboximide hydrochloride (SR141716A) and N -((1 S )-endo-1,3,3-trimethyl bicyclo heptan-2-yl]-5-(4-chloro-3-methylphenyl)-1-(4-methylbenzyl)-pyrazole-3-carboxamide) (SR144528), specific antagonists to CB1 and CB2, respectively, abrogated caspase-3 activity. Preincubation with the inhibitors 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)1 H -imidazole (SB203580) and 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)-1 H -imidazole (SB202190) showed that phosphorylation of MAPK p38 was implicated in the signal transduction leading to apoptosis. Treatment with R (+)-MA and Win55 was associated with accumulation of ceramide, and pharmacological inhibition of ceramide synthesis de novo prevented both p38 activation and mitochondria depolarization assessed by binding of 3,3′-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide (DiOC6). In contrast, the pancaspase inhibitor z-Val-Ala-Asp(Ome)-CH2F (z-VAD-FMK) did not protect the mitochondrial integrity. Taken together, these results suggest that concurrent ligation of CB1 and CB2 with either R (+)-MA or Win55 induces apoptosis via a sequence of events in MCL cells: accumulation of ceramide, phosphorylation of p38, depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, and caspase activation. Although induction of apoptosis was observed in both MCL cell lines and primary MCL, normal B cells remained unaffected. The present data suggest that targeting CB1/CB2 may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma.


    Cures Skin Cancer

    Nonmelanoma skin cancer is one of the most common malignancies in humans. Different therapeutic strategies for the treatment of these tumors are currently being investigated. Given the growth-inhibiting effects of cannabinoids on gliomas and the wide tissue distribution of the two subtypes of cannab …


    Cures Liver Cancer

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third cause of cancer-related death worldwide. When these tumors are in advanced stages, few therapeutic options are available. Therefore, it is essential to search for new treatments to fight this disease. In this study, we investigated the effects of cannabino …


    Cures Biliary Tract Cancer

    Currently, only gemcitabine plus platinum demonstrates the considerable activity for cholangiocarcinoma. The anticancer effect of Delta (9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the principal active component of cannabinoids has been demonstrated in various kinds of cancers. We therefore evaluate the antitumo …


    Cures Bladder Cancer

    http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/803983 (Sign-up required to view study)

    Cures Cancer in General

    Cannabinoids, the active components of marijuana and their derivatives, induce tumor regression in rodents (8). However, the mechanism of cannabinoid antitumoral action in vivo is as yet unknown. Here we show that local administration of a nonpsychoactive cannabinoid to mice inhibits angiogenesis of …


    Cannabinoids inhibit tumor angiogenesis in mice, but the mechanism of their antiangiogenic action is still unknown. Because the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway plays a critical role in tumor angiogenesis, here we studied whether cannabinoids affect it. As a first approach, cDNA arr …


    Cannabinoids inhibit tumor angiogenesis in mice, but the mechanism of their antiangiogenic action is still unknown. Because the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway plays a critical role in tumor angiogenesis, here we studied whether cannabinoids affect it. As a first approach, cDNA arr …


    About the Author

    MICHAEL TAILLARD, professional economist, published author and board member of NORML Nebraska.

    Source:

    It's not just that Nurse Mary Jane 'fixes all ills' and really can cure over 34 different types of cancer, she's also God's Gift to Mankind in that over 50 000 every day products can be made from hemp including all the 'generic' (non-natural) petro-chemical pharmaceuticals... it's that it makes

    Comment

    • ThrillsNSpills
      ROTH ARMY ELITE
      • Jan 2004
      • 6626

      What's the proper delivery source on the cures Hardrock?
      Some say orally, some say with oil, do any say by smoking?
      These reports are everywhere these days and it's almost like diet books, they all seem to contradict each other.
      I believe there's something to it after seeing it repeatedly, but it would be better if all these sources were on the same page, because who's being helped if they aren't?

      Comment

      • FORD
        ROTH ARMY MODERATOR

        • Jan 2004
        • 58755

        Eat Us And Smile

        Cenk For America 2024!!

        Justice Democrats


        "If the American people had ever known the truth about what we (the BCE) have done to this nation, we would be chased down in the streets and lynched." - Poppy Bush, 1992

        Comment

        • FORD
          ROTH ARMY MODERATOR

          • Jan 2004
          • 58755

          Eat Us And Smile

          Cenk For America 2024!!

          Justice Democrats


          "If the American people had ever known the truth about what we (the BCE) have done to this nation, we would be chased down in the streets and lynched." - Poppy Bush, 1992

          Comment

          • Hardrock69
            DIAMOND STATUS
            • Feb 2005
            • 21833

            I could not say what the delivery method is for every case. But bear in mind that smoking it only gives you a max of 10 to 20 % of the THC in the plant. Eating pot gives you much more of the full percentage, as it is not being burned up by fire.

            That is awesome about the seizures. Big Pharma could not do fucking shit, but some THC oil extract reduced her seizure count from 300 a week to ONE.
            Last edited by Hardrock69; 08-15-2013, 10:12 PM.

            Comment

            • Hardrock69
              DIAMOND STATUS
              • Feb 2005
              • 21833




              Ireland To Legalize Cannabis Medicine
              By TruthOnPot.com on August 15, 2013

              Ireland will join a number of other EU countries by allowing cannabis medicine to be prescribed by doctors, reports The Irish Times.

              The new regulations are expected to be introduced later this year.

              Alex White, Minister of State at the Department of Health, submitted the proposals, which would amend current restrictions on cannabis to allow “a newly authorised medicinal product containing cannabis extract to be prescribed, supplied and used by patients”

              The proposal refers to an oral spray made by the British company GW Pharmaceuticals.

              “The product Sativex (nabiximols) has been authorised in other EU member states for the relief of symptoms of spasticity in multiple sclerosis.”

              Sativex is already approved in over 20 countries worldwide.

              In a surprising turn of events, the proposals also impose harsher restrictions on certain prescription drugs, including tranquilizers like benzodiazepines. These dangerous, legal pharmaceuticals have become increasingly popular on the black market.

              The Department of Health is asking for the public’s opinion on the new plans.

              Earlier this year, the Irish Medicines Board voiced its support for the approval of Sativex.

              Comment

              • Hardrock69
                DIAMOND STATUS
                • Feb 2005
                • 21833



                Push For Legal Marijuana, Hemp In Mexico
                By TruthOnPot.com on August 14, 2013

                Next month, Mexican officials will debate the benefits of legalizing marijuana in the capital city.

                The conversation will include a bill introduced in June by the leftwing party of Mexico City’s mayor Miguel Mancera to allow possession of up to 25 grams of marijuana as well as personal cultivation.

                Although mainly aimed at legalizing medical use, it would also benefit recreational users and allow private cannabis clubs to be established.

                Possession of up to 5 grams is currently permitted under a 2009 amendment to Mexican law, but production and distribution are not.

                Mexico City Deputy Vidal Llerenas Morales told Sin Embargo that he supports the reform.

                “Most marijuana consumers aren’t addicts. They aren’t criminals. They are functional people.”
                However, the laws would violate international drug treaties set out by the United Nations which strictly prohibit marijuana, Fernando Gomez-Mont, former interior minister of President Felipe Calderón, told IPS News.

                “Several countries have questioned the drug control treaties for health reasons. This creates tension for the operation of the U.N. conventions.”
                According to IPS News, at least eight initiatives presented to Mexico’s Congress and state legislatures since 2007 have outlined plans to decriminalize marijuana. Three of them included industrial hemp.

                Interested investors like agricultural businessman Guillermo Torreslanda believe thousands of jobs could be created in new industries if Mexico were to join the more than 30 countries that currently produce hemp.

                “We must legalise it. We could copy what has been done elsewhere and adapt it to conditions here.”
                Hemp is not restricted by U.N. treaties but – like the U.S. – Mexican law prohibits cultivation of the crop, although hemp is currently imported and used to make a variety of products, including rope, textiles and food.

                Worldwide hemp production has risen by more than 50% over the past decade, according to recent reports.

                Comment

                • Hardrock69
                  DIAMOND STATUS
                  • Feb 2005
                  • 21833



                  ‘This is hypocrisy’: Sanjay Gupta tells Anderson Cooper about the federal medical marijuana patent
                  By Arturo Garcia
                  Wednesday, August 14, 2013 8:14 EDT


                  CNN contributor Dr. Sanjay Gupta followed up on his reversal of course regarding medical marijuana in an interview with Anderson Cooper on Tuesday by slamming federal policy regarding medical marijuana.

                  “The U.S. holds a patent [on marijuana] on one hand, and on the other hand, same government says it has no medical applications,” Gupta told Cooper. “Journalists are trained to hate hypocrisy. This is hypocrisy. I’ve never seen it quite like this.”

                  The Department of Health and Human Services, Gupta explained, holds a patent on medical marijuana as “a protectant for the brain, giving voice to an argument made by medical marijuana proponents. The pro-marijuana site Weedist reported in May 2013 that the patent states that, “cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and HIV dementia.”

                  Gupta, who issued a public apology on Aug. 7 for taking part in medical misinformation regarding the drug, also empathized with the argument that it should be kept out of the hands of minors.

                  “I don’t want kids taking this stuff,” Gupta told Cooper. “I don’t want anybody whose brain hasn’t fully developed — which usually is the mid-20s — taking this stuff. It’s not about this. But the trade-off shouldn’t be, because of those concerns, [that] we will then deny people therapy that may be the only therapy that works for them.”

                  Watch Gupta renew his defense of medical marijuana, aired Tuesday on CNN, below.

                  Dr. Sanjay Gupta says marijuana isn’t more addictive than cocaine and that the U.S. government holds a marijuana patent.


                  Comment

                  • Hardrock69
                    DIAMOND STATUS
                    • Feb 2005
                    • 21833



                    South Africa To Consider Legalizing Marijuana
                    By TruthOnPot.com on August 8, 2013


                    Could South Africa be the next country after Uruguay to legalize marijuana? It’s possible, according to iol News, which reported on Wednesday that the country’s National Drug Master Plan has called for an in-depth study on the need for decriminalizing or legalizing the substance.

                    Implemented in late June by the Central Drug Authority – South Africa’s drug advisory board – the CDA describes the Master Plan as the “country’s blueprint for preventing and reducing alcohol and substance abuse and its associated social and economic consequences on South African society.” The Plan is set to run until 2017.

                    Marijuana, which is called ‘dagga’ in South Africa, is “well known” to be the second most common “dependence-forming” substance in South Africa, according to the Plan.

                    It also states – since the last research paper presented 3 years ago – political opinion on marijuana has loosened in South Africa and other countries worldwide, warranting another investigation on marijuana policy.

                    Earlier this week, Gareth Newham, Head of crime and justice at the country’s Institute for Security Studies told iol News that harsh drug policies haven’t been working.

                    “We have to change our approach… and stop doing what’s proved to fail.”
                    With Uruguay leading the way, it seems like countries around the world are starting to realize that a softer approach to drugs may be the ultimate solution to the problems prohibition has failed to fix.

                    Comment

                    • Hardrock69
                      DIAMOND STATUS
                      • Feb 2005
                      • 21833




                      Seattle Police Will Hand Out Free Chips At Annual Hempfest
                      By TruthOnPot.com on August 15, 2013

                      Washington’s capital city will host the world’s largest marijuana rally this weekend. And free Doritos will be provided, courtesy of the Seattle Police Department.

                      For the first time since 1991, Hempfest goers will be lighting up legally. Likewise, police officers are taking the opportunity to inform them of the details of new rules set out by I-502.

                      The chips will come with labels that summarize the laws and provide a link to the department’s infamous “Marijwhatnow?” FAQ, which outlines exactly what’s legal and what’s not.

                      Seattle Police Department spokesman Sergeant Sean Whitcomb told The Stranger that he expects the free Doritos will be received warmly as well as serve a good purpose.

                      “Distributing salty snacks at a festival celebrating hemp, I think, is deliberately ironic enough that people will accept them in good humor… We want to make sure people learn the rules and that they respect the vote.”
                      Approximately 1,000 chip bags will be ready for hand out.

                      Under laws that were passed last November, Washington residents over the age of 18 can possess up to one ounce of marijuana – for personal use. Stores will require a license from the state in order to sell.

                      Comment

                      • Hardrock69
                        DIAMOND STATUS
                        • Feb 2005
                        • 21833



                        Liberal Party Launches Petition To Legalize Marijuana
                        By TruthOnPot.com on August 9, 2013

                        TruthOnPot.com – Three weeks after Liberal leader Justin Trudeau’s comments about legalizing marijuana sparked a nationwide debate, the Party has officially launched an online petition calling for an end to marijuana prohibition.

                        A link to the petition along with a simple message that states “Prohibition isn’t working” appeared on the Party’s Facebook page on Friday.

                        Although the Liberals face opposition from both the NDP and the Conservatives on their progressive pot stance, they make a good case for legalization that many Canadians can relate to.

                        The petition’s web page argues that keeping marijuana illegal is “costly and unsafe” and has cost taxpayers over $500 million since 2006. Stephen Harper’s war on drugs, they say, is a failure that has landed ordinary Canadians in jail.

                        “Stephen Harper keeps fighting a failed war on drugs that has resulted in more than 475,000 Canadians being arrested on marijuana-related charges… Liberals believe in a smart on crime approach, targeting real criminals instead of ordinary Canadians.”

                        You can sign the online petition at petition.liberal.ca

                        Comment

                        • Hardrock69
                          DIAMOND STATUS
                          • Feb 2005
                          • 21833

                          This is for Ash and Panamark (wherever he is):



                          In Australia, Fun People Are More Likely To Use Cannabis
                          By TruthOnPot.com on August 9, 2013

                          It seems like government scientists are running out of steam in their anti-marijuana efforts, judging by the latest report from Australia’s National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC).

                          Published online in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, the study suggests your chance of using cannabis during your twenties can be predicted by how much fun you are.

                          Specifically, researchers found that “fun seeking” young adults were more likely to use cannabis than their peers. Fun seeking was measured using the Behavioral Activation System (BAS) scale – according to which, sensation seeking and being impulsive makes you more fun.

                          On the flip side, being religious offered “protection” from becoming a cannabis user, according to the authors, who drew the conclusions from a pool of over 2,000 participants.

                          Interestingly, the point that seemed to draw most of the attention: Alcohol and tobacco users were more likely to end up using marijuana as well.

                          Wait, which one is the gateway drug again?

                          Comment

                          • Hardrock69
                            DIAMOND STATUS
                            • Feb 2005
                            • 21833



                            Marijuana Saves Lives On Road, Study Finds
                            By TruthOnPot.com on August 13, 2013

                            Are legal limits for marijuana necessary? Maybe not. Research out of the U.S. now shows that discouraging drivers from smoking pot may actually do more harm than good.

                            Published in the Journal of Law and Economics, the study found that states that legalized marijuana experienced a significant drop in fatal traffic accidents after laws were passed.

                            Daniel Rees, a University of Colorado economist and co-author of the new study, told the Boston Globe that providing marijuana as a legal alternative to alcohol may have had a role in saving lives. The drop in fatalities was more noticeable in one group known for drinking and driving: Young men between 20 to 40.

                            “The uncomfortable conclusion is that you’d rather have young adults smoking marijuana instead of drinking alcohol… But that’s where the logic takes us.”

                            Even when all groups were considered, states that passed marijuana laws still showed an 8 to 11 per cent drop in deaths within the following year. By the fourth year, the reduction in traffic fatalities reached 10 to 13 per cent.

                            But whether marijuana can actually impair driving is still up for debate. The authors of the latest study warn – while marijuana seems to make drivers more cautious – it may still alter other aspects of driving.

                            However, when it comes to alcohol verses marijuana, experts all agree on one important point: Alcohol is far more dangerous for drivers than pot.

                            Comment

                            • Hardrock69
                              DIAMOND STATUS
                              • Feb 2005
                              • 21833




                              Cannabis gets tacit green light in Lebanon – for now
                              By TruthOnPot.com on August 7, 2013

                              BOUDAI/YAMMOUNEH, Lebanon: The special bond that residents of the long-neglected Baalbek-Hermel area have with the cannabis plant – whose female buds they transform into top-grade hashish – is no secret.

                              The bond is so strong that farmers are willing to challenge the state and dominant parties or even kill to preserve their precious crops.

                              “In the absence of alternatives, we will break the hands and legs of anyone who dares destroy our crops,” one of the region’s biggest cannabis cultivators, Ali Nasri Shamas, told The Daily Star.

                              Defiantly, the modern-day desperado said cultivators would “kill” the Army and security forces if there was ever a crackdown on cannabis fields.

                              Last year, armed to the teeth with rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars, farmers warded off bulldozers employed by the state to raze the illegal plantations. The clashes stopped only after the government promised the farmers financial compensation, which was never paid after the Finance Ministry announced it lacked funds to carry out the plan.

                              “We will not be gentle with them [the security forces] like we usually are,” added Shamas, who is wanted on several arrest warrants, including on a charge of attacking the Army. “It will be a full-blown war if necessary.”

                              Although the topic of fighting drug cultivation was on the agenda of the Higher Defense Council earlier this week, political and security sources confirmed that the authorities would turn a blind eye to the practice over the next couple of months.

                              The sources cited the fragile security situation and the government’s inability to provide decent compensation to the farmers as reasons behind a decision to postpone cannabis field destruction sprees for the time being.

                              A tacit agreement to momentarily freeze the policy came after a meeting early last month between key officials in the caretaker government and a delegation of municipal officials from the Baalbek-Hermel region, the sources added. The meeting was not disclosed to the media.

                              “The Army is exhausted by the roving security incidents and the farmers are poor and angry,” said a political source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Everyone wants to avoid a major confrontation with the military. No one wants carnage.”

                              Once a thriving multi-billion-dollar business, cannabis cultivation was targeted by the government in the early 1990s due to international pressure. Since then state bulldozers and plows have carried out yearly eradication campaigns that often generate violent clashes with the farmers. Government promises to introduce alternative crops have yet to materialize in any serious way.

                              But despite the crackdown, unyielding cultivators have not stopped growing cannabis, even devising a cunning system to conceal the plants within corn and tobacco fields.

                              Some, like Shamas – a notorious member of Baalbek-Hermel’s “tuffar” movement, a group of lawless individuals who largely reject state authority – are outspoken about the issue and argue they have no reason to hide the plants.

                              These days, the road linking the city of Baalbek to the villages of Boudai and Yammouneh is lined with dark green cannabis fields, a sign the sector is flourishing.

                              Shamas dubbed this year’s cannabis crop, due to be harvested in October, as “wonderful.”

                              “We moved from 5,000 dunums of cannabis-cultivated land to 45,000 dunums,” he disclosed, adding that there was no shortage in drug dealers who buy the hashish at good prices and smuggle it abroad to destinations such as Egypt, Turkey and Europe.

                              Crop substitution programs devised by the Agriculture Ministry in coordination with the United Nations and other international organizations have failed to yield positive results and so have had little sway with farmers.

                              Abu Asaad, a cannabis farmer in Yammouneh, said he was not pleased with his status as an outlaw. “But we have no other choice,” he confided. “Our region is highly poor and neglected and I prefer planting cannabis to turning into a bandit or a car thief.”

                              Abu Asaad and Shamas mocked the programs implemented by the Agriculture Ministry over the years to secure alternative crops and accused the state of entrenched corruption.

                              “It’s high time international donors realize that their money is not spent to devise tangible agricultural policies, but rather goes straight to the pockets of officials,” Abu Asaad said. “Eradication campaigns are carried out at our expense and used to secure more funds, which will surely be embezzled.”

                              Even caretaker Agriculture Minister Hussein Hajj Hasan, a member of the dominant political party in Baalbek and Hermel, Hezbollah, does not escape criticism.

                              “He wants us to raise goats instead of growing cannabis,” Shamas said, in reference to one proposal by Hajj Hasan to gradually introduce cattle production to replace cannabis. “We will not go backward to being peasants.”

                              Farmers also complained that their suggestions for practical substitute crops have all been neglected by Hajj Hasan and his predecessors.

                              Shamas said easing restrictions on licenses to grow tobacco was a possible way to end cannabis cultivation.

                              “They can spare us their [Agriculture Ministry] expertise,” said Abu Asaad. “If they offer us low-cost water for irrigation by buildings dams, we’ll be able to grow wheat and barley instead of cannabis.”

                              The farmers also accused powerful groups such as Hezbollah and the Amal Movement of conspiring to keep people dependent on them. Arguing that Hezbollah and Amal were “partners in the crime,” Shamas said farmers would no longer be intimidated by the two parties.

                              “When you have enough money to enroll your kids in school and ensure health care for your family, you won’t be forced to become a member of a political party to win some favors,” Shamas said. “Hezbollah and Amal don’t want us to be self-sufficient. They want to keep the people of Baalbek and Hermel at their mercy.”

                              Until solutions are found, farmers and authorities appear confident that a cannabis-related drama will be dodged for at least the next couple of months.

                              Shamas believes that raising the issue of cannabis eradication during the recent meeting of the Higher Defense Council was a “ploy” by the authorities to demonstrate to the international community that they were still exerting efforts in the field.

                              The political source echoed Shamas’ logic, stressing that all groups were looking to avert a crisis.

                              “The [police and Army] might destroy a small plot of land where cannabis is grown in the next few weeks just to demonstrate that they have not dropped the ball on the matter, but I totally rule out a large-scale campaign,” the source said.

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                              • Hardrock69
                                DIAMOND STATUS
                                • Feb 2005
                                • 21833




                                Marijuana Support Grows, Despite Decline In Use Since ’80s
                                By TruthOnPot.com on August 4, 2013


                                Here’s some surprising news: Marijuana use isn’t more common today than it was in the 1980s, according to the latest Gallup poll. Released on Friday, the figures show despite a dramatic rise in support for marijuana legalization, use of the drug has leveled off since peaking over 20 years ago.

                                Interestingly, the number of young adults who report experimenting with marijuana has “progressively declined” – dropping from 56% in 1985 to 36% in 2013.

                                And while past use across all age groups showed a slight increase over the last decade, the poll found that current users make up only 7% of the entire U.S. population, which Gallup stated was “quite low” on “an absolute basis.”

                                Overall, the polling group concluded the upward trend in marijuana use which began in the 1970s has “tapered off considerably” in recent years. At the same time, support for legalization has been on a steady rise.

                                “Americans’ support for legalizing marijuana has grown markedly in the past two decades… While this might leave the impression that increasing numbers of Americans are using marijuana recreationally, Gallup finds no such surge in Americans’ self-reported experience with the drug.”

                                Maybe it’s time we accept the fact that support for legalization has nothing to do with using the drug. In fact, there are many different explanations for why 50% of Americans now think marijuana prohibition should end. But as the latest Gallup figures show, a ‘nation of potheads’ definitely isn’t one of them.

                                Over the past two decades, the rise in marijuana use among the U.S. population has leveled off significantly


                                Support for marijuana legalization has trended upwards at an increasing rate since Gallup first polled the public in 1969, reaching a record-high of 50% in 2011




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