Marijuana- Good or Evil?

I'm not afraid to say it. I'm a marijuana smoker. I don't care who knows it. It's something I like to do, and nobody is going to tell me how bad it is.

A lot of these anti-drug programs have been going around spreading so much BS propaganda against a harmless plant that's been smoked for thousands of years, and most of it just is not true.

Let's start with this:
"Long-term marijuana abuse can lead to addiction for some people; that is, they abuse the drug compulsively even though it interferes with family, school, work, and recreational activities. Drug craving and withdrawal symptoms can make it hard for long-term marijuana smokers to stop abusing the drug. People trying to quit report irritability, sleeplessness, and anxiety. They also display increased aggression on psychological tests, peaking approximately one week after the last use of the drug"

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong I've been smoking marijuana for the past couple years. Everyday smoker. There's been times when I had to stop for a while. NEVER ONCE have I had these "withdrawal symptoms". Marijuana can be psychologically addicting, but not physically addicting. Tell me ONE proper medical study that backs this so-called "fact" up, and I'll shut up.

"Marijuana stays in your fat cells and keeps you high for months"

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol... AKA: THC. THC is what gets you "high". Your body however, will change the THC into what we call "metabolites", which are stored in your fat cells. Metabolites contain NOTHING that will get you high. THC isn't going to leak out, and keep you high, none of it. Hell, after a few hours, there is no "Delta-9-tetrahydrocannibinol" in your system, only the leftover metabolites.

"Marijuana causes brain damage, and that is what gets you high"

No. There have been recent medical studies that show that marijuana or THC do not kill brain cells. Besides, just because you're high doesn't mean that brain cells are being killed off by that oh-so-evil marijuana. The chemicals in marijuana substitute a natural brain chemical, which basically "tickles" your brain cells.

"You can overdose on marijuana"

Wrong. Studies show that you'd have to smoke more than your body weight of marijuana to overdose on it (Also called the LD-50). There are of course, some people, who will have allergic reactions to the drug however. There has not been ONE single death that has been linked solely to marijuana use. According to a DEA Judge "marijuana is the safest therapeutically active substance known to mankind."

"Marijuana can cause insanity"

Marijuana doesn't cause people to go crazy. However, insane people can smoke marijuana. In fact, most police officers I've talked to said, "They've never had to fight a stoner. Just throw a bag of Cheetoes in the back of the car and they're good to go."

"Marijuana is a gateway drug"

Nicotine is a gateway drug too. It's only a gateway drug if you want it to be. If you choose to smoke marijuana, and then move onto something else, fine, go ahead, it's YOUR choice. Oh, here's an interesting fact: RESEARCHERS ARE USING MARIJUANA TO HELP CRACK ADDICTS GET OFF CRACK! Bet you didn't know that one! Anyway, and besides, marijuana has no tolerence, or reverse-tolerance. So pot smokers aren't looking for harder drugs to get them higher.

"Marijuana has a higher risk of causing cancer than cigarettes/tobacco"

No, it doesn't. There has not been one, offical medical study that says so. There have been no links to cannabis and lung cancer.

Anyway, so I'm a marijuana smoker, and I've never even taken so much as a sip of alcohol, let alone anything else. My weed keeps me happy. So thank you, mister D.A.R.E man, now leave me be.