10 fucking years? We’ll have flying cars before we have reasonably sized ones.

This feels like playing chess with a pigeon, TBH.

Ok, buddy. “You win.”

I’ve already corrected your misinterpretation of the studies on several occasions, so there’s no need to continue to belabour the point. If you want to argue about it to the authors of those studies, I’m sure they’d love to hear from you.

This is not a “war on drugs”, but a public health concern. You’re free to harm yourself however you like. But the public, especially our youth, should be better informed of the risks, especially while the chatter about cannabis being “safe” is still being thrown about casually.

“There’s no recording allowed in here.”

The entire world should be a witness to the insanity of what’s going on. Record everything, even when they say it’s not allowed.

you’re just upset that you got caught deliberately misrepresenting the contents of those studies

I’m not upset about anything. The studies speak for themselves.

and now you’re looking to do the same thing about me personally because you don’t have to a leg to stand on and you know it.

No, that extra bit of information gives me context for understanding where you’re coming from.

You were never going to be receptive of the facts, because they’d contradict the story you’ve been telling yourself about the “safest” harmful recreational drug.

I just never realized that was your motivation until just now.

Nobody ever calls daily coffee drinkers addicts

Who’s arguing about coffee, anyway?

I’m being downvoted because addicts have to defend and justify their addiction, unfortunately.

I had a family member who also went through the same. They developed psychosis (Cannabis-induced depersonalization-derealization disorder) through daily use of cannabis, and ended up needing to get treatment after their life went downhill.

Stopped once the weed stopped, but it was an alarming transition, and not an easy addiction to break.

They only became hooked once legalization came into effect, since it was accessible from anywhere.

I’m sorry that your mental health is in such a bad state.

I read in your other comment that you’ve been a daily cannabis user for decades, and now I can understand your aggressive defense of the drug, and your unhinged behaviour.

I wish you said that sooner. Your agenda is to defend your addiction, so there was never an honest discussion here.

It was fun. Get some help.

I truly appreciate the time you took to read the studies. I respect that, however, the personal attacks are unwarranted, and you’re more than welcome to debate the experts who’ve compiled the data, if you like.

Let’s take things one at a time, but it should also be noted that much of the research cited are medicinal users of cannabis (including those prescribed by doctors), not recreational, which is what the actual OP is about. You avoided touching on any of those from the long list by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction.

Your first study, linked directly because it’s actually really easy to do https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8229290/

From the conclusion: “…data are not sufficiently strong to suggest that cannabis use adversely affects the progression of viral diseases…it is also evident that cannabis or its constituents, including THC and CBD, have some beneficial effects such as improving appetite and food intake in patients with HIV/AIDS and positive effects in patients with hepatic steatosis”

You conveniently left out the parts before that:

"Research suggests a link between cannabis, immune function, and viral infections. Cannabis use may be associated with adverse effects on immune function and, thereby, increase the risk of acquiring or transmitting infections such as HIV and HCV. "

The part you bring up has to do with viral progression, which is different. And the fact that more research is needed in this area (per the study), doesn’t clear cannabis from harm.

The benefits of increased appetite in someone who is dying is great! Too bad, that has no relevance to the general population, so the risks outweigh the benefits.

Your second study https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7442038/

Again, direct quotes: “We have evidence suggesting that cannabis use, primarily THC in cannabis, in genetically predisposed or at-risk populations, leads to earlier diagnosis of psychosis/schizophrenia.”

That doesn’t appear to be the study I linked, but we agree, increased risks.

But why did you skip the most important parts of the conclusion?

"Neuroimaging studies show the detrimental effect of cannabis on brain morphology, especially adolescent brains. "

“…there is still more harm from cannabis than benefits, and adolescent cannabis usage should be discouraged at all costs.”

That’s pretty damning for something considered safe, wouldn’t you agree?

“Recent trials in therapeutic CBD use are showing its alleviating effect on positive symptoms of schizophrenia and its opposing effect on THC, which warrants further research.”

So not only is there no evidence of any risk of psychosis or schizophrenia for anyone who isn’t already genetically predisposed, but there’s actually evidence that specific cannabinoids in isolation can alleviate symptoms! Wow, another source betrays you

Trials… therapeutic CBD… that sounds considerably different from recreational use outside of a medical setting, no? Like the type of use they would like to see discouraged “at all costs”.

Anyway, the study I linked is: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5984096/

“In summary, a genetic approach—representing an alternative to assessing causality when a randomized controlled trial would be unethical—strongly supports the hypothesis that use of cannabis is causally related to risk of schizophrenia.”

Your third study https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S014976341100073X

And more direct quotes that clearly illustrate how stupid you are: “…cannabis use is clearly not an essential or sufficient risk factor as not all schizophrenic patients have used cannabis and the majority of cannabis users do not develop schizophrenia.”

This was my oversight, and I apologize for that.

That review paper was quite outdated, and the same author has a much more recent study available: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7646282/

“In conclusion, our findings confirm previous evidence of the harmful effect on mental health of daily use of cannabis, especially of high-potency types. Importantly, they indicate for the first time how cannabis use affects the incidence of psychotic disorder. Therefore, it is of public health importance to acknowledge alongside the potential medicinal properties of some cannabis constituents the potential adverse effects that are associated with daily cannabis use, especially of high-potency varieties.”

I hope that covers it. There seems to be more than enough evidence to suggest that cannabis is not safe, even for being the “safest recreational drug”.

Edit: grammar/spelling.

No proof whatsoever

You didn’t read any of it.

Smoking anything is bad for lung health, does nothing to change the fact that marijuana is the safest recreational substance in existence, especially when ingested in any other way.

The safest in a group of harmful things doesn’t make it safe!

“May supress the immune sustem” no evidence provided lol, unsubstantiated speculation, embarassingly weak

Here’s what the research says:

“The review of published research shows that cannabis use may impair immune function in many instances and thereby exerts an impact on viral infections including human immune deficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C infection (HCV), and human T-cell lymphotropic type I and II virus (HTLV-I/II).” Maggirwar SB, Khalsa JH. The Link between Cannabis Use, Immune System, and Viral Infections. Viruses. 2021;13(6):1099. Published 2021 Jun 9. doi:10.3390/v13061099

“Can increase risk of developing schizophrenia” also well documented that it has no chance whatsoever of causing schizophrenia in individuals that aren’t already hereditarily prone to developing it, at most it can accelerate onset

Again, more studies to help you:

“This adds to the substantial evidence base that has previously identified cannabis use to associate with increased risk of schizophrenia, by suggesting that the relationship is causal. Such robust evidence may inform public health messages about cannabis use, especially regarding its potential mental health consequences.” Vaucher J, Keating BJ, Lasserre AM, et al. Cannabis use and risk of schizophrenia: a Mendelian randomization study. Mol Psychiatry. 2018;23(5):1287-1292. doi:10.1038/mp.2016.252

“To date, the research on the impact of its use has largely been epidemiological in nature and has consistently found that cannabis use is associated with schizophrenia outcomes later in life, even after controlling for several confounding factors.” Casadio P, Fernandes C, Murray RM, Di Forti M. Cannabis use in young people: the risk for schizophrenia. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2011;35(8):1779-1787. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2011.04.007

There are dozens more, if you need them.

No kidding. I was on a bike ride yesterday through some areas where entire subdivisions, in fairly medium/high class neighbourhoods, had no sidewalks. Retired folks were taking their nightly stroll on the side of the road. I guess kids don’t get to play outside there, either.

Oh, come on now. You are arguing in bath faith if you couldn’t find one thing that “proves you wrong”.

Here are just a few from that link, and each topic is explored in depth if you click through the supporting links on that page:

“Hospitalizations for psychotic disorder related to cannabis use accounted for one-third of mental or behavioural disorders between 2006–2015, increasing more than 25 per cent during this time.”

“Cannabis smoke contains chemicals (toxins, carcinogens and irritants) that are known to negatively affect lung health.”

“Smoking cannabis may suppress the immune system, which can make you more prone to infection from viruses.”

“Regular cannabis use can increase the risk of developing psychosis and schizophrenia…”

“Cannabis impairs the cognitive and motor abilities necessary to operate a motor vehicle and doubles the risk of being involved in a collision.”

“Cannabis, when inhaled, can potentially trigger stroke, heart attack or inflammation of arteries, especially in those who use cannabis heavily.”

“Regular use of these products [edibles] has been associated with problematic cannabis use, cannabis use disorder and mental health disorders.”

“Based on existing research and because of the associated risks of harms, cannabis use should only be considered for people who do not respond to first- and second-line treatments.”

“Most of the cases of emerging lung and respiratory disorders have been linked to vaping products containing THC from cannabis extracts.”

“Regular cannabis use is associated with changes in brain structure and function, including changes to the brain’s natural reward pathways.”

“Regular cannabis use is generally associated with more harmful rather than beneficial effects among people with mental health conditions.”

“Frequent cannabis use during pregnancy is associated with … Altered neurodevelopment and cognition, and academic under-achievement; and behavioural disturbances among children and young adults, including attention deficits, increased hyperactivity and impulsivity, and increased likelihood of delinquency and substance use.”

A fraction of what an author makes through selling. And libraries end up selling those books after some time anyway, “ripping off” the author twice.

I think we all need to realize that there are so many things we do that could be compared to piracy, yet piracy is the one that’s made to look like the worst thing you can do. It really isn’t.

when in fact the current system is broken to the extent that it allows and enables it.

I’d go as far as to say that the current system rewards it.

We dropped cigarette use with a massive anti smoking campaign that lasted decades. Not by hiding it behind the counter.

We used many approaches, which should be applied to the currently promoted drugs you see being sold in stores.

How come I can’t extend your outrage to churches? Seems a reasonable expectation since we’re hiding things that destroy lives.

Churches… the building? Or religion? I’d love to organized religion die, but church buildings should stand as either historical landmarks, or repurposed to house the homeless.

Where do we start?

This is why wealth needs to be capped.

Billionaires should not exist, and we’ll soon start to see trillionaires in the next 5 years.

Libraries, lending to a friend, donating to someone, buying used… All the same as piracy?

I’m assuming then, that you aren’t aware of the decades of research on cannabis, especially when smoked, showing harm in other areas of human health?

Have a read.

To think that you could eliminate or hide everything that offends someone from life completely is also a childish outlook.

“Everything”. I never suggested such.

Look, we were able to drop cigarette use by using simple strategies like not having them displayed “in your face” at shops, and cutting advertising.

If we can’t do the same for other drugs, then it’s due to a lack of trying.

Safe in the sense that it won’t kill you outright like fentanyl.

But it’s not safe.

It doesn’t have to be as bad as other drugs to be a cause for concern.

It need to all go.

Sounds like we agree.

I also don’t want to see maple magats, huge diesel trucks idling with no one in them, indigenous people being arrested,killed and harassed for existing, churches…I hate fucking churches…every single one needs to go.

Not sure what any of that has to do with drugs harming kids, but OK.

Google maps also has all those places. They’re promoting hatred and alcoholism.

They are. We agree on that, too.

You sound like a child.

OK. We seem to be agreeing on the same things, so… I guess you sound like a child, too? 🤔

I have concerns about drugs influencing our most vulnerable, and the external pressures that make it difficult for them to avoid it.

As an alcoholic, one would think you’d agree that it’s a problem.

Not sure what your personal beef with me is, though. 🤷‍♂️