cannabisnews.com: Cancer from Cannabis? Cancer from Cannabis? Posted by CN Staff on November 11, 2002 at 22:47:10 PT By Paul MacInnes Source: Guardian Unlimited It's been coming. The news that cannabis is more dangerous than tobacco, reported by the British Lung Foundation yesterday, should not really have come as a surprise to anyone. That it has shocked quite a lot of people is just another example of how the drug policy in this country doesn't add up. According to the research, smoking three "reefers" a day does as much damage to the lungs as a whole fat pack of 20 cigarettes. This is because, on average, joint smokers mix tobacco with weed, smoke it without a filter, and inhale more deeply and for longer than cigarette smokers. Next thing you know they will be telling us that smoking drugs with disorientating properties eventually turns you a bit silly. Such common-sense conclusions could have been drawn by anybody who has spent time with a smoker or who has smoked themselves. The fruity cough that follows a big night, the paranoia that turns every other conversation into a whispered exchange - the downsides to frequent marijuana use are pretty obvious. Yet hash is such a political hot-rock that such plain facts are unknown to most of the estimated 2.5m Britons who smoke cannabis. For decades, politicians insisted that cannabis was an evil and a gateway to harder substances. The consequences of such a proscriptive attitude were inevitable: knowing that cannabis wasn't as bad as all that, opinion veered off in the opposite direction of the government's. Today, almost three-quarters of children are said to believe that cannabis is "safe". Add to that the list of big-time tokers who are student poster material, from Dylan to Marley to (Ali) G, and it's easy to understand why basic questions of health surrounding the drug go unasked and unanswered. Yesterday's report, released ahead of the expected reclassification of cannabis in parliament, may not blow the lid off a generation of preconceptions. After all, it is easy to quibble with a report that says three joints equals 20 fags. "What is the standard size for a joint?" people with a fresh eighth will ask. Would 3ft-long Camberwell carrots get around the problem on a technicality? But frequent use of marijuana has obvious problems, and not just in the long term. The woolly memory that lingers, ending conversations with "you know who I mean"; the sheer torpor that virtually chains a generation to their settees. Yet, thanks to decades of disinformation, propaganda and, yes, popular music, the truth about cannabis remains fogged in smoke. Note: True or not, it's about time we wised up about marijuana, says Paul MacInnes. Special Report: Drugs in Britain: http://www.guardian.co.uk/drugs/0,2759,178206,00.html Source: Guardian Unlimited, The (UK)Author: Paul MacInnes Published: Tuesday, November 12, 2002Copyright: 2002 Guardian Newspapers LimitedContact: letters guardian.co.ukWebsite: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Related Articles & Web Sites:BLF - Report on Cannabishttp://www.lunguk.org/news/index.htmlBLF - Report on Cannabis - PDF Formathttp://www.lunguk.org/news/a_smoking_gun.pdfMarijuana Studies & Proposals Revisit Old Debate http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14723.shtmlCancer Warning Put on Smoking Joints http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14720.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by Ethan Russo MD on November 12, 2002 at 07:37:35 PT: Once More It is absurd to equate cannabis smoking with that of tobacco. Anyone should bear in mind that most of these studies were done with NIDA cannabis that was low-grade and contained seeds and stems. It is not a real world comparison. Please see: http://www.montananorml.org/docs/ChronicCannabisUseStudy.pdfVaporization of cannabis should reduce any pulmonary risk considerably. Alternative delivery systems, such as oral use, sublingual sprays of tinctures, etc, should eliminate it completely.I believe in science, not propaganda. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on November 12, 2002 at 04:35:03 PT That explains it --This is because, on average, joint smokers mix tobacco with weed, smoke it without a filter, and inhale more deeply and for longer than cigarette smokers.--So it's a combination of tobacco and cannabis that was studied, was it? Hah! That explains why they can claim it's carcinogenic. I got it. Why didn't they have a test group using only pure cannabis? Never mix it. Why would you? Ewww. Gross.Found the site below as an ad at a story somewhere - it seems Canada is feeling the pinch when it comes to free trade in the lumber industry. I wonder, if they progress with drug law reforms up north, will we see more trade restrictions talked about on this site? Partnership For Growth [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by CorvallisEric on November 12, 2002 at 01:15:39 PT Think positive For decades, politicians insisted that cannabis was an evil and a gateway to harder substances.The consequences of such a proscriptive attitude were inevitable: knowing that cannabis wasn't as bad as all that, opinion veered off in the opposite direction of the government's.Walters and Hutchinson have painted themselves into such a tight little box that they can't use this (and a lot of other crap) as propaganda. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Sam Adams on November 11, 2002 at 23:04:36 PT Hogwash Oh please, this guy makes it sound like "Day of the Triffids" or something!Oh no, help me, I need Big Government to protect me from the ravages of the terrible cannabis plant! The doctors say it's bad - quick, get some police over here to beat me down and lock me in jail! I've got a quarter-ounce bag in the kitchen, I'm afraid to even go in there! It's much safer in jail! I'm calling 911 right now....... [ Post Comment ] Post Comment