Pubdate: Wed, 16 Dec 2009
Source: Visalia Times-Delta, The (CA)
Copyright: 2009 The Visalia Times-Delta
Contact: http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/customerservice/contactus.html
Website: http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2759
Author: Chet Phillipe
Note: Chet Phillipe has been employed for the past 35 years in the 
treatment of substance addiction and 12 years of teaching about substance 
addiction at College of the Sequoias, Porterville College and Merced 
College. He lives in Visalia.

YOUR EDITORIAL: MARIJUANA IS NOT A HARMLESS DRUG

The issue of medical marijuana is a charade. Consider the
following:

Its destructive power: Nicotine is the most addictive drug in the
world and kills 400,000-plus people annually. Marijuana is addicting
and more dangerous than nicotine because of the euphoric feeling. It's
seven to 14 times more powerful today than in the 1960s.

Marijuana causes cancers throughout the respiratory system: nose,
throat, mouth, tongue, lungs, breasts, etc. It is instrumental in
destroying the body in other ways due to its damaging effects to the
immune system. It is physically and psychologically addictive.
Addiction requires withdrawal.

Marijuana withdrawal is mild because of its long-term releases in the
body. Quitting the psychological part of marijuana is even more
difficult. Physical craving becomes so intense it is almost impossible
to go five minutes without satisfying that craving. Add psychological
craving and, the intensity of the need grows dynamically.

Marijuana is fat-soluble and saturates the fat parts of the body:
brain, breasts, buttocks, testicles, ovaries and white corpuscles; the
immune system is in the white corpuscles and is severely harmed.

Withdrawal, the physical aspects of addiction disease:

Two symptoms determine addiction: withdrawal and increase in
tolerance. Marijuana contains both. Because marijuana is fat-soluble,
marijuana leaves the system gradually. It does not "feel" like
withdrawal. It feels like the flu. The average joint may remain in the
system as long as two to seven days.

Marijuana withdrawal symptoms (withdrawal of a drug means physical
addiction):

- - Irritability

- - Anxiety

- - Physical tension

- - Heavy perspiration

- - Confusion

- - Auditory hallucinations

- - Depression

- - Fatigue

- - Decrease in appetite and mood

- - Headaches

- - Double vision

- - Apathy

Issues related to marijuana:

- - Serious prenatal damage. (Marijuana has caused deformity in
different areas of babies.)

- - Immune system is in the white corpuscles. Marijuana immerses each
white corpuscle, weakening the immune system.

- - Impotency after prolonged use.

- - Inability to perform after prolonged use (marijuana is in the
testicles).

- - Short-term memory damage first, then transfers to long-term brain
damage.

- - Drooping breasts for the female (a percentage of females depending
upon amount and time of use).

- - Floppy breasts for males (a percentage depending upon amount and
time of use).

- - Removes pubic hair, male and female.

- - Removes male chest and facial hair.

- - Adds chest and facial hair to females.

- - EEG: e.g., 24 vertical lines per frame. One on marijuana reflects
from eight to 10 vertical lines per frame.

- - Serious respiratory problems.

- - High rate of throat cancer, including the respiratory system.

- - Bronchial distress issues.

- - Auditory hallucinations during withdrawal. (Some hear voices, so one 
might receive a sham diagnosis of schizophrenia.)

Marijuana may involve your death, but you'll feel better. Deaths have
occurred from driving under the influence, aggressive behavior after
prolonged use, walking in front of traffic, home incidents, fires, gas
leaks, etc.

Why would anyone want to open up a "medical marijuana" store with the
above information available?

Oh, yeah, money. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D