OK, you can all stop the stupid, "smoking pot makes you dumb" jokes. according to new research in the
Journal of Clinical Investigation and summarized in a news article in
The Globe and Mail say that high doses of cannabinoids can actually promote the growth of new brain cells in the hippocampuses part of the brain, which is responsible for learning and memory.
Now, I am not condoning that everyone go out and get stoned. The research used a form of THC that is 10 times more powerful then you and I could possibly get our hands on. However, the research does not rule out what the effects of "normal" pot has on the brain, and more studies like this one need to be undertaken to fully understand what the effects of long term use have on the human brain. (Where do I sign up?)
Now the other part of this that makes me angry is that this study was done in Calgary. Yup, our good 'ol neighbors to the north are doing research on marijuana and not twisting the results to demonize it. That kind of study would never work in the good 'ol USA because there would so much pressure on the researchers to twist the results to fit our national drug policy. If anyone out there believes that we are "winning the war on drugs", must be taking some damn fine drugs themselves to be seeing such rosey colors. Our prisons are overpopulated by people serving time for non-violent drug offences. Billions are spent trying to enforce archaic drug laws, while billions are being made by ruthless cartels and street dealers. Should all drugs be legal? No, of course not. But, I believe that things need to change. Pot should be LEGALIZED. Why? For one thing, it is NOT a physically addictive substance, unlike tobacco. Marijuana should be legalized, taxed and controlled in a matter similar to tobacco and alcohol. (Of course, we all now how well THAT works) Other substances like extacy and LSD fall into a grey area for me. Extacy can kill, but most of the time the deaths can be attributed to misuse. I am unaware of any fatal overdose of LSD by itself. Yes, there are people who think they can fly and jump off of buildings, but that is just stupidity and failure to follow a safe routine for experimenting with a substance like LSD. Cocaine, heroin, and other substances made from poppy plants should be not be freely available to buy, yet I think that the a certain a level of legality should be given to them so that users that want to stop won't feel afraid to enter a rehab program and not fear of being arrested just for looking for help.
