Cannabis Followup: Did I cherry-pick studies?

I don't mind if you disagree with me. I don't mind if you point out where I made an error (it happens often). However, if you feel the need to attack me personally, our discussion is over. You can't be objective if you confuse the message with the messenger.

A big thanks to all of you who made such good points or asked intelligent questions. I'm not an expert on this topic, and my thinking is limited to one particular corner of the issues, the scientific data on health effects. Outside that realm, my opinion is no better (or worse) than anyone else.

I'm quite prepared to admit when I've allowed bias to affect my analysis. I hope some of you will do the same. To be honest, I didn't realize that wanting to see less drug usage was a bias. I'd like to see less cigarette smoking, less alcohol abuse, less pot smoking and fewer people smoking crack or shooting up heroin. I didn't realize that was a controversial bias. I didn't quite grasp that some people think MORE people smoking pot was a good thing. I don't see these apologists for other drugs.

Citations given on-screen.

Check to see if I'm cherry picking the literature. These are the full-text free papers on given topics. PubMedCentral is a government site, but it is not censored. If you don't need full text, go to PubMed ( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ ) It contains abstracts for virtually the entire body of medical literature:

Cannabis and Schizophrenia:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc?term=cannabis%20and%20schizophrenia

Cannabis and Lung Cancer:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc?term=cannabis%20and%20lung%20cancer

Cannabis and Addiction
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc?term=cannabis%20and%20addiction

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Marijuana
• cannabis
• pot
• THC
• scientific
• research
• schizophrenia
• addiction
• dependence
• c0nc0rdance

[bulbinking]

I would love to see you pwning the "MSG IS BAD" people. MSG IS A PROTEIN DERIVED FROM SEAWEED! Is eating SEAWEED bad? NO! Is eating a protein derived from seaweed that you would be ingesting if you ate plain seaweed bad? NO!

[C0nc0rdance]

@bulbinking

I did! Check through my videos.

MSG is found in a wide variety of foods, but none so much as in parmesan cheese.

[lIThorIl]

C0nc0rdance,

Please be aware that saying, "I get the same response from AIDS denialists and creationists" is not an argument, because it could be used no matter what the position you take. Even in one of the studies you read out, it said there was still a debate over cannabis and schizophrenia. I agree with you that the health effects of marijuana are probably negative (and comparable to alcohol) but you paint a picture that the science is settled when the very papers you cite say it's not.

[BrotherAlpha]

@zekdom Just because there are more positive effects than negative effects doesn't mean there are no negative effects. The whole video was to show that there are some negative effects, which is something a lot of people try to deny.

If you want to argue that cannabis is on a whole healthy for you, then that's a different subject.

[heatmourning33]

It would be interesting to see the effects of THC use in say a pill or from a vaporizer. In terms of legalization I don't see this data being very damning. Other things like drinking alcohol, eating at fast food restaurants or tanning may prove more dangerous towards one's health in moderation when compared to smoking pot. All things which are legal and not tightly regulated. It is interesting though and I appreciate you going through the evidence for us.

[crazyhairball18]

The argument that many cannabis user hold is not it's healthy, but that it's a good pass time and release, better than many of the alternatives. I'm not saying that is is, although I would. Just that it is a choice, and one we should be free to make without judgement or bias, It is always useful to be aware of the risks that you are taking and I would hope that all pot smokers are but these videos, while they are interesting and useful, do no give a healthy account of cannabis in the real world.

[ChakraKnot]

This is almost as disappointing as that time I learned there was no God.

[123backinyerface]

You can't say "50 Joints" is the LD50 because you are talking about something that varies depending on the THC content of plant itself. Its like comparing a 40oz bottle of beer to a 40oz bottle of whiskey, and judging it solely on the capacity of the 40oz bottle.

But supposing your "50 joints" did contain the proposed LD50, how much time "in minutes" would those 50 joints need to be consumed in, for the THC content to have a lethal effect?

[MsMrNoface]

The biggest exception I would make is the claim that marijuana addiction and withdrawal are somehow on par with tobacco or alcohol. I've had to quit all three after heavy use. Weed was nothing to quit. Perhaps people vary a lot on this, but other long term users who quit agreed with me. 2nd possible problem -- I 'm betting if you Google 'Barney and Evil' you will get 10 hits at the top that confirm everyone's suspicion.

[jshowa7]

@lIThorIl I don't ever recall him saying that the topic was settled... He specifically made the video regarding its negative effects and there is substantial evidence showing its link to schizophrenia as illustrated in this video. Maybe it was one of the earlier published papers. Unless you cite the one you're referring too, it would be difficult for anyone to assess this claim.