We live in a world that often uses false information to skew our beliefs about certain things and ideas. One of those things is the idea that marijuana is harmful, or more harmful, than other drugs on the market.
This is a misconception that lingers from the “Reefer Madness” era when pot was depicted as something that turned people into dangerous criminals. It was a lie then, and people seem to be more peaceful than ever while high, so it’s time to explain why marijuana is one of the least dangerous drugs out there.
Why Marijuana is One of the Least Dangerous Drugs
While you may have heard someone spew out a million reasons why pot is great, there’s an alright person that he or she did not know what they were talking about. That’s why pot often gets a bad wrap– there are a lot of people who defend it on the basis of them liking it.
Having an understanding of some actual points will help you articulate to your friends and family that marijuana is not something to be feared. In fact, it is a lot less harmful than that glass of wine your mom sips as she listens to your excellent pro-weed arguments.
Let’s get into the details.
1. No One Has Ever Died From an Overdose
While hard drugs like crack and meth are known to contribute to thousands of deaths by overdose, the same is actually true of the substances that are considered normal for us to use. Alcohol and prescription medicine, things that we keep readily in our homes, are at high risk for causing an overdose.
Marijuana, however, has never once given us a documented case of an overdose. Estimates state that a person would need to smoke anywhere from two hundred to one thousand joints in a day to experience something close to an overdose. Not even Snoop Dogg could manage that.
2. Altercations are Less Likely
The danger of alcohol is predominantly in the fact that people function in an unruly way while under the influence of it. Domestic abuse and fighting are huge issues for those experiencing alcoholism and frequent drinking.
Marijuana has been perennially deemed as a substance that promotes relaxation and non-violence. This may be because decision making is less inhibited by people high on marijuana than those who are intoxicated on alcohol.
3. Marijuana is Medicinal
“Grandpa’s cough medicine” may not have been so medicinal after all. Excessive drinking can lead to liver disease, cancer, and a number of other serious health complications.
Alternatively, marijuana is used medicinally to treat a number of ailments. From physical ailments such as chronic pain to mental difficulties such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety, marijuana has a wide range of applications that are accepted by the medical professions.
The drug has shown to be beneficial in treating muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis and diaphragm spasms. It is also a measure of preventing the development of glaucoma, an eye disease that damages a person’s vision.
There is also a growing support of marijuana as a treatment for people with treatment-resistant epilepsy. In many cases, marijuana is one of the only methods of treatments that control the seizures of patients. There is not enough evidence to conclusively state this, however.
Another common prescription of marijuana is for those who have depression and anxiety. With research and engineering advances, strains of marijuana are grown with very specific effects in mind. For this reason, it’s possible to treat specific mental ailments like anxiety and depression.
Anxiety has shown to decrease and promote relaxation in low doses, while too much marijuana can actually increase a patient’s anxiety. Every one is different, so for anxiety patient’s it’s critical to find the perfect dosage for your individual makeup.
4. Marijuana can be Used to Treat Addictions
A large aspect of marijuana’s appeal is that it is not addictive. Sure, the feeling can become habitual and people will abuse the substance, but the chemical makeup of pot is not habit-forming or addictive.
That is to say that much of the withdrawals and difficulties that go along with, say, opioids, aren’t present in marijuana. In fact, marijuana researchers say that medical marijuana may be one of our only hopes of beating the opioid crisis. This is the case for a couple of reasons.
First, if there is a reason that someone is on opioids in the first place, marijuana could treat that reason. A recent study by the National Academies of Science, Medicine and Engineering stated conclusively that marijuana can treat chronic pain, something that opioids are often prescribed to treat.
Marijuana also provides a high that would serve as a way to wean opioid addicts off of the intensive highs of their addictions. CBD, one of the cannabinoids in marijuana, has also been shown to reduce craving for heroin in recovering addicts.
5. Pot Doesn’t Likely Harm Intelligence
The National Academies of Science conducted another longitudinal study that examined groups of twins, measuring their intelligence at both ages 9 to 12 and 17 to 20. Their results showed no evidence that marijuana was in any way linked to a deficit intellectually.
The primary concern in this area is the mental well-being of teens that regularly use marijuana. While medicinal use by adolescents is gaining support from research, it is generally believed that there is no chance for adverse intellectual effects when used by grown adults.
It’s difficult to give a comprehensive study with definitive evidence on this one. Different strains have different potency, and there are different factors that go into everyone’s reasons for using, some of those factors possibly indicating a lower IQ before use. Additionally, everyone responds differently to marijuana, making it difficult to measure in terms of intelligence.
Explore the Variety in Marijuana
The Marijuana industry has exploded with new products and ways to consume. If you’re looking to medicate, there is definitely a form of marijuana that will work well for you. Pot is by far one of the least dangerous drugs and should be tried out as a medication.
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