"You got lead in my marijuana. . ."

Well, that's another reason it should be legalized and regulated.

And while we would never condone the use of illegal substances among our readers

Why not? Marijuana should be legal, and it's prohibition, like the laws against sodomy, should be openly denounced.

"inconspicuous grayish color"

A least in the dime bag shown in the NEJM photo, it sure as fuck didn't look "inconspicuous" to me. It looked like a bag full of metal shavings with a couple pieces of bud.

PP -- they got that bag from a patient. Would you have handed over a full bag? Of course they got an empty. :-)

But yeah, the metal particles were obvious -- and even if I didn't realize it was lead, I'd ask my supplier wtf metal was doing in my herb!

Plus, I've had lead in my mouth -- I used to fish, and sometimes you forget the crimping pliers, OK? -- and it tastes horrible. Surely with that much in a doob one would notice that something was off?

Abbie -- I'm with you. I don't actually use dope, but I do drink alcohol and I don't see why one is perfectly legal and the other will get you a criminal record.

This is a new one for me. I would guess that this hasn't yet become very popular in the U.S.

Unfortunately, there are some nasty ways for upping the weight that are relatively common in the U.S. One that is possibly as bad as the lead, is the use of shellac. This has the dual effect of adding weight and making the buds look brighter and more attractive. Not quite as bad when food grade shellac is used, but that is a rarity, because it is harder to come by.

I have also heard of pesticides being used, more common with "shwag" or compressed marijuana, usually from Mexico. Rather than being used to add weight, it is actually being used for it's intended purpose. The major problem being, that people generally don't wash their weed.

Probably the most common method for adding weight is entirely benign. Spritzing the marijuana with water will add plenty of weight and can actually make the weed burn a little more slowly which many tokers prefer.

For my own part, I haven't smoked pot in years, that wasn't grown by someone I know. Mostly grown by people who are legally entitled to grow it and don't have any reason to add weight.

And while we would never condone the use of illegal substances among our readers or their friends and other loved ones

For some of us, it is legal, at least according to state statute. As long as it doesn't cross state lines, the feds usually don't get involved.

I will definitely keep this in mind though. I have been in discussions with Portland Parks and Recreation about doing a drug program at some of the local community centers. I got the idea during a neighborhood meeting with some of our neighborhood cops.

They said they could probably provide at least one drug cop, a contract lab tech and some meth or crack that has been slated for destruction. They would then discuss the analysis of the sample we have as well as discussing what has been found in various samples of different drugs that they have seized and tested.

There is a lot of resistance to the idea, mainly because the approach taken would not really involve saying just say no. I suggested that taking a values neutral approach would be the best approach. Just have a straightforward discussion about exactly what's in the drugs that are common on the streets here. There is a lot of support for it as well though, especially among our community policing neighborhood liaison officers

The nicest aspect for me, is that it would be a program that I am not actually directly involved with. I have a couple other programs that I would like to do and adding yet another would just be too much.

Just for fun: If MJ were legalized, would it be regulated as a supplement or a drug?

Probably a drug.

Then it would be subject to full drug testing. Which, as noted on the other thread, adds a lot of cost.

Consequently, many of the people who use it recreationally now would no longer be able to afford it. But it might be added to some insurance companies' formularies, so that most of those who had it prescribed would still be able to afford it.

But the recreational users, the vast majority, would still want it at the accustomed price, so the infrasturcture that currently provides it would still have incentives to make non-regulated varieties, yes? And, adding one more department of government to their efforts hardly seems like much of a deterrent.

So, while legalizing and regulating MJ would make it safer and more effective for those who -need- it, it's unlikely it would be much help for those who merely -want- it.

Yes? No? Maybe?

Actually, alcohol is regulated, but neither as a supplement nor as a pharmaceutical (except as pure ethanol), so I'm sure a category could be created.

WSU -

Why would it be either of those? As PalMD mentions, we regulate alcohol as neither of those things, why would we put marijuana (or other drugs, as I personal advocate legalizing, taxing and regulating far more than just the weed) in a different category?

However, in my state, it is legal for medical use and the price has actually stayed lower than it is in other parts of the country. For those with providers licensing, it is totally legal for them to grow and sell it to people with medical marijuana cards. Reducing the risk and having a fairly steady group of customers, makes it easier to lower the price a bit.

Damn Chinese reefer.

The only way someone could be stupid enough not to see the metal in that picture is if they were smoking lead.

I smoke, but I'm quitting. I started because of boredom, but I'm quitting for health reasons. This article gives me another reason.

There are many marijuana treatment centers available in USA. These centers offer the best treatment to their patients and they become a younger appearance and to gain more self confidence.

http://www.edrugrehabs.com/SubstanceAbuse/Marijuana-Addiction-Treatment…

Yeah, look at all that lead in the photo. That's pretty scary.