A study from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Center in Australia has shown that nearly a third of people under the age of 30 think marijuana is totally uncool. Drug abuse is clearly a problem that has to be dealt with through education and treatment programs (don't get me started on the war on drugs though). The only problem with this statistic is that people might think marijuana is uncool for totally inaccurate reasons that they pick up either through a lack of education (or even more bothersome - mis-education).
It seems that a possible reason that people believe pot is so uncool is because almost half of them believe that it can be a major cause of schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety disorders. It isn't clear from the news article whether this mis-information is related to the decline in the pot cool factor (tm) or whether it is uncool for other reasons. It also isn't clear whether the drug education program is to blame for the complete misunderstanding of the basic facts about drugs - either through lack of education or mis-education.
This sounds a lot like masturbation causing hair to grow on your hands.
- Log in to post comments
DrugTestCam and many others on the net and in the real world are constantly battle this outrageous propaganda spewing forth from the mouths of morons like Pyne and Dillon and their lap dogs in complicity the Mainstream Media,if it didn't impact so adversly on the lives of the victims of scum liars like Pyne and Dillon it would be a scream as these morons can be slapped around the head repeatedly with the truth and they still can't see it a true defination of a well I'm not sure what language you allow on your blog so I'll use Effwit and we all know what I mean.
As one of the 'morons' accused of 'propaganda spewing' I would just like to correct one thing about the above posting. If you would like to go to the original press release that was issued we were reporting peoples' attitudes towards cannabis. One of the key points raised in the release was that much of the information that the survey respondents believed to be true - e.g. cannabis and its links to other drug use, links to other crimes, etc did not come from reliable sources and was based on polarised views which were incorrect and unhelpful. I agree with the fact that much of the information out in the public domain comes from the prohibition lobby and is factually incorrect. Media misreporting and sensationalism doesn't help! People who lodge postings should really go to the source before they make statements - hopefully the information that we put out about cannabis is balanced and accurate. We definitely try our best!
Thanks for clearing up what you actually reported. It's very often impossible to figure out what the study authors actually say from poorly reported news articles. It really is also a major problem when the news source doesn't list their source!
Well at least you admit it Dillon, you shill,yes this report and survey must be accurate when using such a vast data base of 1500 people. Your a joke ,the survey is JUNK SCIENCE and I'll debate you any time Dillon as you have no heart its just a job and all you care about is your superannuation.
take it easy jess. don't want to start any angry arguments - just nice debates...
Fair enough Steve as its your blog but let me tell you I will attack Dillon mercilessly on my site and have.
I have the facts I have been researching cannabis as an amateur for 35 years and I will put my personal fountain of knowledge to bare against people and their apologists who want to lock me and my fellow citizens up in gaol ,thats whats really not on.
booooohhhh yaaaah !!! In ya bum dillon what type of boofhead would actualy do a media report about this and use unreliable sources as you so nicely put it ,,, what a joke get a life and a reliable source m8 b4 publishing such crap!!!
I think its strange how governments all around the world.. even our close minded coalition.. openly admit to the advantages that marijuana has on sick and and suffering people.. theres a constant supply of frequent information relating to the medicinal properties of this herb.. helping in a wide range of ailments such as nausea caused from chemotherapy to pain relief in MS sufferers. The Australian Drug and Alcohol commission has a myriad of reports from the 80's suggesting that decriminalization of the herb is the better path to take... placing tougher sentencing on Australians for consuming a relatively harmless drug whether it be for recreation or medication is just ridiculous, And to suggest that Marijuana is the gateway drug.. that leads to crime.. is just a slanderous comment.. especially since the recent ABC broadcast on the recent study into the use of marijuana and the effects on society.. where the drug and alcohol commission of Australia even stated that on the list of harmful substances.. to the person and to the community you would place Tobacco and Alcohol at the very top of that list.. and when asked where would Marijuana come on that list the reply was... well it would be right at the bottom.. if it made the list at all...
you would have to be complete idiot to think that the continual persecution of nearly %40 of the Australian population that use Marijuana on regular basis is good for families and the communities... how can locking up a father of 3 who works hard to provide for his family, with his only downfall being a quiet smoke of marijuana to relax and take away the aches of the day be doing his family any good...
The simple fact is that most marijuana users are not criminals... We have families which we love and cherish very much...
While I agree that while most criminals probably do smoke marijuana.. most marijuana users are NOT criminals... we abide by the law.. we don't harass people in the street... we don't steal, and we very rarely disrupt the neighborhood.
I all actual fact.. go up the street on a Saturday night.. open your eyes and look around.. almost EVERY fight.. dispute.. car crash and generally being disruptive in the neighborhood are mostly caused from alcohol... how many deaths are caused from drink driving.. liver problems from alcohol abuse.. and domestic violence incidents caused from the use of alcohol.. yet this is accepted ... Australia has around 14000 deaths every year attributed to smoking tobacco.. yet this is widely accepted ... how many deaths are caused from smoking marijuana??? NONE.. yet this is classed as a dangerous drug...
seems very strange doesn't it...
while I agree that commercially growing this herb shouldn't be aloud as it just feeds the criminal element in the black market.. where as most Marijuana users are responsible and grow h\just enough to supply their own habit you can be rest assured that NONE of this Marijuana will EVER reach any school kids.. or even reach the street.. its the small time personal growers that are being persecuted.
WAKE UP Australia.. you are being constantly lied to by your government in a push for more and more scare campaigns... its your government using terrorist/fear tactics on the people.. and this just isn't right..
oh.. on a passing note.. with all the talk about omega3 oils and how its very healthy on clearing cholesterol and preventing heart attack.. its probably fair to note that Hemp Seed oil has the most highest concentration of omega3 oils than any other substance on the planet.. given this very valuable information.. don't you think its criminal NOT to grow this plant??? we talk about the ozone layer.. and how the petrochemical companies polluting the environment is slowly causing the planet to die... then take into consideration.. that HEMP can replace ALL of our oil needs... funny how a plant can be so evil.. when the very same oil from the very same plant can be used in food stuff to reduce heart failure.. and then the very same oil can be used to run our cars... think about that .. very hard...
just thinking... if 1 out of 3 teenagers think Marijuana is dangerous.. then that means 2/3 are educated and know the truth...
So at what age should Marijuana become legal, then?
7 1/3 years old.
clearly.
Trizio,
What the hell are you talking about?
Who are you trying to insult?
Fuck the system, fuck all you pussys who think mj is gay... Get high you stupid mother fuckers.
what an insightful comment emerdale! I'm glad you graced us with your presence!
Whoa! I just stumbled on this site and am not sure, from the many unstructured comments above, exactly what inferences can be drawn.
I start with #1 Jeff Stone: Are you for, or against, unprescribed drug use?
#2. What is a shill? and are you providing, through your response, evidence to support the possibity that marijuana use impedes cognitive ability?
#7. I am sorry. I couldn't understand what point you were attempting to make.
#8. '... how can locking up a father of 3 who works hard to provide for his family, with his only downfall being a quiet smoke of marijuana to relax and take away the aches of the day be doing his family any good...' I assume that, if I, as a father of three, shoot someone "to relax and take away the aches of the day", that it would not be a crime because I had a good reason to breach the criminal law? You would support me during any ensuing court appearance, right?
#13. emerdale. I assume you are using marijuana and your comments reflect your mental acuity.
My imressions, derived from the various comments supporting, versus those opposing, the use of marijuana, is that any usage appears to be deleterious to serious thinking!
James: Serious think - um, what? I don't remember my point...eating chips...
Oh yeah, it's that the above just seems to confirm what the study from Dillon (which I couldn't find on PubMed) reported, that people believe a lot of silly myths about drugs, good and bad. Where those myths come from is another thing.
There is some empirical data behind this particular belief about marijuana and mental illnesses; cannabis doesn't "cause" schizophrenia, anxiety and depression but it is often co-morbid and can worsen symptoms. Also, cannabis appears to cause early-onset psychosis in predisposed people. This is all fairly recent research but there's a LOT of it. Do a PubMed search for cannabis and psychosis.
Here's a literature review on cannabis and psychosis from Rethink, a mental health organizaion (not an anti-drug campaign).
My own opinion is that this whole subject is so fraught with misinformation - not just from anti-drug sources - I treat info with even more scepticism than usual. Which is saying a lot.
#8. '... how can locking up a father of 3 who works hard to provide for his family, with his only downfall being a quiet smoke of marijuana to relax and take away the aches of the day be doing his family any good...' I assume that, if I, as a father of three, shoot someone "to relax and take away the aches of the day",
James/idiot you really are an idiot aren't you... I bet you smoke cigarettes don't you??? what a stupid comment... the fact is, the married guy with three kids who enjoys a quiet smoke after work isn't harming any one else but himself.. yet you advocate murder??? ie; harming others...what and idiot.. the facts are MJ isn't a killer, idiot.. and some one who grows purely for himself isn't harming any one in the community...
whilst I agree that commercial growing of this plant for black market dealers in massive amounts should be policed and charged.. I feel that locking some one up for merely growing their own personal, never seeing the streets at all is just clogging our court systems and draining the taxpayers money... I wonder how many non MJ smokers would advocate for decriminalization/legalization if they knew how much was waisted on policing small time personal growers??
Its funny to me how all the countries where illicit drugs are illegal have the biggest % of addicts.. when compared to Amsterdam.. where its not exactly legal.. but confined to one district has a very low addiction rate per capita compared to the US, UK and OZ...
I am not advocating we legalize illicit drugs.. so you see junkies and users, using in the street.. what I am advocating is the fact the small time growers get their privacy invaded .. doors kicked in.. bashed.. and civil rights ignored by police for doing something relatively harmless for personal use... every Australian drug and alcohol study done since the 80's has suggested decriminalization for personal use of MJ... they also state that the main drugs that cause disruption in society are alcohol and tobacco.. actually Marijuana is very low down the list if it makes the list at all...
you just keep walking around with ya head in the sand James.. everything will be alright eventually.. lets just hope your kids have more sense than you and research the myriad of evidence that supports marijuana use... and not be blinded by unfounded propaganda that is pushed by the criminal elements with governments...
HEMP FOR FUEL....
marijuana transpires oxygen 5 times greater than any other plant on the planet.. meaning if we went back to growing hemp like our forefathers the massive crops of hemp would replenish the ozone layer .. reversing the major damage made but the coal and petrochemical companies... hemp will grow more fiber for textiles than cotton per hectare with out using around %80- of the chemicals used in cotton farming... oh.. heres the clincher.. and ONLY 1/3 the water... mm drought??? MJ will grow in very arid areas.. where as cotton needs a lot of water..
In the US right upto the 1920's it was LAW that every farmer was to dedicate %6 of his farm land growing MJ for the US government... it was outlawed in the early 30's due to the "reefer madness" propaganda films.. 3 in the series.. brought out by elements with in the major chem co's and petrochem co's and also the paper pulp industry... all three industries today are THE biggest polluters on the planet.. Dupont, Rockerfella's and Kimberly Clark... since the propaganda.. MJ was made illegal.. are you aware that it WAS marijuana that won the second world war.. you see its such a profitable crop.. the US abolished the laws.. and farmers were again growing hemp for the war effort... google video.. "hemp for victory" a short 15min film brought out by the US government to help in the war effort.. quite a good watch..
Yeah, um.... Prob is that stoners are crazy bastards who go to cannanation.com (ozstoners who clearly want to promote CANNA nutrients from Holland) and destroy the legalization debate by confirming that drugs are bad (just look at these clowns would you. They are clearly insane Jess Stone!!:-). Go the researchers!!! Too late to convert the mad bastards but with the new research we'll be able to lock them away longer...
Our tutors and teachers are under paid and over worked.
Me fail English? That's unpossible!