"This is an opinion article. The author is not a scientist or researcher that has any proof that all marijuana is more dangerous than we think."

Which is why he points to very specific research studies in his article. If you want to debunk them, please ferret out the studies and show where the research is flawed rather than simply broadly dismissing it simply because the author is not a marijuana researcher. (I would also point out that you also roundly criticize researchers, so I'm trying to figure out how that leaves anyone authoritative...)

"The author and every study and article of this sort are flawed in that they conflate an overdose of THC from a specific strain or strains and blend of chemicals as applying to all marijuana."

Uh, you must have missed the place in the article where the author specifically addresses the fact that modern TCH is actually more potent and addicting than it was in the past due to selective breeding of the plants and chemical concentration techniques. He addresses your question if you care to actually read the entire piece.

"The studies do not figure in other factors in addiction and merely show a correlation."

Uh, so on one hand you're going to criticize the author for failing to include a complete list of all the studies he examined, yet on the other you're going to complain that these uncited studies reach certain conclusions? Uhhhhhh.... If you don't see the problem in your argument...

"There is not one study that proves a causal relationship that marijuana causes addiction and the use of harder drugs."

Again, you must have failed to actually read the article, because the author cites studies which actually suggest just that. Feel free to research them for yourself, but you're taking a pretty hard line of denial before actually looking at anything. I'd strongly suggest you re-examine your premises.

This is an opinion article. The author is not a scientist or researcher that has any proof that all marijuana is more dangerous than we think.

The author and every study and article of this sort are flawed in that they conflate an overdose of THC from a specific strain or strains and blend of chemicals as applying to all marijuana. The studies do not figure in other factors in addiction and merely show a correlation. There is not one study that proves a causal relationship that marijuana causes addiction and the use of harder drugs.

Therefore it is fake news to say that Marijuana in general (without specifying the strain and blend of chemicals, circumstances and other factors of the person ) is dangerous, The danger is only for specific strains, in specific dosages and dependent on a person's DNA and endocannabinoid system. And there is zero proof that marijuana causes addiction.

If you stop and consider it, the question has absolutely everything to do with the topic at hand. It is a simple yes/no question with tremendous moral implications in one's response. Answer it to yourself rather than to the forum if you choose.

This reads like a hit piece on cannabis use to me, and I suspect the author received some direct or indirect compensation from pharmaceutical companies or other industries which profit from criminalizing cannabis use, such as police unions, correctional officers, and politicians. There are no links to the supposed medical studies he refers to but, even if there were, correlation does not equal causation. As the author himself admits, "Nor do any of these studies prove that rising cannabis use has caused population-wide increases in psychosis or other mental illness. The most that can be said is that they offer intriguing evidence of a link."

I stopped subscribing to "Scientific American" decades ago when it began making sure almost every article had a left wing message embedded. It seemed to be using more and more ink to deliver left biased political propaganda and less and less ink to deliver science. I thumbed through an issue at a book store about six months ago and noticed it actually got worse.

What does that question have to do with my comments. Do you have some lie in particular that you are referring to. Or can I just make up any lue I want to?

Lol. Thanks for a little humor!

I just saw this humorous question posed elsewhere:

If smoking marijuana causes short term memory loss, then what does smoking marijuana cause?

It is a simple, stand-alone question.

Do you consider intentionally deceiving one's self to be immoral? Is it okay to pursue a lie one creates for one's self or is there a moral obligation to pursue reality?

I don't know what you mean. ????? Explain please.

Do you consider intentionally deceiving one's self to be immoral?

I did not think I had to explain it all to this group. Of course everyone one should be held accountable for their actions. So. if one does stupid shit while on or off any drug, they should be accountable. Being accountable should be considered when a person decides to do ANY drug. So penalize bad actions.

That's overly simplistic because it avoids two key areas of the discussion: responsibility for consequences and the objective pursuit of reality. When one's mind is muddled by the fogging effects of recreational drugs, can one pursue reality? Quite simply, no. They can not properly perceive it - see schizophrenia above. And what the studies point out is that in the absence of a proper perception of reality, people are more likely to commit heinous crimes which violate the rights of others.

Do not deceive yourself with talk about freedom when only considering one side. To do so is to ignore the real freedoms of the rest of us which are infringed upon by the violations of impaired individuals pursuing their "freedom".

Freedom is the key. Adults should be free to use whatever they choose. Period.

Thanks for sharing a personal story.

Science and scientists, you can't get 10 scientists in a room to agree that 70 degrees is a comfortable temperature for the human kind. I don't use marijuana in any form but I was a child of the 60s and conducted a few "Scientific" experiments myself. Did not get much from it and made observations of friends using it and had no need. Fast forward and today at 67 and with arthritis causing misery and many sleepless nights a friend took a ski trip to Colorado and brought back a bag of hard marijuana candies I was more than happy to try. Scientifically speaking I don't know if the candy did much for the pain because I only sucked on one before bed and the best I can say is I did sleep well all night and never did feel anything close to being high. I was fine in the morning and not at all hung over from some lingering effects like I do get if I take a hydrocodone pill. Arthritis is a rather strange ailment in that I don't feel it too much while I am active during the day but it is most pronounced after my day and when I sit or lay down. Sleep is the best medicine if I can get there. Drugs is drugs is how I see things. I have tried a shot of alcohol before bed which did nothing. I have tried Benedryl and Melatonin that do help me sleep and even Z Quil gets me dozing off pretty well however all are drugs and so far in my observations the pot candies gave me a full night sleep while the other stuff wears off much sooner and pain wakes me. I can't go to Colorado nor will I attempt to participate in illegal drug activities transporting illicit drugs across state lines and into states where it is still illegal. If NY ever does legalize the recreational use I would say that is an unwise policy but I must admit that in my own case with arthritis I would have some medicinal edibles available for those sleepless nights after I over did things during my day. Funny how my doctor will give me legal opioids without a problem yet something as simple as a pot candy works just as well or possibly even better without the nasty morning hang over side effects. Over the counter pain meds like Ibu, Tylenol and numerous other pills for pain are after all just drugs with their very own nasty side effects. I will not drink and drive or take a pain pill and drive and I sure would not use any form of marijuana and drive and this IMO is where recreational drugs of any sort get their biggest black eye. Cell phones are probably more dangerous out on the highways yet I see faces stuffed in them every time I hit the roads and have been in near misses with those idiots way too many times as of late. I take the libertarian outlook with drugs and alcohol but say just do it at home where you endanger only yourself.

Okay! I read the essay the author has a few valid points. I'm a medical marijuana user, I'm 68 yrs. old with severe osteopenia. I purchase a cream from a local dispensary with CBD/THC (1 to 1) to apply on each shoulder, L4 area of my back and my right knee. Then I ingest THC/CBD gummie before I go to sleep. This is the only way I can get significant pain relief. I constantly research medical marijuana products because there is so many out there that are not what they claim to be.

Thank you very much!

What specifically do you cite in this as "fake news"? What specific studies referenced herein can you debunk? Please do so if you can. Blanket statements such as "Most so called scientific studies, are nonsense" don't advance dialogue, however.

"Taking the wrong chemicals for your body or the wrong dose of anything is harmful."

No one is arguing any differently. The author doesn't say there are no legitimate uses, just that those are far less frequent and less justified than proponents would have you believe. And there are far greater risks than those acknowledged by proponents.

For one who values the mind and its products, I think we should be very wary of anything with hallucinatory effects which distort our ability to accurately gauge reality.

Here are some links:

https://hempbasics.com/

https://www.usahemp.com/

China is the world's largest producer of hemp fabric, whereas India produces the most hemp overall. Other products made from hemp fiber include: insulation, particleboard, fiberboard, rope, twine, yarn, newsprint, cardboard, paper, horse stable bedding, and compost.

The best I have found is whole plant hemp extract carried by hemp seed oil.

They often use coconut oil, but that is not good for people with O type blood. Some use olive oil but that makes it much more expensive and there is always the question of the quality of olive oil because it is run by seedy characters.

The "Keep em all doped up" special interest groups confound everything. Peterson talks much about the studies done in Scandinavia where they wanted to answer the question: do schizophrenics do dope or does the dope make them schizophrenic; they overwhelmingly found that it was the dope.
Hemp products are different because the plant isn't used to get high, it's used as an oil, for fuel, clothing and building stuff.
Henry Ford built a car of hemp and powered by hemp.
The use of Hemp oil goes waaaaaaay back into ancient history.

Most so called scientific studies, are nonsense. They are a manipulation of statistics based on flawed studies that never show cause, but only correlation. Correlation based studies are just like playing 6 degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon.

Weed can be harmful in the same way as any FDA approved medication can be harmful. Taking the wrong chemicals for your body or the wrong dose of anything is harmful.

The danger comes from a lack of knowledge of what strains or products will work for you.

A good source of information is http://Leafly.com which uniquely will do the search for you based on what physical, Medical and mood effects you are looking for.

There is always an ulterior motive to these flawed studies. Dig deeper and you will find it.

Look for money and control and fear of losing either. Also the motive to publish or perish. What better way than to come out with a "New" study on something that people have become interested in. What would you rather read, the digestive enzyme response of the albino tapeworm or a sensational study about the horror I say Horror of Reefer madness?

Fake news.

I'm interested in CBD but not for any particular reason, since I have no issues - well, not physical ones. A friend of my (neuroscience research doctor) son gave a CBD cocktail to her ailing sedentary dog and it became like a happy, frolicking puppy (I don't know for how long).

I read the Imprimis article also. Very informative.
A "must read" for those tempted to try drugs.