You want proof? Go cold turkey for a month and report back.

I had something about receptors ready to grind out, but I can't for the love my text book, find where the hell the post I wanted to quote is. So anyways, brain cells. I find this little snippet interesting because as far as I was taught nerve tissue (and if I remember correctly, muscle tissue as well) can't undergo mitosis.

But hey, I suppose this is what discussion threads are for. Zalo sounds like another pretty clever A&P student, he'd probably know.

Uh I haven't smoked since about June 3rd, when I left for Michigan, and I feel fine, and have felt fine the whole time. I left and came back to find some ♥♥♥♥ had stolen like a half oz from me. If you had read my posts, you would have seen that I said something similar to zalo. I have money, and the ability to go get drugs, but I've decided to start saving a little bit, so I'm not buying weed for the next little while (although I might spend 10-20 bucks on it occasionally when I have like-minded company).

This is outdated information, and is why schools should be required to update their textbooks periodically.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/19 ... 005127.htm
http://www.livescience.com/health/07062 ... brain.html

I'm changing the wording on this, as it's woefully wrong. I've taken a lot of liberties with the word "proven" in the OP, so call me out on my ♥♥♥♥ if you see stuff like this.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8 ... brain.html

Addictive or not, after prolonged use it will have exactly this effect because you are reducing your natural levels of endocannabinoids (thanks to negative feedback) by putting foreign cannabinoids into your body.

"Your body and how you feel normally" minus "How natural cannabinoids make you feel"
And you can't get that back unless you smoke some more pot.

Now, how do cannabinoids make you feel exactly? Wikipedia says that it modifies: (Since it's the most convenient source and we can all agree it's rarely ever wrong and each article I "cited" has multiple citations)
"neuromodulator release" Chemicals that control the intensity of a nerve signal (The neurotransmitter portion.)
"motor learning," Where muscle movements are stored in your muscles rather than your brain (like writing, playing the piano, or typing)
"synaptic plasticity," The strength in the connections between neurons.
"appetite," How much you want to eat (duh.)
"and pain sensation." How much pain you feel (double duh.)

The pain damping is probably what makes you feel good when you smoke.

In the US, it's AP by the way. There's no "and" between "Advanced" and "Placement"

Also, most muscle and nerve tissue ever gets past interphase so it mostly doesn't reproduce.
Muscle cells get stronger by adding more actin filaments when they repair broken ones though.

This is interesting, and makes some sense, but I'm not really qualified to argue it. What negative effects would this have? I haven't noticed any detriments since I started smoking weed. I'm still as dexterous as ever, my appetite hasn't changed (I'm actually hungrier now after I started heavy usage, before I had a problem with undereating, being full was an uncomfortable feeling for me, but now I can eat what I need comfortably, which is a huge blessing). I also haven't noticed any dulling of pain or anything.
Tell me more, oh smart man. And no, wikipedia is not a citable source. There's a reason why you'd get laughed out of any decent course for citing it. It's hearsay at it's worst.
I do want some sort of scientific study showing or at least suggesting that what you're saying is true.

Ah, wait, I misread the bit I quoted. I mistook "cell growth" as in cell division (mitosis) when you meant literally "individual cell growing larger". ...I'm not really sure how I'd react to having Notch signaling disabled. Extra growth beyond natural boundaries is more often than not a burden to something else that's supposed to be taking up that space.

Anyway, if you could tack up a link to how it might aid in fighting off cancer (or whatever type of cancer it aids against), that'd be awesome. Sounds like an interesting read.

Also, I just want to poke at something before someone flips out on a few vague details.
Yes, smoking (anything) decreases oxygen intake upon inspiring because there's extra content in the air being brought in and gas percentages are adjusted to fit. No, this doesn't mean your alveoli are incapable of drawing as much oxygen from their payload as before unless something is covering the alveolar wall (but luckily for all of us, there's macrophages to mop up some of this garbage).

Off-topic stuff: Ah, that's what you meant with AP bio. I meant Anatomy & Physiology class (generic name for "biology" at my college). Thanks for confirmation on muscles.

I really don't know a whole lot about that, which is why I refrained from mentioning it in more than a passing note. If anyone cares to enlighten me, I'd be glad to, but I'm too tired to learn about CANCER AND THE MENACE THAT THREATENS OUR SOCIETY tonight.

Like I said before, Oph, Wikipedia cites its own sources. Ever scrolled down a page and wondered what all that small gibberish text was, but didn't feel like reading it, or seen those little numbers in the middle of a sentence? I don't mean to be insulting, but it's not like it's hidden or anything.

Anyway, I suppose you wouldn't experience dulling of pain, because that's what you feel on the drug.
Theoretically, all of the drug's effects should be reversed now that you have been off for 3 weeks.

Your change in appetite was caused by the drug (it's supposed to make you hungrier), and it may have carried over after you've been off it for 3 weeks as a positive benefit? Its weird.

Also, your dexterity probably didn't change because it wouldn't destroy the memory cells that are already in your muscles, it would just prevent you from learning new things? (That's just a shot in the dark)

I'll have to do a lot more research before I continue talking about this (I'm in no way an authority on this subject, just a freshman in high school. (Thanks Twwig for thinking I'm in college though))

I don't know anything about cancer except that it involves Cytokine Kinases or something not working, and it results in uncontrolled cell division.

Then cite the sources wikipedia cites, not wikipedia. The wording of things is important, and someone like, oh, say, me, meaning well but knowing little, could change things that are important and misinform people. Cite scientific papers, not the equivalent of a public forum. Anyway, it doesn't sound like any of the effects that you listed are particularly serious so uh smokeweederryday?

Hey I think you're doing fine Orphanim- nice topic you got here- but I'd just like to pipe in and say that pretty much everything has negative effects, pot, coffee, McDonalds, chocolate, sitting at a computer desk all day. All of this things will ♥♥♥♥ you up if you have too much all the time.

Yeah, which is why I always encourage responsible use for everything. But I'm Ophanim, not Mommy, and it's not my job to make sure you know that too much of a good thing exists. Harm reduction is great and I'm all for it but I believe in giving people the facts and letting them decide, not deciding for them or trying to force them to decide something.

That was a nice read Oph. Although I never intend to use drugs (and only under duress have I taken caffeine in the form of soft drinks), it's good to know at least someone has done their research and based their decisions on that. It also makes me feel better about the people I know who smoke, from all the things I've heard I thought they'd be on their way to the crack dealer within two weeks.

I'm gone for four hours and this springs up? I always miss the good stuff D:


Also,
ITT people brainwashed by the gov who think weed is evil


Yall should see some of the sick ♥♥♥♥ I've made.


Also, the WORST health issue from my personal experience with the magical herb is using aluminum foil as a bowl. I still don't know who to believe on the whole "aluminum is toxic!" debate.

*EDIT*
Also, marijuana is a WONDERFUL medicine. Takes away my back and shoulder pains.
I have two majorly ♥♥♥♥ discs in my back, which give me a ♥♥♥♥ load of pain. Weed has made it go away. I haven't had a back problem since I've met this herb.
I've also hurt my shoulder in hockey. I've had 4 or 5 "dead arms" where my arm goes totally limp for an extended amount of time. When I can move my arm again, it hurts like ♥♥♥♥. Whadda ya know, weed cured that too, along with a few stretching exercises. If I had gotten a few more or those shoulder injuries, I could have lost control of my entire right arm.

People still use aluminum foil to wrap their food in?

Forgive me for not citing that statement.

I basically agree with zalo.
it is addictive, and it does have side effects, but its not really much worse than alcohol or cigarettes.
I heard on public radio some study that proved water vapor was like 4 times as bad as cigarette smoke, so hookahs being better for you than strait ciggs is probably a myth.
I personally don't do any drugs, and plan to stay away from them judging the addictive prone genetics of my family (alcoholic/chain-smoker great-grandparents on both sides, uncle addicted to everything under the sun who passed on from lung cancer, ex alcoholic chain-smoking grandmother, alcoholic grandfather who died, Valium recovered grandmother, the list goes on.... my parents and close family are the only ones who really stayed out of it), but many of my friends do the,(about 35/45 kids in my grade do it), and its really not that big of a deal.