Blog

11
Dec
2019
Is Marijuna Safe For Pregnant Women?

Is Marijuna Safe For Pregnant Women?

Marijuana Safe For Pregnant Women?

Is Marijuana safe for pregnant women to use?

Is Marijuana safe for breastfeeding women? (Is it safe for the babies?)

If  you listen to the media and others that are pro pot or are marketing marijuana, you might be convinced that marijuana is a cure all.  Claims from curing cancer, headaches and a myriad of other ills.  

Before going any further, I will define what we mean by a drug.  

“"Define your terms, gentlemen, define your terms. It saves argument!”
- Dr. Samuel Johnson

I’ve heard so many people having an argument about pretty much anything and it is pretty easy to see from the outside that they haven’t first defined their terms.  This stands for marijuana.  97% of people walking around will agree that marijuana can be defined as a drug.  We’ll take a definition from a Random House Dictionary.

"A drug is any substance (other than food that provides nutritional support) that, when inhaled, injected, smoked, consumed, absorbed via a patch on the skin, or dissolved under the tongue causes a temporary physiological (and often psychological) change in the body."  (This definition compiled from Stedman's Medical Dictionary and Random House Dictionary.)

That said, we can move on.

Go to a health show in your local city and walk up to the ever increasing ‘Grow’ booths and others that are promoting pot and ask the vendor if Marijuana is safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women.  The answer is usually affirmative.  In Canada, where marijuana is now legal, you will see more of this. 

But, in contrast, here is what Health Canada and the FDA have to say.  

Health Canada and FDA:

Health Canada

“Health effects during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Just like with tobacco and alcohol, a pregnant woman or new mother's use of cannabis can affect her fetus or newborn child.

The substances in cannabis are carried through the mother's blood to her fetus during pregnancy. They are passed into the breast milk following birth. This can lead to health problems for the child.

Cannabis use during pregnancy can lead to lower birth weight of the baby. It has also been associated with longer-term developmental effects in children and adolescents, such as:

 - decreases in:

- memory function

- ability to pay attention

- reasoning and problem-solving skills

- hyperactive behaviour

      • increased risk for future substance use”

(ref: Health Canada - Cannabis)

And:

“Mental health effects:

In some people, cannabis use increases the risk of developing mental illnesses such as psychosis or schizophrenia, especially those who:

- start using cannabis at a young age

- use cannabis frequently (daily or almost every day)

- have a personal or family history of psychosis and/or schizophrenia

Frequent cannabis use has also been associated with an increased risk of:

- suicide

- depression

- anxiety disorders

There is evidence to suggest that combining tobacco with cannabis can increase:

- the strength of some psychoactive effects

- the risk of poor mental health outcomes including  addiction”

(ref: Mental Health)

And from FDA (USA Food and Drug Administration) www.fda.gov

“FDA strongly advises against the use of cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and marijuana in any form during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. … FDA wants you to know there may be serious risks to using cannabis products, including those containing CBD, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.”

“marijuana use during pregnancy may affect fetal brain development, because THC can enter the fetal brain from the mother’s bloodstream.”

“…This THC may affect a newborn’s brain development and result in hyperactivity, poor cognitive function, and other long-term consequences.”

With regard to CBD, there are no test proving it harmful, meaning that there are no tests proving is safe either. 

Years ago alcohol was touted as safe for pregnant women.  Alcohol was then another drug untested and considered safe for many physical and mental problems.  We have learned the hard way about fetal alcohol syndrome.  

What is ‘fetal alcohol syndrome’?

“Fetal alcohol syndrome is a condition in a child that results from alcohol exposure during the mother's pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome causes brain damage and growth problems. The problems caused by fetal alcohol syndrome vary from child to child, but defects caused by fetal alcohol syndrome are not reversible.” from mayoclinic.com

Are we going to learn the hard way (again) that marijuana causes health and development issues?  I have been at Health Shows in Toronto, Canada, where marijuana is now legal, and have heard the vendors at ‘Pot’ booths telling pregnant women that it is entirely safe; that pot will help with morning sickness and other pains and aches.  Completely irresponsible.  There is no proof that it is safe.  None whatsoever!  In fact, there is plenty of information coming to light that the worst time for anyone to use marijuana is while the brain is developing.  

Per mentalhealthydaily.com:

“Although brain development is subject to significant individual variation, most experts suggest that the brain is fully developed by age 25.”

Also, significant tests have been done to show that the brain patterns of someone under the effects of marijuana mimic or are the same as the brain of a schizophrenic.

Do you want that for your child? 

Life is difficult enough.  There are enough barriers to one’s survival without adding to it the handicap of drugs.  One of the side effects on children and teens, as stated above, is the inability to pay attention.  So you now you end up labelling your child ADHD.  If you do take this chance, then you may end up tempted to further compound your child’s problems in feeling the need to use pharmaceuticals such as Ritalin.  Setting up your child for drug use for life.

So, be compassionate.   Give you child a fighting chance.  Keep away from marijuana (and other drugs) while pregnant and while breast feeding.  

There is more information on this website as to the effects of street drugs and also prescription drugs such as Ritalin and Prozac.  

Remember, before starting an argument, define your terms. 

Check this page out for links to more information on how Pot can affect your life: More on Marijuana

Posted by greymouser in Blog, 0 comments
06
Dec
2019
Synonyms for ‘Stoned’

Synonyms for ‘Stoned’

Synonyms for ‘Stoned’

Wherever you look these days, in the media and other places, we are told that marijuana is a panacea, a cure all.  If you see a ‘pot booth’ at a trade show, the dudes there will gladly tell you that pot is completely safe for pregnant women.  Pretty irresponsible if you ask me.  There is not one iota of evidence to support this.  Years ago alcohol was considered completely safe for pregnant women.  Have you met any alcohol syndrome children or adults?  I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.  Do we find out in ten, twenty or thirty years from now that marijuana has similar effects.  These dudes at the weed stores are not doctors, have done no research and really don’t have a clue.  

All kinds of justifications for smoking weed.  It calms you, it is great for anxiety, cures cancer and a million other things.  A placebo can do the same thing and likely with a higher success rate than marijuana.  

By far the majority of people are not smoking or ingesting marijuana for the health benefits.  Most are just trying to get stoned.  Very few people that drink will tell you that it is completely good for you. They drink alcohol to ‘get away’ from things or some kind of escape.  

I’ve put together a list of words and phrases that people use to refer to the effects of marijuana on one.  None of them reflect mental acuity.  

ripped

wasted

baked

bombed

buzzed

doped

fried

totaled

spaced out

high

lit

druggie

stoner

zonked

crapulent

crapulous

hooked

whacked out

spaced out

stinks

blitzed

blotto

high as a kite

pothead

doped up

looped

cockeyed

out

comatose

out of it

junkie

hash head

wiped out

sizzled

jewelled

muddled

befuddled

fuddled

gone

dazed

narced

out of his head

numbed

senseless

catatonic

freaked out

lush

benumbed

dopey

fried

wrecked

fucked up

blasted

blissed out

in a trance

insensible

off one’s head

jacked

in a stupor

out of one’s mind

... In fact they reflect just the opposite.  Marijuana is used to not confront the world around one.  Some people will experiment with it because it’s now legal in some areas.  Largely, though it is used to escape.  Problem, as with any drug, one often needs more and more to get the desired effect.  And then other drugs.  Some don’t move on to other drugs and these are the ones that get quoted but statistically the majority do. 

I’ve heard people assert that it makes one a better driver when stoned.  These people are pretty disconnected from reality.  It is illegal to drive (DUI) stoned.anti depressants  That’s because the people looking at you realized that you are impaired when driving NOT more capable.

DUI/DWI laws by State (USA)

One of the known side effects of marijuana is that is slows reaction time. That is not going to make you a better driver. 

If you are going to be using or trying marijuana, please read through the list and note the effect that it actually has instead of listening to the statements of someone who is going to make money from your slow demise. 

And please don’t ever get in a car with a driver who is stoned/high on marijuana or hashish. 

This from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (USA)

“Several studies have shown that drivers with THC in their blood were roughly twice as likely to be responsible for a deadly crash or be killed than drivers who hadn't used drugs or alcohol.”

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/drugged-driving

There has been a lot of effort over the last couple of decades to ‘rebrand’ marijuana.  In the 1970s and 1980s there were movies such as ‘Dazed and Confused’ and ‘Up in Smoke’.  Other scenes and movies of this era showed pot to diminish one’s abilities. 

The conglomerates that are trying to market pot to the masses have spent millions trying to change the impression that people have about the drug.  (It is still a drug.)  Trying to convince people that the (untested) benefits outweigh the harm that marijuana can do. 

The plans and money spent on this rebranding are well documented.  You can find links other places for these on this website. 

Know before you go.  The drug dealer doesn’t have your best interests at heart.  Whether that drug dealer is in a nice suit and employed by the government or your friend’s brother, he or she is in it for the money. 

Posted by greymouser in Blog, 0 comments
09
Aug
2019
The War On Terror

The War On Terror

The War On Terror

When there is a terrorist attack, why would you, or anyone, talk about or forward their message?  

With domestic terrorism or global terrorism, who are the real casualties?

I believe that one of the best ways of combating terrorism is to not talk about it.  Lately, it seems, though, social media and terrorism go hand in hand.  If terrorists had no way of creating fear in the hearts of many, I’m quite certain they would not be so active.  

This from Encyclopedia Britannica:

“The goal of terrorism generally is to destroy the public’s sense of security in the places most familiar to them. … and that terrorist acts are intended to create an overwhelming sense of fear.”

Every time you talk about an incident that occurred, every time you forward some news article, you let the terrorists win.  

The Media and Terrorism ... or Suicides ‘R Us

There are a couple of places where suicides are known to occur in volume.  One is on subway lines around the world and another is a place like Niagara Falls.  People jump in front of trains and people jump into the Falls.  These suicides used to be sensationalized in the press.  This was stopped in most places as this type of media coverage normally resulted in an increase of suicide attempts.  Usually a spike after any media attention.  With less media attention, they still occur but to a much lesser extent.  

If you knew that as a result of your promoting that someone jumped over Niagara Falls and committed suicide resulting in three other people doing the same thing, hopefully, you would feel somewhat guilty and not promote this thing any more.  The media did stop, or at least put this type of news on page 23 and the number of suicides went down.  

The same could be predicted for the war on terror.  A terrorist attack that no one hears about is just some idiot killing people.  If they are not creating a climate of fear and worry, if they are not alarming populations as a whole, then the terrorists are not winning.  

Domestic Terrorism in the US of A

There are many examples of domestic terrorism in the US, but by far the most prevalent and obvious is the recent school shootings.  And not so recent. There have been a lot over the years.  

You may realize where I’m going with this…

If you insist on telling everyone on Facebook, Twitter or other social media how sorry and concerned you are about the shooting in whatever school then you are feeding the frenzy.  You are doing exactly what they want. You are forwarding the fear and  feeding the terror.  

If you say on Facebook that your heart goes out to all those in Texas for some tragedy, I honestly believe that is a useless bit of sympathy.  No one in Texas is going to read your post.  

For every Tweet and Facebook post about some terrorist attack, whether it be a  bombing in Paris or the Columbine Massacre one is just forwarding the terrorists message and creating fear and upset. 

The media’s mantra ‘the people need to know’ is simply put just bullshit.  That is just an excuse to spread and create a feeling that the world is a horrible place. Years ago someone coined the phrase ‘merchants of chaos’ as a moniker for the media.  I think this is quite appropriate.

Big Pharma - The Real Terrorists

The media is pretty much controlled by the advertising companies.  If you disagree, just try and get an article attacking Big Pharma in a woman’s magazine. Any pharmaceutical company is going to love these terrorist attacks in schools.  The upset that occurs I’m sure drives their drug sales out the roof.  They are going to milk this for all it’s worth.  

If you really want to calm things down and fight terrorism, then don’t give in to it.  Don’t forward the fear.  90% of the people in the USA would not even consider not talking about this.  They will believe the media.  They will feel that it needs to be talked about.  They will feel that posting on Facebook, Twitter and other social media is going to help.

I ask you how?  How is this going to help.  You are upset about it and now you are going to upset all your friends?  How does that make a safer environment?  Please tell me how that is good and beneficial. 

So, I would propose that the real cause of the increase in school shootings is social media. Twitter, Facebook and the like.   The media in general has been feeding terrorism for years and years.  Guns are a factor.  Psychiatric mood altering drugs  and street drugs are also undoubtedly a factor.  But for the surge over the last few years of these domestic terrorists (school shootings), I can only thank (or blame) social media.  Or the people using social media to stir up fear and alarm in others.  

So, just stop!  If you are fearful and alarmed and need to talk to someone, then talk to one person, don’t create fear and alarm in 10 or 20.  As far as I’m concerned as soon as you do that you are partnered with the school shooter or the Paris bomber.  

So, just stop!

Posted by greymouser in Blog, Terrorism, 0 comments
21
Jul
2019
Marijana – Is It a Gateway Drug?

Marijana – Is It a Gateway Drug?

Marijuana – The Gateway Drug?

Pro pot arguments:

1. Marijuana is not a gateway drug.

2. No one has ever died from marijuana.

3. It is impossible to overdose on marijuana.

4. What about alcohol? It is a legal drug and causes thousands of deaths.

5.There are no studies that prove marijuana is bad for you.

6. It is safe for pregnant women.

7. Marijuana is just a herb.

8. Marijuana: it is just a plant.

9. Marijuana is not a drug.

10. Big Pharma is afraid of marijuana legalization.

11. The traffic fatalities attributed to pot can’t be, they must be because of some other drug.

12. Big Pharma is afraid of marijuana legalization.

13. Marijuana is OK to drive

14. Safe for children and teens.

15. Marijuana cures cancer

16. Marijuana slows or stops black market sales/Lessens crime related to drugs.

17. Marijuana is not addictive.

18. Marijana is not a hallucinogen.

19. Medical Marijuana

One of the issues that concerns me most about the marketing of marijuana is that it makes other drugs so much more acceptable.  My youngest son lives in Colorado and tells me that it is very hard to find someone like him that doesn’t like or do drugs. 

He was out with one girl who was frustrated when she arrived and said that because of the stress, she had to take a couple of Adderall just to get through the day.  Like it was nothing.  Adderall is a very addictive drug.

In the 1960s when drugs like marijuana were coming into mainstream society, we did them.  We knew they were drugs.  We knew they were bad for you.  We didn’t argue that.  We did them anyway.  Then most of moved on and got on with our lives.

I saw this comment from someone that had used marijuana for years.  He pointed out that when you are doing a drug like marijuana, you are going to be around other drugs.  You are often going to be around people that will offer you other drugs.  

Let’s look at these one at a time: 

“No-one has ever died from marijuana!”

"A ten year old pointed out (I’m paraphrasing here): “Is that your criteria for whether a drug is good or bad: it doesn’t kill you?”

First Death in Colorado from Marijuana Edible

Also, granted it is very difficult to overdose from smoking pot, but numerous people have died in many ways from being under the influence.  

Automobile fatalities have increased in areas that pot has been legalized.  Often used with alcohol, pot exacerbates the danger.  Individuals having psychotic episodes have been killed or committed suicide.  

“It is impossible to overdose on marijuana.” 

(The logic here being because of that, as above, you can’t die from it.) 
How about the teen that had asthma and was too stoned to grab his inhaler and died.  And, as said earlier, is that really the criteria that you are going to use to measure if something is bad for you or not.

“What about alcohol? It is a legal drug and causes thousands of deaths.” 

This is true and is horribly tragic.  But is also a deflection of the argument.  Do you want another legal drug that takes lives? 
“Marijuana-related traffic deaths increased by 154 percent between 2006 and 2014;” - factcheck.org

There are numerous other places that link marijuana and traffic deaths.  Often marijuana is used in conjunction with alcohol, increasing the damaging effects of both with respect to driving. Driving stoned is still DUI.

“There are no studies that prove marijuana is bad for you.”

There are dozens of studies.  Many that show the dangers of pot for young people with developing brains.  Here is one article that tell  of the reduction of IQ with pot smokers, particularly with teens.

Study Shows Heavy Adolescent Pot Use Permanently Lowers IQ

“There is less crime if pot is legalized.”

One can find numerous opinions where people think that the logical result of marijuana legalization will lower crime.  One does need to factor in the data that possession crimes are not now going to be added in. 

The Colorado Government stats show:

“Felony marijuana court case filings (conspiracy, manufacturing, distribution, and possession with intent to sell) declined from 2008 to 2014, but increased from 2015 through 2017.

The most recent increase in filings might be in part because legislation changed the legal indoor plant count, providing law enforcement agencies with greater clarity and tools to increase their enforcement of black market activity.

Felony filings in 2017 (907) were still below 2008 filings (1,431).

Filings in organized-crime cases followed a similar pattern, with a dip in 2012 and 2013 followed by a significant increase since 2014.

There were 31 organized crime case filings in 2012 and 119 in 2017.”

“It is safe for pregnant women.”

https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/factsheets/pregnancy.htm

“Given the potential of marijuana to negatively impact the developing brain, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that obstetrician-gynecologists counsel women against using marijuana while trying to get pregnant, during pregnancy, and while they are breastfeeding.”

(Ref: Marijuana Use During Pregnancy and Lactation - ACOG. ACOG. http://www.acog.org/Resources-And-Publications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Obstetric-Practice/Marijuana-Use-During-Pregnancy-and-Lactation. Published July 2015. Accessed October 12, 2016.)

And from livescience.com

“Researchers studied marijuana's effects on mice and brain tissue from human fetuses, and found that the active ingredient in marijuana, THC, interferes with the formation of connections between nerve cells in the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain responsible for higher thinking skills and forming memories.”

“Marijuana is just a herb.”

Yeah, so is hemlock.  Hemlock is also a poison.

“Marijuana: it is just a plant.”

Yeah, so is the poppy - where heroin comes from.  Cocaine comes from a plant.

“It (marijuana) is not a drug.”

If you want to redefine the word ‘drug’ to your liking then no one can argue with you, of course.  But if we take the common legal term and use that definition, then, yes, it is a drug. 

"Marijuana is not a hallucinogen!"

Per   Villanova.edu :
“Examples[of a Hallucinogen] include: LSD, PCP, MDMA (Ecstasy), marijuana, mescaline, and psilocybin."

“The traffic fatalities attributed to pot can’t be, they must be because of some other drug.”

Do your homework.  Because of the acceptance of marijuana and that it has been promoted as harmless, young people are drinking alcohol and also smoking pot and driving. 
From the Denver Post 2017:

“The number of drivers involved in fatal crashes in Colorado who tested positive for marijuana has risen sharply each year since 2013, more than doubling in that time, federal and state data show.”

“Big Pharma is afraid of marijuana legalization.” 

This couldn’t be further from the truth.  The sales of mood altering drugs via Big Pharma have not faltered anywhere that pot has been legalized.  These organizations have more than enough money to fight it if deemed necessary.  As I mentioned earlier in this article, the acceptance of marijuana helps to make other drugs more acceptable and prevalent.  

Meth Deaths Surge In Oregon

Well, I use 'Medical Marijuana'

There is no difference between regular marijuana and medical marijuana. Some will say that because medical marijuana is regulated it is safer.  It supposedly has a higher CBD and lower THC content.  Both of these facts can be shown to be inconsistent.  

From wikileaf.com

“Would it surprise you to know that there is no fundamental difference in the plants used for medicinal purposes and those used for recreational purposes? Granted, medical marijuana is often grown organically and tested for consistency and potency, but the plant itself is still simply marijuana.”

Summary

When I read comments on Marijuana articles I think that most of the pro-pot people must be trolls.  The reason for this thought is that in the majority they resort to name calling and inflammatory remarks as opposed to citing studies with links, that support their view.  Or they will use some generality like, ‘it’s common knowledge’, which is a bit silly because that again doesn’t really back up their view with anything concrete.  I’m pretty sure these trolls are trying to stir up emotion so that people react instead of having a civilized conversation.  If they can’t argue the point they criticize the writer.

Posted by greymouser in Blog, Marijuana, 0 comments
11
Jun
2019
Should you take SSRIs?

Should you take SSRIs?

Depression and SSRIs

There are millions of dollars spent on ads on TV and thousands of doctors and psychiatrists that will promote and tell you how wonderful Prozac and Ritalin and similar drugs are for you.  Zoloft is also an SSRI.  SSRI definition: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

Read the articles below if you want to do proper research to find out how these drugs can affect you.  Are they really effective is solving what they are prescribed for?

Five Reasons

If you are taking any of these 'depression' or mood altering SSRIs, for heaven's sake DO NOT go cold turkey.  Don't quit without proper medical supervision.  Almost always, the effects/reactions one has when trying to withdraw or quit can be be much worse than whatever you were experiencing beforehand.  There is some data in this article from

Crossfit.com

There is also a great book by renowned psychiatrist Peter Breggin on coming off drugs and how to go about withdrawal.

Please know what you are getting into before you start doing something like this.  Don't do these drugs casually or even with a doctor's prescription without doing your own proper research.

Posted by greymouser in Blog, Terrorism, 0 comments