Healthy Living

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GOING TO POT


The expression “going to pot” is derived from the practice of cutting up chunks of meat or other substances to cook for eating purposes. It came to be used concerning something discarded for want of more careful attention. “Going to pot” now takes on a more selective meaning, with the legalizing of marijuana (pot) first for medical and then recreational purposes. This is a pronounced trend, welcomed by some and causing concern for others. While soliciting a recent report from the Bergman Center, a research entity sponsored by Harvard University.
“I must preface these statements with the remark that there is still a great deal of research to be done concerning the effect of marijuana on the health of humans due to the fact that widespread marijuana use has only become prevalent in this country within the last three decades, so the effects of long-term use are just beginning to become apparent,” the above source allows. Which would seem to suggest that much more in the way of research needs to be done before we make a final determination. Meanwhile, persons may be at considerable risk, since we cannot be certain of the long term results.
However, “Marijuana has often been touted as one of the safest recreational substances available. This is perhaps true; many reputable scientific studies support the conclusion that cocaine, heroine, alcohol, and even cigarettes are more dangerous to the user’s health than marijuana. In addition, the celebrated pharmacological properties of cannabis have led thirty-six states to permit its use as a therapeutic drug.” Given this observation, some would argue that the use of marijuana ought not to be singled out for rejection, if we allow for more dangerous alternatives.
This recalls a range of social constraints. Most aggressive is prohibition, as exemplified by the Prohibition Era—with a ban on the sale, production, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. While usually portrayed as a well meaning but failed endeavor, it is deserving of a more careful review.
Less aggressive is the restriction of social use. Such as setting an age limit, and then bringing to mind a recent instance when third grade boys were discovered smoking pot. Or restricting its use as a prescription drug, which was previously more common.
Least aggressive is persuasion, short of actual restriction. While allowing for those who promote the practice, either by way of alleged health benefits and/or financial considerations. It is a short step from this point to advocating it as a right of passage, which was the case with the smoking of cigarettes during my youth.
“Nevertheless, it would be fallacious to conclude that because the chemicals in marijuana have been found to present fewer dangers than some very harmful substances, the medical or recreational use of marijuana is perfectly safe. In a recreational context, marijuana has been shown to effect health, brain function, and memory. And in a medical context, (it) is like any other powerful prescription drug.” That is, “It has potentially dangerous side effects, and the decision to use it to treat patients must involve the same balancing test as the one required for chemotherapy or AZT: do the therapeutic effects of the drug outweigh its harmful effects?”
In greater detail, “Smoking marijuana regularly (a joint a day) can damage the cells in the bronchial passages which protect the body against inhaled microorganisms and decrease the ability of the immune cells in the lungs to fight off fungi, bacteria, and tumor cells. For patients with already weakened immune systems, this means an increase in the possibility of dangerous pulmonary infections, including pneumonia, which often proves fatal in AIDS patients.”
In still greater detail, “Studies further suggest that marijuana is a general ‘immunosuppressant’ whose degenerative influence extends beyond the respiratory system. Regular smoking has been shown to materially affect the overall ability of the smoker’s body to defend itself against infection by weakening various natural immune mechanisms. Obviously, this suggests that (its) use as a medical therapy can and does have a very serious effect on patients with pre-exiting immune deficits.”
Moreover, “it has been suggested that marijuana is at the root of many mental disorders, including acute toxic psychosis, panic attacks, flashbacks, delusions, depersonalization, hallucination, paranoia, depression, and uncontrollable aggressiveness.” While with short term use, “Marijuana use impairs perception, judgment, thinking, memory, and learning. “ In addition, it “has many indirect effects on health. Its effect on coordination, perception, and judgment means that it causes a number of accidents, vehicular and otherwise.”
All things considered, there comes to mind the sage saying: “Act in haste, and repent at leisure.” Recalling, in turn, the pledge: “if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Prov. 2:3-6). For God is the ultimate source for wisdom, which amounts to the practical application of knowledge.

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