It’s trendy nowadays to say that smoking marijuana isn’t any worse than drinking alcohol or smoking tobacco. Or even much better.
That’s exactly how politically correct lobbyists got the drug legalized in states like Colorado and Washington. And it appears several other states will soon follow suit.
Problem is, it’s just not true. Marijuana isn’t as safe as alcohol or smoking, as I’ll explain in a moment.
But marijuana lobbyists are like magicians or master illusionists. They fooled the nation using the oldest trick in the book…the art of distraction. They focused everyone’s attention (including the media’s) on the so-called “benefits” of this drug. But they kept the dangers well hidden from view.
It’s quite a masterful illusion. And they pulled it off in states like Colorado and Washington.
Meanwhile, drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco continue to come under relentless fire. Just think about it…we all know about the dangers of drinking too much. And smoking tobacco too much. But NO ONE ever talks about the proven benefits of using those substances in moderation.
Well, almost no one. I’ve made repeated and deliberate efforts to share the scientific truth about moderate smoking and drinking.
And time and again, research has shown light-to-moderate drinking benefits your health. In fact, the health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption are the most consistent findings in all research on diet and health over the past half-century. We know that it benefits your heart health. And it even protects you against dementia.
Plus, as I pointed out in my special report The Day Science WENT UP IN SMOKE, my research at the National Cancer Institute turned up some startling truths about smoking.
We found that men and women who smoked less than half a pack of cigarettes per day did not suffer from more health problems than their non-smoking peers. They didn’t increase their heart disease risk. Or their cancer risk. Or even their lung cancer risk. The ONLY difference we found was with their weight. And light smokers maintained a much healthier body weight than their peers.
And what about cigar and pipe smokers? You’d better sit down for this one…they were actually healthier overall than non-smokers! Private life insurance companies even offer attractive premiums to moderate cigar smokers because they know these facts. I thought then (and still think now) that there might be a simple explanation for this “shocking” phenomenon…
Smoking is relaxing. And so is drinking. In moderation. So, if you use them only in moderation, these substances help you reduce stress. And stress is the No. 1 hidden killer in this country.
Now, the politically correct clowns say that smoking marijuana reduces stress. But from a purely medical and physiologic standpoint, they couldn’t be more wrong.
Here’s why…
As I said, light-to-moderate drinking protects the heart. It lowers your blood pressure. It reduces your heart rate. And it improves peripheral circulation.
But smoking marijuana does just the opposite. You may think you’re relaxed while smoking a joint, but it’s literally a mind game. Your heart is actually racing.
The fact is, marijuana actually INCREASES heart rate and blood pressure. Which is a disaster for your health!
As I often warn, keeping your blood pressure at normal levels is the single, most-important step you can take to protect yourself against cardiovascular diseases. You don’t want to do anything habitually that raises it.
And what about marijuana’s effects on the brain?
It’s true some people who smoke marijuana report feelings of happiness or peace while they’re “high.” But others actually experience strong negative emotions, such as anxiety and sadness. Experts believe this happens because marijuana interacts with certain chemicals in the brain, including the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Plus, research repeatedly shows that smoking marijuana is very bad for anyone with a mental disorder. It can worsen psychiatric disorders. Or bring them on earlier in life.
You see, marijuana interferes with brain function. The developing brain, in particular.
In fact, last year Northwestern researchers found that teenagers who smoke marijuana had abnormal brain changes that affected their working memory. Their brains actually changed shape, collapsed inward, and shrunk. They performed poorly on memory tests. And worse yet, these brain abnormalities and memory changes remained years after the teenagers stopped smoking marijuana. So the damage is profound–and permanent.
Now, how about marijuana’s effect on the lungs? Most people think it’s probably about as bad for you as smoking tobacco. But is that right?
Like smoking tobacco, smoking marijuana causes bronchitis, chronic cough, and inflammation of the respiratory tract. But when it comes to cancer, the data on marijuana is actually much worse. In fact, one recent study found that cannabis is 20 times more carcinogenic than good, old-fashioned tobacco. So you’d have to smoke 20 cigarettes (a full pack) to get the carcinogens in just one marijuana “joint.”
Of course, you can abuse any controlled substance–whether it’s alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana. Plus, operating a vehicle or heavy machinery while intoxicated can be just as deadly whether a person is “under the influence” of alcohol, marijuana, or any other “mind-altering” drug.
But the double standard here among the politically correct is truly overwhelming–even for them. We know all about the dangers of drinking and smoking tobacco. They force these dangers down our throats using taxpayer dollars for public “education.” But the lamestream media and politically correct lobby don’t ever tell us about the real dangers of smoking marijuana.
They do talk a lot about the medical marijuana argument, however. So, does that argument have merit?
Well, this is the marijuana lobby’s ace in the hole. They argue that cancer patients can use the drug to relieve pain. They also argue that it helps victims deal with the side effects from chemotherapy. The lobbyists used this powerful argument to gain a foothold in places like California. You see, nobody disagreed with them in California because cancer is such an untouchable topic. No one wants to take away a treatment that can potentially prevent suffering among cancer patients.
But we have safer ways to help cancer patients cope with pain and with their treatments. Such as acupuncture, ginger, massage, and physical therapy. And these treatments won’t send the cancer patient into cardiac arrest. Or give them a panic attack. Or cause their brain to shrink. Or cause another cancer–of the lung.
If you need information about how to really cope with chronic pain, effectively and naturally, I highly recommend you read my special report called The Insider’s Guide to Pill-Free Pain Cures. You’ll learn all about safe, drug-free ways to cope with pain.
When I served as a cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado during the Vietnam War, I never imagined that the state would one day give new meaning to the phrase, “Rocky Mountain high.” I don’t know what happened out there at those high altitudes. Perhaps we should ask the Denver Broncos after their pathetic performance in the not-so-Super Bowl two weeks ago. I suppose one day very soon the air all across America could have that Rocky Mountain high aroma. But at least you now have some facts about marijuana. So if you want to relieve some stress, stick with a glass of red wine with dinner. Or even one cigarette or cigar after dinner. It’s much safer. And a lot more relaxing.
Sources
“Cannabis use and risk of lung cancer: A case-control study,” Eur Respir J. 2008 February; 31(2): 280–286
“Heavy Marijuana Use Alters Teenage Brain Structure,” Psychology Today (www.psychologytoday.com) 12/16/2013