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College students are now smoking more pot than cigarettes
- xacaxulu 11y agoFinally. Although edibles are safer.
- amwelles 11y agoHave they done any long-term studies on smoking pot vs. vaping vs. edibles?
- hellbanner 11y agoI'm not aware of any, but edibles certainly won't cause lung damage.
- nickff 11y agoThough they may cause stomach and/or intestinal damage.
- duaneb 11y agoPeople have been ingesting cannabis since long, long, long before they smoked it from a pipe. It would surprise me if there are dire health effects that are entirely undiscovered. This is, of course, shitty compared to actually providing a study.
- vezzy-fnord 11y agoPeople have been ingesting cannabis since long, long, long before they smoked it from a pipe. It would surprise me if there are dire health effects that are entirely undiscovered. The same held true for tobacco for quite a long time, do keep in mind.
- duaneb 11y agoAre there poor health effects from ingesting tabacco? it makes my stomach turn, but I wouldn't jump to cancer.
- nickff 11y agoYes, according to a number of sources.[1][2] [1] http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/quit-smoking/in-depth/chewing-tobacco/art-20047428?pg=2 http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/quit-smoking/in-... [2] http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/tobaccocancer/smokeless-tobacco http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/tobaccocancer/smok...
- duaneb 11y agoNice find. The likely carcinogens in question: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco-specific_nitrosamines https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco-specific_nitrosamines
- DanBC 11y agoYes. In fact, there are also problems for smkers who cough up and then swallow phlegm - this increases risk of bladder and penile cancers.
- comrh 11y agoStomach, esophagus, and pancreas cancers are all common for people who dip. The chemical difference between smokeless tobacco and marijuana in food is probably a lot different though.
- gnaritas 11y agoNo, not any more than eating any other food; it's a plant, it isn't going to hurt your stomach.
- Amezarak 11y ago> No, not any more than eating any other food; it's a plant, it isn't going to hurt your stomach. There are plenty of plants that can hurt your stomach a great deal. Some will even kill you. "It's a plant" is not an argument.
- gnaritas 11y agoIt's not a poisonousness plant.
- dictum 11y ago>it's a plant, it isn't going to hurt your stomach Let me be hyperpedantic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_poisonous_plants https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_poisonous_plants
- gnaritas 11y agoIt's not a poisonousness plant.
- hellbanner 11y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabinoid_hyperemesis_syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabinoid_hyperemesis_syndro...
- duaneb 11y agoWell, if you're not breathing in tar, heavy metals, free radicals, etc., it's not hard to come out on top over smoking.
- johnward 11y agoThere still has to be some damage from smoke inhalation, no? Then I'm curious about smoking vs "vaping" vs oil etc. Anecdotally I see a lot of old hippies still kicking. edit: I didn't realize you were pointing out the effect of smoking cannabis.
- duaneb 11y agoSorry, that WAS the damage from smoke inhalation. Theoretically if you're vaping or eating you shouldn't be combusting anything and should get 0 smoke. And yes, you can get lung/throat cancer from inhaling pot smoke. Probably way worse than from a cigarette because there's no filter (THC is super sticky, so it's kind of counter productive).
- joesmo 11y agoThis is a myth. Smoking marijuana might actually be negatively correlated with lung cancer for long term users. Regardless, it's certainly not associated with increased lung cancer or increased risk for COPD. You and others who are misinformed should stop spreading around these ridiculous lies and look at the science: "Although marijuana smoke contains a number of carcinogens and cocarcinogens, findings from a limited number of well-designed epidemiological studies do not suggest an increased risk for the development of either lung or upper airway cancer from light or moderate use, although evidence is mixed concerning possible carcinogenic risks of heavy, long-term use." -- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23802821 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23802821
- duaneb 11y agoIt is far and away irrisponsible to call a health effect a myth because one paper suggests an opposite effect for light to moderate users. Considering we DO know what we are inhaling, and we DO know it causes massive problems for other smoked substances, it is rational to think that there are likely related effects. Until we can identify that these effects are NOT occurring, we should definitely assume that you can get lung cancer by inhaling massive amounts of carcinogens.
- aikah 11y agoyeah , what about vaping ? i'm a smoker right now , and it seems to me that vaping is at least safer than smoking.
- surge 11y agoUK government has said vaping was 95% less harmful than smoking. http://mashable.com/2015/08/19/public-health-england-vaping-report/ http://mashable.com/2015/08/19/public-health-england-vaping-... I imagine our government is either more conservative with making such announcements (more conservative than UK though?) or tobacco companies are lobbying to delay the release of such announcements until such time as they can re-tool and switch business models. I know RJ Reynolds is already making a heavy play for vaping and slowly switching over their business to make it their main thing.
- aikah 11y agoNice! thanks for the link.
- Apocryphon 11y agoGiven that both anti-smoking campaigns and the stereotype of college students as potheads both date to at least the '60s, I'm surprised that it took this long.
- jostmey 11y agoHmm... Perhaps the best way to win the war on drugs is not to make drugs illegal, but rather to regulate the industry to death. After all, heavy regulation seems to have curbed tobacco use.
- ddoolin 11y agoI think facts about the effects of smoking cigarettes has played a much bigger part in that (in the U.S.) In Korea (where I live now), however, heavy-handed regulation aiming to make it "the most difficult place in the world to smoke" is probably going to curb rates quickly and dramatically: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_in_South_Korea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_in_South_Korea
- derrickdirge 11y agoIt certainly stands to reason that diminishing the ability of the tobacco companies to deceive the public about the health risks associated with tobacco cigarettes would similarly diminish demand. Conversely, the trend with cannabis seems to be that the more the public learns about its effects on human health, the more use rises.
- vezzy-fnord 11y agoAnd in turn has led to an ever growing but rarely discussed problem of tobacco smuggling, contraband and counterfeit: http://www.havocscope.com/tag/cigarette-smuggling/ http://www.havocscope.com/tag/cigarette-smuggling/ Though, in fairness, it's not as big in the U.S. than in other countries.
- duaneb 11y ago> After all, heavy regulation seems to have curbed tobacco use. Maybe in the upper classes. Vice taxes tend to hit the lower classes harder. I'm all for regulation, but if an adult wants to smoke pot, I don't think there is a mandate to stop them.
- rm_-rf_slash 11y agoCulture plays a huge part too. In a lot of social circles, tobacco is looked down upon as a smelly loser's fix, whereas celebrities champion being high every waking moment. Of course there are major differences in health effects - cigarettes can kill you but you can't OD on weed - helping drive this cultural shift, but in the end there is only so much that regulation and legislation can accomplish.
- lbaskin 11y agoI'm surprised this is news. If only because of the massive anti-(cigarette)-smoking campaign of the past several years, combined with the massive pro-marijuana-legalization campaign. Good or bad, that sends a pretty clear message to students that tobacco bad, marijuana good.
- shimshim 11y agoas a user, marijuana is definitely good. ive never smoked cigarettes, so I can't say how "good" they are. i just know they don't get me high.
- duaneb 11y agoThe best part of marijuana is the lack of addiction.
- johnward 11y agoI know some people who can't get by without dabs several times a day. Either it is addicting to some people or they are self medicating some other issue?
- gnaritas 11y agoThere's a difference between "can't" and "don't like to", they aren't going to suffer from any severe withdrawal effects from not having it other than simply not liking being sober. Caffeine withdrawal is far worse for example. Of course if they're using it for something like pain relief, or some other medical reason like you said, that doesn't really count as addiction.
- duaneb 11y agoI mean, find a substance that people CAN'T be addicted to. However, the physiological addiction is very low. There is no direct dopamine feedback loop, to my understanding. I'm addicted to seltzer waters.
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- DarkTree 11y agoI just graduated from college and I was one of those kids who started smoking both cigarettes and pot in 6th grade because I hung out with older kids that I wanted to be like. I quit cigarettes my freshman year of college and rarely smoke pot (I prefer drinking for socializing). What surprises me was how many of my friends started smoking cigarettes at college. While part of me understands that college is the first time many kids are let loose and free to make decisions about their bodies, I assumed that age, experience and knowledge would override the desire to smoke cigarettes at least. Not to mention this was a wealthier, liberal arts school, which seemed even more out-of-place, especially from my different environment growing up. Still, the frequency of pot smoking was much higher than cigarettes and bled over into the female circles, whereas cigarettes rarely did. Overall, the trend I witnessed is that, at a young age, people were more likely to smoke pot and cigarettes, in contradiction to when I was in college, where many more people smoked pot. Despite this being anecdotal, I am curious what factors (age, generational differences, education) have the strongest influence on this trend.
- santaclaus 11y ago> experience and knowledge would override the desire to smoke cigarettes at least. To get into our local mega-organic pesticide-free we-only-sell-kale health food market, one has to pass through a gauntlet of cigarette smoking 20- and 30-somethings. Don't underestimate the power of wanting to look cool.
- theorique 11y agoThey are probably smoking American Spirits or similar "all-organic" tobacco that costs a couple bucks more per pack. Much healthier, of course.
- ececconi 11y agoAmerican Spirits are packed much tighter than the average cigarette though, a lot more tobacco per cigarette. Yes, it feels much different than even a light cigarette... so it maybe be healthier. But they would mess up my lungs pretty bad.
- sayhar 11y ago"Now"
- rickdale 11y agoI was a huge pot head when I went to college. Smoked weed through pretty much all of high school and had some traumatic events happen that lead me to it for medication. In high school I was considered an outcast. I was the only sophomore to ever consider taking AP Comp Sci(true rebel here...) and generally the kids drank alot. But when I got to college, I gave up the weed and focused on the programming and outside my comfort zone stuff. And then I was in an advanced comp sci class, working with a smart dude and he paused, and said, "Toke up, get food and get back at it?" Then, for the first time ever my world was opened to programmers that smoke weed. And it was like a moment of, "holy shit I can be normal here." Marijuana can be a blessing or a curse. All in your relationship with it. I advise using it for the benefits, and not abusing it for escape.
- duaneb 11y agoIt's a terrible escape, too. It should be a seasoning on top of an already healthy lifestyle or you're just gonna be throwing your money away.
- wkcamp 11y agoThis last sentence is such an important message. Your use with substances--even if they have benefits--should never take over your life.
- rm_-rf_slash 11y agoI agree. It can be a rather insidious drug. You can be high all day and no matter how much you take you won't feel sick like you would with booze or cigs. It also dampens your ability to absorb dopamine over time (but it doesn't interfere with production like cocaine), so it ultimately becomes possible for 24/7 stoners to lead productive and healthy lives, but the weed is a constant. I'm reminded of a planet in the space sim Freelancer, which was covered in an orange grass that changed people's DNA to become dependent on it over time, so they needed a constant drip if they were ever off world, but in return life expectancy rose to 120.
- phkn1 11y agoThe spice must flow.
- x0054 11y agoI wonder how much of that statistical increase in pot use is due to students smoking pot more and how much of it is due to students being more willing to admit that they smoke pot due to the changing perception of the drug? That's the problem with survey type research, it's based on the presumption that people are generally honest, while in reality most people lie most of the time.
- Tloewald 11y agoOne of the things I really liked about Colorado's legalization is that people could openly and honestly discuss their preferences without the whole legal/moral/peer group issues. E.g. one of my younger cousins said, quite frankly, that she doesn't like the effect pot has on her and prefers alcohol. When drugs don't have illegality to taint or glamorize them we can be honest with ourselves and each other about them.
- mtreis86 11y agoSeriously this study is total bullshit, the real numbers are much much higher [pun]. The numbers before were bullshit, and the numbers now are bullshit. Any correlation is entirely coincidence. Source: medicinal user for 15 years.
- evo_9 11y agoThe thing people don't seem to realize is that there are two very different effects caused by the two primary MJ strains (Sativa and Indica's). If you smoke pure Indica, or Indica dominant strains then yes, you are likely going to be knocked on your ass and get absolutely nothing done. But if you smoke a Sativa, or Sativa dominate strain, then you'll find that your focus goes way way up, your ability to dig into problems and solve them goes way way up, and generally you get a ton more done. Reading this article and then the comments on that site it's pretty amazing how poorly people understand pot still.
- dnissley 11y agoI've always heard this but anecdotally I've never experienced any difference -- it all makes me want to fall asleep. Is there any legitimate research into this? How do you know which is which?
- chimeracoder 11y ago> Is there any legitimate research into this? Tons - there are over 70 cannabinoids last I checked (which was several years ago, and we've discovered more since). They all have different effects. Some aren't even psychoactive at all. The indica vs. sativa is a rough way of describing the relative ratios of the various cannabinoids. Not all indicas and sativas are the same, and some sativas might be more sleep-inducing than some indicas, but it's easier than enumerating chemical compounds which have rather unfriendly and unmarketable names. > How do you know which is which? Ask the person growing or selling it to you. If you live in a medical or recreational state (Colorado, California, etc.), they will be labeled as pure indica/sativa, or a hybrid (and if a hybrid, which one is dominant).
- jsprogrammer 11y agoFull extract oils (essentially the entire planet is dissolved in ethanol, then evaporated to leave a concentrated resin) claim to contain over 400 compounds (not all are cannabinoids). You can buy them in high THC, high CBD, or high TCH and CBD (in addition to the others) formulations. Recent studies have shown that reported genetics aren't very reliable (ie. what is claimed to be a pure indica or indica dominate hybrid have actually tested as ~75% sativas). The combination of compounds is probably the biggest driver in a person's experience and the percentage of indica vs. sativa only has some influence over that combination.
- INTPenis 11y agoIs the marijuana festival really april 19th? Seems more logical to have it on april 20th. ;)
- g0v 11y agoI am one of those college students and actually I have been smoking way too much. I just recently stopped and now I sleep much better, getting up in the morning is way easier, I just have more energy. It's hard for me to have access to it and not smoke it, both my parents were addicts so I'm supposedly predisposed to addictive behavior. I would smoke all day, every day, even when I didn't feel like it. I'm a little turned off by it now since I found it was having negative effects on my life, but I'm sure that is because I was simply smoking way too much. Anyways, don't smoke too much.
- throwitaway_now 11y agoI must be unlucky because most strains of marijuana give me terrible panic attacks. The sativa heavy or hybrid strains do it every time, and with indica its a dice roll depending on how long the smoke is in my lungs. I inhale and then immediately exhale (the smoke is in my lungs for less than a second). One hit and bam! I'm as high as I need to be (and it feels great). Any higher makes me feel like I'm having a heart attack. Contrast this to some of my friends who can smoke bowl after bowl of super buds and still write good assembly language. It's probably better for my health but I do wish I could smoke more, feel the good effects, and not get crazy paranoid.
- DarkTree 11y agoYep. I'm the exact same way as you. Forget bong rips like my friends; I'll panic. I inhale and exhale immediately. The worst part of it is that not a single one of my friends shared this trait with me, so I thought I might be abnormal or something, and I was always known as the 'light-weight' when it came to smoking.
- soylentcola 11y agoSame here. Years ago I used to be fine with smoking bowls and the occasional bong rip but once I took a break for a few years and lost any tolerance, I just can't handle it. A few times a year I'll do a "one-hit-quit" but any more and I run the risk of just feeling terrible and anxious. It really does suck because I used to quite enjoy it on occasion but nowadays I just respond differently.
- noobplusplus 11y agoLive High!
- cryoshon 11y agoI started casually smoking weed for fun in college, and have continued intermittently since with a different perspective. Marijuana has improved my life consistently by providing me with an easy-to-access window into my mind which persists even when I'm sober. Weed also transiently helps me to be less angry, although I've experienced a few other people undergoing weed rage from time to time. I think weed is going to be increasingly popular among highly educated people for its innocuousness, creativity/thought promotion, and relaxation.
- yarrel 11y agoThis week in "class indicators".
- dfymarine 11y agoThe probability of developing psychosis among college students is going to be substantially increased.
- magic_beans 11y agoI love the stuff, but for me it was incredibly dangerous because of precisely how much I loved it. Once I start up smoking, I can't stop. I'd go through a quarter every two days. I would smoke as soon as I got up, as soon as I got home from work, all through the night, waking up every hour or so to smoke. I would stop seeing my friends (none of whom smoke), I would stop going out. I had no patience to read or code, and so all I would do was lie on the couch and watch TV or lie in bed listening to music. I stopped working out because moving took too much energy. I stopped self-improvement. I lost any intellectual curiosity. Sure, I would write down my moments of "great high inspiration" which were usually meaningless strings of words in childlike handwriting (because my fine motor skills are pretty terrible on the weed) that sober me was embarrassed of. Some people can function perfectly fine on the stuff, but my addictive brain absolutely cannot handle it, and I'm much, much better without it. But I love it. I love it. And every day it's really, really hard not to just give up and call my guy and smoke the night away.
- g0v 11y agoI'm in the same boat man. We just need a little tamper-proof dispenser that only allows us a certain amount for a given period of time. Like you, I'm better off without it. But I do miss it.
- c23gooey 11y agotry this: http://www.thekitchensafe.com/ http://www.thekitchensafe.com/
- stronglikedan 11y agoSounds like you got stuck on indicas when you needed some sativas. Indicas will stick you to the couch, but sativas are more uplifting. For instance, some nice sativa before a workout will yield a more intense workout. That being said, you know what's best for you, and you really are better off without it.
- magic_beans 11y agoI had everything: indicas (Lamb's Bread!, OG, Sour Diesel!), sativas (Sour Honey!), hybrids (Blue Dream!), edibles, wax... It's not so much the strain as it is my brain and its addiction to dopamine.
- roflchoppa 11y ago420 blz it
- tsujamin 11y agoAs an interesting anecdote, joints in Australia are commonly "spun" with tobacco, mainly to keep the alight iirc. I'd be interested to see how these statistics change and what the general behaviour towards cigarettes in university students would be if a similar article came out here.
- weedthrowaway 11y agoOk, so here's a question I've been struggling with: is there such a thing as "too much" weed? I have had issues with depression and anxiety for a long time. I have tried CBT, talk therapy, medication, meditation, group therapy, and combinations of those for about two decades. Looking back, I often self medicated - with food, and later, with alcohol. Now I have a medical marijauna card, and in the evenings, I generally relax by smoking some weed and watching netflix, browsing HN/Reddit, or just jumping around on Wikipedia. In the grand scheme of things, is that bad? You could make the argument I'm "abusing" it, but if there are no negative effects, what does it matter? What I have to ask is this: If I'm happy in my life, ding