3 ms·

Depends on your definition of harmless. I only have anecdotal evidence, of course, but I'd argue marijuana is more harmful than LSD. So until that's legalized,

by anynms 8y ago

Depends on your definition of harmless. I only have anecdotal evidence, of course, but I'd argue marijuana is more harmful than LSD. So until that's legalized, there will be ultra-safe illegal drugs to experiment with.

ravenstine 8y ago
> I'd argue marijuana is more harmful than LSD. What's your argument?
- anynms 8y ago
  The first comparison to make is in the category of physical harm, in which both substances pose the very low risk of physical harm to the user as they both require an insane dose (>100x normal dose) to pose an immediate medical concern. However, if marijuana is smoked (like anything else smoked) it is not good for the health of the user over the long term. In this category, LSD is the clear winner in risk of harm to the user. The other category is, of course, harm to the user's mental health. In my opinion, dependence is a huge part of this category and cannabis, while not particularly addictive, is definitely more addictive and can produce minor to moderate physical withdrawal effects. LSD seems to be the antithesis of addictive. There's also the social harm category that I can't speak to, but the UK Centre for Crime and Justice Studies sponsored a study [0][1] in 2010 that also takes this into account. [0] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21036393 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21036393 [1] https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2010/11/02/scoring-drugs https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2010/11/02/scoring-...
- blackflame7000 8y ago
  It might seem crazy but I also have to agree. For one, LSD can't be really used on a daily basis as the body's tolerance increases much more rapidly. Furthermore, marijuana's most harmful effect is that it makes you complacent with being bored. Its effects are so subtle over the long term that users might not realize how much it inhibits their mental growth.
S_A_P 8y ago
I would argue alcohol is among the most dangerous drugs available, and its legal, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

by anynms 8y ago

ravenstine 8y ago

> I'd argue marijuana is more harmful than LSD. What's your argument?

anynms 8y ago
The first comparison to make is in the category of physical harm, in which both substances pose the very low risk of physical harm to the user as they both require an insane dose (>100x normal dose) to pose an immediate medical concern. However, if marijuana is smoked (like anything else smoked) it is not good for the health of the user over the long term. In this category, LSD is the clear winner in risk of harm to the user. The other category is, of course, harm to the user's mental health. In my opinion, dependence is a huge part of this category and cannabis, while not particularly addictive, is definitely more addictive and can produce minor to moderate physical withdrawal effects. LSD seems to be the antithesis of addictive. There's also the social harm category that I can't speak to, but the UK Centre for Crime and Justice Studies sponsored a study [0][1] in 2010 that also takes this into account. [0] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21036393 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21036393 [1] https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2010/11/02/scoring-drugs https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2010/11/02/scoring-...
blackflame7000 8y ago
It might seem crazy but I also have to agree. For one, LSD can't be really used on a daily basis as the body's tolerance increases much more rapidly. Furthermore, marijuana's most harmful effect is that it makes you complacent with being bored. Its effects are so subtle over the long term that users might not realize how much it inhibits their mental growth.

S_A_P 8y ago

I would argue alcohol is among the most dangerous drugs available, and its legal, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯