🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <750059518.84690461@campuslife.utoronto.ca>, 
Ian_Silver@campuslife.utoronto.ca says...
>
>There seems to be a fair bit of misinformation floating around in this 
thread,
>so let me clear up a few concepts for all you non-pharmacology students.
>
>First of all, someone has been stating that there is a THC receptor in the
>brain, and that this means that humans have evolved using cannabis.  People
>thought the same thing when a "morphine receptor" was discovered in the human
>brain.  However, it was later discovered that this receptor was actually the
>target for a variety of endogenous compounds known as opioids, which are
>similar in structure to morphine.  Therefore, if a "THC receptor" does exist,
>it is most likely a receptor for a compound produced by our own bodies, and
>THC merely mimicks the effects of that compound.
>
>Secondly, much has been said about the harm-free nature of marijuana smoking.
> Let me just quote a few lines from "Principles of Biomedical Pharmacology"
>on this topic.
>
>"Cannabis smoke has a much higher tar content than most tobacco smoke, and
>the tar contains a higher percentage of known irritants and procarcinogens. 
>Chronic heavy smokers of cannabis, therefore, have a high incidence of
>chronic bronchitis, and pre-cancerous changes have been found in bronchiolar
>epithelium after only a few years of daily smoking of hashish.  Since most
>cannabis users are also tobacco smokers, the observed effects are probably
>the result of an additive action of the two substances."
>
>There is more, but I just wanted to point out that smoking cannabis does have
>harmful effects.

	Thank you Ian.  In other words, it is a risk/benefit analysis.  It is 
not *particularly* harmful given that most people only smoke a few joints on 
the weekend the same way most people only get drunk on the weekends.  So as 
long as the user knows the risk, if he/she decides the pleasure is worth the 
possible risk why not let them go ahead...

(not directed at you Ian. I am talking to the other guys...)