I know that for some people marijuana seems to be a very touchy subject, why, I still don’t understand.

I debated posting this thread, because I hate the stereotypes that come along with marijuana use, but I feel that I should share my feelings with other people with diabetes.

I know you all know that feeling, the feeling of wanting to lie in bed because your blood sugar got high while you were sleeping, and now you awake feeling like you were run over by a train. These mistakes happen, it is unavoidable with diabetes.

Diabetes has in many ways destroyed my life. I have never been able to perform in College the way I want to. I have not held many steady jobs, and I keep very good control.

About a year ago I started smoking a little weed here and there with my girlfriend (of 4 years). I noticed that marijuana made me feel better when my blood sugar was off. I was less likely to become agitated when my blood sugar was changing. It makes me feel alive enough to write school papers when my blood sugar is high, or after a low.

I think the blatant disregard for the positive uses of marijuana in the United States is nothing short of disgusting.

I urge everyone with diabetes, if you feel something other than yourself because of your blood sugar, you should just give marijuana a try, it could make your life better and more productive, I know it has for me.

Any feedback on this subject is very appreciated.

1) It's illegal, and until it becomes legal, I don't recommend anyone trying it.

2) It's covering the real feeling. If you are out of control enough that you need to use marijuana to cover the headaches, then you need to look at your control method better.

3) Simply trying marijuana can get you fired or hinder you getting a job. If you want to risk getting a job, then sure, go for it.

I'd love to hear more about how diabetes has destroyed your college life. I excelled in college and graduated with a very high GPA with 1 major and 3 minors in 3.5 years time while maintaining a 20+ hours per week job. So I'm not sure how diabetes could destroy college. Unless you are talking about you didn't get to have fun partying? I'm not trying to start arguments here, just trying to understand how it hurt college and why you say you have had many jobs because of it, yet you say you are in great control. Can you slightly go off topic and explain that more?

I won't get into the moral/legal implications of marijuana since we have many threads on that here and I have expressed case after case the problems marijuana can cause. Yes, from a medical standpoint it's great, so is Oxycotton, however, Marijuana was made illegal before it got out of hand, Oxycotton is nearing becoming illegal to manufacture because it's getting out of hand.

1) It's illegal, and until it becomes legal, I don't recommend anyone trying it.

2) It's covering the real feeling. If you are out of control enough that you need to use marijuana to cover the headaches, then you need to look at your control method better.

3) Simply trying marijuana can get you fired or hinder you getting a job. If you want to risk getting a job, then sure, go for it.

I'd love to hear more about how diabetes has destroyed your college life. I excelled in college and graduated with a very high GPA with 1 major and 3 minors in 3.5 years time while maintaining a 20+ hours per week job. So I'm not sure how diabetes could destroy college. Unless you are talking about you didn't get to have fun partying? I'm not trying to start arguments here, just trying to understand how it hurt college and why you say you have had many jobs because of it, yet you say you are in great control. Can you slightly go off topic and explain that more?

I won't get into the moral/legal implications of marijuana since we have many threads on that here and I have expressed case after case the problems marijuana can cause. Yes, from a medical standpoint it's great, so is Oxycotton, however, Marijuana was made illegal before it got out of hand, Oxycotton is nearing becoming illegal to manufacture because it's getting out of hand.

1) You are wrong here; it is legal for medical use in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

2) I did not say anything about headaches. My control is pretty good; at least I feel that A1Cs in the 5.0-6.0 range are good. I am talking about the days when I feel like throwing up because, for example, my insulin pump detached during the night.

3) This is a valid point, but you can pass a drug test just days just after using marijuana. I have never had trouble getting a job, nor do I feel that I ever will in the future.

Just for the record, I am not trying to start any sort of argument, just an educated conversation that I hopefully can learn something from. :)

Perhaps I should rephrase, college did not destroy my college life. I also excel in school and always have, but I do feel that Diabetes has caused me to not meet my full potential in education, mostly because I work more slowly and my focus is severely impaired by a slight blood sugar change. This means I have to work harder to meet the same goals, but that is to be expected.

I have not lost any jobs because I have diabetes, but like I said before, it can make a job much more difficult. Say my blood sugar gets low at work, I don’t know about you, but I cant read at all when my blood sugar is even a bit low, the words seem to scramble and jump, and this can last several minutes. In a fast paced job this is very difficult. I have worked in restaurants and just the change in physical demand, carrying more food or boxes from day to day, can cause a low. Lets just say I am selective in the type of job I apply for.

What are there moral implications with marijuana use? I do not use it in an unsafe manner; I can be doing no harm to others. So why is this immoral? Legality changes from state to state. Is it immoral to use Marijuana in Florida but not in Alaska?

Of course marijuana can cause problems, but nothing like those of alcohol. I’m sure I have damaged my lungs and this is not something I am happy about, that is why I am seeking other means of consumption. Smoking is disgusting.

Comparing OxyContin and Marijuana in the same category of danger is just plain silly. OxyContin is extremely addictive, Marijuana is not. OxyContin destroys people’s lives, Marijuana does not. I’m sure if I started popping Oxy's to feel better my life would go down the tubes pretty fast. I have met many people that have been using marijuana for decades without becoming addicted, hurting anyone else, or leading anything other than productive, happy lives.

Thanks for your input on the matter; I really do enjoy looking at things from a different perspective.

I don't disagree with your use of pot - it is a personal decision and all the points made are valid to some degree and should be considered.

Your statement "...1) You are wrong here; it is legal for medical use in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington....." is correct and not correct. It is against the law in every city, every state on the Federal level in the US. There still exist the dual jurisdiction problem. The feds will arrest you while the locals will allow you to do it. Local government cannot make laws that do away with the Federal drug laws. I would love to say that it is Bush's fault, but this crosses both parties.

1)Yes, from a medical standpoint it's great, so is Oxycotton, however, Marijuana was made illegal before it got out of hand, Oxycotton is nearing becoming illegal to manufacture because it's getting out of hand.

It's sad. I can see a growing trend here. The next drug to be illegalized will probably be Vicodin. Then before you know it, people will just be forced to deal with their pain.

We really shouldn't let the abusers ruin it for the rest of us who are genuinely trying to help ourselves and maintain function in our daily lives.

It's also too bad that nowadays just to get cough medicine, you first have to go through an interrogation process. What is this world coming too?

But putting my melodramatics to the side, the best I have ever felt in my life is when I had serious bronchitis and my doctor gave me a perscription of some liquified Codine. Wooo Weeeeeee~ Did I feel gooooooooooooood! :aetsch:

1) You are wrong here; it is legal for medical use in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

4519 hit that point dead on. Federal law states it is illegal. Therefore it's illegal. If state law says it's legal, they are violating numerous laws and that is already a huge topic. Here's the catch...Just because federal law says it's illegal doesn't mean local police can arrest you. That state must also have it illegal on their books. That is one reason local police can't arrest illegal immegrants, because it's a federal law and not a state law.

State laws MUST follow national laws or be more severe. They may not go against or be lenient. Doing so is a violation, however, one not tried often. But if an FBI agent wants to arrest you in Alaska for smoking pot, they can, and you will then be tried in a federal court with a much harsher penalty than a state court.

3) This is a valid point, but you can pass a drug test just days just after using marijuana. I have never had trouble getting a job, nor do I feel that I ever will in the future.

Ever heard of hair folicle tests? They are becoming more and more popular now days since marijuana lasts 3 MONTHS in hair.

What are there moral implications with marijuana use? I do not use it in an unsafe manner; I can be doing no harm to others. So why is this immoral? Legality changes from state to state. Is it immoral to use Marijuana in Florida but not in Alaska?

Comparing OxyContin and Marijuana in the same category of danger is just plain silly. OxyContin is extremely addictive, Marijuana is not. OxyContin destroys people’s lives, Marijuana does not. I’m sure if I started popping Oxy's to feel better my life would go down the tubes pretty fast. I have met many people that have been using marijuana for decades without becoming addicted, hurting anyone else, or leading anything other than productive, happy lives.

The moral implications are that marijuana slows the brain activity down. People that drive vehicles are actually a greater risk than those drinking alcohol, which speeds the brain up for a period.

Marijuana is known as a gateway drug, meaning a drug leading to other drug use. Come to Cincinnati, 43 homicides this year, leading our way to 95, a record in Cincinnati history. Why? 5 years ago we had a HUGE marijuana problem. The jails did nothing about it. Now the marijuana is mostly gone buy meth is in. And people are shooting over meth. Of those 43 shootings, 4 are innocent bystanders, one a 60 year old woman standing on the street waiting for her grandchildren to get home from school. I think around 30 of those 43 are drug related.

I know people that have been doing alcohol for 30 years and can drink 20 beers in 5 hours and be perfectly fine. Yet the second they get behind the wheel they are driving illegal, even though 20 does absolutely nothing to them. Why is that? It's because the majority can't handle 20 beers. Yes, the rest are punished for that, but it's to protect the innocent ones that have nothing to do with it, basically the ones killed in drunk driving accidents. And yes, there are major marijuana accidents.

Driving and it being a gateway drug are not the only problem. It impairs ones mind enough they might get into arguments and not even know it. Most people with domestic violence problems either have alcohol or marijuana history in their past or current, that's a proven fact.

There's numerous other ones. The fact is, it's illegal, and do to our sloppy government in the US, they don't enforce it well enough.

I don't disagree with your use of pot - it is a personal decision and all the points made are valid to some degree and should be considered.

Your statement "...1) You are wrong here; it is legal for medical use in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington....." is correct and not correct. It is against the law in every city, every state on the Federal level in the US. There still exist the dual jurisdiction problem. The feds will arrest you while the locals will allow you to do it. Local government cannot make laws that do away with the Federal drug laws. I would love to say that it is Bush's fault, but this crosses both parties.


I am aware of the dual jurisdiction delema, it really does seem silly though, doesnt it?

Why is what I do with my life always someone elses decision?:dontknow:

I am aware of the dual jurisdiction delema, it really does seem silly though, doesnt it?

Why is what I do with my life always someone elses decision?:dontknow:

Because your life CAN affect someone else. If you don't mind living in a box and never leaving that box, do what you want.

The moral implications are that marijuana slows the brain activity down. People that drive vehicles are actually a greater risk than those drinking alcohol, which speeds the brain up for a period.

Driving and it being a gateway drug are not the only problem. It impairs ones mind enough they might get into arguments and not even know it. Most people with domestic violence problems either have alcohol or marijuana history in their past or current, that's a proven fact.


Can you produce documentation on a legit study in which marijuana was more dangerous than alcohol when used before driving?

The gateway drug speach is really getting a bit worn out, there is no evidence to support it from every standpoint. Of course people are going to try marijuana first, no one just jumps into Meth. I bet they try alcohol first also, but that seems to be legal. Statistically, for every 104 Americans who have tried marijuana, there is only one regular user of cocaine, and less than one user of heroin. There is NO conclusive evidence to show marijuana is a gateway drug. Meth users are going to find meth with or without marijuana.

You are giving me nothing but propaganda.

Because your life CAN affect someone else. If you don't mind living in a box and never leaving that box, do what you want.

I dont go to work high, I dont drive high. Who am I going to hurt? might I get stoned and beat my wife and kids? Sounds more like alcohol to me.

Could you explain why alcohol is legal and marijuana is not?

Can you produce documentation on a legit study in which marijuana was more dangerous than alcohol when used before driving?

I never said more dangerous or even as dangerous. Just that it does impair motor skills and reaction time, which behind a vehicle makes it a dealy weapon.

The gateway drug speach is really getting a bit worn out, there is no evidence to support it from every standpoint. Of course people are going to try marijuana first, no one just jumps into Meth. I bet they try alcohol first also, but that seems to be legal. Statistically, for every 104 Americans who have tried marijuana, there is only one regular user of cocaine, and less than one user of heroin. There is NO conclusive evidence to show marijuana is a gateway drug. Meth users are going to find meth with or without marijuana.

You are giving me nothing but propaganda.

It may be worn out, and depending on who you ask they may or may not agree that it's a gateway drug. It's a very controversial topic. It is a fact though that most, over 95% of hard drug users have used marijuana first. Whether the use of marijuana turned them onto the other drugs or not is hard to say.

I dont go to work high, I dont drive high. Who am I going to hurt? might I get stoned and beat my wife and kids? Sounds more like alcohol to me.

Could you explain why alcohol is legal and marijuana is not?

You have said a few key words there. The main one being "I." You may not go to work high, you may not drive high. However, OTHERS WILL. Alcohol level is easy to test when someone is driving. Marijuana is not. You can't just pee in a cup. Alcohol is legal to the extent that it is because it's controllable (selling, drinking laws, public intox, permits) and testable (breathalyzer, urine sample, blood sample.) Marijuana can be hidden with cigarettes (I know, I know, you say someone can pour alcohol in their pop bottle, yeah, there's always ways around it) and it can't have limits set on how much you can have and what you can do. I guess you could just say no smoking marijuana while driving, however, it's so easy to cover up the smell, easier than alcohol. So there are too many ways around it to make it legal and controlled like alcohol.

Will, I don't care if you use pot.

I'm less concerned about your pot use than your statement that Jedi also touched upon that diabetes is ruining your college experience, and from everything else you stated, your life. Your A1c sounds great, but if you feel your diabetes is ruining your life, then there is more we need to look at, like why the **** your pump is detaching in the middle of the night...In five years of pumping, I have never had that problem through two different pumps and four different insertion sets. Also, we're all different, but when I have major highs or lows, once the correction is affected, I'm able to function pretty well, if not even before my correction is done. Let's figure this stuff out.

Oh, and you're beginning to realize your life is not your own. Just accept it, the longer you fight it the harder it is when you finally accept it. :tongue:

I dont go to work high, I dont drive high. Who am I going to hurt? might I get stoned and beat my wife and kids? Sounds more like alcohol to me.



This is a bit off topic, but being around alcoholics is skeeeeerrry. :eek: They are unpredictable, constantly whining, stink like ****, violent, and just plain nasty all around. I used to know a lot of pot smokers back in high school and in college and noticed them in their highs and off-highs to be very funny, nice, and entertaining.

That is just my non-scientific and unprofessional discovery, though. :nerd:

I used to know a lot of pot smokers back in high school and in college and noticed them in their highs and off-highs to be very funny, nice, and entertaining.

I'll agree they are always very funny.

And alcoholics stink, but pot stinks worse. I personally think it smells worse than cigarrettes.

"Puff puff give on the marijuana cig...I don't even smoke, but I like the way it smells..."

Sorry, I just HAD to quote some Limp Bizkit. Had to.

Will, I don't care if you use pot.

I'm less concerned about your pot use than your statement that Jedi also touched upon that diabetes is ruining your college experience, and from everything else you stated, your life. Your A1c sounds great, but if you feel your diabetes is ruining your life, then there is more we need to look at, like why the **** your pump is detaching in the middle of the night...In five years of pumping, I have never had that problem through two different pumps and four different insertion sets. Also, we're all different, but when I have major highs or lows, once the correction is affected, I'm able to function pretty well, if not even before my correction is done. Let's figure this stuff out.

Oh, and you're beginning to realize your life is not your own. Just accept it, the longer you fight it the harder it is when you finally accept it. :tongue:

I have been on a pump for a long time, more than 10 years. I know how to do it right. One thing that is hard are hormone changes and basel rates. My body has never remained the same, so it is a constant struggle to keep ahead of it.

I remember what normal feels like. I know what it felt like before I was sick, before I was diagnosed. I feel every change in my bg. Sometimes I feel like my blood sugar is high even when it has been a steady 90 all day. When I wake up in the morning I feel like by BG is low, but it isnt.

Many times, even if my BG is normal, it will feel like its high or dropping. Sometimes it helps to do some insulin and eat something, like some milk or a piece of bread, just to give my cells some glucose to munch on. That seems to help but it takes time. I cant read my computor or a schoolbook when I feel like that, its like my comprehension is at 20%, with a normal, stable BG.

Any thoughts? I am going to yet another new endo in a few weeks, he is a professor at UF teaching endocrinology. Its hard to find an endo that understands Type 1 and insulin pumps better than I do.

I remember what normal feels like. I know what it felt like before I was sick, before I was diagnosed. I feel every change in my bg. Sometimes I feel like my blood sugar is high even when it has been a steady 90 all day. When I wake up in the morning I feel like by BG is low, but it isnt.

If this is the case then I would strongly suggest the problem isn't diabetes at all. If your BGs are constantly normal, then diabetes is eliminated out of the equation. Potentially there may be an underlying problem which you haven't had diagnosed.

Trouble reading and comprehending at normal BGs is indicative of a lot of different things. Especially if you find that cannabis helps. I would strongly suggest you see an endocrinologist and explain your problems. Then once they've eliminate diabetes from the list, you should see about having tests carried out for other conditions. Especially for multiple sclerosis.

I agree the Diabetes shouldn't and can't be blamed for everything.

Incidentally, cannabis has the effect of making your blood sugar feel like it's dropping (through the low blood pressure it causes), can actually drop your blood sugar, oh, and can affect your concentration.

Yes Will, if your sugars are in decent range then it shouldn't
effect your focus or concentraton. I had top mark Friends, mid
and lower grade Friends. My marks were mid to above but never
tops. Of course, you may know it was not the higher Graders that
were doing any drugs, smoking or pot.

I have to agree that marijuana and OxyContin are worlds apart
since Oxy is a very strong narcotic similar to morphine and the
chemical can kill you. Whereas, marijuana seems to mellow the
brain and just make you happy, comical and hungry in most people
as long as it is not licked with some other chemical. Alcohol is
definitely worst than maijuana. The 2 mixed is very bad.

Surprise, everyone is different so it seems. I know one of my Son's
best Friends Father grows marijuana on his farm so of course my Son's
Friend smokes it. I was surprised to see that he got the second highest
marks in their Accounting course. So that means that he was an exceptional
child and went down with the marijuana or the marijuana helps his
thinking process or it didn't effect him at all. And he smokes it often.

I don't agree with drugs at all since they all have side effects but I need them
to stay alive and be able to move. :) I would prefer a more natural
drug for pain, etc., like marijuana assuming the Governments don't mess
it up or no other chemicals are added to it.

Your only 20, your lungs can't be in that bad shape, can they? Don't smoke. :)

Yes Will, if your sugars are in decent range then it shouldn't
effect your focus or concentraton. I had top mark Friends, mid
and lower grade Friends. My marks were mid to above but never
tops. Of course, you may know it was not the higher Graders that
were doing any drugs, smoking or pot.

I have to agree that marijuana and OxyContin are worlds apart
since Oxy is a very strong narcotic similar to morphine and the
chemical can kill you. Whereas, marijuana seems to mellow the
brain and just make you happy, comical and hungry in most people
as long as it is not licked with some other chemical. Alcohol is
definitely worst than maijuana. The 2 mixed is very bad.

Surprise, everyone is different so it seems. I know one of my Son's
best Friends Father grows marijuana on his farm so of course my Son's
Friend smokes it. I was surprised to see that he got the second highest
marks in their Accounting course. So that means that he was an exceptional
child and went down with the marijuana or the marijuana helps his
thinking process or it didn't effect him at all. And he smokes it often.

I don't agree with drugs at all since they all have side effects but I need them
to stay alive and be able to move. :) I would prefer a more natural
drug for pain, etc., like marijuana assuming the Governments don't mess
it up or no other chemicals are added to it.

Your only 20, your lungs can't be in that bad shape, can they? Don't smoke. :)

Its not just concentration, its that feeling. When my blood sugar is changing I have always felt my heart pound in my chest, clammy sticky skin, general discomfort, ect. This is how I feel, for example last night when I was trying to go to sleep, my BG was 115 but I felt like ****. An hour later I still felt like my BG was dropping, but it was still exactly 115. I was up until 5am feeling like my BG was dropping, but it stayed the same the whole time.

This is how I may feel during class, or while writing a paper. It has never stopped me from doing well, but like I said, it is hard and it takes me longer to write papers and study. Sometimes I miss homework assignments, ect. I graduated from high school with a 4.0 and a scholarship, but I was not able to keep the scholarship because I could not handle a full schedule of 12+ credit hours at a time.

I don’t ever drink alcohol, I don’t like the stuff, or what it does to my BG, or how it makes me feel.

Like I said, I am going to see a new Endo, he is supposed to be very good, he teaches at the University of Florida. I am moving to Gainesville to go to school there anyway, the healthcare in South Florida is nothing short of pathetic. I had a FANTASTIC Endo, but she was pediatric, so for the last 1.5 years I have been trying to find a new one, but most don’t even have a clue how to use an insulin pump.

I'm no doctor, but I honestly think there's something else going on there. Well, not like you haven't noticed that, yourself.

Good luck with the new Endo!

Incidentally, cannabis has the effect of making your blood sugar feel like it's dropping (through the low blood pressure it causes), can actually drop your blood sugar, oh, and can affect your concentration.

it does make my BG drop I think, but only if I smoke a lot. A glass Gatorade or something while I am smoking is usually enough to negate that effect. If anything, marijuana helps my concentration, except in math.

I'm no doctor, but I honestly think there's something else going on there. Well, not like you haven't noticed that, yourself.

Good luck with the new Endo!

Thanks, I know I will figure it out. I had better, I am taking 12 credit hours this fall.

Sometimes I think that it has to do with Humalog insulin, I should switch to Regular for a while and see how I feel.... I just dont want to wait 45 minutes to eat.

Sometimes I think that it has to do with Humalog insulin, I should switch to Regular for a while and see how I feel.... I just dont want to wait 45 minutes to eat.

Didn't you mention you were on a pump? If so you can't use R in a pump. You can try Novolog though, which is equal to Humalog.

Personally, if you are running 115 and having trouble sleeping because of a pounding in your chest you have something else totally wrong with you and you should seek a doctor immediately. You could have some other chronic condition going on and letting it go is only making it worse.

Also, you say marijuana doesn't make your BG drop alot, but drinking gatorade brings it back up. Last I checked Gatorade is LOADED with sugar carbs, therefore even a small glass raises the BG alot. THat means that the marijuana is dropping your BG alot.

That's all just my 2 cents for now.

Didn't you mention you were on a pump? If so you can't use R in a pump. You can try Novolog though, which is equal to Humalog.

Personally, if you are running 115 and having trouble sleeping because of a pounding in your chest you have something else totally wrong with you and you should seek a doctor immediately. You could have some other chronic condition going on and letting it go is only making it worse.

Also, you say marijuana doesn't make your BG drop alot, but drinking gatorade brings it back up. Last I checked Gatorade is LOADED with sugar carbs, therefore even a small glass raises the BG alot. THat means that the marijuana is dropping your BG alot.

That's all just my 2 cents for now.

What are you talking about? I used R in a pump for around 5 years.

Gatorade only has 15g of carbs per 8oz. You can compare that to milk at 13g of carbs per 8oz. Gatorade also contains glucose, so it works more quickly than milk.

The simple fact that Gatorade is used as a hypo treatment should tell you it's not suitable for regular use. Regular consumption of Gatorade is indicative of a problem.

IMO, the worse part about marijuana is the munchies... Kinda counter-productive for a diabetic.

The munchies are just hypoglycaemia. That's the great thing about hypos - you get all the negative symptoms of being drunk and stoned and none of the positives.

Hey Jedi,

I checked into it, and R can be used in a pump, it's just that 'best practices' recommend Novolog (and now Humalog as well) since they are faster and linger less than R.

Will, besides what has been suggested, something else you may want to check into is getting on any of the Constant Glucose Monitors that are available/coming available. MiniMed has their CGMS, jen_slc has just completed a run with Dexcom. My thinking is getting the feedback from one of these things may allow some additional insight into what is going on "behind the scenes."

I've had that feeling of being low when I am not, and not being able to concentrate. A very annoying situation to say the least. Something else to keep in mind: someone here on this forum once said that they could literally make themselves go low by "concentrating" too hard...ie, the brain uses glucose as its only fuel, and by thinking hard enough, they were using up their glucose stores. My theory with you is that there is some kind of disconnect between your actual bloodsugar levels and what your brain thinks there are, and your brain is then requesting more fuel, whether or not it needs it. Now, how to prove/disprove that, I have no earthly idea. :hmmmm2:

Hey Jedi,

I checked into it, and R can be used in a pump, it's just that 'best practices' recommend Novolog (and now Humalog as well) since they are faster and linger less than R.


That does make sense though since Humalog is only about 5 years old and pumps are about 10-15 years old. I've just been taught that Humalog and Novolog are the only two to be used in pumps. The problem with using R in it is a huge delay in attempting to fine tune basal rates.

The munchies are just hypoglycaemia.

And faeries wear boots...

The munchies are just hypoglycaemia.

Thats not true, I can clearly tell the difference between being hungry and my BG being low. I am sure you have had a low when you were not hungry.

Hi Will,

You are a well-spoken and intellegent adult. I support any efforts that you make in finding an optimal treatment for yourself. There are many people using marijuana for medical purposes, despite the hypocracy of it's illegality. They are treating themselves quitely, courageously, and at some risk of incarceration and employment opportunities.

Your primary responsibility is to yourself. This is a battle worth fighting, IMO. You should try to find an MD with an open mind that would be willing to help you. Good luck.

DonnieD

Hey Jedi,

I checked into it, and R can be used in a pump, it's just that 'best practices' recommend Novolog (and now Humalog as well) since they are faster and linger less than R.

Will, besides what has been suggested, something else you may want to check into is getting on any of the Constant Glucose Monitors that are available/coming available. MiniMed has their CGMS, jen_slc has just completed a run with Dexcom. My thinking is getting the feedback from one of these things may allow some additional insight into what is going on "behind the scenes."

I've had that feeling of being low when I am not, and not being able to concentrate. A very annoying situation to say the least. Something else to keep in mind: someone here on this forum once said that they could literally make themselves go low by "concentrating" too hard...ie, the brain uses glucose as its only fuel, and by thinking hard enough, they were using up their glucose stores. My theory with you is that there is some kind of disconnect between your actual bloodsugar levels and what your brain thinks there are, and your brain is then requesting more fuel, whether or not it needs it. Now, how to prove/disprove that, I have no earthly idea. :hmmmm2:

I have been looking into the constant monitors, it is something I certianly plan on.

I also feel that thinking and concentration make my BG drop, and I know that excessive heat or cold make it drop quite a bit. I have read that the brain consumes something like 40% of all the glucose we produce, its a rather gluttonous organ.

You know, your "theory" really makes quite a bit of sense. I know that I always feel the worst in the morning. I always feel kind of low when I wake up, and that feeling can linger all day. I usually always feel more alive and more clear-headed in the evening, but its never exactly the same.

Thanks for getting me to think deeper into this.

Will, I get what you're saying - however, I must agree with Jedi.

I know way too many people hooked on alcohol, drugs (including pot), or both. I was married briefly to one, and am a close relative to others. Few have escaped unscathed, most have not. Oh yes, some were funny under the influence - most were not...all apologized for their behavior after the fact.

Personally, I believe that anything that "clouds" ones mind is something to stay far away from. I didn't always feel this way. I too had my occassional moments of mind clouding. In college, I was very much a free spirit - do what you want, just don't try to push your stuff on me. Of course, that was before I saw very intellegent people crashing all around me from seemingly harmless behavior.

You mentioned how with diabetes it is even harder to reach ones highest potential. This is true for many individuals, not just diabetics - we all have our burdens to bear, some public, some private. The grass isn't always greener.

It stinks having diabetes and all that comes along with it. Is this condition of our lives going to change? In my case, only by a miracle. Maybe there will be a cure one day - but in my lifetime, who knows? My point, even though I'm not surrendering to the disease - I do choose to accept my situation. Don't get me wrong, took me a long time to get here, years. The outcome is an abundant life, not one sucked dry by the disease.

By the way, I am one of those individuals who did very well in college regardless of the diabetes! ...just had to work my butt off, would it have been any different without the diabetes?! I don't think so.

Just my thoughts...

I am sure you have had a low when you were not hungry.

No, never. Being hungry is my #1 warning sign. Perhaps you meant I've been hungry without being low, which has certainly happened. However, I was always under the impression that sudden rapid hunger onset from smoking cannabis was caused by the drop in blood sugar from the hypoglycaemic and hypotensive effect of cannabis.

That does make sense though since Humalog is only about 5 years old and pumps are about 10-15 years old.

Then how'd I get one of my own back in 1981? They're 25 years old. Older if you consider the really primitive brick-like ones that preceeded the AS*6C. That was the first one available for consumer use, I believe. And then there's the first pump, which was like a backpack with a car battery inside.

Then how'd I get one of my own back in 1981? They're 25 years old. Older if you consider the really primitive brick-like ones that preceeded the AS*6C. That was the first one available for consumer use, I believe. And then there's the first pump, which was like a backpack with a car battery inside.

Depends on what you consider available. BG meters came out in the late 70s, however, didn't really strike the home market till the early 90s. It all depends on how you look at time. Heck, we could say CGMS was out in 1999 then as I know people that were using it back then as a permanent basis through their doctor's office.

The following chart shows pump user estimates since 1990...

http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/2002/05_02/bode2.gif

I don't really consider 6600 pump users alot. Now days it takes 6000+ people in a clinical trial to pass the FDA review board.

That does make sense though since Humalog is only about 5 years old and pumps are about 10-15 years old.
Humalog's been out since about August of 1996!! I was put on it then (for pump use). It has only been approved by the FDA :rolleyes: for use in insulin pumps more recently.

1) You are wrong here; it is legal for medical use in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

Actually, it's medically legal in Florida as well. I had a friend in FL who had bone cancer (he was in our high school), who had a card that showed he was allowed to have some on him at all times.

I also agree with ticklebug. She has made many good points here. The world is indeed getting too much into people's personal business, and personally, I still think alcohol and some of the chemical drugs (i.e. Oxy & Morphine, for example) the FDA has approved are far worse than pot!

I've tried pot before - a few times, in fact - but it's never done a thing to me. I personally don't use it, but am not at all against it. If people would like to take a walk through history, things such as pot were used for specific medical conditions, before they had all these fancy chemical drugs (many of which cause adverse side effects....).

Most of the things that are called drugs today are because of the white man and his inability to use them right. Things like peyote, mushrooms and other herbs where used by Native Americans for ceremonial purposes and medical needs. Of course with the arrival of the white man and his Christian ways the Native Americans where considered barbaric and uncivilized. We are talking about a people who lived in harmony with nature and of course the white man could not have something like that going on. How did they fix a problem that did not exist? They tried to wipe the Native Americans out and ban all of their beliefs.

makes me sad when i learn that young people also suffer from diabetes.i always thought it was something that occured in middle or old age

makes me sad when i learn that young people also suffer from diabetes.i always thought it was something that occured in middle or old age

Type 1 and 2 are completely different.

I can still remember the last thing I ate before I was diagnosed, it was half a Key-Lime Pie! I sat on the floor with a little girl and we ate the whole thing, hehe. That was 14 years ago.

However, I was always under the impression that sudden rapid hunger onset from smoking cannabis was caused by the drop in blood sugar from the hypoglycaemic and hypotensive effect of cannabis.

I get the munchies when I smoke and am fine, bg wise. I have also tested 2 of my friends sugars while we all had the munchies and one was 95, and the other was 166 (I was surprised he was so high, but he did have a coke about 20 minutes prior, still I found that odd). They were freaking out about the finger stick, but I guilt tripped them into doing it(hehe), saying I have to do it 8 times a day and they can't do it once? The guy that was 166 took 4 pricks, he actually handled just like I do, like it is nothing. I am glad actual scientific studies are going on with it so we can find out in bigger populations how it works. Without a doubt it raises heart rate and blood pressure. Also tested that on me and my 2 good friends.

Will - When I am dropping (in bg) and smoke I notice it a LOT more. It rather freaks me out. Seems how ever I am feeling weed just amplidies it.

I would never reccommend to anyone to try or start smoking. I also do not believe there is any medical benefit to it what so ever, but if cancer patients say it helps, I wouldn't argue that and conceed.

OK i read this thread until i got to the gateway drug part. Whoever thinks marijuana is a gateway drug is totally wrong. Yes 95% of harder drug users started with marijuana, but that doesn't really mean anything becuase Correlation and Causation are not the same thing. You cant just say one equals the other, because marijuana is 10 times easier to find than any harder drugs, and much more "respectable" within the "drug user community". People that use hard drugs are more likely to use marijuana, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. you can't just switch the statement and make it be true.

:canabis:


This arguement is also used with marijuana that kinda explains my point.


People who use cannabis (A) have a higher risk of developing schizophrenia (B).

This correlation is sometimes used as a proof that use of cannabis causes schizophrenia ((1), A causes B). This may of course very well be correct. However, it can also be claimed that (disposition of) schizophrenia causes use of cannabis ((2), B causes A). One may also argue that both of these are correct, ((3), A causes B and B causes A). Also, the correlation may somehow be coincidental (4). Which of these is correct can be decided through for example biochemical mechanisms, common sense or other investigations, but a causation arrow doesn't follow directly from the correlation. Concluding that any of (1)-(4) is correct from the observed correlation only is thus a logical fallacy. It may, however, be claimed that any of the causal relationships (1)-(3) have increased probability solely because of the correlation.

Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

yeah i hate it when people that have no expirence with the matter read something and assume its true.


Munchies does not equal hypoglycemia. goes back to the same stuff i was talking about before. I get the munchies at 65, 95, 130, and even 230. I also don't get the munchies at 65, 95, 130, and even 230. Im pretty sure "the munchies" are just a response that you need substanence. So what if you eat some M&Ms before you smoke? still get the munchies at a bg of 150? is that hypo? of course not.

Either way marijuana does not effect my BG in anyway i can tell. and ive done more than one experiment. :biggrin: how much have you guys done?



RIght on Duck

yeah i hate it when people that have no expirence with the matter read something and assume its true.


Munchies does not equal hypoglycemia. goes back to the same stuff i was talking about before. I get the munchies at 65, 95, 130, and even 230. I also don't get the munchies at 65, 95, 130, and even 230. Im pretty sure "the munchies" are just a response that you need substanence. So what if you eat some M&Ms before you smoke? still get the munchies at a bg of 150? is that hypo? of course not.

Either way marijuana does not effect my BG in anyway i can tell. and ive done more than one experiment. :biggrin: how much have you guys done?


RIght on Duck


Like I said before, I think it may cause a bit of a drop in my BG, but ONLY if I smoke a lot. When I say a lot I mean a LOT at once. It also only seems to drop a bit if my BG is already on the low side, say, under 100.

makes me sad when i learn that young people also suffer from diabetes.i always thought it was something that occured in middle or old age
Type 1 and 2 are completely different.

I can still remember the last thing I ate before I was diagnosed, it was half a Key-Lime Pie! I sat on the floor with a little girl and we ate the whole thing, hehe. That was 14 years ago.

Yep, Type 1 and Type 2 are completely different, AND age does not determine which type someone gets. More and more young people are being diagnosed with Type 2 Insulin Resistance, and more middle-aged folks are finding they have Type 1 Auto-immune.

cheers,
j

Either way marijuana does not effect my BG in anyway i can tell. and ive done more than one experiment. how much have you guys done?

Enough to know that in my case it cause both my BG and blood pressure to plummit

Remember, just like food, drugs effect everyone differently. I know a guy down the street that works in a steel mill all day long and he has a high tolerance for alcohol. He says he can drink a 24 pack in an hour, and be fine with no slurred speech or anything. People are always amazed how he can do it. So marijuana may or may not make your BG drop, it all depends on the person.

Yep, Type 1 and Type 2 are completely different, AND age does not determine which type someone gets. More and more young people are being diagnosed with Type 2 Insulin Resistance, and more middle-aged folks are finding they have Type 1 Auto-immune.

cheers,
j


Hi. :wavey:

Remember, just like food, drugs effect everyone differently.

For certain. I'd say even more so (randomly) with marijuana than most drugs. I also concur with you Jedi 100% that it's a gateway drug. It might not have been for me, or for sbuff, but I've seen people chase higher and higher for better highs. With some of my friends it went Marijuana > nitrous > acid > exctasy > meth > coke, then mixing them up. The vine that leads to the harder illegal stuff almost always has a root of illegal marijuana. The question of whether or not if marijuana is removed, would brake the chain though (like sbuff and duck brought up) is a good one, and don't know; I just know where it begins.

For certain. I'd say even more so (randomly) with marijuana than most drugs. I also concur with you Jedi 100% that it's a gateway drug. It might not have been for me, or for sbuff, but I've seen people chase higher and higher for better highs. With some of my friends it went Marijuana > nitrous > acid > exctasy > meth > coke, then mixing them up. The vine that leads to the harder illegal stuff almost always has a root of illegal marijuana. The question of whether or not if marijuana is removed, would brake the chain though (like sbuff and duck brought up) is a good one, and don't know; I just know where it begins.

Thinking this over; I'd say it actually began with alcohol and cigs to be honest.

There's nothing wrong with marijuana. The problem is how people choose to use it. I see nothing wrong with having a few hits to relax in the privacy of your own home once in awhile. Or even every day after work. Instead of sitting on the couch with a few beers to unwind, you take a few bowl hits instead. What's the difference? I would actually prefer the bowl hits. Much more relaxing to me.

The problem is that people get involved in the whole "lifestyle" of drugs. But alcohol is very similar and even worse in my eyes on the effects it has on people.

Marijuana is something I will never touch. It's still an illegal drug and it's not something I want to get into. What people do in their own homes is their business, however.

I know quite a few other diabetics my age who smoke marijuana. They seem to manage themselves alright.

I live in CA (one of the "legal" states) and you will still get arrested if you have marijuana in your home or growing it for personal medical use.

Why in the world would anyone want to use yet ANOTHER artificial means to "feel better". Sorry Will, but I don't want another pill, inhalant or shot in my life to try to make life easier or better for me.

The one thing nobody mentioned here was the chance of lung cancer. I won't use inhaled insulin because I just couldn't stand the thought of putting another foreign substance in my lungs. Marijuana or just cigarette smoke will not get in my lungs either.

Yes, alcohol can be just as bad as marijuana. Why do we need a drug to make us feel better? Good control will make you feel the best. It takes time and effort and diabetes treatment is not perfect. I would prefer not to have to factor in another drug for my diabetes care.

Here in the u/k there is trials going on to see if marijana is a safe drug to take for MS suffers and if it is proven it does help and causes no adverse effects then our goverment may decide to let certain people have it.They will also put it in tablet form.

True, but you're being a bit misleading there. The drug currently on trial in the UK is a cannabis-derived drug, which actually doesn't make it all that special. It's no more revolutionary in terms of origin than any other plant-derived medical product. Arguably the trial is taking place because the government wants to curb illegal drug usage - quite a few people with MS smoke cannabis for pain relief purposes and end up in trouble with the law. Therefore it's perfectly reasonable for a drug company to identify precisely what part of cannabis causes this pain relief, synthesise it in tablet form free from all the narcotic parts and distribute it.

That's why I don't buy into the 'let's legalise pot for medical reasons' argument- any medical benefits from cannabis can be isolated from the narcotic, thus removing the need to legalise a narcotic.

I was on the understaning that our goverment was use,g pure form and placibo to gauge the results.The goverment has also down graded marijuana it is now not a offence to be cought in possession,unless the amount is proven to be more then for personal use.

The Perfect High by Shel Silverstein

There once was a boy named Gimmesome Roy. He was nothing like me or you.
'Cause laying back and getting high was all he cared to do.
As a kid, he sat in the cellar, sniffing airplane glue.
And then he smoked bananas -- which was then the thing to do.
He tried aspirin in Coca-Cola, breathed helium on the sly,
And his life was just one endless search to find that perfect high.
But grass just made him want to lay back and eat chocolate-chip pizza all night,
And the great things he wrote while he was stoned looked like sh** in the morning light.
And speed just made him rap all day, reds just laid him back,
And Cocaine Rose was sweet to his nose, but the price nearly broke his back.
He tried PCP and THC, but they didn't quite do the trick,
And poppers nearly blew his heart and mushrooms made him sick.
Acid made him see the light, but he couldn't remember it long.
And hashish was just a little too weak, and smack was a lot too strong,
And Quaaludes made him stumble, and booze just made him cry,
Till he heard of a cat named Baba Fats who knew of the perfect high.

Now, Baba Fats was a hermit cat who lived up in Nepal,
High on a craggy mountaintop, up a sheer and icy wall.
"But ****," says Roy, "I'm a healthy boy, and I'll crawl or climb or fly,
But I'll find that guru who'll give me the clue as to what's the perfect high."
So out and off goes Gimmesome Roy to the land that knows no time,
Up a trail no man could conquer to a cliff no man could climb.
For fourteen years he tries that cliff, then back down again he slides
Then sits -- and cries -- and climbs again, pursuing the perfect high.
He's grinding his teeth, he's coughing blood, he's aching and shaking and weak,
As starving and sore and bleeding and tore, he reaches the mountain peak.
And his eyes blink red like a snow-blind wolf, and he snarls the snarl of a rat,
As there in perfect repose and wearing no clothes -- sits the godlike Baba Fats.

"What's happening, Fats?" says Roy with joy, "I've come to state my biz.
I hear you're hip to the perfect trip. Please tell me what it is.
For you can see," says Roy to he, "that I'm about to die,
So for my last ride, Fats, how can I achieve the perfect high?"
"Well, dog my cats!" says Baba Fats. "here's one more burnt-out soul,
Who's looking for some alchemist to turn his trip to gold.
But you won't find it in no dealer's stash, or on no druggist's shelf.
Son, if you would seek the perfect high -- find it in yourself."

"Why, you jive mother******!" screamed Gimmesome Roy, "I've climbed through rain and sleet,
I've lost three fingers off my hands and four toes off my feet!
I've braved the lair of the polar bear and tasted the maggot's kiss.
Now, you tell me the high is in myself. What kind of sh** is this?
My ears 'fore they froze off," says Roy, "had heard all kind of ****,
But I didn't climb for fourteen years to listen to that sophomore rap.
And I didn't crawl up here to hear that the high is on the natch,
So you tell me where the real stuff is or I'll kill your guru a**!"

"Ok, OK," says Baba Fats, "you're forcing it out of me.
There is a land beyond the sun that's known as Zaboli.
A wretched land of stone and sand where snakes and buzzards scream,
And in this devil's garden blooms the mystic Tzu-Tzu tree.
And every ten years it blooms one flower as white as the Key West sky,
And he who eats of the Tzu-Tzu flower will know the perfect high.
For the rush comes on like a tidal wave and it hits like the blazing sun.
And the high, it lasts a lifetime and the down don't ever come.
But the Zaboli land is ruled by a giant who stands twelve cubits high.
With eyes of red in his hundred heads, he waits for the passers-by.
And you must slay the red-eyed giant, and swim the River of Slime,
Where the mucous beasts, they wait to feast on those who journey by.
And if you survive the giant and the beasts and swim that slimy sea,
There's a blood-drinking witch who sharpens her teeth as she guards that Tzu-Tzu tree."
"To **** with your witches and giants," laughs Roy. "To **** with the beasts of the sea.
As long as the Tzu-Tzu flower blooms, some hope still blooms for me."
And with tears of joy in his snow-blind eye, Roy hands the guru a five,
Then back down the icy mountain he crawls, pursuing that perfect high.

"Well, that is that," says Baba Fats, sitting back down on his stone,
Facing another thousand years of talking to God alone.
"It seems, Lord", says Fats, "it's always the same, old men or bright-eyed youth,
It's always easier to sell them some sh**, than it is to give them the truth."

-Shel Silverstein

Classic... :cool:

I was on the understaning that our goverment was use,g pure form and placibo to gauge the results

They're using a placebo and a drug developed from cannabis. They're not just giving some people with MS a pack of green to smoke and the rest a bag of oregano. It's already known that cannabis can help with MS - this drug is simply the first attempt at deriving a medicine from it, and the trial is to see whether or not this new drug is still effective.

Hey all, it's time for my 2 cents on this :wavey:

I was someone who smoke and drank about 5 days a week for the first few years of Univeristy, then I got type 1 at christmas of 3rd year, and I havn't touched a drop of booze since, and I've cut my dope volume in half, and I also smoke it more wisely (i.e. iced bong as apposed to huge wasteful joints.)
For diabetics who wish to smoke, go for it, but make sure you monitor twice as much. I'm paranoid about lows because I'm a bio major and I know exactly how bad those lows are for your body, but I test about once every 45 minutes when high (which might seem excessive to you guys, but meh).

My main thing however that I wanted to say is that I completely agree with some of your guys. Marijuana is illegal and that is a good thing. The vaste majority of people aren't responsible enough to handle doing their own dishes, let alone mind altering drugs. Until there is a solid method of testing it instantly in public, I wouldn't like to see it legalized.
It's not a gateway drug for me either, cause I'm responsible with it. I've never even done shrooms or anything hard at all. I use pot to enhance sex and music and sometimes video games, but that's it. I don't drive or work or do school work while high, but again, most people can't handle that, they'd overdo it.
Oh, and as far as recognizing lows when high, I wouldn't know, because I've never had a low while high, I make sure of that.

Lastly on the topic of using it for medicinal purposes, that's a bunch of baloney in my opinion. I just completed a 4th year plant biology course in which I actually gave 2 seminar presentation about medicinal plants, and during my research I've never found the ganja to actually have medicinal properties. (the only evidence found was for MS patients, which is true, but only helps eleviate symptoms in about 35% of patients) Sure it makes you feel better if you've got cancer or diabetes or aids or what have you, but it doesn't actually help your disease in any way.

Cheerio all!

Pat (Cheesebunz)
Trent Univeristy
Canada

"....Lastly on the topic of using it for medicinal purposes, that's a bunch of baloney in my opinion......" You must not have not researched it for use with cancer yet. It does nothing for the cure - either does chemo for most cancers but they still use it to prolong life, etc. If making it easier to handle the horrible side effects of treatment drugs then they should discontinue the psych drugs that only do just that - treat the mental effects and not treat the actual problem. It is very effective in treatment programs. Sometimes you have to get right down there in the patient rooms and experience the life as they have it. Don't get me wrong I am not saying that you have not "lived the life yourself," that I do not know.

My understanding of the use in cancer patients was that it was not used to treat the cancer. The use for cancer patients was that it helped to alleviated the side effects of the chemo drugs. This has also been reported as useful in other heavily medicated treatments for other deseases.

The only documented direct use I remember as a treatment is for relieving the pressure in the eyes that glaucoma patients suffer.

My understanding of the use in cancer patients was that it was not used to treat the cancer. The use for cancer patients was that it helped to alleviated the side effects of the chemo drugs. This has also been reported as useful in other heavily medicated treatments for other deseases.

The only documented direct use I remember as a treatment is for relieving the pressure in the eyes that glaucoma patients suffer.
Thank you for clarifying that for some, Harold. The issue is this: With chemotherapy, patients often lose their appetite....and, Cheesbunz, being a former user yourself, I'm sure you know all too well that marijuana causes the "munchies." That is its main purpose in its use for Cancer. My friend who had bone cancer in high school was thin as a rail, due to all the chemo and other treatments he received. His marijuana (according to HIM) helped not only alleviate his pain, but aided in boosting his appetite some.

On the other front....I gotta say, that I for one do Not understand users who don't want it legalized themselves! That makes no sense (other than for tax & pricing reasons, possibly)....:hmmmm:

Isn't it more common to prescribe Marinol for cancer patients and others that need increased appetite?

It is not just for hunger problems - it also is to counter the very poor reactions to chemo.

".....On the other front....I gotta say, that I for one do Not understand users who don't want it legalized themselves! That makes no sense (other than for tax & pricing reasons, possibly)..." Don't you know why - it is evil, very evil - next step is crank, you know that. You can purchase alcohol in gas stations and just about every other store in town. Of course alcohol does not cause any problems in our society. We all drink in moderation and pay the TAX when we purchse it.

Hi all.I have read your e mails and you all have very good point's.I am wondering if this makes a difference to use,g marijuana as it has been reported here that long term use can cause some mental illness's as in schizophrenia also what if it is a substitute with the exact copy of marijuana.Do you think then it may stop some mental illness,s happening to people who has used it on a very long term.It will never be a cure for serious illness,s or will not ever come close to it.

Isn't it more common to prescribe Marinol for cancer patients and others that need increased appetite?
Yes, but back when I was in high school, they didn't have Marinol yet. That has been created in more recent years, and many cancer patients complain that it's not effective enough. Carwy has Not used any drugs (other than what's been prescribed to him), but I've heard from many cancer patients who stated that smoking has helped & was far more effective for them than Marinol.

".....On the other front....I gotta say, that I for one do Not understand users who don't want it legalized themselves! That makes no sense (other than for tax & pricing reasons, possibly)..." Don't you know why - it is evil, very evil - next step is crank, you know that. You can purchase alcohol in gas stations and just about every other store in town. Of course alcohol does not cause any problems in our society. We all drink in moderation and pay the TAX when we purchse it.

LMAO - I know you're kidding.....right?:rofl:

I forgot to put the "sarcasim coming warning." Alcohol has to be one of our absolute worst 'acceptable drugs.' We all have seen, text books and movies, what happens when you attempt to limit alcohol - pot just didn't get into the mix soon enough.

Hi all.I have read your e mails and you all have very good point's.I am wondering if this makes a difference to use,g marijuana as it has been reported here that long term use can cause some mental illness's as in schizophrenia also what if it is a substitute with the exact copy of marijuana.Do you think then it may stop some mental illness,s happening to people who has used it on a very long term.It will never be a cure for serious illness,s or will not ever come close to it.Mental Illness covers a broad spectrum to an infinite number of degrees. Doubt that anyone will ever prove it causes schizophrenia or psychosis nor do I believe it does. It's much more likely that either of the two conditions are already present but have not yet manifested. Another serious mental illness Depression can both be caused by and treated by MJ. Have seen both sides of this in people to different degrees. There will never be an exact copy, only substitutions.

I have found it to act as sort of a "reset" button on your body. I would get more positive response to insulin and good control at least for a few days after having some.

There is no doubt that there could be something in it that positively affects diabetics.

The flipside is the trade-off - any 'benefits' you might get by smoking weed will be eliminated by the damage you do to your lungs in the process. Which is precisely why legalising it for medicinal purposes and putting it in a once-a-day tablet form is the best option.

I have found it to act as sort of a "reset" button on your body. I would get more positive response to insulin and good control at least for a few days after having some.

There is no doubt that there could be something in it that positively affects diabetics.

It's all in your mind...

I haven't smoked in a while, but it does seem to stabilize my blood sugar a bit, I test alot while I'm high because I don't want to go low, but it seemed like it took less insulin while I ate something. Also I think everyone has the right to find out what works for them. Anybody slamming Will either hasn't smoked or think the only way is thier way. I think they should do a study involving diabetes and marijuana. They legalize cigarettes which causes cancer in healthy people, why can't they legalize ganja, That's my 2 cents PEACE!:bandit:

I haven't smoked in a while, but it does seem to stabilize my blood sugar a bit, I test alot while I'm high because I don't want to go low, but it seemed like it took less insulin while I ate something. Also I think everyone has the right to find out what works for them. Anybody slamming Will either hasn't smoked or think the only way is thier way. I think they should do a study involving diabetes and marijuana. They legalize cigarettes which causes cancer in healthy people, why can't they legalize ganja, That's my 2 cents PEACE!:bandit:
Well said! :thumbsup:

I think the biggest reason the FDA or gov't won't legalize it fully is because they haven't found a way to capitalize on it.

I think the biggest reason the FDA or gov't won't legalize it fully is because they haven't found a way to capitalize on it.

It's because of the negative effects. Yes, and I won't argue on this, there are some pretty major negative effects of marijuana. The problem is, alcohol fits in the same category. So do you legalize marijuana or illegalize alcohol? When used safely, they are both fine...but there are too many idiots out there to make then 100% safe.

It's because of the negative effects. Yes, and I won't argue on this, there are some pretty major negative effects of marijuana. The problem is, alcohol fits in the same category. So do you legalize marijuana or illegalize alcohol? When used safely, they are both fine...but there are too many idiots out there to make then 100% safe.
That said, Alcohol is still legal, despite all the idiots out there who misuse it.....And personally, I think the effects of alcohol (and the harm that can be caused by its use) is far worse than marijuana.

I can't speak for everyone, but personally, the one time I got drunk, I wanted to pi** in a Burger King parking lot....The several times I smoked pot, I felt No side effects, nor did I get "stupid." Nor did I wish to try stronger drugs (I didn't wish to try stronger drinks either, but I'm talking about marijuana here, not alcohol). I'm not trying to argue, just giving personal points of view. Not everyone's the same, and I understand that.

I think the biggest reason the FDA or gov't won't legalize it fully is because they haven't found a way to capitalize on it.

I politely disagree...

Hey Dewey I like your Sig, that's cool, anyways if they did legalize it we'd get some watered down version just like American beer.

That said, Alcohol is still legal, despite all the idiots out there who misuse it.....And personally, I think the effects of alcohol (and the harm that can be caused by its use) is far worse than marijuana.

I'll totally agree on the problems being greater with alcohol than marijuana.

I disagree on it being a government money issue. They can just tax marijuana sales like they do alcohol and cigarettes and that would bring in millions if not billions a year.

Well, I've always felt it has a stabilizing effect on my blood sugar. I also believe it has played a role in preventing retinopathy and such, possibly due to the fact that it is a vasodilator and well known for reducing interocular pressure (it's primary medical use is as glaucoma treatment). I know it has many positive health effects such as preventing certain types of cancer.

Here are articles I've found in support of these assertions.


http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=38547
Marijuana Compound May Help Stop Diabetic Retinopathy

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=000EA0BF-1BE4-1121-927783414B7F4945
Science & Technology at Scientific American.com: Marijuana Extract Fights Brain Cancer in Mice

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729.html
Study Finds No Cancer-Marijuana Connection

I'll totally agree on the problems being greater with alcohol than marijuana.

I disagree on it being a government money issue. They can just tax marijuana sales like they do alcohol and cigarettes and that would bring in millions if not billions a year.


Not only that, it would eliminate the illegal drug trade of marijuana. We would not only make an enourmous amount of money on top of saving money, but we would be also be cutting funds to terrorist regimes that rely on drug money.

Precisely. Legalise it, put it in prerolled packets, tax the **** out of it, make it an age-restricted product and then set up a whole bunch of laws to make it similarly as offensive as alcohol ie. don't toke and drive etc.

To be honest though, I can't see actual joint sales making much money for the government. Even if cannabis was legalised, I really can't see a company like Wal-Mart voluntarily putting the wacky-backy next to the other fag packets.

Being able to go into your local 7-11 and pick up a carton - priceless...

each to their own Will. It's illegal over here, but i understand where you're coming from... however i am sad to hear diabetes has had such a, well, crapp effect on your life... I guess as long as you're not using pot to avoid that, and it's working for you, great... Your choice!

The flipside is the trade-off - any 'benefits' you might get by smoking weed will be eliminated by the damage you do to your lungs in the process. Which is precisely why legalising it for medicinal purposes and putting it in a once-a-day tablet form is the best option.


Weed wont do that much dammage to your lungs, only because weeds not ment to be smoked like ciggarettes. If you smoke once or twice a week, you shouldent have anything to worry about because when you smoke weed, usually 3 or 4 good hits will get you high.

There have been several dozens of houses recently found growing weed near me, in a nice neighborhood. The people growing had to by pass the electrical from the meters as to not tip off the power company. The bypassing can be very dangerous. If weed were legal people wouldnt have to go to such measures.

I love weed personally. It helps when I get depressed sometimes. I also think its great in social circles, especially when people are there that I havent met before. I am not sure whats smoked in peace pipes, when indians smoke, but if it's weed I can see why they call it a peace pipe.

Also I hear willie nelson got pulled over recently with a qp of weed, and 1.5 pounds of shrooms.

On the negative, weed is bad for you. I have personally witnessed some people that have had their brain chemistry changed in a bad way and are scarred by it. It for sure is not for everyone.

Weed wont do that much dammage to your lungs, only because weeds not ment to be smoked like ciggarettes. If you smoke once or twice a week, you shouldent have anything to worry about because when you smoke weed, usually 3 or 4 good hits will get you high.

Typically when you smoke a joint, you hold the smoke in your lungs for far longer than you would an ordinary cigarette. A joint also usually has tobacco in it, so effectively when you smoke a joint, you're smoking a regular cigarette in a dangerous manner AND you're also smoking another toxin in a dangerous manner. Combine this with the fact that having diabetes makes you much more susceptible to complications from smoking and suddenly you've picked up a very damaging habit.

Look though, don't confuse my pointing out basic medical facts with taking a stance on the issue of cannabis. Frankly I couldn't care less what you put in your body provided it doesn't impact on me in anyway. But please, please, please do not kid yourself that smoking weed is healthy, or at least healthier than smoking cigarettes. It isn't. I'll grant you that someone who smokes 40 a day is probably more at risk of developing lung cancer than someone who smokes a few joints a week but puff for puff, a joint is more damaging than a cigarette.

Not only that, it would eliminate the illegal drug trade of marijuana. We would not only make an enourmous amount of money on top of saving money, but we would be also be cutting funds to terrorist regimes that rely on drug money.
I think the terrorists make their money from heroin and mabye coke in south america. Most of the weed I see around is locally grown or comes from canada. I guess there is mexican weed around as well, but the days of the afghan freedom fighter stamp on the hashish are long gone. I don't think your weed money is making it to terrorists.

Typically when you smoke a joint, you hold the smoke in your lungs for far longer than you would an ordinary cigarette. A joint also usually has tobacco in it, so effectively when you smoke a joint, you're smoking a regular cigarette in a dangerous manner AND you're also smoking another toxin in a dangerous manner. Combine this with the fact that having diabetes makes you much more susceptible to complications from smoking and suddenly you've picked up a very damaging habit.

Look though, don't confuse my pointing out basic medical facts with taking a stance on the issue of cannabis. Frankly I couldn't care less what you put in your body provided it doesn't impact on me in anyway. But please, please, please do not kid yourself that smoking weed is healthy, or at least healthier than smoking cigarettes. It isn't. I'll grant you that someone who smokes 40 a day is probably more at risk of developing lung cancer than someone who smokes a few joints a week but puff for puff, a joint is more damaging than a cigarette.Actually, weed is virtually harmless if consumed in a safe (smokeless) manner. There is a process known as vaporizing which eliminates lung damage while retaining all beneficial effects of cannabis, as well as eating brownies and other foods prepared with it. I also think it's ok for the occasional smoke if it's not done too frequently. In fact no matter how much marijuana you smoke you are unlikely to develop lung cancer as this article I recently posted asserts, (although who wants emphysema or all that other stuff?)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729.html
Study Finds No Cancer-Marijuana Connection

I can only say my personal experience has been great for all sorts of uses. Marijuana is good, safe medicine. I believe I owe much of my well being to the stuff.

There have been no recorded cases of Cancer from Marijuana use, even in the long term. There was a small negative correlation found, which was rather interesting.
Not to mention, it has been proven that Cannabis does not cause emphysema.
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1106/a09.html

Contrary to popular belief, a joint does not need to contain tobacco. Cannabis burns perfectly fine if the joint is packed tight enough. If someone feels that they need to mix anything into their cannabis joint, they can use something like dried parsley.

Cannabis is different to tobacco in the sense that it does not restrict blood vessels, it actually increases blood flow (bronchial dilation is the technical term). Some people may say Cannabis contains more tar, that is correct. However, Low tar cigarettes cause just as many complications as high tar cigarettes do. It's all just scaremongering really.

While Cannabis smoking is not completely harm free for your lungs, comparing it to tobacco is ludicrous.

If you think cannabis is harmless, you are wrong. Somethings are just obvious, tests or not.

Actually, weed is virtually harmless if consumed in a safe (smokeless) manner.

Incorrect. There's a strong correlation between cannabis usage and mental health problems. Cannabis also possibly lowers blood sugar and definitely lowers blood pressure - either of which can be fatal.

Cannabis is NOT a safe drug. There is no such thing as a safe drug. Yes, you can minimise the risk, but here's the thing. Whilst cannabis may be less likely to cause cancer than tobacco, it's still a lot more likely to cause cancer than not smoking at all. Comparing it to tobacco is also not 'ludicrous'. Yes, it is perfectly possible to smoke cannabis without tobacco. Unfortunately most people do roll a joint with tobacco. And this is leaving aside that cannabis tar has a 50% higher concentrations of chemicals linked to cancer than tobacco cigarette tar.

Look, I've nothing against your habit. Just don't pretend it's healthy.

Marijuana is not a drug, it is an unprocessed plant.

Drugs are made in labs, plants grow in soil... :canabis:

Marijuana is not a drug, it is an unprocessed plant.

Drugs are made in labs, plants grow in soil... :canabis:

Opium too?

Who said that! :flybye:

Would you rather smoke something that was man made, or god made? Fact: there has never been a death recorded from the use of marijuana by natural causes. Now what about cigarettes? Hmm, dont even get me started. Smoked from a bowl, weed will not harm you, now if it was rolled from a Philly or a Dutch master, that you can have an arguement.

Now what about medical marijuana? What are your opinions on that?

I believe medical marijuana is legal in several states, at the state level of course. :musicus:

Smoked from a bowl, weed will not harm you

Aside from the potential mental health problems, which tobacco doesn't cause.

Now what about medical marijuana? What are your opinions on that?

Perfectly fine, because we can extract the bits of cannabis that do good, and then put it in a harmless, side-effect-free tablet form. Thus people can enjoy the medical benefits of cannabis without having to compromise on their health.

I believe medical marijuana is legal in several states, at the state level of course. :musicus:

That is true, however it's still federally illegal. But I think the FBI and DEA have more important bones to pick than some dude using medical marijuana. Not to mention in some of those states also cities have enacted laws that outlaw it, so even if it's legal in the state, the city may not allow it.

I believe it's legal in the state of Alaska, even without a medical permit. :egg:

Currently Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington all allow medical marijuana by state laws(found on a 2004 article.) In a court ruling in 2004 (Ashcroft v. Raich) the Federal government cannot prosecute the use of medical marijuana unless you transport it across state lines to buy/sell/grow (as in living in a state next to one of those listed.)

I think it's more than just medical marijuana in Alaska....

Cyborg, yes, in Alaska one can posses a maximum of 4 ounces of Marijuana. It is still a federal crime on the possession and growing and the DEA can seize and arrest for it, but local state police, cannot.

Here's a neat link for some more info....

http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_law.shtml

Currently Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington all allow medical marijuana by state laws(found on a 2004 article.) In a court ruling in 2004 (Ashcroft v. Raich) the Federal government cannot prosecute the use of medical marijuana unless you transport it across state lines to buy/sell/grow (as in living in a state next to one of those listed.)
You keep forgetting Florida. Things may have changed since the 80s, :dontknow: but when I was there & that guy with bone Cancer was in high school, he had a medical card stating he was allowed to have possession of it.

You keep forgetting Florida. Things may have changed since the 80s, :dontknow: but when I was there & that guy with bone Cancer was in high school, he had a medical card stating he was allowed to have possession of it.

I couldn't find anything on Florida. So they may have repealed that. I did a google search and even found this cool map (http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=4516) and it says nothing about Medical allowance in Florida.


EDIT: Upon further research I found it's allowed if you have authorization from the state medical board (which would be that card) and you are the only one using it (if you are with some friends and they have it, you may lose your card, for suspected sharing.) To get approved you must have a very very very serious condition and this is the last resort to treating or controlling it.

EDIT: Upon further research I found it's allowed if you have authorization from the state medical board (which would be that card) and you are the only one using it (if you are with some friends and they have it, you may lose your card, for suspected sharing.) To get approved you must have a very very very serious condition and this is the last resort to treating or controlling it.
That's what I thought. Believe me when I tell you that bone Cancer (which is what he had) qualifies as a very, very, very serious condition (or Any Cancer for that matter). And, I think it was a last resort for him, because in the 80s, the treatments weren't as readily available as they are today.

Gotta watch it in Florida.... "Any conviction causes driver's license suspension for 6 months to 2 years."

Aside from the potential mental health problems, which tobacco doesn't cause.



Perfectly fine, because we can extract the bits of cannabis that do good, and then put it in a harmless, side-effect-free tablet form. Thus people can enjoy the medical benefits of cannabis without having to compromise on their health.


What sort of mental health problems?

From http://www.mediacampaign.org/newsroom/factsheets/marij_mhealth.html

Youth marijuana use is risky and can lead to serious consequences, including mental health problems. Researchers have long known that marijuana use has been associated with psychopathology. In the past decade, research on the psychiatric implications of the drug has increased dramatically. In the past three years, in particular, evidence has been accumulating that regular marijuana use can not only aggravate already existing mental illness, but that it may precede, or act as a catalyst, in mental health problems, including depression, suicidal thoughts and schizophrenia. This new research also identifies two crucial risk factors:

1.

The age when marijuana is first smoked has a major impact on the later development of mental health problems. The earlier the use, the greater the implications.
2.

There is an increased risk of depression, suicidal thoughts and schizophrenia as a result of marijuana use, even among people with no prior history of a disorder. However, those with a predisposition for mental illness are particularly vulnerable. In the case of psychotic disorders, this is estimated to be about one in four people.

Other numerous websites show the same exact conclusions that marijuana use can increase the chance of a mental health problem for the person using it since it does alter the mind.

As a drug/alcohol counselor at the undergraduate level and a mental health counselor at the graduate level, I’ve followed this post with interest. I counseled at two different drug/alcohol treatment centers for quite some time, still provide volunteer counseling, and have mental health clients who are also addicts or in recovery. While it is not shocking that so many people attempt to justify marijuana use (the addicts I counsel use the same excuses daily), what is shocking is how many people truly believe marijuana is a harmless drug. Just to clarify that misinformation, common side effects of marijuana that I have researched, witnessed, and counseled addicts for include:

• Weakened immune system (especially problematic for diabetics who are already susceptible to infections)
• Loss of memory (particularly short term)
• Adverse effect on verbal skills and judgment
• Decreased coordination
• Breathing problems and an increase in respiratory ailments (again very dangerous for diabetics)
• Reduced blood flow to the brain (again affecting memory, verbal acuity and mental judgment)

Questions people ask me about marijuana include:

• Is marijuana addictive? Definitely. This is because marijuana is much stronger now than it used to be (which many people either do not know or deny) and thus people are more likely to become dependent. Marijuana, like other drugs, can cause withdrawal symptoms, such as depression, nausea, headache, anxiety and insomnia. Can some people manage pot use without becoming addicted? Yes. But that doesn’t invalidate the medical and treatment evidence that marijuana is addictive. And anyone who feels the need to regularly ingest an addictive agent runs the risk of becoming addicted, plain and simple.
• Is marijuana a gateway drug? Yes and No. For individuals with a genetic or psychological disposition for addiction, the answer is definitely Yes. For individuals with unresolved emotional issues, the answer is definitely Yes. It’s a proven fact that the vast majority of addicts first smoked marijuana before using hardcore drugs. Also, the rate of relapse for addicts is 90%. In counseling many addicts and interviewing many more during treatment center intakes, approximately 95-98% told me they returned to hardcore drugs (cocaine, meth, heroin, etc.) after first beginning to smoke pot again.
• Isn’t marijuana helpful for medical reasons? Yes. But, as indicated by another poster, it is possible to extract the helpful portion of the drug and synthesize it into something less addictive and more healthfully assimilated by the body.

The most important question people ask is, since marijuana is illegal, why do so many people use it? Several people in this thread have already answered that question. It makes you feel good. My response to my clients, and to anyone who recreationally uses a drug of any kind is always….why do you need to ingest a drug in order to feel good? Why are you using an external substance in an attempt to salve an internal need? How one honestly answers those questions reveal much and speaks volumes.

Putting my therapist soapbox away now. ;)

You bring up many interesting points...

Why do people drink? Why is it legal to drink? Do you feel the same way towards alcohol?

As a drug/alcohol counselor at the undergraduate level and a mental health counselor at the graduate level, I’ve followed this post with interest. I counseled at two different drug/alcohol treatment centers for quite some time, still provide volunteer counseling, and have mental health clients who are also addicts or in recovery. While it is not shocking that so many people attempt to justify marijuana use (the addicts I counsel use the same excuses daily), what is shocking is how many people truly believe marijuana is a harmless drug. Just to clarify that misinformation, common side effects of marijuana that I have researched, witnessed, and counseled addicts for include:

• Weakened immune system (especially problematic for diabetics who are already susceptible to infections)
• Loss of memory (particularly short term)
• Adverse effect on verbal skills and judgment
• Decreased coordination
• Breathing problems and an increase in respiratory ailments (again very dangerous for diabetics)
• Reduced blood flow to the brain (again affecting memory, verbal acuity and mental judgment)

Questions people ask me about marijuana include:

• Is marijuana addictive? Definitely. This is because marijuana is much stronger now than it used to be (which many people either do not know or deny) and thus people are more likely to become dependent. Marijuana, like other drugs, can cause withdrawal symptoms, such as depression, nausea, headache, anxiety and insomnia. Can some people manage pot use without becoming addicted? Yes. But that doesn’t invalidate the medical and treatment evidence that marijuana is addictive. And anyone who feels the need to regularly ingest an addictive agent runs the risk of becoming addicted, plain and simple.
• Is marijuana a gateway drug? Yes and No. For individuals with a genetic or psychological disposition for addiction, the answer is definitely Yes. For individuals with unresolved emotional issues, the answer is definitely Yes. It’s a proven fact that the vast majority of addicts first smoked marijuana before using hardcore drugs. Also, the rate of relapse for addicts is 90%. In counseling many addicts and interviewing many more during treatment center intakes, approximately 95-98% told me they returned to hardcore drugs (cocaine, meth, heroin, etc.) after first beginning to smoke pot again.
• Isn’t marijuana helpful for medical reasons? Yes. But, as indicated by another poster, it is possible to extract the helpful portion of the drug and synthesize it into something less addictive and more healthfully assimilated by the body.

The most important question people ask is, since marijuana is illegal, why do so many people use it? Several people in this thread have already answered that question. It makes you feel good. My response to my clients, and to anyone who recreationally uses a drug of any kind is always….why do you need to ingest a drug in order to feel good? Why are you using an external substance in an attempt to salve an internal need? How one honestly answers those questions reveal much and speaks volumes.

Putting my therapist soapbox away now. ;)

Great post.

Also, and I know this differs for you Deus, but believe you are atypical in some smoking symptoms and is not uncommon, but marijuana causes a big increase in blood pressure and heart rate. In my personal studies with weed, involoving a population of 3 lol, weed incresed blood pressure and heart rate up to 20%.

Having high blood sugar and then throwing in an antiaerobic that causes your blood to push through your organs forcefully is bad on them. Without diabetes, highering your cardio system this way is damaging as well.

Harmless? Take a bong hit. Put a napkin or paper towel in fron of your mouth as you exhale so the smoke goes through it. See that black residue? That goes into your lungs. See that black bong water in that bong that hasn;t been changed for a while. With increasing intensity from the paper towel to the bong water, thats what it does to your lungs. If you dont think that is effecting your lungs in a bad way, you are wrong.

To say weed is harmless is a lie, and I apologise if it sounds mean, but to say that is just plain dumb.

You bring up many interesting points...

Why do people drink? Why is it legal to drink? Do you feel the same way towards alcohol?
To start with I do NOT smoke pot, weed, whatever you want to call it and I also do NOT drink.
Remember Cyborg, that the medical community does not think that drinking is bad for you, because the industry pours millions of dollars a year into the medical community. I believe that any form of alcohol should be prohibited. Dunks kill more people than marijuana users. Also drinking causes all kinds of health problems.

Alcohol can ruin your health. The more you drink, the more damage it does. You can get alcohol poisoning if you drink too much. As the level of alcohol in your blood rises, the chemicals in your body can cause vomiting or seizures, or you may pass out.
Cirrhosis of the liver is one of the most well known effects of alcohol abuse. Cirrhosis stops the liver from being able to clean the toxins (poisons) out of your body. Alcohol can also cause stomach ulcers that lead to internal bleeding.
1) Make you gain weight
2) Make you feel sick or dizzy
3) Give you bad breath
4) Make you clumsy
5) Slur your speech
6) Make your skin break out
7) Make you feel out of control
Does anyone here know what it is like to get a liver biopsy? Me – I do. I had one done because I have hemochromatosis and hemosiderosis. They did the biopsy and found out I have stage 1 Cirrhosis of the liver. Now people are going to say ‘oh he drank too much.’ No, it is from the chemo and radiation. I will tell you right now I would rather do a bone marrow biopsy then a liver biopsy. With a bone marrow biopsy they give Demerol. With a liver biopsy they give you lidocaine (something to numb the skin). It felt a lot worse than the bone marrow biopsy ever did and I had 4, not 1 not 2 not 3 but 4 of them in 2 years. I had one liver biopsy and I do not look forward to the next one in 3 years. I’m already trying to find a way out of it.

Cyborg – before I answer your question, let me say that, during the years I worked at treatment centers, I saw as much or more physical damage caused by alcohol than drugs. I worked at one treatment center for a year and during that time four clients died. All four of them were alcoholics whose bodies finally succumbed to cirrhosis, stroke or heart attack. Alcohol is a drug….many people don’t view it as such, even some alcoholics in AA, but addiction counselors know the truth and we refer to it as a drug.

Why do people drink? Many drink for the same reason people smoke pot….to feel good. If that’s the reason, the question in my last post still applies, doesn’t it? Please don’t think I’m a prude….I love having one top shelf margarita or dark beer with food at a restaurant. But I never have alcohol in my home and I truly don’t have that one restaurant drink to get a buzz….I love the taste. If someone could remove the alcohol and leave the taste, that would be fine with me (O’Douls sucks). I’ve never talked to a person who smokes pot or crank who says….”I do it because I love the taste.” Enjoying the taste isn’t their goal….getting that “feeling” is. Should alcohol be illegal? After all the tragedy I’ve seen alcohol produce, sometimes I think so....I would gladly give up my occasional one drink if it would save thousands of lives per year. But it will never happen….too deeply entrenched not only in our country but worldwide.

Do I have any addictions of my own? I must confess, I love my Earl Gray tea and diet soda…and I love the energy the caffeine in them produces. But I really limit my intake of caffeine because it’s bad for the heart, causes hypertension and, as others have said, affects my bg level. So even though the energy “makes me feel good,” I seriously take my own advice even where caffeine is concerned and drink decaffeinated pop and tea unless there's absolutely nothing else available but caffeinated (like at restaurants). And, if I start bemoaning my energy level, I get my butt to the gym. ;)

its all give and take. I perfear the route try everything cause you only live once. ill do it becasue ill accept the risks you speak of.

i also think Alcohol is worst in my opinion, and i wont even listen to anyone that hasn't at least tried both. Experience is needed to ansewer that question in my opninion. NO one SIDEDNESS.

It just angers me that its so taboo and culturably unacceptable when its all give and take

sugar highs, caffene highs, alchohol depresseds, marijuana highs... ON AND ON........ pick you venom (think about it you only live once)... IF your happy with one venom whos to say others cant have theirs. its their opinion and preaching is futile.

ALL GIVE AND TAKE -> everyone has tried one of those venoms.

i also think Alcohol is worst in my opinion, and i wont even listen to anyone that hasn't at least tried both. Experience is needed to ansewer that question in my opninion. NO one SIDEDNESS.
Well said! Thank You! :thumbsup:

I'm not a "user," but I have tried marijuana before. I've also seen how Cancer patients (my friend who had bone Cancer among a couple) were able to eat & relieve their pain by medicinal use. Every time I hear people speak out against it, all I can think is, "If only they had to walk a mile in that Cancer patient's shoes...."

Dewey-

I have no doubt that it would help the cancer pateints! HAVENING been a persistant majuana smoker for some time (not so much recently) i can relate to them because i have expeirenced the effects of marijuana. Eating food, nausea, headaches... It definatly helps me in those areas, even if i might not need it! But , i guess people that can't realate to it wont understand and just go with a SOMEONES opinion (i could ususally find another oppisite saying no) that marjuana is bad and has no medicial value.

Granted it again is give and take..... People expirence it and say yes.. IT works!!!..does the reprucussions of marijuana addictivness and blah blah weight out to the effect medicinally?????..... WHO is THE JUDGE OF THAT.. HOW do i APPLY??

no one can judge that but the medical pateint themselves... i say if it works and its not soley based on "gettin high" they want it why not.

Dewey-

I have no doubt that it would help the cancer pateints! HAVENING been a persistant majuana smoker for some time (not so much recently) i can relate to them because i have expeirenced the effects of marijuana. Eating food, nausea, headaches... It definatly helps me in those areas, even if i might not need it! But , i guess people that can't realate to it wont understand and just go with a SOMEONES opinion (i could ususally find another oppisite saying no) that marjuana is bad and has no medicial value.

Granted it again is give and take..... People expirence it and say yes.. IT works!!!..does the reprucussions of marijuana addictivness and blah blah weight out to the effect medicinally?????..... WHO is THE JUDGE OF THAT.. HOW do i APPLY??

no one can judge that but the medical pateint themselves... i say if it works and its not soley based on "gettin high" they want it why not.

It should just be legalized, like the alcohol arguements, it's just modern prohibition. If a person with cancer wants to get high, effin let them. Who cares if it works medically or not, if it makes them feel better, why shoud anyone care? If I want to go smoke a bowl responsibility why should anyone care?

If it were legal I think arguments on weed would be more fact based. Right now, in the american weed debate both locally, long distance, and here to an extent, we have the majority of the stoners throwing up myths(remember a myth = a truth telling story) as to why it is harmless to smoke, and the ones that don't want legal throwing up 'what if' scenerios as to why it needs to be illegal, and then what seems to be the majority of the population who just dont care or mind.

Alcohol went through this exact same transition. Medical arguemnts were thrown out for its use, people throwing out similar arguements of why it should be legal why it shouldnt (granted the reasons are different but the transistion is still the same) Surely if we can legalize alcohol, weed should be a piece of cake.

A piece of chocalate cake, with ice cream, and a large diet pepsi. :canabis:

It amazes me how a person diagnosed with diabetes less than a month ago can be such a professional with this case, if you haven't tried it than don't talk about it. You've only watched from the outside like a referee.

Sbuff -- interesting you would automatically conclude my post was "one sided." No one sidedness here. I dislike sharing my personal life in open forums such as this one, but suffice it to say I struggled with my own drug addiction in the past....which started with marijuana. Thus my conclusions are neither one sided nor unsubstantiated. The fact that I am personally experienced with addiction allows me to not only be a better counselor, but heightens my resolve to live a clean and sober life, honor my body and seek the ultimate high that can only be found within.

As I pointed out earlier, I do recognise the medical benefits of marijuana. But I also recognize there is a better way of implementing its effectiveness in a form that is not illegal nor as harmful to the body.

If people choose to use drugs recreationally, they also choose the consequences in all its forms.....legally, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It is, indeed, their choice and I don't judge them for it any more than I accepted others' judgments against me when I was using. As a counselor, I am very proficient at disagreeing with someone's actions without judging them for it. If not, I'd better seek another line of employment.:tomato:For anyone interested in learning more about drugs and the human experience, I would heartily recommend the book, "The Thirst for Wholeness" by Christina Grof.

TenderVittles -- the length of my diabetic history has nothing to do with the subject of marijuana use. As far as being a "stupid referee," the very fact that I am a drug/alcohol counselor makes me hesitant to weigh in on posts like this. However, I felt I had something to contribute and I feel I did so without personally attacking anyone...unlike your post. I don't apologize for my opinion, but if it upset you, I'm sorry for that.

As interesting as this thread has been, I'm here mainly to get support for my diabetes, not to debate my personal life philosophies nor upset people who might not agree with me. Everyone here is great, I've learned so very much from you all and am proud to be part of this amazing community. Now I'm going back to posts that involve my disease. :smile: Have a great week, all!

IMO... The most dangerous thing about marijuana is the munchies. Not helpful to a diabetic. ;)

I'm sorry Intrigue I didn't mean to "attack" you. But this post is not just about the pros and cons of a drug, it is a post of how marijuana correlates with diabetes. You are in a diabetic forum and IMO your a noobie who was just diagnosed and you have yet to experience alot with this disease. Most of the people here have had diabetes a long time and different drugs and foods have different affects on everybody. I could go to any other website about marijuana but this is diabetic related, thank you and goodnight. :congrats:

I'm sorry Intrigue I didn't mean to "attack" you. But this post is not just about the pros and cons of a drug, it is a post of how marijuana correlates with diabetes. You are in a diabetic forum and IMO your a noobie who was just diagnosed and you have yet to experience alot with this disease. Most of the people here have had diabetes a long time and different drugs and foods have different affects on everybody. I could go to any other website about marijuana but this is diabetic related, thank you and goodnight. :congrats:

Intrigue is much more mature [diabetic] then you are. There is no need to attack her credibility here.

Let's see I've had diabetes for 25 years and Intrigue has had it less than a month, you do the math.

Let's see I've had diabetes for 25 years and Intrigue has had it less than a month, you do the math.

The measurement for mat