yytz – You clearly have no first hand experience of Marijuana smokers. Very few actually get paranoid. The ones that do, don’t keep smoking. If they do they’re idiots. Most continuous users experience very few negative effects. Interestingly, Alcohol is legal. Many users clearly act in a way that shows that they feel anxious and paranoid, but only they’re aggressive and violent too. Many people don’t experience this from Alcohol, but because it’s legal and socially accepted, many people continue to drink regularly. They may be better off smoking pot, or just reading and exercising perhaps.
No serious studies have come back with evidence to substantiate belief that using Marijuana causes any mental health problems. Obviously cannabinoids can have negative effects on people with mental health, but any chemical can. Also, many people with mental health issues, report that marijuana helps them.
Funnily enough, Marijuana, like any other plant or synthesised substance containing chemicals, can effect different people differently. So as far as legalisation is concerned, people should have the choice.
This is a controversial idea to amuse and I’m not sure how solid it is. I once heard that the Baal Shem Tov smoked a pipe before Davening every day. Did they have Tobacco in the Ukraine at that time? I also heard a story about a Yid that had been wrongfully prosecuted. The story goes, the BESHT smoked his pipe till everyone fell asleep and he freed the Yid.
Thoughts???