marujiana (weed)

[Eight Diagram Boxer]

Tomo:
Anyone that smokes anything somewhat regularly will suffer from it's effects- you'll have shortness of breath and the smoke does great damage to your lungs. I've also heard that smoking weed is bad for your chi flow because it lodges in your spine and impedes the flow of chi. I'm no scientist, but I don't see how weed can be beneficial to you, especially in the long run. I used to smoke fairly regularly, but I have now stopped completely, and I feel much better. Smoking is a fun experience, but it's not worth it overall to me. Different people have different experiences I guess, but it doesn't work for me anymore.

Knowing others is wisdom, Knowing the self is enlightenment- Lao Tzu

[shaolinboxer]

It is interesting that repulsive monkey states "If Cannabis what so vital to furthering and bettering our healths (and I conclusively say that it isn't!) then it would probably already a regular costituent inside our bodies. "

Ofcourse, he's right. But the human brain has specific receptors designed to interact with tetrahydrocarbons (and ONLY THC), the part of marajuana that cause euphric and mildly hallucenogenic reactions. Therefore, it can be said that it is in our biological nature to consume this herb.

[GLW]

Strange logic considering that many hallucinogenic drugs attach to the nerve receptors and either hypo-excite or hyper-excite them....by your logic, that would say that we are biologically predisposed to consume those things too.

Taken another way, however, the euphoria that comes from alcohol or any other substance can also be viewed as the body's cry for help. It gets confused but what is often happening is that the body is falling prey to toxic substances. Kind of like Nitrogen Narcosis that divers experience...they get REAL happy just before they DIE.

[harry_the_monk]

I smoked weed non-stop for 15 years, day in day out, not regretting any of it, but it really wasn't at all condusive to anything positive, I'm off it now(as I am off all vices.) and I guess you only see your mistakes when you're not making them.
All it does to your mental state is confuse you as to whats happening around you, since giving up, I can get a much better result now from practising my form, and feeling my chi. The dope didn't help it at all. :D
Not being medical, relating my experience...
Peace...

[shaolinboxer]

I am not trying to use any logic at all. It is a fact, not a logical conclusion, that there are specific receptors in the brain for THC. They have no other function, and do not bond with any other chemicals. Your statement regarding other "drugs" seems unrelated to my point. Therefore, it may seem reasonable to assume we are built to consume THC. This is not to say I condone or condemn it. It is just something to think about.

[Qiman]

Lyle please post the study that supports your claim of THC receptors only. As a psychiatiric nurse that deals with addiction I would be very interested in reading this. It is my understaning that enzymes are the lock and key to the receptor site.

-------------------------I am fortunate to have a teacher to correct my foolish ways......Qiman

[GLW]

"I am not trying to use any logic at all. It is a fact, not a logical conclusion, that there are specific receptors in the brain for THC. They have no other function, and do not bond with any other chemicals."

But there is a logic and a conclusion here. You take the 'fact' that there are receptors to THC and make the logical conclusion that we are biologically predisposed to use it. There may have been other things like THC or something in the distant past when man evolved that matched this receptor. We do have a large number of things in the body that are not equipped for current life...but are due to the slow pace of evolution. Tonsils and the appendix come easily to mind.

Then again, say we are 'predisposed' to it...the real question here is whether or not it is beneficial to do it. I would be interested to see if those same receptors are in cattle...they react quite well to marijuana...except ranchers call it loco weed.

"This is not to say I condone or condemn it. It is just something to think about."

Trust me, I did consider it...I also made my foray into it as a younger person...and found out the hard way that it was incompatible with training. It gave what seemed to be benefits...but if I could not achieve them without the drug, they were from the drug and not from my efforts.

I could care less what people do outside of the martial life...but I find such things incompatible with my training and I refuse to deal with it as a teacher. I have a hard enough time with people not hearing or understanding things when they are sober....much less stoned.

[shaolinboxer]

Interaction of THC with Specific Receptors

The first THC receptor (CB1) was identified in rat brain and exhibited the characteristics for a neuromodulator receptor associated with a guanine nucleotide regulatory (G) protein. This receptor is unevenly distributed with highest concentrations in the globus pallidus, substantia nigra, pars reticulata, cerebral cortex, striatum and the molecular layers of the cerebellum and hippocampal gyrus. A second receptor (CB2) showed 44% sequence ****logy with the first and also belongs to the G protein-linked receptor superfamily. Although the CB2 receptors appear to be confined to the periphery, CB1 receptors are found both centrally and peripherally.

[Repulsive Monkey]

Unfortunately Lyle posts like that do little to enlighten people. Why throw a load of nomenclature on this forum like knowing probably knowing most people won't comprehend it? It does little to prove yourself and is of little credence to most. In short stop showing off! People would be convinced if you could of put it across coomprehensively, but you have failed here unfortunately.

[shaolinboxer]

I chose this post because the person who requested it identified themselves a a psychiatric nurse.

It lists the scientific names for the particular receptors we are discussing, and so I thought it was most applicable.

A google search for "THC receptors" will list dozens of related links. However, it is hard to distinguish which articles are the most reliable and therefore I chose to only include a paragraph identifying the minimal scientific details (naming the recptors CB1 and CB2) so that whom ever is interested my conduct their own research.

I am not trying to convince anyone of anything, but merely repeating a scientific fact. If you are intimidated by the nomenclature...read up.

[GLW]

Lyle,

interesting...but is this the chicken or the egg.

If there is a biological predisposition to something....say a pain killer or food substance...and then a plant develops something in its stucture that maps to that receptor, would not that plant stand a better chance of being ingested, then having its seeds distributed around in a broader area...?

There are many instances of this type of thing...even as simple as certain types of flowers attracting more bees than others..by color, fragrance....

So, the question to me is do those receptors exist because of a predisposition for THC...or is this a case of "similar mapping" that ties to an older biological transmitter that Cannabis mimmicked or developed to improve its chances of seed spread and survival.

Ain't adaptive evolution interesting...

[shaolinboxer]

I see what you are saying.

Very interesting.

[OdderMensch]

and i am going mostly from second hand info on the recepor part but....

it was once explained to me that it is quite normal to find the receptor for a cemical in the brain long before finding out what produces that cemical in the brain.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> So, the question to me is do those receptors exist because of a predisposition for THC...or is this a case of "similar mapping" that ties to an older biological transmitter that Cannabis mimmicked or developed to improve its chances of seed spread and survival.

[/quote]
canibis is one of the most "clever" plants on this planet. it grows on all but one continent < antartica duh ;) > and is one of the few plants that can generate its own heat <along with orcids>

it has also been in the human botanical registry for as long as we've kept records of such things. You can eat the seeds, wear he fibers and smoke the flowers :D .

as for useing it for health that would depend on the individual. If you are in a high stress lifestyle then kicking back with a "jay" at the end of the week might be just the ticket for relaxation. But smokeing all day, every day for a few years (hell a few weeks) is bound to cause problems. But is is far "heathier" than say crack or tabacoo, even if it becomes a habit.

there is also a growing accepence of its medical vaule in pain managment, nausea and other disorders. if you are the type of person that takes a few ibuprofian a day for head aches, some pepto for indigestion and cafine and alcohol to wake up or fall asleep, then i would argue a "bong hit a day, keeps the docter away."

but if your into the all natural, healthy food, exercise, good night sleep method, then bully for you! You will likely live a long and fruitful life.

however i found in early collage that my government, the one i trusted, the one i still love, lied to me and all my friends for years in a foolish propoganda war that i did not even see. Many highly inteligent people still belive the "myths" about pot <why here's a story from Florida. A young boy smokes a reefer and kills his entire family with an axe! :eek: >

also many good people smoke pot and are so afraid <rightly> of the drug war that they allow for attrocteys to occour on a regular basis. the key to countering the "drug war lie" is education and research. Only by exposeing ourselves and our children to the facts can we be called a "free nation"

I am ashamed that the country my forefathers died to protect, that won the freedom of many with blood, pain and tears, that is meant to be the greatest, freest nation on earth, would stop me from growing and useing certain plants in my own home. Its stupid, its wrong and i'l fight it to my dieing breath.

"a prohibition, the reasons for whichwe do not underrstand or admit, is almost a command not only for the stubborn but also for those who thirst fo knowege: one risks and experiment to find out why the prohibition was enacted.....such a prohibition as "thou shalt not steal" or "thou shalt not kill" presented without reasons, would have a harmful rather than a useful efect."
-Nietzche

[chiman]

Find balance between practice and the dank. That is different for everybody.Some won't smoke anything, some can. People have different constitutions and circumstancs so intoxicants will have different effects. Weed isn't bad or good.

Understand yourself.

amitabha

[Qiman]

Hey Chiman, bad choice of screen name. :eek:

-------------------------I am fortunate to have a teacher to correct my foolish ways......Qiman