Fox News educates the public about drug addiction

[Landslide Lyndon]

I haven't done any drugs but I have my doubts that's how it works.

[pbrower2a]

The gateway drugs to addiction remain in alcohol and nicotine. Early use of alcohol (usually a relatively tame and predictable drug if one is adult when one starts to use it, but a hard drug if one is not physically mature) is big trouble, as is cancerweed.

From what I understand, if one does not already use tobacco, one probably does not like marijuana as a smoked substance. Tobacco trains one to want chemical stimulation analogous to what marijuana and harder drugs offer.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Marijuana IS addictive; it's HIGHLY addictive.  People don't view it as such because it's fat soluble.  Because it's fat soluble, it's half-life is much longer than water-soluble drugs, meaning that it stays in your system MUCH longer, but the flipside of this is that withdrawal symptoms are much less profounc because of the longer half-life.

When I was a substance abuse counselor, I found many folks whose idea of recovery was the "Marijuana Maintenance Program".  They were willing to give up all drugs, including alcohol.  (I had lots of clients claiming they "didn't like" alcohol, and that seemed evident.)  But these folks HAD to have their weed.  They HAD to have it, KNOWING that it would stay in their system, KNOWING that they'd test positive for employment drug tests, etc.  They HAD to have it, and refused to live without it.  This was NOT logical, but it was evident that having weed was a part of these people's addictive norms, and the most stubborn part of it. 

I'm not in that field currently, and the world of Medical Marijuana Cards, etc, is a brave new world on this topic.  There are thousands of substance abusers, including those who are now looking to "get on the card" as if it were just another psychotropic medication.  I don't know what exactly I think about this, but I do know that we have created a society where millions of people are desperate to feel better than they do normally.  I also know that we have created a society where millions have been traumatized and suffer from some degree of post-traumatic stress, up to and including PTSD.  Cracking down on Big Pharma, Pill Mills, and the like won't do a thing to relieve THAT problem.

[dead0man]

Marijuana IS addictive; it's HIGHLY addictive.

no it's not

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I don't care what "people" view it as.  Science and tons of anecedotal evidence tells me it's not.  There is a minor mental addiction factor, but there is a mild mental addiction factor to pretty much everything that's enjoyable.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

the withdrawl symptoms don't exist past,"man, I'd like to get high right now, but oh well, I can't".

Yes, some people abuse it.  Yes, some people do make big mistakes around weed, but most of those mistakes wouldn't even be mistakes if weed was legal.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

this has always been the case

You must be logged in to read this quote.

yet people live softer lives than ever, wierd.  "the society we've created" should be the least psychologically damaged ever, but instead we seem to be more mentally fragile than ever.  And worse, many of us seem to think being fragile is something to be proud of.  Those people would be a lot less uptight if they were high, or perhaps microdosing LSD....or maybe a once a year DMT "fix".

[Adam Griffin]

Marijuana is "addictive" in the same way everything else is to addicts, who are going to latch onto anything if presented with the opportunity. The number one failure of this country in terms of drug policy and treatment is the inability to truly understand that addiction is a disease, most with the disease are predisposed to it, and that very few drugs are truly addictive to people who don't have that disease. Similarly, the notion of marijuana (or anything else) being a "gateway drug" is ludicrous; most people experiment with substances but don't fall victim to them, and those who do almost always would have found a path to addiction through one substance or another at some point or another because they are addicts.

The obvious reason so many people like marijuana or fall back on it when quitting everything else is because it is probably the most "well-rounded" drug out there when balancing cost, access, positive effects and negative effects. Everything else is either much more expensive, harder/sketchier to get, does way more damage to the body or leaves you feeling demonstrably worse after use. Even when compared to legal drugs like alcohol, it's a better bet overall. The addict's mind is highly analytical when it comes directly to furthering their substance abuse; that's why so many prefer it over everything else if they have to choose.

[Hollywood]

Marijuana is "addictive" in the same way everything else is to addicts, who are going to latch onto anything if presented with the opportunity. The number one failure of this country in terms of drug policy and treatment is the inability to truly understand that addiction is a disease, most with the disease are predisposed to it, and that very few drugs are truly addictive to people who don't have that disease. Similarly, the notion of marijuana (or anything else) being a "gateway drug" is ludicrous; most people experiment with substances but don't fall victim to them, and those who do almost always would have found a path to addiction through one substance or another at some point or another because they are addicts.

The obvious reason so many people like marijuana or fall back on it when quitting everything else is because it is probably the most "well-rounded" drug out there when balancing cost, access, positive effects and negative effects. Everything else is either much more expensive, harder/sketchier to get, does way more damage to the body or leaves you feeling demonstrably worse after use. Even when compared to legal drugs like alcohol, it's a better bet overall. The addict's mind is highly analytical when it comes directly to furthering their substance abuse; that's why so many prefer it over everything else if they have to choose.

This is very well said.  A person's path and experience with marijuana can greatly differ from others, because everyone is different.  Many of my friends were using marijuana because they had no direction in life.  Once they found it, they cut back or eliminated their usage.   

I will disagree on one point.  I think alcohol, nicotine, and, most especially, prescribed stimulants (adderall and ritalin) are gateway drugs, especially within certain social circumstances.  A significant number of teenagers that smoked in middle school and high school definitely started smoking marijuana, stimulants, and various pills. If you had constant access to alcohol, someone older was likely providing you with the drink, and probably introducing you to other drugs.  Some times kids started with prescribed stimulants and started smoking or drinking to take the edge off.  Almost uncontrollably.  Like the adderall and ritalin kids were the most likely to shift to hard drugs. 

[emailking]

I haven't done any drugs but I have my doubts that's how it works.

What are you disputing exactly? That CDC says 1 in 10 people who use marijuana become addicted? Because they do say that.

https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/faqs/marijuana-addiction.html

Or are you saying the CDC is wrong?

[Trans Rights Are Human Rights]

I haven't done any drugs but I have my doubts that's how it works.

What are you disputing exactly? That CDC says 1 in 10 people who use marijuana become addicted? Because they do say that.

https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/faqs/marijuana-addiction.html

Or are you saying the CDC is wrong?

I assumed he was trying to point out that weed does not work that way.

[Person Man]

Marijuana is moderately addictive but if you can smoke half a cigar without immediately going to the gas station to inconvenience everyone there with buying "reds" or if you are a social drinker and are in your 30s and never had an trouble with alcohol, it is extremely unlikely you will have any problems with weed.

[emailking]

I assumed he was trying to point out that weed does not work that way.

Which would mean he expects Fox News to be sufficient experts in drug addiction statistics to know better than the CDC.

[Virginiá]

I see reefer madness is alive and well in select fever swamps of America!

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

One reason for the right to push the evils of marijuana is that it makes up the overwhelming majority of drug seizures on our border with Mexico - upwards of 98%. If marijuana is no longer a source of fear in the public conciousness, a major motivator for The Wall and "border security" evaporates along with much of the Border Patrol's bragging rights.

[Landslide Lyndon]

I assumed he was trying to point out that weed does not work that way.

I guess my humor is too high brow for Atlas.

[Person Man]

I assumed he was trying to point out that weed does not work that way.

I guess my humor is too high brow for Atlas.

I am just happy that haven't given fappin' the ol' Fox News treatment....yet.

[Landslide Lyndon]

I assumed he was trying to point out that weed does not work that way.

I guess my humor is too high brow for Atlas.

I am just happy that haven't given fappin' the ol' Fox News treatment....yet.

Funny you said that...

https://twitter.com/ndrew_lawrence/status/1080633771525922816

[SteveRogers]

I assumed he was trying to point out that weed does not work that way.

Which would mean he expects Fox News to be sufficient experts in drug addiction statistics to know better than the CDC.

Hint: the thing in that spoon is not marijuana.

[emailking]

I assumed he was trying to point out that weed does not work that way.

I guess my humor is too high brow for Atlas.

I just don't see what's wrong with this story. Maybe the actual segment got way out there but the screenshot you posted just shows weed being legalized and the CDC statistic. It's reasonable to point out that as more people use pot, we'll see an increase in addictions. I still don't know if you're actually disputing whether people can become addicted to pot. You said you doubt that's how it works.

If people want to smoke pot, whatever. But you should know there's a small chance of it seriously ruining your life. A lot of people think it's not addictive at all.

[Badger]

I assumed he was trying to point out that weed does not work that way.

I guess my humor is too high brow for Atlas.

I am just happy that haven't given fappin' the ol' Fox News treatment....yet.

Funny you said that...

https://twitter.com/ndrew_lawrence/status/1080633771525922816

Jesus effing Christ. Is there no bottom to the deplorables?

Wait, I already know the answer.

[GP270watch]

So if my wife makes more money than me, I'm going to became a heroin junkie. What kinda snowflake garbage logic is that?

[Badger]

I haven't done any drugs but I have my doubts that's how it works.

First off, given the amount of Reefer Madness prevalent and the government, from which even the CDC is not totally immune, I don't buy even such an authority as the CDC without at least a grain of salt.

Secondly, there is a huge HUGE distinction between mental addiction and physical addiction. Not all so-called addictions are the same. Marijuana is potentially mentally addictive, but not physically addictive. That is a physiological scientific fact. There is level of physical addiction and withdrawal that opiate abusers suffer is in an entirely different universe as people who have great difficulty quitting their weed habit.

Secondly, the effects of such addiction are also markedly different. I'm not saying marijuana is a healthy substance, the same way to backhoe and alcohol are unhealthy, as well as Big Macs for that matter. And yes I've dealt with clients who just can't give up weed no matter how hard they try. However, while of course I would prefer my children live a well-balanced life, if God forbid I was somehow passed to choose whether they would be an addict to opiates, methamphetamine, alcohol, or marijuana, marijuana would be the easy handout choice. It is terrible to be addicted to, but it is the least destructive any substances Tovar use, including alcohol, not to mention the relatively least difficult to recover from addiction.

[All Along The Watchtower]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

lol

[emailking]

Marijuana is potentially mentally addictive, but not physically addictive. That is a physiological scientific fact.

American Addiction Centers says you're wrong.

https://americanaddictioncenters.org/marijuana-rehab/is-it-addictive

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Goes on to note all your caveats about it being mild and how psychological addiction can result as opposed to physical addiction.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[DrScholl]

For a news channel to make such an obvious mistake is really sad. Or perhaps it wasn't a mistake and they were just trying to fearmonger. I think it stinks and is something that I'd never do, but I don't support misinformation. There is no real evidence that shows it is addictive. Some people might be dependent, but some people can develop a dependency on anything mood altering substance for various reasons.

[GP270watch]

marijuana withdrawal is often mild.

So Coffee has worse withdrawal symptoms than Marijuana.

Also we need to make the distinction between marijuana which is essentially harmless. And some of these new artificial and super concentrated marijuana based products that people are abusing.

[emailking]

There is no real evidence that shows it is addictive. Some people might be dependent,

And so what is the difference there?

So Coffee has worse withdrawal symptoms than Marijuana.

You can be addicted to coffee yes. It's a bad problem for some people.