"Of the 421 chemicals in marijuana, only 61 are unique to marijuana. The chemicals are known as cannabinoids. One of them, delta-9 THC, produces the psychoactive effect and is the focus of most research. The other 360 chemicals in the marijuana plant are found throughout other substances in the plant. "
The only people thinking with their personal emotions and feelings are the ones defending their addiction to getting high every single day.
I know that sounds harsh, but I hear it everyday from users. I think there are a lot worse things for you than Marijuana, but I STILL THINK MARIJUANA IS BAD FOR YOU. To think it's perfectly healthy is anything but logical or reasonable.
For every study you find that says Marijuana is healthy there are 10 more that say it's unhealthy.
"In numerous studies around the world, the use of cannabis has been shown to increase the risk for schizophrenia and psychosis. Researchers in New Zealand found that individuals using cannabis before the age of 15 were more than 300% more likely to develop mental illnesses like schizophrenia, while professor Robin Murray of the London Institute of Psychiatry?s 15 year study has shown that regular use of cannabis by 15 year olds resulted in people being 4.5 times more likely to become schizophrenic by the age of 26.
Almost all research has indicated that the risks for increased psychosis are higher when the drugs are used by people under the age of 21, as the brain is developing more rapidly and is more vulnerable. It?s believed that when marijuana is used while the brain is developing, the chemical dopamine is increased which can lead to schizophrenia. Biological predisposition towards schizophrenia and psychosis will also play a role in the level of risk ? as Professor John Henry of Imperial College in London shows in his research."
Source :
http://www.americanconsumernews.com/...psychosis.html
And here is a good read.
"Marijuana has often been touted as one of the safest recreational substances available. This is perhaps true; many reputable scientific studies support the conclusion that cocaine, heroine, alcohol, and even cigarettes are more dangerous to the user�s health than marijuana. In addition, the celebrated pharmacological properties of cannabis have led thirty-six states to permit its use as a therapeutic drug for, among others, those suffering from AIDS; various painful, incurable and debilitating illnesses; the harmful side effects of cancer chemotherapy, and glaucoma. Additional research is being conducted concerning the use of marijuana on the treatment of anxiety and mental disorders.
Nonetheless, it would be fallacious to conclude that because the chemicals in marijuana have been found to present fewer dangers than some very harmful substances, the medical or recreational use of marijuana is perfectly safe. In a recreational context, marijuana has been shown to affect health, brain function, and memory. And in a medical context, marijuana is like any other powerful prescription drug: it has potentially dangerous side effects, and the decision to use it to treat patients must involve the same balancing test as the one required for chemotherapy or AZT: do the therapeutic effects of the drug outweigh its harmful effects? Though there are many more studies to be done on this issue, current data shows that the answer to this question may not always be "yes.""
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/evidenc.../Health_1.html