ve, butcontinued use seems to cause rebound wakefulness. Several scientific reports have suggested possible harmful effects. These have included chromosomedamage, brain damage, damage to white blood cells, possible sex debility, lung damage, and damage to thepersonality. Some investigators consider it a sign of brain damage when pot smokers show the so-called“antimotivational syndrome”-when they “drop out”, and opt the hippie viewpoint that so disturbed the oldergeneration in the 1960’s. Some studies have said that people using marijuana on a regular basis take thechance of having abnormal offspring or developing forms of cancer. It does seem likely that if a personsmoked pot as heavily and for as many years as the usual tobacco smoker he would run the same risk for cancerand would perhaps get it sooner. Other scientists point to the fact that chromosome studies look at thechromosomes in blood cells, not those in the reproductive system, and no-one has ever tied actual genetic ornewborn abnormalities to ordinary marijuana use. Although damage to unborn animals from high doses ofTHC in the pregnant mother have been noted, no such effect has been seen in humans. In any case, thesespeculations do not apply to light, recreational use of marijuana. Research has demonstrated the human body develops a tolerance to marijuana. This tolerance has shownno sign of being related to addiction as seen with other drugs. Marijuana use any of the other signs of physicaldependence, such as withdrawal symptoms when the habitual user tries to quit. Psychological and emotionaldoes however occur. An old argument against marijuana is that it leads to other drug use. No ...
