Big John McCarthy On Life And Weed

[Tha Realness]

Big John McCarthy On Life And Weed | MMA4REAL.NET

What in the world is BJM talking bout...I suggest reading his entire blog as well.

[RockemSockem]

Preach it Big John.

[subgenius]

BJM smokes the stanky! LOL

[ToeZup]

Alright well we know where Big John stands when it comes to weed. Do work Big john. How could you not love that guy?

[daval]

I agree, weed would be a performance de-enhancing drug!

[Badfish]

When I step into the octagon I bring the teachings of my sensei (milla.)

Makes me like BJM. His opinion I agree with.

[fullonshred]

Originally Posted by daval

I agree, weed would be a performance de-enhancing drug!

Nick Diaz disagrees. He says he needs it due to ADD or ADHD or some such crap.

[It could be worse.]

Weed for ADD? Seriously?

BJM on point as ever.
There is really not a single leg for the anti-weed crowd to stand on at this point. They really just end up looking foolish.

[fullonshred]

Nick thinks so. I'm pretty sure he is just addicted and looking for excuses.

[subgenius]

LOL, weed is not addictive.

You're thinking of cigarettes.

[fullonshred]

I know dozens of guys who smoke weed every single day and have for years. They get nuts when the supply drys up. Some smoke 3-8 times daily. Funny, they all agree with you sub. They will tell you in a heartbeat that weed isn't addictive, but watch them panic when they run out. Watch them blow Probation drug screens they know are coming because they just can't not smoke.

Like every single other mood altering drug, weed is addictive as hell for some people, and not at all for others.

[subgenius]

Originally Posted by fullonshred

I know dozens of guys who smoke weed every single day and have for years. They get nuts when the supply drys up. Some smoke 3-8 times daily. Funny, they all agree with you sub. They will tell you in a heartbeat that weed isn't addictive, but watch them panic when they run out. Watch them blow Probation drug screens they know are coming because they just can't not smoke.

Like every single other mood altering drug, weed is addictive as hell for some people, and not at all for others.

Well, mental addiction is not related to the drug that is taken. And, that is what you are describing. People like to get high, but the marijuana itself is not physically addictive. If weed is gone, the pot heads simply wait for it to come back. A crackhead cannot do that. A heroin junkie or coke whore cannot do that. A person that smokes cigarettes cannot even do that. Hell, an alcoholic cannot even do that. The DTs and the withdrawal symptoms are severe for those, but not for pot. Ever see a guy have a nicotine fit? I have never seen anybody have a THC fit. Also, one cannot OD on marijuana.

I am addicted to MMA. I get upset when I miss a PPV. I panic if I miss an event. I just love having fun watching MMA. We are all addicted to eating food. I don't mean just survival eating. I mean eating is an addiction. But, the food itself is not addictive. I know people that love to eat. Gambling is also an addiction. I hear that speed and risk are also addictions for people that race or ski or skateboard or whatever.

Research cannot find even one addictive chemical in marijuana, which has about 40 chemicals in it (IIRC). THC is not addictive. BTW, common lettuce has over 400 chemicals in it, and other plant foods have even more than that. Cannaboids are used in a lot of common over-the-counter medicines, such as aspirin, to prevent from having upset stomachs after taking the medication. Medical marijuana has a wide variety of helpful effects for cancer patients and such.

It's feeling good that people are addicted to. People like to feel good all the time. But, some people take that too far, and they pop a drug test (Nick Diaz) and lose their jobs (like many people in jobs like the police, teaching, and other such jobs were drug testing is a constant threat). But, if you have job where such issues are not an issue, like me (I'm a writer, I work for myself), then a person can be just as functional on marijuana as any normal person. Alcoholics can be functional as well, but it always seems to blow up for them eventually (drinking and driving or something).

[fullonshred]

Sub, you are mistaken in some of your presumptions. Almost all addicts and alcoholics (alcohol addicts) "take breaks" from using their drug of choice from time to time - for many different reasons. One type of alcoholic (the periodic) may only drink a few times a year, or even less often, but when they do drink they do so heavily and frequently experience serious negative consequences as a direct result of their drinking.

Many cigarette addicts will "quit" for days or even weeks at a time, but when they return to it they smoke addictively again. Heck, my sister quit for 3 years, but when she smoked one cigarette she was off and running again and smokes every day now. On the other hand I can smoke a cigarette and go weeks and even years without missing them, I haven't smoked one in 25 years, But even when I did smoke cigarettes it was only 1-2 times per week, with weeks and sometimes months in between. I never became addicted to tobacco. I smoke the occasional cigar occasionally with no negative effects.

Now beer/wine/liquor/weed were all a different matter for me. I became addicted to all of those substances. But my sister never became addicted to any of the things I was addicted to. These are personal examples, but I have dealt with alcoholics and addicts every single day of my life over the last 35 years and it holds true across that large of a sampling.

I do agree with you about this - I would never argue that an alcoholic or addict can't be functional in society. In fact estimates are that 95% of alcoholics are at least passably functional in society. And please keep in mind that only 10-15% of drinkers are alcoholics. The great majority of those who choose to drink do not become addicted.

I'm paraphrasing this from the scientific jargon. Sub, the very "feel good" effect you describe is itself a physical manifestation of the drug (including marijuana) upon the human brain. Many mood altering drugs including marijuana get you high because they effect the levels of different biochemicals within the brain. Some people become addicted to these effects. I cannot stress this enough - The majority do not regardless of the drug ingested. But for those who do become addicted it is a devastating problem that can wreck their lives.

Marijuana is physically addictive for some, certainly not for all, and likely (as with most drugs) not for the majority.

[CounterPuncher]

I definitely agree with Sub on this one. Weed can be mentally addicting, but is definitely not physically addicting.

[It could be worse.]

I would like to take this opportunity to agree with Sub. I'm usually on the other side of his opinions, but he is on point with this one. So what about in relation to MMA? I'm sure this is a topic that has been recycled a few times, but why is that being tested for at all? If the premise of the drug test is to detect 'performance enhancing' drugs, how is it that weed falls into that category? I realize it is illegal, but that isn't really the purpose of the testing. It is not to determine whether fighters are law abiding citizens, but if they have been consuming things that give them an unfair advantage. It almost universally viewed as a detrimental to smoke weed as a fighter. Hampers your cardio significantly, you are more prone to binge eating, energy loss.... I could go on, but think it is a rather self-apparent issue. I mean, medical marijuana is a legit application and medication. Do we strip wins from people that come back with prozac or other prescription medicines in their systems?

[fullonshred]

Originally Posted by CounterPuncher

I definitely agree with Sub on this one. Weed can be mentally addicting, but is definitely not physically addicting.

Respectfully - Like most people you misunderstand addiction. It is helpful to familiarize yourself with the DSM-lV Manual. While it isn't the be all and end all with regard to Addiction it is recognized by and used as a diagnostic tool by licensed Psychiatrists.

Psychiatrists are Medical Doctors who specialize in disorders of the mind. What should be a needless reminder here, but isn't, because sometimes people seem to lose grasp of this... The Mind (Brain) is a physical organ and a part of the physical body.

For those who may not be familiar with these terms: Dependence=Addiction.

Physiological Dependence= Physical Dependence/Addiction

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Code 304.30 Cannabis Dependence

Individuals with Cannabis Dependence have compulsive use and associated problems. Tolerance to most of the effects of cannabis has been reported in individuals who use cannabis chronically. There have also been some reports of withdrawal symptoms, but their clinical significance is uncertain. There is some evidence that a majority of chronic users of cannabinoids report histories of tolerance or withdrawal and that these individuals evidence more severe drug-related problems overall. Individuals with Cannabis Dependence may use very potent cannabis throughout the day over a period of months or years, and they may spend several hours a day acquiring and using the substance. This often interferes with family, school, work, or recreational activities. Individuals with Cannabis Dependence may also persist in their use despite knowledge of physical problems (e.g., chronic cough related to smoking) or psychological problems (e.g., excessive sedation and a decrease in goal-oriented activities resulting from repeated use of high doses).

Specifiers
The following specifiers may be applied to a diagnosis of Cannabis Dependence

With Physiological Dependence (Physiological means PHYSICAL Dependence)
Without Physiological Dependence

Early Full Remission
Early Partial Remission
Sustained Full Remission
Sustained Partial Remission
In a Controlled Environment

Again, I cannot stress enough, that as with most drugs, not all, nor even most persons who use cannabis will become addicted. Many persons use cannabis without becoming addicted.

That does little to mitigate the negative effects for those who do become addicted.

[subgenius]

Withdrawal symptoms from marijuana.

BIGGEST PROPAGANDA EVER.

Marijuana is not addictive. People have addictive personalities. They will become addicted to almost anything that makes them feel good. THAT is not physical, chemical based addiction.

"chronic cough related to smoking"

BS.

"excessive sedation and a decrease in goal-oriented activities resulting from repeated use of high doses"

BS.

"This often interferes with family, school, work, or recreational activities"

BS.

They are just trying, VERY HARD, to make marijuana equal to cocaine, heroin, and other such HARDCORE drugs that pack a HUGE physical addiction backed up by the MOST SEVERE withdrawal symptoms EVER. Nobody, NOBODY, simply quits heroin, crack cocaine, and other hard drugs like those, including nicotine and alcohol. The withdrawal symptoms of heroin and crack are so severe that junkies will kill for it, sell their children into prostitution for it, sell their grandmothers to get at it. They will steal all of their family's belongings to pawn them for a few bucks to get the next fix. They will live in broken down buildings and dress in rags and go without bathing just for a fix. Alcoholics will hide bottles of whiskey in the basin of a toliet just to sneak a drink here and there. THAT is true, physical, chemical based addiction.

I know people that smoked marijuana and quit without a thought. Why did they quit? Because, marijuana is expensive. They would rather pay their bills and live life then end up face-down in a gutter (like a true junkie). People with real lives that have real responsibilities do not give up that life for a few bong-hits. THAT is retarded. That is NOT marijuana. That is heroin and crack and the really serious drugs, some of which are prescription based (just ask Rush Limbaugh).

Marijuana is NOT in that category with those drugs outside of government and police BS propaganda. They show those retard commercials about marijuana that have no connection to reality. TOTAL BS. Marijuana is not addictive. Alcohol is addictive. They cannot connect any deaths to marijuana. But, look at all the deaths that result from alcohol, and that **** is legal! It's all about money. The alcohol and tobacco lobbyists press harder and harder to keep marijuana illegal because people would stop smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol if it were legal. And, I mean they will go to rehabs and get off the HARD way just so they could start smoking marijuana legally.

I have seen lives destroyed by cigarettes and alcohol, and that **** is legal. I watched a friend smoke three packs a day for his whole life and he died from lung cancer. Another friend that smoked weed in that time is still alive and well and healthy. He had an exam last spring and his lungs were clean and healthy. I know a guy that over-came throat cancer. He did not get it from smoking marijuana. His doctor told him that. He got the throat cancer from second hand cigarette smoke. He was a drummer in a rock band in small dive bars for twenty years, mostly back when smoking in bars was allowed in most places. The doctor actually told my friend that smoking marijuana would help his recovery! And, it did. He did not suffer from all the extreme illness side effects of the chemo.

In 1981, my best friend's father had a plane accident that crippled him and his wife, and killed two other people in the plane (a small prop-plane). The doctors told my friend that his father would be in pain for the rest of his life. In order to not get addicted to the pain medications, they told my friend that his father should smoke marijuana to help with the symptoms and to deal with the pain better. His father smoked pot, illegally, for twenty-two years until he died from complications from the accident. His body was never the same and he lived in constant pain. But, he had a fairly normal life thanks to my friend's willingness to risk buying the marijuana. The doctor gave my friend the connection to the guy that sold the marijuana.

[AikaImmortal]

Even working in Mental Health, we rarely use Cannibis Dependence as a diagnosis, even on the lower tiers that deal mainly with socioeconomic factors that lead to further impairment on the upper axis diagnosis, aka depression, schizophrenia.. In 99% of cases, it is Polysubstance Abuse, meaning the people are on more drugs than just marijuana.

[subgenius]

The big problem with marijuana is not actually the marijuana. If you watch Training Days, you see a scene where Denzel gets Ethan Hawk to smoke a joint. Later, in the car scene, Denzel tells Hawke that the joint was laced with PCP. That is among the most common of threats to pot heads. PCP-laced marijuana has made people commit suicide among other serious problems. But, it's the Angel Dust, the PCP, that caused that reaction.

Why lace marijuana with Phencyclidine?

Because marijuana is naturally grown, naturally appearing drug that has no synthetic properties like ALL OTHER DRUGS that circulate, with only a few exceptions (mushrooms, Hashish maybe, but Hash comes from cannabis and must be prepared). Cocaine, crack, heroin, and almost all other illegal drugs out there are synthesized and pre-prepared in some way. Marijuana, since it grows naturally, has variable levels of potency. PCP helped make marijuana stronger to people that did not know PCP had been applied to the marijuana.

The PCP-lacing of marijuana started in the 1970s (some say earlier). But, now, marijuana has been grown and bred to be stronger and stronger. So much so that very few people will lace it with PCP because that is too expensive now. It's easier and cheaper to simply grow better and stronger marijuana.

Almost all of the bad reputation surrounding marijuana extends from the 1970s and 1980s lacing of marijuana with PCP. The thing is that PCP has a taste and any experienced marijuana smoker can taste PCP. I know a guy that tossed out a massive amount of weed because he tasted the PCP. In some cases, PCP can actually be seen on the marijuana because it comes in a liquid form and sprayed on the buds of the marijuana. It leaves a sticky sheen when applied too liberally.

This is among the main reasons that marijuana NEEDS to be legalized. It needs to be regulated and the FDA can keep PCP out of the equation. It needs to be sold over the counter the same way that alcohol and tobacco are sold in order to keep kids and people under 21 from having access. And, it needs to be done to get the criminal element out of marijuana. By the way, the marijuana criminal element is the least worrisome of all the drugs in the so-called (losing) Drug War.

[mammoth91]

If you don't like weed, don't smoke it. All that stuff is dependent on the person, it's relative..ya know. Has not stopped me from reaching all my dreams.... Wait, are they dreams or am I just stoned. Anyway, two weeks untill harvest, yah hooo !!...

Oh yeah, I don't really want the government controlling the distribution or growing of my weed. Old time outdoor growers in the Eastern Sierra is what I am talking about !