Peeps, Smoking & Alcohol

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Peeps, Smoking & Alcohol: "Peeps, Sm"

Quit Smoking Nicotine Help

I took this photograph and I release it to the...Image via Wikipedia

Smoking is strange behaviour. Almost every smoker knows that it's bad for his health, but many smokers continue the habit for decades, each year experiencing a further decline in health and well-being. Looked at rationally, smoking is quite disgusting. It stains the teeth and the fingers, causes bad breath, and creates an unpleasant environment for non-smokers.

It must be pleasurable, though, otherwise nobody would put up with the negative side of smoking. Most smokers admit that they enjoy cigarettes, and those that have managed to quit often feel that they have lost an old friend.

Tobacco is an addictive substance so it's understandable that people find it hard to quit. Less understandable is what motivates people to take their first cigarette. What is behind that decision to start smoking?

quit smoking nicotine picture

Many people start smoking when they are teenagers. The desire to fit in and be one of the 'crowd' is particularly strong during adolescence. Of course, this desire is also present in adults and can be a motivating factor behind much human behaviour. Many teenagers begin smoking because they want to be cool. If their friends smoke there's a lot of subtle (and not-so-subtle) pressure to take up the habit.

Young people may also feel that smoking makes them 'grown up' or it may be a form of rebellion against their parents and teachers. Most young people are already aware of the dangers of smoking so lecturing them about how they are harming their health can be futile.

Appealing advertising is also a big motivator in the desire to take up smoking. Tobacco ads usually depict young healthy active people taking part in fun group activities. The message is clear -- Smoke X brand and you can have this much fun too.

Adults are just as susceptible to popular images surrounding smoking. They are usually self-aware enough to know that smoking will not be the deciding factor behind social acceptance, but there is still the powerful image of the smoker as the rebel -- cool and independent. This can be alluring for some young adults, especially those who see themselves as being on the fringe.

Perhaps certain individuals are more drawn to smoking than others. There is evidence that people with a long-term outlook on life are less likely to start smoking because they know that smoking will shorten their life span and cause future health problems. On the contrary, those with shorter outlooks are more likely to smoke.

Other people turn to smoking because they are looking for a way to relieve stress. Even though tobacco is ineffective for handling stress in the long run, it does provide short-term relief. Those who have stressful jobs or who are in difficult life situations may decide to take up smoking.

Most smokers will come to a point in life where they want to quit. They may face increasing health problems and finally come to the decision to give up the habit. Unfortunately, the addictive nature of tobacco makes this a difficult task.

from:

"Quit Smoking Nicotine - Quit Smoking Nicotine Homepage." 1 Sep. 2008 .

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Smoking Can Lead to Erectile Dysfunction

No Butts About It: The More You Smoke, The Higher The Risk of Impotence
By Jeanie Lerche Davis
WebMD Health News

March 6, 2003 -- Guys, if some of you wonder what's wrong in the bedroom, here's a clue. If you want to smoke in the bedroom, quit smoking. New research adds to the evidence that smoking may be a major cause of erectile dysfunction.

A study looking at the impact smoking has on a man's ability to get an erection was reported today at the American Heart Association's annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention being held in Miami.

"This is not the first study to document an association between cigarette smoking and erectile dysfunction," says researcher Jiang He, MD, PhD, an epidemiologist with Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, in a news release. But this study is unique in that it looks at other factors associated with erectile dysfunction - also known as impotence -- and was able to adjust for these factors, he says.

Both smoking and erectile dysfunction have often been associated -- individually -- with plaque build-up in the arteries, called atherosclerosis. The plaque obstructs blood flow through vessels, causing a host of circulatory problems throughout the body, such as erectile dysfunction.

In this study, researchers examined data on 4,764 Chinese men -- average age 47 -- who completed a health survey. Smoking history and quality of sexual relations were among the questions.

Among the findings:

  • Men who smoked more than 20 cigarettes daily had a 60% higher risk of erectile dysfunction, compared to men who never smoked.
  • 15% of the past and present smokers had experienced erectile dysfunction.
  • Men who currently - and formerly -- smoked were about 30% more likely to suffer from impotence.
  • Among men who had never smoked, 12% had erection problems.

It's yet another reason for smokers to kick the habit, says Robert O. Bonow, MD, AHA president, in a news release.

"Smoking Can Lead to Erectile Dysfunction." 1 Sep. 2008 .

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The Timeline of a Smoker

The Timeline of a Smoker

Marketing and tobacco use in youth

New report from The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and co-edited by University of Minnesota professor Barbara Loken, reaches the government's strongest conclusion to date that tobacco marketing and depictions of smoking in movies promote youth smoking. "There is now incontrovertible evidence that marketing of tobacco, and the depiction of smoking in the movies, promote youth smoking and can cause young people to begin smoking," said Loken, professor of marketing at the Carlson School of Management and one of the report's five scientific editors.

The 684-page monograph, "The Role of the Media in Promoting and Reducing Tobacco Use," presents definitive conclusions that

a) tobacco advertising and promotion are causally related to increased tobacco use, and
b) exposure to depictions of smoking in movies causes youth smoking initiation.

The report also concludes that while mass media campaigns can reduce tobacco use, youth smoking prevention campaigns sponsored by the tobacco industry are generally ineffective and may even increase youth smoking.

"The role of marketing in the success of the tobacco companies is conclusive," according to Loken. "The report's recommendations offer the best approach to employ marketing techniques and the media to help prevent a further increase in youth smoking."

The NCI report reaches six major conclusions:

1. Cigarettes are one of the most heavily marketed products in the United States.

2. Tobacco advertising targets psychological needs of adolescents, such as popularity and peer acceptance. Advertising creates the perception that smoking satisfies these needs.

3. Even brief exposure to tobacco advertising influences adolescents' perceptions about smoking, smokers, and adolescents' intentions to smoke.

4. The depiction of cigarette smoking is pervasive in movies, occurring in 75 percent or more of contemporary box-office hits, with identifiable brands in about one-third of movies.

5. A comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising and promotion is an effective policy intervention that prevents tobacco companies from shifting marketing expenditures to permitted media.

6. The tobacco industry works hard to impede tobacco control media campaigns, including attempts to prevent or reduce their funding.

"This direct link between marketing and tobacco use is very powerful." Loken said, "Anti-tobacco ads before films and a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising are two effective strategies found to curb effects of tobacco images on youth. Now we need to use marketing to steer youth and others away from tobacco."

The report provides the most current and comprehensive analysis of more than 1,000 scientific studies on the role of the media in encouraging and discouraging tobacco use. The report is Monograph 19 in the NCI's Tobacco Control Monograph series examining critical issues in tobacco prevention and control. Research included in the review comes from the disciplines of marketing, psychology, communications, statistics, epidemiology and public health.

"Marketing and tobacco use in youth | 03MD: «More information, better health»." 1 Sep. 2008 .

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Quitting Smoking – The Nicotine Substitute Method

Nama Woman in Kalahari Desert, Namibia.Image via Wikipedia "It's not the nicotine in cigarettes that's harmful. It's the smoke."

That was the tag line provided by a manufacturer of nicotine gum during the famous debut of their product's commercials a decade ago. While not an entirely accurate statement (will discuss that later) it did strike a nerve with millions of smokers and led them to a rush to purchase nicotine gum. Unlike many other products of the past which promised a lot and delivered little, nicotine transmission products such as gum, patches, sprays et al turned out to work quite well. This was a veritable godsend! For many years people struggled to discover reliable cures for the pain of nicotine and cigarette addiction but they all were of no avail. Yes, many people were able to quit smoking cold turkey or through other means but with the advent of nicotine transmission substitutes such as nicotine gum and nicotine patches the ability to kick the habit was made far easier than ever before. Because of this, sales of these products boomed to a degree far greater than anyone ever expected.

Whether one is taking nicotine gum, a lozenge or a patch all of these methods serve the same purpose: to deliver nicotine in much smaller doses than what is found in cigarettes and also with the added benefit of not having to inhale dangerous smoke into one's lungs. Of course, different people react differently to different methods and it may take a little trial and error before finding which particular product works for you. So, if one method doesn't work there is no reason to feel despondent. Simply try another method/product and see if better results will occur.

Of course, one must never lose sight of the fact that you should not be puffing away while also chewing your nicotine gum! When you are taking one of these cigarette substitutes it is critical to stop smoking when taking the product. There are many people who use these products as a means of cutting back on the number of cigarettes they smoke per day with the eventual goal of smoking none. While this may seem like a decent plan it is NOT the suggested method promoted by the actual product. The reason for this is that if one were to chew nicotine gum and smoke at the same time the sheer volume of nicotine one would ingest performing such "double duty" would be far too much and certainly not healthy.

It needs to be pointed out that nicotine is harmful and it is not just the smoke that can harm you. In fact, nicotine in high doses can be poisonous! Also, no matter what form you ingest nicotine it still remains a highly addictive substance so when you chew nicotine gum there comes the potential to being addicted to the gum as well. Now, this is not stated as a means of scaring people into avoiding nicotine gums, patches, etc but rather it is a method of presenting certain warnings regarding continued use of these products. They are designed to wean you off the drug not replace one transmission method with another.

Darren O Connell - How to stop smoking naturally without patches pills drugs http://www.quit-smoking-2day.com and how to stop smoking in less than 3 hours http://www.quitfast.quit-smoking-2day.com

"Quitting Smoking – The Nicotine Substitute Method by Darren O Connell." 1 Sep. 2008 .


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Say Goodbye to Cigarettes: Kicking an Addiction

Smoking is a highly addictive habit, and trying to quit can be one of the hardest things a person has ever done. Smoking is destructive to your health, causing heart disease and lung cancer, among many other problems. The wisest choice is to never begin smoking in the first place, but once you've started it is hard to stop. Television blasts dozens of commercials for nicotine patches, chewing gums, and even oral medication. Yet any of these supplements will not work without some behavior modification. So when you are ready to quit, here are some ways to get started.

First, throw away the cigarettes. Don't try to convince yourself to "cut down" or "wean off" the habit. If you have cigarettes in your house, you will smoke them. Don't give yourself access to the temptation. If you always buy your cigarettes at a certain convenience store, don't go to that store anymore. Shop at a different supermarket or buy gas at different gas station. If you typically buy cigarettes when you buy gas, then try paying for your fuel at the pump so you won't even have to step foot through the door.

Second, identify your motivation for smoking. Do you smoke when you're bored? Is smoking a way to relax and unwind? Once you understand your motivations, you can begin to find substitutes to make quitting easier.

If you smoke when you're bored, then try other activities to keep your hands busy. Keep a pencil handy to doodle, or carry a stress ball to roll around in your hands. You could try painting or doing crossword puzzles. Try anything you enjoy to distract yourself from the desire to light up.

If you smoke to wake yourself up, find other stimulating activities. You can get the same "high" and adrenaline rush from a brisk walk or run. While caffeine isn't the best substance for your health, substituting a cup of coffee in place of a cigarette would be a beneficial trade off. Breaking the caffeine habit is a lot easier than kicking the cigarette addiction.

from:Amber Benge, published Aug 27, 2008, "Say Goodbye to Cigarettes: Kicking an Addiction - Associated Content." 1 Sep. 2008 .

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Smoking’s Real Cost Reaches $40 Per Pack Over Lifetime, Duke Study Concludes

Smoking’s Real Cost Reaches $40 Per Pack Over Lifetime, Duke Study Concludes

How to Quit Smoking Without Gaining (Much) Weight - How to Quit Smoking - Health.com

A 'No Smoking' signImage via Wikipedia How to Quit Smoking Without Gaining (Much) Weight - How to Quit Smoking - Health.com: "How to Quit Smoking:How to Break Your Addiction Forever"

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Electronic Cigarette Helps You Stop Smoking



It feels like a cigarette, looks like a cigarette but it isn’t bad for your health. A Chinese company marketing the world’s first “electronic” cigarette hopes to double sales this year as it expands overseas and as some of China’s legions of smokers try to quit. Golden Dragon Group Ltd’s Ruyan cigarettes are battery-powered, cigarette-shaped devices that deliver nicotine to inhalers in a bid to emulate actual smoking.

“The nicotine is delivered to the lungs within 7 to 10 seconds,” said Scott Fraser, Vice President of SBT Co. Ltd., the Beijing-based firm that first developed the electronic cigarette technology in 2003 and which is now controlled by Golden Dragon.

From:

http://www.yankodesign.com/2007/05/10/electronic-cigarette-helps-you-stop-smoking/


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If you stop smoking


This what will happen to you if you stop smoking. Why don't you give it a try now then ? !!!

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Harmful Effects Of Smoking

The Tobacco IndustryImage by Cayusa via Flickr Cigarettes and more specifically tobacco smoke are full of chemicals and poisons. As you discovered in our chemicals in cigarettes section tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, many of which make smoking harmful.

Effects of Tobacco Smoke

  • Smoking KILLS

  • Every year hundreds of thousands of people around the world die from diseases caused by smoking.

  • One in two lifetime smokers will die from their habit. Half of these deaths will occur in middle age.

  • Tobacco smoke also contributes to a number of cancers.

  • The mixture of nicotine and carbon monoxide in each cigarette you smoke temporarily increases your heart rate and blood pressure, straining your heart and blood vessels.

  • This can cause heart attacks and stroke. It slows your blood flow, cutting off oxygen to your feet and hands. Some smokers end up having their limbs
    amputated
    .

  • Tar coats your lungs like soot in a chimney and causes cancer. A 20-a-day smoker breathes in up to a full cup (210 g) of tar in a year.

  • Changing to low-tar cigarettes does not help because smokers usually take deeper puffs and hold the smoke in for longer, dragging the tar deeper into their lungs.

  • Carbon monoxide robs your muscles, brain and body tissue of oxygen, making your whole body and especially your heart work harder. Over time, your airways swell up and let less air into your lungs.

  • Smoking causes disease and is a slow way to die. The strain put on your body by smoking often causes years of suffering. Emphysema is an illness that slowly rots your lungs. People with emphysema often get bronchitis again and again, and suffer lung and heart failure.

  • Lung cancer from smoking is caused by the tar in tobacco smoke. Men who smoke are ten times more likely to die from lung cancer than non-smokers.

  • Heart disease and strokes are also more common among smokers than non-smokers.

  • Smoking causes fat deposits to narrow and block blood vessels which leads to heart attack.

  • Smoking causes around one in five deaths from heart disease.

  • In younger people, three out of four deaths from heart disease are due to smoking.

http://www.quit-smoking-stop.com/harmful-smoking-effects.html

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K's Choice - Not an addict


Oohoo (19x)

Breath it in and breath it out
and pass it on it's almost out
We're so creative and so much more
We're high above, but on the floor

Chorus1: It's not a habit, it's cool
I feel alive
If you don't have it your on
the other side

The deeper you stick it in your vein
The deeper the thoughts there's no more pain
I'm in heaven, I'm a god
I'm everywhere, I feel so hot

Chorus2: It's not a habit, it's cool
I feel alive
If you don't have it your on
the other side
I'm not an addict (maybe that's a lie)

Oohoo (8x)

It's over now, I'm cold, alone
I'm just a person on my own
Nothing means a thing to me
Oh, nothing means a thing to me

Chorus2

Free me, leave me
Watch me as I'm going down
Free me, see me
Look at me I'm falling
And I'm falling.........

It is not a habit, it is cool
I feel alive I feel.......
It is not a habit, it is cool
I feel alive

Chorus2

I'm not an addict, I'm not an addict, I'm not an addict.

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Mushrooms

Psilocybe zapotecorum. Jalisco, Mexico.Image via Wikipedia Description:
Mushrooms In theUnited States.s, hallucinogenic mushrooms are one of the most frequently used hallucinogens after LSD.

Although many species of mushrooms have psychoactive properties, Psilocybe Cubensis (Libery Cap) mushrooms are the most commonly used species among recreational and religious users. Other lesser-used species are Psilocybe Mexicana, Psilocybe Hoogshagenii and Psilocybe Zapotecorum. Nearly all of the psychoactive mushrooms are small, brown or tan mushrooms and look very similar to any number of non-psychoactive, inedible, or poisonous mushrooms growing in the wild. This makes them somewhat difficult, and potentially hazardous, to identify. On the street, these mushrooms are known as Mushrooms, Magic Mushrooms, Mushies, Shrooms, Sillies, Boomers Caps or Fungus.

Background:
Native Americans in Central and South America have used Psilocybe mushrooms for thousands of years. The first European record of their use was in the 16th century writings of a Spanish priest who wrote about the Aztec's use of both mushrooms and peyote. In 1957, ethnobotanist R. Gordon Wasson became the first in modern times to document and publish a description of his own experience (Life Magazine). In 1968 possession of psilocybin mushrooms was made illegal in the United States.
Source: http://www.erowid.org/plants/mushrooms/mushrooms_basics.shtml

Usage:
The average dose of mushrooms is 1-5 grams. They are taken orally or, in rare occurrences, smoked. Because of the less than pleasant taste, they are often mixed with other foods or drinks. Street prices run $5-20 per gram, $100 - $300 per ounce.

Effects:
In general, the hallucinogenic experience is very similar to an LSD experience, but less intense and of shorter duration. The effects of these mushrooms can vary considerably depending on the species, but for Psilocybe mushrooms the user will typically experience effects including feelings of being out of one's body (ego loss), colorful hallucinations, distortion in spatial perception, time, and color shift. At higher does, users may experience lightheadedness, numbnesss of the tongue, lips or mouth, shivering or sweating, nausea and/or vomiting, and anxiety.

As with LSD, depending on the general mood of the user, bad trips can occur.

Dependency:
Physical Dependence: None
Psychological Dependence: Moderate
Tolerance: Moderate
Source: The Merck Manual: Sixteenth Edition, published 1992

Treatment:
Psilocybin is a mild to moderately habit-forming substance with no physical addiction. It should be noted, though, that virtually any substance can be addictive, to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the user. It is a generally accepted notion among treatment professionals that the addiction, whether physical or psychological, is the problem, not the specific substance. Below are some treatment programs that may be useful for psilocybin users as well as others seeking help with an addiction:


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Psilocybe cubensis "Burma" shrooms mushrooms

My longest time lapse so far. 1661 images were photographed over a time period of 5 days, 18 hours and 25 minutes. A Canon PowerShot G3 digital camera connected to a computer was programmed to take one shot every 5 minutes. Processing was done with Photoshop and VirtualDub.
The substrate was rye, the casing consisted of peat moss, vermiculite and crushed limestone.

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Drugs all kind of them!!!

Drugs all kind of them!!!
1 song- Divide & Kreate-Sweet Jacqueline
2 song- The Prodigy -Wind it Up slowly wound remix

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Poppers

Photo of poppers.Image via Wikipedia

WHAT ARE POPPERS?


  • "Poppers" is the popular name for various alkyl nitrites, including isobutyl nitrite, butyl nitrite, and amyl nitrite.
  • Doctors used to prescribe amyl nitrite for heart patients in capsules that were broken or "popped" to release vapors.
  • Amyl nitrite is made and sold illegally, but most poppers are isobutyl nitrite or butyl nitrite sold in small brown bottles as "video head cleaner," "room deodorizer," or "leather cleaner."
  • The exact contents of these products are not known, and they are not safety tested.

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS?

  • Poppers are used by sniffing the vapors from an open bottle. The effects are felt within a few seconds and last for 1-2 minutes.
  • Poppers cause muscles around blood vessels to relax, making your heart speed up to pump more blood. Oxygen-rich blood reaching the brain produces a "rush" sensation.
  • Because poppers cause muscles in the anus and vagina to relax, they are often used during sex.

BE CAREFUL.

  • If swallowed call 911 or Poison Contol.
  • Contact with the skin causes irritation and rashes. Extensive use can damage the nose and lungs.
  • Some people experience headaches, sensations of spinning or falling, and loss of erection.
  • Poppers are highly flammable. Keep away from cigarettes, candles, and lighters.
  • Studies show that poppers reduce the functioning of the immune system for several days after use.
  • Because poppers cause blood vessels to open, it is easier to get an infection, including sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV.
  • Poppers pose extra risks for people who have suppressed immune systems, heart problems, low or high blood pressure, a history of cerebral hemorrhaging, anemia, or are pregnant.
  • Combining poppers with stimulants like speed and cocaine increases risks. Combining poppers and Viagra is dangerous because both cause blood pressure to drop.
  • Poppers can affect your judgment. If you are planning on being intimate, put on a condom before you use them.
  • To prevent spilling and evaporation, pour a small amount in a separate bottle filled with cotton and store tightly sealed in a refrigerator or freezer.
  • Possession of amyl nitrite without a doctor’s prescription is illegal. Federal law bans the manufacture and distribution of butyl nitrite and related substances, although these provisions have not been enforced.
http://www.dancesafe.org/documents/druginfo/poppers.php

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Kétamine

KetamineImage via Wikipedia Ketamine is a short-acting but powerful general anaesthetic which depresses the nervous system and causes a temporary loss of body sensation. That’s why it has been used for operating on humans and animals. It has powerful hallucinogenic qualities (with a distortion of objects and reality).


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Drugs Hard To Find Horror Movies and Shocking Videos From Around The World!

Drugs Hard To Find Horror Movies and Shocking Videos From Around The World!
People are always asking us if we're "holding" and our answer is always the same: Oh yeah, baby. Ohhhh YEAH! You say you want to hear colors and see sounds? Well then take a hit off of one of these, daddy-o!

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ANNUAL AMERICAN DEATHS CAUSED BY DRUGS


TOBACCO ........................ 400,000
ALCOHOL ........................ 100,000
ALL LEGAL DRUGS ................ 20,000
ALL ILLEGAL DRUGS .............. 15,000
CAFFEINE ....................... 2,000
ASPIRIN ........................ 500

MARIJUANA ...................... 0

----------------------------------------
Source: United States government...
National Institute on Drug Abuse,
Bureau of Mortality Statistics


Like any substance, marijuana can be abused. The most common problem attributed to marijuana is frequent overuse, which can induce lethargic behavior, but does not cause serious health problems. Marijuana can cause short-term memory loss, but only while under the influence. Marijuana does not impair long-term memory. Marijuana does not lead to harder drugs. Marijuana does not cause brain damage, genetic damage, or damage the immune system. Unlike alcohol, marijuana does not kill brain cells or induce violent behavior. Continuous long-term smoking of marijuana can cause bronchitis, but the chance of contracting bronchitis from casual marijuana smoking is minuscule. Respiratory health hazards can be totally eliminated by consuming marijuana via non-smoking methods, i.e., ingesting marijuana via baked foods, tincture, or vaporizer.

A 1997 UCLA School of Medicine study (Volume 155 of the American Journal of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine) conducted on 243 marijuana smokers over an 8-year period reported the following: "Findings from the long-term study of heavy, habitual marijuana smokers argue against the concept that continuing heavy use of marijuana is a significant risk factor for the development of chronic lung disease." "Neither the continuing nor the intermittent marijuana smokers exhibited any significantly different rates of decline in lung function as compared with those individuals who never smoked marijuana." The study concluded: "No differences were noted between even quite heavy marijuana smoking and nonsmoking of marijuana."

Marijuana does not cause serious health problems like those caused by tobacco or alcohol (e.g., strong addiction, cancer, heart problems, birth defects, emphysema, liver damage, etc.). Death from a marijuana overdose is impossible. In all of world history, there has never been a single human death attributed to a health problem caused by marijuana.

http://www.dope-seeds.com/untoldstory/hemp_9.htm

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nootropics article by James South

nootropics article by James South
Over 30 years have passed since the "Nootropic Revolution" quietly began with the development of Piracetam in the late medical efficacy with a virtual absence of toxicity and side effects; something rarely seen with more standard medical drugs.

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0 PAIRS OF DRUGS THAT CAN INJURE OR KILL YOU

A L E R T *** U R G E N T *** A L E R T *** U R G E N T ***A L E R T

10 PAIRS OF DRUGS THAT CAN INJURE OR KILL YOU

America has a drug problem, but it’s not the one you think.

We are one of the biggest drug consuming countries in the world-of prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, legal drugs.

The fact is there are far too many victims of drug-induced illness each year.

  • Every minute, two people are hospitalized for adverse drug reactions (1,500,000 a year) and there’s a death every five minutes and 15 seconds (100,000 a year).
  • Every three and one quarter minutes, someone suffers drug-induced or drug-worsened memory loss (163,000 a year).
  • Every 16 minutes, an older adult suffers a hip fracture-often fatal-because of falls caused by adverse drug reactions.
  • Every 32 minutes, someone is involved in an injury-causing automobile accident because prescription drugs have impaired their driving ability.
The Health Guardian will keep you up to date with the latest drug information to prevent these tragedies from happening to you or your loved ones. Our information comes from the Public Citizen’s Health Research Group, which was founded in 1971 by Ralph Nader and. Sidney M. Wolfe, M.D. This group regularly monitors the FDA and the drug industry to protect us from taking drugs that could harm our health.

The ten pairs of drugs listed below are but a few of the thousands known, with more being discovered each month. All these pairs of drugs can have clinically important and dangerous adverse interactions. If you are using any pair, contact your physician to find out what you should do. Any decision to stop using any of these drugs should be made in conjunction with a physician:

  1. LANOXIN-CALAN SR
  2. INSULIN-INDERAL
  3. WARFARIN (COUMADIN)-TAGMET
  4. PROZAC-DESYREL
  5. TAGMET-DILANTIN
  6. DEMEROL-NARDIL
  7. MEVACOR-LOPID
  8. TEGRETOL-ERYTHROMYCIN
  9. CALAN SR-QUINIDINE
  10. THEOPHYLLINE-TAGAMET
More to follow, so book mark this web site and visit often!

Return to the Health Guardian's Home Page

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FORCES International - Let's kill them FOR THEIR OWN GOOD

FORCES International - Let's kill them FOR THEIR OWN GOOD

Drugs - Magic Mushrooms, DMT, GBH, Rohypnol , crystal meth, 2CB

Drugs - Magic Mushrooms, DMT, GBH, Rohypnol , crystal meth, 2CB

Death by Overdose: How Drugs Can Kill

Death by Overdose: How Drugs Can Kill

REVOLUTION - Drugs

REVOLUTION - Drugs

Drugs in the case for legalisation.

Drugs
The case for legalisation.

IN THE last 5 years deaths directly caused by the most widely used drugs were:

Tobacco 550,000

Alcohol 125,000

Heroin 800

Ecstasy 54

Cannabis Nil.

Only a minority of the deaths caused by ecstasy were allergic (or anaphylaxic) reactions. Most were caused by dehydration and overheating while dancing. A tiny number were caused by the opposite - drinking too much water, or related to pre-existing heart conditions being aggravated by the drug. Considering the scale on which Ecstasy tablets are being taken every weekend, the figure for allergic casualties is lower than the numbers killed by adverse reactions to paracetemol or peanuts.

There has only ever been one recorded death by cannabis - a bale of weed apparently fell on somebody's head.

The fatalities caused by the legal drugs alcohol and tobacco are, by contrast, enormous. What is more, the British Medical Association reported in 1988 that unlike ecstasy and cannabis, there is a well documented link between alcohol and violence, with drink a factor in half of all domestic attacks, 75% of stabbings and 6 out of ten killings. And all this is before the figures for road traffic accidents are taken into account.

SAFER DRUG USE

Legalisation would make drug use safer for millions of people. At the moment you don't know exactly what is in, for example, an Ecstasy tablet. If you buy a gramme of speed you don't know what it has been cut with. This is not just a rip off - it can damage your health. Heroin dependants can be injured or even killed by the impurities that are present in the powder they inject, or by variations in the strength and purity. The provision of proper, pure, manufactured heroin without impurities and with a fixed dosage can enable heroin dependants to avoid these risks and the threat of overdose. One British doctor was recently in the news for prescribing clean pure heroin for dependants. The casualty figures among the heroin users on his books dwindled to almost nothing. Then the authorities stopped him and insisted he provide the substitute Methadone. The heroin users went back to buying smack on the streets... and the casualties quickly mounted again.

In Holland kits for testing the purity of Ecstasy tablets have been available for some time - you can get your E tested in clubs. Deaths from ecstasy in Holland are only a tiny fraction of the figures for Britain. In Britain the kits are banned.

If drugs were legally available then the same regulation, quality control and choice would apply as exists for other goods.

PROVIDE INFORMATION

Legalisation would allow proper, accurate, information to be available about drugs instead of the tissue of distortions and half truths we get today. We are told that all drugs are addictive, make you mad etc etc without any attempt being made to differentiate between the various drugs and their effects.

The net result of this is that the first time you actually try an illicit drug you suddenly realise what a load of rubbish you've been told about it. From then you don't believe a word of the official propaganda. But some drugs are genuinely dangerous, others have certain risks that could be minimised - if trustworthy information were available.

The London dance music station Kiss FM, until recently, carried regular adverts for the National Drugs helpline, which gave serious information about the effects of popular drugs like speed and ecstasy, and also exposed many of the myths about these drugs' effects. This information was useful to users, and helped to minimise risks without spreading panic and falsehood. Suddenly it changed. Instead of the voices of young people explaining how to reduce dehydration on ecstasy, a crude advert is being run describing drug dealers as "animals" who "maim and kill" and asking young people to help "put down a rat." This approach has already failed in the past. But while drugs are illegal, the main priority is catching the ''criminals'', not providing a service to millions of users.

BLOW TO ORGANISED CRIME

Legalisation would be a death blow to the gangster and criminal syndicates that make millions out of drug sales. Why on earth would anyone want to hang around nervously on a street corner waiting to buy an underweight wrap of weed if they could get a weighed quantity legally in the shops? All the anti-drugs campaigns run by the police have failed to reduce the scale and power of gangsters - legalisation would ruin them at a stroke. Importantly every effort would have to be made to ensure that the corporate gangsters of the multinational drug companies don't replace the street gangsters. A legalised drugs industry should be a nationalised industry under the control of drug users and the workers in the industry. Otherwise it won't be long before the profit hungry multinationals find their own way to cut drugs and sell you an inferior product.

STOP RACIST HARASSMENT

Legalisation would remove one of the main excuses the police have for systematically harassing young people. Black youth get a particularly hard time. It is well known just how widespread racist attitudes are within the police. Young black people get constant hassle, are moved on, flagged down in their cars, beaten up and even killed at police stations. The illegality of the popular and almost harmless drug cannabis provides the police with all the excuse they need to stop and search at will.

Nor can the police be expected to respond to drug taking among different social groups even handedly. Take cocaine for instance. This is a drug with a glamorous image. Because cocaine is subtle, sexy and very expensive. It is widely used in the music business and by smart young rich kids. Members of bands and DJs live in a constant blizzard of the stuff. But there is no big "anticoke" campaign - it is a drug with status, and the police hardly bother about it.

Crack is another thing altogether as far as the police are concerned. Except that it's not another thing at all. It's the same thing in a different, smokeable, form. But it is not a glamorous drug - it has a "low-life" image. It is used mainly by young blacks, and by the poor and desperate. So there has been a scare campaign against crack cocaine and a big police clamp down. Of course there is more crime associated with crack cocaine than with the powder - it is a direct result of the poverty and desperation among crack users. Slick yuppies don't have to steal to pay for their next line of coke. For them #60 a gramme is just another manageable expense - like champagne.

These double standards show what's really at stake. Legalisation would stop the police using the illegality of drugs as a pretext for their war against black youth.

PERSONAL CHOICE

Legalisation would enable people to choose what they want to do with their own bodies. By what democratic right does the state tell us what is and isn't acceptable for individuals to do for their own pleasure? It is not health considerations, as we have seen.

Nor is there any other acceptable reason. The real cause of the panic is that the more drug use expands, the sharper the profits of the big breweries fall.

Ecstasy and the dance culture are the main culprits as far as the breweries are concerned. During the peak years for rave - 1987 to 1992 - pub attendance fell by over 10%. The breweries' market researchers estimate that ravers spend #1.8 billion a year - but not on ale. The breweries don't like it. So they have launched new trendy drinks, bring out adverts suggesting that beer is smarter than E... and use their links to the Tory party to press for a clampdown on "dangerous' illegal drugs.

That's why there have been no posters of dead alcoholics with the words "Sorted" printed on them in massive letters. It is why you have heard of Leah Betts (killed by drinking too much water; by ignorance not by E), but have never heard of a single household name of an alcohol casualty. Famous drug addicts are regarded as a disgrace; famous drunks are just to be laughed at. It's why E is banned and alcohol is advertised on TV.

The Tories should have no right to tell us what we can and can't take while they are funded to the tune of millions by the breweries - the biggest drug pushers of all.

BRING THE LAW IN TUNE

Legalisation would bring society's laws into tune with society itself. The desire to consume plants or chemicals to get out of your head is as old as human civilisation itself. From early forms of wine and fermented spirits through to the use of cannabis, mescaline, psychoactive mushrooms and khat, every society has had some preferred stimulan

t which has been used to relax, to party or celebrate. This is not a moral or legal question - it is a fact of human history and of the nature of our species. No attempt to suppress drug use by law has ever succeeded.

REVOI.UTION is neither pro- nor anti- drugs. Drug taking should be regarded as neither immoral nor glamorous. It is simply a fact of life.

Day to day living under capitalism is the pits for most - poverty, racism, sexism, homophobia, grinding alienating work. You've got a 48 hour weekend to escape from reality. Get smashed, drop a pill, smoke a joint, shoot up or snort a line; who's to blame?

But here a word of warning is needed. If you take an E at weekends or smoke a bit of draw that's not going to hurt you or anyone else. But if you are out of it all the time you're going to be no use to anyone. We need to fight the poverty, unemployment, bad housing, cuts and police repression that make life unbearable for so many youth today, and which push more and more to desperate responses like alcoholism, crack dependence and mainlining smack. Fighting back against this system is hard work - it needs energy, dedication, discipline and organisation. We don't have to tell each other to "Just Say No" - but we do need clear brains to break the chains.

http://www.worldrevolution.org.uk/oldsite/pages/ideas_pages/drugs.html


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