Aspirin vs. Marijuana
References: http://www.onmarijuana.com/2007/03/24/marijuana-is-safer-than-aspirin/
and http://www.saferchoice.org/content/view/24/32/
This is a repost with a few edits…
When Bayer introduced aspirin in 1899, cannabis was America’s number one painkiller. Until marijuana prohibition began in 1937, the US Pharmacopoeia listed cannabis as the primary medicine for over 100 diseases. Cannabis was such an effective analgesic that the American Medical Association (AMA) argued against prohibition on behalf of medical progress. Since the herb is extremely potent and essentially non-toxic, the AMA considered it a potential wonder drug.
Instead, the invention of aspirin gave birth to the modern pharmaceutical industry and Americans switched away from cannabis in the name of “progress.” But was it really progress? There can be no doubt that aspirin has a long history as the drug of choice for the self-treatment of migraines, arthritis, and other chronic pain. It is cheap and effective. But is it as safe as cannabis?
History:
Marijuana has been used for over 5,000 years.
No one has ever overdosed on marijuana.
Aspirin has been used for 108 years.
Approximately 500 people die every year by taking aspirin
The Law:
Marijuana is a Schedule 1 drug, meaning the US government believes it is extremely dangerous, highly addictive, and of no medical value.
Aspirin is available for pennies and can be purchased by children at any drug, grocery, or convenience store. Often they are just handed out free by people with no medical education.
Marijuana side effects and dangers:
The dangers of marijuana include possible respiratory problems caused by the deposition of burnt plant material on the lungs. This danger can be eliminated with alternate forms of consumption such as eating or vaporizing the medicine.
For two to four hours, marijuana causes short-term memory loss, a slight reduction in reaction time, and a reduction in cognitive ability. (It makes you stupid for a little while.)These conditions DO NOT persist after the herb wears off.
Hunger
Paranoia
Depression
Laughter
Introspection
Creative Impulse
Euphoria
Tiredness
Forgetfulness
Aspirin side effects and dangers:
When taken with alcohol, aspirin can cause stomach bleeding.
Reye Syndrome in children: fat begins to develop around the liver and other organs of the child, eventually putting severe pressure on the brain. Death is common within a few days.
People with hemophilia can die.
People with hyperthyroidism suffer elevated T4 levels.
Stomach problems include dyspepsia, heartburn, upset stomach, stomach ulcers with gross bleeding, and internal bleeding leading to anemia.
Dizziness, ringing in the ears, hearing loss, vertigo, vision disturbances, and headaches.
Heavy sweating
Irreversible liver damage
Inflamation and gradual destruction of the kidneys
Nausea and vomiting
Abdominal pain
Lethargy
Hyperthermia
Dyspepsia: a gnawing or burning stomach pain accompanied by bloating, heartburn, nausea, vomiting and burping.
Tachypnea: Abnormally fast breathing
Respiratory Alkalosis: a condition where the amount of carbon dioxide found in the blood drops to a level below normal range brought on by abnormally fast breathing.
Cerebral Edema: Water accumulates on the brain. Symptoms include headaches, decreased level of consciousness, loss of eyesight, hallucinations, psychotic behavior, memory loss and coma. If left untreated, it can lead to death.
Hallucinations, confusion, and seizure.
Prolonged bleeding after operations or post-trauma for up to 10 days after last aspirin.
Aspirin can interact with some other drugs, such as diabetes medication. Aspirin changes the way the body handles these drugs and can lead to a drug overdose and death.
If you think that cannabis is actually safer than aspirin, you are not alone. In October 2000, Dr. Leslie Iversen of the Oxford University Department of Pharmacology said the same thing.
In her book, ‘The Science of Marijuana,’ Dr. Iversen presents the scientific evidence that cannabis is, by-and-large, a safe drug. Dr. Iversen found cannabis had “an impressive record” when compared to tobacco, alcohol, or even aspirin.
“Tetrahydrocannabinol is a very safe drug,” she said. “Even such apparently innocuous medicines as aspirin and related steroidal anti-inflammatory compunds are not safe.”
So if safety is your concern, cannabis is clearly a much better choice than aspirin. If you eat it or vaporize it, it just might be the safest painkiller the world has ever known.
The main lobbyist of making marijuana illegal was the DUPONT chemical company. Just before marijuana was made illegal, DUPONT created a synthetic material to make rope out of. Since hemp was still a better material for rope, DUPONT just got ride of the competition.
What’s funny is that aspirin can cause false negatives on drug screens that test for marijuana.
http://www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/abstract/40/8/1512
Come on Procannabis: surely if you are as big a toker as the next man you know better than to bring up the tired old ‘bad for your lungs’ excuse??? Smoking isn’t the only way to take cannabis so the old boy like me with a chesty cough can still get their medicine without any of the dangers associated with having a puff (I do love a spliff though). Good post yeah! There can’t be enough articles like this on the net given the current cannabis climate!
legalize ittt…sure would help with the recession? : ]
Eric – You hit the nail on the head with ‘Capitalistic Reasons’. Look up these two names: Harry Anslinger and William Randolph Hearst. I’ve read a couple variations as to the exact companies and products Hearst had stock in, but basically hemp was a threat to his wealth. One example is that around that time the Hemp Decorticator was invented — the equivalent of the cotton gin for hemp. Whether through Dupont or other companies, he had a lot of cotton stock that he didn’t want to watch plummet. Hearst wrote for a newspaper and began outright lying about marijuana (‘reefer madness’) and Anslinger was head of the then-new ‘Bureau of Narcotics’. Hearst wanted his money protected and Anslinger wanted to become a hero, so the two friends teamed up and made marijuana a scapegoat to fulfill their selfish desires. The american public is very easy to persuade through the use of media, heir go Marijuana became a national enemy very quickly. Meanwhile, alcohol and tobacco run rampant through the market, regardless of the bountiful education of the dangers of both. And that’s for one very simple reason: booze and cigs are taxed. Heavily. It’s one of the government’s most successful money-making scams. But if you ask me, their most effective way of robbing the working man’s money is the lottery. Feed people the dream and desire to be rich, but all the while, every single jackpot winner is taxed DAILY. In the end, the government rakes in unseen billions of dollars that never come back to us; even the lottery winners. I’ve watched people walk into a store and pour out over 50-100 dollars on lotto tickets, simply to increase their chance of winning. In reality, they’re stuffing Uncle Sam’s pockets, EVEN if they win. And that’s why marijuana is still illegal. It is a threat to the grossly overpaid Pharmaceutical Industry, fabric industry and would probably reduce the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes, which would be more tax money lost. Although, in my opinion, if marijuana was decriminalized, regulated and taxed, they’d make more money than ever. It’s all one big fucked up game of Monopoly.
marijuana is going to remain illegal because the government cant make any money off of it if it was made legal.
of course, the government can’t tax an herb
I actually wrote a report about the legalization of marijuana for school earlier this year. I converted a copy of the final draft, including full reference page into a pdf file and it’s hosted at http://www.geocities.com/goddessleta/Legalize.pdf if anyone cares to read another argument for the legalization. The references used are books that are out there in libraries, not just web pages that say pot is good. (And the paper itself got high marks, if you’ll excuse the pun.)
It’s a know fact that one of the first drafts of the Declaration of Independence was written on paper made out of hemp. Also and interesting fact the word canvass is derived from cannabis because of its wide use in making sails for ships. Along with that many bibles even to this day are printed on cannabis paper due to the fact that it lasts longer than paper and dose not turn yellow (one of the reasons it makes the best rolling papers)
Another big outfit to want hemp illegal was the major oil companies….They and King Cotton, and cotton was still a king in 1935, foresaw that an indestructible (nearly} fiber and a source of cheap bio-fuel was definitely a pox on their future sales…Also it is why we we still use a combustion engine that is over 80 yrs obsolete.
I believe a few questions were asked as to why the Government made pot illegal. There are many reasons, but the main ones include racism and capitalism. Mexican immigrants who worked hard in the fields and on the docks would go home and smoke marijuana (we got that term from them btw) to relax. Their customs were strange to us and people were afraid of what they didn’t understand. Also, pot was related to that devilish "jazz music" lol. They thought it made black males want to go out and rape white women, when in reality it just brought people together. The other main reason, capitalism, is because they found much more profitable ways of acquiring wealth, and the hemp plant was interfering with that. Pharmaceutical companies stood to profit from synthetic chemicals. The oil industry boomed. The clothing and textile markets thrived from cotton, which is more abundant, but far weaker than hemp fiber which is the strongest natural fiber known to man. Even the food industry profits from all their processed food. The government has their hands in the pockets of all industries that profit from hemp/pot being illegal. Plus, if pot were to become legal, think of all the apologies they would have to make for all the pain and grief they’ve caused. They’ll never accept that and so here we remain. . . Please check the web link in my name to find out more.
marijuana was the first door i opened onto my perceptions of the world. and through that door, i perceived that the world is not like the governments of this world portray it to be.
@ John and Babette: Do you really think the government can’t tax pot? If California figured out a way to regulate marijuana on the medical side, I’m sure the government can tax it. The marijuana being sold and taxed would have to be cleaner, better
OK, So here is the deal. I am with out a doubt in favor of decriminalization, legalization, or regulation of MJ. Articles like this don’t help though. The problem is its written in the most one sided manor. You list the side effects of one and compare them to the other which is a good approach. The problem is that the list for MJ is far far far smaller than it should be. If your going to list all of the most obscure side effects of asprin then the same should be done for MJ. Here is a better list. POSITIVE * mood lift, euphoria * laughter * relaxation, stress reduction * creative, philosophical or deep thinking : ideas flow more easily * increased appreciation of music. More aware of, deeper connection to music. * increased awareness of senses. (eating, drinking, smell) * change in experience of muscle fatigue. Pleasant body feel. Increase in body/mind connection. * pain relief (headaches, cramps) * reduced nausea, increased appetite (used medically for this) * boring tasks or entertainment can become more interesting or funny NEUTRAL * general change in consciousness (as with many psychoactives) * increased appetite, snacky-ness * slowness (slow driving, talking) * change in vision such as sharpened colors or lights * closed-eye visuals (somewhat uncommon) * tiredness, sleepiness, lethargy * stimulation, inability to sleep (less common) * blood shot eyes (more common with certain varieties of cannabis and inexperienced users) * mouth dryness, sticky-mouth (varies with strain) * interrupts linear memory. Difficulty following a train of thought. * cheek, jaw, facial tension / numbness (less commonly reported) * racing thoughts (especially at high doses) * increased emotional impact of music * Time sense altered: cars seem like they are moving too fast, time dilation and compression are common at higher doses NEGATIVE * nausea, especially in combination with alcohol, some pharmaceuticals, or other psychoactives * coughing, asthma, upper respiratory problems * difficulty with short term memory during effects and during periods of frequent use (Ranganathan M, D’Souza DC, Psychopharmacology, 2006) * racing heart, agitation, feeling tense * mild to severe anxiety * panic attacks in sensitive users or with very high doses (oral use increases risk of getting too much) * headaches * dizziness, confusion * lightheadedness or fainting (in cases of lowered blood pressure) * paranoid & anxious thoughts more frequent * possible psychological dependence on cannabis * clumsiness, loss of coordination at high doses * can precipitate or exacerbate latent or existing mental disorders WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS * mild to moderate, non life-threatening withdrawal symptoms occur after daily use in some users. These may last for 1-6 weeks after cessation of use and can include anxiety, anhedonia (reduced experience of pleasure), headaches, general unease/discomfort, difficulty sleeping, and a desire to smoke pot. Severity of symptoms is related to frequency of use and individual sensitivity. * slight loss of appetite * finding non-stoned life a bit dull, increased boredom Now let me say again I agree with you that MJ is probably less dangerous than aspirin especially if your considering LD50′s where MJ obviously wins. All I’m saying is that by making arguments like this one above you just make it easier for the other side to attack and discredit you. You MUST have a balanced argument.
goddamn hippies and your magic flower…
it is always a shame to see something you love heralded for the wrong reasons. it opens you up (as you have ) to criticicism.
Actually aspirin has been used for thousands of years… It occurs naturally in willow bark, which Indians would chew or boil for its pain relieving effects.
I currently suffer from severe pain in my hands due to RA. The Dr’s give me oxycodone, which I detest, for pain relief. I live in NJ where simple possession of marijuana can earn you incarceration. I know the herb could relieve my pain. As a test I went to Peru where I ate fresh fruits, smoked weed, and drank coca tea. In thirty days I was pain-free, happy, and my platelet count went from 17 to 62. So much for modern medicine!
I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned the alcohol industry’s stifling of pro-marijuana legislation. Budweiser happens to be the biggest proponent of anti-marijuana legislation, and guess whose wife owns that company? McCain. In reality, unless the pharmaceutical companies could somehow finagle themselves into a monopolistic enterprise by selling medical pot at outrageous prices, It probably won’t be leveled down on a legal standpoint for many years, even given pres. Obama’s very liberal views on the plant. And I would leave this damn country before buying pot from a pharmaceutical corporation.
Leslie Iversen is a male. Please, check your most basic facts when putting forth an argument in favor of reform. Shortcuts and misinformation is the hallmark of the Other Side, and we truly need to be better than them. We have to work harder, and make stronger arguments based on verifiable facts. Your mistaking the sex of Dr. Iversen is sloppiness. It means you did not bother to do the most rudimentary background check on your so-called authority. Tsk tsk. If you want to win, you gotta work harder than they do, stoner…
Just a smidge of a correction on your history of aspirin: Hippocrates, who lived sometime between 460 B.C and 377 B.C., left historical records of pain relief treatments, including the use of powder made from the bark and leaves of the willow tree to help heal headaches, pains and fevers. That way <i>way</i> before 1900. By 1829, scientists discovered that it was the compound called salicin in willow plants which gave you the pain relief. That was also ‘way’ before 1900. Not pro or con here – just correcting some dates.
aspirin sux hence, paracetamol.
That is too bad. It will despite anything we might do. It [salvia] is already illegal in my state, and I bet other states will follow suit real soon. Clearly, the people making it illegal have never touched the stuff. I bet if they had it wouldn’t be illegal. I last smoked some about 2 months ago, and have not really wanted to touch it again. It certainly is not a recreational drug. It is a spiritual drug.
Personally, I don’t trust anything Bayer says. They are the ones that invented and released heroin into the world. http://opioids.com/heroin/heroinhistory.html Big pharma companies will invent drugs to take care of the most idiotic complaints with a 5 page side effect just to make a profit. It’s also the idiots who constantly demand a drug for the sweat rash they develop because their rolls of fat are rubbing against one another that are at fault. You are what you eat, therefore, if you eat healthy, you will be healthy. Loved your article.
Damn that’s a lot of paraphrasing. Way I see it, yeah Aspirin is dangerous, but who the f*** is gonna do it for recreation purposes? LoL go ahead if you want too, probably die from trying heh. Marijuana though… well. LMAO doesn’t take a genius to immediately recognize that all it would be used for is making yourself stupid… cuz it’s so fun, right? It does have it’s pratical medical applications in terminal people. Might as well have some fun before yeh die
The only reason Marijuana should be made legal is for recreation purposes, and in that case it would probably have some crazy tax on it, so the gov’t could make a pretty penny off it (like alcohol). There is no real need for it medically. It doesn’t actually help your body. And the fact that it diminishes your cognitive ability… it’s not practical. LoL, people have to work, and for most people you need to be sober when you’re at the daily grind. ah, and for what I’ve seen, it is addictive, at least to those who for some reason believe they need it to make their life better. *shakes his head* Too many people trying to escape, not enough enjoying where they are at. So unless they use it as a replacement for nitrous oxide, or a complementary competitive to alcohol (to keep the escapists trying to escape escapism happy)… there isn’t a REAL PRACTICAL need for it. Smoke ‘em if yeh got ‘em
To: Phonz
Spoken like a true inexperienced. Next time that you have a stomach bug/flu, try finding something "over-the-counter", try asking your doctor to "prescribe" something, ANYTHING, that will help. Good Luck. There is nothing "legal" that will help that doesn’t come with it’s own laundry list of consequences. Now try marijuana. Then come back, and tell anyone that there is no "no real need for it medically". Or how about, say, being in agony with a ruptured spinal disk, and then, tell anyone that there is "no real need for it medically". How about testing your opinions before attempting to pass them off as "fact".
@helena Couldn’t have said it better myself
Hemp, grown for its fiber, is legal in parts of Canada, but not THC hemp, a simple lab test will get you hard time for making the mistake! Hemp for fiber will grow in semi-arable areas, can be fertilized with human sewage, and can be made into paper, thus saving the forests for absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere, a task they do well! We need to promote hemp for fiber and overcome the cotton kings "Fix" on the laws. Right now the U.S.A. ‘imports’ hemp from China and pays like hell for it, and it grows wild here in North America, but not legally! We are dupes by our own laws! Even Bugs Bunny knows better! We can produce food grade margarine, and hemp seeds are tasty and nutritious! The rest of the world eats them daily! Americans are the only saps left out in the cold by their own 1930s laws on this! A simple lab test can show what your "hemp" product contains! We do it in Canada All the time! Ask any Canadian Commercial Laboratory for free estimates and turn-around times they surely will oblige you and thank you for the business!
Great work on Massachusetts legalizing Marijuana, I only hope other states can see it as a beneficial medicine that people can use as a choice, and we as Americans should have that CHOICE to use this for relief. It helped my mum with her headaches when she was going though Chemo, it did better than her rx high dose pain killers.
Not that I’m arguing against the article or anything but pot is slightly more dangerous than you put forth..my uncle smoked pot for years and now recently one of his lungs has started failing on him because of it…it’s the same as smoking cigarettes–you just have to be careful and not smoke three packs a day (or smoke a lot of pot a day, or whatever)
I am a 23 year old single mother receiving chemotherapy for cervical cancer. I have little health insurance that does not cover the cost of pain medication. Marijuana used through a vaporizer is the BEST form of pain control I have come across, and yes, I have tried them all. I have never before used MJ for recreational uses and it really disappoints me that it is not more available to people in my situation. A nurse at the Dr.’s office told me "off the record" that a few other patients were more able to tolerate chemo in this way. It is easier to eat even though the chemo makes me sick and difficult to eat. I am able to sleep and most importantly it makes the pain tolerable! I think the whole solution to our economic crisis right now would be to legalize medicinal marijuana for conditions where the benefits outweigh the risks, and tax it! This would keep drug dealers off the street, because it would be readily available! Maybe this is just wishful thinking, but it truly does have medicinal qualities that are being ignored.
Very interesting article, i have read much over the years on this subject but nothing this enlightening. I think we should all meet for a conference in Amsterdam asap.
check out my blog ive managed to solve alot of world problems with a bit of cannabis legalize!!!!!!!!! its the only way forward
To Julie: Terribly sorry to hear about your uncle, but you must have missed the part in the article that points out alternative ways to consume marijuana. Such as: vaporizing it or taking it orally. Smoking marijuana, just like cigarettes, is bad for you. Much in the same way that sucking an exhaust pipe and inhaling its smoke is, or inhaling any for of smoke for that matter. Funny thing: your lungs actually aren’t able to handle smoke in them.
You preach to the choir. And the choir sings. Interesting development, that I had not heard, regarding aspirin.
If you read the comments to this point, you must see the movie, "Super High Me!" It’s like "Super Size Me", but instead of eating McDonalds for 30 days, Doug Benson smokes as much pot as possible for 30 days. Then, he spends 30 days pot-free. Even I was surprised at the results.
this is great for medical use of marijuana, but casual users (especially those in apartment buildings!) get a thumbs down from me…that smoke is toxic…legalize it for medicinal purposes, sure…but i don’t want to live in a world where your medicine makes me sick..
Seriously though, every one should watch Grass narrated by Woody Harrelson. It is a classic marijuana documentary. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0214730/
Yeah just ignore the whole schizophrenia thing. Way to write a balanced article. It’s no wonder your cause isn’t taken seriously.
Today is the release date for the documentary called – "High: One Nation Under the Influence" which explores some of the issues related to the prohibition of marijuana. You can see the trailer for the film here: http://www.reefersmoke.com
Just like diabetics need to avoid some foods, people with predisposition to mental instability need to avoid mind altering drugs.. people with schizophrenia need to avoid other medicines as well, you know. But you should have mentioned schizophrenia in this article.
@Stephanie. Massachusetts de-criminalized MJ. That is not the same as legalizing. It is still a misdemeanor. What changed is that you won’t spend time in jail for possesion of MJ. You can still be fined and it will go on your record.
Could you send me any of your citations for the article, especially on cannabis being the #1 painkiller in 1899?
A lot of people are allergic to Aspirin and it can cause horrible rashes known as Erythema Multiforme. Look it up.
Actually, marijuana didn’t make me any less intelligent in high school, it made me more so. I took the ACT college test in junior year and scored a 21. The next year I got high before taking the test and actually scored a 28. May just be me. Also, for more scientific and great pot facts see the movie "Super High Me".
A good friend of mine with severe neuropathy in his feet has finally forgone Vicodin and Tramad0l in favor of pot. I was impressed with at least the improvement in his movement, not to mention attitude!
Actually, marijuana didn’t make me any less intelligent in high school, it made me more so. I took the ACT college test in junior year and scored a 21. The next year I got high before taking the test and actually scored a 28. May just be me. Also, for more scientific and great pot facts see the movie "Super High Me".
To go with what Josh said, I was high most my senior year (even during school), yet I passed with straight A’s except for an 88% in English. Two of those A’s were college-level math classes. I also passed the AP Calculus exam with a 5, which is the highest possible score. I was known as one of the biggest, if not the biggest, potheads in the school. It can make you lazy and make homework harder, but really it’s just mind over matter. I think the people who get high and don’t try in school wouldn’t try even if the drug was taken out of the picture. I was always afraid to point out myself as proof of marijuana’s lack of derogatory effects on school life, due to the whole it being illegal and all. But I quit soon after graduation (cold turkey; HA @ addictiveness), so I can now speak freely on it.
I smoke as much as the next guy, but I found your article to be incredibly specious (if that isn’t an oxymoron). Just because marijuana was used as a painkiller doesn’t mean its effective as one. And just because people with pre-existing conditions can be adversely affected by aspirin doesn’t mean its dangerous. Have some one with lung disease smoke pot and see what the outcome is. But comparing apples and oranges can be fun!