The truth about..skipping policitcs and moving to marijuana truths.

You can find the truth about most things. The answer is research. People think research is just "looking stuff up". Ah, if it were only that simple.

Years ago when you wrote a book, the publisher made sure it was all on the up and up. They didn't want to be sued or for people to think they were not genuine, so they were very careful as to what got published. The same went for newspapers. There were investigative reporters that found the truth, and not just stories that put the newspapers owners slant on things.

There is still some authenticity out there, but it is MUCH harder to find. You can self publish very inexpensively and say whatever you want to. It can be 100% BS, but you can have a book out there that a lot of people will believe because they WANT to. You can write anything on the net and it goes on a search engine for the world to see. You can start a webpage, for as little as $10 a month and put whatever you want to in there, true or not, and again it goes on the search engines.

Weeding through the BS is harder than ever. There are still professional journals that are usually on the up and up, and if something is doubted, research is done, and another paper will sprout up showing the consistences and issues. There are ways of finding valid information, that skill is unfortunately not taught until college, and not checked and forced upon one until grad school. How many people go to grad school? Not enough.

Rule one is "consider the source". Using politics for example, if I want to find if the Republican Party has a valid argument on something, I would NOT go to a republican source. Not the party, not the Daily Republican Newspaper, and not certain newspapers (as we said above), the Wall Street Journal, Fox News or even the Christian Science Monitor. All are admittedly pro Republican. Of course they will all say that the argument is valid.

Go to the opposite side. Find their sources, check their sources, and the background of those sources. Key the opposite of what you think is true into search keys. For instance if you are looking for proof that Abe Lincoln was not Jewish, key in "Abe Lincoln was Jewish" (yes I am being silly here), and see what comes up.

Consider the source. I remember researching a teacher, there were hundreds of posts on the net by people saying how wonderful he was....BUT all were students and people now teaching and making money off of his teachings. I then researched what non students had to say. I started with colleagues, and people of the culture he was teaching about, and found he was 100% Bullcrap.

Look at current information.What does new studies, new findings, and new events show? Check out the author or researcher and see if they are valid or respected.

Use Snopes, or truthorfiction.com BEFORE passing anything on.


Don't read and believe.The most recent example that is non political is that a reader (under the age of 18), wrote becasue he saw a sign on Facebook saying marijuana was harmless, not addictive, natural. I told him anyone can make a sign (My son was kind enough to make one to announce my birthday and age to all of Facebook). Signs made by people on Facebook are the LAST place you should seek to obtain real information. So, for all who saw the sign....here we go.

Marijuana:

Just because something is "natural" doesn't mean it is good for you. Don't eat the nightshade that is growing in your garden (or many other plants) they are all natural, and they will kill you.


It slows brain development, not so bad if you are 30, but really bad if you are still growing and developing. It actually causes structural damage to the developing brain.


The active chemical is THC. It is a hallucinogen, and will act as a stimulant or depressant, depending on the person and their health. THC changes the way your hippocampus (a part of your brain) processes things. When people already have an issue with mood or mood swings, like being Bipolar, Marijuana is the WORST thing for them to use.


It damages the parts of the brain involved in communication skills, learning capabilities and causes a shortened attention span. When a person uses it over many years, it produces the same brain damage that short term use of more serious drugs cause. So cocaine ruins your brain just as badly as marijuana, it however, does it more quickly.


It contains 50-70% MORE carcinogens than cigarettes. It is also dangerous as second hand smoke, the same as regular tobacco.


There is scientific evidence that there is a link between marijuana users, and experimenting with other , more serious drugs.


It cases chronic cough, bronchitis, and more frequent chest colds.


Most users are overweight and unfit.


Most users are in menial jobs, or have no job, probably because of all the things listed above.


It slows your thinking.


Causes memory loss.


Causes distorted thinking.


Causes difficulty in problem solving.


Increases heart rate.


It impairs your reaction time and motor skills.


Several studies have shown a link between prolonged use and anxiety disorders (like panic attacks),  depression, and schizophrenia.


It is addictive. There are two types of addiction. Physical (like heroin causes), and psychological. Marijuana is psychologically addictive.

Is it the worst drug out there? No, not at all, but it is harmless? FAR from it.There is even more research showing negative issues, most of that on use of marijuana combined with use of other drugs.

For the 18 year old who asked...DON'T do it . Bad enough for the old hippes, REALLY bad for you!

So, when you see a cute little saying on a social networking site, don't take it as fact, research it, REALLY research it. (And I wouldn't take the word of a person who is a daily drug user on anything...and by the way, they will always tell you drugs are cool.)

The final step. USE YOUR BRAIN!! Think! Step outside the "what i want to believe" for a second and THINK. You may be very surprised!


Peshaui Wequashimese



(C) 2012 Dr R M Wolf. May not be used, copied or reproduced without prior written permission.