MARIJUANA - 18 GRAMS

First, before I start - SHAME on RVD and Sabu, who were busted in Ohio recently. Troopers who caught the duo, found them in posession of 18 gms Marijuana, 5 Vicodin, 9 painkillers and a pipe used to smoke pot. RVD who was the WWE and ECW champion should have known better. It is DISGUSTING that the champion place the WWE in such an embarrasing situation. RVD has placed the company in a situation where the very future of ECW is in straits. Before I am lambasted from all sides, and am told that RVD and Sabu need such drugs to negate pain, just one question - what would happen to YOUR job, if you were caught in posession of drugs? Shame on the WWE's inconsistent wellness talent program. RVD suspended 1 month and Sabu fined $1000 - RIDICULOUS. And I presume both are going to be pushed hard on their return. PHILLY ROCKS. Way to go dudes.........MARIJUANA 18 GRAMS.........Wow!! Can happen only in E C DUB!!!
Anyway, this begs a much more important question - should Marijuana be banned in the first place? Let us have a look at the effects (immediate and long term, as well as how lethal the drug is)
Source - wikipedia
Cognitive effects
Varying amounts of paranoia and anxiety in some users[16]
Loss of coordination and distorted sense of time [17]
Impairment of short-term memory in some users
Auditory or visual hallucinations at high doses in some users
Induced sense of novelty
Increased awareness of sensation
Increased mental activity
Relaxation or stress reduction

Behavioral effects
Varying degrees of euphoria and feelings of well-being
Initial wakefulness followed by drowsiness and lassitude ("burnt out")
Gain or loss of some inhibitions

Physiological effects
Anti-emetic properties (in moderate doses) [18]
Enhancement of many other drug effects
Lowered intraocular pressure
Increased blood flow and heart rate (tachycardia)
Reddening or drying of eyes
Lower blood pressure while standing. Higher blood pressure while sitting
Increased appetite (often referred to as "the munchies")
Mild, temporary dry mouth
Induces drowsiness

Lethal Dose :It is generally considered to be impossible to achieve a lethal overdose by smoking cannabis.There has only ever been one recorded verdict (although not ultimately upheld) of fatal overdose due to cannabis. In January 2004, Lee Maisey of Pembrokeshire, Wales was found dead. The coroner's report stated "Death due to probable cannabis toxicity". It had been reported that Maisey smoked about six joints a day.

Long term effects :

There is little conclusive scientific evidence about the long-term effects of human cannabis consumption.[23] The findings of many earlier studies purporting to demonstrate the effects of the drug are unreliable and generally regarded as junk science, as the studies were flawed, with strong bias and poor methodology. The most significant confounding factor is the use of other drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, by test subjects in conjunction with cannabis. When subjects using only cannabis were combined in the same sample with subjects using other drugs as well, researchers could not reach a conclusion as to whether their findings were caused by cannabis, other drugs or the interaction between them. In addition, research using cannabis is heavily restricted in many countries, making it difficult to get new studies funded or approved. Since there are so many different compounds in cannabis, it is difficult to predict or accurately measure its effects.
Some conclusions established with some degree of certainty, however, are that cannabis is less likely to cause emphysema or cancer than tobacco.

With this background, it is ridiculous to enforce a blanket ban on Marijuana. The punishment for posession of less than 100 grams is a mere fine. Surely that tells us how frivolous the punishment.is. With insufficient evidence on the dangers of marijuana and effects that are comparable to alcohol / nicotine, it is hgh time this drug is legalized.

But until then, GO PHILLY!!!!

- Hari