"It was a small sample and I kind of doubt that continued research would confirm a massive reduction in risk of injury among marijuana users."

I agree that to form a scientific hypothesis more people should be tested / questioned, but I just glanced at the study's abstact really quick, and according to it 486 people were questioned about this topic. Compare that to the testicular cancer study which fanatic drug warriors have been lauding the past few weeks in which only 369 people were questioned.

No way can any logical person can claim that this study is inaccurate while championing the results of the testicular cancer study. But then again drug warriors are not known for logic whatsoever.

Did they take into account that people are less likely to admit to being high because it is an illegal substance still? Did they test these patients to determine current level of drugs in their systems? Just sayin....

... I think it is ridiculous to assume it is safer than being sober. Socially, a large crowd of stoned people is much safer than a large crowd of drunk people or even sober people; however, when it comes to complex tasks such as operating a passenger jet, can you tell me you wouldn't be a little worried about boarding a 747 knowing the pilot had just smoked a little marijuana?

A lot of accidents are due to stress that acts as a distraction, for example, driving angry. Cannabis reduces stress, but not too much, at least not like alcohol or Quaaludes, drugs which lead to goofy over-confidence and deliberate risk taking.

Despite the small sampling, the results for cannabis are what I’d expect due to the nature of the herb. I think the study stands a good chance of being reproducible, unlike the shady research of the opposition.

Giordano

I drive much safer while on cannabis than alcohol or sober and so does my friends and girlfriend. That being said, I believe if you are a regular toker you function in a safer manner while stoned but if you aren't used to being high you are more inclined to put yourself in danger IMHO. I was working as a roofer years ago in Annapolis and we smoked a big spliff one morning, then got out of the truck feeling goofy. One of the guys grabbed a heavy ladder, trying to show off, he pulled it from the truck and stood it up too close to a powerline it arced and killed him. I believe because he wasn't a regular smoker that being high(and stupid) killed him. I'm 100% for legalization and even think adhd in kids should be treated with cannabis but there is a risk that goes with being stoned especially if you aren't use to the high.
I tend to second guess my actions when I smoke and that lack of confidence might make me safer.

I WOULD FEEL MUCH SAFER IF A 747 PILOT VAPORIZED A WHOLE LOT OF ORGANICALLY GROWN GANJA BEFORE,DURING AND AFTER THE FLIGHT. IF THE PILOT WERE TO DRINK COFFEE GROWN WITH PETROCHEMICALS/PESTICIDES ETC I WOULD NOT GET ON THE PLANE

you people are retarded to think people who smoke that crap dont hurt themselves or others ya'll go out and steal for ur nasty ass drug habit cuz ur addicted to that illegal stuff which is bullshit i pay taxes to throw you people in prison and god damn it i want it to happen you do nothing but steal cause crime and go around MOLESTING LITTLE KIDS it's a known fact people who try marijuana rape children the dea told us about it and its true if they said it so please do the world a favor u potheads and kill yourself and stop molesting kids

the analysis all you guys make about whether pot would or should or could or sometimes seems to in a certain way, or whether you remember the one time that this one thing happened to this one guy who was stoned, etc..; all of that is fine, but the purpose of there being a study is that it brings a scientific approach to the issue. All the anecdotal analysis in the world is just hypothesis. The study is what's supposed to be true. Sure, maybe we shouldn't conclude too much from just one study, and the results would have to be duplicated, and sure, it's important to scrutinize how serious or how well conducted or what margin of error there was or whatever, but still, the point is that it's scientific, and that means more than our anecdotal analysis. If this is the only study on this subject so far, then, technically, this is the most scientific thing you can say about the issue: The higher you are the safer you are.

becouse all potheads do is commit crimes.you all kill people when you get high and you go around breaking into houses,steal from your familys.potheads are EXTREAMLY VOILENT PEOPLE especially when they are doped up on that demonic plant.and to top it all off it's a world known fact that pot turns you into pedophiles.you sick fucks go to parks get high and look at the little kids playiing on the playgrounds with this sickning obesesed looks on your face where your desires for their innocents takes control and you run over and start raping them in the middle of the park nasty ass people,shame on you all for wanting to legalize such an evil thing and BTW marijuana has no medical value

I'm pro-choice on EVERYTHING!

This discussion will never end. People are either for or against, and it will always be that way. Even if they legalise narcotics and regulate them, there will always be a lobby to ban them.
These debates are pointless, the same way other similar debates on war, politics and whether The Beatles were better or Elvis (definitely The Beatles) are.
Those who like to engage in these pointless debates are of course, welcome, but nothing is ever solved, facts are thrown back and forth, and no single view could ever be right as there is always another perspective to consider. Even when it is acknowledged that narcotics are generally hazardous to the body (plenty of evidence to support it, and plenty of dead rock stars to prove it too), people would still take drugs because they feel they should have the right to decide if they want to take something that is harmful for them. Also, plenty of people would argue that health effects of pot, in particular, are negligible, compared to other similar substances, and some will add to say that the negative effects are offset by its relative benefits. The abolitionists will argue the opposite, bring in tons of new studies, all of them either inconclusive or requiring further study (an endless cycle). This has been going on since Reefer Madness!!
The things people expend their energy on debating beggars belief, since the public will do what is right according to their convictions and there is no persuading people with scare stories or endorsements. To live with convictions is to live a life of folly, since life offers no certainties and owes nothing to the beliefs one sets him or herself. People will judge according to experience or knowledge. The real question should indeed be whether regulation solves anything. If the driver does not smoke pot when s/he drives, but still does so when s/he is home, shows that s/he is not against it in principle. People who abstain because of laws, and not because they feel taking drugs is wrong, is at the heart of the problem since people need to make decisions according to the right reasons, and that is, in a world full of information and differing opinions, impossible. Also, the initial report to which we are responding is pretty stupid - I mean, maybe even people who regularly eat bananas don't have injuries either - it is not like they protect you from injuries.
I am from England by the way which is thankfully, heaven on earth. Even with its problems, London is great for debates, with the multidudes of people from different parts of the world, so there is never a shortage of perespective, which is necessary to get a broader view of narcotics use not only in urban western countries, but their cultural function in other parts of the world, where people seem not to have the same problems associated with narcotics use in the West. Either way, legal or not, I prefer to stay away since I'd rather live longer than put crap in my lungs (as if tobacco isn't doing enough harm).

This study shows a decreased risk of injury, not a lack of impaired judgment. Two wholly different things. I can easily believe marajuana use leads to a decrease in risky behaviors based on users I've known. As a proponent of legalization myself I think that should be the focus from this.

The idea that it doesn't impair judgement is ludicrous, something only a stoner would believe. I used to have a lot of stoner friends, and hung out with them while remaing sober myself. They were constantly coming up with trite, poorly conceived 'great thoughts'. Because I was sober I could see the problems, but the marajuana or acid made them believe they were profound. They were also unable to follow other's thoughts, but they didn't notice.

GOOGLE DYNCORP/D.E.A. CONNECTION HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH LOOK IN YOUR LOCAL PUBLIC RECORDS AT WHAT CRIMES ANTI DRUG GROUPS HAVE COMMITTED AGAINST PEOPLE FROM INFANT TO ELDERLY. A PERSON IS GOING TO COMMIT VIOLENT AND DISGUSTING CRIMES OF THE WORST NATURE IF THATS WHAT THEY CHOOSE WHETHER THEY ARE FOR OR AGAINST MARIJUANA/ENDING THE DRUG WAR WHETHER THEY ARE STONED ON SOMETHING OR NOTHING OTHER THAN THEIR OWN SELF MADE DOPAMINE HIGH AS A RESULT OF THE THRILL OF THEIR SICK BULLYING ADVENTURE. SO GOOD DAY AND BLESSINGS TO ALL

SERIAL MASS MURDERERS,PEDOPHILES,AND ALL MANNER OF RAPISTS OF THAT ILK,INVENTED WAR,RACISM,PROHIBITIONS,AND ALL THE LEGAL DOUBLE STANDARDS THAT KEEP UNCONSTITUTIONAL BULLIES FRAUDULENT LEGAL SYSTEM IN PLACE. ANTI-DRUG GROUPS AND POLICE WHO SUPPORT THEM ARE THE PETROCHEMICEUTICAL PHARMACY BASED DRUG GANG IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD,SECRETLY COMMITTING AND EXEMPTING THEMSELVES FROM ALL THE LAWS AND PENALTIES,COMMITTING ANY CRIME THEY WISH WHILE WEARING THE DECEPTIVE CLOAK OF PUBLIC SERVICE WITH THE UMBRELLA OF HELPFULLNESS COVERTLY BACKED BY CRUELTY. THIS SERVES THEIR PETROCHEMICEUTICAL BASED DICTATORSHIPS VIOLENT STOCK MARKET INSIDER TRADING SCAM VERY WELL. WHEN THINGS THAT ARE NOT CRIMES ARE CONSIDERED CRIMINAL THEN YOU KNOW TERRORISTS HAVE HIGHJACKED YOUR GOVERNMENT,REPLACED IT WITH A FORCED RELIGIOUS CULT, AND REAP THE FRAUDULENT DOUBLE STANDARD BASED INSIDER TRADING PROFIT BENEFITS TODAY THAT PUT MARTHA STEWART IN PRISON .

eek! it appears the d.e.a. and dyncorp are involved in many different crimes against people of any age and have quite a successful profit scam going from the human trafficking sales from their violent/sexual slavery business.

Im 100% in favor of the decriminalization of marijuana but i think what leads marijuana users (especially high doses as stated) to less injuries is the activities one engages in while high most of which sitting on a couch or hanging out a buddies house. not to say that when a person is high their always inactive, but most of the time its the couch and the Cheetos. They should research how much more likely u are to choke on food due to cotton mouth.

I'm just someone studying for an exam and I came across this and this is just my simple opinion on marijuana. First marijuana is a natural plant, un-like: alcohol, meth, cocaine, pills, etc. Yes people take it in their own hands and do what they do to it, but if it was just the natural plant which was placed here for a reason, why can't we smoke it, bake it, or drink it? Is it not in a way considered a herb of some sort? Whats making marijuana illegal i believe is the selling of it on the streets and the lacing it and people not being responsible when they use it. If you want to treat marijuana like alcohol then do so and punish the ones who abuse it, not the one doing nothing wrong and are just chilling at home smoke a joint and watch a movie and munch out whats so bad about that it like sitting back having a beer at home watching the game but instead you dont get slobby drunk and become ignorant you are chilled and either pass out or eat too much to move or you could be like some and brainstorm and be creative with art and do their essays cause they can actually think clearly. I could go on forever but I have to get back to studying but I clearly think that if you want to come to some kind of solution to the marijuana problem then actually sit with individuals from EVERYWHERE and talk about the marijuana and the effects its had on their life im sure over half the population of the USA have smoked marijuana....

Thanks,
Just a college student

jim scott we all need to get off our asses and out from behind the keyboards and do SOMETHING it seems as if our cause makes us too passive......

jim scott bty all you folks need to realize if you hide behind...anonymous...concerned student...et al. youare just waisting your time ...own upto your beliefs to make a difference..

seriousley u stupid pot heads,wtf ,grow up