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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009

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Coma Man Was Conscious
for 23 Years

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5 hours, 34 minutes ago
TALK SHOW ROUNDUP

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College Threatens to Fail Students for Obesity

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Nov 21, 09 11:25 AM CST
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Eyes on 2010

Lincoln
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Dems come calling as GOP eyes her seat in 2010

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Suicide Rate Rising

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Fla. Man to Smoke
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Nov 20, 09 10:32 AM CST
Hadron Collider
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Nov 19, 09 10:00 PM CST
cheers

Alcohol Good
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Daily drinking reduces disease risk by more than a third, says study

Nov 19, 09 10:59 AM CST

|NEXT STORY »

Baby Boomers Still Mad for the Reefer, Man

Posted Aug 19, 09 1:08 PM CDT|

(AP) – Some Americans haven't let go of one part of the 1960s: getting high on illicit drugs. The percentage of Americans age 50-59 who reported use of illicit drugs within a year nearly doubled from 2002-2007, from 5.1% to 9.4%, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported today.

The agency said that percentage rose because baby boomers—born between 1946 and 1964—continued to use drugs as they got older. A SAMHSA official said the continued use "is likely to put further strains on the nation's health care system." The rates of illicit drug use among all other age groups stayed the same or decreased over the 5-year period, the agency said.

Another psychedelic delight of an era gone by: magic mushrooms. (AP Photo)

A medical marijuana patient smokes outside the Los Angeles City Hall. (AP Photo)

An unidentified man smoking marijuana. (AP Photo)

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31 comments

VIEWING:

Realist
Aug 19, 09 1:15 PM CDT

Continued use of 'illicit' drugs like marijuana is probably *saving* the health care system from a lot of stress, not adding to it! Just saying... Reply

+24

IN RESPONSE:

my-name-here
Aug 19, 09 1:53 PM CDT

I'd bet you're right...

IN RESPONSE:

JimW
Aug 19, 09 6:42 PM CDT

No argument here. I'm a legal user, but was not always legal.....;-) 42 years worth, zero problems because of it. If, probably keeps me from going Postal sometimes... hahahha Nice score on that one,Realist...

IN RESPONSE:

Abdulsamadabdul
Aug 19, 09 7:21 PM CDT

True that!

IN RESPONSE:

_Matt_
Aug 19, 09 11:18 PM CDT

Don't you guys know anything. Marijuana is the devil. If you smoke it, you get AIDS and cancer. In fact even the AIDS and the cancer get cancer, and that cancer has leprocy. Weed makes you kill people for no reason, and all smokers end up living in a cave eating their own faeces after they have left it out in the sun to dry.

IN RESPONSE:

jagerhans
Aug 23, 09 9:38 AM CDT

or smoke them dry turds of course. that's how those evil grass fiends end up. look at bill clinton.

| 0 minutes ago

Scrambles
Aug 19, 09 1:20 PM CDT

hopefully this bodes well for ending marijuana prohibition; getting the older generations who are still under the impression that prohibition has worked and that marijuana has no to little value out of power might aid in the legalization process Reply

+10

| 0 minutes ago

Metal_gear
Aug 19, 09 1:32 PM CDT

A SAMHSA official said the continued use "is likely to put further strains on the nation's health care system." Thats funny b/c nobody dies from smoking weed...unless they were allergic to it. How many people die yearly due to alcohol, or prescription drugs, or eating fast food? And if your smart about it get a vaporizer, & your take out whatever harmful stuff that may be in there. Prohibition is a joke, all it is, is something to profit off of. People who do nothing wrong thrown in jail & fined. Its all about the money, not about safety of the user. Reply

+13

IN RESPONSE:

my-name-here
Aug 19, 09 1:57 PM CDT

Not to mention the criminal aspect. When is the last time you read or heard of a pothead getting high and robbing a convenience store? Or beating up their spouse? Exactly. It's as you say Metal_gear, the money.

IN RESPONSE:

AnnieChrist
Aug 19, 09 2:41 PM CDT

You are dead on Metal Gear regarding the money to be made from MJ. Here's why pot won't be legalized: Half the bail bonding companies in the country will go out of business, attorneys will literally be chasing ambulances to make up for lost business, construction companies will have to lay off half the politicians on their payroll, since they are not getting new contracts to build jails, individual counties, who are being paid about $90 a day to house convicted state prisoners in their jails while awaiting transfer, will lose a ton of money and have to raise taxes, and of course, law enforcement officers will have to catch REAL criminals to pad their resume. Meanwhile, who cares that someone's life is ruined because they were caught with a felony amount of a harmless weed, when there is that much money to be made.

IN RESPONSE:

IndependentThinker
Aug 19, 09 5:26 PM CDT

Don't forget that it is a publicly traded commodity that has a value based on the number of people locked up.

| 0 minutes ago

Mad
Aug 19, 09 2:06 PM CDT

Yo, MetalGear, a vaporizer doesn't remove any 'harmful stuff', it just makes your weed last longer as it doesn't destroy as much when igniting the nugget of goodness. The bong, or water pipe is what filters out the tar and heat (the only two 'harmful' things in smoking cannabis). Still gave you a thumbs up, M'man! Party on, MetalGear! Reply

IN RESPONSE:

shonangreg
Aug 19, 09 9:13 PM CDT

A vaporizer doesn't burn the leaf. It only *vaporizes" the volatile liquids contained therein. There is no smoke. The grass is still green after being "consumed". It just doesn't have much THC or cannabinoids remaining. and the high is a little different -- less constrictive, less edgy. So, Metal_gear is mostly right. ..................... And you can make a vaporizer at home. youtube has videos on using a light bulb, but you can do better by using a real test tube, a cork with two holes, two glass tubes (one inserted all the way into the tube for incoming air, and one sticking out the top for drawing on, a test tube holder, and a good lighter. Be very careful not to break the hot glass tube while shaking it around over the flame, though. Ouucchhhh! ;-)

| 0 minutes ago

Mad
Aug 19, 09 2:07 PM CDT

BTW, you just KNOW I vote this "Newser Headline of the Year!" Reply

| 0 minutes ago

ruserious
Aug 19, 09 2:09 PM CDT

You guys already hit on it...with the rising cost of healthcare and prescription drugs: More power to them! Reply

| 0 minutes ago

jagerhans
Aug 19, 09 2:22 PM CDT

it is unbelievable that cannabis, with its enormous worldwide diffusion and extremely limited adverse effects if compared to tobacco, alcohol and right wingers, is still forbidden. the only possible reason, big dealers with a business of billions of dollars dictate the political agenda. after all if even the wackiest lobbies are so strong, do you think that the illegal narcotics phantom lobby is less powerful with all that money in their hands ? i'd be really surprised to find myself wrong. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Rocket448
Aug 19, 09 2:36 PM CDT

Two comments: hell ya I still smoke MJ (I'm in my late 50s) and HELL NO I would never ever say so on a medical history form. Prohibition means I have to lie in order to maintain my grip on middle-class life. God knows what would happen if I were arrested for use - or worse, possession of even slightly more than an oz - and thrown into the system. Would the courts make an example of me? What do you think? The main reason I have never spoken out in favor of ending prohibition (other than in anonymous forums such as this) is my fear of being targeted and jailed. As to being honest on a medical history I would NEVER EVER mention MJ again as I am sure it would prejudice my care givers. I know it did when I was being treated for chronic leg pain in the 90s. Being honest about MJ on a medical history form put me in the category of "users of street drugs" and I was dropped from a well-respected pain clinic. End Prohibition NOW! Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Mad
Aug 19, 09 3:37 PM CDT

Brother Rocket; if you're not growing or selling you are safe from being targeted. I encourage you to be more open in your stance, let the world know you can smoke cannabis often, and still be a productive, respectable member of society. The more people see the everyday face of cannabis, the closer we get to ending the ridiculous prohibition of a God given plant!

IN RESPONSE:

my-name-here
Aug 19, 09 4:39 PM CDT

@Mad, Well said.

IN RESPONSE:

JimW
Aug 19, 09 6:47 PM CDT

If you live in California (the only state I am sure about, 'cuz I am here) just go see a Dr. Get headaches? Aches and pains? Get a certificate, and have zero medical legal problems. It is right next to legal here. And speak up. It is illegal because people stay TOO quiet about it. Now go burn a fat one and don't be so paranoid ;-)

| 0 minutes ago

Cat-Lover
Aug 19, 09 6:27 PM CDT

I was born at the very start of WW2 and all I can say is that my use has increased over time, and I love it. It keeps me out of trouble and out of hospitals. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

cognitivefilter
Aug 19, 09 6:58 PM CDT

i recommend everyone try mushrooms at least once, it's really an experience... MORE IMPORTANTLY: marijuana use won't put any more strain on the budding healthcare system as long as cigarette use remains in the picture as well!!! Reply

IN RESPONSE:

shonangreg
Aug 19, 09 9:25 PM CDT

cognitivefilter, grass doesn't seem to affect some people, and depressed people and young teenagers shouldn7t use it at all. So, even grass isn't for everyone. Shrooms (and acid...) are a different story. I would NOT recommend everyone try shrooms. It does cause personality changes and maybe half the population should stay away. They would just "lose it" somehwat permanently. The onyl people who should try shrooms are those who find descriptions of its high to be interesting. And then they should have a good sitter helping to guide their first trip ensuring a good setting and controlling the dosage. I typically have had rough, introspective journeys on about half the shroom/acid trips I've taken. It has been more than worthwhile for me, though. Such trips are good as challenges, but I do know you have to respect the power of psychedelics. Treat them too casually, and you do violence to your mind.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

cognitivefilter
Aug 19, 09 10:56 PM CDT

back at you: i'm on prozac and smoke weed every day. i'm doing fine. thanks for passing judgment on who "shouldn't" use MJ. mushrooms are out of your system in 8 hours, they pass through your digestive system like any other food but the process of digesting them causes a 'trip.' one moderate amount would not change one's personality. i do agree with you on "respecting the mental challenge," that was well put. so, i'll retract my comment. but i do still believe unequivocally that one trip would really turn people on their heads (in a good way), get a new perspective....

IN RESPONSE:

shonangreg
Aug 20, 09 5:26 AM CDT

It's not me passing judgment. The link comes from clinical testing. It's science. Having said that, googling "marijuana depression" (without the quotes) shows that the link is not conclusive. I'm glad it is working for you, cognitivefilter. ........ Regardng shrooms, I agree about "one moderate amount" not changing one's personality, for the most part. However, you would need a good sitter and an initial small dose to test it. Most people do not approach shrooms so carefully. After the initial trip, competent minds can choose to challenge themselves or to just use it for fun, as many people do. .... The last time I dosed, I went to a hippie commune of sorts and met a guy there (friend of a friend) who had liquid. I asked for 200-300 mics and "bottoms up" it was gone. I walked out into the woods, got lost, got found, and at one point was looking at the Autumnal Equinox bonfire (an coincidental discovery). I could "see" the edges of "puzzle pieces" composing the fire (roughly like I was looking through a puzzle lens...) I felt like I was supposed to jump through the fire -- as if it were a door. I was pretty high, but I was near 50/50 wondering if that was really what I should do. I mumbled "...should I jump through..." and one of two passing Swedish twin guys non-chalantly immediately replied, "...probably not a good idea..." I turned my attention elsewhere then . . . Later, I could see a lightbulb up in the sky. It was hanging about 4 or 5 meters up. I could see it so clearly. I suspected it was really the moon, but it took quite a bit of staring to see that. It looked sooo close. About that time, another guy, with a pardon the pun, less than stellar reputation, had to give me the suggestion that I go up into the attic of the central party house and lie down. I was just soooo high and could not relax. After an hour or so, perhaps sleeping just a little *while peaking*, I felt better, but the party was over. If I could do it again now, I'd only take 1/2 or so of what I did. Still, each trip brings waking consciousness and the dream world closer and closer (and all the other consciousness pairings). These types of experiences, if i don't forget them, *do* affect my personality. It is part of my goal. It is somewhat directed in my case, but be careful about saying that one trip can't change one's internal mental landscape. I think it does fuck some people up permanently. ................ But to your overall point, with the aforementioned considerations in mind, yes, having radically new mental experiences has to be considered a good thing. It is like the proverbial "walking a mile in someone else's shoes". Only in this case, your sort of "thinking a few hours in someone else's brain............."

| 0 minutes ago

kansas1946
Aug 19, 09 10:27 PM CDT

I am very disgusted with the "boomers", not because they smoke some weed, but because they don't lobby hard to get marijuana changed to a controlled, but legal substance. They want to smoke it themselves, but want it illegal for everyone else. As a boomer that doesn't use marijuana and never did, I do lobby to have it legalized. The illegality of pot has done more damage to our society than all the drugs in the world. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Metal_gear
Aug 20, 09 1:40 PM CDT

_Matt_ Would you care to explain how exactly you get AIDS from smoking pot? I have no clue how you ever came up with this lol, are you just pulling things out of a hat? B/c what your saying makes absolutely no sense at all. I also like how Newser is trying to hide comments like mine, I commented way before this very misinformed _Matt_ person. Whats wrong Newser? Dont want the truth getting out? Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Chilblain
Aug 22, 09 10:09 PM CDT

Its called sarcasm. But then again I got pregnant from a toilet seat.

| 0 minutes ago

joefaded
Aug 20, 09 3:57 PM CDT

Baahahaha, Booms are fucking dope dude. those look tasty :P Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Chilblain
Aug 22, 09 10:06 PM CDT

"The percentage of Americans age 50-59 who reported use of illicit drugs within a year nearly doubled from 2002-2007, from 5.1% to 9.4%, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported today." And people answer surveys and polls honestly. No doubt the numbers are muuuuuch higher. Pun intended. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

jagerhans
Aug 23, 09 9:46 AM CDT

people... once a discal hernia bent me like a sickle. i mean, a badly twisted sickle. i could not stand or walk, just jumping around dragging one leg , nor i could lie in bed and sleep . i got free european 'socialist' surgery and my vertebral column returned to working conditions, now i am just fine. but before surgery i had to wait for it some time and the doc prescribed me the pain killer tramadol which had, among his many weird adverse effects ... 'death'. on the other side, it did not work at all. he could kill me yet was powerless at killing my 24/7 round back and leg pain. i resorted to pot that effectively relieved the pain, helping me in sleeping at night too, all this without potentially fatal outcomes. so don't come and tell me that socialized healthcare and grass are my enemies. yours, maybe Reply

| 0 minutes ago

View all 31 comments »

baby boomer • drug use • marijuana • 1960s • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration • middle age • illegal drugs

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Baby Boomers Still Mad for the Reefer, Man

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Boomers Enjoy New 'Whatever' 'Tude on Pot

Older tokers find they can be open about once-taboo habit

MORE ABOUT: Arnold Schwarzenegger • drug use • marijuana • pot

Bong Water Is a Drug: Court

Minnesota Supreme Court overturns ruling that said drug water was paraphernalia

MORE ABOUT: drug trafficking • marijuana • Minnesota • Minnesota Supreme Court • illegal drugs

A Quarter of Middle-Aged Men Binge Drink

Excessive alcohol consumption isn't just for college kids

MORE ABOUT: baby boomer • alcohol • binge drinking • college • middle age • American Journal of Psychiatry

baby boomer • drug use • marijuana • 1960s • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration • middle age • illegal drugs

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from our news partners

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Help

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Boomers Enjoy
New 'Whatever'
'Tude on Pot

MORE ABOUT:
Arnold Schwarzenegger • drug use • marijuana • pot

MORE ABOUT:
drug trafficking • marijuana • Minnesota • Minnesota Supreme Court • illegal drugs

A Quarter of Middle-Aged
Men Binge Drink

MORE ABOUT:
baby boomer • alcohol • binge drinking • college • middle age • American Journal of Psychiatry