Smoke Pot, Get Lead Poisoning?

Dangerous Lead Particles Found In Street Bags of Marijuana, German Research Reveals

(WebMD)  Here's yet another reason to "just say no" to drugs: Smoking marijuana could lead to lead poisoning. Doctors in Germany have linked a mysterious outbreak of lead intoxication to contaminated street supplies of marijuana.

In a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine, Franziska Busse, M.D., of the University Hospital Leipzig and colleagues detail a puzzling occurrence of lead poisoning symptoms over a 3- to 4-month period among patients aged 16 to 33 years old. Twenty-nine patients at four different hospitals had abdominal cramps, nausea, fatigue , and anemia - classic signs and symptoms of lead intoxication.

Yet the source of the lead remained inexplicable. After eight weeks of investigation, Busse and colleagues finally found a common link: all of the patients admitted to smoking pot on a regular basis, either in joint form or through a water pipe.

Tests done on remaining supplies from some patients revealed traces of lead particles mixed with the marijuana leaves. Lead's grayish color allowed the metal to blend easily with the illicit drug. The large size of lead particles found in one package strongly suggested that the poisoning did not result from soil contamination. Busse writes that police suspect street dealers of deliberately lacing street bags of marijuana with the toxic metal in an effort to increase profits. The weight of the lead particles found in the supplies studied would roughly translate into a profit of $1,500 per kilogram of marijuana.

An anonymous screening program involving 145 people ultimately showed that about two-thirds of the participants had high levels of lead in their blood, requiring treatment. For example, a male patient who smoked nine joints a week had a blood lead level nearly 50 times greater than normal.

Lead poisoning can have serious effects on every part of the body. It can damage the nervous system, impair fertility, and lead to memory and concentration problems. Severe lead poisoning can lead to death. Smoking lead is particularly dangerous, because it allows the metal to be easily absorbed into the airways.

The letter appears in the April 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

[cfin5]

Dope''s for weak minded sissies. Be an organic milkaholic,.....your body will thank you when your old.

[azcagirl]

What is going on with WebMd? Weren''t they the ones that said oral s*x and pot lead to neck cancer. And now it gives you lead poisoning! ***?! Conspiracy maybe? I think the whole world should celebrate 420 and have an international smoke out and I can guarentee you that one everyone is baked no one will get shot but the fast food stocks will sky rocket.

[justinCaseBorked]

rf35,

Is democracy a justification for oppression?

It is fact that without limitations, a democracy allows for a majority to oppress any minorities. For example, without laws prohibiting such, a State Religion would soon be the law of the land.

Throughout history, an American majority has used law to oppress the minorities it disagrees with.

From 1919 to 1933, alcohol was prohibited.
Intolerance.

From 1873 to 1936, the Comstock Act prevented distribution of literature or products related to birth control.
Intolerance.

From 2003 to 2007, Genarlow Wilson served 3 years of a mandatory 10 year sentence because he committed an act of ''oral ***''. Had the act been sexual intercourse, he would have walked away with a misdemeanor. Until 1998, Georgia''s anti-sodomy laws made oral *** punishable by up to 20 years in prison (even between husband and wife).
Intolerance.

This sad list goes on-and-on.

The framework of American law has consistently failed to protect minority groups from the tyranny of the majority.

Good job on using your First Amendment right. How about the Second Amendment sanctifying a moral duty to resist unjust laws?

[rf35]

juxtapostle; so, like Bush, you don''t believe in the defining principle of democracy. Just because the majority of people are against legalizing marijuana, they should be told to shut up because YOU want to smoke it. THAT sounds like tyranny to me.

dsproull, yep, I''m a cynical old bast@rd. Now let me exercise my First Amendment right to make fun of dope-heads. They''re such an easy target, how can I resist?

[honestabe8]

Rushman: Not to mention 4:20 next Sunday!

LEGALIZE IT, DON''T CRITICIZE IT, MON!

[rushman71]

honestabe8: Dude, I munching on some pretzels, man!!! I''m baked off my asss at work, dude!!! Can''t wait till it''s 4:20!!!

[honestabe8]

Benst1: In addition, let people that want to grow their own to do so. Just like brewing your own beer, or making your own wine. It just makes sense.

[honestabe8]

I agree with most of the other posters. This is just another reason adults should be allowed to grow their own. But, the political hacks cannot collect tax revenue from home grown pot, so I am not going to hold my breath waiting for it to happen.

[kansas1946]

Whatever. The key words in this article are "street supply." Legalize it and you won''t have to worry about lead poisoning. What a crock.

[dsproull]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! See, pot really does kill! Dope-heads, indeed!
Posted by rf35 at 02:23 PM : Apr 10, 2008
====================================================
What a sick comment to make! You have become extremely caustic about Human life. Better get a grip on yourself. This isn''t good.........

[justinCaseBorked]

"Here''s yet another reason to "just say no" to water: Drinking water could lead to lead poisoning."

1/3 of Americans support decriminalizing cannabis (gallup.com), which means that a majority of Americans do not support decriminalizing cannabis. The resulting injustice is a tyranny of the majority over a sizable minority. This tyranny displays itself as bad law. Bad law that is tearing families apart, and ruining peoples lives.

The Bill of Rights is failing us here.
The root of the problem is a lack of tolerance related to non-violent consentual acts. For non-violent consentual acts that have been deemed ''crime'' by the legal system, there must be a defined [u]level[/u] of tolerance at which point the act cannot be punishable. Currently, that [u]level[/u] of tolerance is a ''majority'', and this is the problem. 1/3? 1/10? 1/25? Put it in writing. A Legal Level of Tolerance at which point the government can no longer punish a [i]non-violent[/i] consentual act. A Legal Level of Tolerance clearly defines the level of the people''s approval/disapproval at which point the government can no longer punish a [i]non-violent[/i] consentual act. Polls will show it. Votes will confirm it.

America''s massive incarceration numbers are due to intolerance toward many non-violent consentual acts, and to the collateral violence resulting from this intolerance.

[rushman71]

"Smoke Pot, Get Lead Poisoning?"
Only the shiit that you would buy from China!!! CBS, stop giving these BS articles. You have better chance at getting killed in a car accident than this!!!

Legalize Marijuana!!! For a better, peaceful America!!!

Roll it up,
Light it up,
Smoke it up,

Inhale...Exhale!!!

[gkc99]

Another argument in favor of decrim--quality control.

Of course the FDA and ITC haven''t done a real great job in protecting us against contaminated legal products, like dog food, heparin, toys, etc. etc. etc.

WebMD is so anti-pot you''d think they were just shill mouthpieces for the Harry J. Anslinger "reefer madness" crowd, or the DEA.

Hardly an unbiased news source.

[rf35]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! See, pot really does kill! Dope-heads, indeed!

[wogerwabbit]

I guess that makes them ''heavy'' drug users.

[knndykills]

How is this news? Dealers have always sold pencil shavings and other things to add to the weight of their bags. Obviously Dont buy German weed

[gringolicker]

OH STOP! DOCTORS AND SCIENTISTS KILL ME. IDIOTS!!