Government study shows MJs true potential as medicine

[Wolf]

Did pot ride into your village on a horse when you were a child, set fire to the houses, pillage the men, rape the cattle, and kill the women?

I'm just trying to understand what crazy [&@%!] you must have been through to have such a warped perspective on the drug. None of the crimes you mentioned were a result of the drug itself, they were a result of the drug being illegal. Shouldn't you... uh... want it to be legalised, or something, to stop people getting killed every day by the thugs involved in trafficking and organised crime?

Fix'd.


Also, if he's American, then that means he went through Elanor Roosevelt's JUST SAY NO TO EVERYTHING THEY TELL YOU TO! capmaign.

[Ragnarok]

I asked for evidence that pot itself was harmful as a drug. We already know the criminals are dangerous, what about the chem?

I already provided all that above. all you have to do is read what I posted.

Which can be counteracted by making pot legal and controlled and putting the criminals out of business?

whyn should we make something legal so the criminals which have no regard for the law can be "legal"? why should we legalize a dangerous drug? why should we give in to basic extortion?

Did pot ride into your village on a horse when you were a child, set fire to the houses, rape the women and kill the men?

I'm just trying to understand what crazy [&@%!] you must have been through to have such a warped perspective on the drug. None of the crimes you mentioned were a result of the drug itself, they were a result of the drug being illegal. Shouldn't you... uh... want it to be legalised, or something, to stop people getting killed every day by the thugs involved in trafficking and organised crime?

no, what I want is people to get their heads out of their arses and quit making excuses. I've seen the effects. there is no legitimate reason to legalize pot ...

Did pot ride into your village on a horse when you were a child, set fire to the houses, pillage the men, rape the cattle, and kill the women?

I'm just trying to understand what crazy [&@%!] you must have been through to have such a warped perspective on the drug. None of the crimes you mentioned were a result of the drug itself, they were a result of the drug being illegal. Shouldn't you... uh... want it to be legalised, or something, to stop people getting killed every day by the thugs involved in trafficking and organised crime?

Fix'd


Also, if he's American, then that means he went through Elanor Roosevelt's JUST SAY NO TO EVERYTHING THEY TELL YOU TO! capmaign.

had nothing to do with it wolf. just another lame attempt to discredit and dismiss criticism. you can't come up with a legit reason other than social pressure, which isn't a legit reason.

[Wolf]

had nothing to do with it wolf. just another lame attempt to discredit and dismiss criticism. you can't come up with a legit reason other than social pressure, which isn't a legit reason.

Social pressure is very relevant-- as are parental, authoritarian, and educational pressures.

But I wasn't actually arguing you. I was simply stating a fact. If you were educated in a public U.S. school, chances lean heavily towards you going through that program.

[Dark Lord Cam]

You're misunderstanding me. I want evidence to show why you think MJ is chemically dangerous to the body. Yes, the criminals are dangerous, I understand that. Why is the drug, as a drug, dangerous?

[Ragnarok]

None of those things are a direct side effect of smoking pot. Those are all a direct effect of criminals using pot to gain profit. Believe me, there is a difference.

and you are dead wrong Cam for the simple fact that the ONLY way those things happen is to supply the demand for pot ...

Right, which is why it makes so much sense to keep a nearly harmless drug illegal and therefore a rather large source of money for criminals.

what do you not understand? pot is NOT a "harmless" drug. that's one of the biggest lies propagandized by today's pot head society ... keep your crap away from me and my family and kids. you bring it around my family at your own risk and peril.

You're misunderstanding me. I want evidence to show why you think MJ is chemically dangerous to the body. Yes, the criminals are dangerous, I understand that. Why is the drug, as a drug, dangerous?

did you read anything I poted? its all there.

[Rhyme Asylum]

>'Shouldn't be legalised because it's a dangerous drug.'
>Not medically dangerous at all - actually beneficial.
>Only danger comes from criminals.
>That would go away if legalised.

Can't you just find a fault in that reasoning, instead of badly typing up comments which equate to 'no u'?

SHOW ME IT'S MEDICALLY BAD FOR YOU.

[Wolf]

>'Shouldn't be legalised because it's a dangerous drug.'
>Not medically dangerous at all - actually beneficial.
>Only danger comes from criminals.
>That would go away if legalised.

Can't you just find a fault in that reasoning, instead of badly typing up comments which equate to 'no u'?

SHOW ME IT'S MEDICALLY BAD FOR YOU.

That, and you're not actually providing any evidence to any sort of chemical danger to the body, Rag...

It's not propaganda, sweetheart, it's fact. Have you actually known anyone that's smoked pot? I have. Quite a few. My two best friends smoke on occasion. One of them is an SLP in grad school-- she's doing just fine, medically-- and the other one is working on research for a senior's thesis on authoritarianism in Christian family development-- she's almost doing just fine. She's headed for a doctorate in clinical psych.

No life-wrecking there...

And before you try to accuse me of being personally biased: I have never smoked pot nor have any intention to while it's still illegal. Not because I consider it dangerous, but rather because I simply have no reason to and the fact that my parents are against it (and they pay my bills) is a very large reason not to.

[Ragnarok]

>'Shouldn't be legalised because it's a dangerous drug.'
>Not medically dangerous at all - actually beneficial.
>Only danger comes from criminals.
>That would go away if legalised.

Can't you just find a fault in that reasoning, instead of badly typing up comments which equate to 'no u'?

SHOW ME IT'S MEDICALLY BAD FOR YOU.

That, and you're not actually providing any evidence to any sort of chemical danger to the body, Rag...

It's not propaganda, sweetheart, it's fact. Have you actually known anyone that's smoked pot? I have. Quite a few. My two best friends smoke on occasion. One of them is an SLP in grad school-- she's doing just fine, medically-- and the other one is working on research for a senior's thesis on authoritarianism in Christian family development-- she's almost doing just fine. She's headed for a doctorate in clinical psych.

No life-wrecking there...

your lying. yes, I was a pot head. my friends were pot heads. and I'VE POSTED ALL SORTS OF FACTS THAT SHOW ITS DANGEROUS SO ARE YOU BLIND?

[Rhyme Asylum]

Just in anticipation for the inevitable 'lol i was jus trollin u guys':

Spoiler:

[Wolf]

Now you're accusing me of lying? Do you honestly think I'm lying about Lexie and Alisa? I respect the hell out of them.

[Dark Lord Cam]

Just in anticipation for the inevitable 'lol i was jus trollin u guys':

Spoiler:

No more of that please. It doesn't help.

Rag, I want proof that Marijuana is dangerous to our bodies as a chemical substance. I know about the criminals. I want facts on the actual drug, not the criminals.

How much do you actually know about the drug itself as a substance?

[Wolf]

yes, I was a pot head. my friends were pot heads. and I'VE POSTED ALL SORTS OF FACTS THAT SHOW ITS DANGEROUS SO ARE YOU BLIND?

Were you, now? And what did pot do to your life?

[Frost Mage]

your lying.

Spoiler:

YouTube Link

Just kidding. But I'm still not seeing any actual facts that show that MJ is harmful to your body.

[Ragnarok]

"Using marijuana at a young age can result in structural and functional deficits of the brain. This could cause you to develop weakened verbal and communication skills, lowered learning capabilities and a shortened attention span.40"

"Marijuana smoke contains 50% to 70% more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke.41"

"Research shows that the earlier you start using marijuana, the more likely you are to become dependent on it or other types of drugs later in life.42"

"A number of studies have also shown an association between chronic marijuana use and increased rates of anxiety, depression and schizophrenia. 41"

"Research has shown that, in chronic users, marijuana's adverse impact on learning and memory can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off.2 As a result, someone who smokes marijuana every day may be functioning at a suboptimal intellectual level all of the time."

"Estimates from research suggest that about 9 percent of users become addicted to marijuana; this number increases among those who start young (to about 17 percent) and among daily users (25-50 percent)."

"A number of studies have shown an association between chronic marijuana use and increased rates of anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia."

"Currently, the strongest evidence links marijuana use and schizophrenia and/or related disorders.4"

"High doses of marijuana can produce an acute psychotic reaction; in addition, use of the drug may trigger the onset or relapse of schizophrenia in vulnerable individuals."

"Marijuana increases heart rate by 20-100 percent shortly after smoking; this effect can last up to 3 hours. In one study, it was estimated that marijuana users have a 4.8-fold increase in the risk of heart attack in the first hour after smoking the drug.5"

"Numerous studies have shown marijuana smoke to contain carcinogens and to be an irritant to the lungs. In fact, marijuana smoke contains 50-70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke. Marijuana users usually inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers do, which further increase the lungs' exposure to carcinogenic smoke. Marijuana smokers show dysregulated growth of epithelial cells in their lung tissue, which could lead to cancer;6"

"marijuana smokers can have many of the same respiratory problems as tobacco smokers, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent acute chest illness, and a heightened risk of lung infections. A study of 450 individuals found that people who smoke marijuana frequently but do not smoke tobacco have more health problems and miss more days of work than nonsmokers.8 Many of the extra sick days among the marijuana smokers in the study were for respiratory illnesses."

"Research clearly demonstrates that marijuana has the potential to cause problems in daily life or make a person's existing problems worse. In one study, heavy marijuana abusers reported that the drug impaired several important measures of life achievement, including physical and mental health, cognitive abilities, social life, and career status.9 Several studies associate workers' marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardiness, accidents, workers' compensation claims, and job turnover."

"Myth 1: Marijuana is harmless.
Not so. Marijuana is more potent than
ever and can lead to a host of significant
physical, social, learning and behavioral
problems at a crucial time in the lives of
young people.

Myth 2: You can’t get addicted to marijuana.
Despite popular belief, scientific research has
shown that marijuana use can indeed lead to
dependency and addiction.

Myth 3: Marijuana won’t hurt you — it’s just a plant.
A significant body of research has identified the
consequences of marijuana use, including changes
to the brain, problems with learning, effects on
mental health, and lung and respiratory damage.

Myth 4: Marijuana doesn’t make you lose control. It
just makes you mellow.
Marijuana affects many of the skills required for safe
driving and other tasks, and these effects can last
up to four hours. Research has also shown a link
between frequent marijuana use and increased
violent behavior.

Myth 5: Marijuana isn’t as popular among youth
today as other newer drugs like Ecstasy.
Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug
in the United States.

Myth 6: There’s not much parents or anyone else
can do to stop youth from experimenting.
Parents are the most powerful influence on their
children when it comes to drugs. Two-thirds of
youth ages 13-17 say losing their parents’ respect
is one of the main reasons they don’t smoke marijuana
or use other drugs."

"Myth: Marijuana won’t hurt you, it’s just a plant.
Fact: Cocaine comes from coca plants, heroin from poppy plants and both are
harmful.

Myth: Marijuana is not addicting.
Fact: Marijuana can be addictive, like any other psychoactive drug.

Myth: Marijuana is allegedly used for medicinal purposes, so it can’t be bad for you.
Fact: Cocaine and opiates are used for medicinal purposes too, and they can be
dangerous.

Myth: Marijuana doesn’t cause you to lose control; you know what’s going on
around you.
Fact: Marijuana can impair your judgment, causing you to do things you'll regret
(e.g., having sex and increasing your risk of STDs, unplanned pregnancy, driving
with people who are high or intoxicated or putting yourself in any other
vulnerable position).

Myth: Marijuana smoke isn’t all that dangerous to the lungs.
Fact: Marijuana smoke contains toxic chemicals that can cause lung problems,
including cancer."

"Impaired short-term memory (memory of recent events)—making it hard to learn and retain information, particularly complex tasks.
Slowed reaction time and impaired motor coordination—throwing off athletic performance, impairing driving skills, and increasing the risk of injuries
Altered judgment and decisionmaking—possibly leading to high-risk sexual behaviors that could lead to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
Increased heart rate by 20-100%—may increase the risk of heart attack, especially in otherwise vulnerable individuals
Altered mood—euphoria, calmness, or in high doses, anxiety, paranoia"

"Addiction
Poorer educational outcomes and job performance, diminished life satisfaction
Respiratory problems—chronic cough, bronchitis
Risk of psychosis in vulnerable individuals
Cognitive impairment persisting beyond the time of intoxication"

"People who are dependent on marijuana frequently have other comorbid mental disorders (see figure). Population studies reveal an association between cannabis use and increased risk of schizophrenia and, to a lesser extent, depression, and anxiety. "

"•Smoking marijuana leads to some changes in the brain similar to those caused by cocaine, heroin and alcohol."

"•Regular marijuana users often develop breathing problems including chronic coughing and wheezing. Marijuana contains the same cancer-causing chemicals as tobacco. The amount of tar inhaled by marijuana smokers and the level of carbon monoxide absorbed by those who smoke marijuana, regardless of THC content, are three to five times greater than among tobacco smokers. Smoking five marijuana cigarettes is equal to smoking a full pack of tobacco cigarettes. According to the American Lung Association, there is 50-70% more cancer causing material in marijuana smoke than in cigarette smoke. In fact, marijuana smoke contains more than 400 chemicals."

"•For young users, marijuana can lead to increased anxiety, panic attacks, depression and other mental health problems. For those already prone to depression or anxiety attacks, marijuana use may accelerate or exacerbate problems.
•The United Kingdom Department of Health acknowledged in January, 2004 that cannabis is an “important causal factor” in mental illness. A spokesman for the Department said that “There is medical clinical evidence now that there is an important causal factor between cannabis use and schizophrenia—not the only factor, but an important causal factor. That is the common consensus among the medical fraternity.”3
•A British mental health organization, Rethink, reported that “there had been a 60% increase in people who had smoked (cannabis) and had mental problems in the last five years.4
•A study conducted by Maastricht University (Netherlands) and published in the British Medical Journal reported that frequent cannabis use during adolescence and young adulthood raises the risk of psychotic symptoms later in life.5"

"•Marijuana affects alertness, concentration, perception, coordination and reaction time, many of the skills required for safe driving and other tasks. These effects can last several hours after smoking marijuana. Marijuana use can also make it difficult to judge distances and react to signals and sounds on the road.
•Research has provided more evidence of the prevalence of drugged driving and the resulting consequences. A roadside study of reckless drivers who were not impaired by alcohol showed that 45% tested positive for marijuana.6
•Research conducted by the University of Auckland, New Zealand, proves the link between marijuana use and car accidents. The research found that habitual cannabis users were 9.5 times more likely to be involved in crashes, with 5.6% of people who had crashed having taken the drug, compared to 0.5% of the control group.7"

"•Research shows that kids who use marijuana in early adolescence are more likely to engage in risky behaviors that may put their futures in jeopardy, such delinquency; having multiple sexual partners; perceiving drugs as not harmful; and having more friends who exhibit deviant behavior.8
•Despite popular notions, research has shown a link between frequent marijuana use and increased violent behavior. Research found that among youth, the incidence of physically attacking people, destroying property and stealing increased in proportion to the number of days marijuana was smoked in the past year.
•In 2002, approximately 21 percent of youths (5 million) engaged in serious fighting at school or work, almost 16 percent (4 million) took part in a group-against-group fight, and almost 8 percent (2 million) attacked someone with the intent to seriously hurt them during the past year. Nearly 5 percent of youths (1.2 million) stole or tried to steal something worth more than $50, more than 4 percent (1.1 million) sold illegal drugs, and more than 3 percent (800,000) carried a handgun during the past year. The percentages of youths engaging in delinquent behaviors in the past year rose with increasing frequency of marijuana use.8
•According to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (now the National Survey on Health) adolescents 12-17 who use marijuana weekly are nine times more likely than non-users to experiment with other illegal drugs or alcohol, five times more likely to steal and nearly four times more likely to engage in violence.9"

"•Researchers have found that heavy marijuana use impairs the ability of young people to concentrate and retain information. Regular marijuana use has been shown to be associated with cognitive deficits and poor academic performance. This may be especially problematic during teens' peak learning years, when their brains are still developing.
•One study found an association between an increase in adolescent marijuana use and a decrease in the likelihood of attaining at least a high school education.
•Research found that youths with an average grade of "D" or below were more than four times as likely to have used marijuana in the past year as youths who reported an average grade of "A."10
•Students who have smoked marijuana within the past year are more than twice as likely to cut class than those who did not smoke, and health problems associated with using marijuana can keep students from attending school due to illness."

"•The substances in marijuana stay in the fatty parts of the body for long periods of time.
•A 50% concentration of THC can be found in the body up to eight days after using marijuana and traces can be found in the body up to 3 months after use . THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, accumulates particularly in the testes, liver and brain of users.
•PET scans (a brain mapping method which allows scientists to visualize what is happening in the brain) of regular marijuana users show that marijuana may continue to impact the brain three or more days after use, particularly affecting motor coordination, memory and learning. According to two studies, marijuana use narrows the arteries in the brain, “similar to patients with high blood pressure and dementia”11 and may explain why memory tests are difficult for marijuana users. In addition, “chronic consumers of cannabis lose molecules called CB1 receptors in the brain’s arteries,”12 leading to blood flow problems in the brain which can cause memory loss, attention deficits, and impaired learning ability.
•Research has now established that marijuana is addictive. Each year, more teens enter treatment with a primary diagnosis of marijuana dependence than for all other illicit drugs combined. Over sixty percent of teens admitted to drug treatment cite marijuana as their primary substance of abuse.
•Research also shows that marijuana use is three times more likely to lead to dependence among adolescents than among adults.
•Research indicates that the earlier kids start using marijuana, the more likely they are to become dependent on this or other illicit drugs later in life.
•The proportion of admissions for primary marijuana abuse increased from 6% in 1992 to 64% percent of admissions in 2002. Almost half (46 percent) of the people admitted for marijuana were under 20 years old. Of those admitted for treatment for primary marijuana dependence, 56 percent had first used the drug by age 14, and 26 percent had begun by age 12.
•Even marijuana proponents acknowledge that marijuana use is harmful for teens. Allen St. Pierre, the executive director of NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marjuana Laws) recently stated that "One can argue before a young person reaches full brain development in their early 20's, they should not use or have legal access to marijuana."1
•Scientists have proven that marijuana users experience changes in the flow of blood to their brains. Ronald Herning of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that marijuana smokers may suffer from narrowed blood vessels in their brains, possibly explaining why smokers experience memory and thinking problems.12"

"For example, THC interferes with learning and memory—that is because the hippocampus—a part of the brain with a funny name and a big job—plays a critical role in certain types of learning. Disrupting its normal functioning can lead to problems studying, learning new things, and recalling recent events. The difficulty can be a lot more serious than forgetting if you took out the trash this morning, which happens to everyone once in a while."

Q: Does marijuana pose health risks to users?
Marijuana is an addictive drug1 with significant health consequences to its users and others. Many harmful short-term and long-term problems have been documented with its use:

The short term effects of marijuana use include: memory loss, distorted perception, trouble with thinking and problem solving, loss of motor skills, decrease in muscle strength, increased heart rate, and anxiety2.

In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of emergency room mentions of marijuana use. From 1993-2000, the number of emergency room marijuana mentions more than tripled.

There are also many long-term health consequences of marijuana use. According to the National Institutes of Health, studies show that someone who smokes five joints per week may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes every day.

Marijuana contains more than 400 chemicals, including most of the harmful substances found in tobacco smoke. Smoking one marijuana cigarette deposits about four times more tar into the lungs than a filtered tobacco cigarette.

Harvard University researchers report that the risk of a heart attack is five times higher than usual in the hour after smoking marijuana.3

Smoking marijuana also weakens the immune system4 and raises the risk of lung infections.5 A Columbia University study found that a control group smoking a single marijuana cigarette every other day for a year had a white-blood-cell count that was 39 percent lower than normal, thus damaging the immune system and making the user far more susceptible to infection and sickness.6

Users can become dependent on marijuana to the point they must seek treatment to stop abusing it. In 1999, more than 200,000 Americans entered substance abuse treatment primarily for marijuana abuse and dependence.

More teens are in treatment for marijuana use than for any other drug or for alcohol. Adolescent admissions to substance abuse facilities for marijuana grew from 43 percent of all adolescent admissions in 1994 to 60 percent in 1999.

Marijuana is much stronger now than it was decades ago. According to data from the Potency Monitoring Project at the University of Mississippi, the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of commercial-grade marijuana rose from an average of 3.71 percent in 1985 to an average of 5.57 percent in 1998. The average THC content of U.S. produced sinsemilla increased from 3.2 percent in 1977 to 12.8 percent in 1997.7

Q. Does marijuana harm anyone besides the individual who smokes it?

Consider the public safety of others when confronted with intoxicated drug users:

Marijuana affects many skills required for safe driving: alertness, the ability to concentrate, coordination, and reaction time. These effects can last up to 24 hours after smoking marijuana. Marijuana use can make it difficult to judge distances and react to signals and signs on the road.11

In a 1990 report, the National Transportation Safety Board studied 182 fatal truck accidents. It found that just as many of the accidents were caused by drivers using marijuana as were caused by alcohol -- 12.5 percent in each case.

Consider also that drug use, including marijuana, contributes to crime. A large percentage of those arrested for crimes test positive for marijuana. Nationwide, 40 percent of adult males tested positive for marijuana at the time of their arrest.

In Summary:

Marijuana is a dangerous, addictive drug that poses significant health threats to users.

Marijuana has no medical value that can't be met more effectively by legal drugs.

Marijuana users are far more likely to use other drugs like cocaine and heroin than non-marijuana users.

Drug legalizers use "medical marijuana" as red herring in effort to advocate broader legalization of drug use.

THOSE ARE THE FACTS. DEAL WITH IT.

[Spiney]

tl;dr pl0x

[Wolf]

I'm skimming this and seeing a lot of low percentages and "is linked to", which is science-speak for "these things happen at the same time, but we don't know why".

Correlation != Causation

[Dark Lord Cam]

Spiney, that doesn't help.

Rag, that's what I asked for. Thank you.

[Ragnarok]

yeah, you would wolf. its called cognitive bias.

[Rhyme Asylum]

Ohai, complete lack of sources. Looks very credible, sir.

[Wolf]

Right... Because knowing how to read and interpret research and scientific journals is cognitive bias.


Apart from anything actually saying "impaired", most of that information is pure correlation, which is not an argument.

[Frost Mage]

Ohai, complete lack of sources. Looks very credible, sir.

I think the fact that he couldn't have typed that post that fast is proof enough that he copy and pasted it. Still, I want sources.

[Ragnarok]

listed the sources first . I posted the links and everyone kept repeating "but what are the fact? durrr ..." so I went through and extracted them point by point ...

wolf, nice try, but the fact is this is the exact same type of research they conduct to determine negative effects of other drugs like coke and heroine, so you could try that argument for any such forum. are you actually going to try to argue all such research is equally flawed and faulty and we should legalize everything? Mexico's pres tried that argument. look at the whole post. the list is enough to bury pot, but you prefer to dismissivly ignore all the corraborating evidence in favor of what you perswoanlly want to believe. the fact is there's no amount of evidence of facts I can post that someone who is cognitively bised and compromised will buy without dismissing it.

[Wolf]

Myth 1: Marijuana is harmless.
Not so. Marijuana is more potent than
ever

What does that mean, "more potent than ever"?

[Ragnarok]

Myth 1: Marijuana is harmless.
Not so. Marijuana is more potent than
ever

What does that mean, "more potent than ever"?

try reading the post

"Marijuana is much stronger now than it was decades ago. According to data from the Potency Monitoring Project at the University of Mississippi, the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of commercial-grade marijuana rose from an average of 3.71 percent in 1985 to an average of 5.57 percent in 1998. The average THC content of U.S. produced sinsemilla increased from 3.2 percent in 1977 to 12.8 percent in 1997.7 "

[Wolf]

wolf, nice try, but the fact is this is the exact same type of research they conduct to determine negative effects of other drugs like coke and heroine, so you could try that argument for any such forum. are you actually going to try to argue all such research is equally flawed and faulty and we should legalize everything? Mexico's pres tried that argument. look at the whole post. the list is enough to bury pot, but you prefer to dismissivly ignore all the corraborating evidence in favor of what you perswoanlly want to believe. the fact is there's no amount of evidence of facts I can post that someone who is cognitively bised and compromised will buy without dismissing it.

That doesn't make it good research. That makes it sub-standard research that's published a lot. If you go into an empirical field, your main rule of thumb is always "correlation does not imply causation". It's not cognitive bias, it's not propaganda, it's not myth-making; it's fact. I will say that again: CORRELATION DOES NOT IMPLY CAUSATION. THIS IS FACT.