Is the new anti-smoking law working?
Jan 20th 2011, 1:27 pm
#451
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Re: Is the new anti-smoking law working?
Jan 20th 2011, 1:39 pm
#452
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Re: Is the new anti-smoking law working?
Is cannabis more cancerous than tobacco
Let me be a bit more even handed than you and suggest that you "Bing" the sub-caption where you will find a number of conflicting answers which you can slant as you wish. You will also find a comment by your mentor to a Sub-commitee of Parliament where he implies that cannabis is virtually benign.
But do try to read the others.
Jim
Let me be a bit more even handed than you and suggest that you "Bing" the sub-caption where you will find a number of conflicting answers which you can slant as you wish. You will also find a comment by your mentor to a Sub-commitee of Parliament where he implies that cannabis is virtually benign.
But do try to read the others.
Jim
So I feel confident in telling you that based on our present knowledgebase about cannabis, yes it is a relatively harmless and benign drug for the vast majority of humans. Furthermore, there are definite indicators that once we know and understand more about the 60 or so cannabinoid compounds which cannabis plants produce, then we will be in a position where we will have some very promising tools with which to push the boundaries of therapeutic medicine.
One of the stumbling blocks we encounter in our research, is, ironically, hippocratic medicine. Simply speaking, medicine is very uncomfortable with the basic notion of mind-body interaction. It doesn't deny it, but it doesn't understand it. Cannabis as a therapeutic compound works on the brain. The 'high' one experiences from cannabis is inextricably linked to its therapeutic effect. As an example, many MS sufferers find great relief in cannabis. Cannabinoids have no direct effect on their damaged myelin sheath, but instead has an effect on that part of the brain which controls and responds to this physical damage.
And finally, jim, what is so 'wrong' with a mind-altering drug per se ? Of the thousands of cannabis users I have been around and the hundreds I've interviewed, the vast majority of them very much enjoy this 'high', the feeling of relaxation, of a certain euphoria, of thinking outside the 'box' as it were. Naturally I've tried it myself. It can produce a very nice sensation of happiness and contentedness. Is there something somehow wrong with artificially inducing happiness ??
Jan 20th 2011, 1:39 pm
#453
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Re: Is the new anti-smoking law working?
Hi matt, I think what cricketman is worried about is not artificial selection or natual selection but the act of genetic engineering, i.e. splicing a gene or genes into an existing helix which could never have been achieved otherwise.
He names Monsanto but there are any number of other companies out there who are working on similar projects. We are now seeing seeds, for example, which have been engineered to render them sterile, being sold to farmers. So the farmers sole source of seed becomes the agrotech supplier. Worrying.
Your a horticulturist eh ? I practice it as a very enjoyable pastime. Did you know that Hydrangea can be used as a soil test kit ? I learned the other day that the bloom will be either blue or pink depending on the acidity/alkilinity of the soil ? Fascinating.
He names Monsanto but there are any number of other companies out there who are working on similar projects. We are now seeing seeds, for example, which have been engineered to render them sterile, being sold to farmers. So the farmers sole source of seed becomes the agrotech supplier. Worrying.
Your a horticulturist eh ? I practice it as a very enjoyable pastime. Did you know that Hydrangea can be used as a soil test kit ? I learned the other day that the bloom will be either blue or pink depending on the acidity/alkilinity of the soil ? Fascinating.
Jan 20th 2011, 2:23 pm
#455
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Re: Is the new anti-smoking law working?
I seem to remember that there are all sorts of genetic oddities in the DNA library of our bodies. Isn't a massive chunk of our DNA viral?
Jan 20th 2011, 3:23 pm
#456
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Re: Is the new anti-smoking law working?
No, I'm looking at it from the perspective of a horticulturist. The process of artificial selection is exactly the same process as GM principles, you are choosing certain genes to produce a desired product, the only difference is the way its done and the amount of modern science is applied. We have always genetically modified animals to our needs, do you honestly think pigs are naturally pink? Nope, they have been genetically engineered for ease of slaughter.... but now, instead of waiting years and generations for that natural mutation to become standard through selective breeding we can now do it in the lab.... the process is the same.
Still I am not so worried about the science part, but about the motives of the large companies who hold the patents to the GM technology and exploit small farmers across the world with it. For me this is a radical form of agriculture and should be used for good e.g. feeding the world's poor, not simply for making very rich people even richer still
Jan 20th 2011, 3:44 pm
#457
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Re: Is the new anti-smoking law working?
Ooooo. I'm not sure that I agree there. I REALLY don't like the term natural. Does nature have boundaries? I've always seen evolution as the process of betting round barriers.
I seem to remember that there are all sorts of genetic oddities in the DNA library of our bodies. Isn't a massive chunk of our DNA viral?
I seem to remember that there are all sorts of genetic oddities in the DNA library of our bodies. Isn't a massive chunk of our DNA viral?
Jan 20th 2011, 3:44 pm
#458
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Re: Is the new anti-smoking law working?
Yes you are right, except for when they take genes from a different kind of species completely and splice them into another one (which they do do). Then you are talking not about mutant genes but mutant species
Still I am not so worried about the science part, but about the motives of the large companies who hold the patents to the GM technology and exploit small farmers across the world with it. For me this is a radical form of agriculture and should be used for good e.g. feeding the world's poor, not simply for making very rich people even richer still
Still I am not so worried about the science part, but about the motives of the large companies who hold the patents to the GM technology and exploit small farmers across the world with it. For me this is a radical form of agriculture and should be used for good e.g. feeding the world's poor, not simply for making very rich people even richer still
(Some more than others of course.)
Jan 20th 2011, 3:49 pm
#459
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Re: Is the new anti-smoking law working?
Well yes, in the way that gene mutation is essential for natural selection and sexual reproduction is full of gene mutations, some harmful, some beneficial.
Just depends exactly what you mean with the word, I was referring to taking a gene or chunks of the genome from one species and transferring it into the genome of the other to make a hybrid species. This is what happens in GM technology. Like I've said I have no problem with the science, but if you are going to play around with reproductive natural processes so much then I'd hope that there were a motive greater than "improving profit margins"
Just depends exactly what you mean with the word, I was referring to taking a gene or chunks of the genome from one species and transferring it into the genome of the other to make a hybrid species. This is what happens in GM technology. Like I've said I have no problem with the science, but if you are going to play around with reproductive natural processes so much then I'd hope that there were a motive greater than "improving profit margins"
Jan 20th 2011, 3:51 pm
#460
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Re: Is the new anti-smoking law working?
Well yes, in the way that gene mutation is essential for natural selection and sexual reproduction is full of gene mutations, some harmful, some beneficial.
Just depends exactly what you mean with the word, I was referring to take a gene or chunks of the genome from one species and transferring it into the genome of the other to make a hybrid species. This is what happens in GM technology. Like I've said I have no problem with the science, but if you are going to play around with reporductive natural processes so much then I'd hope that there were a motive greater than "improving profit margins"
Just depends exactly what you mean with the word, I was referring to take a gene or chunks of the genome from one species and transferring it into the genome of the other to make a hybrid species. This is what happens in GM technology. Like I've said I have no problem with the science, but if you are going to play around with reporductive natural processes so much then I'd hope that there were a motive greater than "improving profit margins"
Jan 20th 2011, 4:12 pm
#461
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Re: Is the new anti-smoking law working?
Another thread gone to POT
Jan 20th 2011, 5:02 pm
#462
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Re: Is the new anti-smoking law working?
Ooooo. I'm not sure that I agree there. I REALLY don't like the term natural. Does nature have boundaries? I've always seen evolution as the process of betting round barriers.
I seem to remember that there are all sorts of genetic oddities in the DNA library of our bodies. Isn't a massive chunk of our DNA viral?
I seem to remember that there are all sorts of genetic oddities in the DNA library of our bodies. Isn't a massive chunk of our DNA viral?
. When I talk about boundaries I mean the pretty obvious ones, such as for example, inter-species breeding...for the most part. Yes, I know its possible with certain related species, but you get my drift on this. Incompatible DNA I think the technical term is.
Jan 20th 2011, 5:03 pm
#463
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Re: Is the new anti-smoking law working?
Yes, this has got interesting hasn't it? I wish I knew more about GM. They are always saying that they aren't doing anything that doesn't happen in nature but - inserting spider genes into carrots? Does that happen in nature? Is the natural inclusion of viral DNA into the human genome the same process?
The problem people have with Genetic Engineering is the Law of Unintended Consequences - making a change in a complex system in order to achieve a specific outcome may have another completely different and unforeseen effect. It is difficult to test for. An example of an unintended consequence (although not caused by GM) is the problems caused by the sedative Thalidomide.
The problem people have with Genetic Engineering is the Law of Unintended Consequences - making a change in a complex system in order to achieve a specific outcome may have another completely different and unforeseen effect. It is difficult to test for. An example of an unintended consequence (although not caused by GM) is the problems caused by the sedative Thalidomide.
Jan 20th 2011, 5:23 pm
#464
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Re: Is the new anti-smoking law working?
Yes you are right, except for when they take genes from a different kind of species completely and splice them into another one (which they do do). Then you are talking not about mutant genes but mutant species
Still I am not so worried about the science part, but about the motives of the large companies who hold the patents to the GM technology and exploit small farmers across the world with it. For me this is a radical form of agriculture and should be used for good e.g. feeding the world's poor, not simply for making very rich people even richer still
Still I am not so worried about the science part, but about the motives of the large companies who hold the patents to the GM technology and exploit small farmers across the world with it. For me this is a radical form of agriculture and should be used for good e.g. feeding the world's poor, not simply for making very rich people even richer still
The motives of any large company are the same; to maximize profits for its shareholders. The fact that they might exploit whoever to achieve this aim is of secondary importance for the most part. I know its shameful, but c'est la vie......in the cutthroat corporate world.
Jan 20th 2011, 5:24 pm
#465
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Re: Is the new anti-smoking law working?
Hi bil, I seem to have written reams on the other subject and you're tempting me with this one . When I talk about boundaries I mean the pretty obvious ones, such as for example, inter-species breeding...for the most part. Yes, I know its possible with certain related species, but you get my drift on this. Incompatible DNA I think the technical term is.
. When I talk about boundaries I mean the pretty obvious ones, such as for example, inter-species breeding...for the most part. Yes, I know its possible with certain related species, but you get my drift on this. Incompatible DNA I think the technical term is.Interspecies breeding has to be impossible in the wild, or there would be no new species. Look at what is happening with the ruddy duck.
I've always disliked the comments that amount to 'There are some things we are not meant to know'. My response has always been, why the **** not?
Why shouldn't we make huge jumps in this branch of science by tampering like that? Care needs to be taken that we don't create some new plague, but if we took every possible risk totally seriously, we wouldn't have got half as far as we have.