JAH - Ganja talk - View Messages

"ANYTHING being smoked produces CARBON MONOXIDE."

I don't smoke regularly but I do smoke. Smoked last night. I don't drink too regularly but drink too. What people need to learn is balance.

A human's normal respiration takes in oxygen and produces CO2. What would make CO cancerous and not CO2? It's just 2 oxygens vs 1. Am I missing something?

quote: When CO2 is breathed into the lungs, it dissolves in the water there, diffuses across the alveolar-capillary membrane, and enters the bloodstream. As it combines with water, it forms carbonic acid, making the blood acidic. So CO2 in the bloodstream lowers the blood pH.

- https://ethanolrfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Module-2-Handout-How-Inhaled-CO2-Affects-the-Body-%E2%80%93-Fact-Sheet.pdf

quote: A high concentration can displace oxygen in the air. If less oxygen is available to breathe, symptoms such as rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, clumsiness, emotional upsets and fatigue can result. As less oxygen becomes available, nausea and vomiting, collapse, convulsions, coma and death can occur.

- https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/chem_profiles/carbon_dioxide.html

quote: Carbon monoxide is harmful when breathed because it displaces oxygen in the blood and deprives the heart, brain and other vital organs of oxygen. Large amounts of CO can overcome you in minutes without warning — causing you to lose consciousness and suffocate.

- https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/carbonmonoxide-factsheet.pdf

So CO2 which we naturally breathe out, if often breathed back in, but the danger comes from a lack of oxygen. You need oxygen circulating through your blood because your blood delivers it to your organs, including the brain. Levels of oxygen can impact bodily functions. This is why deep breathing exercises can help people. Some people have respiratory problems. But if we're not talking about THC being dangerous then what you're talking about is the smoke itself.

Smoke dissolves into water. This means that if you are not properly hydrated the effects of smoke and alcohol will be different. A lot of people smoke in the effort to get high while others are fighting pain. Some people abuse drugs of all kinds to get "Wasted".

quote: What we breathe in is far from pure oxygen, but roughly by volume 78 per cent nitrogen, 21 per cent oxygen, 0.965 per cent argon and 0.04 per cent carbon dioxide (plus some helium, water and other gases).

- https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/we-breath-in-oxygen-and-breath-out-carbon-dioxide-where-does-the-carbon-come-from-20080604-gdsgw5.html#:~:text=What%20we%20breathe%20in%20is,%2C%20water%20and%20other%20gases).

Considering everything that goes into our lungs, I'm not going to say smoke isn't bad, but it's more like the amount of it is what matters. If you get too much smoke your body will naturally react and you'll cough.

quote: When your airways become clogged with mucus or foreign particles such as smoke or dust, a cough is a reflex reaction that attempts to clear the particles and make breathing easier. Usually, this type of coughing is relatively infrequent, but coughing will increase with exposure to irritants such as smoke.

The body has multiple mechanisms to filter out smoke and other particles, including hair and mucus. When you overwhelm these mechanisms that's when you can get into trouble. But again, like I said before and always, it's about balance.

I personally feel like smoking socially is the best because you're passing. You're not constantly taking in those particles. Compare this to a dusty room or a room with particles floating in the air from spray paint. And normally when I smoke it's outdoors. Your indoor air quality can be bad just from too many people breathing. I'm a big fan of having plants in the house along with humidifiers and air purifiers. All my water is filtered, including showers. So I'm big into air and water quality.

quote: Indoor air pollution has been linked to a wide variety of adverse health effects, including headaches, respiratory problems, frequent colds and sore throats, chronic cough, skin rashes, eye irritation, lethargy, dizziness and memory lapses. Long-term effects may include an increased risk of cancer.

https://www.nytimes.com/1981/01/28/garden/dangers-of-indoor-air-pollution.html#:~:text=Indoor%20air%20pollution%20has%20been,an%20increased%20risk%20of%20cancer.

I suggest reading this whole article. After you read this article, consider that breathing indoor air over time, could lead to the same or worse health effects than what is blamed on smoking weed. So what then? Should Rastas all live in tents? Or would it simply make more sense to support your body's systems, with cleaner air and water so it can better filter out harmful substances?

Everyone has to make decisions for themselves about their own health. If you feel like smoking is bad for your health then you shouldn't do it. However, if you view it as "harmful particles" you're breathing into your lungs in my opinion you should view it in the greater context of ALL the particles we're ALWAYS breathing into our lungs. I'm not as worried about a few grains of sand than I am the entire beach. And with COVID, that's just another highlight to the fact that we breath in viruses all the time.

If you smoke, I highly recommend buying 2-3 air purifiers for your home and make sure you change the filter on your furnace.

Messenger: GARVEYS AFRICA

Sent: 6/8/2020 2:41:47 PM

So you confirm, smoke (or anything burned) produces highly cancerous concentrated carbon monoxide, as well as others

You also detailed the harmful effects of carbon dioxide intake.

Being well hydrated has no effect on the carcinogenesis from the chemical products within 'smoke'

Messenger: Evison Matafale Skræling

Sent: 6/8/2020 3:06:12 PM

Smoking not good for your health.
Said and done.

Balance and raspect JAH herbs

Messenger: Cedric

Sent: 6/9/2020 1:45:08 AM

BLESSED LOVE IDREN

I give thanks to see I Idren meet and reason. We must ask ourselves the difficult questions itinually as Rastafari lives and grows on this earth.

Garveys Africa - Thank you bredren for really challenging me logically. For real your first post brings me much Iditation. What is the place of herb/ganja/THC in Rastafari? I have a lot of thoughts and look forward to reason with the Is.

I have been a smoker of herb for 20 years, from about the time I began to learn of Rastafari JAH Haile Selassie I -for the most recent 16 of those years, I would say I am in the category of a heavy daily user. For ten of those years, towards the beginning, I would only smoke spilffs, herb with tobacco. I stopped smoking tobacco 8 years ago, still smoke herb “joints” multiple times everyday.

The logical challenge, that Hailie Selassie I’s Ithiopia outlawed the herb. No evidence HIM promoted or used herb. Marcus Garvey never promoted or use herb. Why does Rasta use herb?
This I don’t think can be bested. I will remain Iditating on this for sure and repost as I have more thoughts. My first thought was to reach for my bible to list documentation I know of. Then I see GA na deal wit bible. That makes the challenge harder, but Iman still want to reason. I might post some evidence I find in the bible for Idrens that do deal wit bible, but I won’t bore you with that now or use that as reference in this reason session.

I always took the Ganja promotion as faith. Told by Ras Elders as the way of the Rasta. With the Holy way the herb makes I feel, that helped to solidify that promotion as written on I own heart. I sight tho that we as Ras need to objectively study our actions and make them purposeful. If our Ras Elders die from cancer by living Ital lives and smoking herb but no tobacco, we need to see that.

I also see the side that Nesta brings, as I feel a similar way. InI should do what we want and not worry about getting cancer. I have seen plenty of good people live a life of preparation, expecting to grow old, only to pass away unexpectedly seeming like their time was cut short. I feel ultimately that argument is different than a logical argument tho. I would still like to reason on this to explain my personal choices, but I don’t feel it is the same as a logical argument. I sight that Nesta shared scientific studies to support his view, so I not trying to comment on the specific studies.

Where did it come from?
I think we must look to Leonard Howell and the Pinnacle farm as being first documented use of the herb by Rastafari. I know Garveys Africa was trying to look further into time for what might have inspired the first Rastas to smoke and grow herb, but I don’t think it is necessary to study what inspired those Rases, because it is fact that when they raided Pinnacle farm they found herb (and guns from what I remember, but thats a different topic). Thats when we can point to herb use being documented among Rasta. I can only speculate so this is not truth, just what I wonder: Could those Rases promote the smoking of herb because they knew Babylon had outlawed the herb and it was a form of rebelling? Did they see the value at that time of the economical benefits of an independent Black nation with the sovereignty to decide on Cannabis or Hemp exports? I suspect no, but those ideas or similar could have a role to incorporate herb into Rasta life at the time.

Some have brought evidence that Cannabis grows around the world, Garveys Africa has sighted first documented smoking of cannabis in India or Asia. I would say it is unimportant specifically where the ritual began. No one can deny Rastafari became incorporated with herb in history with the Rases at Pinnacle Farm. Even if they learned of it from outside of Africa, Haile Selassie I specifically teaches us that blending good parts of cultures from East and West is a benefit to humanity. Don’t be confused, I am not saying HIM wanted us all to be the same. I am saying HIM was a proponent of learning good ways from any culture and I don’t think it would be right to shun smoking herb for ceremonial purposes even if the ritual started in India or Asia. I am not saying InI have to smoke herb to be Rastafari and I am not trying to counter Garveys Africa original point that Ganja is not an African tradition, (I sight zion mountain listing the Tonga people but don’t know enough to comment) I am just saying Rastafari and herb are tied together through Leonard Howell and Pinnacle Farm. Does that mean it must be a tradition all Rastafari follow? Of course not. That is for each Ras to decide as we trod forward through the ages. If science shows us that continued exposure to herb smoke or any smoke is detrimental to InI health, we need to be aware of that as we chose the purposeful life InI live.

I sight Ignorant/Wise Rasta Youth and others who speak of the truth that Haile Selassie I was not flawless. This is reality. I Iditate on this and wondered, could HIM have labeled Cannabis as an illegal substance to appease foreign relations with the West? Again, it doesn’t refute the argument that Haile Selassie I did not smoke or promote herb so I pose this question more as a possibility. I suspect outlawing any mind altering substance like Cannabis or Khat etc. would have added legitimacy to Ithiopia’s Empire.

I will say Garveys Africa that I think it is unfair to equate smoking herb and psychedelics like magic mushrooms. I can not speak from experience, but from what I have heard from friends who have eaten magic mushrooms the experience is nothing similar. Again I am not saying smoking or using herb doesn’t affect someones mind, I am saying mushrooms can not be in the same category as herb. The plant. I don’t speak of new Babylon works THC concentrates like shatter or etc. (I can’t speak from experience of those either). I think because there are mushrooms in the wild that can kill you one time, they stand alone. No positively identified Ganja Herb plant will kill you one time. Again, not arguing there can’t be negative affects over time, just not same category as hard psychedelics.

I want to turn this reason session to personal choices InI make relating to a purposeful life and how those can be considered harmonious or conflicting with Rastafari traditions. Also about levels of addiction and a hierarchy of substances based on the amount of harm they cause, but I am afraid of writing too much or going off topic. As I stated earlier, I feel the I was trying to have a logic discussion and not emotion or ethical discussion. So for now I will pause.

I am curious to know why Garveys Africa recently said: “I smoke herb btw “ and “I'm a spliff smoker Sometime”. I thought I read the I has been ganja free for 3 years. Has this changed or was I mistaken?

I give thanks to all I Idren for the reasoning
-Ced

Blessed Love
in the name of
HIM
HAILE SELASSIE I
JAH
RASTAFARI

Messenger: IPXninja

Sent: 6/9/2020 5:59:05 PM

nothing I posted said carbon monoxide was a carcinogen.

The amount of smoke you'd need to inhale to cause serious damage would be like the experience of trying to escape a burning building.

That's really not the same as controlled inhalation of a joint.

The "chemicals" in smoke are whatever you're burning. If you're talking about cigarettes then yes, you're getting ammonia, arsenic, lead, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, etc.

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/tobacco-and-cancer/carcinogens-found-in-tobacco-products.html

The additives are the main problem.

but...

quote: For example, when paper is burned oxygen from the air combines with carbon and hydrogen in the paper turning some of it into carbon dioxide and water vapor, which waft away with carbon particulates in the smoke.

so... carbon vs all the harmful chemicals you get from tobacco products.

https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/air/burning.htm

the more you do to wood or paper to make it pretty the more you introduce chemicals that have to go somewhere when burned. So it isn't that all smoke contains a bunch of toxic chemicals. It really depends on exactly what is burning. We are carbon based life forms so carbon isn't really an unnatural substance to the body.

Messenger: Ignorant/Wise Rasta Youth

Sent: 8/5/2020 5:08:16 PM

Wah Gwaan im back

Just found some information about the "smoke" from ganja.

Unlike smoking cigarettes, when smoking ganja in the form of cannabis your lungs aren’t that harmed. In fact, a study found that cannabis actually helps increase the capacity of the lungs rather than cause any harm to it.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/pot-smokers-can-maybe-breathe-a-little-easier

Messenger: IPXninja

Sent: 8/6/2020 9:06:09 AM

When I think about smoking there are different ways to do it and your personal health and wellness, in my opinion, greatly depend on which way and how you smoke. I always promote balance which means that many things are good for you as long as you maintain equilibrium. Anything you consume can be unhealthy. Even vitamins in the wrong quantity is toxic. So do you avoid vitamins and call them unhealthy? No. And our lungs are naturally designed to filter out harmful particles in the air we breathe. The air we breathe is never really pure O2. So because the body can naturally handle "Some" filtration, as long as you work with your body, don't overload it, and help it by drinking plenty of water and supporting the health of your filtration organs, you should be fine. But temperance or moderation is key.

Relaxation:
I used to smoke for relaxation. But I'm normally in a state of calm and relaxation anyway so smoking on top of this would be redundant. Smoking promotes this state and this state can be very healing. If you're stressed then relaxation is key because stress will damage your health and can, in fact, kill you. Stress may also lead to other mental health issues so I would definitely promote smoking the herb if one needs it. Because stress can destroy you on a physical level then that means relaxation can heal you on a physical level. Physical.

Social:
Most of my smoking is social. If no one else is smoking, with only one exception, I'm not smoking. And if I feel like I've been smoking socially too much I'll pass. And typically these situations are 4 or more people so its usually within a small gathering. Most of the time this doesn't actually get me high, especially if its low grade. If its low grade I might just pass anyway. But mainly, social smoking is like social drinking. For me it's more about connecting and sharing a moment with the people you're with; enjoying the love and laughter that comes with it. If you're sitting around sad and depressed then that's different. That's a waste. But if we all socialized in love and spread love to each other that could have a healing effect overall. Mental.

Meditation:
The only exception is meditation. I need good high grade herb for this and I mainly only do this when I'm in Jamaica. If I'm not alone I consider it social. When I'm using herb to meditate I'm simply slowing down my body and my mind so that I can experience a purer form of consciousness. The traffic of other senses is like a beach covered with litter. The beach is beautiful but the trash takes away from that beauty. Meditation, on its own, can't necessarily clean it up. It just takes you to the beach. To clean it up you need to actually quiet your mind and body. If you can do that without any help then you are a master and I applaud you. But how much of a master you are depends on how much you have on your plate too. The less litter you have on your beach the easier it is to clean. The more responsibilities you have, concerns, job, kids, relationships, friends who have problems, entertainment you consume, etc. all this adds to the sensory information from your nervous system and you just move your mental focus on one thing to the next. Meditation is a pathway to enlightenment. If the whole nation was enlightened that would equate to its healing. Spiritual.

Escape:
This is where most smoking, most drinking, sex, and a whole host of other things are abused. When things are used as an escape we take them as a panacea and the amount we take is too much because we're trying to numb ourselves to some internalized pain; typically emotional. But also just mental stress. You're not where you want to be so you look for an exit. But there is no exit to life. Only life and death. And so people often do things that are self-destructive as an alternative to a quick death, not necessarily because they consciously want to die, but because there's less pain. And if some people don't smoke they will drink because drinking is legal. I always imagine negative emotions like a volcano. When we think of one we picture it erupting or blowing up. But most of the time it is either inactive or it is active but venting the pressure inside such that it doesn't explode. People need to vent. Holding negative emotions inside, especially anger, hurt, guilt, etc. isn't healthy and will rob you of happiness. If people want to smoke a little or drink a little, to escape, that's fine. But even if you are venting you still need to resolve the source of that pressure. But then you want to vent a little bit at a time so that you don't blow up. Because if you blow up you burn the people around you and they may not deserve that and it may cause them to internalize your negative energy and can cause them to build pressure and erupt back onto you or someone else. So if you can deal with the pressure in the least destructive way that's preferable to a nuclear meltdown. Emotional.

And So I would say its not the herb but the relaxation.
It's not the herb itself but the social connection.
It's not the herb itself but the insight you gain from meditation.
It's not the herb itself but the capacity to deal with negative energy.

It doesn't have to be for everyone and it shouldn't be all the time. But I would argue that it can be everything people say. But results may vary because it is not giving you relaxation. It's simply helping you relax. Helping. It's not giving you social connections. It's just helping you. In all these cases it is only helping you. It's a tool. A tool in the hands of a master is always going to be different from the same tool in the hands of a novice. And if you don't need the tool so much then you don't need it so much. Simple as that.

Messenger: Kiwiman

Sent: 8/6/2020 8:44:03 PM

I have lost some friends to cannabis smoking.

Recently two who were very fit, a surfer and skater, both smoke a lot of herb.

One heart attack while surfing, died on the beach 69yrs
the other stroke 56yrs.

Smoking any cannabis produces cardiovascular disease.

The heat damages the lung too

Messenger: Black Christ in Flesh

Sent: 8/6/2020 11:21:10 PM

Cannabis is a greatest gift of God to mankind. Your friends might have had a bit of bad luck on their plate, kiwiman, because Cannabis is actually good for the heart and the lungs. A number of breathing disorders are controlled and cured by pure cannabis. I believe it would even benefit patients with coronavirus because it's respiratory related and ganja is a respirarory medicine (inhaled) among others.

Research shows that ganja is even good for treating pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma and tuberculosis.

A weak heart is the result of poor eating habits and lack of exersise. not too much smoking.

Messenger: Black Christ in Flesh

Sent: 8/6/2020 11:50:41 PM

I found out that this post is full of misinformation. First, the claim that ganja is not African is false, because archaeologists unearthed bongs (big chalices) in some ancient Ethiopian sites with cannabis resin on them, dating back a few hundred years. Tribes through out Central Africa have also been reported by historians to have a form of ganja smoking cult which they called Riamba. a cult of smoking and friendship. Then, if anything, all people of the earth, no matter they be black, white, or yellow, have their ancestry and roots in Africa, so no matter if herb was brought to Jamaica from India, the Indians certainly inherited the habit from their African parents.

Another claim was that rolled cannabis was bad for health. This is false too, because cannabis burns at a temperatures way higher than ordinary cigarettes. This have little effect on lungs because all the would be poisons are destroyed in the fire, leaving a pure, enjoyable smoke.

If anyone did die of cancer or heart / lung disease, it was because of external causes, and not ganja herb. More recent research results prove that THC found in cannabis is ANTI-CANCER, and it will kill several types of cancer which are exposed to the compound. This obviously requires a large amount of THC and smoking alone isnt enough to cure cancer, but cannabis tinctures, pills and oils come into play here. Cannabis is actually good for the heart and the lungs. When someone is high, their heart rate is increased. This is a form of exercise for the heart's muscled walls cause as they pump faster, they wear out and repair in the process, creating a stronger heart altogether.

In the ancient (oriental) world marijuana was used as a cure for different lung diseases. Not only is it good for common flu, but also ASTHMA and other related sufferings of the lungs. Most chronic illnesses are cured by marijuana, and I'd count in ulcers too, because majijuana helped me heal from stomach ulcers after I was poisoned, whereas some people suffer ulcers for months or years on end.