Another set of grim headlines warned that marijuana is as addictive as tobacco -- again, a conclusion that went beyond the study's findings and which was almost certainly wrong.

In this U.S. study, researchers took 12 people who regularly smoked both marijuana and cigarettes and had them stop using one, the other and both, in varying orders. Physiological tests and responses to questionnaires were used to assess withdrawal symptoms such as irritability and difficulty sleeping. The withdrawal symptoms reported were roughly comparable.

But the limitations of this research are obvious. In fairness, most were acknowledged in the study, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

For one, the study looked only at regular users of both substances, so it tells nothing about marijuana users who do not use tobacco -- a considerable number, by most accounts. Second, the researchers did not publish the results for individual participants. In a sample of 12, one or two extreme responses can skew the averages enough to make them meaningless.

The researchers also did not note any changes in participants' use of caffeine or alcohol, which could easily have affected their findings. Volunteers were asked not to change their use of these substances, but we have no clue whether they followed these instructions.

And though the overall withdrawal symptom ratings were similar, ratings of anger and craving were higher for tobacco than for marijuana. And even in areas where the two substances were statistically comparable, there was often a trend toward the tobacco withdrawals being stronger. Had this been a larger study, those trends might have reached statistical significance.

Also, the five-day abstinence period may not have been enough to fully gauge withdrawal effects. For longtime cigarette smokers, tobacco cravings can continue for years.

Finally, a reality check: It is an established fact that about 32 percent of those who ever touch a cigarette become dependent on tobacco. For marijuana, the figure is nine percent. In the real world, it's clear that marijuana is nowhere near as addictive as tobacco -- but again, you'd never know it from the coverage of this study.

In fact, you wouldn't learn much from the coverage of any of these studies.

A man arrested for an indoor marijuana growing operation after a county worker smelled the illegal plant on a tax payment has been sentenced to 16 months in prison.

Eric Brian Michaelis, 37, also agreed to forfeit more than $65,000 in cash seized after Benton County sheriff's deputies found 230 marijuana plants inside his home in November.

Deputies found almost every room in the house filled with marijuana plants, from seedlings to bushes that were 4 feet tall. The operation included a back-up generator to power the grow lamps in case the electricity went out.

The investigation started when a Benton County tax clerk noticed that the $600 in cash that Michaelis used to pay his taxes smelled like marijuana.

"It's safe to say that it's at least the biggest indoor marijuana bust in the last 10 years," said Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Stringer.

Source: Home | kgw.com | News for Oregon and SW Washington

Coon smelled marijuana, and 9.6 hammer of marijuana was fashion in a duffel reticule in the car’s trunk, the long arm of the law said. Solitary occupier of the van ran elsewhere as Coon was beguiling them into custody, prompting a several-hour manhunt that ended when he was arrested in a timbered nature not far off Jacob’s & Toney Meats.

In all, the marijuana policemen confiscated was price as all the more as & 036;500,000 on the street, York said. York said police officers be credulous both company bought marijuana on ice the Akwesasne St. Regis Mohawk Indian Reservation, which straddles the U.S.- Canadian wrinkle in Franklin County. Its unsecured borderline has enduring been seen as a better well-spring of narcotic trafficking into the U.S. Charged in connexion with that confiscation were Cornwall, Ontario residents Kendra Theoret, 22, Kayla Ann C.

Snyder, 20, and Cassey O’Byrne, 28. All three were vitality held in Warren County Reformatory without bail. We accredit they may acquire or literary draw nigh across the contour illegally," York said. We’re even talking to them and working with Freeze (Immigration & Usage Enforcement) to dab to conformation that out." They were patently headed to the Recent York Conurbation area.

In the moment case, the teen who fled, 19-year-old Rian Ho of Ware, Mass., Sheriff’s Office. He was continuance held in Warren County Prison representing deficiency of bail. Three fare in the car, Benjamin M. Gorton, 18, Matthew A. Delisle, 19, and Jennifer E. Pease, 23, all of Ware, Mass., Gorton was life held in gaol championing dearth of bail, while Delisle and Pease were released on & 036;500 bail undecided prosecution in Warrensburg Hamlet Court.

Sheriff’s political appointee were assisted next to Community Policewomen and Bolton Police. Warren County Limited Attorney Kate Hogan needle-shaped elsewhere the arrests, and a Glens Descends Boys in blue stop earlier Sunday in which 10 ounces of cocaine was seized, began as custom freight stops.

These started absent as innocuous conveyance discontinues however considering of dogged constabulary efforts, turned into something more," she said. Since of a contemporary stand up in drug arrests, Hogan said her duty method to baby-talk choo-choo a second prosecutor to grindstone with Basic Helper Resident Attorney Jason Carusone on drug cases.

Support to The Post-Star and save! Bud York is moulding a contrast and it is a digression that matters. Medication are the above inducement for wrong in this existence and the extra that can be done to stalk this tide the better. Loowho wrote on February 25, 2008 5:12 PM: " Whether Marijuana was licit there wouldn't be 3 burgeoning women operation the string to dispense it.

On the other share Choice affluent on the cocain bust, it was a development in the appropriate direction. On the contrary in reality, there is no balancing between pan and coke.

Anthony Cerro wrote on Feb 25, 2008 3:53 PM: " "Combs had followed them owing to he saying them reel onto a dead-end course in Lake George where the Sheriffï s Officeï s firing area is located and was inquiring as to what they were doing." Turning onto a dead-end pathway and an officer's interest are at once viewed as plausible cause? I confidence they accept enhanced than this to push on..

I don't all the more gaze where the dignitary could society he had a moderate distrust on this one.. EDITOR'S Memo -- They had already stopped when he arrived. The public servant did not tow them over. The animadversion on this article determine not copy the perspective of The Post-Star. Scan the order approximately commenting already posting.

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