In this day and age of calorie concerns, yoga, wheat grass smoothies and an overall obsession with health, many of the vices we know an love seem sadly on their way out. With that in mind, today is the 34th annual American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout so it is safe to assume the first victim of this cultural cleansing is the cigarette. (Unless Barack Obama changes all that.) And if you ask us, that’s a serious tragedy. See, there’s just something about a woman with a cigarette that makes dudes happy. Maybe it’s the ‘bad girl’ image. Maybe it’s thoughts of ‘oral fixation.’ But no matter what the reason, it’s F’ing hot! Not that we have a smoking fetish, but after checking out all these smokin’ hotties, it doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.

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As marijuana quickly becomes more and more socially acceptable, millions of Americans are beginning to understand the lies that they have been told about pot. Here are the five biggest myths about weed that have prevented any kind of legalization movement from getting on a roll.

1. Marijuana Causes Cancer

Many have said that smoking pot and smoking cigarettes is the same thing and, therefore; marijuana must cause cancer, as well. Not only have countless independent studies disproved this, but some have actually found that marijuana decreased tumor growth by as much as 50%. (Sorry, cigarettes will still kill you.)

2. Marijuana Is Addictive

While prolonged use has shown to leave signs of dependence, marijuana does not actually contain a “nicotine-like” compound that causes it to be addictive. (This is similar to being “addicted” to soda.) There are little to no withdrawal symptoms, especially when compared to the withdrawal effects of drugs like cocaine or heroin – or even an alcohol-induced hangover.

3. Marijuana Is a Gateway Drug

Simply put, numerous studies have unequivocally disproved the idea that using marijuana leads to use of harder drugs. Marijuana has actually successfully been used to reduce hard drug users’ dependence on drugs. So, in reality, it is the exact opposite of a gateway drug.

4. Marijuana Causes Brain Damage

Another myth where the exact opposite thing is true: Not only have studied disproved the idea that marijuana damages your brain, they have found that it actually protects your brain from the damage that heavy drinking can cause.

5. Marijuana Has No Medical Uses

The government has often defended its marijuana policy by citing their own studies that say that marijuana does not have any therapeutic effects. Not true. Aside from the uses listed above, marijuana have been proven to have beneficial effects on people suffering from migraines, glaucoma, AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, epilepsy, stomach disorders, and dozens of other health problems.

And, most recently, even the American Medical Association called for the government to remove its restrictive Schedule 1 status.

Follow the author, Igor Derysh, on Twitter @IgorDerysh

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