REEFER MADNESS!!!!!!

[Phox]

In my personal experience the only people who Ive met who were "addicted" to pot were the same kinds of people who would sniff paint or drink mouthwash to get high. They werent addicted to pot they were addicted to escaping reality.

Same here. The people who I have met who get addicted to marijuana are the people who will get addicted to anything.

I used to be that kind of person, mixed with the kind of person who always talked about breaking the rules but adhered to them closely.

I got better, thankfully.

That sort of lifestyle rarely has positive outcomes. So I'm glad you got out of that stage.

[East Coast Hustle]

In my personal experience the only people who Ive met who were "addicted" to pot were the same kinds of people who would sniff paint or drink mouthwash to get high. They werent addicted to pot they were addicted to escaping reality.

Same here. The people who I have met who get addicted to marijuana are the people who will get addicted to anything.

this. If pot didn't exist, those kids would find something. It's like blaming handguns for homicides.

[BabylonHoruv]

Marijuana has toxic properties that can result in birth defects, pain, respiratory system damage, brain damage, and stroke.

Yep, smoking anything can

Today, marijuana trafficking is linked to a variety of crimes, from assault and murder to money laundering and smuggling. Legalization of marijuana would increase demand for the drug and almost certainly exacerbate drug-related crime

This doesn't make sense to me either.  Although with some logic twisting I guess it could.   Offers a cover for money laundering and whatnot.

Research has shown that marijuana consumption may also cause "psychotic symptoms.

It certainly can.  Ask Pixie.

Marijuana, like tobacco, is addictive. One study found that more than 30 percent of adults who used marijuana in the course of a year were dependent on the drug. These individuals often show signs of withdrawal and compulsive behavior. Marijuana dependence is also responsible for a large proportion of calls to drug abuse help lines and treatment centers.

Comparison here is to tobacco, not Heroin, although with that arguement tobacco should be illegal.  Pot is also less addictive (by a considerable factor) than tobacco. 

[BabylonHoruv]

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2010/09/Legalizing-Marijuana-Why-Citizens-Should-Just-Say-No

Research has shown that marijuana consumption may also cause "psychotic symptoms.

Marijuana, like tobacco, is addictive. One study found that more than 30 percent of adults who used marijuana in the course of a year were dependent on the drug. These individuals often show signs of withdrawal and compulsive behavior. Marijuana dependence is also responsible for a large proportion of calls to drug abuse help lines and treatment centers.

These two are true, by the way.  Granted, for the first, it entails rather heavy usage. 

The second, I've seen the data first hand.  The #1 substance in Maine for which adolescents are admitted into treatment is marijuana followed fairly closely by alcohol.  Though, I think you would find that many really have addictions or issues with both. 

RWHN,
tease

Although teens with drug problems is a bad thing I personally think that them being potheads as opposed to drunks is a good thing.  The effects of pot abuse, while still not good, are not as bad as alcohol abuse physically by about an order of magnitude.  The self destructive behaviors also tend to be not only less self destructive but also less destructive of others.

[AFK]

When it comes to the health and welfare of children, I'm not too hip to use the "lesser of two evils" approach. 

[Payne]

Yay! Another pot thread!

Hey, seeing as we have so many of them, and because they all inevitably fall into the same arguments propogated by the same camps, why don't we set up a child board for them? Possibly in apple talk - it'd be AT's even dumber and repetitive and pointless in-bred cousin.

Then we can all safely ignore or indulge as the will takes us! It'd make activites such as Crams Stat Attack easier to accomplish! We could note who the most rabid and fundie pot heads are, for to take account of elsewhere! We could put advertisements in that board alone for cheetos and such and increase board revenue! RWHN would have a place to unleash the full fury on his "Punner-Troll-Drug Tsar-Musician" Shamanic Powers for the amusement and delicatation of all!

~~~Payne: not really serious. Thinks that this thread once again places WAY too much importance on pot, both for what it is and what it does.

[AFK]

True, it ain't no 'stache. 

[Payne]

True, it ain't no 'stache. 

Indeed. 'Stache will make you psychotic AND give you Hyper Projectile Occular Herpes. Even if you do it only once.

And no one has ever had, like, really deep Truths, like, revealed to them, man. Like it was all 'woah, dude', and then it was, like, The Answer, man, and then I ate a pack of cheetos and watched some Friends repeats...

..where was I? Oh, yeah. That shit doesn't happen on 'stache either. Just fucked up shit.

[Adios]

I smoked salmon once, but I didn't inhale.

[trippinprincezz13]

1. Pot has some good effects.

2. Pot has some bad effects.

3. Rabid stoners are annoying.

4. Rabid pot opponents/fear-mongers are annoying (Disclaimer: not alluding to RWHN here, as his issue is with kids/teens, which although I don't agree with everything he says, is fine by me and does not place him in this category)

5. No one is going to agree on ANYTHING, EVER.

30 pages here we come....

[AFK]

My personal thing against pot and other drugs probably can be best understood through the lens of the Shrapnel and Paths discussions.  I think especially for young people, drugs can end up being a limiting agent and as kids get more and more wrapped up into the behavior, paths become obscured and are no longer in sight.  It doesn't become the one-true path perhaps, but it's one of the few that matters to the young person.  Ultimately, this path becomes self-destructive depending on how far along the kid goes.  And the horizon has become so limited in options that it is all that can be done to make treatment appear to be a new path, and one that offers promise and personal rewards. 

So I guess in the end it's still a morality issue, but I like to think that it isn't a religious self-serving morality.  I just want kids to not become limited in their childhood and to still have all the options and paths opened to them.   

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

My personal thing against pot and other drugs probably can be best understood through the lens of the Shrapnel and Paths discussions.  I think especially for young people, drugs can end up being a limiting agent and as kids get more and more wrapped up into the behavior, paths become obscured and are no longer in sight.  It doesn't become the one-true path perhaps, but it's one of the few that matters to the young person.  Ultimately, this path becomes self-destructive depending on how far along the kid goes.  And the horizon has become so limited in options that it is all that can be done to make treatment appear to be a new path, and one that offers promise and personal rewards. 

So I guess in the end it's still a morality issue, but I like to think that it isn't a religious self-serving morality.  I just want kids to not become limited in their childhood and to still have all the options and paths opened to them.   

First, you and I are in agreement about kids smoking pot = bad idea.

However, I wonder if the 'obscuring of paths' that you mention is because of pot, or because of"pot as act of rebelliousness" or "pot as escapism" or even because there's no way to introduce young adults to pot in a responsible manner. Speaking as a person who uses pot, it can sometimes feel limiting simply because its an illegal act and you never know if a new person might be offended/upset etc. if they see a pipe somewhere in your house. Since I'm an adult, I can take responsibility for that and just make sure my stuff is put away etc. but if I were younger, less responsible, more paranoid, well, maybe it would feel limiting/obscuring/constraining.

My parents gave me my first drink when I was maybe 5 or 6. I had really bad chest cold or bronchitis or something and they mixed a shot of whiskey, honey and lemon, heated it and made me drink it. As I got older, Dad would let me have a taste of beer or a taste of wine or whatever they were having. Drinking alcohol was never demonized... it was just not allowed at my age. When I was in my late teens, I was allowed a beer occasionally. I wonder if pot would be such a consuming aspect to kids perceptions if it wasn't alienating by virtue of society. Shante's first experience with marijuana was as an adult, after she got stood up for a New Years party. Her Dad shared a joint with her for the evening and they had a great time bonding. Granted, he's a crazy hippie... but she remembers that as a positive experience.

After I grew up and finally tried pot (recreational) I stumbled upon the fact that its a godsend for recurring migraines that I've gotten ever since I was a kid. My parents had given me every drug the Doctors would perscribe, some of which left me feeling like my head was a hot air balloon... most of which didn't help or had nasty side effects. Would my expereince with Pot have been different if it had been like that first shot of whiskey?

I dunno.

[East Coast Hustle]

Yay! Another pot thread!

Hey, seeing as we have so many of them, and because they all inevitably fall into the same arguments propogated by the same camps, why don't we set up a child board for them? Possibly in apple talk - it'd be AT's even dumber and repetitive and pointless in-bred cousin.

Then we can all safely ignore or indulge as the will takes us! It'd make activites such as Crams Stat Attack easier to accomplish! We could note who the most rabid and fundie pot heads are, for to take account of elsewhere! We could put advertisements in that board alone for cheetos and such and increase board revenue! RWHN would have a place to unleash the full fury on his "Punner-Troll-Drug Tsar-Musician" Shamanic Powers for the amusement and delicatation of all!

~~~Payne: not really serious. Thinks that this thread once again places WAY too much importance on pot, both for what it is and what it does.

hush, you. I have a wager on this.

ECH,
30 pages or bust!

[Doktor Howl]

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2010/09/Legalizing-Marijuana-Why-Citizens-Should-Just-Say-No

Marijuana has toxic properties that can result in birth defects, pain, respiratory system damage, brain damage, and stroke.

Today, marijuana trafficking is linked to a variety of crimes, from assault and murder to money laundering and smuggling. Legalization of marijuana would increase demand for the drug and almost certainly exacerbate drug-related crime

^This one made my brain hurt.

Research has shown that marijuana consumption may also cause "psychotic symptoms.

Marijuana, like tobacco, is addictive. One study found that more than 30 percent of adults who used marijuana in the course of a year were dependent on the drug. These individuals often show signs of withdrawal and compulsive behavior. Marijuana dependence is also responsible for a large proportion of calls to drug abuse help lines and treatment centers.

I once saw a pot addict at the bus stop on my way to work. He offered to suck my dick for a hit of pot. He had pot tracks all up and down his arms from injecting weed into his veins(probably with a dirty needle) and his teeth were bloody and rotted from pot mouth. That poor poor bastard. Whatever you do, dont do Marijuana.

I hate you.

[AFK]

First, you and I are in agreement about kids smoking pot = bad idea.

However, I wonder if the 'obscuring of paths' that you mention is because of pot, or because of"pot as act of rebelliousness" or "pot as escapism" or even because there's no way to introduce young adults to pot in a responsible manner. Speaking as a person who uses pot, it can sometimes feel limiting simply because its an illegal act and you never know if a new person might be offended/upset etc. if they see a pipe somewhere in your house. Since I'm an adult, I can take responsibility for that and just make sure my stuff is put away etc. but if I were younger, less responsible, more paranoid, well, maybe it would feel limiting/obscuring/constraining.

My parents gave me my first drink when I was maybe 5 or 6. I had really bad chest cold or bronchitis or something and they mixed a shot of whiskey, honey and lemon, heated it and made me drink it. As I got older, Dad would let me have a taste of beer or a taste of wine or whatever they were having. Drinking alcohol was never demonized... it was just not allowed at my age. When I was in my late teens, I was allowed a beer occasionally. I wonder if pot would be such a consuming aspect to kids perceptions if it wasn't alienating by virtue of society. Shante's first experience with marijuana was as an adult, after she got stood up for a New Years party. Her Dad shared a joint with her for the evening and they had a great time bonding. Granted, he's a crazy hippie... but she remembers that as a positive experience.

After I grew up and finally tried pot (recreational) I stumbled upon the fact that its a godsend for recurring migraines that I've gotten ever since I was a kid. My parents had given me every drug the Doctors would perscribe, some of which left me feeling like my head was a hot air balloon... most of which didn't help or had nasty side effects. Would my expereince with Pot have been different if it had been like that first shot of whiskey?

I dunno.

Rightly or wrongly, I don't think pot really is all that alienating anymore.  I think that is why we are seeing more and more states at least going in the direction of medical marijuana.  I think the national attitude on marijuana has shifted markedly since the 80s.  At this point I think the most rabid, reactionary opposition comes from social conservatives.  Granted, this may not be the case as much with employers who may shy away from an applicant with a record.  But even then, I suspect this is less to do with a moral judgment and more about the bottom line and liability issues.

But I guess I've seen and heard about a lot of kids who sort of get lost down the bunny hole and then can't see the way back out.  But then again, I think there are a lot of kids who WANT to get lost down in that hole because their life is such that they can't see other paths.  They've been inundated with shrapnel that has kept them on a certain path.  Prevention tries to get at some of that shrapnel, but there is little to no money for that kind of work.