gut feeling, no data to back it up. Wasn't aware of any data from Holland demonstrating the reverse. I suppose once its legal it will be "less cool" so that could lead to a reduction.
Legalizing marijuana. I don't get it.
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gut feeling, no data to back it up. Wasn't aware of any data from Holland demonstrating the reverse. I suppose once its legal it will be "less cool" so that could lead to a reduction.
I managed to get a HND and a BA(Hons) whilst smoking lots of weed.
I believe that shows how many people would use marijuana responsibly were it to be legalized for private non-medical use
I believe that shows your anecdotal "evidence" is utterly worthless.
Replace the word "marijuana" with "alcohol", and you have the same sort of ignorant argument I imagine was thrown around when prohibition came to an end.
Its not that its less cool. The same people who do it now would do it then. I mean yes some people the thrill of getting away with something illegal will fade and they will stop, but thats the minority.
You know, I used to think that. Stupidest opinion I ever held. There is nothing at all wrong with drinking alcohol, humans can't be firing on all cylinders all the time and alcohol facilitates relaxation and recreation. Yes, it makes you a bit stupid, but there's nothing wrong with that so long as you don't allow those periods of stupidity to encroach into the rest of your life. Alcohol abuse is bad, clearly, but alcohol use is just a way to enjoy oneself in this meaningless existence.
I feel the same way about marijuana usage. I draw the line somewhere before heroin, though.
Given how poorly our alcohol-related laws work, I just don't think it's really a good place to look for arguments about legalizing weed, or how that would be handled. That's all I'm trying to say. I don't think that's reactionary?
You know, I used to think that. Stupidest opinion I ever held. There is nothing at all wrong with drinking alcohol, humans can't be firing on all cylinders all the time and alcohol facilitates relaxation and recreation. Yes, it makes you a bit stupid, but there's nothing wrong with that so long as you don't allow those periods of stupidity to encroach into the rest of your life. Alcohol abuse is bad, clearly, but alcohol use is just a way to enjoy oneself in this meaningless existence.
I feel the same way about marijuana usage. I draw the line somewhere before heroin, though.
Lets not say an opinion is stupid or dumb, just say your opinion changed. Why? becuase your taking away that persons right to have an opinion no matter how wrong or right.
And hasn't the prohibition on marijuana been just as successful?
Everything should be legal, barring a damn good reason why not. There's no good "why not" for pot.
I say that that opinion was stupid because I believe that my holding it severely screwed up my social life and that I am still suffering the consequences to this day. I think that was pretty stupid of me. Perhaps other people have better reasons for holding that opinion, but I didn't and I'm bitter at myself because of it.
Interesting fact, we actually had some MJ grow wild in my parents yard all on its own a few years ago.
But my point is that prohibition doesn't work so why have it? Would it not be better to simply make illegal the effects of mis-use than use? Since prohibition ended alcohol has been legal to produce, sell, and drink if all of the licenses and such are in good order. As a result the alcohol tends to be a "safer" product than the corn-whiskey being made in a rusty still in the backwoods of Alabama or the stuff people were "somehow" getting a hold of my other means.
With the ending of Alcohol Prohibition we now have a safer, purer product that has to meet the standards of the ATF and I'd assume the FDA or some other agency that will ensure the product is as "pure" as possible. (I.E. it's not "watered down" to get the most out of it.) We regulate its sale through taxes and licenses and there's fines and jail-time not to mention other things in place for those who abuse it or cause destruction/death under its influence.
Now, I do draw the line at opiate-based drugs, meth and stuff like that as those drugs have much more drastic problems associated with them, are for more dangerous, and the chance for overdose also greater. It can also be argued they're "controlled substances" as variants of them are used in prescription pharmaceuticals.
So if marijuana (a mostly harmless drug) were legalized we'd have a way to make a purer product that will benefit consumers, it'll be a safer product that'd be a benefit for consumers, we'd have just as many ways to control, tax, and regulate it as we do with alcohol and tobacco and we'd be just as able to prosecute people for using the stuff in situations where they shouldn't. (Like driving.)
People in these arguments often say, "Would you want your doctor to smoke a joint before operating on you?" and I respond with, "No, but I'm going to assume he's an adult and won't do that anymore than he'd drink a beer before operating on me."
There's just no logical reason I can see for MJ to be illegal, none. Meth, Cocaine, Heroin all of that, sure, I can see the reasons. Those are serious drugs that can cause serious problems and their effects are some of the strongest of all the drugs that are out there. Compare Charlie Sheen (a present/former heroin/cocaine user) to pretty much any comedian out there right now: Louis C.K., Zach Galafinakis, Seth Rogan, hell if they're a comedian there's a pretty good chance they're likely presently on, or once on, MJ. All of them maintain good, regular, jobs and are hardly self-destructing louers. (I will defer that it's "possible" they've done, or do, other harder drugs too.)
I swear, the movie Refer Madness is a nice example of how I think post people think of pot-heads. It's entirely stupid.
And, again, I've never used the stuff. Never plan to even if it were legalized. (Oh, okay, I might try it once.) But I fully understand the irrationality of it being illegal when alcohol is acceptable.
The War on Drugs is just more of the government trying to force the population into a narrow way of life that some see as ideal, mostly on the Right side of the aisle, and it's stupid.
If some guy wants to get high on MJ, let him. He's harming no one.
I say that that opinion was stupid because I believe that my holding it severely screwed up my social life and that I am still suffering the consequences to this day. I think that was pretty stupid of me. Perhaps other people have better reasons for holding that opinion, but I didn't and I'm bitter at myself because of it.
I think you're being too hard on yourself. Besides, alcohol can be quite harmful. I hope your social life is doing better these days!
Interesting fact, we actually had some MJ grow wild in my parents yard all on its own a few years ago.
But my point is that prohibition doesn't work so why have it? Would it not be better to simply make illegal the effects of mis-use than use? Since prohibition ended alcohol has been legal to produce, sell, and drink if all of the licenses and such are in good order. As a result the alcohol tends to be a "safer" product than the corn-whiskey being made in a rusty still in the backwoods of Alabama or the stuff people were "somehow" getting a hold of my other means.
With the ending of Alcohol Prohibition we now have a safer, purer product that has to meet the standards of the ATF and I'd assume the FDA or some other agency that will ensure the product is as "pure" as possible. (I.E. it's not "watered down" to get the most out of it.) We regulate its sale through taxes and licenses and there's fines and jail-time not to mention other things in place for those who abuse it or cause destruction/death under its influence.
Now, I do draw the line at opiate-based drugs, meth and stuff like that as those drugs have much more drastic problems associated with them, are for more dangerous, and the chance for overdose also greater. It can also be argued they're "controlled substances" as variants of them are used in prescription pharmaceuticals.
So if marijuana (a mostly harmless drug) were legalized we'd have a way to make a purer product that will benefit consumers, it'll be a safer product that'd be a benefit for consumers, we'd have just as many ways to control, tax, and regulate it as we do with alcohol and tobacco and we'd be just as able to prosecute people for using the stuff in situations where they shouldn't. (Like driving.)
People in these arguments often say, "Would you want your doctor to smoke a joint before operating on you?" and I respond with, "No, but I'm going to assume he's an adult and won't do that anymore than he'd drink a beer before operating on me."
There's just no logical reason I can see for MJ to be illegal, none. Meth, Cocaine, Heroin all of that, sure, I can see the reasons. Those are serious drugs that can cause serious problems and their effects are some of the strongest of all the drugs that are out there. Compare Charlie Sheen (a present/former heroin/cocaine user) to pretty much any comedian out there right now: Louis C.K., Zach Galafinakis, Seth Rogan, hell if they're a comedian there's a pretty good chance they're likely presently on, or once on, MJ. All of them maintain good, regular, jobs and are hardly self-destructing louers. (I will defer that it's "possible" they've done, or do, other harder drugs too.)
I swear, the movie Refer Madness is a nice example of how I think post people think of pot-heads. It's entirely stupid.
And, again, I've never used the stuff. Never plan to even if it were legalized. (Oh, okay, I might try it once.) But I fully understand the irrationality of it being illegal when alcohol is acceptable.
The War on Drugs is just more of the government trying to force the population into a narrow way of life that some see as ideal, mostly on the Right side of the aisle, and it's stupid.
If some guy wants to get high on MJ, let him. He's harming no one.
I don't know how more pure a naturally growing weed can get. I mean just put seed in ground, water, and sing to it.
Like tomato plants.
Then obviously you shouldn't drive on marijuana. For the large majority of experienced smokers, there is no danger to it. You can find the studies for this. The only difference is the stoned driver goes a bit slower.
I was pulled over on the highway a year or so ago, for missing a license plate in the front. When I saw the trooper pull out to follow me, I had a bowl in my hand and was exhaling smoke. I was ripped, I'd been smoking on it for the previous 30 minutes.
So I roll down the windows as the cop is singaling me to pull over in a vain attempt to disperse the odor. He smelled it anyway, so they searched the vehicle, and gave me a field test. I'm standing there, state trooper in my face explaining the sobriety test, high as hell. Passed it with no problem. I had nothing in the car other than the pipe, so there was no criminal offense. They let me drive away.
I haven't smoked much on the highway since then, but it was somewhat affirming. I knew I wasn't impaired, and if this wasn't the acid test for that situation I don't know what is.
So anyway, everyone's different. Know thy limitations. In my experience it's the occasional pot smoker, or non-smoker, who is aghast at the thought of driving on it. As perhaps they should be. But I smoke around twice a day. Cell phones and radios are more dangerous than the seasoned pot smoker on the road.
The vegetables and fruits we eat today, that are non-organic, are "just seeds we plant in the ground" too but numerous techniques and procedures are able to get more bountiful crops, vegetables that can taste better and even more.
Ironically that's one of the fears that crop growers have. That if it becomes legal the government will step in and mass produce marijuana in factories, taking away the pure factor of the plant.
I don't have a link for this info, but I did read it in High Times.
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