Marijuana and you...

[mr_naler]

So, I am just curious as to what y'all think about marijuana. I would prefer to keep the conversation somewhat academic, so please abstain from the typical "Weed is awesome" or "Weed is the devil". I am interested in hearing both sides of the argument though. If you have any valid information pertaining to the use of cannabis, medicinal or recreational, please post your thoughts and facts.

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[supereikenator 10+ year member]

Personally, I've never touched it. I'm pro-legalization, but don't think it is good for you in any way. It has been proven to effect memory, reflexes, etc. But if people do it, not my body, not my decision or judgment to make.

 

[MANTI5 10+ year member]

Weed is the devil.

 

[mr_naler]

Personally, I've never touched it. I'm pro-legalization, but don't think it is good for you in any way. It has been proven to effect memory, reflexes, etc. But if people do it, not my body, not my decision or judgment to make.

Do you have any links to any research that proves it has any lasting effect of that nature?

Weed is the devil.

That is a very valid and well thought out point.

 

[NIHL8ION]

In cases where people are suffering side effects from medical treatment(s) that involve loss of appetite, sleeplessness, and irritability - It is a very useful drug to help counteract those symptoms //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Its better than alcohol, there hasn't been a cannabis anonymous yet... Seriously though, look at Amsterdam, its legal there. There's coffee shops there that have it on the menu, they try to keep everything in a safe environment and off the streets where bad dealings happen and poor quality skunk weed arises, that's the stuff that'll cause any type of mental damage natural good stuff without chems have a negligible effect on your mental health. There's a concept of "if they want something, they'll get it one way or the other." Might as well tax that *****.

On the other hand though, it has to be closely regulated because it affects each person in a different way. Some people can drive high, some cannot. The legislative office I work at in California tried proposing a bill to pass through to congress that limits the amount of any drug, including weed that you can have in your system while driving and it got totally shot down by every pro weed group and special interests out there which is pretty godd@mn stupid. Also even if it is legalized, depending on your profession, you still can't use it, especially in medical, law enforcement, homeland security and other government agencies.

As for medical effects, I believe its good for certain people and bad for others. I have veteran buddies comming home from Iraq who've been shot and are missing pieces of their stomachs, limbs and some sanity due to PTSD and medical marijuana is a god's blessing to them, helped relieve the pain enough so that they can get their life together and start working and living a normal life. The bad crowd would be teens wasting their life away, smoking for no apparent reason, or to just look cool. Even worse, the d-bags that smoke in public when people and their children are around.

 

[mr_naler]

It is clearly better than alcohol. It can't kill you, whereas alcohol can. I personally don't think that anyone should drive under the influence of marijuana, despite the fact that I can drive perfectly well after smoking. It is simply too risky. There are certain things that are complicated due to the legal status of marijuana, such as me driving after smoking a bit. The effect it has pertaining to stress(or PTSD) is nearly irrefutable. When used properly it has many benevolent uses. I firmly believe that it could help many of my friends and family members, however they are reluctant(at least) to try it due to it being illegal. I don't have the scientific evidence I need to refute such claims as "It kills brain cells" or "it is a gateway drug".

I very much agree that it is often negatively perceived due to people misusing it, as is the case with people smoking in public or acting foolishly. This is the case with anything though. I had a guy come harass my family while we were eating dinner that was under the influence of alcohol. With that being said, there are many times I have gone out and drank a considerable amount and done nothing of the sort. It's all about self control. Some have it, others never will or care to.

 

[naughtyca 10+ year member]

never tried it and proud of it

 

[dbjunior 10+ year member]

Used to smoke all the time when I was 19 eventually got bored with it and took it as a sign to quit. They say its a gateway drug and I could see where it could be for some but its not for everyone. I think the gateway effect depends highly on the type of person you are before trying it. I'm 27 now and never tried any other drugs and have no desire to. I also never took up smoking cigarettes as a replacement. I'm pro legalization for recreational use as well as medical. It should be taxed and regulated like cigarettes would help the economy a little.

 

[nkrell11 10+ year member]

I've tried it once and found it to be not to my liking or just not for me. Do I mind that people smoke no it's not my place to judge them, some people can handle it and are responsible with it while others are not. I believe that there are people who could be helped by medical or legalized marijuana but the people who are irresponsible with it make the process for getting it to people who would benefit from it legally that much harder. Whether it kills brain cells or not idk but if I had to guess I'd say its not nearly as detrimental to your brain as alcohol which I happen to prefer.

 

[Reinhardt 10+ year member]

Nothing like a wake and bake!!!

 

[bbeljefe]

As far as I'm concerned, there are no sides to the argument. It is not a dangerous drug and it does not have long term negative effects and it certainly isn't a gateway drug, because there is no such thing. While it's true that the body can become dependant on certain substances, that dependence is physical and illicit drugs are far from the only thing that can affect the body in that manner. The addiction is mental and it isn't the substance that's addictive, it's the personality. People who have addictive personalities will become addicted to anything that relieves their stress and brings them closer to a sense of happiness.

The best description I've heard of addiction is as follows. Let's say "normal" happiness is 100 on a scale of 0-200. A person who has a happiness level of 100 can use a drug and reach a level of 140. A person who has a happiness level of 60 can use the same drug in the same amount and reach a normal happiness level. The thing is that when the normally happy person comes off the drug, his happiness level falls to normal, while the other person's happiness level falls back to a negative happiness level. The first person will not become addicted, while the second person will. For more information on this phenomena, I recommend reading "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts - Close Encounters with Addiction" by Dr. Gabor Mate.

As for the legal status of marijuana, I'm not so arrogant as to profess to know how other people should live their lives. But I do know that I live in a nation that treats its citizens like chattel slaves. The US imprisons a greater percentage of its population than any other nation in the history of humanity. We have more peaceful and non violent individuals in prison or under the supervision of the state than any other current nation has actual violent prisoners and yet we still profess to be a civilized nation. I say hogwash. That's not security, it's barbarism and frankly, it's an embarrassment.

To save going off on too much of a rant here I'll close with this... I think everyone who wants to use drugs (of any kind) should be free to use them. I also hope the state never gets one thin dime in taxes on them because the money will only be spent going on more murder sprees on the other side of the world in pursuit of empire building and enriching the most destructive and sociopathic people among us... Namely politicians, military leaders and others who make up the military industrial complex. We will never be a civilized nation until we stop pointing guns at everyone who does or says something someone else doesn't like.

 

[Chaotic_Thought 10+ year member]

Personally, I've never touched it. I'm pro-legalization, but don't think it is good for you in any way. It has been proven to effect memory, reflexes, etc. But if people do it, not my body, not my decision or judgment to make.

Yeah, it sure did stop Michael Phelps from becoming the most decorated Olympian in history.......

 

[chefzane]

Helps me regulate moods and also with anxiety, I am an alcoholic and have been sober getting close to four years, as I can't drink and I am addicted to it I don't have a normal means of relaxation except weed, I have smoked almost twelve thirteen years and never had any legal issues, I am a chef try doing that stoned and I bet you would fail in five minutes, me it keeps me calm and able to pump out 500 plates at a fine dining place in 4 hours before a curtain call at the opera house down the road, I don't go ballistic if I don't have it, don't smoke around the kids EVER, only time they are in same vicinity is at night when they go to bed we shut their door and smoke in the bedroom across the house with our door closed, I run whole kitchens and support my family while keeping others able to do the same it doesn't negatively affect me and mine at all

 

[Savstyle 10+ year member]

Im pro-legalization. Im not a huge fan, its more of a sleep aid for me when im having prolonged trouble sleeping/ Also great for extreme stress. When you need to flat out calm down it seems to really help. Although personally my focus is virtually diminished. Dont know if its because i get tired or what. I know many people who tend smoke before they study or take a big test because it helps them focus on whats in front of them. I dont know if it the effect of different strains or just the different effect of THC in our bodies.

 

[Lowflyin 10+ year member]

Smokin heavy 8 years now.

 

[SUNDOWNBITCH]

I have no problem with weed, I feel that if it was legalized that it would cause no harm to anyone but there would be an increase in wrecks. The last time I smoked weed the cops came to my house cause I was smoking in my back yard, they were pissed but let me off. Weed is not bad if you are responsible with it.

 

[Bohemian 10+ year member]

Go do your own research and work. No one wants to do your **** school work.

 

[Jerhemy 10+ year member]

Smokin heavy 8 years now.

x2 and my life has stayed on a steady path to where i want to be. I have gone to school full time (and graduated) while working full time AND smoking daily. if someone were to drink like I moke, they would be dead or at least not living a productive happy life.

I know many people who have been smoking for many years and they are all competent individuals with life goals and ambitions. As was previously stated, a gateway drug is just a buncha ******** to scare people. If you are the kind of person that NEEDS or depends on any substance to be happy then you're going to do your drugs. the only thing that smoking does as far as gateway drug **** is that it brings you around the people that you could get harder drugs from... but that, again, is 100% your personal choice.

As far as legalization goes.. it needs to ******* happen. Marijuana being illegal is some of the most ***-backwards up legal fuckery you'll ever see. It has so many comercial/economical/medical benefits it's a crime to not take advantage of this plant. Almost all modern medicines are derived from like 12-15 main strains of plants and there is research to suggest that cannabis/THC could hold the potential for massive increases and improvements in this field.

 

[Timmy13091 10+ year member]

**** is legal here in the chi now bitchesss !!!!!!