You can get addicted to it psychologically, as you can get addicted to coffee, jelly beans, washing your hands, psychologically. So that argument has flaws, but I would say there is better evidence to show that weed psychological dependence is worse because of the behavioral changes it can make on someone. Want evidence? I really have none, that's just my thought and opinion.
I used to smoke a lot but quit. Makes you stupid. No, seriously, it does. Certain career paths I can see it would enhance possibly, well, basically any artistic path. But it's not required to be artistic, and actually can make you're art go downhill too, so it's touchy on that subject too.
It's no worse than alcohol or cigs... actually if you were gonna pick one, it's the safest from those 3 choices by far.
I think the gateway drug argument is valid. I'm not saying everyone that smokes pot will ever do any other kind of drug ever but I think some people will, and they will base it off of their marijuana experience being satisfying, so why wouldn't ecstasy?
You can get addicted to it psychologically, as you can get addicted to coffee, jelly beans, washing your hands, psychologically.
As for it being psychologically addicting, that's where I touched upon the user's environment a little bit. It can become psychologically addicting if that's really all the users can do in his bleak, boring life. When they see marijuana as an escape from boredom as opposed to, let's say, another outlet for enjoyment (keyword: "another"), that's when it becomes a problem.
It's nothing like tobacco as far as addiction goes. I had a friend who didn't like to smoke cigarettes, smoked a few, and his whole perception of drugs has changed. He's one of those guys who you pass by at the bus stop who ask, "yo, you got a cig, man?" Tobacco will fuck with your head. I've only smoked two or three cigarettes (three cigars too) and, thankfully, I never got really addicted, but I have felt cravings every once in a while. I've never felt cravings for marijuana, I'm not even in the mood to smoke right now.
Yes, marijuana can be addictive, but only in very rare situations. I'm sure there are more people addicted to marijuana in the middle-of-nowhere then there are in suburbia and the city combined.
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I hate the way you cling to ignorance and pass it off as innocence
Marijuana is illegal for a reason and shall remain illegal for a reason. It's bad for your body, bad for the public, and a waste of time.
Tobacco is worse than marijuana on all those accounts. In fact, second-hand smoking is not an issue with marijuna, yet it is with tobacco. Tobacco needs to be illegal for that simple fact. Marijuana, though, is hardly the top killer in the nation (check statistics).
America will crumble for a lot of reasons, legalizing drugs is not one of them. Rather, it's the opposite. First sign of a country that's starting to crumble is being overheated.
Tobacco is worse than marijuana on all those accounts. In fact, second-hand smoking is not an issue with marijuna, yet it is with tobacco. Tobacco needs to be illegal for that simple fact. Marijuana, though, is hardly the top killer in the nation (check statistics).
Lol if people would smoke a pack of joints a day it would be.. Since when is inhaling smoke good for you ? wtf. I smoke cigarettes.. I know the consequences.. But still atleast it doesn't fuck with my mind.
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This body holding me, reminds me of my own mortality.
Embrace this moment. Remember... We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion.
Since when is inhaling smoke good for you ? wtf. I smoke cigarettes.. I know the consequences.. But still atleast it doesn't fuck with my mind.
You need a pretty big amount of marijuana to get any results from it if you're inhaling it second hand.
Marijuana is not automatically harmful like tobacco is. The lowest amount of tobacco is bad. Low amounts of marijuana don't do anything.
Like anything in this world, overuse is bad for you. But marijuana (and alcohol, as well) is pretty average on that scale, tobacco, overuse starts before one cigarette is finished. If you're in a room and everyone is smoking pot in there yeah that's probably not a very good idea but replace pot with any other gas it's hardly better. Ever thought about the effects of paint, or other chemicals used around the house? I lived in painted rooms for some bit you get headaches and dizziness from it.
By the way, tobacco does fuck with your mind. Tobacco fucks with so many things at once it's hard for it not to fuck with anything in particular.
Marijuana, unlike alcohol and tobacco, is actually in many ways good for the human body. It creates a state of euphoria, it's a painkiller, and has no natural addictive material or chemicals in it (unless the dealer adds it to the cannibus plant). I personally think that the USA can make millions off selling marijuana and make a market, since it is historically cultural to the US and the USA already spends so much on the drug war, with much of it keeping away Marijuana.
I say make it legal, make a corporation out of it, and let people smoke it freely. Make rules on driving on it, since if you're stoned, you shouldn't be driving a vehicle.
Honestly, if you're looking at it according to health, marijuana should be the only drug legal. But it's not so whatever. Just make it legal.
I have actually done a considerable amount research on this matter, branching off from a study I had to do on cotton a few years back. There's a considerable amount of evidence to support the theory that Marijuana was originally made illegally only because it was a byproduct of the Cannabis plant, which was also used to make hemp. During the early times of American colonization, a great deal of the fledgling country's economy was based on cotton. It funded the slave trade, funded western expansion, funded the government, etc. There was a terrible amount of money invested in this single crop with hundreds (if not thousands) of acres of land devoted to cotton plantations.
Then along came hemp. Certain (progressive) people started to realize that hemp (another byproduct of the Cannabis plant) could be turned into a much stronger, more resilient, lighter and longer-lasting material than cotton with otherwise very similar properties. Had it become a business venture, it likely would have destroyed a lot of the cotton business, as it would have been considerably more value without any extra effort or work.
Immediately plantation owners and those heavily involved with the cotton industry (almost everyone, including many politicians) came down hard on it. They pointed out the narcotic aspects of the Cannabis plant, among other supposed "problems" with it and banned its growth and production - essentially killing any resistance to the cotton movement. Down the road, more and more people would begin to view Cannabis as this evil child-corrupting drug (all part of the government's very clever campaign to justify it's own actions). Since then it's stayed illegal mostly due to people's fear of it that has been disseminated from the government for it's mind-altering properties and dangerous 'gate-way drug' status.
2 - The facts about Marijuana usage and health
Marijuana is not bad for you (the average person) at all. AT ALL. The plant itself, is simply that, a plant. Consuming Marijuana is analogous to eating broccoli in terms of harmfulness to the human body (physiologically speaking). Marijuana when consumed through eating (baking it into brownies or cookies or whatever) or as vapour (through a water bong, bubbler, etc) has no harmful effects what-so-ever. The only potential direct harm from Marijuana consumption is if you smoke it. This is due to the harmful chemicals (such as Carbon Monoxide aka SMOKE) and the ash entering your lungs, throat, etc.
It should be noted, though, that smoking almost anything else will be worse for you. Look at cigarettes, for example. Cigarettes contain approximately 4,000 different chemicals (many of them harmful). To name a few: Formaldehyde, Acetone, Ammonia, Arsenic, Benzene, etc. This is in addition to the carbon monoxide and ash inhalation. Finally, cigarette smoke is also highly addictive, as it contains the chemical Nicotine. Some people can get permanently hooked on the drug after only a single dosage (one cigarette).
Another harmful (but completely legal) drug product is alcohol. Alcohol impairs your judgement and removes inhibitions. It is the ULTIMATE gateway drug, because it is completely legal for young people to buy (and they will!) and removes your normal inhibitions that make you say, "no cocaine for me, thank you". In addition to this, alcohol and ethanol are poisonous to humans. Consuming them is deadly. Ever heard of alcohol poisoning?
Other legal (and harmful) drugs include: caffeine (in coffee and chocolate), cough medicine, glue, pain medication, sleep aids, anti-depressants, and oxy-contin. All of these are considerably more addictive and harmful than simply consuming Marijuana.
Even sex, on average, is more dangerous than consuming Marijuana. Through sex, you can get any number of deadly or horrendous diseases such as HIV, HPV, Hepatitis, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Herpes, Mononucleosis, Crabs, etc. Recreational sex is enjoyable yet dangerous (just like alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, etc, etc, etc).
(The following stats apply only to the USA and are approximated)
Annual deaths directly related to Alcohol consumption: 85,000
Annual deaths directly related to Cigarette consumption: 435,000
(The following stats apply to the entire world and are approximated)
Annual deaths directly related to Sexually Transmitted Diseases: 7,000,000
Annual deaths directly related to Marijuana consumption: 0
Marijuana has actually been proven to help some people suffering from pain or certain debilitating diseases (such as glaucoma). While it is obviously not generally used as a treatment by all, it is used very successfully by some and should continue to be. If it is going to improve the quality of your life, you should do it.
The only potential health risk I can even imagine being attributed to Marijuana consumption is obesity (and that's a pretty flimsy argument at best). Some people say Marijuana makes you lazy. Well, it can, but so can using the computer or watching TV or drinking beer. A lot of the time, Marijuana actually makes people more active, prompting them to want to go and explore or travel somewhere. It does increase appetite, but if you're a generally healthy individual in general there should be no cause for concern. The point is, if you're fat, it's probably your own fault. Don't blame it on the drug that you choose to take that makes you a bit hungrier. That's just silly.
3 - What should be done
This is tricky subject. Every country is different and has different laws. Being a Canadian, I am most familiar with Canadian society and its legal system. I am pretty familiar with the American society and system as well, though, so I'll try to comment on that as well.
In both countries, the recreational and medicinal use of Marijuana should be legalized but restricted. The production and distribution of Marijuana should be strictly regulated and controlled by government agencies. This should be similar to the production and distribution of alcohol or tobacco. The government should put a tax on it and print warnings on all packages sold warning of the potential hazards of smoking Marijuana (similar to with cigarettes).
- It should be illegal for minors (under 21 in the USA or under 19 in Canada) to purchase, own, or consume Marijuana
- It should be illegal for anyone to give or sell Marijuana to minors
- It should be illegal to consume Marijuana and then operate machinery or drive
- If there are restrictions on smoking cigarettes in public, the same restrictions should apply to smoking Marijuana
- The government should promote safe and responsible usage by encouraging the use of bongs or baking rather than smoking
This system would accomplish several things at once.
- It would cut down significantly on the amount of black market illicit drug trafficking
- There can be incentives to buy in-country Marijuana, promoting local agriculture
- Taxing sales would increase government revenue
- Regulated quality would prevent 'lacing' from occurring, promoting safer usage
- Restricting it from minors would make it just as legal as cigarettes and alcohol
At very least, Marijuana should be de-criminalized. We need to stop putting people in prison for consuming a relatively healthy, safe drug in the comfort of their own home, far from causing anyone else any harm.
If you have any respectable (like, from a scientist, not a pastor) evidence to support the idea that Marijuana is dangerous, harmful, addictive, or evil in any way, please reply. I'd love to hear it.
Those statistics are overwhelming too. Plus gang violence over drugs will lessen because of marijuana, making Los Angeles suburbs a lot nicer to visit.
Alas, I cannot be President because I am not an American.
Anyways, I certainly don't want anyone to think that I believe my own argument to be 100% foolproof or anything. I mostly want to encourage people to think critically rather than just believing everything they're told (especially by people with power).
Do some research, look into the statistics of what you're talking about and develop your opinions based on investigation, not on other people's opinions.
Do some research, look into the statistics of what you're talking about and develop your opinions based on investigation, not on other people's opinions.
Thank you! Someone finally said it! This is everyone's (including myself) biggest problems in arguments. No one really looks at things statistically and scientifically, it's just opinionated.
Alas, I cannot be President because I am not an American.
we will americanize you - lol
great post
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Smiling is infectious.
Give, expecting nothing thereof. ------------ BoD - Come have some fun! Folks will always come and go, so enjoy them while they're meant to be in your life.
I remember reading a anti-marijuana propaganda leaflet...
"Marijuana causes cancer! Well, it doesn't cause it directly, but people who do marijuana also smoke cigarettes and do other bad drugs like cocaine and heroine!"
Marijuana only really causes death BECAUSE it is illegal. What I mean is, there would be a lot less crime if marijuana was legal. Look and the Prohibition in the 1920's/30's. Crime rose up enormously, and it started large underground movements which caused death and poverty. And it is almost exactly the same problem, if not worse. Alcohol kills way more people than marijuana ever did.
And if it was legal, it could be regulated, and if it is regulated, it could be made to be certain that your only getting marijuana and not a mixture of something else along with the marijuana. That right there is the scary part, that you could get something else that would kill you.
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I used to smoke a lot but quit. Makes you stupid. No, seriously, it does. Certain career paths I can see it would enhance possibly, well, basically any artistic path. But it's not required to be artistic, and actually can make you're art go downhill too, so it's touchy on that subject too.
It's no worse than alcohol or cigs... actually if you were gonna pick one, it's the safest from those 3 choices by far.
I think the gateway drug argument is valid. I'm not saying everyone that smokes pot will ever do any other kind of drug ever but I think some people will, and they will base it off of their marijuana experience being satisfying, so why wouldn't ecstasy?
unzip, strip, touch, finger, grep, mount, fsck, more, yes, fsck, fsck, fsck, umount, sleep
As for it being psychologically addicting, that's where I touched upon the user's environment a little bit. It can become psychologically addicting if that's really all the users can do in his bleak, boring life. When they see marijuana as an escape from boredom as opposed to, let's say, another outlet for enjoyment (keyword: "another"), that's when it becomes a problem.
It's nothing like tobacco as far as addiction goes. I had a friend who didn't like to smoke cigarettes, smoked a few, and his whole perception of drugs has changed. He's one of those guys who you pass by at the bus stop who ask, "yo, you got a cig, man?" Tobacco will fuck with your head. I've only smoked two or three cigarettes (three cigars too) and, thankfully, I never got really addicted, but I have felt cravings every once in a while. I've never felt cravings for marijuana, I'm not even in the mood to smoke right now.
Yes, marijuana can be addictive, but only in very rare situations. I'm sure there are more people addicted to marijuana in the middle-of-nowhere then there are in suburbia and the city combined.
I hate the way you cling to ignorance and pass it off as innocence
America will crumble for a lot of reasons, legalizing drugs is not one of them. Rather, it's the opposite. First sign of a country that's starting to crumble is being overheated.
Lol if people would smoke a pack of joints a day it would be.. Since when is inhaling smoke good for you ? wtf. I smoke cigarettes.. I know the consequences.. But still atleast it doesn't fuck with my mind.
Embrace this moment. Remember...
We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion.
Marijuana is not automatically harmful like tobacco is. The lowest amount of tobacco is bad. Low amounts of marijuana don't do anything.
Like anything in this world, overuse is bad for you. But marijuana (and alcohol, as well) is pretty average on that scale, tobacco, overuse starts before one cigarette is finished. If you're in a room and everyone is smoking pot in there yeah that's probably not a very good idea but replace pot with any other gas it's hardly better. Ever thought about the effects of paint, or other chemicals used around the house? I lived in painted rooms for some bit you get headaches and dizziness from it.
By the way, tobacco does fuck with your mind. Tobacco fucks with so many things at once it's hard for it not to fuck with anything in particular.
I say make it legal, make a corporation out of it, and let people smoke it freely. Make rules on driving on it, since if you're stoned, you shouldn't be driving a vehicle.
Honestly, if you're looking at it according to health, marijuana should be the only drug legal. But it's not so whatever. Just make it legal.
I have actually done a considerable amount research on this matter, branching off from a study I had to do on cotton a few years back. There's a considerable amount of evidence to support the theory that Marijuana was originally made illegally only because it was a byproduct of the Cannabis plant, which was also used to make hemp. During the early times of American colonization, a great deal of the fledgling country's economy was based on cotton. It funded the slave trade, funded western expansion, funded the government, etc. There was a terrible amount of money invested in this single crop with hundreds (if not thousands) of acres of land devoted to cotton plantations.
Then along came hemp. Certain (progressive) people started to realize that hemp (another byproduct of the Cannabis plant) could be turned into a much stronger, more resilient, lighter and longer-lasting material than cotton with otherwise very similar properties. Had it become a business venture, it likely would have destroyed a lot of the cotton business, as it would have been considerably more value without any extra effort or work.
Immediately plantation owners and those heavily involved with the cotton industry (almost everyone, including many politicians) came down hard on it. They pointed out the narcotic aspects of the Cannabis plant, among other supposed "problems" with it and banned its growth and production - essentially killing any resistance to the cotton movement. Down the road, more and more people would begin to view Cannabis as this evil child-corrupting drug (all part of the government's very clever campaign to justify it's own actions). Since then it's stayed illegal mostly due to people's fear of it that has been disseminated from the government for it's mind-altering properties and dangerous 'gate-way drug' status.
2 - The facts about Marijuana usage and health
Marijuana is not bad for you (the average person) at all. AT ALL. The plant itself, is simply that, a plant. Consuming Marijuana is analogous to eating broccoli in terms of harmfulness to the human body (physiologically speaking). Marijuana when consumed through eating (baking it into brownies or cookies or whatever) or as vapour (through a water bong, bubbler, etc) has no harmful effects what-so-ever. The only potential direct harm from Marijuana consumption is if you smoke it. This is due to the harmful chemicals (such as Carbon Monoxide aka SMOKE) and the ash entering your lungs, throat, etc.
It should be noted, though, that smoking almost anything else will be worse for you. Look at cigarettes, for example. Cigarettes contain approximately 4,000 different chemicals (many of them harmful). To name a few: Formaldehyde, Acetone, Ammonia, Arsenic, Benzene, etc. This is in addition to the carbon monoxide and ash inhalation. Finally, cigarette smoke is also highly addictive, as it contains the chemical Nicotine. Some people can get permanently hooked on the drug after only a single dosage (one cigarette).
Another harmful (but completely legal) drug product is alcohol. Alcohol impairs your judgement and removes inhibitions. It is the ULTIMATE gateway drug, because it is completely legal for young people to buy (and they will!) and removes your normal inhibitions that make you say, "no cocaine for me, thank you". In addition to this, alcohol and ethanol are poisonous to humans. Consuming them is deadly. Ever heard of alcohol poisoning?
Other legal (and harmful) drugs include: caffeine (in coffee and chocolate), cough medicine, glue, pain medication, sleep aids, anti-depressants, and oxy-contin. All of these are considerably more addictive and harmful than simply consuming Marijuana.
Even sex, on average, is more dangerous than consuming Marijuana. Through sex, you can get any number of deadly or horrendous diseases such as HIV, HPV, Hepatitis, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Herpes, Mononucleosis, Crabs, etc. Recreational sex is enjoyable yet dangerous (just like alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, etc, etc, etc).
(The following stats apply only to the USA and are approximated)
Annual deaths directly related to Alcohol consumption: 85,000
Annual deaths directly related to Cigarette consumption: 435,000
(The following stats apply to the entire world and are approximated)
Annual deaths directly related to Sexually Transmitted Diseases: 7,000,000
Annual deaths directly related to Marijuana consumption: 0
Marijuana has actually been proven to help some people suffering from pain or certain debilitating diseases (such as glaucoma). While it is obviously not generally used as a treatment by all, it is used very successfully by some and should continue to be. If it is going to improve the quality of your life, you should do it.
The only potential health risk I can even imagine being attributed to Marijuana consumption is obesity (and that's a pretty flimsy argument at best). Some people say Marijuana makes you lazy. Well, it can, but so can using the computer or watching TV or drinking beer. A lot of the time, Marijuana actually makes people more active, prompting them to want to go and explore or travel somewhere. It does increase appetite, but if you're a generally healthy individual in general there should be no cause for concern. The point is, if you're fat, it's probably your own fault. Don't blame it on the drug that you choose to take that makes you a bit hungrier. That's just silly.
3 - What should be done
This is tricky subject. Every country is different and has different laws. Being a Canadian, I am most familiar with Canadian society and its legal system. I am pretty familiar with the American society and system as well, though, so I'll try to comment on that as well.
In both countries, the recreational and medicinal use of Marijuana should be legalized but restricted. The production and distribution of Marijuana should be strictly regulated and controlled by government agencies. This should be similar to the production and distribution of alcohol or tobacco. The government should put a tax on it and print warnings on all packages sold warning of the potential hazards of smoking Marijuana (similar to with cigarettes).
- It should be illegal for minors (under 21 in the USA or under 19 in Canada) to purchase, own, or consume Marijuana
- It should be illegal for anyone to give or sell Marijuana to minors
- It should be illegal to consume Marijuana and then operate machinery or drive
- If there are restrictions on smoking cigarettes in public, the same restrictions should apply to smoking Marijuana
- The government should promote safe and responsible usage by encouraging the use of bongs or baking rather than smoking
This system would accomplish several things at once.
- It would cut down significantly on the amount of black market illicit drug trafficking
- There can be incentives to buy in-country Marijuana, promoting local agriculture
- Taxing sales would increase government revenue
- Regulated quality would prevent 'lacing' from occurring, promoting safer usage
- Restricting it from minors would make it just as legal as cigarettes and alcohol
At very least, Marijuana should be de-criminalized. We need to stop putting people in prison for consuming a relatively healthy, safe drug in the comfort of their own home, far from causing anyone else any harm.
If you have any respectable (like, from a scientist, not a pastor) evidence to support the idea that Marijuana is dangerous, harmful, addictive, or evil in any way, please reply. I'd love to hear it.
End
I like your background information. Agreed 100%.
I really don't know how anybody could combat this.
Congrats, Jetrall, you get the cookie.
I hate the way you cling to ignorance and pass it off as innocence
I believe this debate is over now? Lol.
Anyways, I certainly don't want anyone to think that I believe my own argument to be 100% foolproof or anything. I mostly want to encourage people to think critically rather than just believing everything they're told (especially by people with power).
Do some research, look into the statistics of what you're talking about and develop your opinions based on investigation, not on other people's opinions.
Thank you! Someone finally said it! This is everyone's (including myself) biggest problems in arguments. No one really looks at things statistically and scientifically, it's just opinionated.
we will americanize you - lol
great post
Folks will always come and go, so enjoy them while they're meant to be in your life.
"Marijuana causes cancer! Well, it doesn't cause it directly, but people who do marijuana also smoke cigarettes and do other bad drugs like cocaine and heroine!"
Marijuana only really causes death BECAUSE it is illegal. What I mean is, there would be a lot less crime if marijuana was legal. Look and the Prohibition in the 1920's/30's. Crime rose up enormously, and it started large underground movements which caused death and poverty. And it is almost exactly the same problem, if not worse. Alcohol kills way more people than marijuana ever did.