Marijuana

[CoxRox]

I say ban alcohol. You say you THINK marijuana is harmful even in small amounts yet you just said you smoked it a few times and it was a 'pleasant experiance'. You smoked a small amount, no harm done, correct? But then you say you had a bad first encounter with it. What was that bad first encounter? Your ex? That wasn't a bad encounter with pot, that was a bad encounter with a bad person.

It just P's me O that folks can take such a stance against pot and then go on to talk about how can we solve the HORRIFIC problems of alcohol use while keeping it legal and widely available. Alcohol USE is more harmful than marijuana ABUSE if you look at the info available to us.

You admitted you have first hand experiance with the devastation alcohol can bring and you were aware of the positive benefits of marijuana use. So I don't understand how you can maintain your stance against marijuana and not take the same stance with a substance much, much more harmful. Could it be you are a regular alcohol user? I don't know.

Just think if it were required that all leaders of all countries smoke a joint before meeting. Their differances are great and one says "Ah... were going to have to go to war over this!". The other says "Well, hell, that would mean we would have to get up, go over there and push a bunch of buttons and do a boatload of paperwork." First one replies "Yeah, fu*k it, nevermind, pass that joint please."

Ok, that was silly yes, but it makes a point.

Wooooa! Things are rushing along now and I think you're losing site of what I have said. To clarify, I BELIEVE marijuana to be not beneficial to one's health. What part of that don't you like? I've read the reports and I've made my mind up. Yes, smoking a joint was not unpleasant, and nor would be a shot of heroin, so I've gathered. The bad encounter was bad because these young people (18,19 year olds) were spending their whole day smoking it. They resembled zombies. Now, I know not all people who smoke it live like this. I know that hard working people may choose to smoke the odd joint of a weekend and they enjoy it. The young people in my 'encounter' were from a deprived background, lots of unemployment at the time. The marijuana abuse just exacerbated the situation for them and led to apathy, or so it seemed to me. Those things aside, the health risks associated with even minimal use of marijuana is something I take heed of. Right let's go on to alcohol. I wouldn't bat an eye lid if it was banned tomorrow, for all the reasons you've mentioned. Are you saying that alcohol taken as part of a meal in small amounts is dangerous?

[lilphil1989]

In my opinion, government should have nothing to say about what we do to our own bodies as long as it doesn't affect the health of others.

BTW - I have never (and more than likely never will) used a non-medicinal drug other than alcohol, I just take issue with what i can and can't put in MY body being dictated to me.

[CoxRox]

In my opinion, government should have nothing to say about what we do to our own bodies as long as it doesn't affect the health of others.

BTW - I have never (and more than likely never will) used a non-medicinal drug other than alcohol, I just take issue with what i can and can't put in MY body being dictated to me.

This is where it gets tricky. Cigarettes, alcohol, mental illness that may have been caused by marijuana or other drugs, does effect other people, hence why government imposes laws. I don't know how society can sort these problems out. They tried to outlaw alcohol in America and look what happened then. Outlawing something does tend to lead to more crime, but then two wrongs don't make a right. It's a hard one.

[Edwardo Piet]

Certain types of alcohol can at least be good in small doses. Red wine I've heard can be very good for your heart if its taken in small doses.
Apparently Leonardo knew this, so I've read. Or he at least did it. He took wine in small doses (Although I'm not sure what wine) after meals. And he said it was bad to take wine on an empty stomach.
And also, in case anyone doesn't know. Alcohol does apparently have a negative effect on brains cells...
BUT, it doesn't kill any. It just slows the growth of new cells.
So I don't think alcohol should be banned. At least ALL alcohol. And like CR said, banning doesn't always work! And I say that if you just banned SOME alcohol, the nasty ones, rather than the ones that can be potentially good for you if used sparingly, in small doses, - there would be a lot of people who were unhappy that it was the alcohol THEY drinked, THEY liked that was banned. Rather than just the one's that are better for you
Evf

[Dotard]

They resembled zombies. Now, I know not all people who smoke it live like this. I know that hard working people may choose to smoke the odd joint...

Issue #1. You are 'glad' it is illegal based on your experiance with a couple few users even though you freely admit not all users are like them. It's like me advocating a ban on rope because out of the 1009 that were purchased today three of them were used by people to hang themselves.

I am a frequent user. I smoke pot for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have now for about 26 years. I know ALOT of other frequent smokers as myself. Every single one of them, including myself, get up everyday and go to work. A majority have families and a lot more responsibilities than I and we all lead productive lives.

...the health risks associated with even minimal use of marijuana is something I take heed of.

Issue #2. Yet you do not pay this same 'heed' to the health risks associated with even minimal use of alcohol. Actually I may need to retract that statement because I don't know if you drink or not. I'm assuming you do. If you do not then you are heeding and I shall retract that statement.
You may not bat an eye if alcohol was declared illegal tommorrow, but would you be just as "glad" as you are concerning marijuana?

...mental illness that may have been caused by marijuana...

No, you're not gonna slip this one past me. I don't claim to know everything but as far as all my personal research (and I've researched the hell outta this over the last 26 years) no direct link has been found for marijuana being the causation of mental illness.

Are you saying that alcohol taken as part of a meal in small amounts is dangerous?

I am saying the dangerous effects associated with minimal use of alcohol far out-weigh the dangers associated with minimal use of pot. Again, the dangers of marijuana abuse are what? After you answer that question then please answer; The dangers of alcohol use are what?

[CoxRox]

[/b]

They resembled zombies. Now, I know not all people who smoke it live like this. I know that hard working people may choose to smoke the odd joint...

Issue #1. You are 'glad' it is illegal based on your experiance with a couple few users even though you freely admit not all users are like them. It's like me advocating a ban on rope because out of the 1009 that were purchased today three of them were used by people to hang themselves.

Not just that experience, of which I have admitted is an extreme one. Mainly for the possible health risks associated with even moderate use. I'm also glad we don't have the same gun laws here as they do in America. So what![b]

I am a frequent user. I smoke pot for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have now for about 26 years. I know ALOT of other frequent smokers as myself. Every single one of them, including myself, get up everyday and go to work. A majority have families and a lot more responsibilities than I and we all lead productive lives.

Where have I given the impression that you wouldn't be leading normal lives? People who use alcohol, smoke cigarettes also do all these things.

...the health risks associated with even minimal use of marijuana is something I take heed of.

Issue #2. Yet you do not pay this same 'heed' to the health risks associated with even minimal use of alcohol. Actually I may need to retract that statement because I don't know if you drink or not. I'm assuming you do. If you do not then you are heeding and I shall retract that statement.
You may not bat an eye if alcohol was declared illegal tommorrow, but would you be just as "glad" as you are concerning marijuana?

I do indeed imbibe the amber nectar, or rather a glass or two of wine or half a pint of guiness. I have never read or come across any article etc, that says even a small amount of alcohol is not good for you, rather the OPPOSITE. As I consider marijuana 'suspect' to say the least, I'm glad it is illegal.[/b]

[b]...mental illness that may have been caused by marijuana...

No, you're not gonna slip this one past me. I don't claim to know everything but as far as all my personal research (and I've researched the hell outta this over the last 26 years) no direct link has been found for marijuana being the causation of mental illness.

[/b]Ok, let me slip this one past you then. I went to this group recently, for family members of somone with a drug addiction, including alcohol dependancy. We discussed marijuana, and the possible physchotic/physchological effects it has. The PROFESSIONAL people leading the group seemed to take these mental illness 'links' very seriously.

[b]Are you saying that alcohol taken as part of a meal in small amounts is dangerous?

I am saying the dangerous effects associated with minimal use of alcohol far out-weigh the dangers associated with minimal use of pot. Again, the dangers of marijuana abuse are what? After you answer that question then please answer; The dangers of alcohol use are what?

[/b]Let me do some research into the dangerous effects of 'minimal use', as I'm not aware of any and then I'll address this last point.[b]

Sorry I'm getting into a pickle trying to underline my comments. I hope you can pick them out.

[lilphil1989]

This is where it gets tricky. Cigarettes, alcohol, mental illness that may have been caused by marijuana or other drugs, does effect other people, hence why government imposes laws. I don't know how society can sort these problems out. They tried to outlaw alcohol in America and look what happened then. Outlawing something does tend to lead to more crime, but then two wrongs don't make a right. It's a hard one.

Well in my opinion, crime rates would plummet if everything was legalised and not just because we'd be making a few less thing illegal. For example, burglary, muggings etc would decrease, since addicts wouldn't need to turn to these to fund their addiction as prices would decrease greatly.

I think you misunderstood me when I said "affect the health of others".
I meant directly not indirectly.

[Dotard]

Time won't allow me to respond proper, so please allow me to respond to one line and the rest later.

The PROFESSIONAL people leading the group seemed to take these mental illness 'links' very seriously.

What links? Show me.

[CoxRox]

Dotard, I'll provide this one link as it seems to cover all the relevant points:
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinf...ealth.aspx

At my meetings, we were given little pamphlets with similar info. I haven't had time to look into the alcohol in small measures being bad for you, so after Christmas I'll look into that. Hope you have a good Christmas, and please bear in mind, that my intention is not to imply that anyone who smokes it is going to be effected mentally, or is in some way a 'drug addict'. I'm sorry if I have given this impression. That was not my intention.

[Eilonnwy]

Here in Massachusetts we had a ballot question to decriminalize possessing 1 ounce of Marijuana or less. I'm happy to say it passed, and I voted for it to pass. So now instead of jailtime adna criminal record, people get a fine for having 1 ounce of marijauna or less.

I'm a big fan of legalizing marijuana epecially for pain relief. I don't see prohibition working. I'm a big fan of letting weed go and focusing on the more damaging drugs like heroine or cocaine.