Change of position - All drugs should be legal

[CapnAwesome]

Well it is of consequence to the person doing it. It's terribly unhealthy and can ruin lives. 

We should discourage by educating/warning people how bad it is. It's really worked for cigarettes.

What about marijuana is terribly unhealthy? And can you point to one life marijuana has ruined (except by the state)?

While I am a heavy pot smoker myself and personally love the effects of it on me, but marijuana has certainly had negative effects on people. I think ruined would have to be clarified. There is good evidence to suggest heavy pot smoking can have a negative effect on both depression and schizophrenia. It can definitely feed into laziness and trap some people in depression. I'd certainly be surprised if nobody was pushed over the edge by heavy pot smoking. Both my parents were heavy smokers when they were younger and are now pretty much anti-pot advocates for personal reasons of how it affected them. I wouldn't say their lives were 'ruined' by it, but they both regret all the time they wasted smoking pot.

I'm all for legalization and love weed but some people view weed with too heavy of rose tinted glasses.

[rexbeccarox]

You didn't realize that when I said:


that I was referring to the consumption of marijuana?

I thought you were using that as an example, my apologies. I didn't know what THC was until I looked it up and saw that it's just weed. My post was not directed towards weed because it's already obvious that weed should be legal. I just assumed "THC" was in the hardcore drug category when I saw your comment.  

(with that being said... sheesh lol, I didn't realize so much would come from that little comment I made. People get way too defensive about this stuff, imho.)

People get defensive because they're sick of being stigmatized and treated like criminals. If you think that's "way too", you should probably think a little harder about it. I, for one, am a legitimate medical marijuana patient who hasn't been able to afford her meds in almost a year. I have a TON of interest in getting "defensive" about it because I would be able to afford it if there weren't such a huge stigma and it was available through health benefits. Believe me: everyone would benefit; not just those using it, whether for recreational or medical purposes.

It might be obvious to you, C_L, but it obviously isn't to everyone in the US, or it would be by-and-large legal by now.

[rexbeccarox]

What about marijuana is terribly unhealthy? And can you point to one life marijuana has ruined (except by the state)?

While I am a heavy pot smoker myself and personally love the effects of it on me, but marijuana has certainly had negative effects on people. I think ruined would have to be clarified. There is good evidence to suggest heavy pot smoking can have a negative effect on both depression and schizophrenia.

Link? I've been a chronic, major depressive my entire life, and since my financial ruin, I haven't been able to afford my medical marijuana, and have only partaken in social situations. My depression has gotten progressively worse, and it's definitely due, in part, to the fact that I can't treat my various things, like insomnia, with marijuana. Would you rather I take synthetic sleep medication?

It can definitely feed into laziness and trap some people in depression. I'd certainly be surprised if nobody was pushed over the edge by heavy pot smoking.

You'd be surprised? Seriously? An argument from ignorance?

Both my parents were heavy smokers when they were younger and are now pretty much anti-pot advocates for personal reasons of how it affected them. I wouldn't say their lives were 'ruined' by it, but they both regret all the time they wasted smoking pot.

And?

I'm all for legalization and love weed but some people view weed with too heavy of rose tinted glasses.

Would you care to show anything concrete to illustrate your assertions?

[Jackalope]

In what way is a THC-infused chocolate chip cookie consumed in the privacy of my own home "terribly unhealthy" in relation to a regular one?  In what way is THC eaten - not smoked - harmful to anyone?  Got a link to a study, or something?

I don't even know what THC is, CD. Honestly what I had in mind when I made that comment were things like Heroin, Cocaine, Meth...   

Maybe in the future ask? I usually assume that someone who holds a strong opinion on something to have a grasp on basic terminology.

[Jackalope]

People get way too defensive about this stuff, imho.)

Do you understand that is because people go to prison over this stuff?

Ask TheRocketSurgeon what he did for the last 9 years, and why. Then realize that he was exonerated.

That's why I want people advocating for drug policy to be competent. Otherwise, even in places where it's legal, you end up with situations where a person (say, me) goes from not-a-felon to felon to not-a-felon without ever leaving his kitchen, or doing anything that anyone should find objectionable.

I literally JUST committed a felony by taking a legal product and making another legal product. That's what happens when people advocate for law without knowing what they're talking about.

[CapnAwesome]

While I am a heavy pot smoker myself and personally love the effects of it on me, but marijuana has certainly had negative effects on people. I think ruined would have to be clarified. There is good evidence to suggest heavy pot smoking can have a negative effect on both depression and schizophrenia.

Link? I've been a chronic, major depressive my entire life, and since my financial ruin, I haven't been able to afford my medical marijuana, and have only partaken in social situations. My depression has gotten progressively worse, and it's definitely due, in part, to the fact that I can't treat my various things, like insomnia, with marijuana. Would you rather I take synthetic sleep medication?

It can definitely feed into laziness and trap some people in depression. I'd certainly be surprised if nobody was pushed over the edge by heavy pot smoking.

You'd be surprised? Seriously? An argument from ignorance?

Both my parents were heavy smokers when they were younger and are now pretty much anti-pot advocates for personal reasons of how it affected them. I wouldn't say their lives were 'ruined' by it, but they both regret all the time they wasted smoking pot.

And?

I'm all for legalization and love weed but some people view weed with too heavy of rose tinted glasses.

Would you care to show anything concrete to illustrate your assertions?

I am high as I am writing this, so keep that in mind:

You are asking for concrete evidence where you know that no such thing exists. How am I supposed to show concretely people's feelings towards something?  That's silly About as silly as saying your depression is getting worse because you can't smoke pot. Based on what? You can't possibly know that unless you actually tried it. Originally you only asked for a single example of someone's life 'ruined' by pot. Although not really clarifying what that means. Now you are asking for a small research paper. Make up your mind. Except for the depression and schizophrenia bit, which is backed up by solid research, everything else is based on personal observation. I would wager I probably know more heavy stoners and people involved in weed then anybody on these boards. Also if you really can't afford weed, go up to Nor Cal for harvest season. You can work and smoke as much pot as you want.

[account_inactive]

Why would you "highly discourage" something that's of no consequence to anyone?

Well it is of consequence to the person doing it. It's terribly unhealthy and can ruin lives. 

We should discourage by educating/warning people how bad it is. It's really worked for cigarettes.

Yeah, but the person doing it knows the health effects.

[rexbeccarox]

Link? I've been a chronic, major depressive my entire life, and since my financial ruin, I haven't been able to afford my medical marijuana, and have only partaken in social situations. My depression has gotten progressively worse, and it's definitely due, in part, to the fact that I can't treat my various things, like insomnia, with marijuana. Would you rather I take synthetic sleep medication?


You'd be surprised? Seriously? An argument from ignorance?


And?


Would you care to show anything concrete to illustrate your assertions?

I am high as I am writing this, so keep that in mind:

You are asking for concrete evidence where you know that no such thing exists.

Then why would you assert such a thing?

How am I supposed to show concretely people's feelings towards something?  That's silly About as silly as saying your depression is getting worse because you can't smoke pot.

That's not what I said; what I said was my depression has gotten worse because I haven't been able to effectively treat things like my insomnia, which weed took care of.

Based on what? You can't possibly know that unless you actually tried it.

Tried what? Not partaking in MMJ? I've been doing that for almost a year...

Originally you only asked for a single example of someone's life 'ruined' by pot. Although not really clarifying what that means.

I was replying to C_L who asserted as such, and then clarified later.

Now you are asking for a small research paper. Make up your mind.

I'm asking you to back your assertions. Don't blame me if you can't.

Also if you really can't afford weed, go up to Nor Cal for harvest season. You can work and smoke as much pot as you want.

Yeah. Ok, cool. Life is that simple in the cap's mind.

You do know everyone in this world does not have the capability to live as freely as you do, right?

[ApeNotKillApe]

What about marijuana is terribly unhealthy? And can you point to one life marijuana has ruined (except by the state)?

While I am a heavy pot smoker myself and personally love the effects of it on me, but marijuana has certainly had negative effects on people. I think ruined would have to be clarified. There is good evidence to suggest heavy pot smoking can have a negative effect on both depression and schizophrenia. It can definitely feed into laziness and trap some people in depression. I'd certainly be surprised if nobody was pushed over the edge by heavy pot smoking. Both my parents were heavy smokers when they were younger and are now pretty much anti-pot advocates for personal reasons of how it affected them. I wouldn't say their lives were 'ruined' by it, but they both regret all the time they wasted smoking pot.

I'm all for legalization and love weed but some people view weed with too heavy of rose tinted glasses.

I've seen for myself the negative effects heavy smoking can have on people, and I've experienced it to a lesser extent. While you can't form a chemical addiction to weed, you can certainly form an emotional dependency. Weed certainly doesn't help when your dealing with depression, it makes the real world much more difficult to face, but once you have a dependency you find you can't get through the day without it, you can't deal with your problems because you're high and so you smoke more to alleviate the stress. I'm not sure what you mean by 'pushed over the edge' but I witnessed a friend develop a dependency and it really messed with his head, heavy bong-based smoking turned him into a really unpleasant person, though once he kicked the habit he leveled out again.

[rexbeccarox]

While I am a heavy pot smoker myself and personally love the effects of it on me, but marijuana has certainly had negative effects on people. I think ruined would have to be clarified. There is good evidence to suggest heavy pot smoking can have a negative effect on both depression and schizophrenia. It can definitely feed into laziness and trap some people in depression. I'd certainly be surprised if nobody was pushed over the edge by heavy pot smoking. Both my parents were heavy smokers when they were younger and are now pretty much anti-pot advocates for personal reasons of how it affected them. I wouldn't say their lives were 'ruined' by it, but they both regret all the time they wasted smoking pot.

I'm all for legalization and love weed but some people view weed with too heavy of rose tinted glasses.

I've seen for myself the negative effects heavy smoking can have on people, and I've experienced it to a lesser extent. While you can't form a chemical addiction to weed, you can certainly form an emotional dependency. Weed certainly doesn't help when your dealing with depression, it makes the real world much more difficult to face, but once you have a dependency you find you can't get through the day without it, you can't deal with your problems because you're high and so you smoke more to alleviate the stress. I'm not sure what you mean by 'pushed over the edge' but I witnessed a friend develop a dependency and it really messed with his head, heavy bong-based smoking turned him into a really unpleasant person, though once he kicked the habit he leveled out again.

Oh good; more assertions and third-party anecdotes.