I just don't get it. It is such a phneolmon to me why so many people feel the need to get stoned and spend there hard earned money on the crap opposed to putting there money forth towards something more productive. I just can't help but to feel that there is more important things to do other than smoke up while sitting on the sofa eathing junkfood and watching cartoons. Unmovaited and not doing nothing with your life other than being a prasite to the economy. Tell me what you think

Hello julie:

I don't know why people want to drink alcohol either. It really makes you stupid...

But, people do what people do.

excon

There are people who took up on occasion,just as a social drinker might have a few drinks and then there are pot heads and I think that is what you described.

Clearly pot heads are wasting their time and money,not sure about being a parasite on the economy,that seems like a stretch but I suspect they are being escapists.Not wanting to live in the real world for whatever reason.I suspect the reasons are as varied as the pot heads themselves.

Then there are people who smoke everyday and maintain jobs and contribute to the community so I think it is wise to never paint with such a broad brush.

Not every pot head is an unmotivated cartoon watching munchie eating parasite.

It depends on the person and just as some people can have a few drinks everyday without becoming a drunkard,some people can smoke without being a pothead.

It must be a human thing, I think through all time, people have been smoking, eating, pills, or something.
The first people started by eating plants that contained a drug by accident.
I kind of wonder who licked the first frog to get stoned.
I tried it, nothing happened, but I think the Frog had a smile on her face.

I wake up at 5:00am to go the gym run on the treadmill for an hour and lift. Then go to work for 9 hours comes home clean, do laundry or cook diner or sometimes I'll play with my cats. And I smoke everyday. For me it just something I use to relax. I have a great job (I actually just got promoted) and went to a VERY respected College. I would like to know what makes you think everyone just sits there eating junk food watching cartoons and are a parasite?

Here is someone who doesn' fit your profile:
Won more Gold medals than Anyone in History? Go figure. If he didn't smoke, maybe he would have won more Medals? Who Knows:
Michael Phelps acknowledges pot pipe photo and apologizes - Los Angeles Times (http://www.latimes.com/sports/printedition/la-sp-phelps-marijuana2-2009feb02,0,7196536.story)

Artlady, I don't lick Male frogs, plus, it made me smile. Take Care

If you've never been stoned then it would seem like a crazy thing to do because that's how our media/society portrays it.

As artlady and spitvenom have said not everyone who smokes is a mindlessly-laughing-couch-potato-jobless-life suck on society.

It's the person not the activity.

Hello again:

Uhhh, I forgot what we were talking about...

excon

This might not be politically correct to say, but I would rather people smoked pot than drank. After watching my 30 year old son go alcoholic I would rather he took up something like pot if he has to do anything at all. Some of my friends smoke pot and they are incredibly creative as a result, others just get burned out. It's mostly social thing I suppose but neither pot nor drinking appeal to me.

I don't tent to think about it but honestly ima hypocrite. I don't smoke because I'm just not interested its not good for and a waste of money. But on the other hand I drink not a lot mind you but it's a waste of money and it hurts your body and mind? I don't find drinking so bad but I try not to do it a lot either. So why do people drink either? Lol
I also know quite a lot of people who smoke pot it doesn't bother me I just don't hang out with them when they are stoned and I don't let them do it around me. But a lot of pot heads don't see it as a drug it's a plant a herb, its not though its not good for you body and non of them believe it's a gate way drug but it hink it is I don't do pot I don't do other drugs all the people I know who smoke pot have all either tried hard drugs or use them regularly. Pot is just as bad as asid or crack its bad for you simple!!

Someone who does not have addictive genes is free to make all the generalizations they like, they, however, will never, ever have a clue what it feels like to be physically addicted to a substance. Some non-addictive people staunchly assert that addiction is not a disease. Go ahead. You will never, ever have a clue what it feels like to be physically addicted to a substance.

There are some people who demonstrate a very high level of functioning, yet are still addicted to, whatever. They don't present a societal sickness. In fact, I believe there should be an IQ/function test for them. If they score well while doing their drug of choice, maybe it should be legal for them.

When I was a teenager partying my butt off, some of my friends demonstrated this high level of function. Some had to sit and stare, at cartoons or whatever. I had to sit and stare. It is bad for many to do drugs. For a few, it's a very positive thing!

How to differentiate between the types of addictive brains is an underrepresented area of study. Perhaps we should quit generalizing our opinions and get flexible? Openminded? Ha ha ha ha... And monkeys will fly out of my butt.

A few of my family member smoke but they don't act and do it for the reason you say.
One was in a REALLY bad car accident and she smoke because it helps with the pain... She probably wouldn't be able to even get out of bed without smoking it, she has tried many medications, most make her feel sick, disoriented, or some she is afraid to become addicted to. There are many different kinds of pot, or whatever you call it... each kind has a different effect; some make you feel lethargic, others make you happy, giddy or even sad.

Some of the great musicians, painters and atheletes smoke, or have smoked. Some of the most influential authors as well; Aldous Huxley, Jimmy Hendrix, etc. These people were certainly not couch potatoes and their influence on their fields of work is still felt today.

Smokers are very nice people, get to know some, you'd be surprised how creative, enlightened and even talktative they are.

I wake up at 5:00am to go the gym run on the treadmill for an hour and lift. Then go to work for 9 hours comes home clean, do laundry or cook diner or sometimes I'll play with my cats. And I smoke everyday. For me it just something I use to relax. I have a great job (i actually just got promoted) and went to a VERY respected College. I would like to know what makes you think everyone just sits there eating junk food watching cartoons and are a parasite?

Excellent point! Many people do it for recreation after a long day. OP, you'd be surprised at home many "corporate" and "professionals" go home and blaze a doobie after a long day. You just wouldn't imagine it when you see them at work from 9-5.

Personally, I am a supporter of the legalization of marijuana. No, I'm not a smoker, nor have I ever smoked, nor do I have the desire to ever smoke pot. Why? It's illegal and I can lose my entire career just because it's illegal.

I don't understand why anyone would NOT want to have it legalized. It's arguably the largest cash crop on the planet. Legalize it and sell it like nothing has ever been sold before! Make the cultivators be licensed to grow it for commercial sale. Tax the crap out of it like they are doing tobacco. All the control measures needed for it's legalization already exist in alcohol and tobacco legislation. Set the legal consumption age to 21, just like alcohol. You want to make something about it illegal? Make consumption in the presence of a minor illegal, or hike up the penalties for crimes committed while under the influence.

Think about it, look at all the hate crime, murders, abuse... don't you think these people need to just calm down? What better way than to get stoned? Seen the side effects to prescription drugs lately? That stuff will kill you and it's FDA approved! What's the side effects to pot? The MUNCHIES? REALLY? OMG, the world's going to end because the cookie isle is empty at the 7-11! I know where I'll be investing my money; Keebler, Nestle, Frito Lay, etc. C'mon people!

Granted, I'm very animated about the subject, and obviously carried away in the moment, but seriously, what's the big deal, someone help me out here? What makes pot such a bad thing that should be illegal? Obviously I'm missing something, or I'd be preaching "pot is bad, mmmkay".

Its OK for people to pay thousands of dollars for vacations, well my vacations are cheaper and everyday lol...

It's definitely a huge cash crop. I saw a documentary that more marijuana than corn was harvested in California and here in Michigan it's the #3 crop after corn and soybeans.

With that much harvesting going around we should certainly be able to erase some of this country's stupid debt and open jobs up for the people who are unemployed. I'm not just talking about the weed either what about the stalks of the plants? You can make all kinds of stuff, paper, clothes, oil... Stop cutting down all the trees that take 20+ years to regrow and plant something that produces 1-3 crops a year (depending on where you live not to mention growing indoors) in less space with less of an impact on the environment.

People spend money on it because its something they enjoy
Just like you'd spend money on a coffee

Albamaman you hit the nail on the head. I wouldn't spend 2000 a year on coffee but there are people out there who are quite happy to.
Seeing as how no-one knows where I live I can admit I am a social smoker... I probably imbibe about half a dozen times a year.
I don't understand doing it everyday because it does impair your judgment but I definitely don't have a problem with people smoking it.
It effects you the same way as alcohol does and there isn't a ban on that. It is not addictive. There are no bad side effects other than that of smoking tobacco which also isn't banned. (yes, it has been proven, don't jump down my throat)

My best friend is married to a cop and believe or not he smokes weed almost everyday before he leaves work. How he passes his drug testing I will never know.

Then my best friend smokes everyday so she can have an appetite otherwise she doesn't have the desire to eat. Also, she told me she smoked while she was pregnant with her son, who is now 5 or 6, and I don't know what was in the weed but he is smart as hell. I not telling anyone to smoke let alone smoke well their pregnant, but nothing is wrong with him thus far.

As far as me goes, I must admit that I smoked a joint/blunt in my teens years and once tried it again on my 21st birthday. After that I never smoked it again because I don't have the desire too.

i just dont get it. it is such a phneolmon to me why so many people feel the need to get stoned and spend there hard earned money on the crap opposed to putting there money forth towards something more productive. i just can't help but to feel that there is more important things to do other than smoke up while sitting on the sofa eathing junkfood and watching cartoons. unmovaited and not doing nothing with your life other than being a prasite to the economy. tell me what yall think

I think in many ways it is about choice. Pot is actually good for you in many ways, and has been for thousands of years. Medicinally, many who suffer from various illnesses, particularly those recovering from chemotherapy/radiation, benefit. A pro-marijuana activist friend of mine in California often talks about the difficulty in actually getting a prescription filled. In Canada here, last year, the medical weed produced in a government plant in FlinFlon Manitoba was SO bad, that restrictions have been lifted, as it was considered unconstitutional to force people to buy from one source. So people can actually buy from a licenced grower now.

There is a lot of money to be made by selling the public into thinking that marijuana is a bad drug.

Recreationally, I would much rather be in the company of social pot smokers, than drinkers. I was at a SARS concert in Toronto with over a 1/2 million people. Everybody was smoking weed, and the drunks stuck out like a sore thumb. They were the predictable ones. Loud, rude, fighting, acting like idiots, and getting taken out, while the rest of us enjoyed the music.

I would much rather have people on my sofa smoking weed, eating junk food and watching cartoons, than a bunch of drunks being obnoxious, rude and peeing in my garden.

It is a myth that recreational pot smoking for responsible adults is somehow deserving of societies wrath. Such stereotypes are not deserved in my opinion.

My best friend is married to a cop and believe or not he smokes weed almost everyday before he leaves work. How he passes his drug testing I will never know.

You know, a large number of uniformed officers I have known over the years do the same thing. The ones that don't are the ones that are on prescription anti-anxiety medications to deal with the job related stress and anxiety. I can say that I understand why they do this, having a bit of law enforcement experience myself, but refuse to agree with it because it becomes hypocritical for them to took up to do their job, and in the course of their job, arrest folks on marijuana charges.

That's a good point.

I would think that the moral contradiction would bother a police officer as well.

I would think that the moral contradiction would bother a police officer as well.Hello Jake:

It would if the cops HAD any morals. Most DON'T.

excon

I knew you'd weigh in on this one. ;)

Regardless of who is judging who on moral grounds, I can't think of a single soul that doesn't compromise their principles at some time or another.

Regardless of who is judging who on moral grounds, I can't think of a single soul that doesn't compromise their principles at some time or another.Hello again, Jake:

I don't disagree. But, I'm not the one who swore an oath to uphold the law.

excon

Jake wrote:
I would much rather have people on my sofa smoking weed, eating junk food and watching cartoons, than a bunch of drunks being obnoxious, rude and peeing in my garden.


LOL isn't that the truth!

Wow I just realized this thread was moved to addictions :eek:

I have basically decided that the only reason why it will never be legalized is because keeping it illegal is the source of law enforcement funding. There's too much money in it keeping it illegal. That way you can keep fines, seizures, etc, rolling into the law enforcement community. If it were legalized, all of a sudden they would have to focus on other things, like say crack or meth. That's more likely to get them killed in the line of duty. And crackheads and meth-heads don't have anything worth seizing.

It's a scam. No matter how you look at it, we are allowing our government to scam us.

I speak as a mother whose son started using the skunk form of cannabis at age 12 (unbeknown to me). By the age of 14 he had become violent and aggressive. By the age of 16 he had seriously assaulted me and committed several acts of criminal damage; resulting in him entering the Youth Justice system. He now lives in a homeless hostel and does nothing all day apart from hang around the streets with his like minded friends,smoking his skunk. No college, no work, living on benefits, no motivation... I'm sad to say that I simply could not cope with him any longer and had to exercise tough love by making him leave my home for my own safety. I know there are a lot of other parents out there like me who think this stuff is very dangerous; especially in the hands of youngsters. Their brains are not developed enough to cope with this very strong strain of cannabis and it can have devastating results. Read some of the stories on here if you have any doubts Talking About Cannabis - Experiences 2008 (http://www.talkingaboutcannabis.com/experiences2008.htm). My own story is on there along with the hundreds of other stories. Please note I do not dispute that for some people cannabis can be therapeutic and quite calming and relaxing but please look at the dangers of the stuff too. There is no way this should be legalized.:(

I speak as a mother whose son started using the skunk form of cannabis at age 12 (unbeknown to me). By the age of 14 he had become violent and aggressive. By the age of 16 he had seriously assaulted me and committed several acts of criminal damage; resulting in him entering the Youth Justice system. He now lives in a homeless hostel and does nothing all day apart from hang around the streets with his like minded friends,smoking his skunk. No college, no work, living on benefits, no motivation... I'm sad to say that I simply could not cope with him any longer and had to exercise tough love by making him leave my home for my own safety. I know there are a lot of other parents out there like me who think this stuff is very dangerous; especially in the hands of youngsters. Their brains are not developed enough to cope with this very strong strain of cannabis and it can have devastating results. Read some of the stories on here if you have any doubts Talking About Cannabis - Experiences 2008 (http://www.talkingaboutcannabis.com/experiences2008.htm). My own story is on there along with the hundreds of other stories. Please note I do not dispute that for some people cannabis can be therapeutic and quite calming and relaxing but please look at the dangers of the stuff too. There is no way this should be legalized.:(

The same thing can happen with alcohol as well... and that's legal. I do think that both alcohol and marijuana should be kept away from minors, since they are still developing and don't know what they're doing half the time ;)

I speak as a mother whose son started using the skunk form of cannabis at age 12 (unbeknown to me). By the age of 14 he had become violent and aggressive. By the age of 16 he had seriously assaulted me and committed several acts of criminal damage; resulting in him entering the Youth Justice system. He now lives in a homeless hostel and does nothing all day apart from hang around the streets with his like minded friends,smoking his skunk. No college, no work, living on benefits, no motivation... I'm sad to say that I simply could not cope with him any longer and had to exercise tough love by making him leave my home for my own safety. I know there are a lot of other parents out there like me who think this stuff is very dangerous; especially in the hands of youngsters. Their brains are not developed enough to cope with this very strong strain of cannabis and it can have devastating results. Read some of the stories on here if you have any doubts Talking About Cannabis - Experiences 2008 (http://www.talkingaboutcannabis.com/experiences2008.htm). My own story is on there along with the hundreds of other stories. Please note I do not dispute that for some people cannabis can be therapeutic and quite calming and relaxing but please look at the dangers of the stuff too. There is no way this should be legalized.:(


The marijuana called Skunk is a very powerful form of pot that not everyone can smoke and handle. Even adults cannot handle this Skunk. For a supposedly harmless drug to give a person bouts of psychosis this is definitely not a harmless drug. Over in England this form of powerful pot is apparently very prevalent. I have not heard of this kind being sold here in the US though (thank god) at least not up North. Down in Florida it used to be brought into the country by the Haitian illegals. It is sold in Jamaica, Africa and the Dominican Republic though. I think that there is something else added to this form of marijuana to cause the psychosis happening even months after quitting. This form definitely must be literally outlawed all over the world. The ordinary pot does not cause such violent reactions.

Thank you for the link to the talkingaboutcannabis. I have read a lot of the horror stories on that site and can see where this is definitely a problem in the UK. A huge problem. All the children's lives that have been wrecked and ended up being hospitalized is horrible. All for wanting to get high. How tragic.

Hello again,

Skunk, Kush, Northern Lights, Train Wreck, God's Gift, and dozens of other strains are prevalent in the pot market in the US. Most of the domestic consumption is grown domestically, and is the finest pot in the world. American pot has won the Cannabis Cup competition in Amsterdam many times. Pot grown by Jack Herer, who wrote the book, the Emperor Wears No Clothes, is the current champion.

You folks ought to get out more. What?? In the land of Rodeo Drive, you don't think we'd be smokin the best pot in the world here in America?? Really?

excon

I speak as a mother whose son started using the skunk form of cannabis at age 12 (unbeknown to me). By the age of 14 he had become violent and aggressive. By the age of 16 he had seriously assaulted me and committed several acts of criminal damage; resulting in him entering the Youth Justice system. :(

I smoked weed as a teen, skunk including(it been around for years) and I never committed any crime. Maybe he was doing more than weed.

Also, my uncle been smoking weed for years and he never committed any crime neither.

People say weed makes you do crazy things but I never once heard of a weed smoker jumping off a roof but I heard of people that used other drugs do so.

A huge problem. All the children's lives that have been wrecked and ended up being hospitalized is horrible. All for wanting to get high. How tragic.Hello twinky:

It IS a shame. Drugs of any kind are not meant for children. It is, however, abundantly clear that making pot ILLEGAL, hasn't kept it out of your children's hands. Today, the POT DEALERS dictate how powerful it is, where it's sold, and WHO BUYS IT. You, as a responsible parent DON'T have any say at all, in that marketplace.

If you want a say, legalize pot and REGULATE it.

excon

I think the mom who's kid went beserk was doing something else beside the pot.
And as far as the wrecked, violent, and aggressive nature sounds like that old movie "Reefer Madness, probably find a site that says it's a cure all, People can write anything.
I have been down here since '81 and Columbians were major importers, didn't see so many Jamaicans. To be fair, Many nationalities looked to profit from the sales.
We made profit from the Busts?

Thanks Twinkie for trying to help put the case forward against skunk. I might have known that other 'users' would protest. I know my son and the other kids on the TAC website weren't taking other drugs. It is the skunk stain that is so dangerous to some (not all) teenagers. I guess it depends on how their brains are wired. Even so it's a big problem in the UK as you say and I wish it could be made unavailable especially to these vulnerable kids. I think the answer to why so many people use it is that they can't face the real world stone cold sober!

I wish it could be made unavailableHello again, suzieb:

I'm sorry. I have no idea what you think the drug war has been about for the last 36 years. If putting 1,000's upon 1,000's of people in jail hasn't made skunk pot UNAVAILABLE, WISHING it away might work as well.

If you want to DO something about it, instead of WISHING, legalize it and regulate it.

excon

Ex you forgot the Sour Diesel!!

Thanks Twinkie for trying to help put the case forward against skunk. I might have known that other 'users' would protest. I know my son and the other kids on the TAC website weren't taking other drugs.!

Why was your son and all the teens on that site smoking weed anyway and where was the parents?

Parents need to more keen about what their kids are doing and be open by talking to their kids, especially teens.

I agree with many other posters here to legalize it. I have smoked on and off for a few years, I haven't smoked for about 7 months now though.

And I think I am going to start a craving question about this, I am curious to see people's cravings haha

I honestly can't be bothered to enter into your ridiculous arguments for legalizing this stuff. For the record my son was smoking this at school mostly.

They call pot the gateway drug. Its because people go to their dealers for pot, and their dealers introduce them to something else. If pot is legalized I think it help out with this. Alcohol is just as dangerous - if not more - than weed. So why is it that it is legal?

Legalize it, tax it, put money back into education and helping rebuild the economy. I have never heard of a case that extreme with any strain of pot; how can you be sure that is all he was doing? Why would he tell you the truth about it?

I speak as a mother whose son started using the skunk form of cannabis at age 12 (unbeknown to me). (


I know my son and the other kids on the TAC website weren't taking other drugs.

If you didn't know your son was smoking skunk, then how can you be sure he wasn't doing other drugs as well? Just a thought.

Not everyone who thinks marijuana should be legalized is a 'user' and I think the people here have made it very clear that any form of marijuana should be kept away from kids. The same is said for alcohol and tobacco, keep it away from underaged people and thankfully we have laws that help do just that since Children and Teens don't always understand moderation or see past the moment.
You're probably thinking 'dummy that's why marijuana is illegal' but if you want to keep the kids and teen users down and have a real chance to keep them off the skunk then it really should be legalized to keep it out of the youngesters hands. Have severe penalties and fines for anyone caught selling or providing for anyone underage... I'm talking super penalties, take away crops, licenses, super big fines, jail time etc... Think about it, if you are sellling marijuana and you know your whole business can go down the toilet if you sell to someone underaged, would you do it? Or would you sell to adults, make money, have a business and pay taxes?

This country (US) could easily get out of the crap it's gotten its self into in just a couple of years. Other countries wouldn't have to buy our debt, our dollar will gain value for once. Think of how many people sell or smoke marijuana, all that money is free money to the people selling it. If they're making all kinds of money and not getting taxed on it... I must be the moron for not selling!

People smoke weed because they enjoy it. People drink because they enjoy it. People have sex because they enjoy it. People listen to music because they enjoy it. Some people can legally smoke weed for pain and that's wonderful news.
I sincerely hope this country gets it's rear end out of the 1930's when this whole illegal marijuana crap started. Sorry about the tangent I went off on I have strong feelings on this subject.

They call pot the gateway drug. Its because people go to their dealers for pot, and their dealers introduce them to something else. If pot is legalized I think it help out with this.

I think it would help out too. If you can smoke marijuana legally why would you bother getting busted for something else?

I've never smoked it, but I can't understand why it has to be illegal? I quit smoking Lucky Strikes last may, and I've noticed the cigarette smoking population is shrinking (especially here in Minnesota, where every restaurant and bar is non-smoking now). The corner convience stores are starting to close down. One of my best friends smokes weed all the time, and his dealer's wallet is always full, plus he drives a beautiful car. Why are we making 'this' guy rich? While Kellie's Korner has to close its doors instead of maybe being able to sell this stuff and make more money.
On a similar note, my great grandmother, out of Osseo, was a moonshiner and conducted illegal abortions. Institutionalized stupidity is nothing new.

Hello again,

Consider this...

Twenty five or so, years ago, about 50% of us were addicted to the most dangerous drug in the world. Today, in THIS country, that number has been cut in HALF. Millions upon millions of lives have been saved.

We accomplished this by simply telling the TRUTH about the drug... And, we didn't have to put anybody in jail, either. Imagine that.

excon