War on Drugs a massive failure.

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Originally Posted By: IndyIan
So you've never smoked pot? Never been at a party where people are? Like others have said, far more professional folks than you'd ever guess do smoke up regularly without costing society anything. It's basically like alcohol, used responsibly there are no issues, other than its illegal which may or may not fund organized crime. Make it legal and regulated, its no different than alcohol IMHO.

That would be me, never smoked. If it came out at a party, I left.

Too much to risk when I was in college, full ride scholarship via Army ROTC. That was my only shot as I couldn't afford school on what my family made.

So yeah, if someone wants to avoid it, they can.

When they did my Top Secret, SBI, they asked and I said I never smoked. They said really? Threated that they would check so I needed to come clean.

I re-iterated that I never smoked. Seems it must be rare to find someone who didn't use, but I'm one of them.

It really is easy to say no, to walk out if others are using. I don't see what the big deal is about saying no, you just do it and stay out of trouble.

I think we expect too little if we think folks are destined to try, to break the rules. Maybe instead of expecting so little from people, we need to expect more.

Low expectations seems to have us where we are today in a number of realms. Perhaps it's time to raise the expectations. It's time to stop making excuses for diminished results.

If I can grow up in a low income, single parent home, where pot was one of the local cash crops and not use, not stick around when folks did use, then why can't others? I'm not so special.

That's my $0.02, not adjusted for inflation.
 
Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
I just wish they would legalize weed because that's not a drug in my mind. They need to let all the people in jail strictly because of weed go free and they need to stop harassing otherwise innocent people about it.

I had a pretty wild youth, and let me tell you it's not the guys selling/using weed that are the problem. It's the coke/heroin/meth/crack folks. Guys that sell and/or smoke weed aren't any different than you or I. In fact, there are probably one or several that you live down the street from or work with. You'd never know. People from every social stratum and age group, people that go to church with you, people who hold positions of great responsibility smoke some weed. We were talking to this well to do, very conservative retired couple in their 60s the other day who we've known for some time. Sure enough, we're sitting in their back yard just this past weekend talking and the woman pulls out a joint talking about, "you mind if I smoke?" Of course, I didn't. It was a little surprising, but not too much because I've had that experience several times. (And no, for the record, she didn't melt into the couch or put on a bob marley record or start talking about Totinos Pizza Rolls. All [censored] did not break loose.)

People who do other drugs also smoke weed. But you might as well say they also drink water. It's a different world. If you've ever met a coke, crack or meth dealer you knew it. You knew something was bad about that guy. Those guys are shady and weird. And, yeah, they'll do pretty much anything to get the money they're owed. That's why their clientèle are always stealing car stereos and getting shot breaking into homes. The hard drug people are who should be taking up space in our prisons. I never did much of those drugs outside of experimentation, but I had friends that got hooked pretty good. Those drugs are illegal for a good reason.


Well said.

Meth, cocaine, and heroin especially are a whole different world and much more dangerous. Those are the most likely to completely destroy someone's life.

Alcohol is very close if you're an addict. While many people do have self control with drinking, some don't. Most people here can probably drink one or two beers, stay home, and behave. I wasn't usually a one or two beer drinker, and I tended to get in trouble because of it. Luckily it has only cost me time, hassle, frustration, and money (a LOT though - wish I had bought a house instead), and I never physically hurt anyone. I simply can't drink anymore because I took it to the addict level and I'm still paying for it.

I used to smoke pot frequently as well. Unlike alcohol, when I was using pot and nothing else, I never got into any trouble. By smoking it I was doing something illegal, but aside from that I would obey the law. I did all kinds of non-illegal things while stoned - hiking, working on my truck, mowing the lawn, repairing things around the house. No kidding - I was a completely different person from my drunken side.

Pot is the only mind altering substance I'd ever like to use again. Alcohol is the only thing I regret.
 
No foolin, drug dealers are lacing pot with more expensive drugs? Applesauce! The main harmful effect from pot is due to its illegality. Pot has genuine medical uses. It is a very effective counter to the nausea,and appetite loss associated with chemo-therapy Hemp fiber could easily replace wood pulp to make paper and cloth.
 
Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
Never smoked, nor drank...ever. Not a holier than thou argument. I just choose to be 100% aware, all the time, and have all my brain cells intact that's all.

There are very few people planet who can use these substances responsibly, the moment you are impaired there are issues unless you are in a room all by yourself until the effects are over. I supposed if a driver high on MJ or alcohol slammed into you and/or family, opinion would change on the "cost". Though I have never these kids of things happen to me directly, nor do I want it to.

From a public safety standpoint, I'd rather have pot legal than alcohol. But since booze will never be banned again, I see no more additional issues with pot being legal.
 
Originally Posted By: morris
ok make drugs legal. after all making alcohol legal turned out so good.


I suppose things were better when it was illegal?
 
no my point is they are illegal for a reason, you cant deny that. if you think drugs are good i feel sorry for you. i knew a old man once, he told me he NEVER say a drunk on the street when alcohol was illegal. but the day it was legal he saw a drunk on the street.
 
to: andyd "Pot has genuine medical uses. " if it does just extract those chemicals and use as a reg prescription . dont be a monkey. monkey see monkey do. think for your self man.
 
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Originally Posted By: morris
dont be a monkey. monkey see monkey do. think for your self man.


A really good quote to pay attention to. Just don't forget yourself.

Really, pot should at least be decriminalized. It's not as bad as your government has told you (see quote above), and I would love to see the criminal element lose the easy income.

There has been a huge amount of ridiculous propaganda about the whole thing as all the various special interests fight to hold onto their share of funding in the face of overwhelming evidence that ALL THE MONEY was wasted.

It will be a tremendous battle.
 
it is already available. IIRC it is called marinol and costs 40 $ a pill. You can buy the pernicious weed for waay less illegally and have the benefit of a faster delivery system.
laugh.gif
 
There was a marijuana documentary on a few weeks back and it showed a clip of this doctors office that was approving medical marijuana cards to purchase pot legally for med reasons. The doctor said he so far has not turned anyone down for a card at $250.00 per card. It also showed people purchasing medical marijuana inside a marijuana dispensary and NONE of them looked like a under-weight cancer patient or had that chemo look or in obvious pain either. All of them were in thier 20's and looked perfectly healthy and happy to buy weed legally. They were even asking what kind of "high" each type of weed had to the guy behind the dispensary counter...NOT ONE asked which type of pot was the best for pain or cancer. Made me wonder how many of these people were at that marijuana dispensary for real MEDICAL-legitimate reasons...just the way I saw it.
 
+1. The argument for pot is kind of like the argument where folks "know better" than what the speed limit is posted.

Im sure there are LOTS who just know better and deserve to do it, regardless of the law or regulations.

There may well be real basis behind some of what is said, and sure, alcohol for example, is dangerous. But bypassing the laws because someone "knows better", IMO removes all credibility.
 
I'm surprised no one has brought up the history of how marijuana became illegal.

Back during the Great Depression, there was fierce competition for jobs in America. This included farm work in Texas, where many Mexicans were available for work. The Americans noticed that the Mexicans partook in a lot of marijuana. To capitalize on this fact, Americans went on to enact laws to make marijuana illegal, making Mexicans targets for arrest and deportation, and thus freeing up the work force for Americans. This law was further used against the hippie movement in the 60s and 70s.

I've met many otherwise conservative people who believe that marijuana should be decriminalized and the jails freed of marijuana violators to make room for violent criminals. Because there are many people who subscribe to all the bad thing we've been led to believe about marijuana, we are now in a situation where no politician wants to be labeled as the one who introduced the bill to repeal this law and make marijuana legal again.

Personally, I lump marijuana use with alcohol use. Both should be treated the same... either both are legal or both are illegal, for reasons already mentioned.
 
There is a VERY good (and Funny) Canadian documentary made in 1999 called Grass.
Mainly old film clip that depict the History of the drug.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT3gtn-b6-M&feature=fvsr

I have never smoked anything, but don't begrudge others the freedom to do as they wish providing their doing so does not impact society to a significant degree.
I do enjoy a drink. I feel a drink in moderation is beneficial to my well being, after work, one Beer or a G&T help me unwind/relax.
I don't want or need to be 100% ALL the time. Being so sound could be quite stressful ;-)
 
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Originally Posted By: Kestas
Personally, I lump marijuana use with alcohol use. Both should be treated the same... either both are legal or both are illegal, for reasons already mentioned.


I would also further lump tobacco into the mix. If the insurance companies decided that tobacco increase health risk and medical expense and charge a premium for coverage, it is good enough for me to ban all of them (or charge heavy tax on them to pay for the medical and social cost, something like 50-100% tax).
 
Another vote (in yet another thread) to legalize and regulate. My only minor concern is the legal product advertising that will follow. I don't think we need to encourage any more of the younger crowd to be high.
 
Originally Posted By: morris
to: andyd "Pot has genuine medical uses. " if it does just extract those chemicals and use as a reg prescription . dont be a monkey. monkey see monkey do. think for your self man.


Why does it need to be processed into a pill for it to be okay?

FWIW, scientists have developed processed forms of THC.
 
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