What Is Your Opinion On Marijuana?

[LuisDantas]

But if they are 'addictive personalities', then presumably they would be addicted to something now, right ?

Not necessarily.

I mean, do you think there are 'addictive personalities' who are abstaining from any addictions until marijuana is legalised ?

That sounds quite likely, yes, since marijuana is such a social drug.

That makes no sense to me.

And if they aren't abstaining until then , what would they be addicted to ?

Perhaps something not psychically active? Are you implying that Cannabis is as safe an addiction as they come?

Even granting the point (which I of course will not), there is the novelty aspect; legalizing Cannabis is certain to cause a momentary boom in use.

Because generally speaking you would expect the answer to be alcohol or speed or heroin or cocaine or prescription drugs, and using marijuana is a much healthier alternative to any of those .

Maybe you are right, but I doubt it and I see no reason to pay the price to find out. People with addictive personalities may get involved in far safer things than Cannabis, you know. And the assumption that they must be addicted simply because they are suscetible is something of a circular reasoning, you realize. There is no reason why a person vulnerable to Cannabis must have come from a worse situation before finding out that he doesn't know how to stop with Cannabis.

 

[Heathen Hammer]

I don't know that there is a significant advantage of psychically addiction over physical. Nor is it clear to me why susceptibility should be overlooked so casually. Would you tell me?

What I was pondering was that a person susceptible to psychological addiction would be equally so, to mj if not less so than to alcohol, as an example, since weed does not add further physical addiction to the stressed psychological part. Physical addiction [as I understand it] is a double-barreled addiction whereas psychological does not add in withdrawal effects of a physiological nature, which reinforce the mental addiction.

I dunno, maybe, maybe not. I'm probably wrong.

 

[LuisDantas]

You didn't say how marijuana contributed to their deaths. I assume it was a car crash ?

No. It was a painful, slow descent into mental incompetence.

If so, that is not evidence of mental harm as you keep claiming about marijuana, that is evidence of recklessness behind the wheel.

Do you use that same logic to repudiate DUI laws, I assume? It makes no sense, you know.

Lot's of people are crashing cars because they are texting too. Obviously getting stoned and driving can be risky, and should be avoided.

Is that how they died ? There's no point in making a claim like that and not being explicitly clear.

Apparently not...

 

[LuisDantas]

What I was pondering was that a person susceptible to psychological addiction would be equally so, to mj if not less so than to alcohol, as an example, since weed does not add further physical addiction to the stressed psychological part. Physical addiction [as I understand it] is a double-barreled addiction whereas psychological does not add in withdrawal effects of a physiological nature, which reinforce the mental addiction.

I dunno, maybe, maybe not. I'm probably wrong.

No, you are probably right. But that is still a strange defense of legalization. Sounds a bit like legalizing oddling of minors because it is not quite pedophilia.

 

[apophenia]

Not necessarily.

But most likely ...

That sounds quite likely, yes, since marijuana is such a social drug.

Really ? Then you concede it has some merit ? That's a good start ...

Perhaps something not psychically active? Are you implying that Cannabis is as safe an addiction as they come?

Well, yes.

Even granting the point (which I of course will not), there is the novelty aspect; legalizing Cannabis is certain to cause a momentary boom in use.

That is quite contrary to the argument that young people take up marijuana because it is illegal and therefore rebellious - it seems opponents of grass take each-way bets.

Maybe you are right, but I doubt it and I see no reason to pay the price to find out. People with addictive personalities may get involved in far safer things than Cannabis, you know. And the assumption that they must be addicted simply because they are suscetible is something of a circular reasoning, you realize. There is no reason why a person vulnerable to Cannabis must have come from a worse situation before finding out that he doesn't know how to stop with Cannabis.

We are paying a huge price the way it is - imprisonment of thousands of people has severe negative impacts on their lives. And causes heaps of mental and social damage.

And really, anyone who has any interest in marijuana can easily obtain it now. I remember the year that California declared that there was more income from marijuana than wine ... it's not like it's difficult to obtain.

 

[apophenia]

No. It was a painful, slow descent into mental incompetence.

I have no way of knowing what you mean by "a painful, slow descent into mental incompetence".

You said it killed them.

Are you still saying that ? Because I have never heard of anyone dying from 'stoned incompetence'.

 

[apophenia]

No, you are probably right. But that is still a strange defense of legalization. Sounds a bit like legalizing oddling of minors because it is not quite pedophilia.

Come on now .... pedophilia, 'paramount to legalising suicide', killed my friends by a descent into incompetence...

This is all very dramatic ... does it turn people into nazis as well ? Or flesh-eating zombies ?

Let's stay in the real world here.

 

[Straw Dog]

I agree with Michael Pollan in The Botany of Desire where he speculates that marijuana may actually work as a kind of cultural mutagen that causes memes to evolve more spontaneously than they otherwise would. It may help us propose new metaphors, new ways of looking at things, and maybe even whole new mental constructs. It also causes plenty of mental errors, but even some of these errors may be the catalyst for future insights and metaphors.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

People who think marijuana is all bad need to look at all the musicians, actors, authors, comedians, directors, and other artists who are known for their marijuana habits. Willie Nelson, for example, just may have smoked more pot than anyone else and he does pretty good for himself. And there are a number of white collar professionals who use, such as doctors or lawyers.
Really, for each example of marijuana allegedly screwing up someones life (which I do not doubt for some it may happen, but the results are far from typical) there are several more examples of people who do use and it hasn't had a negative impact on their life.

 

[Mathematician]

Luis, in the end your personal judgement and crusade over marijuana destroys lives by inadvertently promoting an illegal, dangerous drug trade in the black market, not to mention the millions of people who have their record tarnished. Ultimately, you're saying people deserve to lose money and job opportunities because they're putting something in their own mouths. Think of how ridiculous that sounds when spoken aloud. You're trying to act like ending marijuana prohibition is socially destructive yet you haven't suggested a single thing that would make the world safer. It's all reactionary.

Your position is that of Big Brother. We may as well ban sugar. In the U.S. it kills more people than any recreational drug, and damn near 70% of Americans are addicted to it. Let's also ban video games since it's associated with the decline of male participation in social events.

 

[Mathematician]

More people might be inclined to become casual users, as well. Many people would find out the hard way that they don't deal well with weed.

And for what? Nothing at all.

Many more would learn to think in different ways and would turn from using alcohol to relax to using marijuana, thus producing a healthier habit.

You're purposely burying your head in the insignificant drawbacks. A minority of people might respond negatively to penicillin, but we don't keep it from being legalized.

 

[subhumn]

I think it should be available in medicated form only. There is too much rubbish in dealer driver marijuana. The government could cut out the crap, make it less potent, less harming.

 

[LuisDantas]

Many more would learn to think in different ways and would turn from using alcohol to relax to using marijuana, thus producing a healthier habit.

You're purposely burying your head in the insignificant drawbacks. A minority of people might respond negatively to penicillin, but we don't keep it from being legalized.

I'm purposely being clear and truthful. Apparently that is not fair.

 

[LuisDantas]

But most likely ...

Really ? Then you concede it has some merit ? That's a good start ...

When did "being a social drug" translate into "having some merit" again?

 

[LuisDantas]

That is quite contrary to the argument that young people take up marijuana because it is illegal and therefore rebellious - it seems opponents of grass take each-way bets.

That is a silly argument. And one that is used for legalization.

 

[LuisDantas]

I have no way of knowing what you mean by "a painful, slow descent into mental incompetence".

You said it killed them.

Are you still saying that ? Because I have never heard of anyone dying from 'stoned incompetence'.

One more reason for me to doubt your judgment on the convenience of legalization, then.

 

[LuisDantas]

People who think marijuana is all bad need to look at all the musicians, actors, authors, comedians, directors, and other artists who are known for their marijuana habits. Willie Nelson, for example, just may have smoked more pot than anyone else and he does pretty good for himself. And there are a number of white collar professionals who use, such as doctors or lawyers.

What is your point? People succeed despite all kinds of faults and drawbacks. Are you implying something?

Really, for each example of marijuana allegedly screwing up someones life (which I do not doubt for some it may happen, but the results are far from typical) there are several more examples of people who do use and it hasn't had a negative impact on their life.

Or at least one that can be readily perceived by those not privy to their personal lifes, anyway.

So?

 

[LuisDantas]

Luis, in the end your personal judgement and crusade over marijuana destroys lives by inadvertently promoting an illegal, dangerous drug trade in the black market, not to mention the millions of people who have their record tarnished.

I have heard that many times. It never made sense, before or now.

Ultimately, you're saying people deserve to lose money and job opportunities because they're putting something in their own mouths.

As long as those are psychoactives that they know not to be safe, and are in fact illegal?

Sure. What else did you expect?

Think of how ridiculous that sounds when spoken aloud.

That would be "not at all".

You're trying to act like ending marijuana prohibition is socially destructive

It is.

yet you haven't suggested a single thing that would make the world safer. It's all reactionary.

There are plenty of reasons that would make the world safer, and quite a few are healthier alternatives to weed.

I will give you examples if you want, but please refrain from second-guessing me from your prejudiced perspective.

Your position is that of Big Brother. We may as well ban sugar.

I have said it already: give me evidence that it is psychoactive and I will definitely consider it.

In the U.S. it kills more people than any recreational drug, and damn near 70% of Americans are addicted to it. Let's also ban video games since it's associated with the decline of male participation in social events.

Are you truly missing the point, or is this a straight straw man?

 

[trot-trot]

Where I live, Marijuana is legal for locals (however, recently the government decreed that tourists have to abide by their home-countries' laws). Personally I do not see what the big fuss is about marijuana in America; to me it is a harmless recreational item, no more dangerous than cigarettes or beer. Even eating too much meat or fast food can be dangerous so do they want to ban that too?

Also if Americans legalized even for medicinal uses then they could use the by products like hemp fiber for clothes, paper, and even biofuels.

 

[Magic Man]

As long as those are psychoactives that they know not to be safe, and are in fact illegal?

Marijuana is safe.

It is.

No, it's not. First, people will do it whether it's legal or not. Second, there's nothing particularly bad about marijuana. It's a lot better than alcohol or tobacco.