| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 6/24/2006 2:53:09 PM | Gateway theory
I will agree for some this is the case, but like was said, these are generally the ones who drink heavy and smoke pot, arent in control because they are whacked out on too much substance, get into the "next phase", thats not to say anyone is wrong, it goes lots of way's.
As for the post about going to a delear's who has all sort's of drug's, in my experience those are bad dealer's, pot dealer's usually stay to the confines of pot, maybe some hash or something, its too dangerous of a step to sell meth or crack, (like the "on the grand scheme of thing's scale"), usually the dealer's with multi fascet's of drug's, generally started with the bad stuff, and realized there cliental was also smoking pot, so they decided to step into that market, that said, if thats the only person you know it does look bad, (and im sure there is all sort's of exception's) but i often think that's where the "Gate" is, is actually the backward's and opposite of how people think. I went to pot after doing other stuff, i never started on the pot, but its the only thing i will touch now. (Backward's gate) The dealer's i know don't deal nothing else, and the ones that ive known that do, got into pot last.
I think its personal, everyone knows what works and dont work for them, if your in control and aware of yourself and your personal reaction's, than "do what you feel"
ie. don't give this guy alcohol unless you want to fight (and im not condoning, or disagreeing with anyones opinion, this is just the way ive seen things happen in my 10-15 year's of being a happy pot lover)
And the wake and bake, people who smoke all day everyday is bad, i never smoke in the morning, its a my time thing, not work time thing, it would be like having a beer and a shot before leaving for work, you sure cant do that.
Bob Marley did dye of cancer, but it was in his toe, he would never go get it looked at because his belief's opposed Doctor's. (although they probably could have saved him no problem i heard) It wasn't his lung's, or have anything to do with smoking! | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 6/25/2006 2:30:38 AM | I dont smoke it and for me its a deal breaker as far as who i would date. I will NEVER do that again. I smoked alot of it when i was much much younger and it is a gateway drug...and its not the same as alcohol.
but hey that's just my take on it
Lorimac | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 6/25/2006 1:18:25 PM | better than alcohol in my opionion, but like anything, too much is too much.
On a broader topic, I beleive most drugs should be legal to take the theft/crime/violence out of the cycle of habit support. | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 6/25/2006 6:29:16 PM | Not a gateway drug....i'm not a crack-head, coke head, heroin junkie....I would be 3x over if it were a gateway drug....
I haven't gotten high or drunk or laid or anything in sometime, but if i were to do any of these things, it would be to smoke a fattie with a 'friend', then lick the cookiejar clean....
just my thoughts on the topic. | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 6/25/2006 8:26:56 PM | Why must pro-pot people always use the argument that pot is better/safer/healthier than alc or cigs? They have nothing to do with eachother. Raping a girl over 18 is better than raping one under 18... so what? Why doesnt just 1... even 1 pro-pot person have a stand alone argument as to why pot is soo great? Dont get me wrong.. Ive smoked more than my share of pot in my day but ive grown up and moved on. Ill also say that bringing up all the medical uses in your arguments dont apply. Uness you have such a medical condition to which pot may help then dont even mention it. 99% of pot uses use it to get high... not for any health benefit. As a side note, THC (the ingredient that does help medicinely can be taken in pill form anyway). On another note for people who argue that pot plants are a very usefull fibre.. this is true and the same quality fibre can be grown without THC. I really dont care if pot becomes legal or not but I would like to hear an intelligent argument as to why it should. Also... as for the goverment making it legal... lemme ask you? If the goverment did make it legal and only allow goverment approved sources to produce and sell it and tax it as heavily as alc and cigs are... would you buy it from them or still buy it from street dealers? If you said you would buy it from street dealers than you are simply a criminal.
One last thing.. as for everyone that has the argument that pot is natural... pfft.. do you walk out into a field and find it? No... it is grown in grow ops hydroponicly... on the other hand... tobacco does grow naturaly... and alcohol is nothing more than fermented nature.. aliens didnt introduce cigs or booze to earth.... | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 6/25/2006 8:47:31 PM | Your arguments are a fair cop...
In their defense I would suggest that what they are saying is that by analogy that pot is not worse than these other substances which have been declared legal and societally acceptable and therefore it is illogical that they are legal and taxed and tolerated here while pot is not and is driven underground into the hands of the criminal element. They bring the comparison up mostly because it is suspicious...it implies vested interests and social control not to mention a healthy dose of racial fear and bigotry...I am inclined to agree with those theories.
As to the "pill form" argument... that might be true IF all of the various chemicals that were present in the organic form were present in the pill. In many cases, when a plant substance is consumed in its "traditional" forms, there are mitigating alkaloids that will moderate or alter its effects in subtle ways that synthesis does not allow for... a prime case is ma huang which containes ephedrine. Used in a traditional context in Chinese medicine, it can be of benefit for those with breathing (chi) difficulties and by martial artists who are looking to train extra heavily under supervision of a herbalist/health specialist and will be using it temporarily in its traditional method. Consumed in a pill as ephedrine, it contains none of the mitigating alkaloids that balance its heart-racing effects that seperate its effects from the artificial high of methamphetimines.
You are very right to bring up the natural vs. artificial argument. Alcohol is a process as is the preperation of tobacco for smoking...and certainly so is the preperation of MJ for smoking. But it is in a sense more "natural" than a pharmeceutical...and by the same token, doesn't carry with it the baggage of human manipulation. By the same token we have probably 10,000 years of history using marijuana in human culture as an adjunct to spiritual use (of course most people as you say and as I said use it for a recreational high, same as booze...) but we have that observational data that shows it to be more natural in that sense... we haven't "messed with it" except through natural breeding.
I would simply argue that in context, it is a substance that used respectfully has a better and longer track record than manmade pharmeceuticals for sucessful human interaction...
Used as most people use it...well you're right...we shouldn't go there... Dave's not here man... | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 6/25/2006 8:51:14 PM | | Todays pot is getting dangerous and is often laced. Chronic use can cause some pretty uncomfortable symptoms. | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/11/2006 12:08:07 AM | | Pot is friend, only reason people don't accept weed is cause its illegal, but alcohol is also a drug but its legal and is accepted. I smoke a lot of weed but I don't drink much , I guess thats my excuse why I smoke lol :) (Weed saves lives) | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/11/2006 12:13:05 AM | | and that gateway drug crap is funny to me, been smoking for 5 years, never touched another drug, got amazing job, finished school, own my own house, whats the problem if I blaze a joint ? its only a gateway drug if you're an idiot and have no self control. I can say alcohol is a gateway drug or poinson or whatever you wanna call it, studied in Police Foundations for 2 years and studies show a lot of people that go to clubs and or drink a lot during a week have a tendency to try cocaine..... guess we got another gateway drug lol. what about those that dont start drugs with weed ? the ones that go straight to the hard stuff ?? I guess we'll blame that on rap music, or makeup another gateway drug idea :) | |
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rduke
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Joined: 2/3/2006
Msg: 61 | |
| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/11/2006 12:45:06 AM | | I notice that the pro-pot people on here seem much more knowledgable on the subject and have much stronger arguments, whereas the the most common argument against pot is simply beacause it's illegal. What if it wasn't? If pot was legal in BC and illegal in Alberta, would BC pot smokers be moral and Alberta pot smokers be immoral? Being opposed to something for no other reason than it's illegal is not thinking for yourself. As for it being a gateway drug, alcohol is a much bigger gateway drug. I'd be willing to bet that almost 100% of people who do crack and meth tried alcohol first. If pot is a gateway drug to some extent it's largely becuase of the fact that it's illegal and people are forced to buy their pot from people who are also selling hard drugs. I do agree some people shouldn't touch the stuff. For example, I don't think pot makes people lazy, but it makes lazy people lazier. For me pot helps me to better handle stress, and helps me sleep. For me it makes me more motivated, not less, because I'm less stressed out and more able to deal with what life throws at me. I'd much rather do that than something like Prozac. | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/17/2006 10:38:13 PM | hmm so pot was always a good friend of mine.. till i encountered some horrible stuff in ontario.. thought i was gunna have a breakdown n die er something.. figured out it was laced with something or other.. so quit.. been like 3 months now.. ohh how i miss good pot lol | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/17/2006 10:40:48 PM | FRIEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
oh, crap. Goodnight folks! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/18/2006 8:17:23 AM | Ok...as an ex pot smoker here is my take on it from my perspective. Marijuana is both friend and foe, depending on the person using or abusing it.
I smoked for a good couple of years and built my tolerance up to a point where I could smoke a good half ounce a night. BUT, I never let it interfere with my daily life...I always woke up the next morning and was at work early, every day. Yes marijuana CAN be a Gateway drug...but that doesn't necessarily make it one...it all depends on the user. I will admit I've also done cocaine...once...because I was curious...other than that I have never touched another drug(aside from alcohol)...so therefore the arguement that marijuana IS a gateway drug is still inconlusive...each person is different, those who are highly addictive and experimental will find that marijuana may very well be a gateway drug.
I see marijuana as a friend(for those who still do it) because it can be used as a method of destressing after a long day at work, and for those like me, the munchies caused afterwards can help one gain weight(I have the metabolism of a 16 year old...I battle to gain weight).
I also see marijuana as a foe if used incorrectly...ie: driving while stoned(guilty), or if the user allows marijuana to control their life. There's a difference between NEEDING to get stoned, and WANTING to get stoned. I've been clean and sober from pot for 3 years with the exception of one night(due to a childless night) and that night I wanted to get stoned just for old times sake. To those who need to get stoned to get through each day that makes it a foe...to those who use it occaisionally or recreationally it is a friend, provided it is not abused when it's used, it's a friend.
However, by law it is a foe as it is still an illegal substance, except for those who have a liscence to smoke it for medicinal purposes(ie: glaucoma)...in that respect it is also a friend.
Now I'm neither anti-marijuana, nor am I pro-marijuana...I'm just giving my take on this wildly controversial topic. | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/18/2006 1:03:45 PM | I smoked weed for years, and don't any more. The last few years of my marriage I did not smoke. I am sure that if I was still smoking pot that I would still be married, and miserable. Its like when I looked at my true feelings that were not all fogged up by the weed, I started to search for more productive pleasures.
....Friend or Foe.... I would say Foe... | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/18/2006 5:48:31 PM | When I say that I never - NEVER tried any drugs, and never had a single "puff", many (yes, unfortunately too many) people go: "really?" with their eyes wide open.
That's kind of weird.
But in the environment where I grew up, that was so normal. And no, I wasn't raised in a jar in a middle of a garden.
It's a drug. It is, admit it. | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/18/2006 5:59:29 PM | It is not friend anymore than it is foe.
Over indulgence in anything is unhealthy. Just because something is "illegal" does ----NOT---- make it immoral. Few seperate that little "fact" because their thoughts are obfuscated by societal norms.
Ciao, | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/18/2006 6:12:04 PM | | My full time job does not allow us to smoke pot.... I don't like it anyway.... At the same time, I am not against it at all (in moderation). | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/18/2006 7:02:43 PM | | Everyone says that pot smoke...and cigarette smoke is so bad for you...but hey i am a welder...and the fumes that are created from welding are way worse then smokeing....so i smoke....the fumes from welding will cause me more and worse damage then smokeing ever will.... | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/18/2006 7:36:18 PM |
Everyone says that pot smoke...and cigarette smoke is so bad for you...but hey i am a welder...and the fumes that are created from welding are way worse then smokeing....so i smoke....the fumes from welding will cause me more and worse damage then smokeing ever will....
hehehe 
So, why would you cause more damage to your body by smoking cigarettes if you know that welding is already bad for you?
This reminds me of what I've heard so many times... "Grandpa Joe smoked three packs a day since he was 12 years old, and lived to be 93!!!" Well, that's great and all, but perhaps he would have lived to be 110 years old if he didn't smoke! hehe
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/18/2006 7:52:07 PM | Well, I've probably smoked a 1/4 of my body weight in my life, but have drastically cut back in the last few years. Because it's illegal, many young people will gravitate towards in as a sign of rebellion. If you had outlets that supplied free heroin, cocaine, crystal meth, and ganja, you would probably see 10% of the population destroy themselves right away, but the majority of us have enough self control with these substances to know when enough is enough. If you take away the "illegal" element, you would actually reduce usage and crime.
I played football with a guy from Jamaica, and several of his uncles grew the stuff. (tonnes) Strange thing was, hardly any of the kids from that area smoked the stuff. As it has been said in this thread already, the fact that it's illegal has more to do with politics than consideration of its' effects on our health.
Every single one of us is lying by putting "uses drugs - NO" on our profiles.
Drug
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A drug is a substance which is not food,[1] and which, when ingested, affects the functioning of the mind, or the body, or both.
Friend or Foe? Only a Sith thinks in absolutes. | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/18/2006 8:31:17 PM | People are always going to be on either side. There's no fence sitting on this issue. For myself, I only smoke it when I get my migraines. I've tried taking pills and everything else for the migraines and it has never worked. I smoke half a joint and then I go to sleep when I get the migraines. That's the only time I ever smoke.
I know a lot of people that do smoke and I know a lot of people that don't smoke. It's personal choice more than anything. Me, I think they should legalize it and sell it in a controlled manner the way that alcohol is sold. The tax dollars from pot alone would be enough to get this country out of debt and would be enough to restructure this country's medical system back to greatness again. The problem is that big brother down south would frown upon it and would probably declare the legalization of marijuana a terrorist act and invade Canada. | |
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| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/18/2006 9:10:19 PM | Weed has increased in strength since I was in HS. So much so that some almost compare it to a herion high (not my words - 20X increase in THC the last 10 years). I did smoke alot in hs, less in unveristy, and now once or twice a year, until a last year, it really f^&ked me up (a wack of wheel chair weed oil). I know I smoke the nic and I drink occasionally.. but I took a look at my buddies and the lives and prolems they are facing. If you use something everyday, be it alcohol, weed, etc.. your life will be affected... here is my personal survey.. .I will not show salaries, but veryone is conerned with cash and getting other things out of life (cottage, boating, etc) I am 34, so all those under thirty who say it will not affect me, this is a post 30 assessment of my friend (not scientific for sure). I think hardcore use of weed affext your motivation. I agree with calgarycatwoman.
No weed or occassionaly
Director - Bell Canada
Lawyer
Electrician
Director Gvmt
IT specialist
Lab scientist
Weed (4X week)
Grocery clerk
Labrourer
Painter
Unemployed
Tree cutter
Retail Display set-up (one of the smartest guys I have ever met, IQ 180, genius in mathematics and physics, went no where)
So you might be saying well, they found their calling.. everyone on the weed list wants the extras in life, but cannot get there (lack of cash).
I know, a subjective review, but after 34... if you are still going hardcore, you wil not succeed in anything (the weed ****s your mind.. sorry)
TTYL Sean
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rduke
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Joined: 2/3/2006
Msg: 75 | |
| Marijuana....Friend of Foe?
Posted: 8/19/2006 12:02:24 AM | This isn't always true. There are a lot of sucessful proffessionals who smoke pot. And I do believe that it helps some people to be more successfull because they are able to deal with more stress. I have a friend who is serious stoner. She's in her third year of University studying to be a lawyer, and getting pretty much all A's and B's, as well as working a lot of hours. Over the summer she's been working two jobs. I honestly don't think she could have accomplished what she has without pot because I don't think she would be able to handle the stress of it all.
As for the health effects, it all depends on how heavy a smoker you are and how you smoke. If you are concerned about that there's vaporizors and baking. Personally I usually smoke from a bong which is at least a little healthier than joints. But even if I'm taking 10 years off my life, they're the wheelchair adult diaper years, I don't want them anyway. Who the hell wants to live to be 110. | |
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