Is marijuana really that bad?

[DiMono]

I don't know about you guys, but marijuana is one of those things that I think should be legal but that I wouldn't use myself. Legal issues aside (for now), it's far less dangerous than alcohol or cigarettes, and has proven medical benefits. In fact, nobody has ever died from a weed overdose, but I've seen a girl who had a fever smoke a small amount and the fever went away, and I have a cousin who uses it medicinally for pain management as prescribed by her doctor.

So why spend all that money trying to stop people from using it and putting people in jail for 25 years for possessing a tiny amount? Why not legalize, regulate and tax it and keep people out of jail and money in the hands of the government?

 

[BonsaiK]

Marijuana might not kill you, but it can sure turn a person into an intolerable wanker.

EDIT: Damn, that statement sure got misinterpreted. I never said everyone who smokes it becomes a wanker. I know quite a few casual users who are nice folks, including my girlfriend who only smokes it when she's offered it at a party and at no other time (mind you that's about once a week). However I also know people who have been smoking it daily for years (those types are unnaturally attracted to my line of work unfortunately, so I deal with them often), and it does do something negative to their brains, that's for damn sure.

And yes so does alcohol/coffee/Red Bull/etc - I never said it didn't. I actually support legalisation to a degree, just because it would annoy drug dealers, and I think marijuana has its valid uses for medicinal purposes, textile manufacture etc... my only point is that someone who is a heavy prolonged smoker of marijuana over a long period, their brains just don't work the same anymore. Trying to have a business relationship with these people and get them to do basic tasks a trained monkey could do like "meet me at place x at time y, make sure you are carrying item z" can be incredibly frustrating. That's all. I'm sure most of you lovely Escapists don't fall into that bracket whether you smoke pot or not, simply because you were capable of reading this far.

 

[JWRosser]

I just hate how pretentious people are with it. I have the same argument against alcohol. I drink - but I don't take pictures of me in which I am clearly 'wasted' or holding a drink, just to upload to Facebook so everyone can see that I was drinking.

With weed, I know of so many people that will try and slip it into conversation just because they think it will make them seem cool. Also, once again the same with alcohol, I hate the whole idea that it is needed to have fun. That's just sad.

I don't have anything against anyone who smokes it - entirely up to them. But, and I know this is cliché, I have seen how excessive amount can change someone...and it isn't cool.

 

[Monkfish Acc.]

I am pretty much entirely pro-marijuana, despite not smoking it myself. Especially since I know the only reason it was outlawed in the first place was to draw attention away from some bullshit scandal.
Hardly worse than other things that are perfectly legal, and regulating and taxing it would help the economy a lot.
Really, I do not see any reason why it SHOULD be outlawed.

Marijuana might not kill you, but it sure turn a person into an intolerable wanker.

Just like everyone who drinks and/or smokes, of course.
And don't even get me started on people who drink coffee. Total nobends.

What a ridiculous thing to say.

EDIT: Wait, I was reading that wrong. I turned that into "turns" instead of "can turn", which I guess is what you meant.
I blame no sleep forever.

I agree, actually, it can. Some types moreso than others.
Especially in early adolescence. Fucks with all the frontal lobe development required to, you know, NOT make you a self-centered prick.

Then again, the same can be said for alcohol. So whatever.

 

[Phoenix09215]

The problem is that although Marijuana isn't that bad, people with still take advantage if it were legalized... now I'm not sure how you might do that just yet but believe, some idiot will do something that will cross the line... always.

 

[Snake Plissken]

Oh yay, another "legalize pot" thread.

We know. Medically wonderful(ish). Harmless (mostly). Decriminalize (grrrr). Better than other legal things.

There is nothing new to discuss here, someone please lock this thread.

 

[Wolfram23]

Pretty sure it was banned because of economic/political reasons. For example, cotton farmers wanted to squash the hemp growth because hemp was a much more efficient plant to grow and harvest for clothing. And of course tobbaco was kind of in the same boat against weed.

IMO, legalize it now. Either that, or make tobbaco and alcohol illegal - not that I want that. Just saying it's hypocritical.

I used to smoke weed, I know it's harmful in excess. But so is alcohol, for example.

I've matured now, tho, and don't smoke weed anymore and rarely ever drink, and when I do, it's always Dos Equis in moderation.

 

[furiouspol]

People who smoke weed, myself included, simply like to. Use is not the problem, excessive use is. Excessive use of anything turns anyone into a pain in the arse, and I'm not just talking about drugs. Excessive use of religion turns people into self-righteous douches. Excessive use of weed turn people into lazy pricks. We're all addicts, just addicted to different things. I find that weed makes the boring less so, and I enjoy the social aspects of smoking with my buddies. As long as I don't hurt other people I don't see why it matters.

 

[Serenegoose]

Marijuana might not kill you, but it sure turn a person into an intolerable wanker.

Aye, but so can alcohol, and that's not illegal.

My opinion is that it's harmless. I've never met anybody who I felt threatened by when they were high - mostly because it'd be way too much effort for them to get up out their seat, never mind raise their voices or start flinging punches. Can't say the same for other legal drugs.

 

[Xpwn3ntial]

Anything less dangerous than cigarettes is okay by me so long as cigarettes are legal.

 

[dex-dex]

weed is not as bad as it was made out to be when we had dare in school.

aw the fun memories of DARE! so many fun times with a cop in your classroom when we have all at least tried alcohol or pot at least once by that time.

 

[Gaz6231]

Hey, the 'excessive amount' cliche, haven't heard that in a while.

Let me just finish this thread so we can all get on with our lives;

Post Railing Against 'Potheads' And Somehow Insinuating That Pot Will Turn America Into A Nation Of Communist Hippies.

Post Calmly And Rationally Explaining That Just Because Some Idiots Smoke Pot Does Not Mean All Pot Smokers Are Idiots.

Post Explaining Medical Benefits, Potential Tax Benefits, Comparitively Tiny Health Issues In Relation To Alcohol/Tobacco.

Post Complaining About 'The Dopers That Live In My Street'.

Forum Member who Believes That Pot is Bad Because It Is Illegal, and the Reason It Is Illegal Is That It's Bad.

Post Explaining That Pot Is Illegal Because Fat White Men Wanted Less Competition to Their Paper/Petrochemical Businesses.

Post Throwing Out The Widely Refuted And Completely Unsubstantiated 'Gateway Drug' Theory.

Long-ass Post Covering All Positive Statements Over The Last 10 Pages Because The Poster (Rightly) Didn't Want To Have To Read Through Pages and Pages of Bigotry, Prejudice and Misinformation.

Further Commie-Hippie-Liberal Incitement Posts.



There, now let's just get over it and move on with our lives.

 

[BonsaiK]

I am pretty much entirely pro-marijuana, despite not smoking it myself. Especially since I know the only reason it was outlawed in the first place was to draw attention away from some bullshit scandal.
Hardly worse than other things that are perfectly legal, and regulating and taxing it would help the economy a lot.
Really, I do not see any reason why it SHOULD be outlawed.

Marijuana might not kill you, but it sure turn a person into an intolerable wanker.

Just like everyone who drinks and/or smokes, of course.
And don't even get me started on people who drink coffee. Total nobends.

What a ridiculous thing to say.

Plenty of personal experience dealing with potheads thanks to my occupation. No it doesn't kill people but heavy prolonged use sure does fuck up your shit, mentally, I've seen plenty of that. I support legalisation too actually, simply because most of the growers don't.

Too much coffee turns people into flaming dickheads too. That shit should come with warning labels.

 

[unicron44]

I think it would be great if the government could make money off of it, I actually heard a great point on the Colbert Report.

One anti-marijuana legislator stated it would be much easier for teenagers and kids to get marijuana like how they can get cigarettes and alcohol.

It is a big extreme that could happen, but how much crime would be decrease, how much less money would be spent on court fees for marijuana arrests and how much money would the government make off taxation.

 

[Giest4life]

I don't find that marijuana is addictive or its smokers a particular nuisance. In fact, some of the best stories that I've to share are thanks to some illustrious pot smokers in my circle.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

There is nothing new to discuss here, someone please lock this thread.

Go back to New York.

What always tickled me was that Marijuana was originally banned shortly after Prohibition ended, most likely for the same reasons.

Myself: I have maintained a 'Just not around me' attitude towards it, as I don't care for the smell.

 

[Gaz6231]

I swear to jah if this thread goes over ten pages I am never reading this forum again.

This argument has been DONE. A DOZEN TIMES. Go post in one of the other hundred 'is pot bad herpa derp' threads.

 

[Monkfish Acc.]

Plenty of personal experience dealing with potheads thanks to my occupation. No it doesn't kill people but heavy prolonged use sure does fuck up your shit, mentally, I've seen plenty of that. I support legalisation too actually, simply because most of the growers don't.

Too much coffee turns people into flaming dickheads too. That shit should come with warning labels.

I am tempted to make some sort of Starbucks coffee-snob related gag but words escape me and I kind of don't want to.

Yeah, see my edit up there. I know from watching my sister and all her moron friends.

I was actually pretty surprised to see that sort of post from you. You're normally such a level-headed guy (and I mean that in the least vaguely stalkerish way possible).
I should have realised I misinterpreted it.

 

[DiMono]

People who smoke weed, myself included, simply like to. Use is not the problem, excessive use is. Excessive use of anything turns anyone into a pain in the arse, and I'm not just talking about drugs. Excessive use of religion turns people into self-righteous douches. Excessive use of weed turn people into lazy pricks. We're all addicts, just addicted to different things. I find that weed makes the boring less so, and I enjoy the social aspects of smoking with my buddies. As long as I don't hurt other people I don't see why it matters.

I'm not even sure excessive use is the problem, I think it's how adamantly the government pursues people for it that's the problem. I remember once looking up how much money would be saved each year by pardoning everyone who's in jail for possession and stopping enforcement, and the number was staggering.