Cannabis vs Alchohol and Other Man Made Pharmacuticals

by OpenFireGlass 145 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  rebel8

  Gumby, Actually I didn't get up on the wrong side of the bed today, though sometimes I do, just like everyone else I suppose. This topic is something I feel passionate about because of the experiences I had treating drug addicts & people with psychiatric conditions exacerbated or triggered by marijuana. I wouldn't be working in healthcare if I didn't care about health.

  OFG, I don't want to get into a scientific debate because I've learned it goes nowhere. Trying to convince pro-marijuana people it's dangerous has been about as successful as teaching my JW mother the WTS is not God's organization. Facts don't matter to people who have a strong desire to believe otherwise. You don't seem to be a person to whom facts don't matter, but others are and it's just an exercise in frustration to debate it. I'm sure anyone who wants the facts can find them easily without me posting them here.

  I believe you are posting the data in good faith. Unfortunately, the pro-marijuana movement has a lot of people fighting for the cause and making up/skewing facts, and sadly, they're much more vocal than the authorities and medical community. If there is any conspiracy going on, IMO it is the silence of the medical profession who knows it's dangers but covers that up because they are users themselves.

  I have a ton of data from medical journals etc., because I am not a person to make up my mind without considering both viewpoints. Add that to the anectdotal evidence that comes from what I've personally observed (some veeery heartbreaking things). But since I don't want to debate it and have no desire to convince others of it, I won't get into it.

  Everyone is free to believe what they want, and they won't even get DFd for disagreeing.

  Peace.
• 

  Abaddon

  Myself, I'm the, "man lets get to the top of that hill before we smoke that joint"

  Yeah, me too.

  My final paper was a project; "Drug use amongst adolescents", studying a local group of 15-19 year-olds.

  Although limited and probably requiring a little better science in places there were several really interesting things that came up.

  First of all, in a British (or I would imagine the US for that matter) school system, you can plausably test non-invasively for drug use by a simple questionaire. Drug users know WAY more about drugs than non-users as drug education doesn't equip young people with the knowledge to stay as safe as possible if they use drugs - which they to one extent or the other will. Non-users are fantastically more likey to suffer from a potentially lethal misconception about drug use than drug users. And comprehensive drug education doesn't increase use, as the fact more English teenagers smoke pot regulary than Dutch teenagers shows.

  Second, almost all drug using respondents agreed strongly with statement that "After I found out more about drugs, I realised Government representation of drug use and users was misleading".

  Third, drug dealers offer people drugs other than what they came for.

  Only the idea about testing for drug use with a questionnaire is anything new.

  Pile loads of research together and you see there is no stepping-stone or gateway effect. There is what I call a domino effect. If the manner of obtaining drug supplies means people are offered other drugs, then some will accept those drugs when they otherwise would not have.

  How many smokers start smoking 'cause everyone they go out and drink with smokes? Or vice-versa? How many cannabis users offered speed by their dealer turn it down?

  A controlled system of supply, like in Holland, means that if you go to a coffeeshop and buy cannabis, that's what you'll get. You can also get 'Smart Drugs', Mushrooms, drinks (some coffeshops don't serve alcohol), food... but no speed smack or coke.

  It stops people being tempted to experiment with far more dangerous drugs. A domino falls, but there's nothing next to it to be hit.

  If people want a recreational chemical they WILL get it. This has been proven; prohibition breeds crime by creating a massive potential for profit. The trick is setting the rules up so the inevitable causes as little problems socially as possible.
• 

  heathen

  People always have problems with all kinds of things . Alcohol is definately the biggest problem in the country , there are way more deaths attributed to it yet it remains legal because it's big buisness and socially acceptable . Just because something is dangerous doesn't mean it needs to be illegal . Hemp products can be very beneficial to the point it's absurd to say it needs to be illegal to grow it . The money the tax payer spends on drug law enforcement could be spent in way better ways .
• 

  Calliope

  yet again, i have not read all the posts... (come on, there were 5 PAGES!!!).
  
  cannabis? i've never had a bad experience. never smoked so much i ended up throwing up bile for 8 hours. never sped over the speedlimit. never felt aggressive, angry or afraid. well... paranoid, yes, but that's different and besides, that's when you hippie flip, right? ahhhhhh yes.
  
  and one last thought, everytime i hang out with those that drink, i'm always documenting how loud and aggresive they are. they bring me down from my high. not good. so, i don't hang out with them very often. and that solved that.
  
  cal.
  i'm not a hippie, i'm a princess.
• 

  Robdar

  Hi Princess!

  "Hippie flip"? LMAO!

  Robyn--of the Nobody likes old hippes, they just say they do....class.
• 

  Calliope

  "Hippie flip"... is that a canadian-term? do they not use that world-wide?
  
  anyway, if you ever come my way, i'll be sure to take care of you whether you're an old hippie or a new one. but i must admit, i do prefer the old hippies!!
  
  cal.
• 

  Robdar

  anyway, if you ever come my way, i'll be sure to take care of you whether you're an old hippie or a new one. but i must admit, i do prefer the old hippies!!
  

  Deal! And if you are ever this way, look me up. I'll be sure to take care of you too.

  Robyn
• 

  OpenFireGlass

  Okie-Dokie.. to be fair I'll post some anti cannabis info... keep in mind that when they address some of the negative side effects, they'll use phrases like: "SOME people MAY suffer"..

  and a link to the US goverments, DEA Marijuana homepage...

  http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/ongoing/marijuana.html

  and another "Pro" organization...
• 

  OpenFireGlass

  rebel8

  As a health professional

  as a health professional, do you have any insight on the lawsuits against the pharmacutical companies that are being sued by the parents of children who commited suicide while they were taking these anti-depressants that were approved by the FDA, but were later pulled off the market? ...I mean, this news was in the mainstream media...
• 

  tetrapod.sapien

  "Why is pot against the law? It wouldn't be because anyone can grow it, and therefore you can't make a profit off it, would it?"

  • • "They lie about marijuana. Tell you pot-smoking makes you unmotivated. Lie! When you're high, you can do everything you normally do just as well ... you just realize that it's not worth the fucking effort. There is a difference."

    • "Not all drugs are good. Some ... are great."

    "I have never seen two people on pot get in a fight because it is fucking impossible. 'Hey, buddy!' 'Hey, what?' End of argument."

    "How dare you have a wino tell me not to use drugs?" (On anti-drug television advertising)

    "I believe that God left certain drugs growing naturally upon our planet to help speed up and facilitate our evolution. OK, not the most popular idea ever expressed. Either that or you're all real high and agreeing with me in the only way you can right now. [Starts blinking]"

    • • "The rock stars today who don't do drugs and who in fact speak out against drugs – 'We're rock against drugs!' ... Boy, they suck."

      • "You see, I think drugs have done some good things for us. I really do. And if you don't believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a favour. Go home tonight. Take all your albums, all your tapes and all your CDs and burn them. 'Cause you know what, the musicians that made all that great music that's enhanced your lives throughout the years ... rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreal fucking high on drugs. The Beatles were so fucking high they let Ringo sing a few songs."

    • • • "Actually, I'm against drugs being legalized, and this is why. Last weekend, my friend and I went into a farm, took some mushrooms, and we sat on a field. I looked up into the sky and saw God. He told me that there is nothing to fear, that he loves every single creature on this planet, and he showered gifts of forgiveness and love onto the Earth, and I realised that there was nothing to fear, and I loved everything ... Now, if that isn't a bad thing for this country, I don't know what is. How can we continue to make weapons if we love everything?"

        • "No, I don't do drugs anymore, either. But I'll tell you something about drugs. I used to do drugs, but I'll tell you something honestly about drugs, honestly, and I know it's not a very popular idea, you don't hear it very often anymore, but it is the truth: I had a great time doing drugs. Sorry. Never murdered anyone, never robbed anyone, never raped anyone, never beat anyone, never lost a job, a car, a house, a wife or kids, laughed my ass off, and went about my day."

    • - Bill Hicks