Time to be honest at least to yourself?

[spirit390]

I read alot due to my medical condition(can't walk,can't get out of the house and damn sure don't want to lay in the bed). Every now and then I read an article that hits a home run at least for me. One that really says how I feel about a certain subject that says almost everything I want to say and maybe only one thing I disagree with. As a product of out come based education, I am not very articulate by nature and it would take me forever to write something like this article up. I am an unrepentent constitutional conservative first and formost. I used to say constitutional conservative with libertarian leaning but I just can't hide my feeling or shut my mouth on alot of so called left leaning libetarian thing so I had to drop my libetarian leining ideology. To some libetarians "Im scared of their freedom or just want to be their nanny" and to some that are not actually blinded by their ideology they can see that I am on their side with a caveat.
So to all my Libetarian friends for your reading enjoyment(or the caveat)

Articles: Thus Spake the Potheads



My disagreement with the article is any form of intoxication whether it be alcohol,cigerettes or you name it is the gateway.

 

[jwh20]

I know it's anecdotal but 100% of the people I know who claim to use marijuana are characteristically:

1) Lazy and careless in their work.
2) Generally irresponsible.
3) Almost totally clueless as to current events and political issues other than legalization of marijuana.

What I'm not sure of is whether marijuana causes this or this causes these people to tend to use marijuana.

I think it's a combination of the two but I remain convinced that marijuana "rots" the brains of its users while at the same time deadening those parts of the brain that can sense brain rot.

 

[steveh_131]

Ok, let's discuss this article.

This puts the lie to the alcohol/pot comparison. There are millions of casual drinkers who may have a beer or glass of wine with dinner but have no intention of getting tipsy. Except, however, for the few who use pot for legitimate medical purposes (and I'm dubious about the necessity of this, mind you), the goal of a marijuana smoker is ever and always to get high (drunk). The intention is always to alter his mental state.

You think that people drink alcohol for reasons other than altering their mental state?

I may have a beer or a glass of wine to relax. It is relaxing. That is altering my mental state.

Do people drink it for the flavor? Even the best testing stuff tastes like gasoline, but that's just me.

 

[rockhopper46038]

I'll read the article and get back with you.

 

[Fletch]

The article is laughable.

 

[shibumiseeker]

I know it's anecdotal but 100% of the people I know who claim to use marijuana are characteristically:

1) Lazy and careless in their work.
2) Generally irresponsible.
3) Almost totally clueless as to current events and political issues other than legalization of marijuana.

What I'm not sure of is whether marijuana causes this or this causes these people to tend to use marijuana.

I think it's a combination of the two but I remain convinced that marijuana "rots" the brains of its users while at the same time deadening those parts of the brain that can sense brain rot.

Caveat: I never had used it and the only recreational drug I use is caffeine and even then only sparingly.

I know several potheads as you describe.

But I know many, many more who are responsible people who hold down good jobs (and many are skilled jobs or otherwise highly productive) who are politically aware and active, and who are some of the more responsible people I know. Many of those people are 1-3 times a week pot smokers and some are daily.

But you don't generally know as many of those people casually because they often don't talk about it outside of a close circle of trusted friends because they have a lot to lose if they are found out.

Given MY sample, I'd say that out of the people *I* know who use pot say more than once a month, 90% of them are pretty decent folks who fit the description I describe.

 

[jwh20]

Ok, let's discuss this article.



You think that people drink alcohol for reasons other than altering their mental state?

I may have a beer or a glass of wine to relax. It is relaxing. That is altering my mental state.

Do people drink it for the flavor? Even the best testing stuff tastes like gasoline, but that's just me.

IMHO there is a HUGE difference between an altered mental state and a state of intoxication. Caffeine does the former quite well and I'm a user of that. Alcohol will do both and while I choose to drink I never get drunk. Marijuana is purely for intoxication, again IMHO. Here is what really bothers me, the rational for legalizing marijuana, if accepted, can also be used to legalize just about any other intoxicating drug. Why should be stop at marijuana? What about LSD, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, opium, mescaline, blues, reds, greens, etc? Who is anyone to say one is ok and the other is not?

 

[tjh88]

Never smoked pot but have known guys that did. I've seen many good honest people that are daily smokers. I do know a bunch that have quit smoking pot since their job has random drug testing. I can't tell any difference in them than when they smoked. I also know quite a few that have went over the edge and it's ruined their life. Same can be said about alcohol, overeating, casual sex. Thank God for Jesus or we'd all be doomed for one thing or another.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I must live a sheltered life. I'm sure there are folks that I know that smoke MJ but they never mention or do it around me.

I do lots of things to alter my mental state like:
-Read when I feel like satisfying a desire to know something.
-Sleep when I get sleepy.
-Eat to relieve my hunger pangs.
-Drink a diet Coke when I feel like I would gain enjoyment/refreshment from it.
-Drink a beer because I enjoy the taste of it.

 

[Fletch]

Why should be stop at marijuana? What about LSD, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, opium, mescaline, blues, reds, greens, etc? Who is anyone to say one is ok and the other is not?

All of those should be legal. No one should say what is OK and what is not, as far as what we can put into our bodies. The only limits should be on behavior, whether under the influence or not.

If skydiving naked into a vat of urine and peanut butter is what it takes to get you through your day, have at it. Just don't splash any on me.

 

[spirit390]

I have to say I know many people who smoke pot daily or hourly and they are some of the smartest,most articulate and hardest working people on the earth. But that says more about the people I chose to associate with or disclude from my circle of friends. It is funny how motivated they are and how much info they know about pot and nothing else political though. I was always joe six-pack after work as I do love the taste of beer and six beers in the garage in six hours is not to intoxication. I loved to go out with the wife on fridays and to make her happy we had to go dancing so then you could call me joe twelve-pack but always had a designated driver. So don't get me wrong there is a time and a place to chose your intoxication. End the war on drugs I am all for it then what? All our problems magicly disappear? I know all the money we save from the war on drugs put into rehabing and educating people. If thats the case maybe we should harness all the unicorn farts to solve the worlds energy crisis. How about this lets not confuse/promote intoxication as a right but more as a responsibility.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I have to say I know many people who smoke pot daily or hourly and they are some of the smartest,most articulate and hardest working people on the earth. But that says more about the people I chose to associate with or disclude from my circle of friends. It is funny how motivated they are and how much info they know about pot and nothing else political though. I was always joe six-pack after work as I do love the taste of beer and six beers in the garage in six hours is not to intoxication. I loved to go out with the wife on fridays and to make her happy we had to go dancing so then you could call me joe twelve-pack but always had a designated driver. So don't get me wrong there is a time and a place to chose your intoxication. End the war on drugs I am all for it then what? All our problems magicly disappear? I know all the money we save from the war on drugs put into rehabing and educating people. If thats the case maybe we should harness all the unicorn farts to solve the worlds energy crisis. How about this lets not confuse/promote intoxication as a right but more as a responsibility.

This is exactly what we should not do "with the money we save". If you have the right to be intoxicated, you have the responsibility for ALL of its and your ramifications. The public should not be on the hook to clean/sober you up, feed your kids, care for your wife, or heal your body. And that will be the self-correcting mechanism to offset legalization of various drugs.

 

[spirit390]

I know should of been in purple but solving the world energy crisis wasn't either

 

[steveh_131]

This is exactly what we should not do "with the money we save". If you have the right to be intoxicated, you have the responsibility for ALL of its and your ramifications. The public should not be on the hook to clean/sober you up, feed your kids, care for your wife, or heal your body. And that will be the self-correcting mechanism to offset legalization of various drugs.

QFT.

 

[jwh20]

All of those should be legal. No one should say what is OK and what is not, as far as what we can put into our bodies. The only limits should be on behavior, whether under the influence or not.

If skydiving naked into a vat of urine and peanut butter is what it takes to get you through your day, have at it. Just don't splash any on me.

That, of course, is a libertarian viewpoint and I do see the point. But to go along with that you need severe penalties for unacceptable behavior. Like the death-penalty for drunk driving if you kill someone. But honestly I don't see that happening because it seems to "brutal" and contrary to "civilized" society. Generally the punishment should fit the crime but we're so far away from that now with all the baloney about "corrections" and rehabilitation.

 

[steveh_131]

 

[rambone]

American Thinker is consistently anti-libertarian and exudes a lot of weak, statist logic.

 

[jamil]

Tagging for later

 

[Smokepole]

Ok, let's discuss this article.



You think that people drink alcohol for reasons other than altering their mental state?

I may have a beer or a glass of wine to relax. It is relaxing. That is altering my mental state.

No it is not. People drink small amounts of beer, booze or wine to ease tension, relax and calm the nerves. That is what depressants do. In small doses that is all it does for most. It doesn't alter perception or change thinking. In greater doses it will affect the mental process noticeably.

Do people drink it for the flavor? Even the best testing stuff tastes like gasoline, but that's just me.

Yes, people do. I despise tomatoes and Brussel Sprouts, but I enjoy a good beer, glass of Scotch or wine and a cigar.

Just my

 

[steveh_131]

No it is not. People drink small amounts of beer, booze or wine to ease tension, relax and calm the nerves. That is what depressants do. In small doses that is all it does for most. It doesn't alter perception or change thinking. In greater doses it will affect the mental process noticeably.

How do you differentiate between 'relaxing' and 'altering perception'?

There is no qualitative difference. A person can smoke a small quantity of marijuana simply to relax and calm their nerves. Lots of people do it. You can do the same with alcohol. Either consumed to excess will certainly cause problems.

I will also note that this has nothing to do with the legality, in my opinion. Even if marijuana jacked you up on the first whiff, I advocate liberty.