I'm not much of a weed smoker, but I couldn't be more in favor of legalization of it, and decriminalization of possession of anything else else. I'd rather the government only go after illicit trafficking and treat junkies as a public health problem.
Beyond getting high, the hemp plant has even greater value. And I never understood why this angle doesn't get more play.
What it really comes down to is like "what really is the point of human existence, man?" Is it ambition, competition, consumption, and reproduction or is it playfulness, happiness, enjoyment and love? Anecdotally, a friend of mine is the CEO of a $5 Billion dollar medical company and has blazed for 40 years. He sleeps about 5 hours a night and works at least 60 hours a week. As a "gateway"? the question doesn't really make sense, people either choose to hold tight to a standard of purity or not. Once they decide to fiddle with their chemistry, it's more a matter of peer group than anything. That influences heir fears, desires and availability. Pot should have the same legal designation as home grown tomatoes. People acre crazy if they think big tobacco or taxing sales will work. Maybe you could tax hydroponic equipment or flower pots.
The short answer is "no." The slightly longer answer, using the same type of evidence you used, is that I have known literally dozens of highly productive mar1juana smokers over the years. I have probably known FAR more than I am even aware as the illegal nature of the drug makes its users less likely to be forthcoming with that kind of information. The people I have known who smoke mar1juana include business owners, lawyers, general line workers in many industries, and a great many people in the technical trades (web developers, network administrators, business analysts, etc.). mar1juana doesn't make people unproductive, but there are plenty of unproductive people who use it. The opposite side of that coin is that there are plenty of highly productive people who use it as well (someone else in this thread mentioned Jobs, I would label him "highly productive," and that is understating things by a long shot).
Again, the short answer would be "no." The long answer would be every study on the theory. A summary of one such study... http://drugwarfacts.org/cms/Gateway_Theory#sthash.gD2qolUo.dpbs Some of the most relevant findings. If even this is tl;dr, the most interesting part to me is the fact that a huge part of the theoretical effect is caused because the people who supply mar1juana also supply other, more addictive drugs with more profit margins. A strong indicator is the fact that mar1juana users in the Netherlands progress to cocaine at a far lower rate than in the United States. "Other mechanisms that might mediate a causal association between early cannabis use and subsequent drug use and drug abuse/dependence include the following: "3. Alternatively, experience with and subsequent access to cannabis use may provide individuals with access to other drugs as they come into contact with drug dealers. This argument provided a strong impetus for the Netherlands to effectively decriminalize cannabis use in an attempt to separate cannabis from the hard drug market. This strategy may have been partially successful as rates of cocaine use among those who have used cannabis are lower in the Netherlands than in the United States."
Early use of alcohol and tobacco have just as much correlation with later use of other drugs as mar1juana does. If there is a "gateway effect," it starts with those, not with mar1juana.
There is strong evidence which shows that MDMA is far less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco, though more than mar1juana. I would use education and regulation for this one too.
Joe Camel and Steve Budweiser don't want pot to be legal, and they have an army of lobbyists. Special interest makes the world go 'round.
Exactamundo. Someone who is a poor worker, not ambitious, or not productive will be so whether smoking mar1juana, drinking alcohol, or eating Tic-Tacs.
Sure, but alcohol is, ultimately, also created in a lab (from my perspective, distilling spirits is in the same family as other chemical processes). These days, cigarettes are as much laboratory creations as they are naturally grown plants, given the nicotine boosts, chemicals to increase nicotine absorption rates (included to increase addiction), and preservatives. The question should be all about harm. How much harm is done by the substance, harm to the body, harm to the mind, and harm to society. Our drug strategy should aim to minimize all these harms.
Industrial hemp, with which you cannot get high, will become the number one cash crop in several states overnight once mar1juana's legal status changes. This is an ad campaign run by the US government during WWII, "Hemp for Victory!"
Word. The founding members of the Partnership for a Drug Free America were the alcohol and pharmaceutical industries.
Because that one isn't politically palatable. However, by regulating the methods of purchase, we could dramatically reduce the harm that drug has on people and our society. I will point you to my writing from 2003... http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=63243
I don't see why this would be true. Being high on MJ does not diminish your alcohol or tobacco usage. If anything, it goes hand in hand with these other drugs
I haven't researched but I have heard the Marlboro has already trademarked/copyrighted or whatever "Marlboro Green" If anyone was going to try to capitalize on legal weed it would be big tobacco.
Why don't you just go smoke a joint? You'll very quickly realize that pot is harmless. From experience, alcohol is much worse, but is much more socially acceptable. Pot doesn't give terrible hangovers. Pot doesn't cause dependence. Pot doesn't **** up your digestive and immune systems. All it does is chill you out, make music more entertaining, and give you the munchies.
Why not? You should go try some cocaine while you're at it. You'll quickly realize that it isn't as dangerous as the moral minority would make it out to be. I've done it and I'm not a worthless addict who'll suck dick for coke. In fact, I'd say caffeine is more addictive.
My point is, I don't think you can really formulate your point of view based on the bull**** other people with agendas are spouting. You have primary and you have secondary resources when you're studying a subject. Why not study it direct by trying it yourself? I think that if all of the folks who want to make criminals of drug users might be less apt to use the force of law on otherwise non-violent persons if they experienced it themselves. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/vPoEA43cqKc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
what's great about this video is that it shows the positive medical benefits but also shows that it can be habit forming and addictive, part of the conversation that most advocates don't want to talk about or they downplay or flat out deny the part of the video that interested me the was the study that says regular users tested better behind the wheel. that was a genuine surprise to me and something I wouldn't have guessed. also the part about the effects on a young, growing adolescent brain. I am for decriminalization, legalization/regulation, and a major education /awareness campaign for young people.
