"the anti-drug" commercails

What about that group NORML?

Even the new mayor of NYC supports them, they seem to be making some headway...

You never know

Ciggies will never EVER be made illegal...they make gobs and gobs of tax money off those things

 

I's have to say im 50/50 on the whole legalization issue. I've had some fun times smoking, but on the broadest scope weed caused more problems in my life then fun, not becuase it was illegal but becuase it was psychologically additive for me. I did get depedant for the high and it did lead me to a variety of other drugs. Now granted Im sure this may have occured with any other drug, like alcohol if I enjoyed it as much, but to say weed should be legalised because its the lesser of two evils in my mind doesn't justify legalization. If anything it says we should push just as hard to outlaw alcohol and cigs. On the other hand, I also feel there would be great benefit to legalization. Tax the crap out of it, make sure you support responsibile use, and federally support programs to help folks like me that had an addictive tendancy to live a productive responsible life.

side note - Bloomberg never supported NORML, they used his pic and a quote from years ago without his approval. He did say he smoked, but has never politically supported legalization

 

Prohibtion, No Thanks! I would never think of saying its viable or even logical. I guess my reservation about legalization mainly resides in the fact a lot more people would be exposed, and those with additive tendancies may not get the support they need. I'm sure there's a lot more folk out there that have the same problem I did but haven't seen the appeal of alcohol or cigs, Marijuana is a much more appealing drug (no cancerous effect, no hangover, stimulated experiences and perception) however I doubt as a country we would be able to rehabilitate the thousands of addicts we created by legalising another drug. We do very little to help identify and help alcholoics alone, practically nothing to help smokers, unless they seek help themselves, and it all stems from the same problem. what happens when the remaining potential addicts become addicts becuase they dont understand themselves and believe marijuana is a "healthier" drug. Its a catch 22 in my mind

 

I really feel you're underestimating the psychological effects of pot, overeating and nail bitting don't alter your personality. Weed definately does as that's its appeal, it makes you feel a certain way. That feeling is what's addictive, whether you smoke once a month or once an hour its the feeling you crave not the act of smoking. When those of us who have addictive tendancies find a way to easily achieve a desired feeling it can be a problem. Ease vs the payoff the the deciding factor. Some addicts won't drink becuase the hangover and isnt worth it, some wont smoke because cancer scares the crap out of them. I realise weed in not physically addictive, but its psychological effects are much greater than just overeating.

Less people do get addicted to weed becuase its not physically addictive, not becuase it has no addictive qualities. Increased avaiablity and increased use is going to expose mre people that have the potential for a physocological addtiction. How many depressed/unhappy people would turn down a bowl if they knew they feel better for a few hours. What happens when they dont deal with there original problems and find it easier to light up?

All I'm saying is an adequate support network should be in place if/when pot is legalised. It should already be in place! The fact is it isnt. Alcoholic's live and die without the govt doing much to help. Smokers are in the same boat. A surgeon general's warning on an ounce of kb isnt gonna stop more people from hurting themselfs.

 

Again I'll reiterate that I'm not opposed to legalization, I very much recognize and advocate a majority of the reasons to legalize. And I realise small minority of pot smokers are ones that develop problems. My point is simply that we cannot argue marijuana is a lesser evil and should therefore be legal without at the same time acknowledging and treating the potential problems and inherents dilemas with the already legal drugs. To do so is irresponsible and the only way weed will be legalised is if pot smokers show themselves to be responsible and benefeical to society. I wish I could say just making pot legal would solve every problem but it can't. I wish I could stop into texaco, buy a joint and enjoy it responsible the same as if I had a pint fo shiner at dinner. Some people will never be able to do that. Its not a reason for everyone to suffer, but it'll stop weed from ever being legalised unless a solution to their problem is in place as well. I dont mean to focus that point just on weed. People recognize there's no help system in place and will never allow more "drugs" to be available until we treat the problems of the current scenario and fully address the problems inherent in any new proposal. I realise pot was outlawed for the wrong reasons initially. It's sad, it's not fair, but unfortunately its the way government, society, and people work.

 

It's all in the perception of the decision maker. Financially, judicially, politically I agree the benefits of legalization are greater, but the majority of voters and politicians place more emphasis on the percieved social threat of a nation of addicts however incorrect it is. Most people perceive pot as a highly addictive substance and are scared to support it. I agree, education is the key to solving not only the pot agenda, but even the problems of alcohol and cigs. Unfortunately whats preached isn't always true (which brings us back to the original topic of the thread ) I think its sad the truth about pot ins't taught in every aspect. I als think its sad that pot isn't legal becuase of the rep alcohol gives pot use. I know its two different worlds and two different drugs, but that's what's stopping pot from ever being legal; the perception of those issues.

 

true

 

Let me tell you one and only one thing I hate about smoking weed. When you take that one big hit and totally fuck up your throat and cant smoke anymore............thats a bummer:

I am more of that 6 times a year guy........:smoker:

 

I will describe what it looked like. It was neon green with white crystals and smelled SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOooooooooooooooo good. Anyways, we all got retarded and were jogging while sitting in a car. We parked it and were "eating" when I said that someone was chasing us so everyone put down the food and began running while sitting in their seats with their seat belts on. I knew I was retarded but I did not care because it was so much fun. My theory on quality of weed is..............better neighborhood=better weed

 

i hate for this to be my first post here...but i have to say something on this thread, even if it died already

first off...about the terrorism propaganda being used in the anti-drug commercials by the ONDCP...you all are right, it's BS

What they are referring to is the heroin trade over there...NOT the weed trade. BUT...that is still pretty much pointless, why? because the heroin we have here is NOT imported from there (maybe a tiny tiny TINY portion, but not enough to contribute to terrorism). but our gov't in their quest to use scare tactics on the general public would NEVER in a million years tell us that

as for why it's illegal...i do know that it was Mr. Ansclhlenger (or something like that) in Nixon's cabinet who helped make it illegal. It was done because they needed something to push their campaing forward...now, the pharm companies may have also helped with this (we all know how much $$$ they pour into politics every year and back then i doubt it was much different).

but going back even farther let's take a look at the poor mexican people who would come here (and the black slaves as well i'm sure, but don't quote me on that one)...they liked their weed. In the white man's mission to keep them oppressed they saw how much they liked their weed and began to make crazy ass propaganda against it to help control them...that was prob even closer to the roots of the movement to make it illegal.

It has nothing to do with how harmful/unharmful it is...it's ALL politics unlike the alcohol prohibition (that was more along the religious aspects if i'm not mistaken)...but the general public has been fed disinformation about weed and ALL drugs for so long that any attempt to tell them the truth is often met with cries of "BS" and whatnot. Even common sense logic doesn't work...ask em to look at some charts of the homicide and other crime rates over the years and what happened around the time alcohol wa made illegal then tell them to do the same with weed. They refuse to see the connection or if they do they don't believe that legalizing it will REDUCE the associated crime. The crime is a product of the illegal nature, NOT the drug itself.

going to rest my fingers now...

 

Here's what I believe:

Although weed may not "be as bad" as alcohol, or cigarettes, the fact that we're using the term "as bad" to describe its damage to the human body should be proof enough it should not be legalized.

If you've been to certain areas in Europe you can bear witness to what marijuana tolerance has done. More often than not you'll see stoned kids, adults, and parents sitting in the streets, and parks. It's a sad sight. As adults, we should see the policing of the illiegal marijuana trade in a positive light. Just because it's not "as bad" does not mean it isn't bad. Why give people more substances to abuse their bodies with? As for it's "non-existant" addictive properties, I know several people that are unable to kick the habit, and frankly speaking it saddens me.

The fact that this is even a debate saddens me more. When (And if) you're parents of any morals you would not want to see your child using (Or abusing) any drugs. Parents should have an intrinsic desire to protect their children from harm. Would you want to see school-age children stoned? If that does not bother you, I would have to say you're a very sad and misguided individual.