Does Marijuana ruin lives and entire societies?

[bill.french]

yes weed is a gateway drug. all the people I know who hard into the drug scene started out with weed.

lets smoke while in HS, then the shrooms at concerts. coke and before you know it was meth.

weed is a gateway drug as you want to experience other highs.


everyone I know who smokes a ton of weed (the smart ones now ) just guys with a degree from some public school with some boring 36k a yr job.

 

[Lestat]

yes weed is a gateway drug. all the people I know who hard into the drug scene started out with weed.

lets smoke while in HS, then the shrooms at concerts. coke and before you know it was meth.

weed is a gateway drug as you want to experience other highs.


everyone I know who smokes a ton of weed (the smart ones now ) just guys with a degree from some public school with some boring 36k a yr job.

Everyone I know that does hard drugs started with ALCOHOL before weed, so why does WEED get the bad rap as a gateway drug?

 

[Lestat]

Also the idea that doing weed makes you "want" to experience other highs is unproven. Its about on par with saying looking at pornagraphy ends up leading to rape because its the only way to satisfy your sexual urges.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

This one is for Mrplunkey. I am interested in evidence that Marijuana ruins people's individual lives as well as entire societies.

From what I have read (granted I'm on the pro marijuana side) I don't see evidence that it causes the aformentioned issues with individuals and society.

On the contrary, its actually legal here in California for many uses, which are documented, and have been studied.

I still view it more or less as a recreational drug, but one of the more mild and benign ones. I've seen it do a lot more good for people than not.

Someone mentioned something about economic viability, which I find to be the most unsupported claim because it is used by many, and personally I know 3 people with over 1 million in net worth that are marijuana users. (and I don't know that many millionaires). I don't cite this as hard proof of anything, just as an example of what I've seen in my experience.

I generally don't hang out with a lot of hardcore drug users, so I haven't seen a lot of detrimental effects from marijauna (but I have from other drugs, including alcohol).

Lestat, the thing is that for every 3 people that smoke herb and are successful there are 3,000 that don't and are just as successful. I actually don't see the problem in legalizing it and being done with it, as it would take care of a lot of internal residual problems in the system that are a result of the stupid war on drugs. Let the system weed itself out naturally (no pun) and impose harsher penalties for when people fuck up as a result of being under the influence.

 

[bill.french]

Everyone I know that does hard drugs started with ALCOHOL before weed, so why does WEED get the bad rap as a gateway drug?

it appears you are just trying to justify your drug habit. you should consider getting help. no drug user ever says "im fine I do not have a problem" you have a drug problem.


we are not talking booze vs weed. I can stick to my guns and stay those who smoke weed and go to other drugs want to see what other highs feel like.

 

[Lestat]

it appears you are just trying to justify your drug habit. you should consider getting help. no drug user ever says "im fine I do not have a problem" you have a drug problem.


we are not talking booze vs weed. I can stick to my guns and stay those who smoke weed and go to other drugs want to see what other highs feel like.

You seem to have a narrow minded view of drug use. All drug use is not abuse. Do you at least agree on that point?

I believe many users use alcohol, skip weed, and go straight to harder drugs, but I don't have evidence to support this (just as you don't have evidence to support your views)

 

[bigmann245]

Everyone I know that does hard drugs started with ALCOHOL before weed, so why does WEED get the bad rap as a gateway drug?

because alcohol is legal and if they start pointing at alcohol there would be a huge problem in our country since alcohol is in most people eyes perfectly fine. i think alcohol and weed are equally bad.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Its been used for centuries, and I can't find a single case where it was the undoing of a society. If anything it makes people more peaceful, gives them more enjoyment in life, and decreases overall anxiety.

We'd have to become a lot more laid back as a country, specifically economically if we legalized pot though, because I guarantee less would get done. Pot has a considerably longer half life than alcohol does.

 

[Lestat]

because alcohol is legal and if they start pointing at alcohol there would be a huge problem in our country since alcohol is in most people eyes perfectly fine. i think alcohol and weed are equally bad.

I agree 100% I think alcohol and weed are equally as "bad" I happen to enjoy one more than the other, just like almost everyone else.

The way I view alcohol is this. Alochol comes with a lot of risks and negative effects. EVERYONE shoulders those risks, not equally, the users have greater risk of liver disease and what not, but we all have the risk of traffic accidents, domestic violence, etc.

We as a country and society have chosen collectively to accept those risk and allow our population to use alcohol (not without restriction though). This is very unfair to those who never touch alcohol right?

I propose the same for weed. Legalize and regulate it. The risks are minimal for non users, but lets gain concensus and move forward.

As I am sure you know we tried banning alcohol as a country once and the effects were disastrous, not only that, it goes against one of the underlying principles of this country, personal freedom and liberty (to an extent).

 

[bill.french]

You seem to have a narrow minded view of drug use. All drug use is not abuse. Do you at least agree on that point?

you are in denial. you should seek help.