mrdespues said:

I know it sounds funny.

I am being serious now though.

When I was stoned I came to big realazations that I would have never come to in my usual state of mind. Like I understood art and things like that.

But thats just me.

It's been said here already but a drug is a drug. It's hypocritical to denounce one while using another. This goes for all of the drugs for depression, nicotine, caffeine, sugar and everything else people need to ingest everyday.

The business end of the pharma industry can't be denied either. I've never seen so many commercials for drugs on television in my life. Side effects includes, anal discharge and if your erection lasts longer than 4 hours you may want to see a doctor... I mean, they're making up shit so there's drugs for people to take. Restless leg syndrome? WTF is that?

Then, the government's involvement with the pharma industry is more than just paying them off (which you can easily follow the lobbyists and money if you look). Remember Viox? Suppose to prevent heart conditions but actually causing heart attacks? FDA approvals? Government regulated?

While I'm NOT saying pot is fine, I am saying that with the amount of people that are around me in life everyday, 99% are on something. The psychotics that kill everyone at their job or smash their car into a family are not the potheads.


Everything in moderation - edit
[Edited 8/1/07 7:11am]

I thought the link had long been known about.

A friend of mine died around 12 years ago after having been admitted to hospital following a drug-induced psychosis as a result of his (heavy) marijuana use. He ended his life, either on purpose or accident - I never found out as he didn't leave a note - by being hit by a train.

Anyone can justify anything they do by using other drugs or alcohol as examples of drugs that are useful but I personally think that some people are pre-disposed to certain types of addiction and the drug itself does not matter so much as whether you are likely to be the type of person to hit the "self destruct button".

I know so many people whose lives have been affected by drug and alcohol addictions but I do believe that heavy marijuana use can result in psychosis just as heavy and sustained cocaine use can result in unpredictable and agressive behaviour in some people, like alcohol. That's been my experience of observing my friends anyway.

... and I agree with most of what abierman said earlier in the thread.

TotalANXiousNESS said:

Oh, I can understand that.

The main thing pot does is increase depth perception,
so music and art take on another perceived dimension.

But uh.. I used to smoke it a lot and
I don't think it makes you smarter,
so much as more sensitive to certain realities.

In the end, like comedian Bill Hicks said I think (RIP)
you don't WANT to be THAT sensitive to those realities all
the time!

mrdespues said:

I was able to pass physics in high school.....ON WEEED!!!! As crazy as it sounds, I understood the concepts much better when I was impaired in class...

mrdespues said:

Rite.

Oh! And No lie!

I sound JUST like Janis Joplin when stoned.

Cross my heart!

TotalANXiousNESS said:

I rememember being stoned when those illegal immigrant Chinese cockle pickers were washed up on the shore in the UK. The timing corresponded with a discussion on how many houses in our council estate didn't have door numbers - thereby causing numerous problems for postmen and debt-collectors. Marajuana enabled me to combine these two negatives and alchemise a solution for both - whereby a corresponding number of Chinese people would stand outside every home in the village in place of door numbers. Thousands of jobs created, door numbers for everyone. More jobs would even be created by employing more postmen and debt-collectors to count the number of Chinesemen standing outside each door so the correct correspondance could be delivered/debt be collected. This is surely preferable an occupation to selling hardcore porn DVD in pubs.

Number23 said:

OMG.

This is how I think on the norm.

I attended a conference once and one of the presenters was talking about a patient that she had that had been diagnoosed as bipolar, borderline schizophrenic, defiant..you name it. Anyway, thay put the guy on all these meds and he made no improvements. After a while, his therapist noticed that he wasnt having episodes, and his general demeanor had improved substantially. Turns out he stopped taking his meds and had started to smoke marijuana. The presenter then spent the next 20 minutes detailing how they got him "off the pot" and back on his addictive, expensive, ineffective side-effect ridden drugs.

I think pot is undeserving of the stigma attached to it. Anything can be abused/misused. Hell, drink too much water and there are health consequences. Everything in moderation, and to each their own.

ZombieKitten said:

An ex of mine too - right here on the Org, too.

unkemptpueblo said:

I think the mistake here is thinking that bad side effects ONLY happen to those who 'abuse' or 'misuse' something. For every person that does it and feels better or smarter, someone else can do it once and have a really bad time of it. In the case of something like marijuana, the idea of abuse/misuse is shady and a bit comical anyway. It's not a regulated drug with approved dosages.

jtfolden said:

exactly.

popular culture always tries to promote it's "soft drug" status,
but many people have had bad reactions to it... it really
depends on the individual and a little peer pressure
in early adolescence can for some wreak havoc
if they have an addictive or sensitive system
regarding drugs.

i think the bottom line is to not let
anything, not drugs, not peer pressure
or addiction, control you.
.
[Edited 8/2/07 1:52am]

TotalANXiousNESS said:

I get angry when people accuse me of dying my hair.

jtfolden said:

You mean regulated as in regulated by the FDA? Now those cats are shady.
[Edited 8/2/07 7:59am]

unkemptpueblo said:

That argument is irrelevant to the point.

jtfolden said:

Actually, its very relevant and on point. Which agency is responsible for regulating(this is the term that you used) drugs in the U.S? You're basing part of your position on the fact that the agency responsible for regulating drugs hasnt appoved marijuana. My position is: said agency has a documented history of being bought off by pharmaceutical companies, subsequently approving drugs that havent been propperly tested, and in some cases have killed people. Therefore any argument based on their approval/regulation, or lack thereof doesnt carry much weight with me.

In fact, the FDA has been resistant to approve herbal remedies that have been in use for thousands of years. Their decisions seem to e based on $, not public well-being.

unkemptpueblo said:

No, I'm not at all actually. Obviously, you missed an obvious point but I'll attempt to make it clearer for you...

You can't restrict negative side effects only to when individuals have "abused/misused" (your word usage) marijuana because there is no established and clear standard 'use' of said drug. This has nothing to do with the FDA specifically. Attempting to pigeon-hole it as such also completely ignores the fact that some people suffer negative side-effects even from a single instance.

So, again, some people are going to have bad episodes involving the drug no matter how they use it or whether it's regulated or not.

Well mis using the drug is when you've come to depend on it. This is talking about marijuana only, since thats what the thread is about.

Anyways.

Smoking pot just for kicks and laughs is alrite.

But when you NEED to be wacked to have a good time, or even jsut to be able to relax is abuse IMO.

I don't care for people smoking up just so they can unwind because, then it turns into dependancy.

But smoking up just so you can watch Half Baked is no biggie, and is not gonna cause psychosis.

I think it might bring about a psychosis that's ready to be sprung. Or, if you're constantly stoned, you might seem a bit odd.

I remember once writing "pot is like a flavor that someone else is tasting" and thinking it was very important. Am I psychotic, or was I stoned?

But long term, inhaling anything other than air is not good for you, so duh. Weed smoking could be related to a lot of disorders, but so can cholesterol, and I'm not giving up french fries!

TotalANXiousNESS said:

I can agree with that. Dependence would certainly be an issue that would be relative to each individual, though. Some people have a high level of tolerance and self-control, others... eh, not so much.



That's a blanket statement that just doesn't hold up, though. You could say it's not going to cause psychosis in the 'majority of people' who do it (which would be true) but that's about it because there are cases, as has been mentioned, of people who have done very little and still suffered for it just like with any drug. Hell, people have dropped dead from a single Viagra and some people are allergic to WATER!

I got this coming in the mail!


http://www.youtube.com/wa...JkFlqRSXL0
[Edited 8/2/07 18:29pm]

JerseyKRS said:

shanti0608 said:

I'm SOOOOO not kidding!

psychosis from weed then it's not pure naturally grown marijuana.

I'll say this when I retire I'll be chillin

jtfolden said:

you're a funny cat. I didnt miss anything. There wasnt much to it to begin with. I only commented on the part of your post that I highlighted. Of course people have diff. reactions to marijuana, just like thay have varying reactions to : milk, nuts, strawberries, sunlight, etc. No one is, or has contested that. As for there not being a "clear and standard use"..well thats the beauty of it. You can eat it, smoke it, drink it vaporize it, wear it(hemp),or use it as paper(hemp).

And for the record you did say that its not a regulated drug, which I took to mean that you place some degree of credibility in the agency responsible for regulating drugs. Thats where my comment came from. Had nothing to do with diff. reactions by diff. people. Nor the obviousness of your obviosity(I made that up)

spelling edit
[Edited 8/3/07 6:55am]

JerseyKRS said:

we'll beexpecting a full report after you test drive it, sir.