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[Cauliflower of Love]

They could tax the shit out of it and they would make jack shit.

You can't regulate weed, it's too easy to grow. They could tax it, then you'd just grow your shit. Imagine a weed plant on every dinner table.

To make alcohol profitable you have to have a factory.

 

[Warm Machine]

I don't smoke at all.

That said, I think they should legalize it. But as soon as they do the fun is going to be over. An age restriction will kick in, the material will get government controlled, the potence will drop, and the price will be high due to taxes. It's use will probably only be allowed in homes.

The street sold shit will dissapear though because it is too much hassle to go into a shit part of town and buy it when your local convenience store has it. Who buys cigarettes or booze from the street?

One thing that I don't like about weed is that I can smell the shit being smoked at 8 in the morning. Most people can't crack a beer or do shots at 8 in the morning. Liquor also has a certain amount of work involved in getting drunk, beer especially. So much liquid involved and you rememeber it. Weed also doesn't have any sort of punishment after the fact like liquor does. Those aspects of the drug make the legalization worrysome to me.

If legalization does occur the corportations will move in and make home grow ops sustain serious punishment as growth will probably be licensed and each license will probably cost a serious amount of money. Probably in the billions.

 

[etiolate]

Alcoholics are funnier than druggies.

 

[DarthWoo]

They'd make much more money in the money they no longer have to spend enforcing the ridiculous drug laws. There would no longer be quite as much prison overcrowding, as no longer would harmless drug users be constantly prosecuted and thrown into prisons merely for possession.

 

[Rlan]

They're actually trying to stop Cigarette smoking in Australia by phazing it out over the next 7 years at pubs etc, which is a good thing IMO.

An old friend of mine is [mentally] addicted to Smoking weed. He's become a shell of his former self.

I mean, why even start smoking weed in the first place?

 

[Kiriku]

I think the message sent out by the government if they do legalize drugs would be the most scary part. They've been fighting drugs for such a long time, and suddenly they just give up?

 

[Mama Smurf]

You know, I'd never take the harder drugs as I'm so freakin' afraid of the side effects (I know someone indirectly who's a vegetable now at the age of 20 through some drug or another, I don't know the exact details), but the only reason I've not tried smoking weed is because I really can't be fucked paying for it. I have alcohol for when I want to lose it a bit, I don't really feel the need for anything else.

Actually, what are the health issues associated with cannabis? I read that smoking 3 joints a day is the same as 20 cigarettes a day, and that's not when mixed with tobacco. Is that true?

 

[Chipopo]

Smoking weed is about the equivelant of smoking 4 cigarretes.

And Smurf, you can get 2-3 sessions worth of weed for about 10 dollars. Not exactly a bank-breaking transaction.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Hey I don't have a job, it's bank breaking for me (over time).

Besides, if the health thing is true then I won't do it anyway. It's what bothers me most about drugs. Not that alcohol is exactly risk free, but in moderation there's no problem with it. Hell it seems to preserve some people!

 

[wandering goat]

Mama Smurf: What they say is that a joint (in terms of amount of tar) equals four cigarettes. Of course, they don't tell you what they consider a joint. I'm just guessing, but it would make sense that the joint being tested is similar in size to a cigarette. Thus a normal joint, which is going to be much smaller, wouldn't be nearly as bad. Of course, there's always going to be bad stuff in any kind of smoke. You could minimize it by smoking from a bong, or even better from a vaporizer, or best of all, eating it. I don't think marijuana has ever been conclusively linked to causing cancer.

So yeah, the health issues are ones that are similar to tobacco, although I would think marijuana is healthier overall without the many nasty chemicals in cigarettes. If your family has a history of scizophrenia, then marijuana may bring this out.

Anyway, not that I'm saying you should try it, but marijuana gives you a much different (and IMO much better) effect than alcohol. Plus there's no hangovers and you can't get the spins.

 

[Idle Will Kill]

Not that alcohol is exactly risk free, but in moderation there's no problem with it

Not that marijuana is exactly risk free, but in moderation there's no problem with it.

When the fuck will people realize this...

 

[Mama Smurf]

Hang on a second now, a certain amount of the right alcohol is actually recommended for your health, something I've never heard about marijuana.

Now I could be wildly wrong on this (and I'll accept it if I am), I'm no doctor and have researched anything about this, but from what I hear, a moderate amount of alcohol every so often will have no lasting damage on your system. It's not going to destroy your liver a little bit each time in other words (again, depending on how much you drink).

If you're smoking a joint however, it's going to add tar to your lungs, which, as far as I'm aware, will be there for the rest of your life. And of course, each time you smoke, you add a little bit more.

Is this not correct? Am I completely out with what I've picked up over the years from news reports and hear'say and god knows where else you pick up these things without ever trying to?

As a side point, another reason I probably won't try smoking weed is that I might get addicted to it. I know people get addicted to alcohol, and it's not really any more likely with weed than with that, but I was drinking before it even registered that you could get addicted to it. So I've been lucky with alcohol (it might be better to say I've not been unlucky given that the chances of becoming addicted don't seem that high), and I'd probably be ok with marijuana, I just don't feel like taking the chance. In fact I hate risks in...everything! Hah, no wonder drugs aren't for me.

 

[Spainkiller]

What? Getting addicted doesn't take 3 puffs or something.

'but I was drinking before it even registered that you could get addicted to it. So I've been lucky with alcohol'

Um... no. Most people drink, most people aren't alcoholics.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Yeah, ok, read my post again.

 

[dog$]

Legalize it and tax it, please. Then they can't count it as material worth looking for in a drug test.

Then I can stop being clean to let my body go through the month+ process of cleaning the shit and I can go about reducing the backup supply I have.

Goddamned piss tests.

 

[Spainkiller]

I have, and you still make no sense.

 

[Mama Smurf]

I clearly pointed out that the chances of getting addicted to alcohol was low and that I should say I was not unlucky rather than lucky with it, suggesting that most people are ok, but a few are unlucky. I don't even like those odds.

I never suggested that an addiction would form after 3 puffs or even 50. It would be the idea of trying it, finding I like it and trying it every so often in the future and THEN becoming addicted to it that bothers me.

 

[dog$]

Addicition is genetic.

There's nothing within marijuana itself that will make a person addicted to it; addiciton will only happen if that person's predisposed to addiciton.

 

[Spainkiller]

I clearly pointed out that the chances of getting addicted to alcohol was low and that I should say I was not unlucky rather than lucky with it, suggesting that most people are ok, but a few are unlucky. I don't even like those odds.

I never suggested that an addiction would form after 3 puffs or even 50. It would be the idea of trying it, finding I like it and trying it every so often in the future and THEN becoming addicted to it that bothers me.

So... do you ever chance crossing the road on your average day?

 

[Megafoo Chavez]

speaking of weed. friday night, whose breaking out the big bag and goin out?

 

[Mama Smurf]

So... do you ever chance crossing the road on your average day?

Yes, I have to. Have to. It's not a comparable situation.

 

[Pimpwerx]

Who cares is smoking causes cancer? Everything does. Ciggies do and they're legal. Car exhaust and industrial pollutants cause global health problems, and they're legal. Smoking joints isn't gonna cause any large-scale epidemic like alcohol or ciggies. It's less harmful than cigarettes (unless you're a rastah and chain smoke your joints), and impairs you less than alcohol. It's also an extremely versatile plant that's really easy to grow and thus offers lots of commercial possibilities.

At the bare minimum, they can make it illegal to drive stoned, as well as make it illegal to smoke in public. I think that's what Amsterdam does. But legalize possession up to at least an ounce. An oz will last most individuals a month or so. I don't even buy anything larger than a half-ounce, so I'd like to be able to stay legal easily. As it is, simply having a bowl on you is grounds for possession. I know this personally. I had a bowl that had only used twice (just got it that night) but the cops tried to hit me with possession anyway, eventhough I had no actual weed on me, and the trace amounts of resin on the bowl wouldn't amount to more than a speck. I mean, headshops can sell the pieces, but God-forbid you carry it with you. Meh, like I give a shit. Smoking weed is my God-given right. As Charlton Heston would say, "from my cold, dead hands." :lol PEACE.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Well, according to people int his thread and some stuff I've since looked up, a lot of the stuff you're saying isn't true.

I hope everyone knows I'm just talking about personal things here BTW. If I was to give my opinion on whether it should be legalised or not, I'd say yes, it should. It's pretty damn obvious that there's no way to control it now, so I say legalise it, increase punishments exponentially for non-legal forms of it (to cut out the problsm with lacing the drug), laws obviously would be needed for driving under the influence etc., just like alcohol (unless they already exist), and let the people trying to enforce drug laws concentrate on the more dangerous drugs.

It's a bit like prostitution. It's always existed, and probably always will in some form or other, you can't stop it, so legalise it and gain some control over the situation and let police deal with more serious crimes. And of course, both with drugs and prostitution, a lot of the dangers associated with these things are eliminated.

But no, it won't happen, reason like that doesn't enter the mindset of too many people. Too many parents seem to prefer laws which don't work to protect their children than to bring them up to be sensible with such things in the first place.

 

[Warm Machine]

There is a legal grow version of cannabis that has none of the psychotropic effects. When they filmed "The Beach" the government of Thailand said they could use a real pot field but they declined and grew the non psychotropic stuff for their set.

 

[levious]

Hang on a second now, a certain amount of the right alcohol is actually recommended for your health, something I've never heard about marijuana.

???

Medicinal uses of marijuana is pretty well known.

 

[Mama Smurf]

For people with certain conditions, not for everyone. Drinking alcohol moderately can actually help with some things, such as a reducation in the risk of coronary artery disease.

Its also believed that moderate drinkers live longer than heavy or non-drinkers, though obviously it's very hard to do a study on that.

 

[Cauliflower of Love]

If you can keep yourself from drinking too much, you won't be getting addicted to weed. If you're worried about the "one puff of weed is like inahling the smoke from an entire burning building" then get a vaporizer.

 

[human5892]

Mama Smurf: Drinking a glass of red wine every day can promote good heart health -- maybe that's what you're thinking of? But it's also worth noting that any amount of alcohol will kill a certain number of your brain cells, as well as give your liver some trouble to deal with. I'm not saying a drink every now and then will give you liver failure and brain damage, but both are slightly taxed by alcohol, no matter what the amount.

As for marijuana, has anyone else ever read Reefer Madness? It's by the same author as Fast Food Nation, and it details some of the ridiculous stigmas in this country about smoking pot...and the penalties that go along with them (people getting as much or more time in jail for possession as people who committed rape, murder, etc.) It also details the studies done on the side effects marijuana has on health, and more or less concludes that although smoking marijuana certainly isn't healthy for you (and really, inhaling any kind of smoke directly into your lungs isn't going to make them feel good), there hasn't been any conclusive evidence suggesting serious long-term health problems as a result of it, either.

Personally, I choose not to smoke it, but I think people should have a right to do so if they choose.

EDIT: For the people doubting the money to be made off of government-regulated marijuana: tobacco can be grown by the individual, too...but that doesn't make the cigarette industry any less of an empire.

 

[Mama Smurf]

It's impossible to get an exact figure on how much is safe as people are different, but I've read (I've been looking into these things since this topic) that the liver can handle approximately 1 drink of alcohol (a glass of wine for example) safely every hour.

It's also not true that it kills brain cells. It doesn't do anything to the actual brain cells, but it does change the way they communicate. It slows it basically, but any damage caused is largely reversible as the brain repairs itself.

 

[human5892]

It's impossible to get an exact figure on how much is safe as people are different, but I've read (I've been looking into these things since this topic) that the liver can handle approximately 1 drink of alcohol (a glass of wine for example) safely every hour.

It's also not true that it kills brain cells. It doesn't do anything to the actual brain cells, but it does change the way they communicate. It slows it basically, but any damage caused is largely reversible as the brain repairs itself.

Hmm...since you say you've recently looked into it, I'll take your word on this one, but I will say that some new studies must have been done in the past 5 or 6 years; in high school, I debated whether or not the drinking age should be lowered from 21, and one of the facts I came across at the time was that any drink, no matter the amount, kills brain cells. From what you say, it would seem that this has since been proven false.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Well false or not, it's hardly helping, so it's still a bad thing about alcohol. It's just much lower in terms of things to worry about.

 

[Warm Machine]

Hmm...since you say you've recently looked into it, I'll take your word on this one, but I will say that some new studies must have been done in the past 5 or 6 years; in high school, I debated whether or not the drinking age should be lowered from 21, and one of the facts I came across at the time was that any drink, no matter the amount, kills brain cells. From what you say, it would seem that this has since been proven false.

In canada the drinking age is 18 or 19 depending on the province.

 

[rs7k]

speaking of weed. friday night, whose breaking out the big bag and goin out?

Every Friday man, every friday. And I don't want to see what you keep on your hard drive

 

[Claus]

Anyone have any good sources supporting the legalization of marijuana? I have a speech to present on Tuesday and I'd like to have some firm support for my argument.

 

[Cauliflower of Love]

For the people doubting the money to be made off of government-regulated marijuana: tobacco can be grown by the individual, too...but that doesn't make the cigarette industry any less of an empire.

I'm not too sure about growing tobacoo, can it be grown in small quantites like in a pot or so? Some dude I knew was growing a plant out of a plastic cup.

 

[human5892]

I'm not too sure about growing tobacoo, can it be grown in small quantites like in a pot or so? Some dude I knew was growing a plant out of a plastic cup.

Heh, true...I don't think it's quite that hardy.

In canada the drinking age is 18 or 19 depending on the province.

Yeah, that was a big part of the debate, actually -- the fact that other countries can have a lower drinking age ostensibly without any problems.

Anyone have any good sources supporting the legalization of marijuana? I have a speech to present on Tuesday and I'd like to have some firm support for my argument.

As I said, if you can get to it before Tuesday, try the book Reefer Madness. It'll give you tons of well-researched support.

 

[Claus]

As I said, if you can get to it before Tuesday, try the book Reefer Madness. It'll give you tons of well-researched support.

Thanks. I'll check it out this weekend.

 

[SlickWilly223]

speaking of weed. friday night, whose breaking out the big bag and goin out?

Today and tomorrow, bro-ha.