Marijuana - Advice?

[Thirsk]

Sure, it won't kill you, but it turns you into a useless sack of what should be human. I'd rather be dead. People should do more with their lives than get high and eat Cheetos all day. Just saying.

Uhm, it doesn't.

Of course, if you smoke loads and loads, it will, but so will anything, be it drugs, booze, candy... hell, even water.

Moderation is the key, with weed as with everything else

 

[Twilight_guy]

Yes, give into the lawful good! Fell the justice within in you, embrace it! [/reverse palpatine]

Your probably not okay with it either because the law or because you don't like the effect it has on people.
Personally I hate what it can do to people so I'm against it but I'm largely against drinking too so nobody cares what I think.

 

[AugustFall]

Hi folks, I have a huge problem with weed...

Woah woah woah, don't jump to conclusions. I never said I smoked it. In fact I never have, and I don't want to. Truth be told I hate it and I get mad at my friends who do. I'm a 19 year old university student. You'd think I'd be all into it, right? My mom even takes it in pill form legally from the government for medical reasons.

I know it's a lot less harmful than for example drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes, and I don't have an issue with those things. So why do I have such a quirk with weed? My girlfriend and I have talked about it before, she's done it a few times and I told her it made me uncomfortable that she did, and I asked her to stop. She said she would because she respected the fact that it bothered me. Although, sometimes I wonder if she still does sometimes. I don't like that it bugs me to the point of distrust.

Logically it makes no sense, I know it's not that bad for you,(compared to other legal substances, anyway) I'm okay with drinking/smoking, my own mother takes it (legally), and I've never had a bad experience, or known a friend who had a bad experience with it before. So what's my problem?

If anyone has any advice for me, or even less likely feels the same way I'd like to hear about it. Thanks guys.

Okay as this is now a Weed thread I'll try and answer your question. Stop caring. Simple as that, stop trying to control what your Girlfriend is doing- that's you underminding your own relationship, it's your problem don't force it on her, and understand that if you can't think of a reason why you don't like it than it's an irrational dislike.
If you don't want to do it that's fine and people will not care (more for them), they will care if you try and push your own values on them.

 

[Arkley]

I know it's a lot less harmful than for example drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes

Hi there! It's nice to see that you're pursuing information on the topic, so I'd just like to correct something for you, in case no one else has caught this.

It is often said that marijuana doesn't cause as much damage to the lungs as tobacco smoke, but this is largely hyperbole. You see, people are eager to point out the hypocrisy in tobacco & alcohol being legal and widely available while marijuana is illegal. It certainly is a hypocrisy, I won't disagree with that. But it's a hypocrisy because the damage tobacca & marijuana inflict is comparable, not because marijuana inflicts less damage. People often mistake or exaggerate the relative "harmlessness" of marijuana in order to further their own agendas - usually arguing in favour of legalisation. While marijuana probably shouldn't be illegal, you should be careful which sources of information you trust as fact.

In terms of damage to the lungs and respiratory system by volume inhaled, marijuana is actually considerably more dangerous - however, in the long term, the damage a regular marijuana smoker will sustain to their lungs vs the damage a regular tobacco smoker will incur are comparable for the following reasons:

1. Tobacco smokers tend to smoke much greater volumes of tobacco than their marijuana smoking equivalents.

2. However, this is somewhat offset by the fact that marijuana smokers hold their breath for considerably longer after inhaling (after all, the goal is to get high, not to sate a craving).

3. Tobacco contains high numbers of carcinogens (cancer causing substances) while marijuana does not. Although marijuana is more dangerous in terms of pure damage by volume inhaled, it comes with a lower risk of contracting cancer.

As for the comparison to alcohol, the two can't really be compared. They have entirely different physiological and psychological effects, and the amount of damage one or the other would inflict varies wildly from person to person.

Anyway, I hope I've cleared at least a few things up for you, and I wish you the best of luck in your search for knowledge on this somewhat controversial topic.

 

[TheScientificIssole]

Weed is a no-no, it removes the ability to think properly. Me loving control over my life and thoughts, would have nothing to do with weed or even alcohol.

 

[Censorme]

Problem might be with the kind of people who smoke weed.
"If you have it, share it", kinda attitude. Be lazy, goofy, have bad hygiene.

Many converted stoners are really trying to break the stereo-type by proving they can still function in society and the workplace, but SOME PEOPLE...

I was in a head-shop just today talking with the manager and some friends of his who came in. Sure they were friendly, giggly, and generous, but I felt so numb from being around them. There was this realization of a gap that hit me hard. I just finished a university class for the day, and they were busy counting change to buy a small pipe.

 

[Biosophilogical]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Ranyilliams - Yes in fact I was about to bring up that point in my original post, the whole "you can't judge something you haven't tried". I completely agree, it's just when it comes to weed I just can't bring myself to do it. I have such a predisposition to it. That and I'm in the Army. If I'm caught I will get kicked out and charged. I had this feeling about weed long before I joined the army so I don't think the threat of being kicked out of the military factors into my feelings either.

I understand the point of "you probably have a problem with it because it's illegal" and yes that makes sense, but it feels like I have a much bigger problem with it than anyone else, even if they agree with it being illegal.

I'm going to go with a different tact. Your problem with weed isn't the problem, your lack of a problem with smoking and alcohol is (Bam! Reversal!). You seem to be approaching it from a perspective of "Weed is bad, but alcohol and smoking are worse and I'm fine with those, therefore weed isn't bad". Really, if you have a problem with weed (potential for physical, social, and psychological damage, can cause social exclusion leading to an increased abuse of dangerous substances, costs money, etc) you should extrapolate it to alcohol and smoking, rather than use those two to question the former. "If weed is bad, but alcohol and smoking are worse (not to mention addictive), then clearly they are all bad and the reason I don't think that about alcohol and cigarettes is because I have been raised to accept them".

 

[manheim]

It's a bit of good old intolerance; but it's something that you can work on if you want to, you have been conditioned to not like marihuana, and although you know that it really is not bad for you, your programming takes the better of you; as long as you don't bother other people who use it, there's nothing wrong in you not liking it.

Also, you don't have a problem with alochol/tobbaco, although you know those things are worse for you than marihuana, it's only the legal status of them, at the times of prohibition, I bet you would have really disliked people drinking.

Just remember and rationalize this; not all things goverments say are true; in fact, they lie more often than not; beat the programming. Think about this: if marihuana was a million dollar industry; we would not be getting drunk; we'd be getting high.

also remember, the most evil people of history eschew all drugs; the most talented ones, gave us art and new levels of understanding.

 

[FortheLegion]

The thing about weed is you often need to deal with shady characters to acquire it. Cough syrup on the other hand is easy, cheap, and legal to acquire. An overdose of cough syrup can turn a fun night with friends into a funtastic night with friends.

 

[Navvan]

snip

An interesting argument. Wasn't Kekulé infamous for his drug use. Maybe I am wrong. I do however like the weed makes you creative argument though I admit I misphrased it. I used it as a counter to the "weed makes you lazy" argument and not as stand alone. When I posted I was making a commentary on how many great people used and enjoyed weed while creating (in the case of many musicians the actual act of creating music under the influence) and therefore the stereotype of the lazy dope falls flat.

As a stand alone my argument is different. It goes more along the lines that ANY drug can be a mind opening experience and that if used safely and with the right knowledge they can be used to open the mind and make things that are not normally possible...possible. Of course this argument is little to do with practicality but in reality even heroin can be taken safely and enjoyed responsibly albeit with more difficulty. I also become a little anecdotal which detracts from my point but really I have seen that with the correct mindset weed can be a drug that promotes makes people more friendly and I think we need a little more of that.

I personally don't know anything about his drug use, but I can tell you that I've never heard of nor with a quick search found anything about him using drugs. Perhaps you are thinking of Humphry Davy another famous and well respected chemist who is infamous for his addiction to laughing gas?

However I feel I must defend my point that there is no evidence that it enhances creativity or any other positive attribute. Yes many musicians accredit smoking weed to inspiring music, but we know that music that is just as creative and wonderful has been created while completely sober. Yes many successful people have tried weed but equal if not greater amounts of unsuccessful people have as well. So while I would agree with you in that pointing out that successful people have tried or do smoke weed is an ok counter argument to "weed makes you lazy" it is not a good argument for "weed makes you creative" or "weed makes you successful".

I'll agree hallucinogenic compounds can allow you to view the world differently as that is the definition of a hallucinogenic compound. However I doubt the value that actually adds to most things. Don't get me wrong I'm a fan of John C. Lilly and the controlled use of psychedelics and such for helping understanding the nature of reality and the like. I just don't think it would help anyone determine the structure of a compound or assist in theorizing in a meaningful way.

As for being friendly I'm a bit confused. I'm not particularly use to people not being friendly towards me upon the first encounter at least. Also many gang members who deal weed and other such things are not particularly friendly, and smoke weed regularly. So I think the friendly thing has less to do with the weed and more to do with the individual.

 

[AlphaEcho]

William Randolph hurst had a lot of money invested in the timber industry back in the 1930s, so when it was discovered that hemp could be used as a cheaper way to make paper he ran a campaign against it using his news papers that he owned across the country. Eventually the government, the citizens of America, and the film industy jumped on board his campaign due to their ignorance. That is the story if marijuana ilegalization.

 

[Dumbfish1]

As a lot of people said, the main problem is social conditioning, most people don't try it because it's just got this reputation, we're constantly told it's bad for us, so it's what we come to believe.

For me, I don't do it for a couple of reasons,
1. The kind of people I know who smoke are really not the sort I want to get mixed up in. My brother is a fairly regular weed smoker, and it's just so depressing watching someone you care about slip into this slacker mentality. It's really effected his grades, and his attitude in general, he's always miserable.
2. It's a depressant, and i'm generally a relaxed person anyway, so I don't really need it.
3. It's illegal. I realise for most people this really isn't an issue, and on it's own it probably wouldn't be, but it does matter to me. Believe it or not I don't actually like breaking the law.

 

[mrc390]

The thing with drugs is, unless you've used it or observed someone using it, your opinion is worth fuck all(probably true about everything come to think about it) Now, I used to smoke marijuana and have friends who smoke quite a bit, so I'm just going to tell you my personal experience.

When it comes to the effects, they very wildly from person to person. I'm still in school and one of my best friends smokes regularly( four or five times a week and sometimes has a joint before school) and he's getting regular A's and B's, never has a problem in school.
But most people who smoke marijuana that much have more problems. I don't believe smoking marijuana is the root cause though, a lot of them had trouble in school before they discovered weed and use it to escape normal life, and the more they do that, the further they sink. So I believe weed doesn't turn a well balanced kid into a 'useless sack of what should be human' but it does hurt the people who are almost there, it's a slippery slope.

My recommendation would be to at least try it, if you remove the mystique you can judge it for what it is and not what everyone tells you it is. If you're worried because it's against the law, I'd recommend reading this article( http://www.drugwarrant.com/articles/why-is-marijuana-illegal/ ) it's about the history of the plants status in America and is quite interesting.
That's about all I have to say on the topic, hope you read what I have to say and take at least something to heart

 

[Mad Sun]

Just gonna say, if someone asks for a source, you provide a source. You can't win a debate by saying something and telling your opponent to "Go Google it." It's bad debate etiquette and, c'mon, your opponent might find more information to use against you. I like Cracked.com because they post their sources, even though they're a comedy site who don't take anything seriously anyway. Speaking of which, I'm just going to leave this here and take off...

http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-pro-marijuana-arguments-that-arent-helping/

 

[Michael Hirst]

Most problems with it derive from the simple fact that it is illegal, it also has to be said that your common smoker of it paints a very bad picture of the drug at work. My dad was a long hair back in his young days and as such became rather fond of smoking weed but overall he's a great guy, very smart and well read.

It's definitely not HEALTHY to smoke anything including weed. it's argued that tobacco is worse but that doesn't mean we should all start getting stoned. Personally I don't smoke anything and the only recreational drug that gets into me is alcohol. That said I have experimented with weed and overall it was a pleasurable experience, nice chilled out room full of hungry music lovers it was just relaxing (But I didn't make a habit of it). It fucking kills your ability to play videogames though, concentration is almost zero.

Concerning mental health issues, it's only people with existing problems that have severe side effects from weed really. I'd say the biggest risk to the average person who smokes it all the time is apathy, they're happy to sit in one room baked out their skull and just let the day pass by without doing anything, seems rather sad to me for life to just pass you by like that.

 

[xXGeckoXx]

snip

I'm a little tired but on the point of gang members that is the saddest part. That part of the culture comes from the illegality where only criminals can deal in it because just that act is breaking the law and once you make someone a criminal the social effects are profound. That is my belief that the illegality of all drugs makes it all worse. If the drug was regulated everything would be better. Better addiction support, cleaner drugs (much safer in the case of opiates) free from pollutants. And a drop in the funding of criminals.

Just think about it, when warlords want to make cash to buy guns they sell drugs. If you made drugs legal all sorts of shady people would fade away (and warlords would go back to good old fashion money laundering which we could target using the budget from the war on drugs).

Don't want to make this a legalization debate but I hate the culture brought about by it. Furthermore by making individual users feel like criminals they reduce the chances that smart people who might experiment intelligently from using it.

 

[newwiseman]

I've tried it an recommend passing to the left (at least if you all right handed). Sadly it's not for me, I'm lazy and easy going enough without help...

What I want is some "getoffyourassadone" that Christopher Titus talks about is one of his comedy shows. Better yet have it grow all on it's own in my back yard.

 

[Xangi]

I know it's a lot less harmful than for example drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes

As much as this is going to get me eviscerated by people who think they "know" things, smoking cannabis is just as harmful as smoking tobacco, which is quite a bit more harmful than drinking in most cases. "Non-Toxic" does not mean "Non-Harmful". Even when ingested in non-vaporized form, it's still not healthy, and should be avoided unless prescribed in very specific doses by a doctor.


NOTE: This is not meant to be an insult or anything, and is not only directed at you (or even mostly), but is more directed at the couple morons who I predict will try to latch onto that phrase and use it to try to bully you into doing it. Seriously guys, don't even try it, a quick trip to any medical website will tell you all you need to know.

 

[JoesshittyOs]

(sigh.....)

I have no problems with you hating it, but when you guilt trip your girlfriend into saying she won't do it just because of her relationship with you, that's where I put my foot down. That's low. Especially if you really have no good reason for hating it.

I used to do it, but stopped because I stopped having fun with it. It's something that if you don't like it, don't use it. But stay out of other people's business who use it recreationally.

 

[mikespoff]

Logically it makes no sense, I know it's not that bad for you,(compared to other legal substances, anyway) I'm okay with drinking/smoking, my own mother takes it (legally), and I've never had a bad experience, or known a friend who had a bad experience with it before. So what's my problem?

Logically it makes perfect sense, and you're not in the minority. You might arguably be in the minority on an internet forum, but you're not in the minority of people at large.

Most people have a problem with marijuana; it's illegal and that in itself is clearly important for you. Wanting to avoid doing something illegal is not a problem, it's a testament to your character.