Depression Support Group

Wow, there are lots of persuasive arguments here. I only have a few thoughts.

Comparing smoking Pot and smoking Cigaretts doesn't really make sense to me. I have smoked both, and although I truly enjoyed my experiences with pot, the two have totally different effects on the mind. While pot made me very mellow, it did alter my reflex ability and my ability to make good decisions. This may not be the same for everyone, it is only just my experience. I know smoking cigaretts is terrible for your body, and I am one of the few people out there who acknowledges when I am with a non-smoker their right to not have to suck in my sidestream. To me that is a matter of respect.

My two best friends for 25 years were both pot smokers. One cleaned up after going down a bad road, the other didn't, even though he went down the same bad road. The one who cleaned up is married, has an education, was just laid off from a good job (not because of pot) has a nice house and an even nicer family. The other was booted out of the military (with a dishonerable discharge) for marijuana use (apparently not the first time he was caught), can't keep a job, thinks the world owes him something, looks old and has no respect for anyone other than himself. Look out, if he wants to smoke, and you or your child are in view or even in the same air, forget respecting you and not making you suck down his side stream. Both came from good families, were raised in the church (Lutheran), were brought up to be decent, upstanding, respectful people. I guess it just depends on the person what road they go down when it comes to marijuana. As I said, I smoked and even enjoyed the stuff when I was younger, but eventually realized that it was not the lifestyle I wanted to lead.

As for alcohol. I have thought for years that it is more dangerous than either Marijuana and Cigaretts. How many people are killed a year because of a drunk driver? How many people a year end up in the hospital because of alcohol poisioning? Alcohol can make a person violent. Alcohol definately impares my judgement way more than Pot ever did. When I was high, I was perfectly happy sitting and staring at the wall or having a philosophical conversation, and on and on and on. Yeah I like to have a few beers or a glass of wine, and I do imbibe, but I also am responsible enough to have a DD or stay where I am at till I can drive.

I guess in my thoughts, other than for medicinal purposes, which I truly believe there are, I still think it should be illegal. As a parent, I look at what my child is up against. Yeah, I know if she wants to smoke Pot, she will, and I know that it is not hard to find, but I still don't want her to have such easy access to it. Come on, how many of you have bought alcohol or cigaretts for a younger sibiling or friend? I'll admit it, I have.

I know it is not hard for kids to get ahold of these days, and I am probably being overly hopeful in thinking that my child won't try Pot, but I can't help it. I guess in my mind, I don't want her to have one more thing to be pressured into when she is a teen because, "in just a couple years you will beable to do it legally". To me it's like that with cigaretts, it's like that with alcohol, kids don't need any more pressure.

ON THE FLIP SIDE, I do wonder if making it legal would take away the appeal of doing something "naughty". Like you are pulling the wool over the eyes of your parents because you just shared a joint with some friends. And then there is all the tax money that could be pulled in, hey, maybe it could pay for the Healthcare Referendum, you never know. Plus there is the positive of having it regulated. You would know exactly what was in your Marijuana, and were taking the risk of buying it on the street where it can be laced with God knows what.

IDK. Still torn, but more open to the idea. If it came to a vote, I would really have to think about saying yes, honestly.

i dont get that pepper.

theyve done prohibitions in the past with positive results. people were upset by the power of the 'authorities' and voted against it, as the constitution defends the rights to drink.

the only argument i can think of is, that the government should have the right to tell us what we can and can not have. like it was mentioned before. after 'Marijuana' is accepted, will we accept other drugs? im told ecstasy is good.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MDMA

MDMA is considered unusual for its tendency to induce a sense of intimacy with others and diminished feelings of fear and anxiety. These effects have led some to suggest it might have therapeutic benefits in certain individuals. Before it was made a controlled substance, MDMA was used as an augmentation to psychotherapy, often couples therapy, and to help treat clinical depression as well as anxiety disorders.

ecstasy was at one time was legal. until it was compared to acid and shrooms as a method of getting high.

medical drugs are legal in most states, and being taxed. as far as ive read, that is what others are wanting. if you want the drugs. go to a doctor.

There was a constitutional amendment that made alcohol illegal. It was a disaster for the US. So that amendment was repealed. (The only amendment to the US constitution that has been repealed!) Yea, that prohibition did not go at all well.

I really do not know how to respond to the "what next" question. I think it is really a matter of stacking up the pros and the cons and making the best decision possible. One of the assumptions must be that the supply of pot can NEVER be driven to zero; that would be unrealistic.

i felt like a hypocrite when i posted a few days ago, because i just don't know too much about the long term effects first hand.
i'm allergic to weed, and have blackouts (green outs) when i tried it
a long time ago. i've smoked ganja maybe 3-4 times in my life, and every time i hit the floor and turn green.
not fun.
but i seem to do alright with hash, for some reason. i smoked a bit in university, but hash disappeared from here15 years ago in place of sticky, stinky BC bud. it's pretty much legal.
but i found some hash yesterday, and had a nice pipebowl full, and a couple of drinks, and shit man....
y'know. just fucking legalize it right across the board.
it was exactly what i needed. i might wait another 5-10 years to have another toke, or maybe next sunday?
anyway, had to come clean.

I have to say that any anit depressent drug that I've been given has given me much worse effects than just doing drugs or alcohol. If I were in charge, I would see that the economy was in bad enough shape to make it legal and tax it. I don't care how bad it is... It's no worse than alcohol or tobacco.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/OPINION/11...

the biggest drawback of legalizing pot ( & this was indicated by none other than Bill Clinton) was that it's very certain that if you legalize pot, then pot consumption will increase overall.
I'm still all for it and back your position, Pepperman, 100%.