Marijuana: Facts, Myths, and plain old Stupidity.

[TroutBum]

For some reason, the debate about pot has blown up in the general NBA forum: https://jazzfanz.com/showthread.php?7245-NBA-players-using-quot-lockout-quot-money-wisely/page4 and I just don't think it's getting the attention that it deserves.

I am really hoping to hear from GVC and Nate505 on this issue, since they have a sincere knowledge and fanaticism of marijuana and it's uses/abuses. In case you were wondering, this is what's been going on in the other thread:

Marijuana has roughly the same impairment as coffee, but in the opposite way. Coffee wires you up, marijuana calms you down. Neither is anything like alcohol, and neither impairs the ability to drive.

Come, let us reason together.

 

[GVC]

Here's a handy reference: https://drugwarfacts.org/factbook.pdf
Disclaimer: This document was published by Common Sense for Drug Policy (LEGALIZERS, GASP!) and published in Canada. I realize 80% of you will dismiss it on those grounds.

The studies cited on page 16 (#7) conclude that cannabis does impair driving, but not as much or as badly as alcohol does. With alcohol, people tend to drive faster and be relatively less aware of their intoxication and impairment. With cannabis, people tend to drive slower and be relatively more aware of their intoxication and impairment.

Driving in the city at night whilst blazed is fun as hell, no doubt, and even though you're better off doing so than you are drinking or texting or putting on makeup or all of the above and driving, it's probably not a good idea.

Anyone who's tried to smoke and do math should have an acute understanding of the effects of cannabis.

 

[GVC]

Anyway, the War on Drugs is an abject failure, and thus a complete waste of money. It has served as a giant subsidy to organized crime, just as alcohol prohibition did in the 20s. It makes keeping cannabis and hard drugs out of the hands of youngsters more difficult, increases violent crime, and puts otherwise productive, tax-paying people behind bars. It's one of the reasons I'd rather be in Canada, even though the Harper government is trying to adopt US Drug War policies (they've already pushed through mandatory sentences for anyone growing 6+ cannabis plants).

**** the police.

 

[DutchJazzer]

i dont care if its bad or good. every adult should have the option to choose what to do aslong as it hurts no one else

 

[DutchJazzer]

heck even the alcohol over 21 rule SUCKS.
if my son is 18 i want him to make his own choice to drink or not to not the stuppid fracking goverment

 

[SaltyDawg]

I just posted this response to you (Trout) in the other thread. If we're moving the discussion here then I guess I might as well copy and paste it here.

Trout, I make this post fully understanding that your last s2minem style multi quote post totally fit the standard m.o. of this board (ad hominem based, you must be right because you pointed out that a particular poster is a jackass most of the time).

Apparently you missed the part where the actual government studies were posted so I'll repost them for you.

The one I posted which shows marijuana use "does not appear to play a significant role in on-road traffic accidents":
https://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5450

And the one SalmonHobo posted (who was debating against me in the thread, but unlike you actually attempted to use some facts instead of your standard "you must be wrong because I think you're a jackass"):
https://www.duiblog.com/2009/04/23/does-marijuana-affect-driving-ability/

So as you can see if you bother to read those links, my opinion that marijuana does not affect your ability to drive is based on facts. Not only has it been my own experience, but also the government studies had similar conclusions.

And I also said that I think smoking way too much would affect the ability to drive, just like doing way too much of anything else will also affect the ability to drive. So no need to even go there.

 

[bigb]

i dont care if its bad or good. every adult should have the option to choose what to do aslong as it hurts no one else

Who chooses what hurts someone else? What do you base that on? Driving technically doesn't hurt anyone else, until someone runs a red light and blindsides another car, leaving that person in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Are we no longer going to be allowed to choose if we drive?

 

[SaltyDawg]

Who chooses what hurts someone else? What do you base that on? Driving technically doesn't hurt anyone else, until someone runs a red light and blindsides another car, leaving that person in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Are we no longer going to be allowed to choose if we drive?

We should be able to drive, as it doesn't (usually) hurt anyone else. But if we run a red light and leave someone in a wheelchair, then we should pay the consequences for it.

 

[freakazoid]

Who chooses what hurts someone else? What do you base that on? Driving technically doesn't hurt anyone else, until someone runs a red light and blindsides another car, leaving that person in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Are we no longer going to be allowed to choose if we drive?

When was the last time someone was crippled because someone else sat at home and smoked a joint?

 

[SaltyDawg]

When was the last time someone was crippled because someone else sat at home and smoked a joint?

You could also ask when was the last time someone was crippled because someone else drove after smoking a joint? It happens every day with alcohol. I don't think I've ever seen a story where someone smoked a joint and crashed though.

 

[TroutBum]

Here's a handy reference: https://drugwarfacts.org/factbook.pdf
Disclaimer: This document was published by Common Sense for Drug Policy (LEGALIZERS, GASP!) and published in Canada. I realize 80% of you will dismiss it on those grounds.

The studies cited on page 16 (#7) conclude that cannabis does impair driving, but not as much or as badly as alcohol does. With alcohol, people tend to drive faster and be relatively less aware of their intoxication and impairment. With cannabis, people tend to drive slower and be relatively more aware of their intoxication and impairment.

Driving in the city at night whilst blazed is fun as hell, no doubt, and even though you're better off doing so than you are drinking or texting or putting on makeup or all of the above and driving, it's probably not a good idea.

Anyone who's tried to smoke and do math should have an acute understanding of the effects of cannabis.

GVC bringing the heat. As if all of the other articles and studies weren't enough, this one should pretty much seal the deal.

Thank you Thomas, thank you.

 

[bigb]

We should be able to drive, as it doesn't (usually) hurt anyone else. But if we run a red light and leave someone in a wheelchair, then we should pay the consequences for it.

The point I was TRYING to make (I'm guessing I failed) is that who chooses for us what's safe? Statistics show one thing, but others may feel something else. I've never smoked pot, so I honestly can't say what the effects are. I'm just throwing a hypothetical out there.
Your premise that we should pay the consequences for our actions is a nice theory, but seldom actually practiced.

 

[Craig K. Manscill]

A few months ago, one of my sons told me he smoked some marijuana at his friends' house. Suffice it to say, I was ticked off. We grounded him for a month.

Addicting drugs like marijuana are a slippery slope. It's a segway right into cocaine and heroine. So if anything, by banning marijuana, we are doing our best to prevent that link from happening. I've also seen the downfalls of marijuana use in my own life, some old friends lost their will to live because of it. Not only does it harm your body , but it harms your soul. Thanks for reading,

- Craig

 

[CONAN]

Bloodshot eyes
Dry mouth
Impaired comprehension
Altered sense of time
Reduced concentration
Paranoia (easily my favorite)
Anxiety
Altered cognition
Learning impairments

It's pretty funny to see people say pot is harmless. I see how harmless it is every day at school. And let's keep in mind your frontal lobe is developing til age 25ish. Many times these temporary side effects become not so temporary. I don't know a single older pothead who didn't smoke a joint before age 25.

 

[NUMBERICA]

A few months ago, one of my sons told me he smoked some marijuana at his friends' house. Suffice it to say, I was ticked off. We grounded him for a month.

Addicting drugs like marijuana are a slippery slope. It's a segway right into cocaine and heroine. So if anything, by banning marijuana, we are doing our best to prevent that link from happening. I've also seen the downfalls of marijuana use in my own life, some old friends lost their will to live because of it. Not only does it harm your body , but it harms your soul. Thanks for reading,

- Craig

I generally find your posts funny because I can generally sense when you're kidding. I cannot tell here, and you occasionally try to be serious which is confusing. Please use your regular human-being account or make one.

 

[BYE]

There are a few issues involved with drugs, not just marijuana: Individual vs. community, State vs. federal, and the idea of agency and freedom. First, an individual should be able to do whatever they want in the privacy of his or her own home/property provided they don't infringe on the rights of anyone else. Thus, driving under the influence like with alcohol should be prohibited. Second, the federal government should not regulate whether or not a state allows the use of drugs. They should be able to tax the importation of drugs however. Third, Should the government tell me whether or not I can can eat Fruity-pebbles or Cookie Crisp cereal? McDonalds and the like kill thousands of people yearly, so why doesn't the government dictate this. If people do actually believe in freedom and personal liberties, then we should be able to exercise our right to choose like adults. Otherwise, regulation becomes a form of whimsical slavery. There has to be some type of regulation, but it should be very basic, e.g., you can't walk up and hurt or kill someone.

As GVC stated, the war on drugs is an abject failure and prohibition only breeds more Capones and drug lords just like alcohol prohibition. I personally loath alcohol, most drugs (I occasionally take some medicinal drugs), and tobacco, but should I force people to follow my course of life. One last point, you can not keep drugs out of kid's hands, period. I have people close to me who had a lot of experience with drugs in their youth. It is as easy to acquire drugs as it is to order a book from Amazon. Violence and deceit only increase under the suppression of drugs.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Bloodshot eyes
Dry mouth
Impaired comprehension
Altered sense of time
Reduced concentration
Paranoia (easily my favorite)
Anxiety
Altered cognition
Learning impairments

It's pretty funny to see people say pot is harmless. I see how harmless it is every day at school. And let's keep in mind your frontal lobe is developing til age 25ish. Many times these temporary side effects become not so temporary. I don't know a single older pothead who didn't smoke a joint before age 25.

I cant tell if you are serious because you listed dry mouth as one of the reasons its bad. Drink some water, problem solved.

 

[trigg3r]

Anyway, the War on Drugs is an abject failure, and thus a complete waste of money. It has served as a giant subsidy to organized crime, just as alcohol prohibition did in the 20s. It makes keeping cannabis and hard drugs out of the hands of youngsters more difficult, increases violent crime, and puts otherwise productive, tax-paying people behind bars. It's one of the reasons I'd rather be in Canada, even though the Harper government is trying to adopt US Drug War policies (they've already pushed through mandatory sentences for anyone growing 6+ cannabis plants).

**** the police.

Couldn't have said it better myself and I have never smoked pot in my life.

 

[LogGrad98]

I would rather see another driver toking than talking or texting on their cell phone.

 

[colton]

There are a few issues involved with drugs, not just marijuana: Individual vs. community, State vs. federal, and the idea of agency and freedom. First, an individual should be able to do whatever they want in the privacy of his or her own home/property provided they don't infringe on the rights of anyone else.

I have many thoughts about this, and not all are clearly organized in my mind, but here's one of them: if your use of drugs becomes severe enough to prevent you from being gainfully employed, and if it correspondingly prevents you from paying for your own health insurance, then it certainly *IS* my business because my tax dollars are going to be paying for your medical bills.