Marijuana.

I've never tried pot, so no, never smoked it. I don't exactly plan to but I'm all about trying anything once, as long as it's not known to be severely addicting.

And pot, as far as I know, is not severely addicting. At least not chemically. It can be psychologically addicting but I like to give myself enough credit that I'm strong enough to resist vices pressed on by my psyche.

But I do believe it should be legalized. It doesn't turn you into a raging maniac; it makes you lazy and really, really hungry. If cigarettes and alcohol are legal there's no reason why pot shouldn't be.

Interesting point, which I used to think

I suppose it's like this.

Some people are really really happy just being themselves, breathing fresh air.

Then someone else is just as happy, but they also like watching the horse racing on a weekend, because, they get a buzz from the big sweaty horses.

Some people get a buzz from eating chocolate - it's their guilty pleasure.

People don't smoke pot "to be happy", they smoke pot because, it gives them a buzz, or it relaxes them.

Like people sit with a glass of red wine to relax on an evening.

SOME people, can't stop at one glass of red wine, or one bar of chocolate, or one horse race at the weekend.

Those people end up having bottles of wine, or 6 bars of chocolate, or gambling every day.

But not ALL of them.

Some people get a buzz from free climbing, or bungee jumping, and normal life becomes boring.

But not ALL of them.

These people are the ones who are DEPENDENT on whatever their buzz is. That's when the line is crossed and they do these things because they need to fill that hole, that they think is missing. And suddenly, they think they can't cope without it.

You can see - pot/tobacco/alcohol/chocolate/bungee jumping - why is one worse than the other? Because someone made it illegal?? Well - shall we make them ALL illegal? Or legalise them all? That makes me ponder....

Society tells you it's bad - so you think it's bad. I can't blame people for thinking like that - we're conditioned to think things. We're TOLD what we should and should not think.

I think people should go out there and make their own minds up.

What if we all lived on an isolated island? Would it matter then what I did to you? (not that i smoke weed anymore )

Fantastic post. This is more about the individual PERSON than the drug.

I enjoy a glass of wine with dinner here and there. I also love a really great cocktail at a party. Yet my alcohol consumption has never caused me to hurt, maim, or kill anyone, because I consume it RESPONSIBLY.

And I don't know where people are getting the idea that those of us that drink (for example) "need it to be happy." That's called ALCOHOLISM- and it's not normal. Do you believe that EVERYONE that drinks is an alcoholic? Because that's just silly. I'm a happy person. I enjoy life. I also enjoy bellinis. BUT- bellinis are not my life. Drinking alcohol or smoking pot doesn't make you an ADDICT. Being an ADDICT makes you an addict. An inability to STOP drinking alcohol or smoking pot is a problem- NOT the substance itself.

This is about personal responsibility.

For crying out loud- you could use a PENCIL irresponsibly. You could stab someone with it. You could poke out eyes left and right. Shall we make those illegal too? (Sorry artists...it's time to stick to digital art because SOME people couldn't hold their pencils responsibly).

You could make similar case for certain breeds of dog as well- just because SOME people own pitbulls that hurt other people, does that mean that NO ONE should own pitbulls? (I think we can ALL agree that this is absolutely ridiculous). In SOME people's hands they are truly dangerous, in the hands of responsible owners, they are wonderful family pets.

Excellent post. That's a very openminded and rational way to look at it. :hail:

Do you think it should be legalized?
Yes, its NATURAL. It is part of our earth, our home. Its just a plant, just when you light it it has some...side effects, lol. its not like you have to add chemicals and substances to it.

Do you smoke it?
I smoke very rarely.

Have you tried smoking it?
See above

That was a great post, Dizzy

:hail: :hail:

Excellent post, Dizzy.

I'm addicted to green tea

I shall throw in a few Bill Hicks quotes for good measure

“If you don't believe drugs have done good things for us, then go home and burn all your records, all your tapes, and all your CDs because every one of those artists who have made brilliant music and enhanced your lives? RrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrEAL ****ing high on drugs. The Beatles were so ****ing high they let Ringo sing a few songs."

“I have never seen two people on pot get in a fight because it is ****ing IMPOSSIBLE. "Hey, buddy!" "Hey, what?" "Ummmmmmm...." End of argument.”

“Why is marijuana against the law? It grows naturally upon our planet. Doesn't the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit . . . unnatural?”

“I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is an herb and a flower. God put it here. If He put it here and He wants it to grow, what gives the government the right to say that God is wrong?”

"They lie about marijuana. Tell you pot-smoking makes you unmotivated. Lie! When you're high, you can do everything you normally do, just as well. You just realize that it's not worth the ****ing effort. There is a difference."

"No, I don't do drugs anymore, either. But I'll tell you something about drugs. I used to do drugs, but I'll tell you something honestly about drugs, honestly, and I know it's not a very popular idea, you don't hear it very often anymore, but it is the truth: I had a great time doing drugs. Sorry. Never murdered anyone, never robbed anyone, never raped anyone, never beat anyone, never lost a job, a car, a house, a wife or kids, laughed my ass off, and went about my day."

"How about a positive LSD story? That would be newsworthy, don't you think? ... Just once, to hear a positive LSD story: 'Today, a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration; that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves... here's Tom with the weather.'"

“Here is my final point. About drugs, about alcohol, about pornography and smoking and everything else. What business is it of yours what I do, read, buy, see, say, think, who I ****, what I take into my body - as long as I do not harm another human being on this planet?”

Oooh and one more point.. Alot of people become dependent on pot because they are actually addicted to the nicotine in the TOBACCO they roll it with... which leads on to the nastier side of habitual pot smoking...

But can I also also add - I think you should be able to try whatever you want to try - but I DO think it is a gamble, and you never know if you're going to be that person that really really messes up.

So it isn't something to laugh about really... It's something you need to know the REAL facts about.

Drugs/pot - people take them because the chemical change how you think and feel, and you need to decide if that is a risk you want to take or not.

I would NEVER encourage ANYONE to take anything EVER. Never ever. EVER. I have been to the funeral of someone who over did it, and heard about many more people who did it too.

They knew the risks too.

My only objection is that with some folks, alcohol and pot drives them to seeking deeper " highs " .....crack etc leads to self destuction and harm to others .

I don't think the pot or the alcohol lead to seeking deeper highs. People that NEED to seek a bigger and better way to get high will do it with or without pot or alcohol. Not to mention I don't think there are many drugs out there that have the same TYPE of effect that pot does. People always say pot is a gateway drug. Almost everyone I know that smokes cigarettes and pot always say the gateway drug was the cigarettes.

That's how it was with all my friends that smoke; they started with cigarettes, usually underage, and graduated to pot when they got older. Some moved on to other things, some stayed with just the pot. It really depends on the person. Some of them are lazy-ass bums who don't think any further than their next high; some of them are on their way to becoming highly successful people.

Oddly enough, one of the biggest group of rec. drug users I know are law students...

The problem is not when you make that decision for yourself... It's when you make it for other people ("I believe this is morally wrong, so no one should do it").

I know Im jumping ahead here without reading the rest of the thread....

Morality is not relavent. Smoking pot is not morally wrong, smoking pot while pregnant or in the presence of infants or very young children is morally wrong. Smoking weed with other adults is not morally wrong, an adult giving a joint to a child is morally wrong.

I didnt no crap at 16, and I was against drinking and pot at the time but I was allready smoking.

Lol. So now we are no longer allowed to hold our opinions?

Dog abuse is morally wrong. No one should do it. Am I on a high horse just because I think that?

No. Dog abuse is morally wrong, the dog suffers for it. Rape is morally wrong. Murder is morally wrong. Thought we went over this already, Tessa!

Smoking pot harms nobody. Safe, consentual sex harms nobody. I'm not sure why people say things like these are so *wrong* when the only person they could hurt is the person that made the conscious choice to get involved with something like that. Labeling that person immoral for their choice is being on a high horse, IMHO.

But it DOES hurt others. You might not see that right now, but I think eventually you will.

Well, if anyone thinks I'm on a high horse, they might as well keep thinking so. I don't plan on condoning drugs and alcohol any time soon. I refuse to change my opinions just to please others.