The Alchemist's Bench: drug pros and cons

[TMU]

@Big Bene -Spot on.

I dont even get that why you druggers keep on saying that there is nothing better on us than is on you. It is everyones own choise and there is nothing to whine about.

I have friends that smoke and drink a lot. Some even use snuff steadily. So what? It is no big deal to me since it is not my body that is being affected. Just stop the hate people, both sides.

[Teldurn]

Weed is no longer illegal everywhere. For example, in the state of Colorado, they made it legal and as a result the state has made millions of dollars in revenue (which I think I read somewhere is going to schools for renovations and buildings but I could be wrong on this point) and crime is down 10%.

A couple other states have legalized it as well but I don't know how it has affected them yet.

[Goblin-King]

Weed is no longer illegal everywhere. For example, in the state of Colorado, they made it legal and as a result the state has made millions of dollars in revenue (which I think I read somewhere is going to schools for renovations and buildings but I could be wrong on this point) and crime is down 10%.

A couple other states have legalized it as well but I don't know how it has affected them yet.

Yeah, that is kinda the point in my road-story. Some things are illegal because they are illegal.
My personal view is that weed is ~ as dangerous as alcohol and cigarettes. Maybe more, maybe less.
There ARE documented side effects. But you are not turned into a crack whore overnight because you smoke weed either.

I would be pretty indifferent if it was legalized here. And the impression I get is that most here don't see weed as the root of all evil.
I feel like I've said this already at some point, but it's important to define what you mean when you say "drugs". Weed is not the same as krokodil. I really hope no one is gonna challenge this claim!!! Yet they are both "drugs".

It is also important to remember that every single human being is different. Some have a tendency to addiction, some don't.
My GFs brother have a severe case of Aspergers. All the medicine he have been given have more or less made him worse.
Or it has helped in one way, but had severe side effects in another way. Smoking weed helped him calm down and actually live a decent life.
I also have a "friend" who smokes weed all day erry day. He has done nothing with his life.
It's not black and white.


Finally:
Friendly reminder to keep it friendly.
I know Sjeng can speak for himself, but I would actually plead we finally let his "case" rest.
Discussing drugs is fine, but I kinda feel it's revolving a bit too much around him as a person.
We may not all agree, but it should not get personal to this degree...

[Gold Bearer]

Anyone can choose not to do something. And as for smoking is disgusting, seriously.

All I want to say about that is:
- it can be VERY hard NOT to do something. Especially when both your parents were/are smokers, telling you that you shouldn't smoke. Teens are like: "but you're doing it? And my friends smoke too!" I chose to do what I thought was best. Not to please my parents. That might result in losing some friends, and in high school, that's tough. But in the end, those weren't that good a friend as you though they were back then.
- I personally find smoking disgusting. My opinion. I hate the smell, the smoke, people's ashy breath. My eyes tear from smoky rooms. I hate the smell that gets in my clothes.

I find the smell of coffee truly repulsive. I wouldn't word it as 'coffee drinking is disgusting' because it would imply that I think it's disgusting for other people to enjoy it.

If they didn't want to be mates with you because you didn't smoke then they're not mates, they're twats. Most of the people I hung around with growing up smoked but there were a handful that didn't. We never pressurised them to do it. We couldn't care less that they didn't smoke? Why would we?

I dont even get that why you druggers keep on saying that there is nothing better on us than is on you.

Because people love telling other people what they shouldn't be doing when it comes to drugs. That would be bad enough even if it were coming from people who had the first clue what they were talking about. We shouldn't have to defend our decision to take drugs any more than someone should have to defend their decision not to.

Weed is no longer illegal everywhere. For example, in the state of Colorado, they made it legal and as a result the state has made millions of dollars in revenue (which I think I read somewhere is going to schools for renovations and buildings but I could be wrong on this point) and crime is down 10%.

Probably because they can't be bothered to go out and steal anything. Weed was never illegal everywhere.

My personal view is that weed is ~ as dangerous as alcohol and cigarettes. Maybe more, maybe less.
There ARE documented side effects.

What are you basing that on? What documented side effects?

It is also important to remember that every single human being is different. Some have a tendency to addiction, some don't.
My GFs brother have a severe case of Aspergers. All the medicine he have been given have more or less made him worse.
Or it has helped in one way, but had severe side effects in another way. Smoking weed helped him calm down and actually live a decent life.
I also have a "friend" who smokes weed all day erry day. He has done nothing with his life.
It's not black and white.

Who's to say what's worthwhile. He's got stoned with his life. Good for him if that's all he needs to be happy. If he's using it as an escape then he might be better off laying off it for a while. Maybe he's suffering from depression anyway and he's using weed as to cope with it. You're right, it's not black and white.

[Teldurn]

Just to clarify, you misquoted me and GK in there, Gold Bearer. Not surprising, considering how easy it is to do when you're using multiple quote blocks.

[wolfie907]

man this is a sticky subject first to sjeng I freaked out more then necessary about my posts and I hope there are no hard feelings and if so I apologize to big bene your post was spot on and I'm glad you chimed in gold bearer man you love your weed but it is not a perfect substance so try to hear other view points I try not to be a troll personally but im sure I come off as one often enough as I am a sarcastic *Play-Doh factory* sorry that's not an excuse but a personally defect im aware of it and try to reign it in but it gets the better of me sometimes. we will be voting to decriminalize weed here in Alaska in November and it is very likely to pass im happy for that I think people can decide whether or not they want to smoke same as alcohol or cigarettes fairs fair. that being said I still think smoking weed is dumb

[Gold Bearer]

Just to clarify, you misquoted me and GK in there, Gold Bearer.

Oh yea, so I did. Fixed.

gold bearer man you love your weed but it is not a perfect substance so try to hear other view points

that being said I still think smoking weed is dumb

I never said it was perfect. It makes you physically lethargic if you take a decent amount. Why do you think that it's dumb? If you're going to make a statement like that you need to back it up with your reasoning or it should be assumed that it's just a conditioned emotional reaction.

There is another side-effect, short term memory loss. You sometimes loose the order of when recant events happened or how long ago, but I don't really considering it a side-effect because it's interesting and funny. 'Did they say that just now or twenty minutes ago? Should I respond or is it too late? How long have I been thinking about this? It's definitely too late now, I'll just keep quiet. That's a funny shaped tree. I'm hungry. Oh look, another car. Cars are great. All you have to do is get the wheels to spin and the whole thing moves. I'm hungry.' And so on until it's worn off.

I found this really great video last night that's very relevant: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0c5nIvJH7w I like this bloke. It's a talk for TED that they banned.

[wolfie907]

I have explained my view point on the matter all you have to do is read my other posts in this thread. i also cannot stand coffee no real reason other than i find the taste horrible, though the smell doesn't bother me.

[Count Von Bruno]

I think Alcohol is a hell of a lot more destructive than humble old (natural) marijuana.
I have serious doubts about the Hydroponically grown stuff with all the (who knows what) chemicals added to it though.

In my experience, if used properly (shamanistic) and under the right conditions mind expanders like "Magic Mushrooms", Cactus, Salvia Divinorum, (real) LSD, and DMT can all be beautiful, positive experiences that can help enlighten and make you a more compassionate and understanding human being and citizen of Earth.

[Gold Bearer]

I have explained my view point on the matter all you have to do is read my other posts in this thread.

Yes you've given your view but you haven't given anything to justify that view. You think it's dumb, why? What is it specifically about it that you think is dumb?

In my experience, if used properly (shamanistic) and under the right conditions mind expanders like "Magic Mushrooms", Cactus, Salvia Divinorum, (real) LSD, and DMT can all be beautiful, positive experiences that can help enlighten and make you a more compassionate and understanding human being and citizen of Earth.

Exactly. Weed on the other hand is just for fun.