But there will be more available as the punishment for it is lowered. And as more becomes available won’t there be more of it in the hands of teens - Doesn’t that make sense? Again, I’m trying to make some sense of this for myself. Please correct me where you feel I am mistaken.
Thanks.
ZEB, the reality of the situation now is that if someone wants to try it, they will. The legality of it is a VERY minor inconvenience.
[quote]StevenF wrote:
ZEB, the reality of the situation now is that if someone wants to try it, they will. The legality of it is a VERY minor inconvenience. [/quote]
So making it more available won’t cause more teens to want to try it? Or, do you think that it’s not all that harmful anyway and doesn’t matter? I wonder how many feel that way, so they don’t really care who uses it. This is all just conjecture on my part as who really knows?
Zeb, it’s definitely less harmful then alcohol or cigarettes, especially if purity would rise through full legalization.
By your logic, legalizing ALL drugs would cause civilization to collapse, since everybody would try out something from a buffet that just got much bigger.
You have probably a better grasp on economics then myself, so you know that demand will not go up simply because of more and better supply.
I really hope I’ll see the day drugs won’t be a big legal issue in the western hemisphere.
BTW, I live(d) my life completely drugfree.
[quote]Schwarzfahrer wrote:
Zeb, it’s definitely less harmful then alcohol or cigarettes[/quote]
Let’s assume that you are correct, and you may very well be, is that what we’ve come to? We want what’s “less harmful”? Why not promote what actually benefits our teens?
No, not at all. Sorry if that’s the impression I gave. There would be no end to civilization. My point is why promote something that is obviously harmful? Why put it in the hands of even more people? I don’t understand why that would be good.
Well, I’m not so sure I have a better grasp on anything than you. But, thanks anyway. My point is that if something that is negative made more available to teens how does that help us?
[quote]I really hope I’ll see the day drugs won’t be a big legal issue in the western hemisphere.
[/quote]
I’d like to see people get high from training. But that takes work, while smoking a joint takes nothing more than someone to supply it to you. And the less society cares I fear the more young and impressionable will be tempted. I don’t see that as a good thing. Once again, I don’t have all the facts.
Way to go man, me too and I don’t see any harm coming from that do you? But on the other hand…
[quote]ZEB wrote:
But there will be more available as the punishment for it is lowered. And as more becomes available won’t there be more of it in the hands of teens - Doesn’t that make sense? Again, I’m trying to make some sense of this for myself. Please correct me where you feel I am mistaken.
Thanks.[/quote]
Availability.
It has never been a hindrance to use. If you think that it has been, then you must not have much experience in finding it.
Hell, I started (and knew where to get it) when I was 11.
Give me 5 minutes and I could get a bag within walking distance of Anywhere. Guaranteed.
to ZEB, I indeed think it CAN be harmful in a few ways. I watched friends completely ruin their lives or waste their talents because they would rather smoke weed all the time. For example, a guy I know was the leading scorer on his junior hockey team that was in 1st place in the 2nd most prominent junior league in the US. Guys with that kind of talent get Division 1 scholarships and/or get drafted to the NHL. He did neither, all he ever did and still does is get high every single day. No work ethic whatsoever. I would KILL for that kind of talent that he just pisses away. Another former friend of mine from high school received an academic scholarship, full-ride everything paid for. One day on his way to finish a paper and take a final he gets pulled over and arrested for having weed on him. He ends up not making the grades he needs to keep his scholarship and drops out of college.
I believe once in a while isn’t going to have negative consequences, however. My theory is that the people that want to try it now are going to try it regardless of the law and the same people would be willing to try it when/if it becomes legal. Likewise, the same people that let it ruin their lives now while its illegal would be the same people to let it ruin their lives when/if it becomes legal.
[quote]StevenF wrote:
to ZEB, I indeed think it CAN be harmful in a few ways. I watched friends completely ruin their lives or waste their talents because they would rather smoke weed all the time. For example, a guy I know was the leading scorer on his junior hockey team that was in 1st place in the 2nd most prominent junior league in the US. Guys with that kind of talent get Division 1 scholarships and/or get drafted to the NHL. He did neither, all he ever did and still does is get high every single day. No work ethic whatsoever. I would KILL for that kind of talent that he just pisses away. Another former friend of mine from high school received an academic scholarship, full-ride everything paid for. One day on his way to finish a paper and take a final he gets pulled over and arrested for having weed on him. He ends up not making the grades he needs to keep his scholarship and drops out of college.
I believe once in a while isn’t going to have negative consequences, however. My theory is that the people that want to try it now are going to try it regardless of the law and the same people would be willing to try it when/if it becomes legal. Likewise, the same people that let it ruin their lives now while its illegal would be the same people to let it ruin their lives when/if it becomes legal. [/quote]
It sounds as though you are assuming that their marijuana use is the reason for lack of motivation. It may be but if there were no such thing as marijuana they may have gotten into Alcohol or any other thing . My point is maybe they are just unmotivated
[quote]pittbulll wrote:
It sounds as though you are assuming that their marijuana use is the reason for lack of motivation. It may be but if there were no such thing as marijuana they may have gotten into Alcohol or any other thing . My point is maybe they are just unmotivated [/quote]
They are/were unmotivated for sure.
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
[quote]ZEB wrote:
But there will be more available as the punishment for it is lowered. And as more becomes available won’t there be more of it in the hands of teens - Doesn’t that make sense? Again, I’m trying to make some sense of this for myself. Please correct me where you feel I am mistaken.
Thanks.[/quote]
Availability.
It has never been a hindrance to use. If you think that it has been, then you must not have much experience in finding it.
Hell, I started (and knew where to get it) when I was 11.
Give me 5 minutes and I could get a bag within walking distance of Anywhere. Guaranteed.
[/quote]
I don’t doubt you for even one second. Now how much easier could an inexpeienced kid get it if the laws were no longer on the books to deter the pushers?
[quote]StevenF wrote:
to ZEB, I indeed think it CAN be harmful in a few ways. I watched friends completely ruin their lives or waste their talents because they would rather smoke weed all the time. For example, a guy I know was the leading scorer on his junior hockey team that was in 1st place in the 2nd most prominent junior league in the US. Guys with that kind of talent get Division 1 scholarships and/or get drafted to the NHL. He did neither, all he ever did and still does is get high every single day. No work ethic whatsoever. I would KILL for that kind of talent that he just pisses away. Another former friend of mine from high school received an academic scholarship, full-ride everything paid for. One day on his way to finish a paper and take a final he gets pulled over and arrested for having weed on him. He ends up not making the grades he needs to keep his scholarship and drops out of college.
I believe once in a while isn’t going to have negative consequences, however. My theory is that the people that want to try it now are going to try it regardless of the law and the same people would be willing to try it when/if it becomes legal. Likewise, the same people that let it ruin their lives now while its illegal would be the same people to let it ruin their lives when/if it becomes legal. [/quote]
Seems to me what your saying is they’re going to get it anyway so what’s the difference. Do I have that right? If that’s the case I wonder what’s the point of any laws? And for that matter what’s the point of locking your doors at night if a burglar is going to break in they will break in anyway, through a window maybe. Or does this only work with pot? Believe it or not, I have so little experience with pot that I’m not sure you are not correct, but it still seems unlikely to me. Why is pot different than every other thing that is prohibited?
[quote]ZEB wrote:
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
[quote]ZEB wrote:
But there will be more available as the punishment for it is lowered. And as more becomes available won’t there be more of it in the hands of teens - Doesn’t that make sense? Again, I’m trying to make some sense of this for myself. Please correct me where you feel I am mistaken.
Thanks.[/quote]
Availability.
It has never been a hindrance to use. If you think that it has been, then you must not have much experience in finding it.
Hell, I started (and knew where to get it) when I was 11.
Give me 5 minutes and I could get a bag within walking distance of Anywhere. Guaranteed.
[/quote]
I don’t doubt you for even one second. Now how much easier could an inexpeienced kid get it if the laws were no longer on the books to deter the pushers?
[/quote]
I can’t be any easier than it is now. It really can’t. Current distribution is completely unregulated.
Laws on the books don’t deter the people who are willing to take the risk of dealing(hence their current presence in society), and a lot of dealers, especially high school aged kids, have no problem selling to another kid who is just a couple of years younger.
It doesn’t mean that kids won’t still get it, it means that they will have to steal it off of their parents like booze.
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
[quote]ZEB wrote:
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
[quote]ZEB wrote:
But there will be more available as the punishment for it is lowered. And as more becomes available won’t there be more of it in the hands of teens - Doesn’t that make sense? Again, I’m trying to make some sense of this for myself. Please correct me where you feel I am mistaken.
Thanks.[/quote]
Availability.
It has never been a hindrance to use. If you think that it has been, then you must not have much experience in finding it.
Hell, I started (and knew where to get it) when I was 11.
Give me 5 minutes and I could get a bag within walking distance of Anywhere. Guaranteed.
[/quote]
I don’t doubt you for even one second. Now how much easier could an inexpeienced kid get it if the laws were no longer on the books to deter the pushers?
[/quote]
I can’t be any easier than it is now. It really can’t. Current distribution is completely unregulated.
Laws on the books don’t deter the people who are willing to take the risk of dealing(hence their current presence in society), and a lot of dealers, especially high school aged kids, have no problem selling to another kid who is just a couple of years younger.
It doesn’t mean that kids won’t still get it, it means that they will have to steal it off of their parents like booze.
[/quote]
I had no idea it was that prevalent. But still I wonder if reducing the laws is the answer.
ZEB, I think most people agree with you, nobody want to see usage go up in the 15-26 crowd. But the point many of us are trying to make is that legalization and regulation is an easier and more effective way to keep this drug out of the hands of youth. Will they continue to get their hands on it? Most likely. But lets be honest almost every high school kid in America knows where they could get pot, and probably has the number in their phone whether they admit it or not. On top of this many Americans are against the negative influence that current pot laws have on our country (millions of wasted tax dollars, financing drug cartels, moving weapons into the hands of American and Mexican gangs, disproportionate incarceration of low income and minority individuals, the destruction of peoples lives for seemingly minor “felony” offense). While it has been proven that pot isn’t a gateway drug (and this is a personal opinion) it seems to me that the manner in which pot is handled by our country (putting the supply into the hands of street thugs, who would have no problem selling to kids pot, laced pot, heroin, coke) makes it so much more likely that kids who do try pot might also try more elicit drugs, and that scares the shit out of me.
And I guess what really frustrates me (again personal opinion) that our country has spent so much time and money teaching our kids how marijuana will ruin their lives, essentially lying about the effects of this drug. That when they try it and see how wrong the government was that they might begin to doubt the message their family and government has been giving them regarding some other more serious drugs. You know I totally agree with you, marijuana is a drug (and we can debate all day long about how bad of a drug it is), but the other drugs high schoolers are trying these days drugs, (drugs that you can overdose on, drugs that you can die taking, drugs that are made in someones back yard or cut with god knows what, or are shared with a needle carrying along god knows what diseases), don’t you think that those are a little more serious? And that if we can be consistent and truthful with our kids they will be more inclined to trust us with what we tell them regarding these serious drugs?
[quote]ZEB wrote:
So making it more available won’t cause more teens to want to try it?
[/quote]
You know what is sad…THC has been found in several recent studies to DECREASE certain cancer tumor cell growth rates, mostly lung cancer.
This had not been a front page story for some reason. Marijuana helps decrease cancer growth and could single handedly (if legalized and TAXED) help with our current economic situation (seeing as hemp has MANY uses as well this could change many things from clothing manufacturing to all forms of production).
…But the self righteous won’t allow further research and can’t even allow themselves to think of the positives.
The sky will fall! All children will become addicts! Everyone will be high all of the time and kill us!!
Like written before, I have no doubt that 200 years from now, this time period will be considered the Moron Era.
Marijuana Cuts Lung Cancer Tumor Growth In Half, Study Shows
[quote]The active ingredient in marijuana cuts tumor growth in common lung cancer in half and significantly reduces the ability of the cancer to spread, say researchers at Harvard University who tested the chemical in both lab and mouse studies.
They say this is the first set of experiments to show that the compound, Delta-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), inhibits EGF-induced growth and migration in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expressing non-small cell lung cancer cell lines.[/quote]
Hmm, now why is something that can literally save lives being swept under the rug and still stigmatized?
People who want it can already easily get it and the fear mongering serves none of us any good.
I will be glad when the current crop of old cronies who can’t see beyond their own limited vision and biased opinion dies off.
Then maybe the rest of us can find a way to live even longer.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
Marijuana Cuts Lung Cancer Tumor Growth In Half, Study Shows
[quote]The active ingredient in marijuana cuts tumor growth in common lung cancer in half and significantly reduces the ability of the cancer to spread, say researchers at Harvard University who tested the chemical in both lab and mouse studies.
They say this is the first set of experiments to show that the compound, Delta-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), inhibits EGF-induced growth and migration in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expressing non-small cell lung cancer cell lines.[/quote][/quote]
And with portable vaporizers like these are on the market:
http://www.vapolution.com/khxc/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=prodshow&ref=pv
the most significant health-harming factor in pot use (inhaling thousands of random carcinogens by burning and smoking it) can be completely avoided, making pot use a potentially cancer-preventing hobby.
– ElbowStrike
