The Battle to Decriminalize All Drugs

Star Forge wrote: I will have to. I just can't stand weed. I know what it does. Usage should be prevented, not encouraged. Culture is encouraging it more and more, and laws are getting more and more permissive.

So where do you stand on the prolific use of anti biotics, anti depressants and other "safe drugs" that are responsible for around 100 thousand americans dying from known side effects even when used correctly as prescribed as well as developing other medical conditions as a result of those same drugs. Or the fact that "safe" drugs are allowed onto the market with incredibly little safety testing because of the way studies are permitted to be reported (or excluded) and its legal! Why not worry more about the unwitting people who are being subjected to being poisoned for the sake of profit, than people who are knowingly going out and getting high. Addiction and usage are two very different things. I personally dont support the careless use of drugs, legal or otherwise, but using weed or alcohol is not the same as being addicted to it. And those who do CHOOSE to use it dispite knowing about its potential risks, well, those who dont listen must feel.

I keep thinking about the cripple who hated all dancers.

Brenna wrote:

Star Forge wrote: I will have to. I just can't stand weed. I know what it does. Usage should be prevented, not encouraged. Culture is encouraging it more and more, and laws are getting more and more permissive.

So where do you stand on the prolific use of anti biotics, anti depressants and other "safe drugs" that are responsible for around 100 thousand americans dying from known side effects even when used correctly as prescribed as well as developing other medical conditions as a result of those same drugs. Or the fact that "safe" drugs are allowed onto the market with incredibly little safety testing because of the way studies are permitted to be reported (or excluded) and its legal! Why not worry more about the unwitting people who are being subjected to being poisoned for the sake of profit, than people who are knowingly going out and getting high. Addiction and usage are two very different things. I personally dont support the use of drugs, legal or otherwise, but using weed or alcohol is not the same as being addicted to it. And those who do CHOOSE to use it dispite knowing about its potential risks, well, those who dont listen must feel.

Anti-depressants- I am against all forms of psychiatry, anti-depressants in particular. They are behind almost every mass school shooting or murder in the USA and elsewhere.

Anti-biotics- I have not done my research on this. As a general rule, I consider most medicine unhealthy, which is why I resolved never to go to doctors again and have not for many years now.

However, where recreational drugs differ from anti-biotics, and where they have common ground with anti-depressants, is that they change the behavior and thinking of the user, thereby affecting other people. Not every weed user is an addict, true. I do, however, feel that when classifying weed "addicts," we are far too generous. To me, anybody who will skip lunch or go without cigarettes to buy weed is an addict, so therefore, in my perception, many potheads are addicts. I've seen weed cause people to do terrible things. The fact that so many people back in Malaysia would risk jail, a fine, and a caning to smoke weed reeks of addiction to me, although the problem there was not nearly as bad as in the USA. It's illegal for a reason, and not for any conspiracy involving the paper companies.

I have seen the negative effects of cocaine use...my stepdad was addicted to it when I was a child as a result I received countless beatings usually for nothing more than forgetting something trivial...however I do not let this negativity control me....I got over it instead of letting it rule the entirety of my life...I'm covered in scars from various beatings I took because of cocaine addiction....not weed...I'm also not basing my views on what I experienced from one individual, not when there are millions of people using and not beating children...

Personally I'm opposed to using drugs, but I'm not going to use my personal views to punish everyone for the stupidity of only a few...

Br. John wrote: I keep thinking about the cripple who hated all dancers.

I mean no offense, hostility, nor disrespect, but this is not the case. Nothing prevents me from using marijuana or any other drug, or from returning to heavy drinking. I judge people for marijuana use, yes, as I judge people for many other things, and as we all judge each other. I simply believe marijuana use is unwise.

RyuJin wrote: I have seen the negative effects of cocaine use...my stepdad was addicted to it when I was a child as a result I received countless beatings usually for nothing more than forgetting something trivial...however I do not let this negativity control me....I got over it instead of letting it rule the entirety of my life...I'm covered in scars from various beatings I took because of cocaine addiction....not weed...I'm also not basing my views on what I experienced from one individual, not when there are millions of people using and not beating children...

Personally I'm opposed to using drugs, but I'm not going to use my personal views to punish everyone for the stupidity of only a few...

I do not understand what you mean when you keep speaking of negativity in the past. I have no grudges, nor is this a sore subject for me. However, we learn from the past, and I realized that marijuana and certain other drugs must remain illegal, not only for the would-be users, but also, and most importantly, for all those who do not use it.

Brenna wrote: So where do you stand on the prolific use of anti biotics, anti depressants and other "safe drugs" that are responsible for around 100 thousand americans dying from known side effects even when used correctly as prescribed as well as developing other medical conditions as a result of those same drugs. Or the fact that "safe" drugs are allowed onto the market with incredibly little safety testing because of the way studies are permitted to be reported (or excluded) and its legal! Why not worry more about the unwitting people who are being subjected to being poisoned for the sake of profit, than people who are knowingly going out and getting high. Addiction and usage are two very different things. I personally dont support the careless use of drugs, legal or otherwise, but using weed or alcohol is not the same as being addicted to it. And those who do CHOOSE to use it dispite knowing about its potential risks, well, those who dont listen must feel.

Good points.

The whole outlook on health in most societies has shifted over the last couple hundred years or so. The opinion of modern medicine has gone from skeptical to acceptance to almost blind belief as though it were its own religion. Many times doctors will just give the patient what they want to get them out of the office.

What I’m curious of is when did it not only become acceptable to shove a lot of questionable junk into our bodies? From aspirin to crack… none of it is actually “good” for you. It all comes with warning labels. Even the food we eat is loaded with artificial this and synthetic that. And people wonder why so many have medical “issues.”

Believe what you’re told, follow the masses, if I don’t see any immediate ill effects then it can’t be all that bad… have we lost our sanity?

Going without cigarettes to by weed is a great choice health-wise.

Why is marijuana illegal. Fantastic short sweet story here http://www.drugwarrant.com/articles/why-is-marijuana-illegal/ .

I don't think the government's job is to protect us from ourselves. As long as the information about the possible effects of drugs, food additives, etc. is readily available, it should be up to the consumer to make the right decision. Your argument against weed is that it is addictive. So are cigarettes. So is alcohol. So are pain medications. So are anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications. So is caffeine. So why is weed all of a sudden different? As long as people know the potential effects, they should be free to make their own decisions. I don't need the government so involved in my life that they want to protect me from myself.

Br. John wrote: Going without cigarettes to by weed is a great choice health-wise.

Why is marijuana illegal. Fantastic short sweet story here http://www.drugwarrant.com/articles/why-is-marijuana-illegal/ .

I'm not trying to justify my smoking habit, but I'd rather have a habit that carried a risk of physical effects that left my mind unscathed, than one that was healthier physically but poisoned my mind. Weed makes people stupid, even if only for the time that they are high.