Marijuana is the devil!

[kandeebunny]

Actually they did the research on e in a hospital near me. They used it with a couple psychological disorders, cancer patients and those with severe arthritis.

Legalizing that or at least regulating it would be huge, because it can be mixed with anything from coke to acid to crack to laxatives to asprin. I mean oxycontin is no worse.

 

[miss missy]

Hmm, I got half way thru 7 pages and couldn't take anymore. I am taken aback that no one said good for you OP. So hey 17 yr old OP, let me say it, GOOD FOR YOU! for not smoking the stuff!! There are two people in my family that smoke, a young adult and an adult. It steals "the drive" out of them. One didn't finish HS yet and one isn't doing anything with his life. It is an addiction for them, as it is for too many. Pot is one of the devils to some people. There are many of them out there!

Yes some people can do it for a time and stop, but why take that chance? Why gamble with your life?

The OP said they won't smoke it, and just the fact that it is illegal to do so shows the OP has good morales. I don't care what the reason the OP gives at 17, I am glad the choice is the right one for them.

If it was legal for medical, I don't think I would mind. Most pain meds make you loopy anyway.

But come on, why can't anyone say YAY for the OP. WHO CARES what the reasons given are, you have a child saying they won't smoke pot here!! If this was your child, would you want to change their mind to start to smoke pot???

Yes this is a sore subject for me. I see too many kids that smoke it and I have NEVER seen it NOT effect their life in a bad way. Arrests, drop out of school, accidents, lie, steal... all of it. Sorry but high chances are nothing good will come from a kid smoking pot!

And gosh, the OP is 17, the "jumping off a cliff" thing is coming from a 17 yr old! Maybe they meant they would rather DIE than take the gamble of something worse happening... like addiction and what goes along with it...

 

[GeorgeG]

I didn't even know what marijuana was until I came back from Vietnam to the San Francisco area. In 1966 that was the hippie capital of the world, or at least is seemed so. The nicest way I can put it is that servicmen and hippies did not always get along. I despised hippies and everything they stood for, which included liberal marijuana use.

To this day, I have not even tried marijuana and never will, even for health purposes. A lot of people don't believe that because I'm a musician, but I've walked away from bands who thought it made them better musicians... it did not. I won't tolerate it's use anywhere around me and don't have much respect for people who use it. I realize that makes me very judgemental, but that's my option. I've come into my sixties sticking to my guns about this and do not intend to change now.

 

["Got Disney"]

Hmm, I got half way thru 7 pages and couldn't take anymore. I am taken aback that no said good for you OP. So hey 17 yr old OP, let me say it, GOOD FOR YOU! for not smoking the stuff!! There are two people in my family that smoke, a young adult and an adult. It steals "the drive" out of them. One didn't finish HS yet and one isn't doing anything with his life. It is an addiction for them, as it is for too many. Pot is one of the devils to some people. There are many of them out there!

Yes some people can do it for a time and stop, but why take that chance? Why gamble with your life?

The OP said they won't smoke it, and just the fact that it is illegal to do so shows the OP has good morales. I don't care what the reason the OP gives at 17, I am glad the choice is the right one for them.

If it was legal for medical, I don't think I would mind. Most pain meds make you loopy anyway.

But come on, why can't anyone say YAY for the OP. WHO CARES what the reasons given are, you have a child saying they won't smoke pot here!! If this was your child, would you want to change their mind to start to smoke pot???

Yes this is a sore subject for me. I see too many kids that smoke it and I have NEVER seen it NOT effect their life in a bad way. Arrests, drop out of school, accidents, lie, steal... all of it. Sorry but high chances are nothing good will come from a kid smoking pot!

And gosh, the OP is 17, the "jumping off a cliff" thing is coming from a 17 yr old! Maybe they meant they would rather DIE than take the gamble of something worse happening... like addiction and what goes along with it...

 

[Planogirl]

Isn't it great that we can all have different opinions and express them? The OP is writing a paper on this though and I hope that facts are used and not opinions.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

miss missy, I have a 16yo who writes anti-smoking ads that are very powerful. I believe that one of them did have to do with jumping off a bridge, now that I think of it. He could explain very eloquently that his meanings were not literal and exactly what he meant by them and I would challenge himif I thought he was spouting of incorrect information. I have discussed the legalization of marijuana for medical reasons with my 19yo. We drink on occasion. But yet, they know my very high expectations for them...I do expect for them to take a very high road. Doesn't mean that I don't correct misinformation, though (ie, all alcohol is bad, pot use leads to harder drugs, etc).

 

[Alicnwondrln]

i have done any drugs and if the OP thinks they are bad i dont see anything wrong with that
i havent read the whole thread

 

[WilmaBud]

I agree with you, MissMissy. I'm incredulous that so many adults are trying to tell a kid how "good" pot is and ridiculing him for his anti-pot opinions.

Maybe the OP is a bit dramatic, but IMO, all 17 year olds are pretty "black and white" about things. At least the OP is on the right side of the fence re. pot. it is an illegal drug, and it can be a "gateway" drug. They, in fact, still teach that in drug education classes in school.

I know many adult "potheads," and not one of them is doing anything productive with his/her life. I know that it isn't chemically addicting, yet I know of people who can't get through the day without it.

I'm aware that many people smoke pot in their teens and early twenties and yet go on to be great, productive people. That's terrific, but it doesn't mean it's always harmless to smoke pot. Not smoking it is a better choice to make in life, IMHO. It's a choice I made and a choice I hope my children make.

 

[pperfectmom]

I know many adult "potheads," and not one of them is doing anything productive with his/her life. I know that it isn't chemically addicting, yet I know of people who can't get through the day without it.

.

Oh please. I haven't even read all of this thread but some of this stuff is unbelievable. Maybe you don't know any productive "potheads" but I certainly do. Let's see...one is a prominent lawyer running for Governor of the state of Kentucky, one is a very good friend who owns her own health food store, one is another friend who is a yoga instructor, many friends who are state and federal government employees, another is a drug rep for pharmaceutical companies, several SAHM's and the list goes on and on. I get so tired of hearing the propaganda associated with this topic.

 

[WilmaBud]

What's your definition of a pothead?

 

[Tigger&Belle]

What's your definition of a pothead?

Here's a graphic we can use.

 

[smartestnumber5]

Hmm, I got half way thru 7 pages and couldn't take anymore. I am taken aback that no one said good for you OP. So hey 17 yr old OP, let me say it, GOOD FOR YOU! for not smoking the stuff!! There are two people in my family that smoke, a young adult and an adult. It steals "the drive" out of them. One didn't finish HS yet and one isn't doing anything with his life. It is an addiction for them, as it is for too many. Pot is one of the devils to some people. There are many of them out there!

Yes some people can do it for a time and stop, but why take that chance? Why gamble with your life?

The OP said they won't smoke it, and just the fact that it is illegal to do so shows the OP has good morales. I don't care what the reason the OP gives at 17, I am glad the choice is the right one for them.

If it was legal for medical, I don't think I would mind. Most pain meds make you loopy anyway.

But come on, why can't anyone say YAY for the OP. WHO CARES what the reasons given are, you have a child saying they won't smoke pot here!! If this was your child, would you want to change their mind to start to smoke pot???

Yes this is a sore subject for me. I see too many kids that smoke it and I have NEVER seen it NOT effect their life in a bad way. Arrests, drop out of school, accidents, lie, steal... all of it. Sorry but high chances are nothing good will come from a kid smoking pot!

And gosh, the OP is 17, the "jumping off a cliff" thing is coming from a 17 yr old! Maybe they meant they would rather DIE than take the gamble of something worse happening... like addiction and what goes along with it...

I think it's great that the OP has made a choice that seems to be a good one for him or her. Similarly, if a teen makes a choice not to ever have sex, not to ever gamble, not to ever speed, not to ever drink, not to ever take part in extreme sports--I'd be quite happy for that person for finding the best thing for themselves. What I object to is 1) the implication that one choice is best for everyone or that there is something inherently wrong or bad about smoking pot (or having sex, or drinking, or not taking part in extreme sports, etc), and 2) the fact that the OP seems to have made his/her choice based largely on misinformation (it's rather angering that this is the stuff that drug education teaches kids). I've noticed on other threads that taking an abstaining position regarding alcohol, pot, sex, etc. is presented as something which is inherently worthy of praise or which is obviously a better choice for anyone at all than moderate partaking in said activity. Well I don't find anything inherently good or praiseworthy about abstaining (especially *forever*) when we are talking about late teens/college students. There's nothing bad about that choice either. It's just a choice.

Apparently you've had bad experiences with pot (or people who use pot). I've had only good ones. In college I knew a good number of potheads. They all were perfectly productive people who got wonderful grades, took part in lots of extracurriculars, and got good jobs/went to graduate school after college. On top of the outright potheads, almost everyone else I knew was a casual user of pot. Again, we all got good jobs, won nationally competetitive awards, got into top level graduate schools. A lot of my college professors talked about their days as potheads too; somehow they managed to get PhDs even with all the lost brain cells. Now that I am at a top level grad school, I still know a ton of people who are casual users. In fact, what my completely anecdotal experience shows is that people who smoke pot at least casually are generally smarter, have more prestigious jobs/education, and get paid more. Luckily though I put very little stock in anecdotal experience. I would never take this fact about my experience to show that pot use causes people to be smarter, etc. Rather, it's quite clear that the reason all of these people tend to be smarter, have more prestigious jobs, and make more money is because of the context in which I know them--I know them from being in prestigious educational environments.

I do know a number of people who nearly ruined their lives with alcohol. I would not therefore cheer on a person who made alcohol out to be the devil. I know people who had some bad experiences with unwanted or badly planned pregnancies (all within the confines of marriage too!) but I do not therefore think that sex inside of marraige (or outside) is a thing to be always avoided. I know someone who, as a teen, entered a very serious depression and had to go to therapy after his first love dumped him; his parents were seriously worried about suicide. I do not therefore think that teenage love is the devil.

Aside from all that, I think we should also keep in mind that in less than a years time the OP will no longer be just another teen who has made a personal choice about whether or not to use marijuana. S/he will also be a voter and hence will be helping to make drug policy. For that reason alone I think the majority of people on this thread who have pointed out problems with the OP's point of view are justified.

 

[WilmaBud]

Tigger&Belle -

 

[pooterz]

Oh please. I haven't even read all of this thread but some of this stuff is unbelievable. Maybe you don't know any productive "potheads" but I certainly do. Let's see...one is a prominent lawyer running for Governor of the state of Kentucky, one is a very good friend who owns her own health food store, one is another friend who is a yoga instructor, many friends who are state and federal government employees, another is a drug rep for pharmaceutical companies, several SAHM's and the list goes on and on. I get so tired of hearing the propaganda associated with this topic.

But many prominent figures in history used the drug? In fact, there are a few people who can manage the effects of marijuana. That is a very few people. Marijuana is a psychoactive drug. It affects the central nerve system. It alters brain function. This can result, according to the National Interest in Drug Abuse in problems with memory and learning, distorted perception, imbalance, panic attacks, paranoia, loss of motor coordination and increased heart rate. Think that’s enough? That’s only what one smoke of marijuana can do to you. One drug in marijuana, THC binds its membranes to nerve cells. Short term memory, which can be effected, is a very important part of the learning process. Loss of short term memory is why we often see grades deteriorate in teenage users. Marijuana also has effects on energy level and motivation. Marijuana nearly always causes mood swings and disturbs sleep patterns. The greatest concentratin of cannaboid receptors is located in the cerebellum, the basal ganglia and the hippocampus which is the active part of the brain in forming new memories. Lengthy use of marijuana can cause schizophrenia, impaired memory and other mental illness.

 

[pooterz]

marijuana adds are propaganda too!

I'm not trying to crreate propaganda I'm just know alot of hard core facts about it that alot of people can't take.

 

[RickinNYC]

I think it's admirable that the OP has chosen not to smoke the devil weed. Good for your!

Nevertheless, I know plenty of folks who used to or currently smoke pot. I used to be one of the wake-and-bake variety in my college days. I've never seen any adverse effects beyond a hardcore case of the munchies with a parcicular jones for mass quantities of White Castle. In terms of long term effects, still don't see it. Couple of those potheads are parents who makes ridiculous sums of money. Yet others work in the community to help others. Another one is a nurse. Not a single one of them has moved on to anything stronger in terms of drug abuse, nor do they suffer from memory loss or brain damage of any kind.

For what it's worth, alcohol is a different story altogether. It's addictive and wreaks havoc in a person's life, rips families apart, is the root cause of most horrifying car accidents and destroys the liver. Alcohol also reduces the body's ability to absorb vitamins and other nutrients, can cause high blood pressure and is even linked to some forms of diabetes. The list is endless.

Yet, a tequila sunrise is legal but a doobie aint, go figure.

 

[L107ANGEL]

I think it's admirable that the OP has chosen not to smoke the devil weed. Good for your!

Nevertheless, I know plenty of folks who used to or currently smoke pot. I used to be one of the wake-and-bake variety in my college days. I've never seen any adverse effects beyond a hardcore case of the munchies with a parcicular jones for mass quantities of White Castle. In terms of long term effects, still don't see it. Couple of those potheads are parents who makes ridiculous sums of money. Yet others work in the community to help others. Another one is a nurse. Not a single one of them has moved on to anything stronger in terms of drug abuse, nor do they suffer from memory loss or brain damage of any kind.

For what it's worth, alcohol is a different story altogether. It's addictive and wreaks havoc in a person's life, rips families apart, is the root cause of most horrifying car accidents and destroys the liver. Alcohol also reduces the body's ability to absorb vitamins and other nutrients, can cause high blood pressure and is even linked to some forms of diabetes. The list is endless.

Yet, a tequila sunrise is legal but a doobie aint, go figure.

Oh please let this be a new tag for you!

 

[Acklander]

Maybe the OP is a bit dramatic, but IMO, all 17 year olds are pretty "black and white" about things. At least the OP is on the right side of the fence re. pot. it is an illegal drug, and it can be a "gateway" drug. They, in fact, still teach that in drug education classes in school.
.

No - by 17 a person should be well over the "everything is black or white." At this age we're talking about someone who is near adult. At 17 you're a year away from voting and being able to join the army and go to war, and a year away from being allowed to marry. At 17 I was living on my own, working a job, paying bills etc.... and I definitely had the abilities to do basic research, and look at both sides of an argument before coming to a conclusion.
Then again, maybe the OP isn't really 17 - the dramatics and misinformation sound more like someone who is around 10 or probably younger, wouldn't you think? If that's the case then, while I still stand by my original post of doing proper research before starting a debate, I can understand the misinformation; that sounds like one of those scare tactics lies you hear some people tell little kids - you know, like - stay away from the open well because the boogie man lives in there, be good because Santa Claus is watching your every move, Don't stick your hand out the car window, I saw a kid who's hand fell off that way, don't smoke pot, I saw someone OD on it once. Yeesh!!!!!!

 

[pperfectmom]

Here's an great link for anyone who is really interested in a comparison of the risks of smoking to other LEGAL substances:http://www.jackherer.com/comparison.html

As for what I would consider a "pot" head I would never use that term. To me they are either a smoker or not. No biggie one way or the other. The friends I was referring to, do smoke quite often without any horrible results.

Anyone interested in historical info on hemp/cannabis can find many links on Jack's website above that show how many of our founding fathers(those reprobates Washington, Jefferson and Ben Franklin ) grew and used cannabis.

 

[alldiz]

Why I am anti-marijuana:

1. I worked with my parents in a drug booth at the fair for 5 years.
2. I've been educated about it over and over again!
3. I've seen a person die from a drug overdose
4. I've seen my good friends try it and loose their dreams
5. Because I have done numerous school reports on it
6. Because I am a member of SADD and WCTU
7. Because of the children

Its smarter to jump off a cliff than to inhale marijuana in my opinion!
DEATH TO MARIJUANA!!!

I am definately anti drugs....
But...I would spend my time argueing the point on drugs that
you can ACTUALLY overdose....maybe alcohol
Kerri