# What's your thought on marijuana?



## Alice Ana (Mar 17, 2010)

i'm just curious what you guys think..
personally, i don't think it should be illegal.. but i want to know what you think about it.

:huh:

here's a couple little stories...
(i come from a very small, very "drugged-up" school lol)

one of my exes, chris, was one of our school druggies (but wasn't when i dated him) and he's gotten caught many times. one more time and he would be expelled from our school (like matt, my other friend). finally, chris quit on april 11th. its not the first person to get caught, and def not the last..
speaking of that...

my best guy friend, lonnie, got caught last night. the police pulled them over and they were out passed curfew, had too many people in the car, and were drinking and smoking (except for the driver :aktion033: they were smart about that... but not the rest lol). anyways, they were caught and now in some trouble :blush: ... okay, a lot from their parents :mellow: . i just hope they don't get reported to the school... and they're probably going to be in the newspaper...

so why is weed "soooo" bad? they are very strict on it 

just want to know what your opinions are about it. thanks


----------



## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

It affects your ability to concentrate, and your judgment, both of which are necessary to our daily lives. The human brain is an incredible thing, whether you believe it is the result of billions of years of evolution or the result of divine creation. So what a waste when we mess it up with marijuana--or alcohol or other drugs.


----------



## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

I don't think it should be legal 'just' so kids won't get in trouble if they get caught. I would hope the legal drinking age of 21 would still be in affect if it ever became legal and as well as driving under the influence. I admit that I have not kept 'up' with where marijuana is as far as becoming even close to legal, but I appreciate it for its medicinal purposes. 

It can impair your short term memory and that is never a good thing when you are at school!

Be prepared to get some answers you may not like - you're looking at the issue from a teenagers/high school point of view. The majority of us are looking at it from an adult/parental point of view, which tends to be a bit different!!


----------



## Alice Ana (Mar 17, 2010)

mss said:


> It affects your ability to concentrate, and your judgment, both of which are necessary to our daily lives. The human brain is an incredible thing, whether you believe it is the result of billions of years of evolution or the result of divine creation. So what a waste when we mess it up with marijuana--or alcohol or other drugs.



true. i think the reason we don't care around here is because there is nothing to do except look at miles of cornfields and go to school. we stop caring about the fun, small things. when you're isolated around here and don't care that much about anything, it just leads to drugs and apparently alcohol too. i understand why alcohol is illegal. i think alcohol has wayyy worse affects with everything... but that's my opinion. the reason we mess with our minds with smoking and such is because we're escaping the small world we live in around here. make any sense? :blink: lol


----------



## Alice Ana (Mar 17, 2010)

bellaratamaltese said:


> I don't think it should be legal 'just' so kids won't get in trouble if they get caught. I would hope the legal drinking age of 21 would still be in affect if it ever became legal and as well as driving under the influence. I admit that I have not kept 'up' with where marijuana is as far as becoming even close to legal, but I appreciate it for its medicinal purposes.
> 
> It can impair your short term memory and that is never a good thing when you are at school!
> 
> Be prepared to get some answers you may not like - you're looking at the issue from a teenagers/high school point of view. The majority of us are looking at it from an adult/parental point of view, which tends to be a bit different!!



no worries :thumbsup: i hear different things every day! i just want to know what other people out there think. we're in such a small, isolated place that we have our own little opinions and have no idea what other people think. no worries, i'm good with every answer :blush: i think it's bad, but at the same time, i don't mind it.


----------



## Orla (Jul 5, 2009)

I am a teenager (18) and I don't think it should be legal - it is a drug that alters your state of mind and judgement. Some people can have serious side effects that could harm them.

Here in Ireland we have big trouble at the moment with "Legal Highs" - there are shops that sell things that are "bath salts" - but are really drugs.
I'd say ye have those shops in the states aswell.

Your friends should get punished and should get in major trouble over it - what they did was very stupid and wrong!


----------



## Miss_Annie (Mar 3, 2010)

I come from about the same background as you do. I lived in the middle of Missouri in a town that didn't have a theatre, golf, or anything to do for miles! I went to school with A LOT of druggies and my brothers fell prey to the trend. 

I've come to understand that a lot of people that don't fit in when they're sober, can fit in when they're not. That's why it's so popular with the younger crowd (us). In highschool or even college, you don't quite fit in and some people don't understand that no one fits in like a puzzle piece. We all feel awkward at times and sometimes feel outcasted. It's life.

With older people, like my uncle, they get bored with it and want to try different things. He's now a meth dealer and lives at home with his mommy and daddy. He's 46!!! Ridiculous. He hasn't gotten thrown in jail, well permanetly, because in our small town you get immunity from trouble if you're a well known local and my family is pretty well known.

Sorry for that long ramble. 

Now for my personal opinion. I think it should be ONLY for medicinal use. I've seen the effect it has on my brothers. I have three older brothers and the two oldest of the three both use. One uses A LOT and the other uses just a little. When used a lot, you become a bland person that doesn't have the ability to carry on even a slightly intelligent conversation. With little use, you can't get a decent job to support your family. Plus, when you use, the wrong crowd comes to you and you get new "friends" which are the worst kinds of friends. I'd rather have no friends at all than friends that don't want the best for me.

Also, they both dropped out of college just shortly after they started using. :angry: Coincidence? I don't think so... Mary Jane is well known for being a motivation killer.


----------



## roxybaby22 (Feb 25, 2009)

I may be considered a "good girl" for this, but I think there are many other ways to have fun than to smoke marijuana. However, I've never tried it nor plan to, so my above statement may be false. I just turned 17 a couple of weeks ago, so the pressure to do things for a seemingly "fun time" is there.

Whether or not it should be illegal is still up for debate in my mind. Sometimes I question why it isn't legal because two other drugs (alcohol and cigarettes) are legal, and based on what I've read, marijuana is around the same "level" as those drugs when not laced. I think if it does become legal, it should have an age limit or only be for medical purposes because it does have a neurological effect, as does alcohol and other drugs.

Oh, and also, I know you care about your friends, but they should have gotten in trouble. What they did is very stupid in my opinion and hopefully they learn from their mistake and don't put it off to the side as an unreasonable punishment.


----------



## godiva goddess (Nov 19, 2007)

What a contemporary topic you raised...

Ballot Initiative to legalize marijuana in California:

Legal-Marijuana Advocates Focus on a New Green - NYTimes.com


----------



## godiva goddess (Nov 19, 2007)

I don't really have a hard opinion on this issue (guess that makes me a swing vote!) Partly because I have spent time in Amsterdam where marijuna is legalized (among other things..lol) and Amsterdam is one of the most quaint, safe, calm and peaceful city I have ever been to in Europe. Sure, you can get "high" just by walking down the sidewalk filled with cafes (lol) but I wouldn't say that the quality of life is sub-par there b/c of the omnipresence of pot.....

On the other hand, I am not sure if legalization of marijuana would be a good "fit" for the American society b/c our culture, societal norms are very different from that of our liberal counterparts in Europe....What works in Amsterdam might not work for Americans.


----------



## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

I really don't know...I've thought about it, though.

If it stays illegal--why isn't alcohol illegal? It absolutely can impare your judgement. 

Why aren't cigarettes illegal? They kill people.

Gambling? Unsafe sex? 

Some argue that pot leads to other drugs...well, think of all the hardships, diseases and even deaths that occur from those other things I mentioned.

As I raise my kids I realize that there's a lot of "bad" things out there...you have to teach your kids to be responsible and let them make the decisions themselves.


----------



## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

I live in a rural area,about 75 people in my town,including stray cats! It's corn fields and not much else. This town has more bars than churches... Same with nearby towns. We live 60 miles away from anything cultural,Toledo Ohio. 

My school was the same way,lots of partiers/pot heads.

The guys where my husband works,smoke it at work and most of them are in their 40's and 50's... It shows too ,believe me.

Marijuana makes your brain shrink as does any drug use or alcohol use. Bad enough we loose brain cells everyday,even when we try to be healthy.
My husband used to do drugs(bad divorce and gave up on life),he was off all the chemicals but the MJ,but cut way back on that. 

He dumped ol' Mary Jane before we got engaged...

He used to have issues w/ his train of thought getting lost "lost his train of thought" heck his train of thought would derail! Took him a year to really get back his quick mind and rapier wit.

We call his 7 year drug use his "7 year brain fart". He says he'd trade all he had to get any one of those days in that 7 years back.

My drug of choice...besides chocolate,is hugging and sniffing and kissing my puppies. Yepper,I "huff" my pups... I wish I could bottle and market the "tinglies" I get from just one sweet look for my puppies...no one would need mind altering drugs to feel good then. 

Nothing can beat that,well nothing other than a goofy face, my Al makes at me while I'm busy working on something....


----------



## roxybaby22 (Feb 25, 2009)

godiva goddess said:


> I don't really have a hard opinion on this issue (guess that makes me a swing vote!) Partly because I have spent time in Amsterdam where marijuna is legalized (among other things..lol) and Amsterdam is one of the most quaint, safe, calm and peaceful city I have ever been to in Europe. Sure, you can get "high" just by walking down the sidewalk filled with cafes (lol) but I wouldn't say that the quality of life is sub-par there b/c of the omnipresence of pot.....
> 
> *On the other hand, I am not sure if legalization of marijuana would be a good "fit" for the American society b/c our culture, societal norms are very different from that of our liberal counterparts in Europe....What works in Amsterdam might not work for Americans.*


I agree with this. I also think that most Americans use drugs to get rid of stress or as an easy fix for their problems, which can cause dependence. It's kind of like alcohol; in moderation it's fine, but too much can cause problems.


----------



## Alice Ana (Mar 17, 2010)

i think americans tend to over-use things. while other countries know how to control themselves, we don't. i don't mean that in a bad way toward us, but it's true. we're use to getting everything we want and other countries aren't, which really has an overall affect on us. yes, my friends are going to get into trouble and it'll teach them. one may be going to a military camp thing and one may lose his license. all of them will be in trouble at school and in the newspaper most likely. yeah, it is their fault. if they were going to do it, they should've at least stayed home and safe... where they're not putting everyone else's life in danger.

i thought pot should be legal because then people wouldn't be as tempted to use it, right? but the posts make me think that maybe it could turn our country into a brain-less dumb.... well, alcohol can do that too. alcohol has worse effects AND you can overdose on it - you can't overdose on pot.


----------



## pinkpixie1588 (Oct 12, 2009)

godiva goddess said:


> I don't really have a hard opinion on this issue (guess that makes me a swing vote!) Partly because *I have spent time in Amsterdam where marijuna is legalized (among other things..lol) and Amsterdam is one of the most quaint, safe, calm and peaceful city I have ever been to in Europe. Sure, you can get "high" just by walking down the sidewalk filled with cafes (lol) but I wouldn't say that the quality of life is sub-par there b/c of the omnipresence of pot.....*
> 
> *On the other hand, I am not sure if legalization of marijuana would be a good "fit" for the American society b/c our culture, societal norms are very different *from that of our liberal counterparts in Europe....What works in Amsterdam might not work for Americans.


I think this is a really good point. It is amazing how much society can shape the way people view things and even how they behave. It also makes me think of the lower legal age for alcohol in Europe. 

I believe 100% that if marijuana were legalized (just like if the legal age for alcohol were legalized) there would be a HUGE upsurge in its use and the effects would be obvious. Higher drop-out rates, increase in DUI citations, effects on fetuses in utero...

Americans are not known for being able to do things in moderation. We do it, and we do it big, sometimes to the detriment of health and other aspects of life. 

While I totally agree with marijuana for medical use, I think it can be very difficult to regulate once you have shops opened on the streets selling marijuana. Many are less than 'reputable' and are in it for the money, not caring so much whether you have the proper documentation. I think it's too bad that so many of the people who make up the 'face' of the pro-marijuana campaign are young pot-heads who just want to be able to indulge themselves without facing the law. It makes the whole movement look like the pothead revolution, instead of something that could improve the quality of life for so many. 

I can say, from personal experience, although I have never tried marijuana (or any other drug) myself, I have seen the undeniable affects on my peers. People are less productive, they turn more inward and care less about social outings, etc., motivation drops drastically, personality completely changes (often for the worse), and overall the ability to function and succeed in class, work, etc. almost disappears. 

That may be fine for where you live, but if the complaint is that your area is that life is so horribly boring, your friends should be doing what they can to be successful and focused in school so they can get OUT and do something with their lives--not just rely on the complacency that marijuana offers. 

Just my .02 :thumbsup:


----------



## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

Are you sure you don't go to MY school? LOL But we have about 3000 students at my school, not that small. We're in the same grade I think(junior?) so I know exactly what you're talking about. 

But really, why would anybody WANT to do marijuana? The cons outweigh the pros by like 65868657. LOL I just was at a party yesterday of about 40 people from my school. People DID bring alcohol but nobody drunk any. Mostly because they're naturally "high" and they didn't need ANY help in being crazy or stupid. :HistericalSmiley:And yes we had FUN and no one even wanted to dance. We all just sung songs from ipods, ate food, had hilarious games and jokes, met, rekindled, and bonded with friends. I saw my old friend that moved away from 7th grade and it was great to see her again. 

At my school, some of the BEST students are the ones that are major party/clubbing/drinking/smoking teens. But they never get caught. The one who bought the alcohol to the party I was at yesterday is one who is out clubbing every weekend but she's also the one that I'm almost positive is going to get early acceptance into Harvard next year. It's weird. when But I mean, for some, the grades is all they have... It's really sad. Older people have predicted our generation to have a shorter lifespan. I don't think we need drugs or alcohol to help us in that. Why? Because of the stress we are all put under. We're going to be blind because all we do is stare at computer screens. We're going to be death because we blast music in our ears-constanly. And we get NO sleep because we're all up all night doing homework, studying, ect. I've had insomnia since 9th grade. I only get good sleep in the summer. 

I also think that regardless of whether it's illegal or not, teens are still going to do it. A lot. You can't tell a teenager _anything_.  Trust me, I know. What's wrong is wrong but teens DO know this and they STILL do it. Whether it's legal or not doesn't really matter. LOL 

I'm really a free-thinker. I'd rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by a belief. I'm not passing any judgements on marijuana because I've never done it so I can't tell you from anything personally. But honestly, I wouldn't want anything else to take over MY body besides me. No drugs, no alcohol, no nothing. Never have, never will. I'm better than that. 

And as for many other legal abuse substances(cigarettes, alcohol, ect), just becase they're legal to be used but once again, two wrongs don't make a right. Heck, you can just abuse subscription AND non-subscription drugs A LOT easier. I've seen it all too many times.


----------



## LitGal (May 15, 2007)

I'm quite undecided on this topic. There may be problems that arise from abuse of this substance, but isn't that also true of many legal substances? If we're going to ban anything that's harmful or can cause a lapse of judgement, then many things would have to be illegal.

Also, a lot of money goes toward law enforcement. If there's going to be a "war on drugs" then many other drugs are of far greater concern than marijuana, and perhaps more resources could go toward those problems if marijuana were legalized or at least de-criminalized.

As Godivagoddess mentioned, there are countries with more relaxed attitudes to marijuana, wine, etc. and they seem to function very well and have low crime rates.


----------



## caligrl (Mar 29, 2010)

I will put my two cents in too. I live in California so there are plenty of people here that are for the legalization of marijuna. I am not one of them. Many have already spoken of all the problems that alcohol and cigarettes have caused why would legalizing yet another drug be a good idea???? No, please we need to protect our children. There are also those that are trying to get it passed under the idea that the money they would make on it would go to the schools for education etc. that's the same thing they said about the lottery. There is more then one person in my family who are educators that are sadly drawing unemployment and can't get jobs. Hard to see how the lottery has helped education for me. But that is not the point again we need to protect our children when something is legal it makes it harder to convince them it's not an OK thing to do. As for adults, everything we do has an effect on others we a directly associated with, for the good or for bad. So so many peoples lives have been destroyed because off the legal drugs, to me they are all bad. That's what I taught my children and just for information purposes I walk the walk as well as talk the talk. I do not use alcohol or cigarettes. I try hard to keep my body healthy I'm sure not all of my children choose to follow my example but they are adults and will have to live with whatever comes their way because of their choices. To the teens....You think your body will always be as strong and beautiful as it is today, believe me it WON'T age alone takes it's toll. You only get one body if you damage it you are or could be, (in teen terms) JACKED for the rest of your life. The very best care we can give out bodies is sometimes not good enough, it pretty much comes down to quality of life. Life in general is not about FUN or PLEASURE 24/7. It's about learning trials and loving other people, and YOU are #1 on the loving list love yourself and stay away from all the less intelligent pleasure seekers of the world. I've traveled the world and have been to some of the places that have been mentioned. Maybe they seems peaceful to some, but I prefer to be able to walk down the street in my town without stepping over bodies laying on the sidewalks and in the streets outside those establishments that sell the legal drugs they have there. There is so much beauty in helping others and working hard to accomplish goals in your life. Don't be sucked in by those that want to live their lives in some sort of selfish self induced fog...BIG two cent opinion...I vote NO to the legalization of drugs.


----------



## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

I don't advocate the abuse of intoxicants like alcohol or other recreational drugs. However, I think that what people put into their bodies is their own business, and the government should have no say in it at all.


----------



## lovesophie (Jan 28, 2008)

I'm for marijuana, even though it's not for me. I know a lot of people who use marijuana. I grew up in a small town called Saratoga, where kids with money have nothing better to do than get their hands on drugs. Sure, there were kids one would expect to be druggies, but there were also those high-achieving, extremely intelligent, well-educated kids who were very involved in their academics, but were also hardcore druggies, similar to those kids in the movie _Traffic_. You'd never expect it from them. There were lots of drugs around, but I'd have to say that the most common were marijuana, cocaine, and prescription pills (Ritalin, Adderall, etc.). And I can't believe kids with ADHD are actually prescribed this stuff! But I digress… 

OP, I wouldn’t be surprised if your friends' little run in with the law gets reported to school, especially if your town is as small as you say. Saratoga only has sheriffs, who seriously have nothing better to do than give out tickets for driving five miles over the speed limit, LOL. They are very anal, and if you get caught, the school would find out about it the very next day, whereas, if you get caught in a city like San Francisco, cops would most likely just confiscate the marijuana, crush it on the ground right in front of you, and let you go with a warning (LOL, this happened to some people I know). 

Anyway, I know of people who smoke marijuana and are not only functional, but successful, as well. A guy I know used to be the biggest pothead, and now he's in med school at John Hopkins?? ROFL. Another guy I know used to work for Google, but is now in law school. Another guy I know is in the MS program in chemical engineering at Stanford, LOL! 

Personally, I think if you're able to smoke marijuana without having it interfere with your life, then more power to you.

Also, I do believe in the benefits of medicinal marijuana. I think marijuana is so much safer than prescription pills will ever be. This is my opinion only.


----------



## pinkpixie1588 (Oct 12, 2009)

Nikki's Mom said:


> I don't advocate the abuse of intoxicants like alcohol or other recreational drugs. However, I think that what people put into their bodies is their own business, and the government should have no say in it at all.


I'm not for a ton of government control, either. BUT, I think it's everyone's business when something (ie. drugs) has been proven to raise crime levels and overall safety. Then, something needs to be done.

Also, I disagree with the argument that since other substances (cigarettes, alcohol) are legal and dangerous, we should legalize everything that is dangerous and let the 'buyer beware'. That's a slippery slope. Why not just legalize heroine and meth while we're at it? (Sarcasm, of course...)


----------



## Starsmom (Jan 31, 2009)

Marijuana= super sized munchies! :Waiting: LOL -Seriously tho, the legalization of the weed has been a topic of discussion for 50 years. It certainly gained popularity during the Vietnam Era - (that's the 60's for our younger members who may not know) If it were to be regulated and legalized the tax revenue derived from it could go toward the national debt and health-care. Alcohol destroys the liver, and 10,000 brain cells for every ounce. Tobacco products not only is the major cause of lung cancer, but also causes COPD, and health issues for those around the smoker. Marijuana being a herb does have its medicinal properties and for that I say go for it. As for recreational use, like the other two drugs I mentioned, everything in moderation. Legalize the weed for 21 and over and put the health warnings on the packages. For decades the tobacco industry KNEW the health effects of their products, but it took an Act of Congress to get the health warnings on the packages. People know the health effects of alcohol and tobacco, and still use the products. So let the user be educated about what they are using. I think Meth is more of a problem then the weed. It's found in tiny farming communities, and big cities all across the country. It effects any age, income level, extremely
dangerous, and destroys the whole body from the inside out. 

When you go to the pharmacy and pick up a prescription do you ever read the accompanying information sheet about the possible side effects? Some of them are down right frightening, and yet they are used every day.

BTW, did you know it's estimated 8 in 10 drivers are under the influence of some type of drug - prescription, legal (alcohol), or illegal. :new_shocked:

It's all about the choices one makes. You choose the behavior, you also choose the consequences. :yes:


----------



## coco (Sep 20, 2006)

To the younger people posting on this subject, congrats for not wanting to pollute your bodies with this drug. There is so much wrong information about cannabis that it's just ridiculous. For a start, are you aware that smoking one joint has the same amount of carcinogens as smoking 14 tobacco cigarettes? While an ounce of alcohol is out of your system in 1 hour, it takes 21 days to rid your body totally of one joint. If you ask any rehabilitated drug addict, you will find that they started out smoking pot, and then they moved on to other drugs. The pro-marijuana/drug lobby has done a great job trying to make this horrible drug out to be something innocuous, and it is not.


----------



## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

pinkpixie1588 said:


> I'm not for a ton of government control, either. BUT, I think it's everyone's business when something (ie. drugs) has been proven to raise crime levels and overall safety. Then, something needs to be done.
> 
> Also, I disagree with the argument that since other substances (cigarettes, alcohol) are legal and dangerous, we should legalize everything that is dangerous and let the 'buyer beware'. That's a slippery slope. Why not just legalize heroine and meth while we're at it? (Sarcasm, of course...)



One of the reason why drugs raise crime levels in communities is that the mob and gangs are trafficking in them. Legalization of drugs means that the sales of them would be regulated like alcohol. Alcoholism is a legal drug that is a major cause of violence in the US, but it is legal.


----------



## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

coco said:


> To the younger people posting on this subject, congrats for not wanting to pollute your bodies with this drug. There is so much wrong information about cannabis that it's just ridiculous. For a start, are you aware that smoking one joint has the same amount of carcinogens as smoking 14 tobacco cigarettes? While an ounce of alcohol is out of your system in 1 hour, it takes 21 days to rid your body totally of one joint. If you ask any rehabilitated drug addict, you will find that they started out smoking pot, and then they moved on to other drugs. The pro-marijuana/drug lobby has done a great job trying to make this horrible drug out to be something innocuous, and it is not.



Misuse of prescription drugs and alcohol is far worse than marijuana. So are the toxic fumes and other chemicals that we ingest every day. Again, I'm not pro-any recreational drug, but I fail to see the huge difference between all of them.


----------



## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

lovesophie said:


> Also, I do believe in the benefits of medicinal marijuana. I think marijuana is so much safer than prescription pills will ever be. This is my opinion only.


I agree with you. 2 dear friends of mine would have really been helped by marijuana while they were doing chemo, but medicinal marijuana is illegal in my state.


----------



## coco (Sep 20, 2006)

The part of the cannibis leaf which supposedly helps with the problems of chemo are in a pill form which a person can take and not have the bad side affects which smoking marijuana causes, or the high which is why people smoke pot rather than taking the pill. 

The FDA controls prescription drugs. There is no control over what is in a joint. The people saying prescription drugs are worse just don't want to realize the truth of this subject and are not reading the true medical journals and scientific research. You are listening to those who want to legalize pot.


----------



## godiva goddess (Nov 19, 2007)

Nikki's Mom said:


> I don't advocate the abuse of intoxicants like alcohol or other recreational drugs. However, I think that what people put into their bodies is their own business, and the government should have no say in it at all.


I sort of agree...hehe..I think the govt should have *limited* say, for public policy reasons.


----------



## godiva goddess (Nov 19, 2007)

Nikki's Mom said:


> One of the reason why drugs raise crime levels in communities is that the mob and gangs are trafficking in them. Legalization of drugs means that the sales of them would be regulated like alcohol.


Yup..legalization of marijuana = regulation, hence will more than likely decrease crimes related to it since the selling/buying of it will become a legal act. 

That is also why there are very very few crimes related to sale of marijuana or prostitution in Amsterdam...these acts are legalized and regulated- not to mention, *TAXED*! :thumbsup:


----------



## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

coco said:


> The part of the cannibis leaf which supposedly helps with the problems of chemo are in a pill form which a person can take and not have the bad side affects which smoking marijuana causes, or the high which is why people smoke pot rather than taking the pill.
> 
> The FDA controls prescription drugs. There is no control over what is in a joint. The people saying prescription drugs are worse just don't want to realize the truth of this subject and are not reading the true medical journals and scientific research. You are listening to those who want to legalize pot.



Actually, I'm not "listening" to anyone who wants to legalize pot. I'd like to see it decriminalized. 

I've no further comments on the matter, as it's not something I'm too interested in, and therefore have not done a lot of research on it. My feeling is that the "war on drugs" has been a failure, and a huge drain on the US economy. 

I stand by my original response to the OP: 

What people put into their bodies is their own business, and the government should have absolutely no say in the matter. 

If the government wants to "protect" people from harming themselves, then they'd better make a lot of stuff illegal, including alcohol. Hmm. They tried that and it didn't work.

That's it for me. I'm done here.


----------



## mi_ku_5 (Jun 2, 2008)

I'm w/ Nikki's mom 10000000%. How much money, time and human lives do we have to waste before the government admits they are wrong. We have a big habit of not learning from our mistakes.


----------



## 3Maltmom (May 23, 2005)

*I Miss My Henry*

Gosh, this thread soooo reminds me of my Big Butt "Stoner" Henry ~ :wub:


----------



## allheart (Oct 3, 2008)

All I can say on this topic is................................. I DESPISE drugs and what it does to people. My heart aches for the addic and is FURIOUS at the drug pushers. I want this mess off our streets, however that is possible I am all for. 

And yes, bless our young ones on here who have posted and want nothing to do with that mess. Bless you, you make our hearts happy and very proud.


----------



## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

Many experts agree Marijuana is an introductory drug and can lead to further experimentation and addiction. Personally, who wants a stoned person behind the wheel? It's no better than drunk driving.


----------



## Delilahs Mommy (Nov 22, 2009)

ROFL @ Deb, where did you get that pic? You always post things that make me laugh like crazy. 

I stand along the same lines with Suzan- Not a fan of it, nor do I feel the goverment needs to tell us what to do with our bodies, etc.

I sure hope all the talking I have done to my kids, is for the good. But sadly I have watched my oldest go through meth addiction(despite all the talking about drugs as she was growing up) and put herself in a very bad place. Thankfully she was able to save herself, before she became a statistic!


----------



## lovesophie (Jan 28, 2008)

Nikki's Mom said:


> One of the reason why drugs raise crime levels in communities is that the mob and gangs are trafficking in them. Legalization of drugs means that the sales of them would be regulated like alcohol. Alcoholism is a legal drug that is a major cause of violence in the US, but it is legal.


I totally agree. 

Sorry to say, but the War on Drugs is a war we'll _never_ be able to win. Instead of shelling out billions of dollars every year, trying to fight a pointless war we can't win, why not regulate and tax marijuana and make good use of the revenue (e.g., helping out schools in California)? The economy would improve, for sure, especially California's.


----------



## Alice Ana (Mar 17, 2010)

Starsmom said:


> BTW, did you know it's estimated 8 in 10 drivers are under the influence of some type of drug - prescription, legal (alcohol), or illegal. :new_shocked:
> 
> It's all about the choices one makes. You choose the behavior, you also choose the consequences. :yes:



i completely agree and i completely believe that 8 in 10 drivers are under the influence lol! sadly, alcohol is probably the most common... and one of the most dangerous out there driving :mellow: . out of experience, marijuana doesn't affect driving much. honestly, i wouldn't recommend it what-so-ever. not only are you putting your life in danger, everyone else with you or around you can be seriously injured. i actually did think about that while i was driving... so i actually drove safer and better than i normally would. speed limit is 55 here, i never go over it or swerve. sad to think one of your members has done that huh?  i think it is.

if marijuana got legalized, it would, after an amount of time, get boring for people and used less. of course, everyone's going to hop-to it if it became legal... i mean - HEY! why not? it's legal, so no worries right? actually, wrong. you really need to know how to pace yourself and not be dumb. sadly, i think it'll be too hard for Americans to do that. if it became legal, heck yes, i would celebrate that. but it's nothing to do everyday or in public. you have to be very careful. you can't be careless when you're dealing with a substance that alters your mind. you never can be.

p.s. please don't take me the wrong way now that i said i have used it before. it's not like it has changed me as a person and i'm still going to be a loving maltese mommy. i even told all my friends i'm going to be "clean" once i get Alice because she means more to me than weed. :wub: and she always will! i won't let anything take over me and ruin Alice's life, that's just not who i am.

p.s.s. very nice debate guys :thumbsup: love reading it! so many different opinions compared to the two we have here (1. pot is great, 2. pot is bad) lol! every single post makes sense, too. it does have its pros and cons, but every substance is going to have that!
plus, it hasn't affected my grades. it hasn't even affected my P.E. grade. it's in moderation. it's not good, but it's better than what i turned to in my past :thumbsup: that's why i turn to little, cute, white, fluffy maltese! :w00t:




... i just think it's weird that the government has SO much control over our lives :blink: and honestly, i don't like it :angry: ... but there will always be things in life we don't like i guess.


----------



## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

Alice Ana said:


> i completely agree and i completely believe that 8 in 10 drivers are under the influence lol! sadly, alcohol is probably the most common... and one of the most dangerous out there driving :mellow: . out of experience, marijuana doesn't affect driving much. honestly, i wouldn't recommend it what-so-ever. not only are you putting your life in danger, everyone else with you or around you can be seriously injured. i actually did think about that while i was driving... so i actually drove safer and better than i normally would. speed limit is 55 here, i never go over it or swerve. sad to think one of your members has done that huh?  i think it is.
> 
> *if marijuana got legalized, it would, after an amount of time, get boring for people and used less.* of course, everyone's going to hop-to it if it became legal... i mean - HEY! why not? it's legal, so no worries right? actually, wrong. you really need to know how to pace yourself and not be dumb. sadly, i think it'll be too hard for Americans to do that. if it became legal, heck yes, i would celebrate that. but it's nothing to do everyday or in public. you have to be very careful. you can't be careless when you're dealing with a substance that alters your mind. you never can be.
> 
> ...


And I disahree with your statement above. Nope, cigarettes and alcohol are very legal, yet everybody still does them. Its been 768796 years and nobody's bored of them yet. How-much-longer? Despite having family members and friends die from them, yet, they STILL are perfectly legal and very much so used by many. 

No one here is going to judge you, or at least I'm not. I think it's great you're so open with us. LOL But why do you want to do it? What legit reason? Why is it more fun? I've never understood exactly why a person would want to do drugs, besides peer pressure. Please help me understand... 

And yes, our government controls A LOT of stuff, but at least we're not under a communist, totalitarian or fascist government system.

But like I said before, I strongly believe that legalizing it or not would really make a huge difference. If somebody really wanted to do it, than no law is going to really stop them.


----------



## Alice Ana (Mar 17, 2010)

ilovemymaltese said:


> No one here is going to judge you, or at least I'm not. I think it's great you're so open with us. LOL But why do you want to do it? What legit reason? Why is it more fun? I've never understood exactly why a person would want to do drugs, besides peer pressure. Please help me understand...


:grouphug: thanks for not judging 
for some reason, i like to be "open" here because i trust you guys.  but my reason is a bit scary for some people.. so i hope i don't get judged for it..
well, about 7-8 months ago i decided to try to end my life.  i had been very depressed since 7th grade and no one knew but me, myself, and i. i wasn't around my parents enough for them to notice... and i used to hurt myself... and i was soooo close to peace....... but that doesn't matter anymore, i'm better now. i have something to live for, ALICE :chili: and she already means more to me than anything in the world.

so because of that incident, i started smoking to ease the pain that was inside my mind. it worked, took me somewhere else in the world where only happy thoughts flowed and the bad didn't exist. pot affects every person differently, and it's not for everyone. i'm just one of the ones who kinda needed it. no one could help me, so why not?
i don't care much about my life at all. to me, it's all about the animals and giving them the life that humans take advantage over. i use weed to wash away the things i've seen, heard, and know. sadly, there is a consequence.. it washes away some of the good times too. the good, sober times. i will always have them, but i just don't care.


but like i said, i'm better now:innocent: no worries.


----------



## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Alice Ana said:


> p.s. please don't take me the wrong way now that i said i have used it before. it's not like it has changed me as a person and i'm still going to be a loving maltese mommy. i even told all my friends i'm going to be "clean" once i get Alice because she means more to me than weed. :wub: and she always will! i won't let anything take over me and ruin Alice's life, that's just not who i am.


I'd really suggest getting "clean" before Alice arrives. Promising to quit drugs, alcohol, cigarettes or dieting is easy. Following through on the promise is the hard part. Just look at all those failed New Years resolutions.


----------



## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

godiva goddess said:


> I don't really have a hard opinion on this issue (guess that makes me a swing vote!) Partly because I have spent time in Amsterdam where marijuna is legalized (among other things..lol) and Amsterdam is one of the most quaint, safe, calm and peaceful city I have ever been to in Europe. Sure, you can get "high" just by walking down the sidewalk filled with cafes (lol) but I wouldn't say that the quality of life is sub-par there b/c of the omnipresence of pot.....
> 
> On the other hand, I am not sure if legalization of marijuana would be a good "fit" for the American society b/c our culture, societal norms are very different from that of our liberal counterparts in Europe....What works in Amsterdam might not work for Americans.


I agree with Alice here. I don't have a very hard position for or against about legalization. Look at The Hague (Den Haag), one of the safest and nicest cities in the world where you can walk into a store and buy it. It's so safe and quiet there it makes Amsterdam look wild and lively.

America is way too puritanical of a society to ever legalize marijuana (at least probably in my lifetime).

Personally I am neither a smoker nor a drinker nor do I condone drug use..but to me, it seems alcohol is much more dangerous than marijuana. I can't understand why alcohol would be okay but marijuana not? 

I do believe, 100%, in legalization for medical uses..and if someone would prefer to smoke it than take a pill for treatment of cancer, to me that should be their choice, not mine nor the government's (or anyone else for that matter). jmo.


----------



## Alice Ana (Mar 17, 2010)

don't worry. marijuana is scientifically proven to not be addictive. i haven't done it in a long time, but i want to get completely clean and not do it at all when i get her. i'm honestly not a bad person, it's just things in the past..


----------



## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

Alice Ana said:


> don't worry. marijuana is scientifically proven to not be addictive. i haven't done it in a long time, but i want to get completely clean and not do it at all when i get her. i'm honestly not a bad person, it's just things in the past..


 
I don't know about that,anything can be adictive. I have friends and relatives who've tried to quit pot and can't kick the habit.


----------



## roxybaby22 (Feb 25, 2009)

No judging here. I have many friends that do drugs and they are great people, I just choose not to do them (ever).


----------



## Miss_Annie (Mar 3, 2010)

I'm so glad you're better! :aktion033: Congrats on picking yourself back up! :chili:


----------



## Alice Ana (Mar 17, 2010)

michellerobison said:


> I don't know about that,anything can be adictive. I have friends and relatives who've tried to quit pot and can't kick the habit.



you can always "want" to smoke weed again, but your body doesn't become physically demanding of it. you will never go through a detox for weed. it is unheard of. your body may adjust to weed, making you need more and more to get high... but if you come off of it, nothing will happen. if you've gotten to the point where you need more and more to actually get high, you probably have black lungs :huh: lol.

the reason they couldn't kick the habit was probably because they didn't want to quit. i don't think they would've gone to rehab - that's pretty unheard of too.

speaking of that, alcohol and cigarettes can make your body completely dependent on them. cigarettes aren't as bad as alcohol. they are addictive, but you don't go to rehab because you can't stop smoking. alcohol, on the other hand, can put you through some nasty detox. your body starts depending on it, like any serious drug being abused.


EDIT: thanks everyone


----------



## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

Alice Ana said:


> :grouphug: thanks for not judging
> for some reason, i like to be "open" here because i trust you guys.  but my reason is a bit scary for some people.. so i hope i don't get judged for it..
> well, about 7-8 months ago i decided to try to end my life.  i had been very depressed since 7th grade and no one knew but me, myself, and i. i wasn't around my parents enough for them to notice... and i used to hurt myself... and i was soooo close to peace....... but that doesn't matter anymore, i'm better now. i have something to live for, ALICE :chili: and she already means more to me than anything in the world.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I totally know what you're talking about. I'm not very open on here but let's just say, _been there, done that_. lol Tough years, you know? I will say though that getting my Gigi was the BEST thing that has ever happened to me, and I'm sure it will be the same for you. I've changed my outlook on life, and just can't ever imagine if I wasn't there to care for her, who would? She needs me. Miss Gigi matters more to me than any human being out there. She deserves the WORLD. There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.

EDIT: I know most of my friends have therapist and they DO NOT make it any better. I believe its a waste of time otherwise I would've been had one. They can't do anything for you. They're just human being like you and me, who need a paycheck. I've found better therapist in my friends. My best friend has many issues in her life, and she posted on her blog just yesterday, "Therapy is bull****."


----------



## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

Alice Ana said:


> don't worry. marijuana is scientifically proven to not be addictive. i haven't done it in a long time, but i want to get completely clean and not do it at all when i get her. i'm honestly not a bad person, it's just things in the past..


It can be psychologically addicting or even lead to harder drugs that are physically addicting. I'm sorry you've suffered from depression but a better way to deal with it would be to tell your parents or a counselor. That way you can be on the road to a happier life with your new puppy.


----------



## Alice Ana (Mar 17, 2010)

Cosy said:


> It can be psychologically addicting or even lead to harder drugs that are physically addicting. I'm sorry you've suffered from depression but a better way to deal with it would be to tell your parents or a counselor. That way you can be on the road to a happier life with your new puppy.


lol well maybe i'll just tell a little bit more of the story so you can see why i decided to get a maltese in the first place 

after the whole "depression" thing, i got extremely sick (we thought H1N1!!!:mellow and ended up passing out from dehydration and my temperature being 103F. they had to take off my shirt and that's when they discovered the scars... pretty sickening. they sent me to a counselor, and i just sat there. i'm not sure how to react to people. i'm an animal person, never lived with my siblings for long... so its like i'm an only child. i never talked in counseling or anything. i needed something to live for...

we ended up going to pennsylvania, where my step-grandma runs a doggy hotel type thing  . thats where i met my first malti poos and i was in love:wub: i researched and researched until i just wanted a maltese. they just fit everything i loved :wub::wub::wub: and that got me to where i am today, happy and ready for Alice! plus, i'm on this forum where people care :grouphug: now that's my therapy


----------



## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

I'm glad you shared your story with us but i wanted to caution you about revealing TOO much info about yourself on such a public forum. Anyone can read this and I'd hate for you to get into trouble for something you posted on here.

You will love being a maltese owner - they bring soo much joy.


----------



## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

Alice Ana said:


> you can always "want" to smoke weed again, but your body doesn't become physically demanding of it. you will never go through a detox for weed. it is unheard of. your body may adjust to weed, making you need more and more to get high... but if you come off of it, nothing will happen. if you've gotten to the point where you need more and more to actually get high, you probably have black lungs :huh: lol.
> 
> the reason they couldn't kick the habit was probably because they didn't want to quit. i don't think they would've gone to rehab - that's pretty unheard of too.
> 
> ...


It does cloud your judgement and it will slow your reflexes and it has been clinically shown to shrink your brain tissue. So even though it doesn't have the severe withdrawl effects of alcohol and other drugs ,it does have psychological withdrawl. 

People become so dependant on it to get through the day they become prone to psychotic events,like depression,paranoia or compulsive disorders. I used to be a psych nurse so I've seen people in rehab who've depended on pot to calm them down or mellow themselves out ,try to cope with the real world w/o it.
That's the problem with any drug trip,you gotta some back sometime....

I've also worked w/ nurses and doctors under the influence to know how dangerous it is. Don't count on random drug testing to catch these people. We had random drug testing in my unit and the whole time I was there,no one ever got tested after they were hired.

I know I wouldn't want someone smoking pot and driving a train,a school bus or flying the plane I'm on. These things have already happened with disasterous results to human lives. Like the Conrail driver who killed 16 people ,injured over 100 ,driving on pot. My stepson is a truck driver,he tells me all the time about accidents w/ drivers on pot.
In March,an Escondido California man caused 13 hit and run accidents in one day before he was caught. Several people were hospitalized w/ very serious injury...

If the buzz isn't enough after a while,people will cut it w/ other things to "amp" it up.

You wouldn't want the veteranarian who does the spay on your Ana high on pot would you?

Unfortunately people in this coutry tend to self medicate their stress away.They also look for answers in a pill,so legalizing it ill only lead to more dependance on it.


----------



## allheart (Oct 3, 2008)

bellaratamaltese said:


> I'm glad you shared your story with us but i wanted to caution you about revealing TOO much info about yourself on such a public forum. Anyone can read this and I'd hate for you to get into trouble for something you posted on here.
> 
> You will love being a maltese owner - they bring soo much joy.


 
*Wonderful caring advice Stacy.*

*Alice Ana* - just want to give you a hug (hug)

*Brit* - I completely agree with you about driving under any influence is just wrong. My bleeding heart for any addict stops, when they put that key in the ignition.

*Brianna* - oh my dear Brianna, as I told you before you are wise beyond your years and have a very good head on your shoulders. Brianna, just want to point out, that there are very good therapist out there and it's wonderful to share confidences with friends, who have the same concerns, however, there are some situations, where a professional is needed to weed through the many difficulites a person may be facing and give them the proper tools to help them navagate through. Just has to be the right therapist, believe it or not, it can really save a person's life.


----------



## Katkoota (Feb 18, 2006)

Legal or illigal, there will still be many who will do it! Personally, never tried Marijuna or any other sort of drug and never will. 

At the end, it is the person him/herself who will decide what road he/she wants to take! Yes, what people put into their bodies is their own business! but what I really HATE is when someone cause harm to someone else because he/she is under the influence of something (Marijuna, alchohol or whatever)!! I lost a very close friend of mine in a car accident! He was in his way to my place to celebrate getting his driving license. But, what happened instead was a tragedy!!!! We didn't get to celebrate, I didn't get to see him officially drive after getting the license, I didn't get to say good bye to him, I lost my dear friend because of the so called "what I put into my body is my own business" guy who decided to drive after being drunk to the fullest (It is illegal to drive drunk here, yet some still do it). His speeding car ran into my friend's car. In just few minutes, my friend was gone!

I just wish that people who are like that jerk will realize that they don't only put themselves in danger, but many others! Yes, what they put into their bodies is their own business, but they are not living in this world alone!

Kat

ps. Marijuna is illigal here as well.


----------



## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Here's a timely article that I came across today:

The College Voice - Marijuana: Recreational drug or natural health miracle?


----------



## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

Nikki's Mom said:


> Here's a timely article that I came across today:
> 
> The College Voice - Marijuana: Recreational drug or natural health miracle?


No denying it has medicinal properties to help those in pain or for nausea for chemo patients.
You can clearly tell this article was written by a college student who has no real medical background ,most likely got his info in the internet.

Wikipedia has a page written on marijuana which I've seen quoted almost verbatum on this thread.

If people want to put do drugs that's up to them ,do it responsibly. I don't look down on people who do drugs,just feel sorry for the results..Pot isn't cheap ,so after they come back from their "vacation" from reality,they still have the same problems,only less time and less money to deal with it.

That's what my husband used to say when he did it.


Don't drive on my roads,don't drive my kid's school bus,don't fly the plane I'm on and don't be the one who's performing my emergency hyterectomy (been there and done that and almost died).

Unfortunately ,some things they have to legislate,for the greater good....because people lack the common sense to regulate their own behaviours... look at the DUIs we have now,think if it was legal to drink and drive...

It's a win /win for the govenment,they can make money taxing it , and allow us to impair our judgement at the same time.:w00t:

As for cigarettes,I got a funny one for that. I got rear ended by a police car at a red light about 9 years ago...he dropped his lit cigarette in his lap ,driving up behind me and was trying to get it before it burned his "nether regions"... and he rammed me before he realized he was that close....:HistericalSmiley:in this case,cigarettes cause neck pain!


----------



## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

Alice Ana said:


> don't worry. marijuana is scientifically proven to not be addictive. i haven't done it in a long time, but i want to get completely clean and not do it at all when i get her. i'm honestly not a bad person, it's just things in the past..


 

of course your not a bad person, you just need help to find your way back. don't ever put yourself in a place where you are tempted. I just got home last night from Seattle where my daughter is in a recovery center for drug adducation, her choice of drugs were alochol, marijuanana, and perscription drugs, she almost killed herself 18 days ago, started with wine, then beer, then some marijuana brownies, hey why not add some perscription drugs to help you sleep, ya who cares weather you live or die my goodness it's your choice RIGHT?????
I am so angry right now, I stayed hours in the recovery center watching all these perfect people God made ruin their lives because of drugs, the ages of these people were 17 to 65, they all hurt their loved ones and will have to deal with the deep hurts. My daughter became a different woman when she drank or took her drug of choice, she only thought of herself and her needs, what about her 9 year old son who watched her eat those brownies, what about him coming home to find his mommy drunk, what about her husband (who by the way sees nothing wrong with marijanana,) isn't able to think straight because of all the deep hurt and anger he now has. 
I have seen just how drugs can affect a family, the person who makes the choice to do drugs or alochol might want to think first, if you are the carrier of the gene for alochol you will most likey not be strong enough to walk away from it and you will become a alocholic. 
It broke my heart seeing all those precious people in the recovery center fighting for their lives, if they don't get help they will end up on the streets, or dead. These our pecious people who need help to see life again, they need to see they can smile without help from some drug, they need to experience the blessings of just being able to breath, walk, hug again. Please remember them, they never planned on being where they are today. My daughter is a professional woman who has been blessed with many things. I'm sure she didn't plan on becoming a alocholic.
I love my daughter with every breath I take, but I refuse to watch her destroy her life. She is in for the fight of her life, she has to change everything. please remember her in your prayers and all the souls who are destroying their lives in drugs.


----------



## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Please, I don't want anyone to misunderstand me or misconstrue my comments. 

I am not at all for drug abuse. I've had some horrible experiences myself with drugs a very long time ago, which I don't talk about, but I'll share a little bit here. 

I had friends die from overdoses, had an abusive alcoholic family member, and have a very dear niece who until recently was a crack addict (and a felon, due to the drug addiction) and whose brain is pretty much permanently fried. 

So please don't think that I am in any way encouraging people to use intoxicants or mind-altering substances. I am not. I do not do drugs, and haven't since I was a teenager which was a long time ago. 

On the flip side, I've been acquainted with a few people over the years who were occasional marijuana smokers (who grew their own,) similar to occasional drinkers, who suffered no ill effects from their behavior. They didn't drink or smoke and drive, and they were responsible older adults who didn't use any other illegal drugs. 

My opinion is about the legality of drugs, especially marijuana. I don't think that keeping marijuana illegal has stopped all that many people who want to use it from seeking it out. I don't think that it is any worse than drinking alcohol, if it is home-grown and pure. I think that the government needs to keep out of people's lives, and shouldn't have a say in what people put into their bodies, especially in the privacy of their own homes. Driving under the influence of ANYTHING mind-altering should always be illegal because that person becomes a danger to others. 

If a person were in pain or sick from chemo, and if they want to smoke pot and get high in the process, that is fine with me. My friend is dying from cancer right now. She is in horrible pain and suffers terrible nausea from chemo. I'd love it if she could get relief without having to resort to morphine, which turns her into a crazed, paranoid person. 

Keeping marijuana and other drugs illegal has been a huge boon to the mob and gangs, and it has drained the US economy, overtaxed our law enforcement, and is crowding our jails, but seriously ask yourself if it's really done much to reduce drug abuse. 

If you area young: Because marijuana and other recreational drugs are illegal, you have no idea what is really in them. Please don't trust people if/when they tell you that "their" marijuana, or other drugs are "pure" and contain nothing harmful. It is dangerous to experiment with drugs because you could be ingesting deadly toxins and not even know it, and you can unknowingly ruin your health for the rest of your life, like I did. And driving while under the influence is simply one of the stupidest and deadliest things you could ever do.

Instead, seek out other ways to relax and de-stress, look for creative outlets to expand your mind, and to learn how to be comfortable in your own skin in social situations, rather than turn to alcohol or drugs to make you feel relaxed, creative, or cool. Know that you are unique and beautiful just the way you are, and you don't need that stuff.


----------



## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

Matilda's mommy said:


> of course your not a bad person, you just need help to find your way back. don't ever put yourself in a place where you are tempted. I just got home last night from Seattle where my daughter is in a recovery center for drug adducation, her choice of drugs were alochol, marijuanana, and perscription drugs, she almost killed herself 18 days ago, started with wine, then beer, then some marijuana brownies, hey why not add some perscription drugs to help you sleep, ya who cares weather you live or die my goodness it's your choice RIGHT?????
> I am so angry right now, I stayed hours in the recovery center watching all these perfect people God made ruin their lives because of drugs, the ages of these people were 17 to 65, they all hurt their loved ones and will have to deal with the deep hurts. My daughter became a different woman when she drank or took her drug of choice, she only thought of herself and her needs, what about her 9 year old son who watched her eat those brownies, what about him coming home to find his mommy drunk, what about her husband (who by the way sees nothing wrong with marijanana,) isn't able to think straight because of all the deep hurt and anger he now has.
> I have seen just how drugs can affect a family, the person who makes the choice to do drugs or alochol might want to think first, if you are the carrier of the gene for alochol you will most likey not be strong enough to walk away from it and you will become a alocholic.
> It broke my heart seeing all those precious people in the recovery center fighting for their lives, if they don't get help they will end up on the streets, or dead. These our pecious people who need help to see life again, they need to see they can smile without help from some drug, they need to experience the blessings of just being able to breath, walk, hug again. Please remember them, they never planned on being where they are today. My daughter is a professional woman who has been blessed with many things. I'm sure she didn't plan on becoming a alocholic.
> I love my daughter with every breath I take, but I refuse to watch her destroy her life. She is in for the fight of her life, she has to change everything. please remember her in your prayers and all the souls who are destroying their lives in drugs.


You're so right,and I'm so sorry to see you going through this. They say any substance abuse touches no less than 10 people who love them. 

My husband started w/ pot,then branched out to harder drugs to numb the pain. He said when he was just doing pot,all he cared about was the next high. He didn't care when he risked his parents farm to grow it in the back of their field because he didn't make enough money to buy it. 

He didn't care that he had a family to feed,first marriage. On payday,he bought a bag of weed before he bought groceries or paid bills. He never missed work,needed the money to buy pot... He went to work after smoking pot and ran machinery and fork lifts...

My step son was the same way,would buy pot and cigarettes before groceries and the bills. His pot was always before his family.He didn't go into harder drugs,pot was mind numbing enough for him. He couldn't hold a job so he turned to crime to pay for his pot...stole from family and friends and broke into houses to pay for his habit.

Neither would quit when begged by family,they had to decide on their own. finally Al ,my husband decided he was sick and tired of being tired and broke,so he quit. He had a goal and pot and other drugs were in his way.
My step son wanted to drive truck,he wanted it bad enough to quit 6 years ago. He says he still craves a joint to this day...


----------



## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

I am not sure if it should be legal, I just don't know.
What I think is people go to great lengths to get it anyway and its illegal.
Maybe there would be less crime if it was legal? I don't know.
But people are going to get it and smoke it anyway so maybe it should be legal and taxed like cigarettes ? I mean I hate pot, weed, whatever they call it now. all it ever did to me when I was a teenager was make me eat and make me extremely paranoid, so I don't see the point of it 

I think I am on the fence with this one, but I do see both sides of it.


----------



## Alice Ana (Mar 17, 2010)

i like the stories posted, it opens eyes. i'm sorry to everyone who has gone through a rough time due to drugs and alcohol... my brother actually just got done with detox off of pills. he was abusing them and it was just terrible to watch him. yes, i learned a LOT from that. he got so sick he had to go to the ER because he couldn't stand up. pain, always in pain. and it all started with his doctor who prescribed him pain medicine for his leg.


----------



## LitGal (May 15, 2007)

The truth is that many things, legal or not, can be harmful and addictive. I think it would be rare for someone who's truly aware and present in their life to abuse any substance and be harmful to themselves or others. If there are people in society who aren't or don't want to be conscious in their lives, they will seek any way to numb themselves and find an escape from their life.

For better or worse, many legal substances are available that can cause people harm. This is a far bigger issue than the legalization of any substance.


----------



## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

I am the dissenting one in this. I think all drugs should be legal. Making them illegal has not stopped the ones who want to take them to find them. Prohibition only creates a black market and organized crime. Read what happened with alcohol. If something is forbidden, it only makes people and specially young people, wanting to try them more. What right do we have to force other people not to eat or drink or do what we ourselves don't want to do. It is their choice, it's their body, if they want to ruin it it's not our business. Maybe they came to this earth to experience what it was using drugs. Maybe it's their life lesson. Who knows. What right do we have to interfere ? The war on drugs is never going to be won. As long as there are customers there are going to be sellers. Why don't they spend the money on paying for detox for the ones who want to get out of it ? Why don't they just buy the drugs from the farmers who need the money to survive ? It would be cheaper than all their war. I am suspecting that some people in Governments are also benefiting from that black market. 


> Keeping marijuana and other drugs illegal has been a huge boon to the mob and gangs, and it has drained the US economy, overtaxed our law enforcement, and is crowding our jails, but seriously ask yourself if it's really done much to reduce drug abuse.


I completely agree with you. 

My father smoked, my grand father smoked, my husband smokes.
I don't smoke, I never did drugs, I drink in moderation.
My daughter does not smoke, never did drugs, barely drinks alcohol.


----------



## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

MalteseJane said:


> I am the dissenting one in this. I think all drugs should be legal. Making them illegal has not stopped the ones who want to take them to find them. Prohibition only creates a black market and organized crime. Read what happened with alcohol. If something is forbidden, it only makes people and specially young people, wanting to try them more. What right do we have to force other people not to eat or drink or do what we ourselves don't want to do. It is their choice, it's their body, if they want to ruin it it's not our business. Maybe they came to this earth to experience what it was using drugs. Maybe it's their life lesson. Who knows. What right do we have to interfere ? The war on drugs is never going to be won. As long as there are customers there are going to be sellers. Why don't they spend the money on paying for detox for the ones who want to get out of it ? Why don't they just buy the drugs from the farmers who need the money to survive ? It would be cheaper than all their war. I am suspecting that some people in Governments are also benefiting from that black market.
> I completely agree with you.
> 
> My father smoked, my grand father smoked, my husband smokes.
> ...



:goodpost:


Without sounding like a conspiracy theorist, I agree that governments do benefit from keeping drugs illegal in many different ways. I've done some research on that for novel writing, and sometimes all is not what it seems.

I'm not a psychologist, but as a layperson and someone who has been through it and seen others in it, I mean this with all compassion and sensitivity: Some people have addictive personalities, for many different reasons. Whether a drug or anything else is illegal or legal hasn't much of a bearing on whether a person with an addictive personality will abuse it or not. People become addicted to all sorts of things that lead to heartbreak for them and their families. 

My only hope is that we stop pouring money down the "drug war" drain, because it hasn't helped anything.

I can't tell you how much suffering and pain my niece has caused her parents, her sister, and her two boys, who were abandoned by her at a young age because she became addicted to crack.


----------



## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

I havent' given this a whole lot of thought but other than for medicinal uses, I don't see the benefit of it. If someone was suffering and it could help them, why not? But anything in excess is not a good idea...and anything that causes harm to yourself or others is not a good idea either. If someone used it even casually, rarely etc, and was arrested, then what ? they could be the breadwinner of the family and then there's the fallout from that situation....I'm thinking now of a couple I know where she didn't mind him using it when she met him, but now she doesn't like the idea since they have a little kid. He works as a pilot, it is a seasonal job...so I hope this is only in the off season.


----------



## allheart (Oct 3, 2008)

Nikki's Mom said:


> :goodpost:
> 
> 
> Without sounding like a conspiracy theorist, I agree that governments do benefit from keeping drugs illegal in many different ways. I've done some research on that for novel writing, and sometimes all is not what it seems.
> ...


 
Susan, you are so right here, and so sorry for your family and your niece. I watch so many of those intervention shows, and it just breaks my heart. And in no way did you come across as supporting drug abuse at all, so don't worry about that. It's just a heartache all around. Their is a fella that we know, was in a coma 6 days, his blood alchol level was 327, alarming. I had my Mom praying for him, she has shingles, but everyday she was sure to say her prayers for him, it was her top priority, Mom doesn't even know him, but our hearts ached. He came out of his coma, and his addictive personality is still there. He desperately needs rehab, I just pray we can get him there. Hugs to you Susan.


----------



## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

MalteseJane said:


> I am the dissenting one in this. I think all drugs should be legal. Making them illegal has not stopped the ones who want to take them to find them. Prohibition only creates a black market and organized crime. Read what happened with alcohol. If something is forbidden, it only makes people and specially young people, wanting to try them more. What right do we have to force other people not to eat or drink or do what we ourselves don't want to do. It is their choice, it's their body, if they want to ruin it it's not our business. Maybe they came to this earth to experience what it was using drugs. Maybe it's their life lesson. Who knows. What right do we have to interfere ? The war on drugs is never going to be won. As long as there are customers there are going to be sellers. Why don't they spend the money on paying for detox for the ones who want to get out of it ? Why don't they just buy the drugs from the farmers who need the money to survive ? It would be cheaper than all their war. I am suspecting that some people in Governments are also benefiting from that black market.
> I completely agree with you.
> 
> My father smoked, my grand father smoked, my husband smokes.
> ...


 
:w00t: have you seen what the drug addicted person goes through when they are in detox? I wouldn't wish that on my worse enemy. Detox is not fun for these people they can actually die. It's a sickness. Most think they can take whatever in moderation but if they have that gene they will become addicted.


----------



## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

I don't think it is genetic but I'm not a scientist. I tend to think that the attraction to drugs is from environmental and emotional reasons, but I'm not a psychologist, either. 

I've known several people who were addicts in which none of the other family members nor their known ancestors had addictive personalities, didn't touch drugs or alcohol, didn't gamble, or had any other addictions.


----------



## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

In a nutshell these are the reasons I feel Marijuana should be legalized. 
An approach to drugs based on prohibition and criminalization does not work, produces excessive rates of incarceration, and costs a lot of money that could be more productively spent on treatment and prevention.
Drug use is an activity arbitrarily called a crime. It is imposed by law on some drugs and not on others, and can be seen as criminal at one time but perhaps not at another. Murder, rape, and robbery have always been considered inherently criminal acts, but drug use is just a consumption of substances; its control is arbitrary and follows fashions. Alcohol consumption was once prohibited but is now legal. In the early 1900s opiates were sold in pharmacies and Coca-Cola contained small quantities of cocaine
The drug generally isn't more harmful than alcohol or tobacco if used in moderation. 
Limiting the use of the drug intrudes on personal freedom. 
Legalization would mean a lower price; thus, related crimes (like theft) would be reduced. 
There are medical benefits such as the those for cancer patients. 
Street justice related to drug disputes would be reduced. 
It could be a source of additional tax revenues. 
Police and court resources would be freed up for more serious crimes. 
Drug dealers (including some terrorists) would lose most or all of their business. 
The FDA or others could regulate the quality and safety of drugs. 
Like sex, alcohol, or cigarettes, marijuana is one of life's little pleasures for some people. 
Drug busts often trap young people in a flawed system that turns them into lifelong criminals.


----------



## beckinwolf (Sep 2, 2008)

pammy4501 said:


> In a nutshell these are the reasons I feel Marijuana should be legalized.
> 
> An approach to drugs based on prohibition and criminalization does not work, produces excessive rates of incarceration, and costs a lot of money that could be more productively spent on treatment and prevention.
> Drug use is an activity arbitrarily called a crime. It is imposed by law on some drugs and not on others, and can be seen as criminal at one time but perhaps not at another. Murder, rape, and robbery have always been considered inherently criminal acts, but drug use is just a consumption of substances; its control is arbitrary and follows fashions. Alcohol consumption was once prohibited but is now legal. In the early 1900s opiates were sold in pharmacies and Coca-Cola contained small quantities of cocaine
> ...


:goodpost: I completely agree.


----------



## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

pammy4501 said:


> In a nutshell these are the reasons I feel Marijuana should be legalized.
> 
> An approach to drugs based on prohibition and criminalization does not work, produces excessive rates of incarceration, and costs a lot of money that could be more productively spent on treatment and prevention.
> Drug use is an activity arbitrarily called a crime. It is imposed by law on some drugs and not on others, and can be seen as criminal at one time but perhaps not at another. Murder, rape, and robbery have always been considered inherently criminal acts, but drug use is just a consumption of substances; its control is arbitrary and follows fashions. Alcohol consumption was once prohibited but is now legal. In the early 1900s opiates were sold in pharmacies and Coca-Cola contained small quantities of cocaine
> ...


I agree too. Very good points.

I wonder just how many people are in jail because of the 'war on drugs' in the US. The country that has the biggest jail population in the world, yet proclaims to be 'free'. It's a bit ironic, to me. I also I wonder how many 'potheads' come home to beat their wife and kids..where as alcohol has a direct link to domestic violence.


----------



## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

shanghaimomma said:


> I agree too. Very good points.
> 
> I wonder just how many people are in jail because of the 'war on drugs' in the US. The country that has the biggest jail population in the world, yet proclaims to be 'free'. It's a bit ironic, to me. I also I wonder how many 'potheads' come home to beat their wife and kids..where as alcohol has a direct link to domestic violence.


Don't get me started on prison reform, just let me say this about that:

U.S. prisons hold more than 2 million inmates, giving the United States the highest rate of incarceration in the world. Opportunities for education, job training and drug treatment have fallen out of fashion. "Three strikes" and minimum sentencing laws have led to excessive punishments for millions of nonviolent offenders, especially in the misguided "war on drugs." Most of the growth in prison population has been for nonviolent offenders, especially those convicted on drug charges. Because of mandatory sentencing laws, over half of today's inmates are incarcerated on drug charges, despite evidence that treatment programs are much more effective at preventing future drug offenses. 
Because of the "three strikes" laws in California, it is increasingly common for people to receive life sentences for offenses such as drug possession and welfare fraud. So, lets abandon the so called "War on Drugs" and use the tax dollars from legal pot, and treat the addicts rather than incarcerating them. Then we can actually run a prison system that uses rehabilitation and education rather than sequestration and retribution. Sorry for the rant.


----------



## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

I agree, Pam.


----------



## Alice Ana (Mar 17, 2010)

shanghaimomma said:


> I agree too. Very good points.
> 
> I wonder just how many people are in jail because of the 'war on drugs' in the US. The country that has the biggest jail population in the world, yet proclaims to be 'free'. It's a bit ironic, to me. I also I wonder how many 'potheads' come home to beat their wife and kids..where as alcohol has a direct link to domestic violence.


i also agree with the list :aktion033:

to be honest, you'd think that beating would go down if marijuana was legalized! lol :w00t: it usually calms people, doesn't make them angry and abusive... unlike alcohol :angry:


----------



## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

*The Medical Dangers of Marijuana from Harvard's site*

Link:


THE MEDICAL DANGERS OF MARIJUANA USE


----------



## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

vjw said:


> Link:
> 
> 
> THE MEDICAL DANGERS OF MARIJUANA USE


Really no worse that Cigarettes or Alcohol, all of which are legal vices. I have known many regular pot users. None were as impared as the people I know who have become addicted to alcohol. It may not be the best thing for your health, but it shouldn't be criminal.


----------



## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

If marijuana were to be legalized and regulated, I wonder how much it would cost to set up and operate the agencies to regulate it. Would it be comparable to the expenses of our Alcoholic Beverage Control Board?


----------



## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

I just wrote something and ... darn!!! ... I kept on getting a message that I was not logged in!! I WAS logged in!!! Anyway, I will try again later because it was a longer response and I have a PT appointment now. 

In the meantime ... 

I thought there was a Marijuana pill being used for medical purposes. Is that not true?


----------



## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

mss said:


> If marijuana were to be legalized and regulated, I wonder how much it would cost to set up and operate the agencies to regulate it. Would it be comparable to the expenses of our Alcoholic Beverage Control Board?


Good question. All the money that we would be saving if it was legalized would probably all go to the regulation agencies.


----------



## 3Maltmom (May 23, 2005)




----------



## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

3Maltmom said:


>


:HistericalSmiley:

I don't know if I misread or what, but we have an income tax today because of the prohibition on alcohol. Before prohibition, 40% of the income of the government came from alcohol taxes. To compensate this loss, they had to implement an income tax.


----------



## gatiger40 (Jun 7, 2007)

It should be legal and taxed in my opinion.


----------



## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

Snowball Pie's Mommi said:


> I just wrote something and ... darn!!! ... I kept on getting a message that I was not logged in!! I WAS logged in!!! Anyway, I will try again later because it was a longer response and I have a PT appointment now.
> 
> In the meantime ...
> 
> I thought there was a Marijuana pill being used for medical purposes. Is that not true?


 Yes it is called marinol. It works, but not nearly as well as inhalation (smoking) for medicinal purposes.


----------

