Why I changed my mind on weed

[Dragonfly]

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Why I changed my mind on weed - CNN.com

I traveled around the world to interview medical leaders, experts, growers and patients. I spoke candidly to them, asking tough questions. What I found was stunning.

Here's a winning quote:

We have been terribly and systematically misled for nearly 70 years in the United States, and I apologize for my own role in that.

I hope many people read this, but I doubt the one's who should will.

 

[Removable Mind]

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Why I changed my mind on weed - CNN.com




Here's a winning quote:


I hope many people read this, but I doubt the one's who should will.

Cognitive rigidity runs deep with some folks. Propaganda and brainwashing works and it's real unlike the lies disseminated by government for decades. It was a scheme to keep taxpayers on the hook for so many government initiatives such as the War on Drugs, the prison systems, etc...all of which has soaked taxpayers for trillions.

 

[opendebate]

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Why I changed my mind on weed - CNN.com
Here's a winning quote:

I hope many people read this, but I doubt the one's who should will.

This is a great article. Another example of how corporate ambition (in this case the pharm industry) overshadows any trace of responsibility to do what is right and actually service peoples needs.

 

[Fisher]

I don't like the smell of it so keep it banned. In fact, add anything "Sea-Breeze" scented to the list too.

 

[ItAin'tFree]

Word of caution to all dope heads out there. Be careful what you wish for. If it becomes legal across the board, by the time government taxes it to death, special interest groups have their say, lawyers find ways to file lawsuits over it; lots of people will be wishing it was illegal again. And jail time is never going away for that product, the charges will just be a little different. Just like booze.

 

[mak2]

I forget why I changed my mind, on weed.

 

[FreedomFromAll]

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Why I changed my mind on weed - CNN.com




Here's a winning quote:



I hope many people read this, but I doubt the one's who should will.

I would read it but Im too stoned and will read it later.

 

[FreedomFromAll]

Word of caution to all dope heads out there. Be careful what you wish for. If it becomes legal across the board, by the time government taxes it to death, special interest groups have their say, lawyers find ways to file lawsuits over it; lots of people will be wishing it was illegal again. And jail time is never going away for that product, the charges will just be a little different. Just like booze.

Well you can make your own booze for your own consumption. Personally I would rather be able to grow some good bud legally for my own consumption. I dont want to ****in buy it.

 

[Dragonfly]

Word of caution to all dope heads out there. Be careful what you wish for. If it becomes legal across the board, by the time government taxes it to death, special interest groups have their say, lawyers find ways to file lawsuits over it; lots of people will be wishing it was illegal again. And jail time is never going away for that product, the charges will just be a little different. Just like booze.

So if the legalization of pot reduces the deficit, creates jobs, helps many people with health issues, lightens the load on courts, police, and prisons.....that's something we should be careful about wishing for?


And I don't know anyone who wants pot to be 100% legal for all.

Most are perfectly happy with the idea of it being controlled in the same way alcohol is.
At the very least controlled like any prescription medication is.


And why do people who support the decriminalization of marijuana automatically get labeled as "pot heads"?

That's a very ignorant viewpoint isn't it?

 

[Verax]

They were talking about this on R talk radio and they did the reefer madness hit piece about how dangerous marijuana is. :roll:

Legalizing marijuana is long over due.

 

[FreedomFromAll]

So if the legalization of pot reduces the deficit, creates jobs, helps many people with health issues, lightens the load on courts, police, and prisons.....that's something we should be careful about wishing for?


And I don't know anyone who wants pot to be 100% legal for all.

Most are perfectly happy with the idea of it being controlled in the same way alcohol is.
At the very least controlled like any prescription medication is.


And why do people who support the decriminalization of marijuana automatically get labeled as "pot heads"?

That's a very ignorant viewpoint isn't it?

Thats like calling all supporters of ending the prohibition on alcohol drunks.

 

[radcen]

Here's a winning quote:

We have been terribly and systematically misled for nearly 70 years in the United States, and I apologize for my own role in that.

I hope many people read this, but I doubt the one's who should will.

Oh, they'll read it, but only to know how to spin against it to protect their agenda.

As time goes by the more I become convinced that many (not all, but a sizable portion) don't really give a crap either way, but being anti-drug is simply a way for them to gather power and prestige.

 

[OldWorldOrder]

Not sure how anyone who was ever a teenager could have strongly negative opinions about weed.

 

[Ikari]

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Why I changed my mind on weed - CNN.com




Here's a winning quote:



I hope many people read this, but I doubt the one's who should will.

ever see Reefer Madness? It's hilarious.

 

[Fenton]

Jeeez...

So we're not dumb enough ? Legalize a harmful substance based on what ? Alcohols worse ?

 

[ThePlayDrive]

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Why I changed my mind on weed - CNN.com

Here's a winning quote:

I hope many people read this, but I doubt the one's who should will.

I used be staunchly against legalizing marijuana. Now I am more ambivalent about it with a slight bias towards only legalizing it for medical use, but not recreation. Thus, I was interested to read the article. I have to say that my favorite part was the following:

We now know that while estimates vary, marijuana leads to dependence in around 9 to 10% of its adult users. By comparison, cocaine, a schedule 2 substance "with less abuse potential than schedule 1 drugs" hooks 20% of those who use it. Around 25% of heroin users become addicted.

The worst is tobacco, where the number is closer to 30% of smokers, many of whom go on to die because of their addiction.

There is clear evidence that in some people marijuana use can lead to withdrawal symptoms, including insomnia, anxiety and nausea. Even considering this, it is hard to make a case that it has a high potential for abuse. The physical symptoms of marijuana addiction are nothing like those of the other drugs I've mentioned. I have seen the withdrawal from alcohol, and it can be life threatening.

I do want to mention a concern that I think about as a father. Young, developing brains are likely more susceptible to harm from marijuana than adult brains. Some recent studies suggest that regular use in teenage years leads to a permanent decrease in IQ. Other research hints at a possible heightened risk of developing psychosis.

Much in the same way I wouldn't let my own children drink alcohol, I wouldn't permit marijuana until they are adults. If they are adamant about trying marijuana, I will urge them to wait until they're in their mid-20s when their brains are fully developed.

That's my favorite part because it acknowledges the harm that marijuana can do those who use it. That acknowledgment is so rare among those who advocate legalization and the fat that such proponents are so reluctant to admit that pot can hurt people is one of the THE BIGGEST TURNOFFS of the pro-legalization movement. It's very hard for me to get behind a movement full of supporters who either incredibly ignorant or incredibly deceptive. Who spread myths like "nobody gets addicted" or "it's entirely harmless except for a bad trip once in a while." So seeing a pro-legalization article that acknowledges the harm that pot can do to people makes me feel better about the movement and edges me closer to supporting its position.

It's also worth noting that it seems like he supports the use of medical marijuana, but doesn't take a position on recreational use.

 

[Fenton]

I used be staunchly against legalizing
marijuana. Now I am more ambivalent about it with a slight bias towards only legalizing it for medical use, but not recreation. Thus, I was interested to read the article. I have to say that my favorite part was the following:



That's my favorite part because it acknowledges the harm that marijuana can do those who use it. That acknowledgment is so rare among those who advocate legalization and the fat that such proponents are so reluctant to admit that pot can hurt people is one of the THE BIGGEST TURNOFFS of the pro-legalization movement. It's very hard for me to get behind a movement full of supporters who either incredibly ignorant or incredibly deceptive. Who spread myths like "nobody gets addicted" or "it's entirely harmless except for a bad trip once in a while." So seeing a pro-legalization article that acknowledges the harm that pot can do to people makes me feel better about the movement and edges me closer to supporting its position.

It's also worth noting that it seems like he supports the use of medical marijuana, but doesn't take a position on recreational use.

Exactly, great post.

Studies out of Britain show the harm of Long term abuse on ADULTS.

And the effect on young developing minds is profound.

So again, how is it harmless ?

They are now advocating its use based on it's "benefits" ?

When I was a kid the stigma of needing a chemical inclusion to get through the day kept me away from that stuff and I'm greatful that was around back then.

That stigma needs to remain.

 

[Cephus]

Jeeez...

So we're not dumb enough ? Legalize a harmful substance based on what ? Alcohols worse ?

That's pretty much what it comes down to. I think that they need to show that there are objective positives that would come out of legalization of any illegal drug before it should be considered for legalization. The idea that it's not as bad as something else that's already legal isn't a reason to make it legal, it's a reason to make the other thing illegal. Now I'm not terribly opposed to legalizing pot, but other drugs? Forget it.

 

[opendebate]

Jeeez...

So we're not dumb enough ? Legalize a harmful substance based on what ? Alcohols worse ?

No based, at the very least, that it has actual medicinal benefits. Many of the pharmaceuticals that people take for pain now, for instance, are far more addictive and cause more harm than marijuana. I don't happen to believe it causes any harm, there are no studies showing serious health concerns.

 

[paddymcdougall]

And why do people who support the decriminalization of marijuana automatically get labeled as "pot heads"?

That's a very ignorant viewpoint isn't it?

Sad, isn't it? I never toke the stuff; I ate it in brownies once in high school. But I think it should be legal and under the same kind of regulations as alcohol and tobacco.

I'm definitely not a pot head.

One of these days, it will be legal...

 

[LadyMoonlight]

Not sure how anyone who was ever a teenager could have strongly negative opinions about weed.

Because some of us got through our teenage lives, and our adult lives, without needing to indulge, or experiment, with it. Anyone who thinks that marajuana is a harmless drug, is a fool. It's a drug, ergo by definition, it is harmful in some form, just as prescription drugs are and any other drug you can name is. I think the same about alcohol and have been a teetotaller for almost all my adult life. I think there is no difference between either drug, they are both harmful. People who indulge in one drug and carry on about how "this drug is not as harmful as that drug" are deluding themselves.
The bottom line is that I have lived, and continue to live, my life without drugs because I have never needed any of them. I depend on ME, not some drug to relax, or to temporarily change my personality, or to cope with life. Anyone who experiments or indulges in any drug, has a need to do so. I am not talking about an addiction, I am talking about a need to either do what everyone else is doing, or a need to escape, or a need to find a way to relax, or any other number of needs one can think of. I know that as someone who has never tried marajuana and doesn't drink alcohol, I will be ignored or ridiculed by those who do indulge, for whatever reason, and that's ok, I don't mind. I have political discussions and I am howled down on a daily basis in my staff room....I cope (I am the oldest person in my faculty, surrounded by the youngsters who think they know everything, lol. They all drink....the women go home to glasses of red or white, the men go to the pub and, as I don't drink alcohol or any other drugs, and as I am pro-Israel and don't understand parents who nurture their teenagers "anxieties" and make excuses for their teenagers who suffer from LSD (lack of self-discipline), I am at loggerheads with my fellow teachers on a daily basis. I could never be a Year Advisor....my pastoral care would consist of "Are you over it yet?"
Anyway, perhaps I am not the person to be making a comment on drug use, having never indulged, but, just can't help myself.

My son-in-law is even more conservative than I am....probably why we get on so well and I really like him. His only comment on drug use is that firstly, drug users no matter what the drug of choice is, are losers full stop. If a person wants to take drugs who cares, however, if they OD or need help it should be denied. No ambulance for overdoses, no health treatment....made you bed, lie in it and suffer the consequences of your choices. He was in the Army for 10 years (he met my daughter when she was in the Army) and he is a teetotaller, never drank in his life, never smoked and never indulged in other drugs. No wonder I like him so much! Unfortunately, both my son and daughter occassionally drink alcohol...sigh, I went wrong somewhere!

 

[Ikari]

I used be staunchly against legalizing marijuana. Now I am more ambivalent about it with a slight bias towards only legalizing it for medical use, but not recreation. Thus, I was interested to read the article. I have to say that my favorite part was the following:



That's my favorite part because it acknowledges the harm that marijuana can do those who use it. That acknowledgment is so rare among those who advocate legalization and the fat that such proponents are so reluctant to admit that pot can hurt people is one of the THE BIGGEST TURNOFFS of the pro-legalization movement. It's very hard for me to get behind a movement full of supporters who either incredibly ignorant or incredibly deceptive. Who spread myths like "nobody gets addicted" or "it's entirely harmless except for a bad trip once in a while." So seeing a pro-legalization article that acknowledges the harm that pot can do to people makes me feel better about the movement and edges me closer to supporting its position.

It's also worth noting that it seems like he supports the use of medical marijuana, but doesn't take a position on recreational use.

Would you be OK with relegating alcohol to medical use only?

 

[OldWorldOrder]

Because some of us got through our teenage lives, and our adult lives, without needing to indulge, or experiment, with it. Anyone who thinks that marajuana is a harmless drug, is a fool. It's a drug, ergo by definition, it is harmful in some form, just as prescription drugs are and any other drug you can name is. I think the same about alcohol and have been a teetotaller for almost all my adult life. I think there is no difference between either drug, they are both harmful. People who indulge in one drug and carry on about how "this drug is not as harmful as that drug" are deluding themselves.
The bottom line is that I have lived, and continue to live, my life without drugs because I have never needed any of them. I depend on ME, not some drug to relax, or to temporarily change my personality, or to cope with life. Anyone who experiments or indulges in any drug, has a need to do so. I am not talking about an addiction, I am talking about a need to either do what everyone else is doing, or a need to escape, or a need to find a way to relax, or any other number of needs one can think of. I know that as someone who has never tried marajuana and doesn't drink alcohol, I will be ignored or ridiculed by those who do indulge, for whatever reason, and that's ok, I don't mind. I have political discussions and I am howled down on a daily basis in my staff room....I cope (I am the oldest person in my faculty, surrounded by the youngsters who think they know everything, lol. They all drink....the women go home to glasses of red or white, the men go to the pub and, as I don't drink alcohol or any other drugs, and as I am pro-Israel and don't understand parents who nurture their teenagers "anxieties" and make excuses for their teenagers who suffer from LSD (lack of self-discipline), I am at loggerheads with my fellow teachers on a daily basis. I could never be a Year Advisor....my pastoral care would consist of "Are you over it yet?"
Anyway, perhaps I am not the person to be making a comment on drug use, having never indulged, but, just can't help myself.

My son-in-law is even more conservative than I am....probably why we get on so well and I really like him. His only comment on drug use is that firstly, drug users no matter what the drug of choice is, are losers full stop. If a person wants to take drugs who cares, however, if they OD or need help it should be denied. No ambulance for overdoses, no health treatment....made you bed, lie in it and suffer the consequences of your choices. He was in the Army for 10 years (he met my daughter when she was in the Army) and he is a teetotaller, never drank in his life, never smoked and never indulged in other drugs. No wonder I like him so much! Unfortunately, both my son and daughter occassionally drink alcohol...sigh, I went wrong somewhere!

I appreciate your post, but I think a great many people (maybe a majority) have experimented with marijuana in their youth (at least) and found it to have no serious ill effects. Hence they think it's kinda silly to have people go to jail for using it or selling it.

 

[Fenton]

No based, at the very least, that it has actual medicinal benefits. Many of the
pharmaceuticals that people take for pain now, for instance, are far more addictive and cause more harm than marijuana. I don't happen to believe it causes any harm, there are no studies showing serious health concerns.

Oh don't get me wrong . Cancer patient or other chronic ilnesses ?

Allow access to it, but I'm a staunch NO for recreational use and lets be honest here.

That's why they want to legalize it. I watched a pro-legalize video on the stuff as the camera crew followed around " medicianl specialist" ( High school drop out dealers ) who delivered the stuff on bicycles to their " patients".

Give me a f****in break man.

I would have more respect for the push to legalize if it wasn't shrouded in false narratives and BULL SH** !

 

[Fenton]

Would you be OK with relegating alcohol to medical use only?

Why do people do this ? This stupid comparative argument.

Yes alcohol is bad, its no excuse to bring in something else thats bad but not AS bad into a population.