<p>IMO that isn’t the point
What I feel is more important is how much do we feel we should dictate and control choices of other adults.</p>
<p>I don’t smoke pot
I * have*…
Ive also smoked hash, opium, thai sticks,
as well as cigarettes.
My boyfriend was well connected- I dont think I would have ever went looking for it.
I quit smoking cigarettes when they were $0.50 a pack & I really couldn’t remember the last time I smoked pot.
I take that back, I tried some a few years ago, when I was having trouble getting to sleep. ( I got it from a friend who is a 62 year old exec @ Microsoft- she views it as required- without it she couldn’t tolerate Microsoft but the pay is too good to pass up)
I also occasionally take Benadryl or melatonin for that- those are both sold over the country and I suppose for some people could be addictive, but do we stop selling them?</p>
<p>^Maybe, but if you can figure out what makes them want to do it, you can find other, LEGAL options for them that works just as well as the illegal option.</p>
<p>People are going to break the law no matter what-I realize that, I see it every day. That doesn’t mean I’m just going to be like “Yeah, make it legal because they’ll just do it anyway.”</p>
<p>But isn’t that beside the point? I’ve never heard of a faith (to my knowledge) that supports smoking marijuana.</p>
<p>Besides, people have been reading banned books for years. If anything, I think banning the Bible would make people want to read it more.</p>
<p>To add to this, we’re not a theocracy, so there’s really no reason for them to ban the Bible in the first place.</p>
<p>Um, what? I can have a great time without it. I’m sorry, where did I say that I couldn’t have a good time without it? I must have been high when I said that!</p>
<p>Being high is a different experience. It has nothing to do with me not being able to have a good time without it, and it isn’t an escape from the “real world”. For me, it’s a fun, recreational activity - sure, I can have a great time without it, just like I can have a great time without going to the cinema or going bowling - I still enjoy both on occasion. For other people, it may be used for spiritual or physical reasons, and I see the value in that, too. Would my life be radically different without weed? Not in the slightest. I think weed is used as a social crutch much less frequently than alcohol, and I have never stated that I *needed *it to have a good time. </p>
<p>Many laws are ridiculous or obsolete, and they’re changed. I don’t think that weed should be illegal, so my primary question is not “is it legal?” but “is it safe?” and “is it enjoyable?” It is enjoyable and safe, and I disagree with the reasons for why it was originally made illegal, and why it continues to be illegal. </p>
<p>I suppose Amsterdam is the best legal alternative to smoking weed discretely, so if you are very concerned with me participating in illegal activities, I would love for you to buy me a ticket to Amsterdam. Thanks.</p>
<p>“But isn’t that beside the point? I’ve never heard of a faith (to my knowledge) that supports smoking marijuana.”</p>
<p>Rastafarianism! </p>
<p>Actually, your statements on the Bible completely contradict a lot of things you’ve said up to this point, so I’m a bit confused. I think the Bible is much more harmful than weed, and many books have been banned on non-religious grounds.</p>
<p>How do you think the Bible is harmful, just out of curiosity?</p>
<p>I assume you mean the Christian Bible?
How long do you have?</p>
<p>Regarding geography- in college at least Geography is much more than being able to place a country on a map- and reeling off the GNP and recognizing the flags.</p>
<p>Because the federal government cant tax you for growing a hemp plant in your backyard.</p>
<p>The government also accepts bribes from the pharmacies who continue to charge premiums for dangerous untested synthetic painkillers that are less effective than medical marijuana.</p>
<p>They can barely even hide their callousness and corruption (see Romney turning the cold shoulder to the young man with muscular distrophy)</p>
<p>That Romney thing was absurd. If I was the kid with muscular dystrophy I would’ve brought along some friends to make sure Romney couldn’t just walk away (literally) from the question.</p>
<p>Vyse: Well, it’s a better argument than “weed is bad because it’s illegal.” Or “this thing is bad because the Bible says so.” Not necessarily a good one, but definitely a better one. EK’s point was exactly analogous to the argument for banning pot. "People who smoke a lot do bad stuff and have bad lives " vs. “People who misinterpret the Bible do bad things.” Well, if the latter is a bad argument, why is the former not?</p>
<p>HisGraceFillsMe: You’ve not provided a single rational reason not to use pot in this thread so far. You say it’s illegal. Yes, I agree, but if a law is baseless and immoral is it still a moral requirement to abide by it? The Bible example was a great one, though you missed the point and ignored it - you would still read the Bible if it was banned because in that case the law would be baseless and stupid, just like marijuana laws are now.</p>
<p>Then you ask why people need it to have fun. That’s not even an argument. How would you respond if I asked you why you need the Bible to have fun? You wouldn’t, because it’s a manifestly absurd thing to say. You get something out of reading the Bible, and I presume enjoy it. Same goes for others and smoking pot. It’s only a “why do you have to do that” type of thing if you purport that the act of smoking is inherently immoral, a position which I’ve already pointed out to you doesn’t have any proof behind it. I find smoking fun, so I do it occasionally. I don’t need to do it, and smoking doesn’t somehow replace some other need I have. I just enjoy it. If you’re going to argue that that is not the case, the burden of proof is on you.</p>
<p>So how about you make an actual argument here instead of raising already-discredited straw men and purposefully avoiding the point of others’ arguments?</p>
<p>The biggest pothead I knew (and I didn’t know him that well) graduated summa cum laude in math at Harvard. However I don’t think he smoked all day - mostly weekends and/or parties. I haven’t smoked pot since 1981 or 2, but I still like the way it smells. I never was good enough at inhaling to get very high, but I did try!</p>
<p>"emerald kitty: So just because bigots stretch Bible verses to fit their social agenda, its the Bible’s fault?</p>
<p>Excuse my bluntness, but you’re an idiot imho."</p>
<p>She didn’t say it was the Bible’s fault (nor did I, really), but it does make the Bible extremely harmful in the wrong hands. Far more harmful than marijuana! Though, really, some hate-filled Biblical passages are pretty clearly damaging - there isn’t much stretching or misinterpreting that needs to be done.</p>
<p>Almost everyone I knew in college in the mid 70s smoked dope. It was the sloppy drunks who were the losers. The “potheads” turned out to be CEOs, surgeons and judges. The illegality of marijuana seems arbitrary to me. If I had my way, I’d legalize it and outlaw alchol. Alcohol scares me a lot more.</p>
<p>“She didn’t say it was the Bible’s fault (nor did I, really), but it does make the Bible extremely harmful in the wrong hands. Far more harmful than marijuana! Though, really, some hate-filled Biblical passages are pretty clearly damaging - there isn’t much stretching or misinterpreting that needs to be done.”</p>
<p>Ugh, what awful logic. That’s akin to me saying a pencil is dangerous because I could gouge your eye out with it. If the Bible werent such a cultural icon and revered text, the bigots with a social agenda would find another way to spread their way of thinking.</p>
<p>For example, people used to use the verse about being unequally yoked to justify their disdain for interracial dating. Clearly the verse says nothing of the sort, but they projected their bias (the “fact” that the races are unequal) onto the verse so they could twist it around.)</p>