As many comments have derided my profession, I should maybe, for their benefit, point out just how my profession is applicable to my stand against legalization of drugs.
As a locksmith, I have found myself standing with family members, after a murder, and also following up on suicides, and rapes, (one was actually a young lady I knew). I’ve followed up on assaults, burglaries and robberies etc.
One violent husband who I was in the final stages of locking out of the home, heard about it, came home early, walked behind me as I was finishing up, grabbed his wife’s wrist, twisted it causing her to bend over and then proceeded to kick her in the stomach with such violence, I cannot tell you how forcefully it impacted me!
I cannot recount for you the number of different instances, nor the intensity of each case, and how and which drugs were involved … how many of those people I had served previously, and again, when the family had been forced to lock that family member out of the home because of inappropriate actions. Many, were when that family member was using ONLY marijuana … More often than not, it was a son or daughter that was being locket out. Some of those parents have become friends and periodically update me about their offspring, their particular tragedy.
These situations began to grieve me … I believe it is no coincidence what one goes through, but I’ve learned that when one submits oneself to try and help others, one becomes emotionally involved and committed.
I can recount for you my own history, and how my beloved children followed my example into drugs, when, my only drug use at that time was marijuana. My using had come because of a great loss – divorce; I’d lost the only thing of import to me – my family.
I can also tell you that not only do children follow in their parents and older siblings' footsteps, … as mine and their mom’s did. Our role modeling, as parents, sometimes inadvertently, guides when we’re not aware of it. But also, almost invariably all children which begin with pot, also “push the envelope” and proceed into other and harder drugs.
I can tell you of the heartbreak when I realized how I had laid the groundwork for my children’s grief. My son, whom I love(d) with all my heart, made subsequent bad choices … ended up not only in jail, but in prison, … in what, I found out later, are called the ‘gladiator academies’ of the prison system.
He called me last night and asked me how it was going for me and I related some of my struggles with this. Subsequently, he asked me to be sure to tell you (not that he is clean and sober for 6 years now) but how he loves helping those who’ve finally come to the point of wanting and getting out of drug use! … of how he sees users in drug court, being offered the chance to clean up (that they’ve requested or they wouldn’t be there) and how he sees them again later, when they’ve been retrieved from their lives as “walking zombie status” and are happy, loving people – once again, able to love others and give to others, living a wholly different life – their family members rejoicing and ecstatic at their recovery!
He also told me of how he’d invited his fiancé’s ex-husband to share Christmas with them last year. One of the kids let it slip, that mom was engaged. That was the last time they saw their father. He overdosed on his normal ‘drug of choice’, less than two weeks later. The kids now carry having let the engagement announcement slip! They’ll carry that, for their lives!
He told me that a couple of weeks ago, their youngest crawled up in his lap and while hugging him, told him how ‘she was glad she never saw him drunk!’ (It hadn't been alcohol; it was just the way she described it.) There are still family members role-modeling poor and inappropriate behavior …. legal and illegal, in spite of all this!
I can not tell you how many times this type of experience has played itself out in our lives. Those who had helped my son, when he was in drug court, I’ll be forever grateful! Knowing the frequency and intensity of the pain, they periodically try to persuade him to run a recovery center …
For 25 years, I lived with the realization that I had laid the foundation for his pain. Trying to ease my pain, he tells me, “Quit, crucifying yourself, dad. I made my own choices.” Yet I know … it’s something I carry …
This is the pain I hope you understand!
What you are doing to others who love you, is unconscionable!
I have cried with close friends whose children have died because of drug use. I’m blessed! It was when my young one was still in the birth canal, that I came to the realization of what I had done to my other, my older children; that’s when I began to grieve and I quit. It was then that I vowed I would not only not do to him, what I had done to my older beloved children, but that I would attempt to give back. My youngest has seen me do so. Both my boys are doing so as well.
So you, … users of the demon weed, when I came to the realization of that moment and flushed my stash down the toilet, it was freedom for the first time in 12, maybe 14 years. That is what I wish for you, and why I write.
In your anger, please know that I grieve for you and for those who love you. They can do nothing but grieve and suffer; they can only wait and watch until you quit being selfish and want out … even if only for their sake! It’s time to quit hurting others, … isn’t it?
Comments
John,
you are wrong about everything and you can't write your way out of a paper bag.
Take your own advice, quit writing and quit hurting others with your lies and propaganda.
Oh...you must be talking about that new super mega marijuana that only exists in a parallel universe. Are you familiar with the fifth dimension and the theory of Parallel universes? I am sure you are correct about everything you say, just in a parallel universe. Google it.
I meant eleventh dimension...oops.
I was going through the 157 posts on your goofy article that links the picture of a meth-head to marijuana users...and I saw your repsonse to your accusation that you are deleting my material.
If I am wrong, then I am wrong. Why however, would my material excusively have been archived, and others weren't. That is a little odd. I still think you are deleting material. I couldn't find my post. Your comment about being a paranoid 'druggie' (or whatever you said) was offbeat also. The truth is that although I keep a stash around, I rarely smoke from it. I am presently switching careers from being a classical guitar player (pays poorly) to a secondary mathematics teacher. So I am knocking out a math major in a little under two years. I am therefore sitting at my desk studying advanced mathematics for eight to twelve hours a day. I can't afford the luxury of spacing out. I am not one of those guys who can study well when high. So I rarely get high.
(to be cont.)
I don't know if you are a religious man or not. The way you come across in your writing however, is in the same way that Bible pounders come across to people. They ram their beliefs in people's faces; they do it because they 'care' about their souls; they bore others to tears; and tend to be some of the rudest and most judgemental people. Your goofy judgements about people are just wild. The way you wrote about me you would think I look like Howard Hughs...hiding away in a pile of straw infected with my own filth. Jesus man!
Nope, I dig life dude and I am a very happy man. BTW, the reason I was looking for my old post is because a friend came over, and I was showing him one of the most strained uses of logic that I have ever seen (my friend is a math major friend of mine who is in my proofs class. Mathematical proofs are like logic on steroids). You know, the one where you showed the picture of some guy reaching out of a cage, (to be continued)...
...posted a link to that very cool video about how the world is moving forward exponentially, and somehow tied that to the idea that marijuana users are racing to jump off of a cliff like lemmings. I wanted to show him a post that I had left...and I couldn't find it.
If for some reason, my post alone was exclusively 'archived', then I am wrong and you did not delete my post. I mean it, I will take you at your word that you didn't delete my material.
BTW, another reason I go back through old posts is because I really dig Aqueous Chemists posts. I like it that you are finally coming out a lilttle bit to engage people in these threads. it is the only thing keeping it interesting. I like his posts, and I like the way he wipes the floor with you; and I am still waiting for you to address more of his challenges. I think he just knows more about this matter than you. I think you are way out of your league with him and you know it. So I am curious how you respond to him. (to be cont.)
I am curious because fundamentalists (you a pro-prohibition fundamentalist) invariably have a powerful ability to suspend logic and reason. That seems like what you do. You lob in a poorly thrown hand grenade (poor use of data), sort of stir up a hornests nest; check in to tell us you 'care' about us, and then don't address guys like Aqueous Chemist.
Anyway, I have been working on analyzing whether infinite series converge all night long and my mind is fried. I'm going to go kiss my kids in their beds and hit the hay. Spend more time on the board John, it makes the whole thing more interesting. Ciao dude.
English: "children have died because of drug use. ... So you, … users of the demon weed," etc.
[from my book, Drug War Propaganda, 2003 cafepress.com/drugpropaganda2 p.3, "Hated Groups"]
Conflating (that is to say, intentionally confusing) any and all substances from crack to heroin to marijuana into "drugs,"... allows propagandists to rhetorically attribute the very worst attributes of any drug, to every drug. Thus, "heroin" and "marijuana" are both "bad" because they are illegal; they are all "drugs." A user of marijuana is little different than a heroin addict, drug warriors tell us, because they are all "users" and "dopers," are they not? There is no difference between "hard drugs" and "soft drugs," police say.[21] A methamphetamine laboratory and a marijuana plant in the closet are both "drug manufacturing operations." The propaganda of prohibition often drops such petty distinctions in vilifying the hated group.
John, One question, and please, answer it honestly to yourself: Do you really believe that a casual (not habitual) marijuana user who doesn't move on to harder drugs, who is perfectly content sticking ONLY with marijuana, who simply uses it socially on occasion, will die of said marijuana use? If it's a responsible person who doesn't get high and go to work, doesn't get high and go driving, and doesn't let it affect their everyday life, will smoking marijuana in and of itself kill that person? If you answer this question honestly, then the answer will be no. A responsible, casual, non-habitual, social marijuana smoker will not die from getting high. Now, according to you, whether that person is responsible about his/her marijuana use or not, he/she belongs in jail. Am I correct in assuming that? Well then, let me ask you this: If they die in jail, is it their own fault because they got high? Is it OK for someone to die in jail over a marijuana charge? Did they deserve it?
What's more harmful to the user's life and the lives of the user's family: Their occasional marijuana use, or the death of the user in a violent jail. Do you think that a mother would rather have their son occasionally use marijuana at a party with friends, or go to jail, ending up with a criminal record and NO chance at a normal life? In fact, you never answered my question about that subject. Did you yourself ever go to jail for your drug use? When you quit, how come you flushed your stash rather than turn it in to the police? If you feel so strongly that marijuana consumers should be put in jail, how come you didn't turn yourself in? How can you sit there and say that you made your mistakes, never paid any criminal consequences for those mistakes, but if we do the same thing, we deserve to be punished for it?
More than that, prohibition doesn't just hurt the user and their family. It hurts totally innocent people. Our own CIA gave an order to the Peruvian military to shoot down what they thought were drug smugglers in a plane outside of Peru. This plane had no drugs, and no drug smugglers. It had a pilot, a co-pilot, a mother and father (missionaries in fact) along with their son and 6 month old daughter. The Peruvian military shot at the plane, wounding the pilot. They also shot and killed the mother along with her 6 month old baby IN FRONT of the father and son. So, innocent people having NOTHING to do with drugs died BECAUSE of prohibition. But hey, gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet, right John? Innocent people die, this is, after all, a war. And like all wars, there are casualties. I believe the government calls it "collateral damage". Is that how you view that mother and her 6 month old baby? Just more collateral Damage? Was it justified, John?
The fact of the matter is, you and people like you have based this war on cannabis consumers on the idea that you can eradicate a plant that is in extremely high demand and more common then dirt. You will NEVER get rid of marijuana. It will always be used by people across the world. Marijuana prohibition is completely unsustainable and WILL be repealed at some point. Whether it's now or a hundred years from now. The question is, how many lives and how much money are people like you willing to burn before you realize you've made a grave mistake?
Alcohol prohibition was repealed in 1933. People (much like you) BEGGED for it not to happen. They said the costs of legalization would outway the costs of prohibition. They said the sky would fall, it didn't. And now, 76 years later, almost every intelligent thinking individual in America has decided that alcohol prohibition was indeed, a very BAD idea. Let's say marijuana prohibition were repealed tomorrow. What do you think people will be saying 76 years from now? John, you have GOT to face the fact that you are on the wrong side of history. They say those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. Have you learned nothing? Can't you see what you and others like you are doing to this country? Do you really think you're helping people by putting them in jail? My god, how can I make you understand??? Do you really think that after 76 years of marijuana prohibition it's suddenly going to start working?
I equate the amount of time we've spent in the war on marijuana to the number of times the government water boarded terrorists for information. 183 times... 183 TIMES! For heavens sake, if it didn't work the first 182 times, what made them think the 183rd time was the charm? We've had prohibited marijuana for 76 years, and marijuana use has done nothing but sky rocket. The U.S. has done NOTHING to stop the demand OR the supply. And yet here we are, arguing over the same 76 year long debate. You want to do away with the marijuana plant, well I have news for you: It will NEVER happen. If prohibition hasn't worked in the past 76 years, it's not going to suddenly start working tomorrow or even several years from now. It's simply not rational to attempt to eradicate a plant that millions of people across the planet have a demand for.
Marijuana production and use with NEVER be eradicated. And if it's never eradicated, and prohibition is never repealed, we will be in this war FOREVER. Think about it John, an eternal war, is it worth it to you? Do you think an infinite war is best for us as a society? Is it "civilized" to have 25% of the world's population of inmates? Is it "just" to allow someone to be executed for marijuana? Because that's what's happening. Other countries (because we have forced our laws on them) have marijuana prohibition as well, and some of them hand out the death penalty for it. We here in the U.S. might not be outright executing people for marijuana, but when a casual marijuana user goes for a 2 1/2 week jail sentence and comes out in a body bag, that's what that is: the death penalty. People, even in this country, die in jail every year over something as trivial as a marijuana charge. How can you possibly justify allowing someone to die in jail over a plant that's NOT DEADLY!?!?
some one flush this john its full of crap..go to norml for the facts about cannabis
“But also, almost invariably all children which begin with pot, also “push the envelope” and proceed into other and harder drugs.” See John, children grow up, begin to think independently, and realize they were lied to about cannabis from the “authorities”. Now their rational becomes: “they lied about pot, so they must be lying about other drugs too.”
“He overdosed on his normal drug of choice.” And the drug of choice was?
“That is what I wish for you, and why I write.” Here’s an idea: how about you start minding your own business or choose a fight against something with outrageous consequences, heck you could write about a different pharmaceutical daily and never run out of material until the day you retire.
Kristin: “Do you really think that after 76 years of marijuana prohibition it's suddenly going to start working?”
The definition of insanity is: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
I can't believe the misinformation Kristin et al. People don't go to prison for small amounts of marijuana use. Go to NORML for the facts? NORML is biased pro-marijuana. If you base facts on NORML you are truly biased and can't listen and weigh both sides of an issue. Being objective is looking at both sides and weighing them, and advocacy groups are biased. This is what I found out: The advocacy group mentioned the huge number of arrests for marijuana, but this is misleading as these arrests have many circumstances, usually in committing another crime. MJ is decriminalized in my state--it is a fine. Many parents actually pray their kids will be arrested because they are out of control because they refuse to listen to their parents. Kids run away from home because parents are trying to stop their out of control marijuana or other drug use that's causing them to fail in school and ruining their future.
John, the only thing I see in this commentary is a bunch of anecdotal evidence. Anecdotal evidence may have worked in 1936/37 (see Dr. Munch’s testimony), but it sure as hell isn’t going to hold water in 2009. Anecdotal evidence and 99 cents will get you a cup of coffee, unless of course you prefer my drug dealer, i.e. Starbucks.
I agree Lynn, NORML is reputable for information as ONDCP or the other anti groups.
After a while of non-stop marijuana use, the personality changes. Our kid became violent and aggressive. When he finally got caught and was threatened with expulsion and knew he had to quit, he went through a terrible period of withdrawal where he either couldn't sleep or had nightmares, had explosive rage, anxiety, couldn't eat. He begged to have marijuana to satisfy his craving. Finally the rage subsided and he became returned to a state of close to normal, but his mind has been subtly altered.
My ex brother in law's drug use triggered schizophrenia. He was accepted into medical school, but he dropped out and he been unable to function on his own ever since.
My brother started with marijuana and became a dealer and ultimately went on to other drugs. He can't work or earn a living in a legitimate way so he grows and sells pot and gets arrested. He is paranoid, violent, and cannot hold a thought. I broke relations with him because I feared for my safety.
My point is that the prohibition of marijuana is not causing the problem. Marijuana use causes problems, not for everybody, but for a significant number of people, especially young people. Most marijuana use begins in the teens, and the earlier the use, the more likely problems will occur. The influences on kids that support drug use lead to many tragedies along the way. Beautiful Boy is book by the father of a meth user. The boy started with marijuana. By the time he went to Berkeley he was using meth. The dad sees marijuana as the bridge to the harder drugs. Martin Sheen himself had a problem with alcohol and his son developed a drug problem. He stood against prop 5 in California because law enforcement is a necessary part of controlling drug use. Addicts don't go to treatment voluntarily. 40% of treatment admissions are because of law enforcement. I'm not a law and order type, and the system is flawed, but legalization is not the answer to the drug problem.
The connection between marijuana and other drug use is there whether you like it or not. The younger the age of use of marijuana, the more likely the person will use other drugs. The odds are about 60%. Call it coincidence, correlation, causation, whatever. If you don't use marijuana first, there is virtually no chance you will use cocaine. Yes, some marijuana users don't do other drugs, but one may be addicted to marijuana alone or in combination with other drugs.
No one is saying that other drugs are good, or alcohol and tobacco are good. The issue is marijuana and the snow job the marijuana lobby is doing suggesting that marijuana is safe and harmless. IT IS NOT.
It is not victimless because your family and loved ones are going to suffer. You will suffer too--but you will be in denial. And you will be selfish and self-absorbed as you scoff at the pain these people are suffering because of you. The drug matters more to you than anything.
peasant chatter
John I had an uncle who died from lung cancer from tending bar for many years.
My fiance's mother's drunkard father abused her and her sisters.
Fact is John, you stereotype so badly it is sickening. If I called every alcoholic an abuser and every person who smokes murdering people with secondhand smoke. I wouldn't be any better of a person...
John I am sad that you are that hateful of a plant. I don't like poison ivy, but I don't hate it (probably because I am immune to it). Poison oak is a different story!
John if you're a religious person, let God do the judging... not you. And then all the "Bible Pounders" should read a little deeper into the Bible. You would actually live a life that isn't a hypocrisy!
God Bless.
John - Thank you for at least coming clean on your history.
Answer me this one question intelligently and I will never again write to you. How is my smoking in my own home effecting your life, my loved ones, my job, and how do you personally know my circumstances are like yours?
What you have been doing over the past few weeks is generalizing all drugs and users and classifing us together as the same, using us as a scapegoat for your life's mistakes. I am sure marijuana wasn't the leading factor for your divorce, perhaps it was your attitude you couldn't control? Perhaps you were just blinded by emotions at that time to step back and see the larger picture. Now that you have had time to reconcile about it, you've justified your past with something (Marijuana use).
People think for themselves. When one is lied to about MJ, they will wonder what else they have been lied to about. If anything, that creates the gateway theory.
I am sure any user will tell you there is room for abuse, but perhaps we should be educating on the potential for abuse rather than trying to use scare tactics, that are not even true, to try to scare people away all together. Lying is a sin (if you are religious), and our government is full of scandal and corruption already, yet on our money we put "In God We Trust". When our youth finds out the top branches in the government have been wrong or lying to us for decades, this puts into question all of their principles.
There will always be a sob story, whether it be from drugs or an automobile accident, a fatal disease or being brought up in poverty. The fact of the matter is, MJ did not cause the worlds problems like you are trying to make us believe.
How can you write for days about Marijauna, but only write a few paragrahps on Date Rape drugs? Is Marijuana really that much more important? I think not.
Kristin GP, you are misguided. You should stop sharing your views in this argument, because it is only advancing the stereotype that marijuana users are unintelligent. You are really hurting your own cause. If you are going to comment in support of marijuana, try to be a bit smarter and a bit less dogmatic and dumb.
Claiming your "blessed" because you "cried with close friends whose children have died because of drug use" is pretty sick. "One of my close friends children has tragically died! I'M BLESSED!" Get help soon John.
Your comments offend me John. The fact that you think that marijuana ruined your life and that it will ruin ours is idiotic. Classing me and you in the same category is offensive. What ruined the lives of who you and Lynn speak of is lack of self control. A person who lacks this will fall to alcoholism and drug abuse. Not all people are weak minded like you, so please do not say that we are. I smoke daily, work 60hours a week and live and support myself, all while being only 21. Give me a break, stop making excuses and just say that those people are weak minded and lack self control. This is not MJ fault.
Lynn: Bad parenting allowed your child to get out of hand. I have quit several times for several reasons, and never had withdrawal like that, nor known anybody who has. Beat you kids ass and show him who his in charge instead of taking away his XBOX.
Lynn,
Both my sister and I maintained a 3.0+ gpa in High School (hers was closer to a 4.0) while smoking every day. She is now about to be a nurse, and still smokes. She has Lupus, and while very ill smoking helped her eat and ease the naususness that the 10+ pills she was on could not. When she had to stop for her testing to become a nurse, she did.
Smoking Marijuana does not make you want to skip school or drop out. Its the people one associates with that will be the leading cause. Perhaps you should have just been a better judge on what you let your kid do and hang out with? Perhaps you should have been a little more observant and things would not have got out of hand.
As far as the whole withdraw, I have smoked off and on for 10 years now and have known MANY smokers. I have yet to meet one who went thru withdraws from having to quit smoking, and it is espeically odd for a new user to do this.. Perhaps he has some mental disorders that intensified this?
Back to John.
Did your son and his future family really think it was a good idea to spend Christmas with her ex? That sounds a little odd right there. He may have overdosed after this.. but that is 100% unrelated to MJ.
Both you and your son's fiance's ex resorted to drugs as a scapegoat. That is wrong. Using drugs as an escape from reality is the wrong way to use them recreationally. That is not being responsible. Using drugs like this is actually ABUSING them. Of course this can set off a downward spiral for one.. that is not science at all. You should not classify responsible recreational or medical use as suicide or homicide.
Also, the whole "paranoid" thing is taken out of context. If one could smoke in peace of mind so that he doens't have to worry about his house being raided, his dog being shot, his property destroyed, and then put in jail - maybe that sets up the whole false sense of security? All of that could happen when you were minding your own business.
Gimme a break, that woman who got kicked is lucky her husband wasn't into harder drugs, you might be finding pieces of her in a trunk somewhere. Men aren't very forgiving when their feelings get hurt.
So you had a kid. Happy day, now we can all celebrate the fact that you have bred, and we get to hear about all the happy things that happen when a family grows and learns the importance of sobriety. Can't handle your stuff eh? That sucks. Didn't mention the Drinking while driving citations cause it doesn't help your case. Wish your kid had better instincts don't you?
Dealt with a lot of evil, violent people? I work at a hospital, lemme tell you who's the most annoying and dangerous-you fing drinkers. Anything that drops your body's ability to regulate itself, physically or psychologically is seen as a bad thing, but it's not the emotions, right? Its the weed.
One more thing-kids push the envelope cause they don't want to deal with this life, different for everybody.
John,
I also want to say I have nothing personal against your family and I am sorry for any struggles you have gone through. Unfortunetly, you take a stand that I do not agree with and I must use you and your own family's experiences as examples. As much as you love your family, there are millions of other families who do not experience your same scenarios. Your locksmithing played a role in locking people out of houses.. that is just a downside to the profession that you picked. How do you think repo's, doctors, correctional officers, lawyers feel with their cliental? That is the line of work you picked. Now go work at Wendy's, a construction job, or sany other job unassociated with crime and see how well people can get along with each other, while consuming marijuana. I am afraid you have only seen the downside to a much larger uphill battle.
Marijuana was obviously not what landed your kid in prison, what really did? Don't blame marijuana for what choices your son made.
All I see is that neither of you are willing to admit that YOU made YOUR choices in life. Instead you are trying to blame drugs (and the most mediocre one at that, not coming forward with what all you two were really involved in) for what you did, how responsible. If you committed a crime and said "well I was on drugs, I can't be held responsible, can we just move on?" how do you think a judge would look at that? That is in fact what you are doing. Putting the blame elsewhere than yourselves. You made the choice to do drugs, not marijuana, cocaine, or whatever else you were doing.
John probably thinks a recovering alcoholic and a hangover is the same thing. He thinks he can go to AA meetings when he gets alcohol poisoning so it can remain anonymous.
lol sad thing... I had an awesome relationship with my family. My mom didn't smoke mj but my Dad did. When I turned 13 my Dad sat me down and talked to me about why he smokes and we set up ground rules. He told me stories about his family growing back in the late 1800's early 1900's and making a good living. Not selling the plant for smoking, they would sell them to make soap, clothes, rope and paper. I will admit, I did start smoking at a young age, 15. I smoked for my first time with my dad on my 16th birthday, I will never forget that. I actually did better in school, my dad would have pop quiz's when I would get home. My gpa was 3.2 ( I never really cared about gpa, I had allot going on in my life with sports, band and gf that I may have been distracted once or twice) and I enjoyed going to school. In my own opinion, most of today's problems with kids lays with the parents not parenting. Look at the obese kids, do you think that their mother/father is practising appeasement? cont..
I think that the blame game has gone on long enough. People need to start taking responsibility for their actions and choices. Blaming your parenting on your drug use is a pathetic excuse to make yourself feel better. I know many people that smoke everyday and have contributed to society in a very positive way, but like everything, there is an up side and a down side. Would you go as far as saying the negative effects from mj are worse then Alcohol? Would you say that a cig being smoked in public is not hurting those around it? How about the elderly? The ones that are to proud to give up their drivers licence and go on to get into an accident. Did you know that the Elderly kill more people a year then MJ? Can you please just answer this one question. What about MJ makes it more dangerous then Alcohol or Cigarettes? Thank you in advance for your response.
lol and one more thing. Do you think that big pharma has anything to do with mj being illegal? They make "drugs" that have all sorts of side effects like anal leakage, driving while asleep, sudden death.. Why is it that they can market and sell their drugs freely (most of them contain synthetic heroin)? Is the purpose of life to not have to try and fix yourself through healthy food and exercise? Take this pill and you won't feel your back pain, you will be hurting yourself more because you won't know when your doing things your body can't handle. Then the next day your in more pain and need more pain pills. Smoking pot to dull the pain (does not get rid of the pain entirely, only helps you be able to tolerate it better) keeps your pain in the forefront of your mind, helping to prevent you from making rash decisions that could lead to your condition getting worse. Not to mention kids take more prescription drugs then they smoke pot and they more often then not try them at a pre-teen age
John, keep doing what you're doing. You're articles go against popularity, I think they're nothing short of brilliance. Speak your mind, to hell with these pot smoking, heroine shooting, tree-hugging hippie ass nay sayers!
Alex,
Thank you for proving the point we all are trying to get across to John. You obviously know little about what you speak about and jump on the propaganda bandwagon because you don't know better. You classify "pot smoking, heroine shooting" together, where as they are no where close. All you care about is yourself and your personal agenda. "to hell" you tell others. I have compasion for you and John even tho you would not the same for me. I am sorry you live a life being told what you can and can't do. Having good morales is possible for anyone who tries. I don't have to live a uptight life like you and still be a good member of society.
re: "to marijuana users... He overdosed on his normal ‘drug of choice’"
Ok, let me get this straight.
Someone ODs on a prohibited drug - so I'm supposed to blame cannabis (which no one has ever died from), and so go along with more prohibition, more jailings of people for pot?
What does imprisoning people for pot have to do with someone's sad overdose?
We're already pitchforking people into prison for pot. It didn't stop people from ODing on heroin. So therefore, if only we keep pitching people into jail for pot, someday prohibition will work and prevent ODs? That's nutty.
Sad anecdotes do not make a reason to jail people for pot, any more than they are reasons to jail people for coffee or beer.
Helping people when they want help is good.
Forcing "help" on people who don't want "help" (in the form of arrests, jail, and prison) is a basic violation of human rights. Help by force isn't help, its coercion.
Prohibitionists like to confuse these things.
1.Love thy neighbor
2 Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy
Show users some love John, not a prison cell.
Honestly your average smoker would love to live in peace with you and everyone else about the matter. Its your end who wants it all or nothing. You are willing to eradicate us all like its the holocaust, as if you are so important? What did I ever do to you? I have no criminal record, work a stable job and live my life independantly from any state or us supported government program. I have worked and paid for everything I have, you don't have anything on me to tell me otherwise how to run my life.
Show me a list of people in history who have became serial killers, rapists, or other total screw ups that were directly related to Marijuana who were not mentally disabled from the get go. Then I'll show you a list of successful people who have made a difference in the world who have acknowledged smoking, lived long and prosperous lives and are well known in history. We'll see who has the longer list.
"To marijuana users... walking zombie[s]... died because of drug use," etc.
[from my book, Drug War Propaganda, 2003 cafepress.com/drugpropaganda2 p.4, "Hated Groups"]
Marijuana Users
Users of marijuana come in line for special demonization. This is a classic theme of prohibitionists. As Nixon's 1972 National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse summarized, "Implicit in this view is the assumption that a young person who uses marihuana in spite of the law cannot be expected to assume an individually and socially responsible, adult role. The strength of this fear is drawn largely from the vocal and visible 'counterculture' to which marihuana is often tied. . . . the concerns posed by an alternate youthful life style are extended to the drug itself."[27]... "The absence of physical harm from smoking pot has required that all the punitive force be government created. Punishment for marijuana [users] is thus the great frontier of authoritarianism."[28]
John, I'm sorry for all of your woes. But, you're acting like it was marijuana that caused it all, as if your first toke sealed your faith. In reality, there were a whole lot of poor choices, that had nothing to do with cannabis, that put you and yours where it did.
Those decisions had nothing to do with Pot - it's just your excuse - because something has to be blamed, right?
As I and others have told you repeatedly, we smoke pot too, some of us for a very long time. None of what happened to you has happened to us. Why do you think that is? That's the devil you have to confront.
Sorry John, it's not about the pot.
Lynn: If people don't go to jail over minor marijuana charges, then what do you call the case of 29-year-old Theresa Anthony? SHE went to jail over a minor marijuana charge. She only got a 2.5 week sentence in a Houston Texas jail. Doesn't seem very long does it? Unfortunately for her, it was long enough for her to die in jail. The prison isn't saying what killed her, but it doesn't really matter, does it. She got arrested for pot and ONLY pot, and she came out of that jail in a body bag.
Joe: Why don't you be a little more specific, eh? What am I saying that's "dogmatic and dumb"? I've already pointed to numbers and statistics and have even found information from the professor who's research led to the gateway theory saying that "some people are using the so-called 'gateway theory' to justify a very conservative drug policy". She also says that it's "Completely false reasoning" to think that all or even most marijuana users go on to harder drugs.
Meanwhile, the only argument you've been able to come up with is, "Your dumb". WOW, great argument in favor of prohibition. So many facts and figures there, just made my poor lil head spin.
And John, no anger here, just stating a reason why we write so much. You said in one of your previous replies:
"Note the obsessive / compulsive replies here, … the hate and anger? Some have written 5 replies in a row! Pot sure makes one mellow, doesn’t it?!"
We write several in a row because you get an entire article to explain your opinion. We get 1000 characters. No anger, really. Just giving you a reason why.
John, please read this article:
Pot No Longer Focus of Anti-Drug Campaigns:
Examination Finds Prescription Drugs Are Seen as Bigger Threat Than Marijuana by Government, Non-Profit Groups.
Now THIS is something you should get behind. Marijuana in and of itself is far from deadly, but how many people have been overdosing on prescription drugs lately? Do you really think marijuana is more dangerous then Rx drug abuse? Why don't you refocus your efforts onto a fight that's worth fighting? Write an article about the dangers of Rx drug abuse and we'll be behind you 100%. It's by far the biggest growing drug problem in the country. Wouldn't you rather get some praise for your efforts for once? Do yourself (and the rest of us) a favor, and give the pot thing a break, focus just ONE article on the growing Rx drug problem this country has. Here's a shortened link to the article:
tinyurl(dot)com/ktar7c
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