Marijuana question

I meant that it would be much more socially acceptable and make it a steppingstone on to other heavier stuff?

 

"Dad, everybody smokes, it is legal now, give me a break"

 

fast forward

 

"I'm so tired of being high on marijuana, same shit different day, lets try something new!"

 

"Dad, everybody drinks, why can't I"

 

You ain't everybody, NO

"Dad, everybody drinks, why can't I"

 

You ain't everybody, NO

 

You get my point, now stop being all Soprano on my ass

There have, in fact, been many tests done. Here is one:

 

 

 

 

:lol2:

 

 

Some interesting points. Do you guys think legalising marijuana will open the gates for legalising other drugs over time??

The notion that marijuana is a gateway drug cracks me up. Marijuana is a gateway drug because it is illegal and to purchase it you have to buy it from a DRUG DEALER that sells ILLEGAL DRUGS. No shit, who could have imagined that when people are consistently exposed to dealers engaged in criminal behavior, those people may be exposed to additional profitable illegal goods those dealers wish to sell?

 

I had a root canal last year and got a prescription for Vicodin. Honestly, it's an absolute miracle I don't have a heroin problem at this point.

The notion that marijuana is a gateway drug cracks me up.

 

 

 

True. It's like saying shooting ranges are a gateway to committing homicides.

I havent done it much. But I have noticed different highs different times. Can you explain a little bit about this? I have been told more THC is more of a relaxed/sleepy/insomnia free high. But I also know people that smoke right away in the morning to get going. That just seems like the wrong drug to use for that in my experience.

 

 

Indica strains are more body highs. Sativa strains give someone the head high. Most strains available now a days are hybrids with qualities of both. High THC content actually is the other way around from your description. It's low THC and high CBD that gives you the relaxed/sleepy high. High THC and low CBD is uplifting which describes the cannabis for the people you know who smoke in the morning to get going. Why is it wrong? People use caffeine, sugar, etc. every morning for the same effect!

Indica strains are more body highs. Sativa strains give someone the head high. Most strains available now a days are hybrids with qualities of both. High THC content actually is the other way around from your description. It's low THC and high CBD that gives you the relaxed/sleepy high. High THC and low CBD is uplifting which describes the cannabis for the people you know who smoke in the morning to get going. Why is it wrong? People use caffeine, sugar, etc. every morning for the same effect!

I dont think its wrong. I was just saying I dont know how they do it. Every time Ive smoked it, I just want to go to sleep.

The notion that marijuana is a gateway drug cracks me up.

 

 

True. It's like saying shooting ranges are a gateway to committing homicides.

 

 

How exactly is marijuana not a gateway drug? In it's current place in society where for the most part it's still either illegal or taboo then it still is.

 

 

For example, in order to smoke marijuana for the most part you have to decide to break some rules and are opening up to a mind altering substance. So once you've crossed this barrier what's to stop you from dropping a hit of acid, chomping some shrooms, taking some molly, snorting a line, if its offered to you?

 

There are a lot of people in this world that for some reason can not stop things when they start them, they are called addicts. They have a genetic personality trait that makes them continue to do something regardless of consequences.

There are a lot of people in this world that for some reason can not stop things when they start them, they are called addicts. They have a genetic personality trait that makes them continue to do something regardless of consequences.

 

I don't think that places any fault on the weed and I don't think the correlation is super strong. If you like taking Oxy then there is a huge chance you'll love heroin and from what I hear it's a common transition.

 

The only gateway I have seen pot lead to is an empty digiorno pizza box and a few ravaged hostess wrappers.

 

I admit to being fairly disconnected from the scene, but I don't see someone smoking pot and then thinking fcuk it, pass me the heroin or blow.

I dont think its wrong. I was just saying I dont know how they do it. Every time Ive smoked it, I just want to go to sleep.

 

 

I hear ya!

I don't think that places any fault on the weed and I don't think the correlation is super strong. If you like taking Oxy then there is a huge chance you'll love heroin and from what I hear it's a common transition.

 

The only gateway I have seen pot lead to is an empty digiorno pizza box and a few ravaged hostess wrappers.

 

I admit to being fairly disconnected from the scene, but I don't see someone smoking pot and then thinking fcuk it, pass me the heroin or blow.

 

 

 

 

Raj, it's not like that in reality. Coke crowd is vastly different from weed crowd. Weed can MAYBE go into shrooms, and that's still a reach and, how often do people drop shrooms, once, twice a year? People smoke weed for a few reasons, and know what they're getting. People do coke for very different reasons. People do shrooms for entirely different reasons... etc.

 

 

Just a word of advice to those who smoke a lott. Weed is amazing for being used as resistance from taking action in life. Come from work stressed and don't want to work on your business? Take a hit and now it's just "chilled time". Hours go by and you had a perfect excuse not to do anything - riding the experience. There are many other ways to resist taking action you don't want, but with weed it can literally eat up hours of your time...and it's easy to get into that habit since it does make you feel a bit better or take the edge off.

I don't think that places any fault on the weed and I don't think the correlation is super strong. If you like taking Oxy then there is a huge chance you'll love heroin and from what I hear it's a common transition.

 

The only gateway I have seen pot lead to is an empty digiorno pizza box and a few ravaged hostess wrappers.

 

I admit to being fairly disconnected from the scene, but I don't see someone smoking pot and then thinking fcuk it, pass me the heroin or blow.

 

 

You missed the escalation completely.

 

The oxy is totally different. Oxy problems happen in 2 ways,

 

1. Someone wants to get high, they get Oxy, they get dependent on opoids. They move up the ladder

2. Someone gets perscritpion oxy, they have an addictive personality, they get cut off the oxy , they look for alternatives, they find H.

 

 

I have some experience with addicts on a personal and professional level. My reasoning is sound and I've seen it happen. One problem is you may be basing your thoughts on your level of intellegence. You're more intellegent than at least 90% of the population. If you don't have an addictive personality then you have a sound enough mind that you can stop at level one. There are a LOT of stupid people out there, they like to climb ladders and then blame others after they've ascended.

The notion that marijuana is a gateway drug cracks me up. Marijuana is a gateway drug because it is illegal and to purchase it you have to buy it from a DRUG DEALER that sells ILLEGAL DRUGS. No shit, who could have imagined that when people are consistently exposed to dealers engaged in criminal behavior, those people may be exposed to additional profitable illegal goods those dealers wish to sell?

 

I had a root canal last year and got a prescription for Vicodin. Honestly, it's an absolute miracle I don't have a heroin problem at this point.

 

 

Marijuana is most definitely a gateway drug, and its difficult for many to comprehend the transition from marijuana to harder drugs. First we will establish that marijuana is addictive, while its withdrawal symptons are not as severe as heroin in comparison its still an uncomfortable feeling which has long lasting effects. The main issue with drugs is that by consistently using them their effects on your brain slowly diminish, the person no longer gets as high as they once did and the highs dont last as long. anyone who has been a long term, daily marijuana user will attest to making it much harder for them to get high and some people including myself came to the point where we no longer even felt the effects. When marijuana no longer by itself is enough people tend to mix it with other substances in order to increase the effects, alcohol is very common so are pills. This by itself doesnt necessarily make marijuana a gateway drug but mixing marijuana with other substances is a stepping stone, what is important to establish is a graduating process. when someone is used to getting high but no longer gets as high as they once did this is what makes marijuana a gateway drug - its when the drug is no longer altering the brain the same way as it once did. people will either seek out or be introduced to harder drugs which will let them attain that high they no longer are able to get with marijuana which is the high they once got in the begining. addictiion is all about chasing a high which is always running away from the person. The more you use the worse it becomes, its a vicious circle which generally always starts out very innocent with marijuana and when that is no longer enough the person will seek out alternatives. Ofcourse this doesnt apply to everyone, we also have to make note that some people have addictive personalities and are more vulnerable than others. The argument that "hey i was prescribed an opiate and im not addicted" isnt necessarily fair, its much more complicated than that. True addiction is a graduating process, it doesnt happen immediately or overnight.

You missed the escalation completely.

 

The oxy is totally different. Oxy problems happen in 2 ways,

 

1. Someone wants to get high, they get Oxy, they get dependent on opoids. They move up the ladder

2. Someone gets perscritpion oxy, they have an addictive personality, they get cut off the oxy , they look for alternatives, they find H.

 

 

I have some experience with addicts on a personal and professional level. My reasoning is sound and I've seen it happen. One problem is you may be basing your thoughts on your level of intellegence. You're more intellegent than at least 90% of the population. If you don't have an addictive personality then you have a sound enough mind that you can stop at level one. There are a LOT of stupid people out there, they like to climb ladders and then blame others after they've ascended.

 

I would be interested to hear more about your experiences because it's a pretty hot topic these days.

 

Funny you mention the addictive personality. I think I very much do have that. At an earlier point in my life I drank quite a bit on a way too frequent basis until I finally thought fcuk this, this isn't going to take me anywhere good. And just to play it safe now I don't drink at all. But I could totally be a guy that put down an 18 pack in an afternoon, and have done previously. I may not have the hard core addict level of fcuk it, i'm doing this shit till i'm living under a bridge, but it was there enough to make me think twice.

 

But in response to your thoughts on climbing the ladder. If pot wasn't there, don't you think those people would find whatever the next step was in line? Be it Rx drugs, coke, meth, etc? I don't think people accidentally become addicted to hard core shit, and I haven't seen people find their way to it any easier by using pot. But again, I have a super narrow pond to source my opinions from and would love to hear more.

I don't think that places any fault on the weed and I don't think the correlation is super strong. If you like taking Oxy then there is a huge chance you'll love heroin and from what I hear it's a common transition.

 

The only gateway I have seen pot lead to is an empty digiorno pizza box and a few ravaged hostess wrappers.

 

I admit to being fairly disconnected from the scene, but I don't see someone smoking pot and then thinking fcuk it, pass me the heroin or blow.

 

I am with Assman on this one. Although maybe not a gateway drug, it does seem to lead to a very casual attitude towards other drugs in general which I think is how people move from weed to far more dangerous drugs. It may not lead to meth or heroin, but is popping a couple pain killers and then having a few drinks a much better idea? Every single person I know in CO that has smoked weed regularly has tried lots of other drugs, from prescription drugs to ecstasy and on up the list to coke.

And just because this movie is hilarious.

 

I am with Assman on this one. Although maybe not a gateway drug, it does seem to lead to a very casual attitude towards other drugs in but is popping a couple pain killers and then having a few drinks a much better idea?

 

Quite the contrary, I think taking Rx pills with alcohol is wildly more dangerous than most people acknowledge. Pop a few benzos with some booze and there is a reasonably good chance you won't wake up from it. I think I would take my chances with some blow before I started chasing Rx pain killers with vodka.

 

Real risk level vs social norms are rarely correlated and many times downright dangerous.

 

I would be interested to hear more about your experiences because it's a pretty hot topic these days.

 

Funny you mention the addictive personality. I think I very much do have that. At an earlier point in my life I drank quite a bit on a way too frequent basis until I finally thought fcuk this, this isn't going to take me anywhere good. And just to play it safe now I don't drink at all. But I could totally be a guy that put down an 18 pack in an afternoon, and have done previously. I may not have the hard core addict level of fcuk it, i'm doing this shit till i'm living under a bridge, but it was there enough to make me think twice.

 

But in response to your thoughts on climbing the ladder. If pot wasn't there, don't you think those people would find whatever the next step was in line? Be it Rx drugs, coke, meth, etc? I don't think people accidentally become addicted to hard core shit, and I haven't seen people find their way to it any easier by using pot. But again, I have a super narrow pond to source my opinions from and would love to hear more.

 

 

VVS makes some very good points btw.

 

I too have an addictive personality, but I guess I should seperate it into the genetic pathalogic addictive personality and someone like you and I who are addictive, but more of the OCD type of addict. I'm pretty sure you are like me in that you get into something and then once you start you get really into it, then suddenly you're bored of it of over it. Hence why I have a ton of road bike gear, guitars, scotch collection, high end headphones, etc.... The difference is we CAN stop if we choose to. I used to drink heavily when I was younger. I chose to slow down because I have control. I have the intellegence to stop something before it goes too far. Many people can't chose to stop or don't want to.

 

As far as gateway and experiences. Like VVS mentions I know a few very functional people who many wouldn't associate with drugs who have used some drugs you wouldn't believe by knowing who these people are. These people have not suffered ill effects from these drugs, they got the drug, did it a few times, had fun, never touched it again.

 

The thing is they like to get high. It started with alcohol, then maybe the epehdrine tabs you used to be able to get. Then a joint here and there, then com 'cid, then molly, then try this, try that.....then they outgrew it and moved on and didn't look back...

 

then you have the flip side. People from the same group...they couldn't stop, they kept going and going and had to go to rehab, or were found dead.

 

 

Quite the contrary, I think taking Rx pills with alcohol is wildly more dangerous than most people acknowledge. Pop a few benzos with some booze and there is a reasonably good chance you won't wake up from it. I think I would take my chances with some blow before I started chasing Rx pain killers with vodka.

 

Real risk level vs social norms are rarely correlated and many times downright dangerous.

 

I am with you, I think RX pills can be far more scary than some "street drugs." For example my stepdad broke his clavicle and was prescribed RX painkillers. He took a couple and went back to the doctor and basically said take these back, do not give me anything else. He has an addictive personality as proven by his collection of fly rods, guitars, and road bikes that cost more than most motorcycles. He was smart enough to recognize the danger and took steps before it had a chance to escalate.

 

I just think the casual attitude towards weed and other drugs is what leads to trouble. So far in CO since legalization there have been several incidents directly related to weed that ended in death. A college student from Africa going to school in Wyoming, travelled to Denver for Spring Break with friends for the sole purpose of getting high. He bought some cookies, but he didn't realize edibles take longer to kick in and their potency isn't regulated or listed on the packaging. Not feeling the effects, he ate some more, a short time later when the edibles started taking effect, his friends said he started acting erratically then he became violent. The night ended when he jumped from the balcony of the hotel room he was staying in. An average Joe type husband and father of 3 got high. Not thinking about the RX painkillers he was already on and the effects of mixing with weed, he became violent. His wife fearing for the safety of their kids and herself, called the police. The husband shot her in the head while on the phone with the 911 dispatcher. Are these extreme examples? Absolutely, but my point is CO legalized weed without really putting a lot of thought into it other than "tax $$$$."

I am with you, I think RX pills can be far more scary than some "street drugs." For example my stepdad broke his clavicle and was prescribed RX painkillers. He took a couple and went back to the doctor and basically said take these back, do not give me anything else. He has an addictive personality as proven by his collection of fly rods, guitars, and road bikes that cost more than most motorcycles. He was smart enough to recognize the danger and took steps before it had a chance to escalate.

 

I just think the casual attitude towards weed and other drugs is what leads to trouble. So far in CO since legalization there have been several incidents directly related to weed that ended in death. A college student from Africa going to school in Wyoming, travelled to Denver for Spring Break with friends for the sole purpose of getting high. He bought some cookies, but he didn't realize edibles take longer to kick in and their potency isn't regulated or listed on the packaging. Not feeling the effects, he ate some more, a short time later when the edibles started taking effect, his friends said he started acting erratically then he became violent. The night ended when he jumped from the balcony of the hotel room he was staying in. An average Joe type husband and father of 3 got high. Not thinking about the RX painkillers he was already on and the effects of mixing with weed, he became violent. His wife fearing for the safety of their kids and herself, called the police. The husband shot her in the head while on the phone with the 911 dispatcher. Are these extreme examples? Absolutely, but my point is CO legalized weed without really putting a lot of thought into it other than "tax $$$$."

 

Ok... so two people took something without understanding it and had an adverse reaction. That wasn't caused by it being legal, that was them being stupid.

 

100k people die each year from Rx drugs. Which should we be more concerned with? Seems to me like doctors don't put enough emphasis on educating their patients on the potential effects of the drugs they hand out like nothing. And being someone who has fucked myself up pretty good more than a handfull of times on motorcycles and such, they hand out some fcuking serious drugs like they are candy. Shit ghandi himself could get hooked if you recommended that he down 750mg vicodin every four hours for a month "as needed".

 

Man, I didn't mean to completely derail this thread. Maybe we should split this off?

How exactly is marijuana not a gateway drug? In it's current place in society where for the most part it's still either illegal or taboo then it still is.

 

 

For example, in order to smoke marijuana for the most part you have to decide to break some rules and are opening up to a mind altering substance. So once you've crossed this barrier what's to stop you from dropping a hit of acid, chomping some shrooms, taking some molly, snorting a line, if its offered to you?

 

There are a lot of people in this world that for some reason can not stop things when they start them, they are called addicts. They have a genetic personality trait that makes them continue to do something regardless of consequences.

 

Legalize it, remove some of the myths about it that attract many people to try this "gateway" drug, then on to educating and campaigning to stop abuse and enjoy responsibly like with anything else. Just because it's illegal doesn't stop millions of people from smoking. The fact that it's illegal and widely available might actually be helping it's popularity, specially among teens and young people. Keeping it illegal is not going to stop millions of people from smoking.

 

I liked the explanation of the "gateway"ness brought up in the thread, you hear this all the time from people who heard some pundit say it without really understanding the meaning of it. They think just because you smoked a joint or two it's only a matter of time until you're dead in a bathtub with a needle in your arm.

 

Going over the speed limit once or twice isn't a gateway to speeding all the time, for everyone. For some it is, but for most it isn't, because we're educated on the dangers of it and taught to enjoy responsibly from the very beginning.

 

Lastly, people should be free to do whatever the fcuk they want with their own bodies. I thought it was the definition of freedom.

Honestly regardless of the perception of it being a "gateway" drug, if someone with a highly addictive tendancy wants to gain access to it, they will. It is incredibly easy to find it in any city already, so why not take the power out of the cartels, and dealers hands, and try to reduce our rediculous deficit? I know their is a whole additional issue where the dealers and users that have been put in jail for substance abuse or dealing, would then be somewhat "wrongfully accused" if it is ok for the government to slang it.

 

There are a bunch of inherent risks and issues involved with the change, but I feel it is bound to happen eventually.

Lastly, people should be free to do whatever the fcuk they want with their own bodies. I thought it was the definition of freedom.

Might as well support legalization of any and all drugs with that reasoning...

 

 

I tried marijuana once when I was a teenager, never saw the attraction to it. I have a lot more fun drinking