Quote :

Well if you don't take drugs you are more capable of providing a reliable opinion and sane contribution on important AND non-important matters

Except when the matter is drugs.

Quote from BlueFlame :

Well if you don't take drugs you are more capable of providing a reliable opinion and sane contribution on important AND non-important matters, you are in full control of your own body, and moral righteousness, and therefore you're a better fully functioning human.

"Moral righteousness"? We make our own morals. Well, religious people adhere to somebody else's morals but they're pretty gullible and naive people, but yeah, your definition of "moral righteousness" might be good for you, not so much for anybody else.

It seems like alot of people here are talking about legalizing coke, heroine, and other hard drugs along with marijuana. I dont think these should be legalized. These drugs, although fun, are very dangerous. It is not possible to OD on marijuana, yet it is on all other illegal drugs and on most legal drugs. Alcohol should be criminalized, its a dangerous drug with addicting charicteristics and you can OD on that too. Marijuana could replace many dangerous prescription drugs such as anti-depressants, pain killers, and downers. And some of you are still under the impression that it is dangerous. Marijuana, used with a vaporizer, has absolutely no dangerous affects at all. Used without can cause minor respiratory problems. And with cooking with it, again no dangerouse affects.

As for the people who have bad experiences, that can happen to anyone, as with any drug you take. Alot of it can just be the setting your in, a bad setting can cause a bad trip. If this is the case I would suggest trying it again in a better setting.

I dont see how anyone can smoke that stuff. It is beyond me.

Ok, I've been reading this thread all day long.... until I just absolutely busted a gut on that last posting!

I've read through the whole thread now. I've seen arguments about the real or imaginary dangers. But one big question remains unanswered for me: do these substances improve your life? (If not, why bother?)

It's a serious question. I've never done any drugs or alcohol, which (especially the latter) made be a big exception in my Uni years. I've been asked many times why I didn't drink. My reply was "why should I?", and I've never heard a satisfactory answer to that.

Quote from mrodgers :

Ok, I've been reading this thread all day long.... until I just absolutely busted a gut on that last posting!

Quote from wsinda :

one big question remains unanswered for me: do these substances improve your life? (If not, why bother?)

It's difficult to measure a "life improvement", isn't it? No, drugs won't get you more money at work or a more attractive wife, but few activities will. That doesn't make them all valueless.

Drugs might give you a certain perspective on things that you wouldn't otherwise notice, or they might simply entertain you for an evening, or they might help you deal with some emotional issue or other (but that's generally what causes the dependencies that ruin people). That's about all there is to it.

As for me, curiosity killed the cat.

I was curious so I let my cat smoke some and well... you know what happened.

this would be a standard reply from a moderator in public drug forums:

"Before proceeding to post in these forums, you MUST first familiarize yourself with the rules here. Pay close attention to the rules regarding self-incrimination and learn to use SWIM (Someone Who Isn't Me) or equivalent. Proceeding without abiding by our rules can and will get you banned."

sleepy mods

Quote from S14 DRIFT :

...but legalizing any sort of drug will only end up with us becomming like those crazy Dutch people! Imagine a forum full of Ginhos and hrtburnouts

Maybe I should regard being crazy as a compliment (I'm Dutch), but the Netherlands is far behind the UK and France as for Cannabis usage.

When it's illegal, it's more interesting as it adds a bigger thrill to it. Whereas in the Netherlands it's available legally when you're looking for it.

Source 1
Source 2

All this drug talk is very well, but at the end of the day - Doing (any) drugs are illegal unless you have a perscription for them. (Yes, you can get arrested for dealing asprin or something)

It's not cool to do drugs (seriously kids) and really, this thread is nothing but a bad influence. It doesn't help listing a drug>effect list either, because now little Johnny will go and try these 'harmless' substances out, only to have a reaction, have a seizure, end up in a coma for 2 months, only to eventually die from severe brain damage.

And yes, drugs make you see things differently (This bit is to Kev now) - They make everything seem either "cool" or "mean", so you either love everything or you go around fighting and stealing. You can't use depression or other 'emotional issues' as a means of escape either - many people suffer from depression and do not feel the need to turn to substances to get by. Okay, the occasional beer/wine may help, but normally never more than a couple of cans/glasses.

</kev>

Besides, all these drugs are cut so poorly, you never know what you're getting.


http://www.talktofrank.com/home_html.aspx

Have a look around. - Pay extra attention to The A-Z of drugs. It also shows how 'likely' you are to become addicted. Any sort of regular use, even with the drugs that are being discussed here can lead to addiction

Marijuana can cause Skitzophrenia, can cause heart problems, various cancers, nor will you have as much love juice (to you guys out there )

</hides from wrath of ex druggies>

Quote from S14 DRIFT :

And yes, drugs make you see things differently (This bit is to Kev now) - They make everything seem either "cool" or "mean", so you either love everything or you go around fighting and stealing.

Oh really? And this is based on something you saw on TV, I assume? I don't understand why this baseless tripe is directed at me.

Maybe I should just put you on ignore because you seem to do nothing but talk half-baked nonsense in every thread you contribute to.

I say, anyone can go ahead and smoke whatever the hell they want. If it burns, go ahead and smoke it! If it can be digested, then go ahead and eat it. If you feel like stabbing yourself with a needle, go right ahead.

Quote from S14 DRIFT :

Marijuana can cause Skitzophrenia, can cause heart problems, various cancers, nor will you have as much love juice (to you guys out there )

That entire post (not just the part I quoted) is a crock of shit and amounts to something you would hear on a public service channel. Or, maybe you took a Cheech and Chong flick a bit to serious.

Quote from th84 :

That entire post (not just the part I quoted) is a crock of shit and amounts to something you would hear on a public service channel. Or, maybe you took a Cheech and Chong flick a bit to serious.

It's not a crock of shit at all. It's the truth.. You obviously smoke weed. Skitzophrenia isn't something you just spot instantly, so YES your friends could have it too!

Quote from BlueFlame :

It's not a crock of shit at all. It's the truth.. You obviously smoke weed. Skitzophrenia isn't something you just spot instantly, so YES your friends could have it too!

So could anybody who's never smoked pot. There has never been a proven link between thc and schizophrenia, only speculation based on the perceived temporary effects of thc on users with no known history of psychological disorders.

Schizophrenia in it's most basic definition is otherwise known as displaced reality.

In other words, being drunk or even just being in love can be medically classified as a mild form of schizophrenia

I believe weed would only cause schizophrenia if you had underlying problems, or a family history of it.
After all, weed IS a psychedelic.

Psychedilics don't CAUSE schizophrenia/Mental problems, it just brings out whatever underlying problems you would have gotten when your older.

I only smoke once every now and then, its all about moderation, with ANY drug.
Limit your use!
smoke every day? of course your not going to be able to think or concentrate properly!

Well, alot of the posts for and against DO make sense, but at the end of the day.

Drugs - There's a reason they are illegal.

What i think about smoking:

funnily enough i've broken some pb's i thought were unbeatable while i was high, and i still cant break them. So if anything, it enhances my driving skills

A friend told me the other day about how someone had put together a list of drugs ranked by the actual risk/harm done to the individual and society.

Quick search came up with this article..

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17760130/

Cannabis doesn't make it into the top ten, but alcohol and tobacco do. The list looks pretty good to me actually, but I've heard nasty things about GHB from a chemist friend of mine, and was surprised to see it near the bottom of the list.

There's a very good argument for being as informed as possible about all kinds of drugs (not meaning you have to take them), because the law against certain drugs now doesn't reflect the actual potential for damage. Why alcohol and tobacco remain legal (and therefore o.k.) in the minds of some, while people who use cannabis and ecstasy are seen as harmful drug users, needs to be challenged. There are plenty of illegal drugs which aren't even on that list, so the system definitely needs rethinking.

Quote from wildwilly :

funnily enough i've broken some pb's i thought were unbeatable while i was high, and i still cant break them. So if anything, it enhances my driving skills

Specifically, w.r.t. driving in LFS, which skills did being high change, and how?

Personally, I stay away from anything that would alter my behaviour, or behaviour regarding others. Boring, but then, it works for me

there are without a doubt substances that will enhance your driving skills.
SWIM experimented alot and told me.
there are also substances that will inhance or improve your life depending on what you are suffering from or seeking, both legal or illegal.
ALL drugs are good, it just depends how they are used.
dont let the kids educated by FRANK tell you otherwise.
FRANK is a idiot mmkay.
FRANK doesn't tell you paracetamol can be real bad for example besides many other legal drugs.
"Paracetamol is the most commonly used substance in self poisoning (about 70000 cases annually in Britain) and is the most frequent subject of inquiries to the National Poisons Information Services. Paracetamol overdose is the commonest cause of acute liver failure in the United Kingdom, accounting for at least half of all cases sent to tertiary referral units."
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.g ... render.fcgi?artid=1113277