Protecting the cannabis user's image

[o.gkushowns]

I just came from the hightimes comment board and would like to say that any government member or anti-cannabis person will surely come to the conclusion that we are all stupid irresponsible morons. I would like to comment on the dumb comments made there.

"Cannabis isn't a drug"- The definition of a drug is something alters our state of mind or our body. Weed gets you high. It's definitly the safest of the mind altering drugs but it still is a drug. Cannabis is a drug just like alcohol but safer. You can use it responsibly but you can also abuse it. I consider myself a responsible toker.I enjoy a nice spliff when I come home from work or even a wakenbake on a sunny day. Some of my freinds however do nothing but smoke joints all day and have done nothing with their lives. Just like some of my freinds are alcoholics, some are potaholics.

"I get my 2 year old baby high"- anyone who does this does deserves to have their children taken away by social services. It is not responsible to get a minor high. Cannabis has been prooven to not be good for children who are still growing. Now I don't wanna be a hypocrite as I started blazing when I was 13 but it simply is not for minors.

"Cannabis is harmless"- While it is without a doubt the most harmless of all the mind altering substances it can have negative effects on certain people. 2-3% of the population who suffer from mental illnesses can be seriously damaged by weed. No I'm not just taking "their" word for it. I've known people who would smoke and go completely nuts. Not many but some (about 2 people in my entire life). Also some people I know don't want to do anything but smoke and they have developed amotivational syndrome. They can't get out of bed and have no reason to. While I believe cannabis is one of the most beutiful things in life, just like alcohol it can ruin people's lives when abused.

Now don't get me wrong I smoke weed nearly every day and enjoy it very much. I'm just saying that if we the cannabis people do not come to terms with certain facts noone will take us and our cause seriously. I'm sorry if I offended anyone.

peacenpot

 

[naga_sadu]

Almost all of us follow your pointers. No matter what it is, a religious group, an unfairly banned substance...anything...you'll always find a few rare extremes. Even w/a PC game!!!!!!! Remember the old game civilisations?? Get a load of this:

http://www.civanon.org/
http://www.civanon.org/home.shtml

ANd coming back to the topic, the media focuses more on these extremes more often than not. And considering the nature in which mmj is kept illegal, it won't surprise me that even if there are 1 billion responsible users and 1 irresponsible one, the media would just focus on that 1 irresponsible one and blow it outta proportion.

Same thing w/ war on terror etc. War on drugs = more $$$. War on terror = more $$$. Not for you or me but for el gobierno's corporate masters, who benefit from drug wars etc. Starting from the arms mfrs. who benefit from any war (including drug war of course which is a HUGE lucrative biz) to the prison builders (construction biz- prison building is profitable business. Profitable enough that the US is housing 22.5% of the world's total prisoner pop), and of course to the pharma corpos (mj is an ayurvedic medicine and a substitute to alopathy- which is what most pharmas deal with). Not to mention chemical giants such as DuPont and the paper industry. And I wonder who controls the media...

 

[o.gkushowns]

Ye for sure I agree. My point was just that they should do some censoring (I know I can't believe I said it either) of the hightimes board cuz all these 11 year olds postin their dumbass coments are hurting our image.
peacenpot

 

[Guest]

Even though I'm kind of new still, I've realized everyone or atleast the regulars are very responsible people, and most of the people are in their 30's and such. Through my experience dealing with people in my age range 16-18, those kids just want to get trashed and eventually leads to other drugs, I dont understand why younger people dont respect it and just smoke and chill. Also getting a 2-year old baby high is the absolute worst thing I've ever heard, that guys penis should have been cut off a long time ago.

Yea it really sucks enjoying a smoke and then realizing the image your casting on your self because of stupid people.

 

[pieceofmyheart]

Good luck o.gkushowns getting anything changed on a forum like that. Unfortunately there are many like that out there that in my opinion really hurt us.
First of all kids shouldn't be allowed on these type forums for that very reason. They want to say they allow children on there for "harm reduction" (taken straight from another weed forum).
Teaching kids they say. Well I don't want to teach kids about anything illegal, they have plenty of time to make those choices when they are able to take care of themselves. Not while they are still developing and living under their parent's roof.

They may still do it, fine. But I won't be on a forum like that. To me it is almost as bad as partying with children, I wouldn't do that either.

I totally agree with you and I basically got chastized and harassed for my opinions on another forum that allows kids to become members.
And yes, it makes all pot smokers look bad, like irresponsible morons, well put.

 

[mars2112]

It is not responsible to get a minor high. Cannabis has been prooven to not be good for children who are still growing.

it's been proven? by whom? can you find me a reference to this?

Now I don't wanna be a hypocrite as I started blazing when I was 13 but it simply is not for minors.

lol.. ok so what did the evil weed do to you, as you say it has been proven to not be good for children. since you started smoking when you were a child, what has it done to you?

my suggestion is to stay off high times boards lol

Highlights from Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts
http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/

edit.. if anyone truly cares about the cannabis users image (we all should care about this) check out mikki norris's project, the Cannabis Consumers Campaign: http://www.cannabisconsumers.org/

 

[pieceofmyheart]

I do not need proof to know that allowing children to get high is irresponsible.
I do know that they are growing physically, emotionally and mentally, I for one do not think they should smoke cigs, weed or drink alcohol. They are children for Christ's sake, what in the hell kind of proof do you want?

Not only that, but as a child your parent is responsible for you and what you do in the eyes of the law. In other words, what 16 or 17 year old kid has enough of their own money that their parent's wouldn't have to pay should thay get busted? The parent's pay the bucks and take the kid to court and all the shit that goes along with a minor engaging in illegal behavior.

 

[Guest]

I think the major problem is young smokers may be pro-pot but they still arn't that educated about it, and also do not grow, if you look at who's smoking now a days in the usa it's 15-24 years olds (that are no way descrite) and then the 40-60 year old 70's types, that are the more cautious old school types of thinkers, thats the path i tend to follow as i'm scarred, but i do toke at some activist conventions in public in sf but thats the most public i toked at, i like closed doors.

 

[mars2112]

i'm asking for this "proof" that cannabis is harmful to children. if this has been proven by scientific research, i'd like to see the research. i did not refer to parental responsibility, legality, or court costs, as you mentioned. just simply the proof that he mentioned. and, since he was a child when he started using cannabis, i asked how it has harmed him personally.

They are children for Christ's sake, what in the hell kind of proof do you want?

scientific research. if someone claims MJ has been "proven" to be harmful to children, i would like to see this proof. considering the DEA won't allow research with cannabis to be done in this country, it must have been done somewhere else, so i'd like to know.

i am a MMJ activist in CA and i know of several children who have MMJ recommendations, under the guidance of their parents and doctors. one of which is a leukemia patient in lake county. she has been able to actually eat and gain weight since using cannabis. i know 2 other kids who use cannabis instead of pharmacueticals, again under the guidance of parents and doctors.

so i'd like to know this proof that mj is harmful.

 

[pieceofmyheart]

Mars2112, that is completely different. Using cannibis medicinally is an entirely different ballgame. If I had a child going through chemo I would of course want them to have it so they could eat. And other ailments, along with a Doctor's care, sure.

That is not what he was talking about and neither was I.

Marijuana could still be bad for a developing child but the less of two evils with an ill one.

 

[diggle]

I agree...medicinal use is entirely different than recreational. The effects that marijuana has on a developing mind are completely unpredictable at best; I believe it is the same with prescription drugs and I'm entirely against putting kids on any of those as well. Of course if your child had cancer, you'd probably be willing to forego any possible developmental effects in favor of him/her being able to eat.

 

[Verite]

Because we all know what effects weed has on cognitive learning. Then again some of us had help from friends whos older brothers and sisters thought it would be cool to get their younger siblings high anywhere from 7-8 years old on up and these were the kids that always had the hardest time thru high school and most dropped out. And like you said, you probably wont find a study of those kids for the same ethical reasons.

But lucky we got places like Myspace taking the heat off everyplace else. That and Dateline exposure of inet pervs pretty much keep all the heat off of weed sites. That and theres too much hassle to exposing sites where all the members use anonymous handles.

 

[robobond]

Besides the fact that a site like ic mag has a lot of european memebers. And being based in amsterdam there aint shit they can do about it but take it up the proverbial asshole.

 

[pieceofmyheart]

The very reason I am at IC. It is an adult board and I am more comfortable with it, and I get tired of STFU and all the other crap that comes from kids.

Besides when I read some of the stuff like the thread starter showed us, I think it is embarrassing and the adults on those forums should be embarrassed or ashamed to even allow it.

 

[Laxpunker]

While I don't think physically marijuana will cause any problems to children all you gotta do is take one look at yummybud and it's clear it effects them mentally...

 

[jaykush]

Through my experience dealing with people in my age range 16-18, those kids just want to get trashed and eventually leads to other drugs, I dont understand why younger people dont respect it and just smoke and chill

hey i got my fun done early and it proved to be a lot better. now when i NEED a job to stay alive i cant deal with harder shit plus i learned its a waste of time buy hey kids need there fun. so no i see the ones that were held back on it, all druggies now, poor beacuse they spend there shit on drugs, i know its not nice to laugh but haha dumbasses.

o.gkushowns: just try and teach as many as possible whats up. its the only thing we can do.

 

[mars2112]

The effects that marijuana has on a developing mind are completely unpredictable at best

Because we all know what effects weed has on cognitive learning. Then again some of us had help from friends whos older brothers and sisters thought it would be cool to get their younger siblings high anywhere from 7-8 years old on up and these were the kids that always had the hardest time thru high school and most dropped out.

Marijuana could still be bad for a developing child but the less of two evils with an ill one.

but this is all opinon and in the case of verite, anecdotal. there is no mention of research backing up these claims. it's just your opinions based on your personal experiences. not that there's anything wrong with your opinions, but they don't prove anything about the relative harm of cannabis. and i asked the original poster what proof he was talking about.

i'm asking for studies, citations, references.. this so called "proof" that marijuana is harmful to developing children. i mentioned medical cannabis becuase doctors recommend it for sick children. they have also recommended it for kids with ADD, as a natural substitute for ritilin. my point was, cannabis is less harmful than traditional pharmaceuticals and if it were harming child development, doctors would not recommend it.

there have been studies of children of pregnant women who use cannabis, which show evidence of cannabis' relative harmlessness. a study was done in jamaica of women who smoke throughout pregnancy whose children scored higher on developmental scores than children of non-smokers (Janice Hayes, Melanie Dreher and J. Kevin Nugent, "Newborn Outcomes With Maternal Marihuana Use in Jamaican Women," Pediatric Nursing 14 #2: 107-10 (Mar-Apr. 1988). http://www.druglibrary.org/SCHAFFER/hemp/medical/can-babies.htm

my point is, if you post things like "there's proof it is no good for children who are developing" then please post a citation or reference. this is the same tactic that anti-drug zealots use - make claims about drug use without actual scientific facts backing them up.

besides, the brain damage claim has been disproven
http://www.druglibrary.org/Schaffer/hemp/general/mjmyth/Exposing_08_1095.html

please don't take my posts as some sort of "yay let's get kids stoned" proclamation. i worked as a researcher in the field of drug use for many years, on federally-funded grants, so i'm a stickler when it comes to making claims about "proof"... it is dangerous to post opinions as facts, to make claims with no basis in science, especially when it comes to cannabis, one of the most misunderstood plants on the planet. please, leave that to the drug czar.

i think lynn zimmer and john morgan said it best in their book Exposing Marijuana Myths: A Review of the Scientific Evidence with respect to marijuana and developing fetuses:

Although it is sensible to advise pregnant women to abstain from using most drugs - including marijuana - the weight of scientific evidence indicates that marijuana has few adverse consequences for the developing human fetus.

it is sensible that little kids should not get high, for many reasons. but that doesn't mean cannabis is harmful to their brain development. there simply isn't any evidence proving that. and that was my point.

 

[Jam Master Jaco]

Mars, buddy, I kind of hear what you're trying to say. But you're defending people who get their little kids high, and that's just absolutely ridiculous. And despite the fact that you found a few sources who have disproven the claim that it causes brain damage, you cannot deny the fact that most kids who start smoking young turn into complete dumbasses....and just as a side note, if I ever saw someone getting their 2 year old BABY high, I would probably snap and break many laws in the process of telling them that their actions are wrong.


I agree that their are too many dumbasses that feel they should let their opinions be known to everyone else. I fall into the young age category since I'm still a teen (I'm 19). I've been smoking weed everyday since I was about 15 1/2 years old..BUT...I've been doing so responsibly for the last year and a half. It takes a lot of self motivation and the shunning of peer pressure to be able to smoke weed but do so responsibly. The sad truth is that most people my age have succumbed to letting other people tell them what to do so they do not know how to think responsibly for themselves.

They've had mommy and daddy spoon feed them everything throughout life and as soon as they graduate highschool BOOM! They are hit with the brickwall of reality and realize that their 7 dollar an hour job that could buy them weed, fast food, and gas for their cars will not support them if they try to get an apartment and live on their own. I honestly try very hard to teach them how to stand up on their own two feet so to speak, and really, it's like they just don't fucking listen. They are caught between 2 realities. One where they can live at their mom's house and smoke weed all day...and the other where they sometimes will have to go without weed for days or weeks in order to pay bills. It is a big problem because those idiots are the ones who make a negative stereotype for the rest of us potheads.

 

[Laxpunker]

For being 19 you have a sound head on your shoulders. While I agree there may be no physical side effects of smoking young, there is the childs mental capacity to take into account. Is a child really intelligent enough to not only moderate their habit, but to not get addicted? Children are highly dependent on things, and time has shown that weed can also be the case.

When and if my daughter decides to smoke I will welcome her with open arms, in fact I'll most likely roll a joint for the occasion. However her choice will not be made by my actions, and I hope not by her peers.

 

[mars2112]

Mars, buddy, I kind of hear what you're trying to say. But you're defending people who get their little kids high, and that's just absolutely ridiculous.

what? did you actually read my post? because i don't think you heard any of what i'm saying.

And despite the fact that you found a few sources who have disproven the claim that it causes brain damage, you cannot deny the fact that most kids who start smoking young turn into complete dumbasses

again.. what? young people turning into dumbasses.. this is a fact? has this been studied somewhere? is their a quantitative measure of dumbass-ness that exists somewhere?

I fall into the young age category since I'm still a teen (I'm 19). I've been smoking weed everyday since I was about 15 1/2 years old..BUT...I've been doing so responsibly for the last year and a half.

oh ok, you are 19. now i understand your comments here.

so tell me, since you have been smoking herb since you were a child (and some would argue, still are) what harm to your development have you experienced as a result of your cannabis use?

you guys are posting emotionally-driven guesses, hearsay, assumptions. and all i'm saying is, there's not really any evidence indicating that cannabis inhibits cognitive development in children. there just hasnt been many studies allowed. i don't see how this means i defend people who get kids high. i simply asked for the research. accusing me of defending people who get kids high.. well that's just an unfair way to debate someone.