Why are cigarettes legal, but marijuana illegal?

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by onlydarksets

I'm pretty sure we don't want people driving their VW buses around town licking toads and have the cops powerless to do anything about it.

For as much as I've heard "weed makes me a better driver", I am just not sure that is true. In fact, I KNOW it makes me a worse driver. Sure it slows me down, but it makes me less aware of my surroundings.
That being said, I don't think anyone said "hey I'm going to smoke a bowl and drive 50 miles". Just like drinking, we don't want anyone under the influence driving.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by RobH4413

yawn

weed makes me sleepy too

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

weed makes me sleepy too

Holy smokes...the mastermind of the warpath smokes weed. This changes everything. I'm calling my mother and telling her you can acheive elite status and smoke weed at the same time!
hahaha

[Beemnseven]

Beemnseven, the libertine says that everything should be legal ... cocaine, heroin, you name it - have at it.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Holy smokes...the mastermind of the warpath smokes weed. This changes everything. I'm calling my mother and telling her you can acheive elite status and smoke weed at the same time!
hahaha

I don't claim to partake in those sorts of activities currently, but let's just say that during my long and winding road of an undergrad college career... shit happened.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

I don't claim to partake in those sorts of activities currently, but let's just say that during my long and winding road of an undergrad college career... shit happened.

Don't sweat it man, I was just playing with you.
I would wager that of the members here that have been to college, 90% have done it. Yours truly included.

[GhettoDogAllStars]

Originally Posted by Beemnseven

Beemnseven, the libertine says that everything should be legal ... cocaine, heroin, you name it - have at it.

ya know, there are definitely good arguments to be made to support that position. Basically, I just try to keep an open mind and remember that people will do what people will do (mostly regardless of anyone else telling them not to).

onlydarksets: you're right shrooms can be dangerous, and they are totally natural. The only difference I can see between pot and shrooms is that one can kill you immediately, and the other takes much longer (if at all). But really, that difference is not very significant.

Really, the only legitimate justification for illegal drugs is safety. Then, the whole argument about whether this drug or that drug should be illegal, comes down to this question: does the government have a right to protect you from yourself?

[Schneed10]

I'm of the mindset that smoking should be illegal because I hate the smell, marijuana should be illegal because I hate how retarded people's behavior becomes, but booze should be legal because I love beer.

Make marijuana legal for all I care, but it wouldn't change my opinion of it. Smoking that sh*t is a stupid thing to do - it has medicinal properties for people with eye problems, but while they're getting their eyes healthier, they're absolutely slaughtering their lungs just like with cigarrettes. If you don't have eye problems, then it has no medicinal benefits for you, and you might as well just be taking a blowtorch to your lungs every day.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

I'm of the mindset that smoking should be illegal because I hate the smell, marijuana should be illegal because I hate how retarded people's behavior becomes, but booze should be legal because I love beer.

Make marijuana legal for all I care, but it wouldn't change my opinion of it. Smoking that sh*t is a stupid thing to do - it has medicinal properties for people with eye problems, but while they're getting their eyes healthier, they're absolutely slaughtering their lungs just like with cigarrettes. If you don't have eye problems, then it has no medicinal benefits for you, and you might as well just be taking a blowtorch to your lungs every day.

Actually, this article shows that a recent study could not link pot to lung cancer.

Study Finds No Cancer-Marijuana Connection

If we want to talk about retarded behavior, personally I find drunks to be much more annoying than stoners. A stoner is going to laugh at stupid shit and want to eat everything in the house, while a drunk gets violent, obnoxious, or pukes and pisses wherever he or she pleases.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

I don't smoke weed, and get drunk often. I'd say though, that I STRONGLY prefer people who smoke up over drunks.

[hooskins]

Actually the tiredness, or "burnt-out" feeling that occurs with weed can also be attributed to mid-grade or low grade weed, typical in the states. The low quality of the weed can make the tired feeling increase. Very high quality weed, like the weed found in Amsterdam tends to burn you out a whole lot less. So you will feel high, but not just wanna sit around.

[MTK]

Amsterdam must be a stoner's paradise... anyone ever been there?

[GhettoDogAllStars]

Originally Posted by hooskins

Actually the tiredness, or "burnt-out" feeling that occurs with weed can also be attributed to mid-grain or low grain weed, typical in the states. The low quality of the weed can make the tired feeling increase. Very high quality weed, like the weed found in Amsterdam tends to burn you out a whole lot less. So you will feel high, but not just wanna sit around.

hey bro, the high grade stuff isn't just in amsterdam (catch my drift?)

[hooskins]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Amsterdam must be a stoner's paradise... anyone ever been there?

My Best friends went there, and they told me it was amazing. Apparently, as soon as you step out the airport, the air just has a weed smell. Coffee shops have all kinds of weed, purple haze, blueberry, white widow, etc. They also sell shrooms there too. They come in boxes marked from 1-10, 10 being the strongest.

They also went to the Red-light District, one of the guys had alot of fun there . Also the whole peep show thing is true, they have them everywhere.

I know you all think they are probably making up parts of their story, and they might have embelished to an extent. But I can personally vouch for the weed there not making you tired. How you ask? Let's just say they brought back presents....

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Actually, this article shows that a recent study could not link pot to lung cancer.

Study Finds No Cancer-Marijuana Connection

If we want to talk about retarded behavior, personally I find drunks to be much more annoying than stoners. A stoner is going to laugh at stupid shit and want to eat everything in the house, while a drunk gets violent, obnoxious, or pukes and pisses wherever he or she pleases.

That study excluded anyone older than 60 because "those older than that were generally not exposed to marijuana in their youth, when it is most often tried."

I don't know about you guys, but both of my grandmothers smoked all of their lives and were diagnosed with lung cancer when they were in their 80s. If you're going to get lung cancer, whether it be from smoking pot or from smoking tobacco, it's generally going to happen in later years.

This is the only study that has found results like this. If other studies begin to say the same thing, then I'll become a believer. But it doesn't make a ton of sense given that there are a lot more of the same harmful chemicals in weed that are in cigarrette tar.

Besides, cancer isn't the only negative effect from smoking things. Emphesema (sp?) might be worse. It certainly results in a more uncomfortable death.

I just don't get how people can breathe smoke into themselves. It's just beyond me, but that's a personal thing.