If you compare the listed 'know side effects' of Kartom to those of a whole wide variety of regularly prescribed pharmaceutical drugs then Kartom seems extremely mild by comparison.

As for the professions by some that marijuana is "the safest recreation intoxicant known to mankind" well, depending on what you consider to be an "intoxicant" ( personally I classify 'Love' as an intoxicant) and depending on what one's definition of "safe" is I might take some exception to that assertion though I do support the legalization and regulation of marijuana.

You don't know anyone that died because they smoked pot Jeremy.

Jeremy-960164: If you can't spell, or even copy/paste a word from the headlines, please refrain from posting while you redo elementary school English. And I'd say you're full of sh!t, talking about 4 friends dead because of pot, but if they're as dumb as you...

Really Jeremy? Four headstones because of pot? I mean no disrespect to you or your departed friends but I am 48 years old and been around "pot smokers" my entire life and know of no one that has passed (overdosed) due to smoking marijuana. Now if we are talking about driving under the influence or being a gateway drug to other substances those are different arguments. Getting behind the wheel while impaired is irresponsible and violaters should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. And trust me if someone moved on to heavier drugs it is not because they started smoking pot. They would have ended up there anyway.

LOL 4 dead friends because of pot? Please do explain that one, might as well say you have 4 dead friends because of coffee.

He said "safest", not "safe". No substance ingested or inhaled for any purpose is entirely safe, even a cheeseburger. Pot has a strong track record for causing minimal side effects to the users, especially compared to the garbage alterno-weeds the dumb kids are smoking instead. I am also against medical marijuana - it's a cop-out and a half truth. Pot needs to be as legal as alcohol but as long as big booze keeps their lobbyists fighting it, it's not gonna happen regardless of the tax potential or the violence caused by criminality. If you want legal pot- booze is no friend of yours.

Couldn't agree more United! ..... And Jeremy...... come on ...... the anticipation of your response and explanation is killing us!

Thank you, United States 1776! I was just about to say the same thing but you already said it.

Many have been baffled by the fact that, although marijuana is demonstrably less harmful than alcohol, it's prohibition has outlasted the alcohol prohibition by six decades. It seems unbelievable until you realize that hemp was the real target of the 1937 marijuana ban and the real reason it continues to be prohibited in spite of it's great popularity and harmlessness.

Please sign the legalize hemp petitions at change dot org.

Many people don't realize that the reason for the 1937 pot prohibition is not pot but hemp which competes with petroleum, nylon, wood pulp, cotton etc. Hemp was the real threat to big business and pot provided an excuse and battle cry which was picked up by generations of feeble-minded, jingoistic blow-hards. 4 generations of a grossly unfair law originally pushed by Shell, Mobil and Dupont. Everyone please readTHe Emperor Wears No Clothes. In 1776 the Declaration of Independence was printed on hemp.

My Uncle Ed was killed by marijuana. One day, a bale of it fell on his head.

stoopid, your moniker says it all.

Big Trouble - I basically agree with you. However I had never thought about the alcohol industry being against it. Interesting point. I guess I assumed they would probably get involved in marketing it, just like the government would tax it like they do alcohol.

Jeremy - get a grip, man. I struggle believing you assertion but ignoring that, how many tombstones can you find where alcohol played a role? Alcohol is a much bigger problem to your society.

Many of the people I knew/know that would never and did never smoke pot went on to do harder drugs,pills coke,and worse.

Jean: I've never used drugs myself, but what exactly would be the "consequences"of using marijuana if it were leaglized??

heya jeremy lemme know where ur frenz got that weed, sh!t man, sounds like sum reeeel kron 2 me!

I've never used drugs myself, but what exactly would be the "consequences"of using marijuana if it were leaglized??

Ummm...higher grocery bills?

I am startled by how quickly this became a discussion about pot.

Well, if you listen to the nutjob lobbyists fighting the legalization, it's always "a slippery slope" to something along the lines of our kids turning tricks in back alleys for a fix, or "a slippery slope" to everyone pounding half a kilo of heroin into their eyeballs on their lunch break. No word on what would happen on the way down that slope, but since when did logic matter to them?

Jeremy-960164

What happened. They get hit by a drunk driver??

Jeremy,

Not only are you completely ignorant, you're a liar too. Get lost.

Jean,

You're just not very bright, are you?

dslsca - Carl Sagan was a user and advocate of marijuana. Under the pseudonym "Mr. X", he contributed an essay about smoking cannabis to the 1971 book Marihuana Reconsidered. The essay explained that marijuana use had helped to inspire some of Sagan's works and enhance sensual and intellectual experiences. After Sagan's death, his friend Lester Grinspoon disclosed this information to Sagan's biographer, Keay Davidson. The publishing of the biography, Carl Sagan: A Life, in 1999 brought media attention to this aspect of Sagan's life. Not long after his death, widow Ann Druyan had gone on to preside over the board of directors of NORML, a foundation dedicated to reforming cannabis laws.

You can't actually OD on MJ. Can't as in not physically possible to inhale enough of it. It has a really low toxicity value, even to a lab rat. The average human would have to smoke nearly 20 pounds of MJ within a few hours, by themselves, to OD. And even then it won't kill you, just make you sick and induce a reaction (uncontrollable vomiting / ect..). Way before you'd smoked that much you'd be having breathing problems due to low oxygen intake and would pass out. The only way they've been able to introduce a toxic reaction in the lab was via concentrated THC liquid injection. That's how they know what the lethal dosage would be (killed some lab rats).

That all being said, MJ still cause's mild intoxication similar to several drinks of Ethyl hydroxide, the worlds most commonly used recreational drug. You should never drive, operate heavy machine, nor making life changing decisions while under the effects of THC.

Personally I'm for ending prohibition against it, then regulate and tax it just like you do alcohol and tobacco products.

freedman: thanks for the info. I'm not really a Sagan fan, but it's nice to know he agrees with me.

We now arrest people for selling "fake illegal drugs", now just how stupid is this. America has just put "fake illegal substances" on par with the "REAL Illegal Substance". If someone, regardless of age, wants to get high and risk their lives in the process then so be it. You can't continue to regulate and make everyday substances, like forms of incense and the like, illegal just because some kid (who is old enough to know better, injures or kills themselves trying to get high. I think it is an injustice to the majority of us who have to suffer because of the actions of a few. The idiots are going to find something else to use to get high, no matter what is made illegal.

Wonderful. Another drug people can destroy their brains with and then go on government assistance when they can no longer hold a job.

This article is written as if this is a terrible new public health crisis, yet ER visits are a whopping 6? Oh, man, stop the presses!

How many people go to the emergency room every year from legal prescription overdose? How many people die each year from legal prescriptions? Waaaaaaaaay more than 6.

Interesting thing about THC is that it doesn't form a physical addiction. Unlike nicotine and ethyl hydroxide, which both form mental and physical addiction, there are no physical withdrawal symptoms. It's addictiveness is placed between coffee and nicotine. It's harmless side effects are places less then nicotine / ethyl hydroxide yet more then caffeine. Its truly is an incredibly benign substance, especially when compared to over-the-counter medicates or even prescription pain medication (Oxycontin / Valium / ect..).

Almost every "prohibition" argument boils down to MJ being a door to heroine, X and LSD. Which doesn't make logical sense as both nicotine and ethyl hydroxide are more readily available, more addictive, and more dangerous. If MJ is a "gateway' drug" then so are nicotine and ethyl hydroxide.

So, wait, marajuana is illegal, but we allow stuff like this into ER rooms? Seriously, what does pot do? Anybody?

Okay, for all you morons that think pot is harmless. Pot has a lot of carcinogens in it. I know two brothers that used to smoke a lot in their younger years and both wound up with cancer, although cancer is not in their family history. Coincidence? I think not. I think pot was directly related. Oh, and they did not smoke cigarettes. Just pot.

That may be what Jeremy is referring to above.

Seriously, you can't believe that any type of smoke inhaled into your lungs is good for you, do you?

@alan, I think the key phrase here is "a lot". Pot is completely harmless, unless you start to abuse it, like your brothers did, which is a shame. Addiction can come from anywhere and anything if you use it too much. I say don't overuse it, yet don't outlaw it completely. Find a nice balance of the two. Like if you want to play some Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band every now and then.

Also, carcinogens are in beer, too. It can lead to stomach cancer. Pot isn't the only place that has it.

alan290 - Cancer prevention research shows just the opposite. Marijuana usage actually reduces the odds that one will acquire cancer.

Dry medical reading, but you may be interested.

http://cancerpreventionresearch.aacrjournals.org/content/2/8/759.abstract

Okay, for all you morons that think pot is harmless. Pot has a lot of carcinogens in it. I know two brothers that used to smoke a lot in their younger years and both wound up with cancer, although cancer is not in their family history. Coincidence? I think not. I think pot was directly related. Oh, and they did not smoke cigarettes. Just pot.

That may be what Jeremy is referring to above.

Seriously, you can't believe that any type of smoke inhaled into your lungs is good for you, do you?

Never said MJ was completely harmless, just less harmful then nicotine / ethyl hydroxide.

Tobacco products give people cancer every day, every year, for decades (that we've known of). Your argument is for the prohibition of tobacco products. Good luck with that.

It also fails to address injecting THC in non smoked forms. Cut up the leafs and use them as a food additive.

theotherguy - If you are interested, you may want to read this - http://tinyurl.com/3y953l8

Marijuana has been shown to not only prevent cancer, but to reduce tumours with no damage to surrounding tissue.

The truth is out there.

Pot is a LOT less dangerous than tobacco smoke. It's a lot less mind-altering than alcohol.

I'm not saying it should or shouldn't be legal. I'm saying the rules, as written, are inconsistent. Either pot should be legal, or tobacco and alcohol should be illegal.

Alan290 #1.32

Sooooo.... they got high a lot and got carcinogens from eating Big Macs?

I guess no other people without a history of family cancer have ever had cancer?

Alan: Unfortunately, I too know a few people who have fallen to cancer, and who also didn't smoke cigarettes. Thing is, they didn't smoke weed either. There are cancer causing chemicals in plenty of things we eat, breath, and ingest all the time; even the lowly hot dog. You are jumping to distant conclusions that weed causes cancer, because there really isn't anything to suggest it does.

After years of exhaustive study, I have discovered that 98% of all heroin addicts drank Kool Aid as a child. Therefore we must outlaw Kool Aid from our grocery shelves. The other two percent of heroin addicts drank lemonade as a child, so lemonade must go also. Now we can all be safe.

@Mark:

Genius. Pure genius. I cannot understate that.

NO ONE NORMAL ever actually speaks up about this arguement.

You either have the Cult of Pot, who literally make up information in their heads and call it science. According to them, Pot cures everything, including cancer, and including lung cancer if you smoke it (because, somehow, magically, soot in your lungs from burned ash doesn't come from pot).

Then you have the Uptights. The uptights not only want you to never smoke pot, they want to invade Mexico and destroy it, because, you know, its MEXICO's fault that people smoke pot.

Like with gun control laws, the only people who care are the looneys, and they care too much.

Just legalize it so everyone can get disappointed. Your pot will be incorporated, mass produced from China, taxed, and made sh*t*y, buy you will smoke it just like you go to WalMart and don't pay more than $5 a gallon for gas. In other words, you lie if you say you actually care about the quality of anything when you want to legalize pot. You just want it watered down, and sucky, to make a point.

That's mostly true in any business. Something for nothing. The dream that can't happen that people insist will.

NO ONE NORMAL ever actually speaks up about this arguement.

Thanks for the public admission Derek. Takes some guts.

Maybe Jeremy is talking about 4 friends who got shot by the Mexican cartel? As for smoking Marijuana, my doctor recommends using a vaporizer to avoid all the tar. I don't know of any drug that is more safe than Marijuana. Even aspirin has negative effects.

Cheech & Chong used that method, Get a Clue. They called it a bong, though.

you lie if you say you actually care about the quality of anything when you want to legalize pot. You just want it watered down, and sucky

I dunno. Look at beer. Bud Light vs. a nice micro. Look at coffee. You can get pretty wretched, poorly ground robusta at Wal-Mart for, I dunno - a buck a pound or something. But look across the aisle. There are some pretty credible coffee-house grade coffees, still at decent prices, because a lot of people will pay more for quality. I bet a diverse marketplace in pot will emerge once it's legal.

Rent the documentry "Reefer Madness" if you want to know the dangers of where pot use can lead...

In other words, you lie if you say you actually care about the quality of anything when you want to legalize pot. You just want it watered down, and sucky, to make a point.

While I agree that most people don't really care about MJ. I disagree about your "quality" statements. We're not talking "Cuban Cigar" quality we're talking safety quality. Currently without regulation there is no standardized way to make a joint, not only that but MJ producers can mix whatever they want into their product with no fear of legal repercussion. Lots of dangerous crap can and will be mixed into the join to alter it's effects and make it 100x more dangerous. THC by itself is not remotely dangerous, but drain-o and other cheap "additives" are dangerous and can result in death and severe toxic side effects.

So when people are talking quality / standardization their not talking the product's value but the safety standards used to protect the consumer from unscrupulous producers.

I found this on kratom.com --

The practice of using Kratom to break the opium addiction became so popular and widespread in the areas where Kratom was grown and eventually was seen as a “Threat” by the opium traders to their lucrative trade. Things progressed and due to the extreme influence of the opium trade and it’s traders Kratom was finally declared illegal in Thailand in 1943 with the passing of what was called “The Kratom Act 2486” that made the planting of the kratom tree illegal!!!

***********

p.s. - theotherguy - I have never ever ran across a joint laced with Drain-O. I suspect such a product would be extremely easy to spot.

I can point you to 4 headstones where some of my friends are at because of Pot.

I say shenanigans.

If a person tried alcohol at say 15. Then a few months later smoked pot for the first time, then 4 years later tried coke, or heroin. Wouldn't alcohol be the gateway drug?

"Reefer Madness"?!?, HAhaHahaHAha.....................................................................................................

They have a concoction in Hawaii made from a root that can knock you on your butt and numb the pain.. My brother used it to kick the booze and said it was easy to stop using it and he did not have to suffer the DTs.. Bet big alcohol don't want people to know about that stuff, no DTs and no cravings to drink again "WOW" think of all the money that industry would loose.. No one drug is a best fit for all occasions or all people and some are just junk but one persons junk might be anothers saving grace..

I take only as needed prescribed Percocet which is a quick acting narcotic pain reliever because I have horrible pain episodes due to a severe spinal injury about 15 years ago.. Of all the meds I have tried it works best with the least side effects and and easily dismissed withdraws in my case but others have different results.. It seems to have similar side effects to this stuff as well as the narcotic desired effect but is natural and not synthetic.. Have taken prescription antidepressants and all have caused far more problems than they fixed for me.. I have been on prescribed Oxy and Morphine for pain and I can verify that they have horrible side effects and cause addiction and withdrawals.. Oxy was the worst of them all, seems it was designed to be addictive by big pharmaceutical.. I would like an honest study of this herb to see if it could help people like me.. I live in a state where Cannabis is still holding demon status and the federal pricks at BWC/SSD would stop benefits if you tested positive so its use would be financially dangerous.. It is an excellent sedative/antidepressant for some but not all people when used in moderation that prevents muscle cramps, relieves pain and is a great sleep aid.. Yep the medical/Pharmacy industry dictates policies through the bought and paid for politicians that benefit their bottom line.. Just no profit for them if someone can grow their own medication for free in a sunny window..

p.s. - theotherguy - I have never ever ran across a joint laced with Drain-O. I suspect such a product would be extremely easy to spot.

It was done back in the 90's, lead to some people getting very sick. They would put a little bit of drain-o into the mix before rolling it, you'd only know after you light up.

I just used that as a demonstration that in such an underground and unregulated market there is no safety for the consumer. There is no quality control for the THC content and mix additives nor the paper / glue combo used. Some glue's are toxic if burned and not meant for human consumption.

There was a very good and balanced British documentary that discussed various aspects of marijuana, including health effects. There were many good health effects of marijuana, including helping seizures and pain, but not by smoking. The lungs are damaged by the smoke, probably by high tar content in the smoke, which could lead to shortness of breath and lung disease over time. Years ago I also heard from a naturopath that it is hard on the liver, but I've never heard that from anybody else. I wish it were legal in the U.S., as my husband has cancer, but maybe it is better in spaghetti sauce than smoke. And second-hand smoke would cause some effects for others: some people are allergic and become belligerent; and some need the clarity of mind if they are about to drive.

It's true that pot can be a gateway drug, but only because it's illegal. Since it's against the law, you have to go to a dealer. Said dealer might also have coke or LSD or whatever other drugs will make him/her money. And since you're already trying something out that everyone says is bad, and you find out that it's actually kinda fun, you might be more willing to try the other drugs that everyone says is bad. I lived in Colorado and I had my MMJ (medicinal marijuana). The only 'drugs' you could get was pot, and the budtenders (that's what I called them) were all incredibly informed and knowledgeable about thier products. I never felt pressured into buying anything I didn't want. Can you say the same thing about Pusher man on the street? I have seen what legalizing pot, even as just a medicinal practice, has done and I firmly believe that making it legal and treating it as a controlled substance is the best way to go for this country. Government makes money off the taxes and the US citizenry finally get to be treated like adults.

i just 5 kilo's of kratom and since its legal i plan on marketing this stuff and making a killing.if interested email @ jackwilson7070 at yahoo dot com

This article must be wrong. DARE taught me there are only like 5 bad drugs. Kratom isn't one of them sorry. So long as there is open knowledge about the harmful affects of a substance there is no good justification for its prohibition.

There should be effective alternatives to pharmaceuticals but the only ones that get outlawed are the ones that work. There are plenty of dangerous alternative herbs that are legal and don't actually help any medical condition significantly. I wonder why that would be. Greed should not get in the way of medicine.

next thing people are going to want to have cocaine and heroin legalized, because some crack head will say that those drugs are safe. no drug is % 100 safe ! alcohol is already legal now people want marijuana legalized !? I sure as hell would not want someone on marijuana or alcohol or both out on the streets where my family drives, grow up people !!!!

do you want to buy some

daryl2183015, while I don't know of people killed outright by smoking marijuana, it is a well-known fact that excessive exposure to marijuana smoke causes communism.

Question #1: Have you ever seen an election judge at a Republican primary polling place smoking marijuana?

Question #2: Have you ever been inside a Republican primary polling place (in order to credibly answer Question #1)?

I rest my case.

Sandra, I must assume if MJ were legalized you would smoke it. Or is it just other people you speak for?

Do the other people know you are speaking for them? Why don't you just speak for yourself, because you do not know these other people who would demand cocain and heroin be legalized.

"Even if one takes every reefer madness allegation of the prohibitionists at face value, marijuana prohibition has done far more harm to far more people than marijuana ever could."
William F. Buckley, Jr.

And it would end all this experimentation with other hugely dangerous substances.

You are living in a fantasy world if you think legalizing pot would end experimentation.

Pot should be legalized it is a pointless regulation and as an intoxicant pot is indeed fairly harmless.

Still people will always want to get different highs. Or get higher.

Plus it sounds as if this drug is not being marketed as an intoxicant:

The leaf, which is indigenous to Southeast Asia, has been around for thousands of years, and proponents argue that it is safe and effective for many maladies, while having fewer side effects and being less addictive than pharmaceutical alternatives, such as oxycodone. In small doses, they say, kratom provides an energy boost — the plant is in the coffee family — and in larger doses it creates a mellow, sedating effect, acting on the opioid receptors.

"Kratom makes people feel pain free, strong, active and optimistic," according to the Website Kratom.com. It has multiple functions, said the site, which sells kratom leaves, powder and extracts from Thailand — "as a strong and reliable herbal painkiller, to relieve depression and as a social and professional enhancer to intensify communicational skills and induce higher motivation."

Princess- They were not my brothers. They were brothers to each other and friends of mine, and fortunately they caught the cancer and they are both in remission.

Pot is completely harmless,

I wouldn't bet the farm on it, sweetheart.

Princess, Odd8t, Freedman1, and Jack Colton- I know that other things can cause cancer as well, but inhaling any type of smoke CANNOT BE GOOD FOR YOU. It might alleviate pain in some cases, but it cannot be good for your lungs. I wouldn't believe everything you read. People might have ulterior motives when they print that crap. I have also read that one marijuana joint has more carcinogens than a pack of filtered cigarettes.

Some people are predisposed to be risk takers. Those people will try many things, if not most, at least once. A person who smokes cigarettes in spite of the obvious and stated risks, is a risk taker. It is the personality that drives the addiction, in most cases. In the case of synthetic opiates, said opiates can become a matter of addiction because they are designed that way, pharmaceutically-speaking, or they would fail to relieve pain and the depression associated with said pain. That said, these synthetic opiates don't work so well on many people, the people who not only fail to get "a good feeling" that an opiate should create, but who also experience the horrible side effects of these very unclean and legal drugs. Indeed, I was prescribed Vicodin and Hydrocodone for heinous pain from a nerve crushed underneath a collapsed vertebrae in my neck. Before I had surgery to correct the problem, I took ONE of each, at different times of course, and proceeded to toss them all down the commode. I got nothing in terms of relief, and I spent an hour in the restroom throwing up and clawing my skin off from the itching. So, all of that said, the people who are going to smoke pot, be it legal or illegal, are going to smoke pot. The people who don't still won't because they're not the least bit intrigued by it and/or they smoked it once or twice in their younger years and just didn't like it. Many have the same story about their lack of interest in cigarettes and alcohol. As for medical marijuana, I'll withhold comment because I honestly don't know who grows it or how it's grown. The only thing I know for sure is that nothing sold for profit is ever 100% clean. If there is to be any legalization of marijuana, people should be allowed to grow their own with limits on production to prohibit selling it without proper permitting/licensing. You could still buy from the Bud Vendors, but would also have the option of growing it yourself in the privacy of your own home. That's my 2 cents on the matter and, yes, I believe it should be legalized. If you feel the need to outlaw anything, outlaw liquor, wine and beer and put a regulator on all gas pedals . It's a matter of fact that the dominating factor in most deadly accidents is the combination of alcohol and high speeds.

I agree, it should be legalized. If for no other reason than it is a huge waste on tax payers money chasing potheads, when there are better ways of spending our taxes.

Besides, if pot were legal, we could tax it and add to our tax base.

Hell, if we allow people to drink (and possibly destroy their liver), and smoke (and destroy their lungs), and drive while texting, why not. It can't be any worse than all the other stupid things we let our citizens do. As long as they are punished them if their stupid activity impacts others, they might as well go for it!

P.S. Did anyone else notice that this built in spell checker does not recognize "texting" as a word. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! That's rich!!!

RoninColorado wrote:

personally I classify 'Love' as an intoxicant

In reference to

the safest recreation intoxicant known to mankind

So Ron, I assume you are implying that no one has ever been killed over "love"?

Thanks for the public admission Derek. Takes some guts

Thanks Freedman1. I see you've done the same. I'm happy to help you out with your own self-identification.

To the punk that emailed me:

And you're a moron with an, effectively speaking, 2nd grade science education. I'm not worried about some chimp such as yourself embarrassing me, especially on this subject of which it's blatantly obvious that you know nothing about. You're just a little @!$%#hole kid that believes everything you were ever told in DARE. You can think what you want Einstein, but the science is on my side, not yours. Other than the fact that it can inhibit driving somewhat, everything you mentioned is complete bull@!$%#. The majority of cannabis users are skinny. It's has anti tumor properties and significantly reduces the risks of many cancers. It is less "addictive" than caffeine and scores lower on the LD50 Scale than does water or aspirin, both of which can kill you in large enough amounts. As far as emphysema goes, learn what vaporization is and understand the fact that it can be used in edible form. Lastly, every major medical association in the western world recognizes the benefits of cannabis, from the American Medical Association to the British Medical Association and beyond. I'm sure you know more than they do, right kid? You don't even know how it became illegal, do you?

People such as yourself that are willfully ignorant are beyond pathetic. You can choose to remain ignorant (which I"m sure you'll do) or you can decide to actually learn something. Until then I suggest you take your juvenile rage and angst somewhere else, understand kid?

next thing people are going to want to have cocaine and heroin legalized

These were legal for a very long time.

freedman1: Bongs and vaporizers are two completely different devices. I believe vaporizers produce cleaner smoke; for the money you spend, they better.

Alan, you can pretty much give up on your idea that pot smoke causes cancer. You are correct that this smoke contains carcinogens. So does every single breath you take. There's also mercury, all kinds of particulate matter, and countless other kinds of toxins in the air. Before you say, "Well if your lungs are already being damaged, why add another source of damage," consider this; No one has yet to get cancer from smoking pot. Very large studies have been performed which show that if there is any correlation between pot smoking and cancer, it is a negative one. If anything it appears smoking pot slightly decreases the risk of cancer.

Our wonderful federal drug agency tried to prove pot causes cancer back in the 70's. They were bewildered when their pointedly biased study didn't give them the desired results. What they found was estonishing, especially in a time when cancer was very poorly understood. Marijuana shrinks several types of tumors by over a third. Do you have any idea how hard they tried to cover that up? Immediately thereafter, laws were set in place to completely stifle any meaningful research on marijuana. In fact it is ilegal in the US to conduct a study for the purpose of finding or proving medical uses of marijuana.

Now that you know the truth, maybe you can spread it around like you spread around the falsity that pot causes cancer. It not only can prevent cancer and help to heal it. It also just happens to make the cancer patient feel better and at least in lab mice, live much longer than they would otherwise.

I can point you to 4 headstones where some of my friends are at because of Pot.

$20 says Jeremy-960164 is blaming pot for his friends deaths because they decided to drive while intoxicated.

Here is hoping it never becomes Legal, and the Federal Gvmnt finally wakes the hell up and arrests all the " medical sellers ".

So let me get this straight, you want cannabis to stay illegal and medicinal cannabis to be shut down completely because some people get high off of it and act stupid?

Medical my ass, since I know for a fact how easy it is to get a card to buy in California.

Availability has nothing to do with the medicinal value of the substance. Would you argue that painkillers have no medicinal value because of how easy it is to get them?

@Princess Celestia: What does marijuana do? Well, in low quantities, it can make certain bad actors funny and improve the quality of certain music genres. In higher quantities, it has a curious tendency to make you eat macaroni out of a big green bowl.

The biggest problem is that it's bad for America's prime directive: greed. It's not like caffeine, which gets you off the couch and back to work. It's a drug for relaxing, not for getting yourself moving. Which is one of the problems with the legalization movement. It's not much of a movement, too many stoners.

Not all addicts are junkies

Go ahead and legalize it. Insurance companies will have a hay day. Just think about all the claims that they can deny simply by requiring a piss test everytime you go to the ER. Sorry, we will not pay because you have THC in you system.

I for one work in the construction industry and require random drug testing as a way to keep cost down. I do not want to be around someone on a 30 ton piece of equiment when they were high.

canon: I wouldn't want to be around someone on a 30 ton piece of equipment when that someone's had three "Five Hour Energy" drinks. Should we outlaw them?

If pot is legalized, then the insurance companies could not refuse to pay for your treatment when you were high any more than they can now refuse you treatment because you've consumed coffee or soda.

canon-2792132

I for one work in the construction industry and require random drug testing as a way to keep cost down. I do not want to be around someone on a 30 ton piece of equiment when they were high.

To your point - there are a bunch of things people shouldnt be doing when they are high. Operating heavy equipment is one of them. People shouldnt go to work high, drunk, tripping and everything else.

Companies can still limit what certain people can do even if its legal. I used to work summer's at a local municipality. They used to do random drug tests for the guys with CDL licenses. One of those tests was a mouth swab for alcohol.

I know a lot of sober people who I would trust less than a lot of drug users to operate machinery. I don't think operating a crane while dizzy would be a good idea but guess what, you can get dizzy a lot of different ways.

Here's another point. When doctors prescribe any type of psychoactive medication, they expect that the patient will gain an acceptable tolerence to many of the side effects. Look at all the kids we have on aderal and ritalin who aren't high. If you took the dose they take for your first time, you would quickly realize that you are. When you get medicine at the pharmacy what does it often say? Do not operate machinery until you know the drug's effects. Apparently its ok to drive dizzy once you are used to being dizzy.

Mike, I generally agree that some things are better done sober, but in reality there are exceptions. There are people who take cannabis as medicine. There are in fact a lot of people who do this without even realizing it, but the idea is that the symptoms the marijuana is relieving would be a greater risk than the chemical impairment. You also have obviously never met someone who is able to function appropriately while intoxicated. Trust me there are guys out there that can drink until they're about to pass out but still walk a tight-rope and recite the alphabet backwards while doing intense multivariable calculus.

"It will be found an unjust and unwise jealousy to deprive a man of his natural liberty upon the supposition that he may abuse it."

George Washington said that and somthing tells me he was no fool.

I'd ask all those here who say "I wouldn't want X to do Y when he was high" the following question: You're in a remote area and have a car accident where you sustain an injury causing significant bleeding. A moment later, a car driven by a doctor who is high stops. Do you let the doctor who is high help you or do you wait and hope a sober doctor happens by?

Gabriel, why do people want to cloud their minds with drugs.. One needs to think coherently to

be in Society. You just want to be dumbed down by the powers that be...

Get a life.

Jean: "one needs to think coherently to be in society"? Not in the USA these days! The presidential candidates show a marked lack of ability to think coherently and the only way for us regular folk to survive is to escape from "society" as often as we can for as long as we can!

So Jean, you want to go back to Prohibition as well?

Because one certainly doesn't "think coherently" while drinking.

Jean, I agree. People shouldn't want to cloud their minds with drugs. BUT, neither you nor I have the right to tell them they cannot. It is their body and should be their responsibility and no one else.

Whoever said that marijuana prohibits clear thinking doesn't know what they speak of.

Carl Sagan, was a pot smoker. And a pretty good thinker, too.

Sagan advocated marijuana, & explained that marijuana use had helped to inspire some of his works and enhanced his sensual and intellectual experiences.

Merrill - our brains work on drugs. There's Melatonin. Seratonin. Vasopressin. Dopamine. Dimethyltryptamine. Endorphin. Acetylcholine. I don't really know how many.

Caffeine, the mild stimulant found in coffee and some soft drinks, exerts its effects by preventing a neurotransmitter/neuromodulator called adenosine from binding to its receptor. Normally, the binding of adenosine to its receptor causes sedation; it is a natural sleep-inducer. Instead of causing sedation, the blocking of the adenosine receptors with caffeine leads to an increase in activity and arousal levels.

Do you feel that this drug caffeine is a means to 'cloud the mind'? Should we ban recreational use of caffeine?

How does one pick and choose? Just believe whatever the government says?

Since everybody knows that the government never lies, and is extremely efficient in all that it does, this last option might actually make some sense.

Jean #3.1

You are correct that it clouds your mind, I only use it during the debates so I can understand what the candidates are trying to say.

Believe the Goverment? I would believe the 20 million illegal immigrants in this country that are trying to steal everyone's Social Security numbers before I would believe just ONE person in Congress or the White House. If you all believe any hype coming from that crowd, I'd say the SMOKE has affected your ability to make a CLEAR choice.

freedman1: Altered states of consciousness being socially unacceptable is a recent development. For thousands of years, people have been using peyote, mushrooms, DMT, etc. for spiritual awareness and personal growth. Were it not for substances like these, I doubt that we would have much of the mythology that is today's religion.

MissScarlet I have not seen you in a long time.

Hope life is treating you well!

Did you ever occur to the people that don't smoke, that the only way you can handle uptight Americans is to dumb yourself down to their level. Me high = you straight.

MissScarlet----interesting line of thought about mind altering drugs being the basis of today's belief system. I wonder if Peyote and the like are the conduits to the Gods, or the creation of them as you seem to be saying.

Just like to add a little about Carl Sagan, and clear thinking. Everyone's heard of the Voyager Space probes, right. Well our lovable stonner Carl, he's the one whom came up with the whole idea for the golden albums, Albums you ask. Yes to play a record, you must have an understanding of two very different applied sciences, mechanics, and electricity, on these records, are sounds from earth, also there is greeting in every language, as well a chart of stars that can be seen from earth. Pretty damn smart for a just a stonner. Also as for the cancer, high (no pun) amounts of cannabinoids in the blood stream restrict tumor metastasizing. It is also of note that when the cannabinoid receptors are active, cellular mitosis happens at predicted rate, rather than the uncontrolled abnormal mitosis, which serves to increase the total number of cancer cells at a particular location. Oh and by the way. I hold two degrees, I'm thirty three years old, and at this point in my life I don't work, I make 57k a year off of interest, and I've been using at least 4 to 7 times a week (more like 4 to 7 a day when I was younger), since I was about 11. In this day and age people need to be personally responsible for staying the hell out of other people's lives', hay and guess what, most stonners mind their own business. We're not here to Overthrow society, just to Outgrow, Hell all "society" is to me is like daycare for children anyhow...

Gabriel, why do people want to cloud their minds with drugs...

Who are you to say Americans can't decide for themselves what they ingest? So long as they're not committing any crimes against people or property what's it your business? And no, this is not the same as saying it's okay to get high on drugs and then drive around like an idiot, I'm talking about personal freedom to control what I do with my body without interference from other people.

I wish we would stick to enforcing laws to prevent actual crime, not possession/ingestion of drugs.

Jean, have you ever drank alcohol? That is much worse than pot.

Freedman1, the difference between caffeine and marijuana, is that caffeine doesn't lead to communism.

Unit Toad - Ever heard the term 'Cup of Joe' when referring to coffee?

It comes from everyone's favorite communist dicator Josef Stalin. So impressed was Franklin Delano Roosevelt by his host's coffee at Yalta, he was discovered to have requested a large quantity of the premium coffee beans from "Uncle Joe" which he transported back to the U.S. He later offered this brew to his cabinet, boasting, "Would you like a cup of Joe?"

you would treat it like any other legal drug. you drink and drive, that is a no-no. You smoke a joint and drive, big no-no. responsible use. but for people to use these vices to relax in their own home. tax it like alcohol or cigaretes. i mean, look how sudafed got abused and that was legal. People will find anything to use and abuse, might as well legalize pot since it helps so many people while at the same time getting our state out of this nasty debt we have.

Actually the fastest growing drug abuse problem in America today is with prescription drugs--mostly obtained quite legally from doctors.

Sally Ann, so fun is not important in your life?

michelle-1073610: If you need drugs for fun, you need to re-evaluate your life.

Ever heard of nicotine? Known addictive and eventual killer of some, yet it is legal because they can tax it.

If you have EVER smoked a cigarette, or had alcohol of any sort, you are a hypocrite. It's that simple.

Most people don't need drugs for fun, but that doesn't change the fact that they can be fun. Do you need movies for fun?

sally ann

why should someone go to jail for having fun? As long as you are not hurting anyone else and everything is consensual why treat someone who is partying the same as a rapist or thief? Makes no sense.

If you are so concerned about people's health then smoking, drinking, junk food, and too much red meat should all be illegal. But it's not really concern for people's health that drives this stupid war on drugs, it's the urge to control other people's lives.

Don't be ridiculous Eugene. Nobody *needs* them to have fun...but they don't hurt. When I'm hanging out with friends, I like to have a couple beers and smoke a cigarette. Both significantly improve the amount of fun I'm having. Seriously, pot is more benign than both of these. I don't care of the stuff, but it's current legal status is stupid. It's perfectly safe stuff.

LeftLeaningLisa. Past use of nicotine or alcohol does not preclude you from being against them nor does it make you a hypocrite.

Sally, you are correct.. If you have to have drugs to have fun, there is something wrong. We have laws that prevent the use of drugs and I hope these laws stay in tact.

If you others have to have a mind altering drug to have fun, to enjoy life, you need to get a life. If you are happy with your life you don't need to cloud your mind with the likes.

Pssst...caffeine is a drug.

Do you need movies for fun?

LOL -- So Hollywood is the opiate of the masses now! :)

Beth: No, sadly that's still religion.

If you others have to have a mind altering drug to have fun, to enjoy life, you need to get a life. If you are happy with your life you don't need to cloud your mind with the likes.\

1)No one is saying you have to use drugs to have fun, but that doesn't mean you have to NOT use a drug to have fun either.

2)Using a drug does not necessarily "cloud" your mind...some clear it.

3) Seems to me you've got some heavy Calvinistic, preachy stuff bogging you down.

Filber when they sold you weed that's probably just what you got...lol

If you didn't scarf down a bag of Doritos after trying it then you got ripped off.

.

It would seem the most logical read of filbert420's post is that he has tried kratom and didn't care for it.

Those with pure, unclouded minds may disagree.

@United States (giving you the 'stink-eye') - What flavor Doritos? Got any Nacho ones? The Cool Ranch just ain't what it used to be. (LOL)

And I don't need the MJ to scarf down a bag of the Nacho ones, but all things in moderation.

In certain countries, St. John's wort is given first for depression. If it does not help, only then will they prescribe any regular antidepressants. That sounds like a logical way to do it. Give it a try first, then give them bigger drugs if they need it. A lot of people want antidepressants for having a boring, blah time of life. St. Johns wort is good for that. I think they should try studies on Kratom and see if it does indeed have a good side.

dslsca,

opiates are illegal, unless you purchase them at a pharmacy.

hydrocodone to Oxycontin to heroine. Every addict I have ever known followed this pattern.

Most pot users don't use hard drugs and most hard drug users have no desire for pot.

Alcohol on the other hand mixes with just about everything. The universal drug is alcohol.

MDB: I'm aware that opiates are illegal unless you buy them at a pharmacy: that's my point--we're not investigating things like St. John's Wort because corporations are making money off selling controlled substances.

Hydrocodone to Oxycontin to heroin[e]? Every addict I have even known followed this pattern? OK then, milk to alcohol: every alcoholic I have ever known followed this pattern. Let's outlaw milk! You're committing the logical fallacy of "post hoc, ergo propter hoc": confusing a temporal relationship with a causal one.

i was trying to walk with you, not on or against you.

i am not saying pills should be illegal!?

but it is a system we live within whether it serves us or we serve it.

Criminals?

MDB: I'm just not "getting" your point. Your post hoc fallacy would indicate to me you disapprove of legalization of marijuana (though the reason you give for such a stance doesn't pass an elementary logic test). I don't see the "whether it serve us or we serve it" point; you could say that of all systems of any kind.

ok? God bless you

I have found those who try very hard to sound intelligent to be nothing more than a product of paid tutoring.

My 5 year old asked earlier today if clouds are made of water than why don't we swim in them?

no i don't care to elaborate my point.

Pot "WAS" smoked on a daily basis, and still is, and still gives people the high they want. Did you mean that if pot "WERE" smoked on a daily basis? Man, I would think that as a non-pothead, you'd, at the very least, understand how the English language is written. Well, guess what. This here, yes me, Lisa, smokes pot every single day, and thinks her English grammar is quite a bit better than yours. I mean, you think that "alot" is a word, when it's actually supposed to be 2. Shall I go on about how the pothead is so much smarter than the non-pothead?

I have been smoking pot for well over 2 decades. I've had my moments where I've not smoked for months, and I've spent time smoking non-stop for days. Your theory that you can't get the high out of it that one wants, is utter nonsense, and completely unfounded. I do not drink. I do not do any other drugs. I do not take prescription medication unless directed by my doctor. I make well over a 6 figure salary, and I smoke whenever I want.

Get off your stereotype soapbox.

People who actually earn a 6-figure salary rarely say so. It's crass.

TheBMOC: I used to earn a six-figure salary; then the Republicans took over the legislature and cut my job!

Gee dslsca, that must have been back in the nineties huh? Well today you can live on food stamps.

Jean: Nope, I was laid off in 2010 after a 29 year career. I'm just calling it "early retirement" as those jobs are never coming back.

They made prostitution illegal...

Interestingly, you might have a hard time knowing if your colleague is a toker or not. I think many people would be surprised.

"I did smoke a joint and I did inhale.'' ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger

I'm similar to Left leaning Lisa. After over 4 decades of on and off (mostly on) smoking pot (don't like cigs. or alcohol), I have done the following with my life:

Graduated Collage with an A average.

Performed a white collar professional career with very good to excellent reviews for over 17 years before doing a retirement to be a stay at home dad and husband. I now work only very part time and loving it. I also like being a house husband - food shopping, cooking...making life easier for my wife - all good with me.

Paid off my house in 71/2 years and have been living mortgage free 15 years.

Never had a car accident that was my fault and I have been ticket free for over 35 years. I've driven probably thousands of times high - I find I drive more carefully high than not high. The only close call I ever had to having an accident that was my fault was when I was driving not high.

Been happily married 22 years.

Travel 2 to 4 times a year - sometimes internationally.

So...keeping this drug illegal is - ridiculous! The only real harm is the law against it. Legalize it ASAP!

Benjoh you are very wrong about not being able to get high after long term smoking,as well as causing mental affects. There is a site thats shows 10things the gov. wished they hadnt of funded. Wont let me post it.

I also have Rheumatoid Disease; and much prefer the medicinal benefits from pot over the man made chemical drugs that cause major organ damage over long term use. Not only do I benefit from pain relief, it also helps with inflammation(swelling). In doing that i have been able to stop 2 man made chemical drugs that are know to cause organ damage.IE kidney,liver.etc... My doctors are always impressed that mine are still functioning well considering having RD for 14 years. I weaned my self off their morphine,oxycodone, prednisone, and others. Yes I do still need some of it. But three quarters less than it was. I feel much better.

Riverbodysurfer

I have met several people that will tell you they drive more carefully when beer buzzed, never been in an accident drunk, and etc etc etc.

Same for cellphone usage etc.

Any intoxicant messes with your perceptions, and reflexes.

Just once is all it takes.

Please do us all a favor and DO NOT DRIVE STONED!!!

Nope - Alcohol definitely much worst to drive under than with pot. Cell phone use also worst. I don't think you can equate alcohol and cell phone use to pot use with your logic. Your driving reflexes can change just from being a little tired or having a lot on your mind. My one close call for an accident was during a time of being stoned free. After 35 years of ticket and accident free my record speaks for itself. However, in consideration of your comment I will probably be even more careful than ever so as to not to jink it. Have a nice day.

Don't want to jinx it. Don't want to jinx it. Car accidents can happen. Don't want to jinx it. Off to the store now, then time to make a delicious dinner.

Possibly - I know I had never heard of it until MSNBC mentioned it. Thanks, media!

Just because you have not heard of it does not mean your kid is not on it. Open your eyes people. Maybe you are just sitting in the back of the bus.

Crushed leaf costs $12/ounce. One has to certify that they are over 18, and that they understand this is not for human consumption.

It's been a while since I bought an ounce of leaf for twelve bucks.

We used to call 'em lids at the time.

The good old days. Gasoline was about 59 cents a gallon then too.

Here's a saying from those days -

"Pot will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no pot."

Whomsoever can first identify the quote correctly will win a vote from me!

And that's a good thing. When someone stupid enough to do this stuff dies it thins and enhances the gene pool. Take a toke you idiots! Overdoses on recreational drugs should be ignored and the users allowed to die. Save society lots of money.

Freedman was it Free Wheelin Franklin?

freedman1 - The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers?

BULLSH!T

I smoke pot daily. I write computer applications. I learn new stuff daily, and am constantly teaching myself new things while I'm stoned. I remember it quite well. While short-term memory loss can occur, it's not the nonsense you're spewing. It's more like "I'm going to run downstairs real quick to get a glass of water", and by the time you get downstairs, you forget what you're doing. People I know who have NEVER taken an illicit drug in their life, have this problem.

You have to understand that that "data" is really quite misleading. For example, they don't mention that the short-term memory loss and other cognitive impairments are only present while high and don't last for the long-term. Also, marijuana may have more carcinogens, but research has shown that it actually has far less cancer-causing potential than tabacco smoke due to the fact that many of the compounds in marijuana smoke appear to be potent antioxidants, or for other reasons that are as of yet unknown. The fact remains that inhaling smoke is never going to be without negative consequences, that is why I advise everyone to invest in a vaporizer!

I think I forget stuff when I'm drunk too, but I can't remember.

but research has shown that it actually has far less cancer-causing potential than tabacco smoke due to the fact...

that pot smokers also smoke less of it than tobacco smokers smoke cigarettes. That little tidbit comes from the surgeon general.

LeftLeaningLisa - I know a lot of programmers who toke. The reason is obvious to those of us who spend some of our waking time 'becoming one' with this machine. I won't go into a lot of explanation, but even a short brief might be interesting to some.

Computer programming is the quest for perfection, actually. Computers are totally unforgiving. A period placed in the wrong spot can shut a program down, as can a comma that is left out of the correct spot.

Just as people can spend hours on end learning some video game, it takes hours and hours of time to write a relevant program. Sometimes the twists and turns of computer logic become baffling. Not every time - but a significant amount of times, a few tokes actually helps place things in another perspective. A path can be spotted that previously had not been thought of.

I certainly do not suggest that computer programming requires getting stoned. I do submit that a different perspective can be a wonderful thing and an awesome tool when the goal is to think like a computer.

Its called Qat.

You're speaking in absolutes with nothing to back up your claim. I am typically non-confrontational and I have an excellent social life, and I smoke herb when I feel like it.

Marijuana does quite the opposite. It causes less confrontational behavior.

.

Only Sith deal in absolutes.... wait....

I__lVl__l, maybe you and politicians like yourself shouldn't comment on things you obviously know nothing about. Tabloids have more accuracy in their articles than some of your comments. Your stereotypes promote confrontation and anti-social behavior.

Only a stonner with some reserved perspective is gonna get the sith comment...lol

I suppose you have never heard of emphysema, chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, all resulting from smoke inhalation (that's any smoke), or that these diseases cost taxpayers billions a year in health care.

but hey, walking around blind won't be painful, as long as you stay high. just keep the oxygen close in your golden years.

S.Ulmer - that's why you use a vaporizer!

it is a foriegn substance introduced into the lungs, adding watervapor to it may prolong the effects, but they will show up eventually. and we don't have to even count the dead brain cells, they just call that dementia.

That's not how a vaporizer works, it has nothing to do with water vapor. By using a vaporizer, you avoid combustion and all the nasty tar and carcinogens that come with it. In essence, you are turning the plant matter into an aerosol that can then be absorbed through the lung tissue. Breathing polluted urban air is likely more harmful than inhaling vaporized marijuana, and unless you can point to a reason why it is harmful then I rest my case. I have a Ph.D. in molecular biology so I tend to actually understand these things.

JohnnyInSNJ

You are not truly serious ( No more "Reefer Madness ) that was the best documentary ever made - LOL. Loved it especially after token one. I use to watch it every semester at least once. I wonder if a copy still exist?

There are a lot of studies, most are statical studies, that show the pros and cons of daily use. Like most anything common sense will keep you out of trouble 99.99% of the time.

Have a Great Day!!

Actually vaporizers only heat up marijuana to the point where the thc is vaporized, but not to the temp. that the plant will burn. plb618 is right about the fact that it avoids the burning and inhalation of the more undesirable chemicals in the plant.

plb618, you hit the nail on the head. I got chronic bronchitis and developed asthma from smoking pot (never smoked a cigarette in my life). I have met many people at the pulmonary clinic I go to that developed the same disease caused by smoking pot. Even the NORML website does not endorse the smoking of anything and recommends a using vaporizer if you want to inhale pot. Good advice.

Or people could, you know, eat it and avoid nearly ALL of the negative health effects.

Oh shut it, I just finished a triathalon this weekend and I vaporize pot all the time. Absolutely no negative health effects whatsoever. Lets hope you never drink at all, otherwise you would feel like quite a hypocrite if you ever had any liver or pancreas related ailments.

no, I do not drink, I do not smoke (anything) and I most especially do not do any drugs of any kind.

I have seen exactly these effects, first hand, all caused by your "illicit" drugs. if you are a tri-athlete then you should know about the 'runners high'. the same endorphins released during sex or slamming an arm full of heroin.

anyone that claims to be healthy and uses drugs (of any kind) is lying to themselves about being healthy.

the truth is I used to drink, smoke, snort, all of it. my favorite drug was "yours", and I could do more than everyone I knew. NOW I am healthy, mind AND body, I don't need the stupid artificial stimulants you choose. I can have more fun, live life more fully, feel more, love more, laugh more, than anyone on drugs, that is a fact.

Well then by your same logic we should refuse medical treatment to anyone who has lifestyle related medical issues which means you shouldn't get treatment if you are overweight, not physically active, drink too much, smoke too much, eat too much high fat food, don't eat enough fruits and veggies and on and on.

You say its unhealthy, but you don't explain why you think so. Compared to most people I know, I have a very healthy mind and body. I think you have let the prejudices and stereotypes associated with any drug use, even one so benign as recreational marijuana use, cloud your judgement. I've read literally every peer reviewed article on marijuana and its effects, and my conclusion is that it is about as harmful as caffeine, but probably even less harmful than that (hypertension is a bitch).

MS in NM,

what do you think the obamacare plan is, anyway? ".....if the cause is self inflicted, then the patient becomes a liability finacially, and therefore not worthy of a complete treatment...."

plb,

stereotypes have nothing to do with it. remember jim fix? his heart exploded, and he was thought to be one of the healthiest men on the planet. My piont is if you need stimulants to make it through life then you have problems. problems that could be faced better clean and sober.

SUlm: can you please quote for me--from the health care law itself and not from some rightwing lie machine website--the exact wording of the provision that limits treatment for "self inflicted" diseases??

That is a quote from the law, there are also many other things you do not want to know in that law. such as the commitee of politicians that will preside over decisions on who is to receive what treatment, and for how long. there is even provisions that give the federal government complete access to your private bank accounts, and the legal right to remove any or all the money, as they wish, for any reason. you of coarse know that this wonderful health care plan is so perfect that those politicians that shoved it down the throats of Americans are exempt from ALL aspects of the law. so are the muslims (claiming insurance is gambling) yet christian scientists are not. the amish are exempt (probably because they scare the hell out of the obamanation) but a private citizen could be jailed for non compliance.

The entire health care bill, in its entire 1000 plus pages, as passed and signed by the obamanation, used to be available on the internet, in PDF form and anyone could see and read it, I did.

the truth is I used to drink, smoke, snort, all of it. my favorite drug was "yours", and I could do more than everyone I knew.

Yeah, it sounds like you had some control issues where drugs were concerned, and I'm glad you quit. But it's hardly fair to compare your experience with those of people who can actually practice moderation.

Nothing is worse than the advice from a reformed__________.

I used to drink...I used to smoke...I used to swear...I used to lie in the gutter with men...

but I stopped all that

Now I stand around all day beating this goddamned drum and yelling at passersby to repent...the fools will not heed me...they are doomed, I tell you, doomed.

Religion is the most pervasive "controlled substance" ever created by MAN. The second would have to be politics. So if you're truly religious, shouldn't you be smoking the weed GOD made. Hey also, so If I get high everyday, will i get an exemption too?

cul,

I do not offer advise, I point out that the love of drugs, even in moderation, is unhealthy, and I have given facts as to the diseases that smoking (even in moderation) cause. Each individual is physically different, yet the truth is that these diseases are common place, and can present the victim with serious problems.

I know a man that smoked pot "recreational", and considered it moderate. He did not smoke tobacco, work in an asbestos mine, or have any other hazardous relational contact with carcinogens. He now has one lung because cancer from smoke inhalation directly tied to marijuana. Working with him during rehab I met others, including a 42 year old man with the barrel chest and lungs of an 80 year old, from marijuana.

It really opened my eyes, but keep doing what your doing, I don't care about you one bit. I found that life is better without pollutants in my body, and I could care less if you want to poison yourself, in fact I'll bet your family doesn't care either.

Ulmer

I used to do drugs also. Now I limit myself to about 2 glasses of wine. I don't drink for a drunk I drink for taste and health.

1 Timothy 5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.

Marijuana smoke has been shown to cause zero bad health effects.

There is nothing about marijuana that can be shown to cause harm.

The only reason why I would oppose it is because it does alter perception and many feel they can drive under the influence.

Health wise you'd be better off complaining about Fast Food, Frozen Food, Pizza, Juice Cocktails, Candy, and that bowl of Ice Cream I just had.

It would be nice if people didn't feel they needed to get high, but they always have and they always will.

Marijuana has cost this economy billions to fight, all for a losing cause. It puts drug cartel's in our forests, with loaded guns, and it has caused the deaths and incarcerations of millions maybe billions.

For really no reason.

Then the five doctors were completely wrong, and the sugeons cut out his lung for no reason at all.

Then the five doctors were completely wrong, and the sugeons cut out his lung for no reason at all.

Wouldn't be the first time.

My mother died of "lung cancer" they attributed it to smoking cigarettes 35 years before.

A few years after she died a study came out that women that recieved radiation treatment for breast cancer in the 60's were getting lung cancer - even if they never smoked.

As far as my remark:

Marijuana smoke has been shown to cause zero bad health effects.

There is nothing about marijuana that can be shown to cause harm.

I would agree there is controversy about this. Because it is an illegal drug there have been insufficient studies done.

There may be a possibility cannabis could fight cancer.

There may be a possibility cannabis could cause cancer - just haven't been enough studies to know.

S.Ulmer

It really opened my eyes, but keep doing what your doing, I don't care about you one bit. I found that life is better without pollutants in my body,

FYI: I don't so drugs and I don't drink. But I also don't go around preaching to others about that fact and assuming I know what's good for them.

and I could care less if you want to poison yourself, in fact I'll bet your family doesn't care either.

Now you've devolved from preaching to a-hole....or maybe you were already there.

S.Ulmer

"...I don't care about you one bit."

Then nobody has any reason to listen to you.

MS, then why do you respond?

cul, there is no preaching involved, because I present facts that some people don't want to believe, they (you) go on an offensive. It is up to you to make up your own mind. I just hope that the good feeling you get when your "high" isn't clouding your judgement, and maybe the pain killers you'll have to take can keep you going.

SUlm: I don't want to get in the middle of the fight between you girls, but your comment "maybe the pain killers you'll have to take can keep you going" is just ignorant and offensive. I am absolutely certain that you'd take whatever painkillers were necessary to stop your suffering if you had recurring migraines or bone cancer or chronic back trouble. To imply (as I believe you do) that taking painkillers is some kind of weakness of character is simply out of bounds.

dslcsa, no that is not my point at all. infact my point is that anyone that does rereational drugs, just to feel good are that much more likely to take the pain killers in excess of the doctors orders. if one makes the pain go away, and two make you feel good, then three, four, or more will make you even happier.

On that note, I have suffered with debilitating back pain, migraines for years (which only went away after the divorce was final) and I did not take pain killers at all. but then I also believe what does not kill you only makes you stronger, and, not being a religious man (spritual but not religious) I believe the body is a temple, and why would I want to desicrate my temple.

I believe the body is a temple, and why would I want to desicrate my temple.

That is why many that use natural drugs such as Marijuana will not take synthetics, such as those pain pills.

Also many are willing to get a little high on pot but will have nothing to do with "white drugs".

Your understanding of why people use and how it affects them is very limited.

SUlm: sorry to hear about your migraines and back pain (both of which I suffer). I just disagree with your Nietzschean view that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger; in my life a number of things that didn't kill me left me quite the worse for wear. I don't see drugs as desecrating the temple of the body at all; I see medicine as "necessary maintenance" on the temple.

anything taken in excess or used to get "high" is going to make you sick.

Exactly. So if you're going to take something to get high, shouldn't it be something of which it takes a ludicrously impossible amount to reach the point of "excess?"

Actually I looked at the target audience on Youtube Kratom Videos and is mostly males aged: 35-54,

that are interested in it.. so this article is BS. Ive tried Kratom and its not anything crazy... Id say redbull and Monster energy drink addicts in the USA is a far larger problem! Sugar is way more addicting and causing far more damage to the population! SO Kari why dont you do a report on that?

As far as Kratom is concerned it could be addicting if you abuse it but so is sugar & coffee.. Search how many people die from over the counter drugs and prescription drugs each year... Its thousands!! But why isnt media reporting that?

COME ON MSNBC ... Get your act together .. report on something that is going to help Americans & not spread more propaganda!

Thanks and have great day!

Yabud

I met a truck driver that said the same about Meth - - - he did complain that he hadn't slept in 4 days but meth really wasn't a problem. Made him "better at his job".

Wish I had known him well enough and had caught the identity of his truck to turn him in.

Tell me why you ask stupid questions?

That was a very intelligent answer. I feel completely fulfilled now that you've given me such insight. Obviously since you don't support it, can you actually provide a logical reason as to why they should be illegal?

They can't. the only "reasoning" they ever give consists of talking points completely devoid of any substance, not worth reading honestly.

I understand why some are illegal. I will argue that there is no positive side to meth. Some others... well, I say legalize and tax it.

Meth is probably the only one I would like to see completely stomped out. It is one of the few drugs that really is nothing but poison. That being said, the main argument for legalization is personal choice, so I don't know if I could say no to legalizing meth based solely on it's standing as poison. With the legalization of other drugs though, the meth problem would begin to work itself out. Most people don't go to their dealers with the intent of buying meth (the first time of course), the only reason they even get introduced to it is because they have to go through shady ass people to get what they really wanted in the first place.

Republicans don't want to take away personal choice. They just want to limit your options down to what they approve of.

Meth is probably the only one I would like to see completely stomped out. It is one of the few drugs that really is nothing but poison.

Which is, in turn, a direct result of the fact that it's illegal. Pharmaceutical stimulants don't cause the damage meth does, because they're made in labs with the best ingredients to assure the purest and most precise dose. There's evidence the Kennedys did a lot of uppers, and didn't seem to get pitted skin or missing teeth.

Meth is the bathtub gin of the 2010s. We really did learn nothing from Prohibition.

You guys do understand this plant isnt synthetic and nor does it do any "life" threatening or and "horrible" side effects. Its the same withdrawal symptoms as caffeine withdrawal, als just with anything if you dont moderate it will make ya pay for it.
My question for you people, if I was able to find a "DRUG" off the simple everywhere maple tree, would you make that illegal too?
What are you people trying to do? Make a world of no drugs where everyone WILL be happy?
Two, it shouldn't be your problem nor mine if someone is shortening in their life.
Since when did EVERYONE get to play a role in someones PERSONAL life, oh wait "PERSONAL" is just a empty abstract idea of some Crazy POT head, or some person(s) that enjoy Ethobotanicals vs Your Cancerous and Damaging Substances.
Seriously Stop Bi*chin about the new problems and the new @!$%# thats coming out, when you have your own freaking problems to fix.
Soo much more to worry about then "OMG!!!!! Another thing that gets you HIGH!
WOOT You go guys, you go!
F**k the world some more!
You Scallywags.

P.S- Im not talking about the crap like meth, crack , coke, heroin, PCP, XTC, All the others, that are horrible for you. Those should stay illegal forever, personally.

rail: I find your argument bogus. We do all kinds of things to make our lives better or more pleasant: education, sports, alcohol, medical treatment, sex, etc. According to your logic, anything we do to make things easier for ourselves is only a response to weakness. If that's the case, OK, I'm weak: I don't want to suffer unnecessarily; I don't want to be hungry; I don't want to be sick; I don't want to be bored (actually, I never get bored, but you see my point). It isn't that life is so bad I want to numb myself; it's that life is so good I want to enhance it. Every society in all of human history has used consciousness altering drugs; to pretend that such use is merely weakness is not to face the truth about human life. Some altered states of consciousness are pleasant and we seek to have those experiences. If you're doing this at home and not driving stoned (and not pregnant), I don't see how it could possibly be anyone else's (or the government's or your employer's) business.

"Drugs are like using a crutch for a broken leg"

I would say that not using a crutch if you have a broken leg is actually the stupider decision.

This self-righteous preaching gets so old. Marijuana is not necessarily used to numb your senses, in fact it has been shown to enhance the senses of sight, taste and smell. I wish we could meet in person so that you would see that I am a probably a better person than you are, despite my marijuana use.

Um, rail....if you have a broken leg isn't that the perfect time to use a crutch?

Rail your an idiot. Some use to enhance an already good time. Do you drink or smoke? If so you're a huge hypocrite.

Not only that, but think for example people who need "drugs" just to survive. Are diabetics who need insulin weak? Or how about suicidal people who cannot get out of their depressed state without the help of antidepressant drugs? If I had pain...physical or otherwise, then yes, I would want to numb it. Hence drugs like tylenol. Sometimes facing problems require the use of drugs to help ease the pain or allow a way to focus on the problem without the distraction of pain.

I agree with rail in a way only because drugs are a dependency and can literally rewire your brain so then not having any form of high can and will lead to escalated depression, anxiety, and a whole bunch of other fun issues. I'm not holier than though because the last thing I do nowadays is drink but even that's going away. It seems I got bored of all this stuff and being the most sober I've been in a decade feels pretty damn awesome.

If you do drugs, you are weak

You do realize that nearly 100% of the population does one drug or another right? Everything from coffee and chocolate to pot and alcohol are drugs by definition (the definition of a drug is anything you put into your body that alters its functions).

Drugs are like using a crutch for a broken leg. Ask yourself...why do I need a crutch?

Because my leg is broken? XD

Is life that bad that you want to numb yourself?

.....you've never actually talked to an addict before, have you?

Learn to face your problems and life without the use of drugs...you will be a better person because of it.

Like I said before, nearly 100% of the population uses one drug or another to cope with everyday life. That's not going to change ANYTIME soon, it's been going on for thousands of years.

You sir, are either really blind, a purist, or an idiot.

I have tried kratom before. I only use it 2-3 times a week.