Arguing with stupid anti-marijuana people...

[Sad Panda]

How much do you find yourself having to argue with stupid people who say things like, "Pot is bad, and you get addicted to it and become a no-good, dirty druggie."? What do you say? Share stupid things people have said about pot, and what you said to convince them they were ignorant.

Note: I am not saying that people can not like pot. But the argument always has to be something like, "I personally do not like pot, for religious reasons, because I've had bad experiences with it from either myself or a close friend or relative, or simply because I do not want to try it." Unfortunately, people rarely ever state it this way. It's always, "pot is bad", or "pot is dangerous", or "potheads are lazy and stupid".

Here's the argument on a message board I had today, for example.

The moron's first post:

Okay here we go...

You think you're all cool for smoking weed and getting high and thinking you're not addicted to it, and that your body craves it... it's seems kind of pathetic to me that you need a crutch like that to get you through life... you think people actually respect stoners? No. They stink. They look like they've just been dragged out of a morgue. Then you get those arrogant ******** smoking all over the place - take it outside you ignorant ***** (not directed at anyone in topic mod), we don't want to smell your crap, we don't want to breathe your crap, we don't want our clothes smelling of your crap.

Oh and you drunk people - take a look at some other drunk people - they're complete morons, crawling around, vomiting, seriously, just find a gutter and decay.

And, my reply.

Alright, here we go.

You think you're all cool for smoking weed and getting high
Nobody ever said that. One topic you responded in was about someone who was asking medical questions arising from a bad first experience, and the other (this one) is about personal preferences. Nobody ever implied "OMG WE R TEH COOL FOR SMOKING POT". It is a choice that we decide to smoke pot recreationally. Nobody is forcing it on you.

and thinking you're not addicted to it, and that your body craves it...
That's entirely false. Marijuana is not addictive. My body does not "crave" it, like I'm a heroin addict or something. The very best argument you can make about it's "addictiveness" is to say that it's psychologically addicting. But you know what else is psychologically addicting? Food, porn, video games, sex, etc. "Psychologically addicting" means that you have a strong urge to do it, even though there is no physical bodily process forcing you to. The people who are completely controlled by these strong urges end up eating too much, whacking off too much, or spending their whole day playing video games, or smoking pot all day. But that doesn't mean that eating so much you get fat is the only way to enjoy food, or that dying of starvation playing Everquest is the only way to enjoy video games. Yes, you have to be careful not to let the recreational activity take over your life. But that does not make the activity inherently bad.

it's seems kind of pathetic to me that you need a crutch like that to get you through life...
I will admit there are some stupid stoners who think they "need" pot, but that is from their inability to control their "psychological addiction". Many people, myself included, choose to smoke pot. I do not need it. It is not a crutch. I smoke at night with my friends to unwind before I go to bed. I am not missing anything by smoking. I am not neglecting any aspect of my life.

you think people actually respect stoners? No. They stink. They look like they've just been dragged out of a morgue.
Yeah...that's a nice blanket statement generalizing a group of millions and millions of people all over the world. You must be referring to a small subsection of stoners who are 16 year old irresponsible burnouts. You have no idea how many different types of people smoke pot, from all ages, and all walks of life. Judges, cops, lawyers, bankers, teachers, construction workers, politicians.... Don't try to tell me that every single one of these people is un-respected, stinky, and "look like they've just been dragged out of a morgue."

Then you get those arrogant ******** smoking all over the place - take it outside you ignorant ***** (not directed at anyone in topic mod), we don't want to smell your crap, we don't want to breathe your crap, we don't want our clothes smelling of your crap.
Again, you're taking a small subsection of stupid irresponsible idiots, and using it to generalize about millions of people, as well as a plant. Poor logic.

Oh and you drunk people - take a look at some other drunk people - they're complete morons, crawling around, vomiting, seriously, just find a gutter and decay.
Again, a systematic appeal to an unrepresentative example to "prove" your blanket statements about things you don't know about.

He then tried to backtrack, saying:

obviously I don't mean everyone, I'm not that bloody thick, that's like saying all Scottish people have beards, obviously a few don't.

Don't be so facetious.

And my final reply:

Oh, I see. So, you call everyone who smokes pot a "drug addict", and then retreat, saying "Actually, I didn't mean everyone."

Well then, what did you mean when you called everyone "drug addicts" in this thread and the first one? You're able to look through your computer and see everyone who responded to the topic, so you could make justified judgements of them? You know just from the way I type that I fit your description of the stupid, smelly, irresponsible stoner? That must be what you mean, because from here, it looked like you said something ignorant, and then tried to take it back when you realized that you pwned yourself.

This is a typical example of the bullshit I find on other message boards (of course, not the City! ) It truly makes me a Sad Panda.

But it makes me a happy panda when I can destroy their ignorant argument such that the original poster suddenly disappears, and never comes back to the topic. (like what happened in this case).

[Natural Mystic]

people who think weed is bad don't have an open mind.. they 'learned' from school and the media that it was bad for them. But their lead that getting drunk it ok, when its actually worse than weed

[Sad Panda]

^^^

Both of the above posts contain 100% truth.

[TheHempress]

Awesome argument, SP. Only problem is that with most anti-marijuana people they were brainwashed for years by people who are "supposed" to know what's best for them. It's hard to damn near impossible to reprogram someone over night, or even in just one thread.

[Sad Panda]

Yeah, I know. But at least it shuts 'em up for a little while. :P

[Gilligan]

Anti marijuana people truely believe marijuana is bad. Alot of them think it is addictive like crack. They accually dont know shit about what they are talking about.

A girl told me weed was as bad as crack, they were the same to her. i was like,, wow.

[torchy]

It is bad for you...healthwise at least. But so is %90 of anything you'll ever see mass marketed in our society. I don't mind when people say it's not their thing or it's bad. They can think what they want. It only irritates me when they to press their opinions upon other people (which irritates me no matter what the topic of the opinion is).

[Sad Panda]

Right, I mean, if you're eliminating everything that has the potential to cause harm, then you're gonna be left with nothing. You can even die from drinking too much water...

The question is all in relative harm. Even after the one joint = 5 cigarettes thing, you'd still have to smoke four joints worth (about two grams) to even equal one pack of cigarettes. And most people are not smoking nearly that much. Smoking pot even multiple times a day is at the very worst as bad as a mild to moderate tobacco smoker. So fucking what? There are a million worse things you can do to yourself that people do every day. Obesity is more likely to kill you than smoking a couple of joints a day will, and I don't hear anyone trying to argue for the illegality of Cheez-Its (mmmm....Cheez-Its....*drool*...)

Point being, on the scale of harmful things you can do to yourself, being a pothead is not even close to the worst. The health issue is of some concern, and all smokers should take into account and accept the risks, but the fact that you do a couple bongloads every day is not going to be your cause of death.

[smokethechronic]

ive had ppl say its a crutch but i look at it like caffeine and tobaco and stuff like that.ppl need to look at it as a herb not a drug.

[Gri77oN]

Originally Posted by Gilligan

... told me weed was as bad as crack, they were the same

i woz like that too. But i still hung around my buddies, to found out those were misconcepts.

fortunately.

[XxJWxX]

yeah dude people like that are so fuckin annoying and ignorant. I feel bad for him because he cant open his mind and is in denial about his life. He's obviously never tried it and or is too uncomfortable with himself to do so.

[torchy]

Originally Posted by smokethechronic

ive had ppl say its a crutch but i look at it like caffeine and tobaco and stuff like that.ppl need to look at it as a herb not a drug.

But it is a drug. People need to look at coffe, cigarettes, alcohol, tylenol, pepto-bismol, etc as drugs, and realize the word drug shouldn't have such a negative connotation.

[illsmosisyou]

the whole thing 1 j = 5 cigs...that can't be true. cigs have arsenic, rat poison and hundreds of other carcinogens in them. bud has...well, i don;t know specific examples of them but it has carcinogens but no where NEAR that number. oh, and people saying that because cigs have filters they're healthier...uhh...no. not at all.

plus, if you use a piece instead of papers, a lot of those carcinogens won't even show up in the smoke. yeah, there'll still be some but significantly smaller number.

i'd have to say my one wish would be to go back in time to my middle school health classes, walk up to the front of the room and slap the teacher for filling my head with such bs. i just wish people would take the time to not forget about but forgoe their beliefs for a a bit and do some research for themselves.

(off topic...oh well) this has been bothering me...what is this guy inhaling from, a balloon?

[Sad Panda]

Originally Posted by illsmosisyou

i just wish people would take the time to not forget about but forgoe their beliefs for a a bit and do some research for themselves.

You hit the nail on the head. People need to stop being strongly for or against something, when they have no idea what they're talking about. Make up your own damn mind about what you believe, thats what I say.

(off topic...oh well) this has been bothering me...what is this guy inhaling from, a balloon?

I think it's supposed to be a bong. It looks like it gets bigger and smaller because he puts it behind his back. At least, that's my interpretation. I dunno.

[stash_up]

Originally Posted by Sad Panda

whacking off too much

is there such a thing? lol