Just some questions

[someoneorother2]

Well Dave, here is my take on it all.

First off, I applaud you for doing research first hand, rather than being completely ignorant to the issue. Many people go with the latter of the routes, and that is quite sad.

For some background info: I grew up with my older brother being quite the stoner. He and friends used to smoke around me a lot, and I would often end up babysitting him (rather than the other way around). My parents never cared in the least, as long as there was no driving involved, no getting caught, keeping good grades, and generally not being too stupid. So I grew up with weed all around me, but still without the slightest understanding of what it really does to you. No matter how much explaining a person might do, it's really quite impossible to understand. Pretty much, its like trying to explain what colors are to a blind person.

I always figured it just made people stupid, and that is about it. Eventually, I tried it, and well, here I am now. I'm not going to bother explaining what it's like, it really isn't possible to explain in great detail, as each time will be slightly different than the last. And, for each person, the experience tends to differ.

I would have to say that, if anything, weed has changed the way I look at the world in general by a whole lot. I think that a person tends to take life(and consciousness) for granted, simply because for your whole life, a person is always himself. I would say the only long term change in my behavior is that, for better or for worse, I spend hugely more time contemplating my place in the universe. I still have most definitely not found all the answers, but marijuana has given me the ability to look past what I would normally take for granted. And, it's not as though I only do this while high. I actually contemplate all this a lot more while in my normal condition, but I would not have had the ability to look beyond my normal perception of reality without a tool--marijuana.

I realize that you don't want to be told to go toke up, but I have to say that it is only fair to pass judgement when you have a general understanding of the concept. So is it fair to pass judgement on meth without trying it first? Well, yes, because it is easy to find a huge number of problems with it ("faces of meth" if you want to see). Is it fair to pass judgement on weed without trying it first? I think that that is very debatable, simply because of the relatively few number of negatives with a large number of possible positives.

My advice for you: go with your gut feeling. If you are against it for some strong reason within yourself, then don't. If you feel curious, and have a good situation, then go for it. It's up to you to make what you will with it.

[SwollenThumb]

I was 100% against it until after I graduated high school. I didn't care if other people used it, but I didn't intend on it.

I'm bi-polar, and throughout my entire life, I've seen 2 psychiatrists, 2 psychologists, and 3 counselours, and have been on almost every anti-depressant there is. When I heard that one of my favorite musical artists experimented with weed, and it fixed all of his chemical imbalances on the spot, I was pretty much intent on trying it. (After all, if a NATURAL drug can fix my brain, why am I wasting time and money on stuff that is artificial?????)

So I tried it, and within a year, I was your typical pothead. However, I was no longer as angry as I used to be, and was MUCH more tolerant of other people. To put it simply, weed made me feel like a human being for the first time since my childhood. And if you don't know what I mean, then there's no way that I can describe mental illness to someone who has never had it.

So once I didn't like the way that my life was going (through self reflecting that weed is good for bringing on, I might add!) I decided that if I was going to smoke, then I would do the drug.... it wouldn't do me. So I don't smoke nearly as much as I used to. At any point, I can drop it and go for weeks or months without it if I choose. It's not addictive, but when you use it in large quantities, your brain forgets how to cope with stressors. High and Sober, Yin and Yang, they're both important.

Now some people are perfectly capable of becoming yin and yang without the aid of mind altering chemicals, and I salute those. I hope to one day reverse the psychological problems that I have, and be able to completely relax without cannabis. But even when that day comes, I'll still toke up every once in a while, because a good high is one of those things that truly makes life worth living. (but it's not the only thing)

And yes, kudos to you for not being closed minded. But my question to you is this. With a screenname like "Not4Pot" it seems like you've pretty much made up your mind on the subject. What's up with that?

[Not4Pot]

Great stories guys. I guess I shouldn't have been so harsh after all. You all seem like intelligent people with logical reasoning- Something that I didn't take into consideration when I first started thinking about this issue.

As for my name, I couldn't think of one and decided to go with not here for pot, but then I shortened it down a bit.

[SwollenThumb]

Originally Posted by Not4Pot

As for my name, I couldn't think of one and decided to go with not here for pot, but then I shortened it down a bit.

*blinks*

Actually, that's a pretty good answer...

[julzboi661]

Dave,

I want to thank you for your interest and your kind and perseverant prodding in your little quest for answers. As a child, I witnessed veterans and cripples and party kids alike toke up, and I decided that there was most probably a reason behind it. I hated the smell, it gave me a headache, and it made me hungry. It also made me question why someone would put something supposedly 4x more toxic than cigarette smoke into your lungs.

As a teen, I too was threatened with the usual parental guidance and swift kick in the ass for drug use. I feel your pressure, and your inquisitiveness

As an adult, I smoked with a few friends, all of us newcomers, because we decided to experiment for ourselves with the 'drug' that we now call ganja. We all enjoyed it, mainly because it opened us up to a new world, and a new way of seeing things.

The best way I can describe it is this: I don't see a car engine, I see spark plugs generating a spark, which ignites fuel in the chambers which pushes the pistons down, and generates torque, compression, and horsepower. Or, I see a key which pushes into a slot which generates a binary code that is then transformed into the text you are reading. Your thought process speeds up, and you will see things in a totally different light.

Different strains and varieties of ganja produce different effects. The three types of ganja plants are : Cannabis sativa based plants, Cannabis indica based plants, and Hybrids, which are a mix of both. Sativas generally are more 'heady' with euphoria, giggles, munchies, laughter, and good times with friends. Indicas are more 'couch-lock' and munchy, movies with your girl, resting after a long day, or for pain. Hybrids generally offer the best of both worlds, motivating yet comforting highs, and they too are really good for pain relief.

The side effects are mild: red eyes, uncomfortable dry mouth 'cotton mouth', and sometimes unbearable urges to eat everything in sight.

The high generally lasts 3-6 hrs for a new smoker, and depending on potency and variety, can last up to 8+hrs for a really 'dank' stash. Coming down, you may experience fatigue or sleepiness, and alot of people (myself included) smoke for ease of sleeping without addictive prescriptions.

Once again, I reiterate that it is difficult to explain without experiencing first hand. Also, I applaud your choice to defend against peer pressure, and I urge you to make the decision on your own if you do choose to smoke.

If you have any questions, feel free to pm me or any of the others here, we're open for business.

peace

[ripthereefer420]

"marijuana reveals you to yourself."

[Revolution]

Dave, after hearing our stories, what is your opinion of marijuana and it's use now? I'm just curious.

[Not4Pot]

Originally Posted by Revolution

Dave, after hearing our stories, what is your opinion of marijuana and it's use now? I'm just curious.

Honestly, I expected to get flamed with threats of me being a pussy and stuff. You guys all totally shocked me. Believe it or not, but you guys pretty much sealed the deal that smoking pot is not as bad as I thought it was. That being said, again I want to mention that I don't plan on doing it but I feel much more comfortable showing support for the legalization of it and people's right to choose. Thank you all for being so understanding.

[Cali Ounces]

i love it,

i love it so much that if i told you why i smoked you'd think i was a straight up crazy man because i wouldnt stop talking

[Randall Pink]

I never smoked in high school. Had a negative, uneducated outlook on marijuana. Didn't smoke it in college. Entered the workforce after college and at that point said if I was ever in a non-drug testing environment I would try it.

At the ripe age of 25 that happened. Started smoking and haven't stopped since. Finding a dealer was hell.

I do it for the same reason people smoke cigarettes or drink. Just to get away. Not to mention the overall unexplainable feeling that is being high. Makes listening to music better. Eating better. Makes for good conversation and theories.

I wouldn't change things because God knows I didn't need to be smoking back then, but I don't believe my life would be worse off if I had started smoking earlier in life. It has improved the overall quality of my life and I will continue to smoke for as long as I am able.

[stonah2]

Howdy,
way back in the day at age 14 me and my two best buddies were curious so i bought some weed with my cousin smoked it with my buddies ... didn't get high .. i smoked a couple of times before i got high ... eventually we got high and loved the experience ... its very hard to explain being high to someone who's never been but especially the first few are great .. basically all your senses are heightened .. food tastes amazing .. music sounds great ... visually you experience more vibrant colors sometimes mild hallucinations .. closed eye visuals are very easy to come by its just very cool. glad you came to all of us, maybe some day you'll try out mary jane?

[randgen]

When I smoke it's like everything around me slows down, but my brain is still working in normal time, allowing me to study and think about everything in more detail. And also to get over some minor anxiety I've been experiencing lately.

I also feel that I don't need to smoke to stay in the high mindset. When the effects wear off I always feel happier and more content because I'm able to process things that bother me on a completely different level.

In short: Weed makes me a better person and makes life a little easier.

[built to spill]

i highly suggest your read this essay. Its long and but well worth it, it has changed a few of my friends minds and my moms. If you take the time to read it, you might be surprised with what you learn. http://www.wunderland.com/WTS/Andy/P...enReasons.html

[amsterdamage]

this is an amazing thread, everyone is so respectful and tolerant of each other's opinions ..props to you all!!!!


Dave, smoking a joint is very similar to drinking a couple of beers -- not everyone likes it but those who do find it relaxing and enjoyable.
And just like moderate alcohol consumption, responsible marijuana use has no negative impact on consumers - their health isn't negatively impacted, it doesn't lead to harder drugs, and they are at least as productive in their jobs as any of their non-smoking colleagues.

As far as the safety marijuana goes, you may be interested to know that the two legal drugs tobacco and alcohol respectively kill 400,000 and 100,000 people every year in this country. Marijuana on the other hand has never been recorded as having killed a single person. In fact it's so nontoxic that researches can't determine if it even has an LD50.


And you may be curious about the federal marijuana prohibition. Concisely, the major flaw with it is it's incapable of removing marijuana from society, all it's done is take the supply side of the marijuana market out of the hands of honest businessmen and put it in the hands of criminal organizations. So now instead of being able to enforce standards of quality and restrict sales to minors like we do with alcohol and tobacco, there is instead no way to regulate the market at all.

The prohibition costs us $40 billion a year in enforcement costs and lost taxes, and is responsible for the arrest of 2,000 people every day. That is money that could be used to lower our taxes, and the vast majority of those people are honest, productive members of society who just happen to prefer marijuana over alcohol as their recreational drug of choice. I hope that helps you understand this plant just a little better.

[TokinDroFoShoYo]

i started smoking because i suffer from some really hard chronic depression and after 2 suicide attempts in a week i realised that i needed something for a last resort/ final attempt, i started smoking and loved it, it allowed me to escape my mind and be free for a while.

Now that my family knows i smoke, and that im so depressed they offer me Anti-depression pills, which i turn down because in my mind, im self medicating with a natural plant, that if u happen to burn, gets you high. so why would i take some Liver rotting pills made up in a science lab when im fine and safe as i am.?

and props for not being some gung-ho anti choice Nazi with a hard on for making kids be sober. I respect u for hearin both sides of the strory, newho peace dave, ure a BAMF as stated before.