Have them watch movies like "Super High Me" and "The Union" it worked on my parents i also show them studies everyonce in a while...they enjoy learning about it .
Good reality check. I completely agree with you, and it's easy to lose sight of this when there seems to be an us-versus-them mentality attached to smoking pot. The issue is that we often look for other people's approval being social animals. And when someone disapproves of our actions we tend to take it personality, and we want to make them understand our opinion and educate them. But the key is that only you need to understand why you believe pot is ok, because no one can ultimately decide that and their opinions matter if you think they matter. Keep smoking weed and let other people do what makes them happy. But on the other hand, I have run across people who are open minded and want to better understand the conflict over pot. I think it would be a good to tell them it is less dangerous than legal drugs such as alcohol and cigarettes - even pharmaceuticals in their own way. Seeing as many people have experienced the "high" of alcohol, I like to compare pot to alcohol: whether I get drunk or I get high, I see it as ingesting a substance that forces my mind and body to function differently. It is the same thing as getting drunk, but with a different substance and a different "drunk" effect. So I drink a lot of rotten and fermented fruit/grains/etc, and I feel chatty, wobbly, and sick. Then other times, I light a plant's reproductive organs on fire and inhale the fumes to feel relaxed, happy, and change the way I perceive reality. And on some days, I eat a manufactured powder to feel speedy, concentrated, and like I am living to the fullest (ADD medication. They are literally giving children speed for not being interested in school, and it's completely legal). There is no real reason to pursue these buzzes/highs/drunks/etc, except for the overall reason of just wanting to do something fun. Activities I find fun are reading, riding my bike, being outside, and altering my body chemistry to live in a fun new perspective. In my opinion, the conflict over weed is simply due to ignorance. Pot is different than alcohol and cigarettes, obviously, but the problem is weed is just better. It won't kill you, no horrible intoxication effects, a lot of happy-chemicals being released in the brain, and you generally feel really awesome. It's so awesome that all you have to do is do what you normally enjoy, and the activity is made better. I believe that people who are against pot have been misinformed, and on some level fear that our society will degrade if there was nothing in place to try to stop its use. Yes, I partly agree with these people because it is so easy to do, that people develop a dependency on it as a source of happiness. But you can say that about all drugs, legal and non-legal. You can actually say that about anything. For example, some people eat to feel pleasure and develop obesity, and others obsessively build muscle to unnecessary levels. Essentially, a large amount of people don't have enough self control to stop themselves from a debilitating obsession, but there is no reason for eating or exercising to be illegal. And because people with power in society want as many functioning members as possible, they are going to keep pot illegal to protect those people from their own lack of self control. But obviously, there are a large amount of people who possess self control and can function completely fine with weed as a part of their life. And some of those people feel like their freedom is being infringed upon, so they actively try to legalize pot. A common misconception is that pot activists just want to smoke weed more easily (and I bet there are activists out there like that), but for the most part it is a battle to have a right to enjoy a fun activity without being a criminal. It's a huge combination of reasons why pot is not "okay", but I think it is basically due to fear that stems from ignorance. Just think if pot was a part of American tradition, and we got beer in the 60s. It would be the exact same way it is now, except the roles would be flipped. I think when the misinformed generations die out is around when it will be decriminalized. I should just email this to the next person who may ask me about pot, hah.
IMHO I believe you should apologize for shouving all that shit down their throat. If their your friends then it shouldn't matter if they smoke or not and if they disagree with it or not aslong as they don't look down on you for it. If you really want to show people (this goes for everyone) that marijuana is indeed a magnificent herb, then smoke it recreationally and lead a successful life. Don't be a loser. That's honestly the best way to show the world how beautiful our plant really is.
Alot of people are closed minded, and regardless what you show them, if their parents, teachers, and the television told them marijuana is bad, then it MUST be true. Dont waste your time, if someone can not see that marijuana is more helpful than damaging, its not worth your time arguing your point.
let me begin with my favourite Quote "the lips of wisdom are closed,except to the ears of the understanding"..now if someone really wants to understand that weed is not an evil plant sent from hell to destroy humanity they just will.You dont have to spend hours convincing them or anything.What you must do however is understand yourself why weed is good,stop trying to convince people..and just enjoy getting high.And by staying true to yourself ull see that people would rather approach you themselves to find out bout weed and when you explain.They will understand! ....................
Yeah, that would be fine except that the people without understanding are fucking it up for the rest of us that are wise. So if you want to be a wise, old, closed lipped stoner and continue sending innocent people to prison then go ahead. I on the other hand think I will continue to try to improve things.
Is your question about getting people to UNDERSTAND that there's nothing morally wrong with it, or are you actually trying to convince someone to try? On the first issue, at least, I have a lot to say. If they can wrap their head around the notion of alcohol for recreation, for the sake of getting buzzed or drunk alone, and don't think THAT'S wrong, then that's the only point you have to make. Marijuana IS less dangerous than alcohol. It's certainly not as addictive, if at all. It doesn't destroy your organs. It doesn't kill brain cells. It leaves no hangover. "Being high" and "being drunk" are both states of mental intoxication. Morality has nothing to do with it. They are what they are. If they're against alcohol too, well ..... it sucks, but at least they're consistent. Move on. It's just a philosophical argument at that point. Most people who aren't very religious aren't going to offer criticism of beer-drinkers like they would with cannabis users. Now, if they're like 8/10 of people in this country, and they're all for booze .... you just need to drive the hypocrisy home, THEIR own hypocrisy. POINT IT OUT AND CALL IT HYPOCRISY, again and again, to their faces. Don't sugar-coat it. If they drink, and think they should be able to, but think it's okay to throw a person with a joint in jail .... make sure they understand that they're hypocrites. Put the burden of explanation on them to demonstrate what makes marijuana any different. In fact, all they would have to do is demonstrate that marijuana is at least as dangerous (not more dangerous, AS dangerous) as alcohol, to really have an argument going. Liquor is a really hard drug, and most people don't understand that. It made my mother really sick, and she's a recovering alcoholic. Marijuana is like a flea on the ass of liquor and tobacco. If they drink, and think that they should have the right to, they need to demonstrate why THAT'S not immoral, but your marijuana is. If they refuse, they're not worth talking to. Tell them so, as well. Explain you're not going to talk to them anymore, because they refuse to THINK about the things they believe, and why they believe those things. There's nothing worse than a mind that's within inches of being dead, and by choice.