On October 17 2011 16:28 Tincuradan wrote:Drugs DRUGS D R U G S... I like the distinction between soft drugs, hard drugs and prescription drugs in the Netherlands. The line is of course arbitrary, because who decides what´s an acceptable risk and what isn´t?
Every culture glorifies a certain drug nearby as reference state, and demonizes others. It's been done over and over, and it has nothing to do with the physical effects. In fact, it's effects are so strong, users commonly don't experience the real drug, but the cultural description of the drug. For instance, alcohol doesn't make you loose, irresponsible, loud and horny. People who act like that are just looking for excuses, and culture gives them what they want, so long as they consume alcohol. Venues for these people are created, because they make a profit. Meanwhile others are enjoying their wine, spirits in whatever means and circumstance they deem fit. If people are given an incentive to behave, they can drink all they want, they won't get violent or obnoxious.
Notice the warning label commonly applied against drinking alone. Leads to addiction. I'll say to that, depression, self-medication and self-conditioning lead to addicition. But normal neuroses are hard enough to iron out on your own without impaired thinking. Many fail to become real alcoholics. Maybe you're lucky enough to know a true alcoholic, but you might never know until they lose their job, their girlfriend, or their health. Then suddenly shit hits the fan, and it more easy to blame the bottle than you having somewhat of a dickish personality. And as alcohol DOES desensitize people to external impulses, DOES slow reaction time and in large quantities, DOES damage vital organs, we can comfortably say alcoholics are stupid.
+ Show Spoiler +Naom Chomsky on Marijuana
Nobody fully understands the effect a drug has on their brain if the only time they use them is in a social situation where conformism is expected. A few million years of social evolution has seen to that. Mirror neurons, empathy and advertising, they distort the effect of these substances in the brain. I'm not saying these are bad things, in case you're wondering.
I can't say the same for weed because its effects on different people have been studied little or funded by groups with special interests. I do know some people who use weed as an excuse not to think. I know people who use weed to think better. I know people who just want to sit and stare at the TV on weed, and I know people who paint, write and create on weed.
+ Show Spoiler +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JVOHgCFd-Q
Carl Sagan was a published astronomer, documentary filmmaker, awesome dude and daily smoker
http://www.druglibrary.org/think/~jnr/sagan.htmGo watch his Cosmos series.
As far as I can tell from my narrow point of view, weed removes some selective processes from cognitive functioning. Makes sense it `fucks you up` if your following activity is selecting the proper function, the right strategy, the outcome of a logical equation, or any highly trained skill. You´ll have so much more data to deal with, if you´re not prepared, you´ll get overloaded. And lot´s of people do.
Some freak out and get paranoid. Some have no other way to cope than to wallow in it all. Some start believing this is the "better" or "true" way of seeing, without any discrimination or rational thoughts at all. But is this the drug, or do these people react the same way new information is presented, they meet a new person or try a new game?
http://suburra.com/blog/2011/10/05/addictive-personality/ On all the indications of addiction.
Taking soft drugs is a skill, like any other. It requires a reflective mind and a good memory or recording skills like writing, speaking or video. If I set policy I wouldn't let just anyone operate them, same as I wouldn't let just anyone operate heavy machinery, drive a car or program a computer.
Tips:
The important thing is thinking about thinking and perception. Think high about how you normally think, and think normally about how you think when high.
Self restraint and moderation still apply.
Know the rules before you break them.
Respect the substance, it's as much judging you as you are it.
Read some books, do some research, talk to your more sane friends and then go for it.
Oh, and when you get so high you actually think you can fly, some advice: Try it from the ground, not from 10 stories high. Jumping out of windows to test such things is stupid. On the other hand, if you're that stupid, maybe you were bound to be selected out of the gene pool.
Show nested quote +On October 17 2011 15:46 LAN-f34r wrote:
People who you buy drugs from are quite like to commit other crimes (gangs can have an impressive armory O.o)
Medical bills if you end up ill because of the drug use (or drug use causes an accident ie drunk driving)
Second hand smoke
Emotions of those close to you (How would your mother feel about you hurting yourself?)
Loss of your own productivity
ect
Victim-less crime?
Nobody is going to buy guns if their business is protected by the law. Right now, it isn't. Even in the Netherlands, if your plantation gets robbed and they steal your weed, you're fucked.
Nobody is going to a hospital from one time use, unless you're the kind of person who takes first time swimming lessons in the ocean.
The effects of second hand smoke are real. They are comparable to living in proximity to a highway, or a smoggy city. We don't disallow highways or smoggy cities.
I don't know about your mother, but if she doesn't allow you to make mistakes, she doesn't allow you to live.
If you lose productive capabilities, you should evaluate your use. But maybe you've realized there's more to life than production.
If you claim a drug user has no moral responsibilities, no self consciousness and no self determination, you've just dehumanized them, and you can do whatever you want with them, because they are no more than animals. But how can a substance temporarily active in the brain subtract from such things? It only adds in my opinion.