Originally posted by Ragnorakthe way statistics that support marijuana's label as a "gateway"drug are calculated is by asking users of hard drugs "what is the first illegal drug you used?" and the answer is usually marinuana, since no one, it seems, goes from zero to heroin. this is misleading because it neglects to ask how many marijuana users go on to use heroin, which, I would venture to guess, is pretty low.
People say cannabis is a "gateway drug".
This is probably a true statement, but I blame the legal status of cannibis for this phenomenon.
If the roles of alcohol and cannabis were reversed, ie: alcohol was illegal and mary wasn't, then I reckon alcohol would become a gateway drug.
Why?
Contrary to what some people believe, people who use cannabi ...[text shortened]... offer me harder stuff than booze. Ergo, alcohol would then become the gateway drug.
D
and as sonhouse has pointed out, most people have tried tobacco and/or alcohol before trying marijuana, so where do you draw the line?
to ivanhoe: have you ever smoked weed? what is your personal experience with this? helping "the kids" is not answer. it's the kind of thing people say when they don't want people to question their motives. (trying to make people think: how can your argument be wrong when you just want to help "the kids"?)
I've worked in rehabs with teenagers recovering from addiction, and the kids you want to "help" with your anecdotal propaganda would be better served with the truth about drugs. I mean, we do it with alcohol- we tell kids that when they are old enough to drink they should be careful, drink in moderation and that drinking too much all the time will lead to physical dependancy and alcoholism and health problems. We don't tell them that one beer will send them off the deep end of psychosis and cause a complete mental breakdown- because it's not true. Spreading lies in an effort to "help kids" is extremely harmful, despite your alleged "good" intentions.
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Originally posted by sonhouseBut are you sure they became mentally ill because they were overly religious? Couldn't it be the other way round? Some people would also argue that religion or some extreme forms of it are a form of mental illness, in which case you couldn't say that religion has caused their mental illness either.
For proof, I give you David Coresh, Pat Robertson, Jim Jones.
Originally posted by HalitoseI heard a great quote on tv the other day. I'm going to have to paraphrase it.
[b]Religion DOES cause mental illness.
Oh yeah? I want proof, you hear! C'mon now, where's that scientific study? Surely you must have some sort of corroborated evidence for such a profound statement? 😛[/b]
"There will always be good people doing good things, and evil people doing evil things, but for a good person to do an evil thing requires religion."
This before he went on to interview some fundamentalist lunatics in america and the middle east.
It seems that the catholic church has turned fundamentalist now as well. Why did the pope need to use the language of war in his first encyclical? Just what we need, a fundamentalist christian church bent on world war, a fundamentalist islam bent on world war, and now a fundamentalist catholic church bent on world war.
Sorry for going off topic.
D
Originally posted by RagnorakWhile I agree that religion can make good people do evil things, I don't agree that it's the only thing which can do that.
"There will always be good people doing good things, and evil people doing evil things, but for a good person to do an evil thing requires religion."
Originally posted by NordlysNo, it's not religion. And it's not because mankind is inherently sinful. It's usually because most people are pupeteers and will do anything to preserve their own way of life. If the leaders shout "chaaaaarge!" people charge. Be it a priest or a politician holding the strings.
While I agree that religion can make good people do evil things, I don't agree that it's the only thing which can do that.
Evil is caused by the lack of understanding that all humans are basically alike. There are no purely evil or purely benine people. There are only people. And we often do things without realizing that the same actions taken by others would disgust us. It's alright to burn the enemies, but if any of them should do the same to us, then it's a horrible, horrible thing. This is the root to all evil; people lacking in common sense and forming groups to "protect" from the others. A good offensive is the best defense.
I'm just very, very tired over here. Gonna have to sleep this melancholia
off now. 😞 😴😴😴
If only you'd stop staring at me with those cat's eyes of yours. 😉
Originally posted by Darth SpongeWell put!
the way statistics that support marijuana's label as a "gateway"drug are calculated is by asking users of hard drugs "what is the first illegal drug you used?" and the answer is usually marinuana, since no one, it seems, goes from zero to heroin. this is misleading because it neglects to ask how many marijuana users go on to use heroin, which, I would ...[text shortened]... to "help kids" is extremely harmful, despite your alleged "good" intentions.
I'd very much like to see a poll done to establish how many people have smoked weed in the past and never used any harder drugs. We could probably do a poll right here on rhp. Ivanhoe's copy/pasted propaganda do nothing but promote a continuation of the argument against such ridiculous conservative crap. It's ironic that through his own ignorance he has brought to light a much larger, more realistic argument, that cannabis is no worse than alcohol. If anything he is promoting the spread of knowledge of the truths about weed as we all waste our time arguing with this unstinting fool.
Originally posted by stockenYou mean most people are puppets, right?
No, it's not religion. And it's not because mankind is inherently sinful. It's usually because most people are pupeteers and will do anything to preserve their own way of life. If the leaders shout "chaaaaarge!" people charge. Be it a priest or a politician holding the strings.
Evil is caused by the lack of understanding that all humans are basically alik ...[text shortened]... w. 😞 😴😴😴
If only you'd stop staring at me with those cat's eyes of yours. 😉
How can people fight to preserve their own way of life if that way of life is viewed on a subjective level, I'd rather argue that people would try and protect their illusion of a sense of community based on this concept of 'self' as being part of something greater than themselves, the safety blanket of being a sheep.
The susceptibility of an individual towards accepting the group's actions as normal or as right is a measure of that person's weakness to conformity, be it in religion or politics or sexuality. To deny reality and delude yourself to a point where your religion controls your perspective of everything is not a measure of insanity, I see it more as evidence of the corrosion of individuality through submission, which is exactly what any religion would do to a person drowning therein.
Originally posted by NordlysI think a good case can be made to the effect that the schitzoid
But are you sure they became mentally ill because they were overly religious? Couldn't it be the other way round? Some people would also argue that religion or some extreme forms of it are a form of mental illness, in which case you couldn't say that religion has caused their mental illness either.
behaviour mostly started AFTER they saw the, er, light.
Originally posted by sonhouseAre you sure you mean schizoid? Avoiding social contact and showing little emotion don't seem to be typical attributes of religious people, unless you are talking about hermits.
I think a good case can be made to the effect that the schitzoid
behaviour mostly started AFTER they saw the, er, light.
Originally posted by hopscotchha ha ha ha. Yes, I do mean most people are puppets. 😵
You mean most people are puppets, right?
How can people fight to preserve their own way of life if that way of life is viewed on a subjective level, I'd rather argue that people would try and protect their illusion of a sense of community based on this concept of 'self' as being part of something greater than themselves, the safety blanket of being a sh ...[text shortened]... rough submission, which is exactly what any religion would do to a person drowning therein.
Originally posted by StarrmanBuckets are a TYPE of bong. And Spilffs are strictly for people who can't hold their weed ...amateurs, as a matter of fact.
Amateur. Bong's are great if you want to get blotto in a very short period of time and then lay around unable to move for the rest of the day. However, for the more discerning smoker, who enjoys the aspects of conversation and the prolonged enjoyment of smoking weed, spliffs are just fine.
And while we're on the subject, if you are that way inclined, bongs are for wimps, buckets are the only way to go.