What is Digg?374 Comments
- inactive, on 11/07/2007, -35/+409marijane being illegal is about:
1. protecting the corporate profits of alcohol and tobacco
2. enabling the rapidly growing gestapo to seize assets and accrue funding for the drug war
please stop implying that the government gives a rats ass about anyone's health besides their own.
Private American citizens are the enemy of the state....get it? - mogus, on 10/11/2007, -3/+159This report is just a smokescreen. I've been advocating the outlawing of Spinach for years. Full of essential vitamins & minerals, hah!
- fnaqzna, on 10/11/2007, -10/+141@jazzmine49
You've missed the opportunity cost of maintaining the drug war. What else could the police and entire judicial system be doing if they weren't worrying about pot?
Every arrest is wasted time and resources. - Jeffmr1, on 10/11/2007, -13/+140Just wanted to point out, because IMO it's way overlooked, that oil companies promote the drug war even more than alcohol and tobacco ones. This is in part because several large corporations, like Phillip Morris, have their hands dipped into all three arenas (alcohol tobacco and oil); four if you count paper production. Oil companies are scared because of the ability to easily produce biodegradable plastics, alternative fuels, even cheaper synthetics, and canvas all from hemp.
- TheMadRhino, on 10/11/2007, -2/+127to be fair, spinach is a gateway vegitable. It leads to the abuse of more dangerous vegitables, such as brussel sprouts and asparagus.
- inactive, on 10/11/2007, -5/+90Sadly, my cousin got cottonmouth
He was just a kid. 19 years old, and a senior in high school. He was always a favorite in our family, and everyone loved him. He was a football player, and an active member in our church and community.
Well, one day, during his senior year, he went to a party. Apparently some liberal parents had gone out of town, and left their child unattended (why am I not surprised by the irresponsible parents) so he decided to throw a party. Well when my cousin arrive the other kids were drinking, and smoking, and behaving pretty poorly.
Since most of these kids were passing around a marijuana cigarette, my cousin felt a little bit out of place. At first, he refused to smoke. But the kids kept putting peer pressure on him by saying things like, "just take a puff", "all the cool kids are doing it" and "nobody has ever died from smoking marijuana." Finally, my cousin succumbed to the pressure, and he took a puff.
Immediately he went for the Pringles. Then he started giggling at the ceiling fan. Finally, his cotton-mouth set in. By the time he found the bottle of Mr.Pibb it was too late. It was empty. He didn't die though. He found a faucet. Then someone put on Dark Side of the Moon. - Jeffmr1, on 10/11/2007, -10/+89@jazzmine49
What makes you think this isn't important? I'm not sure on the exact stats but i know that half of the people in prison are there for marijuana charges, eighty percent of those are for possession alone not trafficking or sale. That's a huge number of people who's lives are destroyed because of simple possession, that's also a huge amount of money to house all of those people and don't even get me started on the cost of enforcement alone.
Decriminalization/legalization of Marijuana is a worthwhile cause. Prohibition only serves to destroy our civil liberties, crowd our prisons, increase spending, and INCREASE crime; all while doing little to curb drug use (some have argued that the drug war increases drug use, and im inclined to agree). - stonewaljacksn, on 10/11/2007, -7/+79That's so stupid. You cant die from smoking weed, it's a known thing. We stoner's need to really take a new approach to making marijuana legal than just stupid things like this that only get attention from stoners anyway.
- TheKillDoctor, on 10/11/2007, -4/+64@truspector
I agree in part but you've got to realize that tomatoes are just as easy to grow but not everyone has a backyard garden. The convenience of purchasing all ready made prepackaged products is consumerism at its best (or worst).
- Darkhacker, on 10/11/2007, -4/+59Alcohol and tobacco are FAR more dangerous than marijuana. I wouldn't doubt that spinach has killed more people either since all of the food warnings that have been coming out over the past year. If it was legalized and sold with taxes like tobacco, the government could make extra money and also improve the economy while adding jobs. I want to point out though, that I personally do not smoke marijuana and never have. I'm not just a rambling pot head who wants it legalized so I can get high. I just believe that people have the right to use marijuana if it is not harmful to them. Hell, I'm on two different anti-depressants and the side effects are worse than anything I'd get from smoking marijuana. Wellbutrin carries a small risk for seizures and has a sexual side effect that causes it to take longer to ejaculate (though the orgasm is nicer).
- SPECOPS, on 10/11/2007, -6/+54@cornswalled
http://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/news/20060523/pot-smoking-not-linked-to-lung-cancer
Nuff said. - JonnyTrombone, on 10/11/2007, -6/+51I think the illegality of marijuana is (at this point) more about the government not admitting a mistake. Legalizing marijuana would be admitting that it was a mistake to make it illegal, and that would call into question other drug laws (cocaine, heroin, etc.). It has nothing to do with protecting tobacco- the government is also shafting them with huge taxes and many cities/states have banned indoor/public smoking.
And jeffmr1, you need to stop smoking so much dope. Here's a list of Altria Group's assets: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assets_owned_by_Altria_Group - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -35/+76""People wanting to make marijuana legal is about: a. Joining a weed smoking bandwagon so other idiots will think you are cool.
b. Having your priorities so ***** up that you think that making marijuana legal is something worthwhile & important.""
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Questions;
1. Do you work for NIDA?
2. Do you get paid to post this sh!t?
3. What is it like having the brain of a two year old? - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -3/+40""No surprise the potheads raised it to the front page.""
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This of course probably coming from someone who partakes in Alcohol and tobacco use. - BoneheadFarker, on 10/11/2007, -7/+44@jazzmine49
I, for one, would like to see it legalized so that I don't have to worry about going to jail as I smoke a doob to calm the nausea and pain from my Crohn's disease-ridden guts... - capiCrimm, on 10/11/2007, -10/+46
They're trying to build a prison
They're trying to build a prison
They're trying to build a prison
(For you and me to live in!)
Another prison system
Another prison system
Another prison system
(For you and me!) - nastysquar3d, on 10/11/2007, -4/+39I was on asparagus once.
It was a really dark time in my life, and the girls told me it made my semen taste horrible. :/ - deeboe, on 10/11/2007, -3/+37Solution: Smoke spinach
- thatsmyaibo, on 10/11/2007, -7/+40"1. protecting the corporate profits of alcohol and tobacco"
I disagree with you. If it was legal, what would stop Philip Morris from selling marijuana? In fact if marijuana went corporate, it would make a ton of money. - zwendkos, on 10/11/2007, -5/+38yes but how many of those spinach deaths were caused by consumption due to the munchies??
- NikoKun, on 10/11/2007, -4/+35Also, just adding that the statistic about hospital visits related to Marijuana is complete *****.
"Marijuana-related emergency-room visits increased from 45,000 in 1995 to 119,000 in 2002, the most recent comparison available, federal drug officials say."
Marijuana causes no reason to go to the hospital... All of those 'emergency-room visits' were merely mentions of Marijuana, or parents forcing their kids to go to the emergency room, due to false facts, (and I might add if people had the real facts, there would be less emergency room time wasted, some people have REAL emergencies you know... xD).
Most of those visits were for completely different injuries or illnesses, but some people might mention to their doctor if they used Marijuana recently, to avoid any possible medication conflict. The other possibility is that THC was found in blood work... lol
I still think most of it is from parents dragging their child to the emergency room because they smoked pot... the parents are scared ***** that it will kill their child because of the BS propaganda out there...
More people go to the emergency room as a cause of plenty of other things... alcohol is he worst... Marijuana directly and health wise, would never cause a SINGLE hospital visit, if people had the real facts. Thats why those news incidents about pot brownie pranks, really piss me off, because people think they are 'sick' and go to the hospital... -_-
If this was legal this ***** wouldn't happen... The DEA just likes to cling to any possible stat that they can twist into blaiming on marijuana... - CannedMango, on 10/11/2007, -7/+35@hmtksteve
"Cars killed more people last year too. Are you suggesting we make cars illegal?
You're trying to compare two things that are unrelated. No points for you."
Actually, the original article is comparing two things that people willingly ingest into their bodies. They are both all natural plants that have been used by humans for centuries. So the comparison is very valid.
Now, YOUR comparison of smoking marijuana to driving a motor vehicle, one being something that you ingest into your body, while the other is a means of transportation makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. So before you go around belittling other people, try to make a point that works. - NikoKun, on 10/11/2007, -3/+31If the government wont do anything about this... and don't care about the facts... then we have to do something to make them change foolish laws...
They just can not keep a law that is so illogical and wrong... When something is illegal for no reason, and is harmless and maybe even helpful... the laws that make it illegal are wrong and need to change.
We really have to fix this now! There is no reason for it to be illegal! They can't go around making things illegal so they can protect corperations and make money... that is *****. CHANGE THE LAWS NOW! - Jeffmr1, on 10/11/2007, -2/+26@cornswalled
Actually the jury is still out on marijuana's effects towards general lung disease. Concerning cancer however, Nicotine and not carcinogens is now thought to be the main cause of cancer from cigarettes (nicotine disables the body's self destruct mechanism used to destroy cancerous cells before they spread) and THC has been shown to increase the effectiveness of the self destruct mechanism; also, no link has been found between marijuana use and cancer. - MasteRR, on 10/11/2007, -4/+27"Tomatoes don't get you high."
No, but they have killed a lot more people than marijuana. :-P - usrlocalbin, on 10/11/2007, -5/+27@thekilldoctor:
You make a good point....But you are forgetting the MAIN point..
Tomatoes don't get you high. - synclare, on 11/26/2008, -6/+27@ cornswalled
"Smoking pot carries all the same cancer and lung disease risks as smoking tobacco. Claiming otherwise just further discredits the "Legalize it!" stoners."
Most folks don't smoke 20 joints a day. (a pack of ciggs)
...Unless your last name is Marley i guess. - CannedMango, on 10/11/2007, -1/+22@twertyto
I know so many Teachers, Lawyers, Software Developers, Draftsmen, Loggers, Artists, and Students that smoke weed, it's ridiculous. Most people I meet smoke weed and talk about it as if it's not a big deal at all. You're buying into the stereotype that only washouts and losers use marijuana recreationally. The fact is that people from all walks of life use it and that it doesn't impede their ability to function in their jobs or lives (of course they use it after work hours. People use it much the same as alchohol, in moderation and when appropriate). - BigCalhoun, on 10/11/2007, -7/+27I agree, but want to take it a step further. I believe that with all of the positive uses of hemp highlighted, it's several industries that are looking to keep this drug illegal. As easy as it is to grow, you figure with enhanched manufacturing processes to handle the material more efficiently, who could we put out of business?
- The timber industry could cease to exist as hemp has been used to produce building materials and other companies are experiencing with other materials, aside from wood, to make beams and such. Don't forget, hemp can also be used for paper. We could probably cut our timber production (and jobs) by half.
- The cotton industry could take a hit. Not only do clothes made from hemp look good, they also last longer than cotton. Again, an opportunity to further cut resource destruction.
- Food. Have you ever had hemp nuts? Aside from actually being tasty, they're also quite healthy. While I don't think hemp would affect our agriculture in terms of food, I do see it taking more market share in areas such as diet and 'whole' foods.
- And it goes on... Hemp is being looked at as a source of fuel, as a lubricant, as a cooking oil, ... It just keeps going. And I don't think that hemp is the cure-all for all the planets woes. But I could envision a shift of wealth of as the once dominant mass-producing factories are replaced by smaller and more efficient local hemp growing operations. - ArchieAndrews, on 10/11/2007, -4/+23Well, apparently, it is also good for those with nothing better to do than post unfounded, generalized complaints about other digg users... I assume that part is ok with you though?
- xxTazxx, on 10/11/2007, -3/+21Now we know what Popeye was on...
- HMTKSteve, on 10/11/2007, -89/+107Cars killed more people last year too. Are you suggesting we make cars illegal?
Your trying to compare two things that are unrelated. No points for you. - Foliot, on 10/11/2007, -3/+20I call my hybrid product...
Tomajuana. - zwendkos, on 10/11/2007, -3/+20@ myself
who the hell eats spinach when they get the munchies?? - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -3/+19Bleh, these tomato examples are horrible.
Use the others that are right under your nose - tobacco and alcohol.
Can you grow your own tobacco? Yep.
Can you make your own beer? Yep.
Do you wanna waste the time and energy to do so when you can just plop down a few $ to get the end product that's already made for you? Probably not.
The reason why everyone thinks people would suddenly start growing is because right *now* it's profitable to do so. If it becomes so abundant like beer or cigarettes, you'll just say "screw that, I'll go buy a pack of joints for $20. It's easier."
It all boils down to time and money. It costs a good amount to grow your own massive weed farm. You need light 24/7 for the first few weeks, then 12/12. If you're growing or constantly cloning any more than 2 or 3 plants, that ***** gets costly! You'll easily spend over $30 a month on your elec bill, and at that point what are you saving? Plus you need a room, ventilation, etc. It's not like you can just plop a few seeds down and call it a day. Then you gotta pick sexes, blah blah blah. - WarpFox, on 10/11/2007, -8/+22deaths from spinach last year: unknown.
deaths from marijuana last year: zero.
deaths from marijuana last decade: zero.
deaths from marijuana last century: zero.
deaths from marijuana last mellenia: zero.
Marijuana is not toxic enough to harm you. No one has died from marijuana in recorded history. Water is more toxic. - TheCash, on 10/11/2007, -5/+19"12 states have at least partly decriminalized it, to the point that in Alaska there is no penalty for possessing an ounce or less at home"
Jeeze I hate when people mention my state as an argument for pot legalization, but don't even get their facts straight first.
Alaska hasn't 'decriminalized' anything... pot was legal here until the early 80's, at which point the state government bowed to the federal government, and changed the laws accordingly. It has been legal to possess one ounce since that time, but it is illegal to actually grow the substance yourself, or provide it to other people. Basically, the only positive aspect of the loophole is that if the cops search your home, but find nothing more then one baggy without any sort of evidence that you have more, are distributing it to other people, or are possibly growing it yourself, you're not going to jail.
There are always the random group of teenagers with clipboards that ambush folks outside of Walmart, trying to get their petitions to legalize pot signed so it can go before the voters, but the only time they succeeded getting it on the ballot, it went down in flames by a margin of 4-1 in every district, except certain parts of the Mat-su. That's not really suprising, considering the Mat-Su is the greenbelt of Alaska, and it's common knowledge that that is where the vast majority of Alaskan pot is grown in the first place.
If anything, the local government is working to stiffen pot laws even further, as meth has become an epidemic in the last 2 years, and pot is seen as(and admitted to be by most former drug users I know) a gateway drug that leads to worse drugs. Long story short, I have no problem with people producing articles like this, but if you're going to take on a definative tone, you should at least find some more concrete and detailed sources then a few google hits. We're all pretty used to outsiders getting their facts wrong about ANWR, and Alaska in general frankly, but don't go using us as a bullet point in your soapbox arguments without doing a little fact checking first. Appreciate it. - optigon, on 10/11/2007, -1/+15Spinach is a hell of a drug!
Look at Popeye! - truspector, on 10/11/2007, -15/+29"If it was legalized and sold with taxes like tobacco"
Will never happen. It is too easy to plant, grow, and cultivate. Nobody would buy it, and everyone would have a "weed farm" in their backyard. - AHippie, on 10/11/2007, -1/+14@cornswalled (#7014481)
His argument isn't "pot is natural, so it's good for you." It's "pot can be helpful for negative side effects, BUT it's natural, SO companies won't like it because it's too easily producible." - EndersGame, on 10/11/2007, -3/+16Everybody can just as easily grow tomatoes in their own backyard but I still see tomatoes being sold in stores. I would rather go to the local liquor store and pick up a pack of 20 weed cigarettes than plant and water a marijuana plant for months, harvest it (which is a lot harder than harvesting a tomato plant btw), wait for it to dry, and than break it down and roll my own joints. Despite being astronomically cheaper, lots of people don't even bother buying the Tops tobacco to roll their own cigs.
On top of that, with a commercial interest behind marijuana I am sure they will be able to make their weed a lot more potent than your own supply would be. There will be an industry for weed cigarettes, and even things like weed butter or weed muffins. A weed store might bring in more customers than a liquor store as a matter of fact. - crzdmnsldy, on 10/11/2007, -3/+15@tru- that's like saying no one will buy tomatoes.
-edit- nevermind, Kill beat me - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -4/+16""So, your big argument is that it's "All natural" huh? "Drink up Socrates! Hemlock is all natural!" All Natural does NOT equal Safe.""
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It seems you are implying that Cannabis is dangerous. If thats the case you are either ignorant to the most studied plant on earth or, simply put, you are lying.
"There is no conclusive evidence that short-term marihuana use alone directly results in any physical damage to man. [...] Brill et al. (1970) and Smith (1968) have noted that there have not been any reliable reports of human fatalities attributable purely to marihuana, although very high doses have been administered by users."
- The Report of the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse, "Acute Effects of Marihuana"; http://www.druglibrary.org/Schaffer/LIBRARY/studies/nc/nc1e.htm
"There are no known cases of lethal overdose in humans from smoking marijuana. The LD50 in rats is the equivalent of eating more than their body weight. For inhalation, it would be the same as a human smoking about 7 kilos of THC in one session!"
- PY116: Human Psychopharmacology - Cannabis;
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:EfuBUFQw8HUJ:psychology.unn.ac.uk/mark/PY116 /HPcannabis/HPCANNABIS.htm+ld50+marijuana&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=4
"I've found no published cases in the English language that document deaths from smoked marijuana, so the actual lethal dose is a mystery."
- Robert S. Gable, "The Toxicity of Recreational Drugs", American Scientist May-June 2006 Volume: 94 Number: 3 Page: 206;
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:EfuBUFQw8HUJ:psychology.unn.ac.uk/mark/PY116 /HPcannabis/HPCANNABIS.htm+ld50+marijuana&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=4
34.95895% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
Cannabis is not dangerous, It only causes paranoia in those that don't smoke it, and since the insurance companie's make every smoker take a piss test pot smokers are unfairly denied jobs, then called lazy, not to mention the fact that legal sanctions against marijuana fuel a worldwide black market and pour money into gangs and criminal organizations, however,you are a mockingbird for govt. anti marijuana propaganda and you recite it so well
that I thought I would let you know your favorite movie, REEFER MADNESS is on google video. - RanIntoTheDevil, on 10/11/2007, -3/+15This is ridiculous. Of course spinach killed more people that pot last year! Want to know why? Pot DOES NOT KILL PEOPLE!
Find me one incident where someone died solely from pot ingestion with a *legitimate* source and I will claim your greatness for ever.
Some links on why marijuana is not nearly as bad as the propaganda makes it out to be.
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20030701/heavy-marijuana-use-doesnt-damage-brain
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1068625.stm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729_pf.html - MioTheGreat, on 10/11/2007, -3/+15To be fair, many researchers feel that the entire "gateway drug" thing is because it's illegal.
"Despite the conflicting results of such studies, many researchers agree that the illegal status of cannabis has a direct connection to the "gateway theory". The reasoning goes that cannabis users are more likely than non-users to place themselves in situations where other illicit substances are being used. In order to acquire cannabis they are likely to become acquainted with people who use or sell other more stigmatized drugs such as cocaine or heroin, which may lead to serious addictions."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_(drug)#Relationship_with_other_drugs - Instaa, on 10/11/2007, -4/+15@mikeneilson,
Your argument makes no sense. MJ is much less harmful that cigs or alcohol and has nothing to do with fraud, stealing or whatever else you want to compare it to. The point that it isnt killing people is made because some people would have you believe it is a dangerous drug. - oxdeltaxo, on 10/11/2007, -2/+13@ theakolyte
Bongs only do soo much, they still allow some carbon and chemicals through. Vaporizers on the other hand only evaporate liquids with marijuana into an inhalant ready for consumption without carbon. - Ratking, on 10/11/2007, -2/+13Also, last year was the worst on record for spinach related fatalities.
I do propose that marijuana be sold in the supermarkets in a bag that has been "prewashed" for about $4.50. - reaver, on 10/11/2007, -3/+13"One group at least modestly turning away from marijuana is middle- and high-schoolers, ages 12 to 17. The percentage who have used pot at least once dropped from more than 20 percent in 2000 to about 17 percent in 2005, federal researchers say."
wtf there's no way that's true. I'm in high school, and trust me, 75% of kids have tried smoking weed at least once. - stonebear, on 10/11/2007, -2/+11First of all, I'd like to point out that spinach hasn't killed anyone. Some people got very sick, and a small percentage died because they didn't wash their spinach, or, more precisely; they trusted some indifferent agri-corp. to wash it for them. Didn't our mothers and home-ec teachers warn us about this? Complacency kills in a thousand different ways.
Fun trick: One can graft tomato plants onto datura rootstock, and they will bear mildly hallucinogenic, non-toxic tomatoes. There will also be no tomato worms. Of course, there are far more productive means of expanding one's consciousness; the technique has little more than novelty value for the hobbyist. -
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