043bf824   
   From: lacasse0296@rogers.com   
      
   Wow...that's quite a trip! One bowl huh? I guess you've never been stoned? I   
   have never EVER seen ANYONE trip out on weed. If they did...it was no doubt   
   laced. As an example of why it should be legal...what about bungee   
   jumping?...hey...one bad jump and you can consider yourself toast. But guess   
   what? It's legal!!! Why? Because people should have a choice in what risks   
   there willing to take to reach their high. No one's saying marijuana isn't   
   harmful...but it shouldn't be illegal. Especially when it's effects are much   
   less than that of alcohol. Long term and short term. What would you prefer?   
   To live beside a house of rowdy alcoholics or mellow pot heads? Why should   
   we be prosecuted for something that does no one else any harm (unless of   
   course they choose to be in the same room filled with smoke)? There are many   
   reasons you can argue that pot should be illegal...but there are far more   
   reasons to argue that it shouldn't!   
   I know hundreds of people who smoke. People who work in many respectable   
   jobs...and aside from smoking pot (instead of getting drunk) they're   
   complete law abiders. These people have children, some have   
   grandchildren...why should these people be considered unlawful citizens just   
   for their desire to smoke a joint? Mushrooms, acid, cocaine, heroine   
   etc...these are mind altering drugs that should be illegal and   
   criminal...these are the ones that can screw up a person for life. Maybe you   
   should double check your sources of info!   
      
   "herr owen"  wrote in message   
   news:a748abd1.0401151755.131cd6be@posting.google.com...   
   > Nelanie,   
   >      I wouldn't have a problem "decriminalizing" cannabis.  Legalizing   
   > it would lead to promotion of the drug for profit. I don't think   
   > that's beneficial. I wouldn't trivialize the potential harmful effects   
   > of cannabis for some individuals.  Studies are suggesting that early   
   > cannabis use increases the risk (as much as 6 fold) of developing   
   > schizophrenia.  The pot wasn't laced with PCP.  Some people will have   
   > horrifficly traumatic experiences on cannabis.  THey will develope   
   > panic syndrome and/or suffer chronic depersonalization and/or   
   > derealization.  In other words, one bowl full of good bud can alter   
   > perception of self and reality  -  FOREVER!   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > "Melanie Lacasse"  wrote in message   
   news:...   
   > > I have had for a very long time a very strong desire to voice my   
   opinions   
   > > on legalizing pot. Anyone out there that thinks pot is evil or criminal   
   has   
   > > obviously never been stoned! I want to make a comparison...if you had   
   > > a room full of 50 people who's drug of choice was alcohol (yes...it is a   
   > > drug) and they were all getting drunk to have a good time...what do you   
   > > think you'd find in that room by the end of the night?   
   > >   
   > >  Well in case you have never been to a gathering of this sort...let me   
   fill   
   > > you in. You'll have those who are crying on someone's shoulder telling   
   there   
   > > sob story, you'll have those couples who get drunk and jealous and beat   
   then   
   > > crap out of each other and you'll also have the testosterone filled   
   males   
   > > who   
   > > decide that now that they're drunk everyone's looking at them funny and   
   they   
   > > decide they want to pick a fight. I have to say though...that there are   
   > > quite a few that do stay happy...but they still don't act the same as   
   when   
   > > their sober.   
   > > Typically even the happiest drunk can get too loud and overly friendly.   
   Most   
   > > will drive away as drunk as they are and some of those will actually   
   make it   
   > > home. Of those who do...there will be a good number of them that will go   
   > > home miserable and depressed and those who go home to beat on their wife   
   > > because some drunk guy hit on her. These are all possible   
   scenarios...and   
   > > trust me...I've been there and I can promise you they're very common.   
   > >   
   > > However...you take another group of 50 people who's drug of choice is   
   > > marijuana and they decide to get together to have a good time (no one   
   here   
   > > is drinking). What do you think you'll see by the end of the night   
   there?   
   > > Well again...let me educate those who've never been to a strictly   
   smoking   
   > > party. You'll have those who are sitting in a corner paranoid because   
   they   
   > > think everyone's in the place is staring and making comments. (These   
   people   
   > > are rare...they're usually people who are paranoid about how they look   
   to   
   > > begin with...pot can amplify the paranoia factor). I've also seen one or   
   two   
   > > who may have a panic attack (usually self induced by their own   
   paranoia).   
   > > However...the majority of those people will be huddled into groups   
   laughing   
   > > and joking and telling funny stories...etc.   
   > >   
   > > Fact remains...pot is merely a mood altering drug...makes you mellow and   
   > > giddy for the most part. Where as alcohol is a mood altering and in my   
   > > opinion   
   > > mind altering. I mean I've said and done things when I was drunk that I   
   > > never   
   > > would have done sober or even stoned. But yet...society still believes   
   that   
   > > pot   
   > > is criminal....how? why? When you put it up there by itself for   
   > > analysis...of course   
   > > you can find a number of things about pot that you can criticize...sure   
   you   
   > > may   
   > > not feel like doing house work and such after smoking and smoke itself   
   is   
   > > harmful....but when you compare it to the other more socially acceptable   
   > > drug (alcohol)..well lets see we have:   
   > >   
   > > *Organic complications involving the brain, liver, heart and other   
   organs.   
   > > *Overdose, suicide, homicide, car accidents and other traumas.   
   > > *Digestive-system disorders such as ulcers, inflammation of the   
   pancreas,   
   > > gastritis and cirrhosis of the liver   
   > > *Serious problems from physical and nutritional neglect, such as anemia   
   > > *Central and peripheral nervous systems damage, including blackouts,   
   > > hallucinations, tremors, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, delirium tremens   
   and   
   > > death.   
   > > *Damage to unborn children (from even moderate drinking), including   
   birth   
   > > defects, mental retardation, learning problems and fetal alcohol   
   syndrome.   
   > > *Psychological and interpersonal problems, including impaired thinking   
   and   
   > > judgment, changes in mood and behavior, marital problems, child abuse,   
   > > impaired     social relationships, scholastic problems, job problems,   
   legal   
   > > problems, and financial problems.   
   > > *Last but not least...Hangovers.   
   > >   
   > > However Marijuana:   
   > >   
   > > *depersonalization   
   > > *changed body image   
   > > *disorientation   
   > > *acute panic reactions   
   > > *paranioa   
   > > *some cases of dilerium and hallucinations have been reported...however   
   such   
   > > cases raise suspicion that may have been laced with something like   
   > >   PCP perhaps.   
   > >   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)