Ethics of getting high
4got2wipe
In a brilliant place!
JohnSmith69 posted a "trippy" video that got me thinking about the ethics of getting high. I know a number of regular TUSCL posters get high (who would have thought that deviants who break one law for fun would break other laws for fun).
No disrespect to the deviants among us. Nothing wrong with being a deviant! :)
But there are two reasons I don't get high. First, I tried marijuana in college and it didn't do anything for me. I wouldn't go so far as non-brilliant. I mostly didn't care.
Second, it pumps money into the hands of criminals. I don't really care about crimes that don't harm anybody, but many of the criminals getting money from drug distribution, smuggling, and production are violent criminals.
That is why I like Colorado style legalization. It isn't perfect, but you take production and away from violent criminals and you only sell legally to adults.
As long as adult marijuana users don't drive or do other things that endanger people while high I don't care. It is their lives. But I don't like the idea of supporting violent criminals.
I'm probably hypocritical since I'm sure there is shady stuff going on that is associated with strip clubs. The shady things I have a problem with is anything violent. But they are legal and I think violent crime directly associated with the people running strip clubs is minimal (2AMers don't count because there are probably idiot criminals that would commit those crimes outside non-strip club bars too, so it is not direct).
Anyway, what does the peanut gallery of deviants think?
No disrespect to the deviants among us. Nothing wrong with being a deviant! :)
But there are two reasons I don't get high. First, I tried marijuana in college and it didn't do anything for me. I wouldn't go so far as non-brilliant. I mostly didn't care.
Second, it pumps money into the hands of criminals. I don't really care about crimes that don't harm anybody, but many of the criminals getting money from drug distribution, smuggling, and production are violent criminals.
That is why I like Colorado style legalization. It isn't perfect, but you take production and away from violent criminals and you only sell legally to adults.
As long as adult marijuana users don't drive or do other things that endanger people while high I don't care. It is their lives. But I don't like the idea of supporting violent criminals.
I'm probably hypocritical since I'm sure there is shady stuff going on that is associated with strip clubs. The shady things I have a problem with is anything violent. But they are legal and I think violent crime directly associated with the people running strip clubs is minimal (2AMers don't count because there are probably idiot criminals that would commit those crimes outside non-strip club bars too, so it is not direct).
Anyway, what does the peanut gallery of deviants think?
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23 comments
If they legalized it then it would pump money into the hands of corporations. But I guess those far enough out on the left would say same diff. :-)
I think it's a no brainer that marijuana should be legalized and will be first too. After that probably MDMA will be next.
IL only has medical pot; another fraud since no one can get a card unless you have terminal cancer. If we ever legalize recreational use, I'm likely still buying it from my usual source. I get top quality and it's not that expensive.
Either way I have a weed guy willing to drive 35mins out to the burbs for as low as a 20 bag, so I mostly stick with him.
As far of the ethics of weed, its many benefits outweigh any cons, it should be legalized, and it was only made illegal due to outrageous propaganda pioneered by Harry J Anslinger who printed and stated alternative facts such as:
"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others."
Yes, he said that. He also said:
"Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men."
As well as, "smoke a joint and you're likely to kill your brother."
That gives you an idea of why it was outlawed and why it shouldn't be. Seriously. Marijuana saves lives and not one person has ever OD'ed and/or died directly from smoking weed; there are, however, thousands upon thousands of deaths each year from common otc painkillers like Tylenol and aspirin. And that's not even comparable to the prescription opiate medications, handed out by doctors, which are basically heroin in pill form, or the fact that cigarettes and alcohol are way more dangerous yet legal.
So that's my opinion on the ethics of weed.
One interesting thing to note, I saw a headline -- can't remember where -- that a study had been done (by whom? how? I dunno) that examined the effects of the more common drugs beyond marijuana, and 'shrooms turned up as "least dangerous" by far, on a number of measures, including "what percentage of users end up in the hospital". Since the popular press is often wrong in their interpretation of scientific papers, and I haven't followed up on that story, I have no idea if that's "fake news" or not, but thought it was interesting.
Use the money raised on sales of it to fix the nations crumbling infrastructure. Or maybe even build a wall... lol!
My personal feeling is legalize it why ruin the lives of young people or any age people that aren't hurting anyone. There are laws on the books about driving or doing certain things, while impaired, they should be sufficient to counter any argument against my last statement.
I never get weed from dealers. This is partially because all of the dealers I've ever been involved with were thugs who looked like they'd just as soon shot me as look at me. But it's also because I do almost exclusively edibles, and I've never known a dealer from whom you could get reliable quality edibles that look like ordinary food and can be easily hidden.
Depending upon how high you are, marijuana can impair driving. But unless you are stoned out of your fucking mind, it's not a significant impairment. In fact, weed makes you drive slowly and carefully and I honestly believe that I drive more safely under a moderate high than I otherwise would. A high driver may miss his turns or hold up traffic, but it is nothing even remotely like the severe impairment caused by alcohol. Nevertheless, I don't drive high except I will drive high in the neighborhood late at night after leaving a friends house. But I don't avoid driving high because I'm afraid of the impairment, it's because I don't need the hassle of a dui arrest.
I am right now involved in fierce political battles, trying to take people down. And this kind of stuff will be going on for my entire life, activist / investigative journalist.
Trying to make sure a Pentecostal Daughter Molester does not get out under bullshit appeal.
Continually working to educate myself so that I bring more depth of understanding and self-awareness to situations.
SJG
Try A Little Tenderness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnPMoAb4…
Awesome Live
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQ9n2_5m…
Here it is, the same guy, unsmudged
http://www.adelitasbartijuanamexico.com/…
In that church, almost everyone has at least one scapegoat child. Talking about that is how one gains status in their church,
In his sermons, their Pastor encourages this view, "When you child turns away from the God you worship."
So the guy I helped put into San Quentin is not a sole actor, he is part of a criminal child abuse movement. And they run an outreach ministry, where they reach out to the scapegoats of other families, being the poor and the homeless, and they give them food and they tell them what amounts to, "Jesus has so much pity for you that he wants to give you a second chance. All he asks in return is that you admit that it is your fault for screwing up your first chance."
I believe that it is at least in part due to my agitation and admonishing City officials that the 1st Amendment does not make religion above the law, quite the opposite, that they have finally gotten this group off of public property and that they seem to have canceled their outreach ministry.
I see that as a huge accomplishment too!
:)
If these three girls had listened to their church and acted like nothing had happened, then with failing marriages, failing attempts to get an education and to build a carreer, then they too could have become the clients for that church's outreach ministry.
All of this has been explained to the DA, Police, and City Officials on countless occasions.
SJG
Viva Maria! (1965) / Soundtrack by Georges Delerue
https://youtu.be/b02xyrwm2ts?list=PLb7oZ…
I've gotten drunk a handful of times in my life but never done an illegal drug nor do I like hanging w/ those into it and into getting high - it's their right and I respect it but I don't find anything appealing/attractive about it and actually find it gross.
IDK much about Marijuana nor have looked into its benefits from credible sources - if it does have medicinal benefits other than just getting high, then def I'm all for it.
All the $$$ saved from the "war on drugs" can be used for education and treatment.
not = nor
I also agree that marijuana is probably not as damaging as alcohol (if alcohol is abused).
But my real issue was about the ethics of supporting, even in a small way, the people that produce and distribute drugs in the current environment. In fact, I think on of the best arguments for legalization is to shift production from violent criminals to corporations.
And for Dougster, I'm not lumping corporations in with criminals. Personally, I think it would be aces if the marijuana market was dominated by smaller and local companies. I prefer to support local companies if all else is equal. But I don't care how big a corporation is as long as they don't have a "murder division" like the drug cartels!
In regards to "legalize it, tax the hell out of it", that only works until people find a lower-taxed source for their pot, tobacco, or soda pop. Then the source gets all that money, and the tax money dries up for the "tax the hell out of it" crowd.
I'd also legalize prostitution and then tax everything but have required education on possible side effects.
I thought I heard of one study that said there was a permanent decrease in blood flow to the brain after using pot. That might be a plus if you're trying to get a stripper to agree with you, less brain power. I didn't research anything related to the study I heard about since I'm not planning on using any drugs.
In my opinion, the government restricts too much. In the future, it wouldn't surprise me if we hear they can't build a highway because there is an endangered species of ant with an ant hill habitat where the highway needs to go.