So what is your take on this?

[Liz CA]

...Cannabis, marijuana or by whatever other name it is referred to.

 

We live in a remote area and it has been no secret that a few of our (relatively far removed) neighbors are growing this "herb".

 

In a recent discussion with someone, she said that she considers its effects no worse than daily consumption of caffeine or a glass of wine.

I am no expert but my impression was always that it falls in the category of mind-altering substance and can also be a gateway drug - which may be said of other substances as well - I don't know.

To top it off, in California it is all but legal, so-called co-ops have sprung up and are being monitored by law enforcement.

 

I am somewhat confused about the legal status in CA but I have never been a supporter of its use under any circumstances. I feel I should mention that I did not grow up in this country and was not as exposed to it as many who grew up here - dh tells me it was as easy to come by as buying 7-Up on his High School campus back in the eighties.

 

Are its effects really comparable with alcohol or caffeine? (I refuse to try any to answer that question for myself.) :lol:

Have you heard that it is many times stronger today than it used to be? (I heard this from a botanist on the radio).

[Carol in Cal.]

I have heard, A LOT, that it's quite a bit stronger now than it was during the 60's and 70's. Not sure why that would be--and tend to doubt that that means 'as grown' but rather 'as sold, with stuff added to it' perhaps.

 

My view is derived from my reading of Scripture on the subject, but I hasten to add that there is a lot of room for legitimate variations in opinion on this.

 

The Bible says, "Don't be drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Holy Spirit." It also contains a recommendation to Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach. So I believe that alcohol is not prohibited, but that drinking enough to feel significant 'drunken' effects is prohibited, because it makes you 'not yourself' and crowds out the Holy Spirit's leading. So I think that that implies that other drugs that act in the same way are prohibited in the same way, and as far as I know, there isn't an amount of MJ that doesn't do so, so I would not partake even if it was legal.

 

Caffiene doesn't make you 'not yourself' unless you drink enough to get shakey, so I stop before that point. I'm simply not interested in tobacco, so I don't know what a spiritually safe amount would be for me. Certainly there is no physically safe amount, and I suspect that the same is true for smoked MJ and other smoked drugs--that's just not a good ingestion mechanism for people.

[Liz CA]

Carol, You pretty much summed up what I have been and am still thinking on this issue.

I find myself in an area where people seem to have a rather tolerant view of it and many of my neighbor ladies (and their dhs) have no problem with either growing it and/or using it.

These are dear women with whom I often come in contact and even invite over now and then and I just wanted to see what others think about this.

 

My dh says we cannot do anything about it anyway but we don't have to jump into the batch with them and inhale deeply. No doubt this is true but I am feeling a little strange sometimes knowing what goes on and yet to me this is d-use any way I look at it.

 

I should say that I have never observed anybody to be obviously impaired or behave intoxicated.

[melissel]

My experience with it is direct. I've found that alcohol affects me much more than pot ever did--even a small drink affects my whole body. The same for caffeine. I don't drink much each day, but if I miss a day? Boy, does my body let me know about it. Caffeine is a stimulant and has antidepressant qualities. This is great for me, but it's still a drug that affects one's mood, blood sugar, and bodily functions.

 

Frankly, I don't see how smoking marijuana is worse for your body than alcohol is, and in my experience around drunk and stoned people, the drunks are much more belligerent and prone to doing stupid, dangerous, obnoxious things. The stoned people have typically been very chilled out. Both, of course, are impaired--that's not even up for discussion. But based on my experience living and working with a certain kind of crowd in NYC in the 90s, I'd choose stoned people over drunk people any day.

 

ETA that I'd rather people did neither. I rarely drink myself, and I haven't smoked anything in many years. But in terms of realities and legalities, I don't see a difference between alcohol being legal and marijuana being legal.

Edited July 10, 2009 by melissel

[Kathy in MD]

My experience is also indirect. But in college, a classmate would smoke weed while working on his design projects. He always thought it was his best work. Two sober, "A" students next to his desk said it was his worse.

 

Then as a freshman, I was invited to my first college party. I didn't have any idea what type of party it was. It was the most boring, ridiculous party I've ever seen. No activity, no talking, nothing. But I didn't partake of the MJ. Who knows what the others thought was happening.

The college parties I've been to where responsible drinking (mature grad students not trying to get blitzed)occured had dancing, laughter, talking and fun -- and I was stone sober when I made that judgement. I don't drink either.

 

So second hand, I have observed that it impares your judgement, at least while high, and leads to boring, inactive parties.

 

I have heard that it's good for killing pain, but I'd like a good, non-political, scientific study on that. But from what I've seen of its effects, it would have to be heavily regulated as many other pain-killers are.

[Cheryl in NM]

You are correct that it is stronger now. It's actually genetically engineered.

 

Based on my experience, about 7 years ago, it was no different than consuming several drinks(that was primo, genetically engineering stuff). That was also my experience in college(the cheap stuff). For me, it was always comparable to alcohol. That was also what I noticed in "friends" that were also doing it.

 

I think it is referred to as a "gateway" drug because of the circumstances in which it is usually consumed. You are more likely to run into someone who is doing heavier drugs at a party than you are at the supermarket or church. On the other hand, many stoners just stay home and do it. I still see it as comparable to alcohol.

[Tree House Academy]

...Cannabis, marijuana or by whatever other name it is referred to.

 

We live in a remote area and it has been no secret that a few of our (relatively far removed) neighbors are growing this "herb".

 

In a recent discussion with someone, she said that she considers its effects no worse than daily consumption of caffeine or a glass of wine.

I am no expert but my impression was always that it falls in the category of mind-altering substance and can also be a gateway drug - which may be said of other substances as well - I don't know.

To top it off, in California it is all but legal, so-called co-ops have sprung up and are being monitored by law enforcement.

 

I am somewhat confused about the legal status in CA but I have never been a supporter of its use under any circumstances. I feel I should mention that I did not grow up in this country and was not as exposed to it as many who grew up here - dh tells me it was as easy to come by as buying 7-Up on his High School campus back in the eighties.

 

Are its effects really comparable with alcohol or caffeine? (I refuse to try any to answer that question for myself.) :lol:

Have you heard that it is many times stronger today than it used to be? (I heard this from a botanist on the radio).

 

I would smoke weed over drinking alcohol any day. Both are depressants, but weed doesn't leave you hung over.

 

It likely is stronger today because people experiment with it and change the makeup in order to make it stronger. Lots of people also have learned to smoke other parts of it, smoke it when it is not yet dried competely, and lace it with other drugs like acid.

 

I have never been much for mind-altering substances, but I have smoked my share of weed when I was younger. My opinion...much different than caffeine, about the same as alcohol without the hangover...but with lots of munchies.

[LibraryLover]

Pot smokers never beat the **** out of their partners, I'll tell you that. Drunk makes most people ugly. Pot doesn't. I haven't had any in forever, but I'd take a giggling pot smoker over a nasty drunk any day. If it were legal, I'd buy.