Originally Posted by Locke9-05

You have to consider the fact that those are traditions that have been here on this land before the United States was even established. I think based on all of what American Indians experienced, those are grounds enough for a major exception.

Originally Posted by Scribbler1

I see no connection to what you said and what I posted. This discussion had nothing to do with support for drugs or anything other than what I said. You assume a bit too much.No, you said marijuana was processed. If you think a "process" is yanking it out of the ground and smoking it, you put too fine a point on the word, as most people would define a process to be a little bit more complcated.
That was my question. I placed no blame on God or anything else. I just asked, in the framework of God putting everything on the planet for a purpose, then why would you be able to get high.
That was the question. You don't need to answer as I'm finding your condescension and arrogant attitude a wee bit too off-putting to bother discussing this subject at greater length.

Originally Posted by HenryDavidThoreau

Cannabis has a long history of use among Rastifarians.

Originally Posted by Locke9-05

I apologize if you find my debate style condescending, I'll try to curb that here for my reply. You're right I was a bit hasty with the assumptions, I'm sorry for that as well.

My point was that why question God for creating a plant that is harmless in it's natural state. It is not natural to smoke a plant like that. The discovery of those characteristics, what effects those characteristics had on the brain, and the decision to continue using the plant in it's unnatural form--even after it's now been proven how harmful it is to the user as well as people around the user--was a discovery and invention of men.

Originally Posted by No More "W's"

And what the hell is God doing in this argument?

Originally Posted by No More "W's"

What happened to freedom? What is the deal with so many people in the US wanting to make rules and laws for so many of the rest of us? Infringement of freedom and rights does not make this a stronger country. Keeping out the people we don't want in and protecting our borders seems to make a lot more sense than trying to enforce a bunch of silly assed mari-weenie laws.

Originally Posted by Locke9-05

Marijuana is a useless mindless indulgence that:

A. is not needed at all It doesn't matter, so are thousands of other perfectly legal things that millions of people enjoy every day. You can't just arbitrarily decide that some are legal and some aren't.
B. is no included in your rights, you don't need marijuana to feel good, happy, etc. Completely irrelevant. People choose to do so and it is not your right to tell them they can't.
C. poses an unecessary threat and impediment on the lives of non users through impaired cognititive abilities--driving,operating machinery, etc.--and negative social interaction including schizophrenia-like symtpoms/psychosis (Cannabis psychosis - link), etc. The user is still responsible for any actions which directly affect someone else's right to life, liberty, and property. You are just blaming marijuana smokers as a whole for the actions of a few idiots who happen to smoke marijuana.

Once an indulgence is proven to put non-users' way of life at risk, it is no longer a freedom. It doesn't. So it is a freedom. This is not an anarchy, there are reasonable restrictions to all your Constitutional rights. Except some are far from reasonable. People take them for granted, and assume they're complete free-wheeling rights with the philosophy: "I can do what I want, no matter what." It just doesn't work like that. Yes we can, we should be able to do whatever we want as long as we allow others to enjoy the same right. Those who commit crimes will be punished, but that is precisely what it is now, except drugs are just added to the list of crimes.

If you wish to reply, I'd suggest doing so in the "Drug Legalization part 3 topic, so as to keep things organized and easily accessible.