I never made a reference to how many they were smoking, but the fact, the truth is, a single joint is far worse for your lungs than a single cigarette.

Now you're going into personal opinion again. All the nice little adjectives that you toss in there "relatively benign," and "racial," and so on show that this is just an opinion. Your claim to tens of millions smoking with "apparently no ill side effects" is vastly false (unless you're chooseing to re-write the definition of "ill"). The whole part about getting high (and what that does to your cognative skills) is an ill side effect (ill meaning not good), and I'll bet money that of everyone that smokes pot, nearly all are getting high.

If you are looking for a balanced documentary on cannabis, particularly on the politics of medical marijuana I would get ahold of the showtime's documentary "In Pot We Trust." It shows a balanced view from both sides and does not force an opinion on you.

Will do, thanks for the recommendation. I don't even mind watching outright propaganda--anything to further my understanding of both sides, no matter how extreme--I just don't like it when it's used in place of debate material

__________________
Political Diplomacy Game Map
Forum Diplomacy Game Discussion Thread
__________________
"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."
-John F. Kennedy

"Education begins the gentleman, but reading, good company and reflection must finish him."
-John Locke

"What worries you, masters you."
-John Locke

Wait am I missing something here? The primary effect of cannabis is to get you high that is the point just like alcohol. (and yes everyone who has at least 1 drink has taken a toll on their cognitive abilities) Are you trying to make the really bad argument that alcohol use is different that cannabis use, because they really are just the same.

I'm not saying anything about alcohol, don't even try to strawman that. I said that people who are smoking pot are doing so because of the effects it has on their bodies, they enjoy these effects even though they are negative side effects.

But you said the high is a side effect it is a primary effect. The side effects are usually uncomfortable and could cause the user never to return to cannabis. Btw psychosis tends to effect those vunerable to mental illness not every user, in fact I read an article that said that people who get these side effects may have a mental illness in their future. It is a warning sign.

The primary effects are negative. It was my mistake to label them as side effects, but the point remains that the primary effects are negative. What I think you mean is unwanted effects are rare.

Ok what primary effect is negative?

The way it effects ones cognative skills, decission making, and impairs judgement.

The use of this drug still does not DIRECTLY harm others. I have already said that if they get behind the wheel then punish them, if they harm another double the usual punishment. Being under the influence is not an excuse to not be accountable for their own actions.


420th post! For the record I do not use cannabis and do not drink in excess, although I have used cannabis in the past.