Strongly disagree. How is somebody else's consumption of cannabis negatively affecting your lives so badly? If somebody has found a way to solve a problem on their own, in their own reality, without harming others or even themselves for that matter, what do you care? Freedom haters? You know aspirin kills more people than cannabis, right? Also, so does water, and your beliefs hold none.
LOL, now I know where the name comes from!
Dude, I am not 4:20 "unfriendly". I am simply saying that a recreation is nothing that anyone else has business interfering with, whatever it is. However, when a recreation goes beyond, well, a recreation, then it starts have serious potential to become a problem for EVERYONE.
If we take personal experiences (which I think we can universally agree is our strongest individual influencer) as an indicator then we all know recreational users of almost all things. Now, I am strongly against dictating to anyone how to run their own lives. I only begin to take interest when it interferes with mine (you're free to do whatever you like, but be prepared to bear the full responsibility of your actions). When someone begins to use ANYTHING external as a (mental/social) coping mechanism then they are out of balance. Take that as you may, but making continual (which now takes it out of the recreational category) use of a drug WILL influence your behavior and decisions. Drinking too much/too frequently, smoking...you name it. It starts innocently enough, and if all it ever did was limit that persons ability to achieve a higher living standard then so be it. Problem is that statistically it goes well beyond that. It starts to influence their important decisions, their every day decisions, which increases the probability of them becoming a burden on society instead of contributing to it.
Today pot is widely accepted as the least taboo "illegal" drug used, so lots of younger kids get into it simply because it doesn't carry the heavy taboo nature the others do. I think it takes a rather responsible person to keep their recreations in check, and teenagers of that maturity are very rare, thus leading us to the statistical issue we have (and the basis for ALL of Thai's articles). Universally saying any/all pot use (above & beyond recreation) is acceptable is not correct. Just as any/all alcohol use is not correct. Again, if all a drinker/smoker ever did was sit home and drink/smoke and not go out driving/picking a fight/call out to work & get fired/show up high or drunk & get fired and end up on unemployment then great. But when they do go beyond the recreation then they burden the rest of us (no matter your personal opinion, this is what happens, which is why this argument exists in the first place).
It always comes down to individual responsibility. Smoke/Drink/Snort....IDGAF. But once they become a burden to ANYONE ELSE it becomes a subject open to criticism and debate. And unfortunately many many many many many many smokers/drinkers/snorters have demonstrated that they cannot manage their lives while using those things, and in turn become burdens on society in every way imaginable (social/financial/physical/mental....).
I think the majority of the problems regarding responsible users is that they are not given the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to responsibly use their recreation of choice (alcohol being the exception here).
Lets enter dream land for a moment: Maybe the discussion should revolve around the laws being reactive instead of proactive. If one can maintain a responsible level of use (not negatively impacting ANYONE else) then who is to say they cannot use whatever they like? Then, when you are penalized & restricted by the law(s) you have only yourself to blame! Obviously there are lots of detail to work out within that framework, but at least it gives anyone the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to enjoy a recreation without negatively impacting others.
Unfortunately we will likely never see the day that the above example materializes because the consequences of the irresponsible users far exceeds the argument of the responsible users.
~And thats the bottom line 'cause Stone Cold said so.....
op2:
I think that most (if not all) weed folks think that 1 weed a day IS recreation!
