imported_NiceGuy

I belong to another forum, one which I had over 6,500 posts and a well developed reputation, as well as a long standing position as a moderator. Throughout my time there, I've constantly found myself defending marijuana (among other drugs) from the persecution of uneducated people and their biased views of such. So, after a year and some few months, I wrote this recently to finalize my stance on the subject in hopes to bring light to it. I will post this here now to gather your valued response. Thank you. Enjoy.

NiceGuy's Final stance on Marijuana

I'm going to do the 'unthinkable' and move past the entire subject of marijuana's illegality -- it's not a concern when discussing marijuana itself, only when discussing marijuana and the government. Fuck the government. Anywho, I'll start by laying out some basic points presented in question. First, is marijuana a gateway drug? Second, what is getting high all about? Third, why do people (more specifically myself) get high? Finally, a conclusion.

Yes, by unconventional definitions, I think marijuana is a gateway drug. I do not think this because in a prolonged period of smoking weed, regardless of a rising tolerance, marijuana in itself will not drive you to other drugs. It can't. Marijuana itself is not a gateway. However, we will visit the matter of legality just this once to solidify this point. In the process of obtaining and smoking weed, you find yourself not only a path -- a source -- for weed, but also among other paths more dimly lit, more unknown to you. Curiosity killed the cool cat. There are open opportunities to experiment with other drugs: cocaine, ecstacy, hallucinagens ... there are endless, and at the same time limited, resources for any drug you'd like to try. Now, in the spirit of mankind, if in finding that marijuana isn't as bad as its cracked up to be, you might think also that drugs like cocaine and ecstacy aren't as bad as they're cracked up to be. Unfortunately, the mistake comes from forming connotations about drugs WHILE ON THE DRUG. Of course, while rolling on X, you find nothing wrong with X and think it to be an enlightening and exillerating drug. As a poor hypocrite, I will stand and say to you, "Stick with natural drugs."

Cocaine, my friends, is NOT natural.

A common misconception, and an ignorantly formed one at that, is that people who smoke weed (I'm speaking only in terms of smoking weed, not doing drugs) are depressed with their life and cannot be happy without it. Such is obviously false, and such statements should not be taken for granted. I myself am happy without getting high. But, for lack of a better explanation, smoking weed is "something to do."

Now, an easy counter argument would be "Why don't you do something else?! Something that doesn't kill you and ruin your life! Like jog, play sports, play halo, or read a book!"

Well, the reason I, and millions of others, don't do those things is because they do not appeal to us. I am not in shape for sports, and have no interest in them. I read and play Halo, but both of those things are generally done in my room by myself -- smoking is a social function. I met every one of my friends through smoking something of some sort.

Now, the actual expression being high produces is hard to identify in text or language. Unless you understand the meaning of euphoria, which I find hard to reach outside of drug use, the obsession with being high will remain unknown or undistinct to you. So, in an effort to simplify things, I considered all of the feelings being high produces and symbolized it into an exclamation point:

!

Try to express that, and you might get an incling as to the feeling we understand.

The oh so dredded stereotype associated with stoners is one that offends me. Stereotypes are created on truth, so I won't deny the "OH maaaan I'm SO high I don't know what to do durrrrr *couch*" smokers exist. However, in my experience of smoking and my experience in sociology, it became undeniably evident that the crowd, or circle, you're smoking with is a large variable in the reaction one will take to being high. What offends me about the stereotype is not the character it describes, but the appearance that is characterized with it: Long hair, sandles, everything replicant of a hippy. Well, I am a hippy, and am glad of it. I find it to be a good lifestyle to live by, one that doesn't overestimate the necessity for pride in beliefs to a point of violent confrontation; one that looks at things without attachment to one side or another until one side shows itself to be more correct.

When I smoke with my friend Tyler, for example, the two of us pound down hits out of his Roor bong until we're both coughing so hard that breathing becomes life threateningly difficult. After our cough subsides, we sit, submerged in the cushions of the couch, either watching TV with nonblinking, scorched red eyes, or wobbling our thumbs around on a controller, playing Halo. There is nothing deep or interesting about our sessions; there is nothing productive; it proves almost every stereotype and heightens the realization of brain cells killing themselves out of feelings of neglect.

But that's not how I truly embrass the use of marijuana. The ideas and views I carry were, no doubt, a result of smoking weed. Since the first day I lifted to the sky, my thought crowded mind expanded and I found myself discovering answers and possibilities I had never considered, it was as if "my mind expanded". Now, with all the different testimonials you can see in my thread, its easy to see that my experience was a little more unique to others, but there were things that existed in most all people -- a sense of greater perception, of insight. Something about this drug either changed a life, or showed potential to. The use of this potential can either be progressive or not -- depending on the responsible use of its user.

I've always enjoyed being an intellectual, and as such I enjoy surrounding myselfs with other intellectuals who share similar interests. One of my interests is smoking, and sometimes finding intellectual smokers is hard. When I'm around my friends, we discuss important things. We talk about each other, analyzing each other's flaws and positive traits in a way to train one's own observational skills, and recognize the input and opinions of yourself that people you trust have to say about you. We discuss philosophy, pushing boundries of science and logic, testing ourselves each time to consider something new -- something novel. At times, things discussed, even in the middle of discussion, are distracted momentarily -- just enough time to drop conversation like a train off its tracks. And even though these possibly great thoughts are being lost, I find it important as a thinker to challenge myself to think. That's why I don't play video games, jog, or play sports -- they are mentally challenging only to the mentally challenged; I prefer sitting in a cloud of smoke, my mind running 100 thoughts per second, each thing seen, touched, heard, smelled triggering a new chain of ideas and reasoning. Often times I forget entirely that I've been smoking, and that's great.

I think of the harms of smoking weed the same way I think of any substance, too much of anything is bad for you. There's countless studies showing that smoking weed kills brain cells. There are just as many showing that it is actually only the smoke killing the brain cells. And there are studies that have shown that smoking weed can actually progress the growth of brain cells. For me, like anything, it deals with moderation. A glass of wine a day is healthy for you, despite the popular belief that alcohol is bad for you. The same applies for weed, a small amount can stimulate the growth of new brain cells because the chemical level is just right to where your brain is active, innovative and enlightening thoughts are being stimulated. But too much smoke, like the excessive amount used in studies, the smoke and chemicals become too unbalanced, and it smothers and kills the brain.

It is not my place, nor anyone's, to make claim to reason for why a individual other than oneself smokes. I may not know my initial reason as to why I went home with my friend that one day, and took that first hit; but I know why its important to me now, and I take no shame in giving importance to a chemical substance.

Sigh, so yes, we will conclude. Weed is a gateway drug in that it operates as an opportunity weilder for other drugs. Smoking weed has many perspectives, even ones that smokers alike clash with; it is something unique to the person, and unique into what the person makes of it. All negative connotations aren't accurate, but there is a realm of common ground to which the connotations, stereotypes, and realisms all co-exist. As I conclude every time I mention weed, it's not for everyone. I don't suggest smoking until the age of 18, as is the age I would ask if it were legalized/decriminalized. I only say that because it is an age range were a person has had enough time to experience the different lights of life, and see different people and different results throughout high school. It is something that can take over, but it's not the drug that's bad -- its the person's use of it. Keep that in mind.

I will digress. No more.

brokensoulbs

It is not a gateway drug. Tobacco is.

I could name a 500 page book worth of people who started smoking pot after starting cigarettes.

And besides marijuana is only a gateway drug for those who are insecure and feel more potent drugs are what they need. These people are the ones who ruin it for us, and give us bad reputations. Especially by lacing weed, with these other off topics, when we don't want it, nor condone of offtopics.

imported_NiceGuy

I wasn't talking about the satisfaction of smoking, I was talking about the gateway into opportunities to find other drugs. Upon finding deals with the drug culture, you're bound to find ties to other drugs as well. It is individual of the person to decide whether or not they do the other drugs, and I think the highs of marijuana are rather irrelevant to it. The point was that in accessing marijuana, you gain opportunities and gateways to obtain other drugs as well.

Also, tobacco is no more of a gateway drug than anything else. Saying there is a correlation between smoking tobacco and smoking pot doesn't necessarily conclude that the correlation is relevant. Smoking tobacco causes lung cancer, but it isn't the only cause of lung cancer nor is it the only result. People who smoke pot are likely to also smoke cigarettes doesn't imply that smoking cigarettes makes people smoke pot. More people smoke cigarettes that do not smoke pot than those who do.

brokensoulbs

Understood, but you misunderstood my statement.

Marijuana is only a gateway drug if you look at the people who didn't find it potent enough or let peer pressure coax them into more hardcore drugs.

Marijuana itself is not a gateway drug... and I know and firmly believe that it is healthier by all means than tobacco, the reason I quit smoking cigs, and started ripping bowls. I will not deny that, but my statement said nothing about this. It said that tobacco is more of a gateway drug than mj.

More people get peer pressured into smoking cigs, then they move to mj... and if they feel the need to move farther, you can state that tobacco was the initial gateway into trying more.

imported_NiceGuy

I think marijuana itself is an anti gateway drug, it's perfect. But, I wasn't talking about marijuana itself, more of the culture you're surrounded with in using.

I see your point with tobacco, I just think there's too little of a sample to support it. More people that smoke tobacco have never smoked pot, and there's a large portion of pot smokers that've never smoked cigarettes. People that get addicted to cigarettes want more cigarettes. People that get addicted to getting high want to get higher, leading them to other drugs. I see no real connection between cigarettes and the concept of a gateway drug.

brokensoulbs

Yeah it makes sense, but when you think about it, it depends on each individuals personality. Peer pressure plays a big role in it. If the person decides to smoke MJ him(her)self, than they are mature enought too.

If someone is pressured into it, it shows they can be pressured into a lot of things, and under no circumstances do I think that MJ is bad for anyone, depending on age... but I feel that if you had to be pressured by a group of kids to do it, then you aren't mature enough to smoke it. The reason I started was because after coming here for a while as a guest and reading, and researching about it, I started to understand more about it and those who toke up, and decided it was a good reason to quit smoking cigs., for health and other purposes.

But I understand where your coming from, and in a way we are both correct, and at the same time incorrect. As it is with everyone.

(I have a lot of run on sentences)

homemadebubbler

I really dont see a problem with moving on to other drugs, its just the fact that MOST marijuana smokers dont.

Good post by the way. Good job defending the herb.

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When they took the 4th Amendment away I was quiet because I didnt deal drugs//When they took the 6th Amendment away I was quiet because Id never been arrested//When they took the 2nd Amendment away I was quiet because I didnt own a gun//Now they took the 1st Amendment and all I can do is be quiet...

^bLaze

Amen. Coulnt have said it better myself

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"When we smoke it in our bong it feels so nice"

big_goofy

nice... out of curiosity what forum did you post this on? its relatively similar to my stand on weed

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"Republic. I like the sound of the word. It means people can live free, talk free, go or come, buy or sell, be drunk or sober, however they choose."
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b1s8e3

Aw man, this is offtopic but, I thought my icon was so cool and unique(Seeing as I made it myself) but then I saw homemade bubblers