huntcc02

I hope that this post doesn't get offensive, because I am a pot smoker, and I am not trying to mass-offend all of you; I have been smoking for 3 years almost constantly, and I have been noticing that every pot smoker that I know, that I see, is extremely mentally unhealthy. There are trends that I notice in damn near every potsmoker I see, from various backgrounds, various ethnic, economic, familial, societal histories. And while these may sound stereotypical, I am not going on what I have heard about smokers. I am going on experience.

First, the desire to go above and beyond what is absolutely necessary is not there. Give a potsmoker a task, and he will do what needs to be done. But he won't go above the task to make sure that next time, the task will be easier. In general, I believe many potsmokers are shortsighted.

Second, a HUGE portion of us are self-centered. Sure, they will smoke you out, but only so long as they are there. That is the BARE-MINIMUM generosity that a human can give; and that is the maximum that a stoner will give. Volunteering? Rare. They value their free time, so they can achieve the high, and think to themselves.

Third, their vocabulary is hugely stunted. I have heard a conversation start out fluently at the beginning of a session. People are starting new threads of thought on the first and second and third time around the cypher, but when everyone is starting to get high, the conversation begins to slow down. New threads of thought become rare, giggles become much more prevalent, and all in all, its less productive.

Fourth, they seem to think that pot-smoking is the important aspect to life. Look at the politics page, and you will see tons of smokers who are voting based on the candidates' stance on the War on Drugs. Now granted, I believe that the War on Drugs is a mass waste of time, money, etc, etc. But people are DYING right now, ENDING. Its a concept that many of us don't like to think of, but there is so much more important than our ability to get happy.

Alright, well my thought process is slightly derailed, probably because I smoked pot a little while ago. So flame away if you want, but I just hope that one person who lives the life of the self-centered, slow-witted, ill-motivated stoner will read this and think that there is better out there. I know I did.

Greenbud

I don't know about "extremely mentally unhealthy". I think your experience with other pot smokers may be somewhat limited. Most of my friends smoke, and more than half of them come from "good" backgrounds (college educated, degreed, professional, good families, homeowners). I myself am a college graduate (Summa Cum Laude, degree), live in a nice neighborhood, and have a good job and a stable and loving family. I agree that some smokers are what you call "mentally unhealthy"; ie: unemployed, lazy, high school and college drop outs, poverty, bad home life, criminal record. I have seen that myself in the 15 years I have been smoking. Not a whole lot, but they are out there.

I've witnessed this in non-smokers as well. Unfortunately, it seems to be accepted today in society, especially in our generation. It's rare to find anyone who will go "the extra mile". However, I personally don't subscribe to that school of thinking.

Again, limited experience and the fact that many non-smokers are this way too. My personal experience: I volunteer a lot of my time on this site as a News Admin. I also volunteer with LEAP and MPP. I write letters to my congressman (just mailed out one today, as a matter of fact). I am also outspoken in my community and speak to small assemblies on marijuana facts and legalization issues. I recently performed my own experiment in a shopping mall (see the thread "Stereotypical Potheads?"). Call me a rare bird if you want, but I know quite a few other stoners who volunteer their time here and in similar ways as well.

What do you expect? They're stoned! Why do you assume that you can still hold an intelligent conversation after you're high? How experienced are you at this?

Most of the threads in the "World In Crisis" forum have little to do with the WoD and more about the current WoT and subsequent debate. Marijuana law reform is the topic in the other forums, so yes, it is a subject of discussion. Yes, many smokers will vote for candidates who are "soft on drugs" because that is a matter of importance to them. I, for one, wish to see legalization of marijuana for medicinal reasons at a federal level since I am a marijuana patient. I want to see the end of further suffering of critically ill people who are arrested for using a natural and beneficial medication that prolongs their lives in many cases. I also want to see less government meddling in our private lives and a major overhaul of the policies enforced by our current administration. I would also like to see our troops come home without further wasting of lives. It isn't all about marijuana and getting high.

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thechronic

"I hope that this post doesn't get offensive, because I am a pot smoker, and I am not trying to mass-offend all of you; I have been smoking for 3 years almost constantly, and I have been noticing that every pot smoker that I know, that I see, is extremely mentally unhealthy. There are trends that I notice in damn near every potsmoker I see, from various backgrounds, various ethnic, economic, familial, societal histories. And while these may sound stereotypical, I am not going on what I have heard about smokers. I am going on experience."

Maybe it is the people you choose to associate yourself with. You are lumping every person who smokes into the "sterotypical pothead" group. I think anybody can make a case for why another person is extremely mentally unhealthy.

"First, the desire to go above and beyond what is absolutely necessary is not there. Give a potsmoker a task, and he will do what needs to be done. But he won't go above the task to make sure that next time, the task will be easier. In general, I believe many potsmokers are shortsighted. "

I know Dr.'s, lawyers, professors, and the like who smoke. A requirement for most of them to get where they are is to go above and beyond. I don't think anyone who is able to ride out medical school or law school could be considered short-sighted. I myself am a graduate student concentrating on corporate finance and I guarantee it requires much more than the minimum to put myself through school and remain on the dean's list. Also in this business, doing the minimum just isn't going to get you anywhere. I care a great deal about being successful in the future and while I like to enjoy today, I also plan for tomorrow. I also happen to smoke just about everyday and have for the past decade plus.

"Second, a HUGE portion of us are self-centered. Sure, they will smoke you out, but only so long as they are there. That is the BARE-MINIMUM generosity that a human can give; and that is the maximum that a stoner will give. Volunteering? Rare. They value their free time, so they can achieve the high, and think to themselves."

Humans in general are pretty self-centered. Pot is a social drug so it is nice to smoke with others hence, smoking them out while there. I do have friends that will gladly give a couple buds when I'm dry and I gladly return the favor. We look out for each other also as a means of security by procuring only from a few well known friends. The bare minimum generosity a human can give is absolutely none, by smoking you out while there, they are going one better. MJ just like everything else costs money (exhorbitant due to the nature of black markets) and it is risky to procure, yet your post seems like you expect everyone to just hand over their MJ to you. You wouldn't expect them to do so with any other type of property so why MJ? As for volunteering, again I think it is the folks you associate with. My good buddy calls me up just about every day and asks me if I want to chief with him. Lately I have been short of funds because of paying for school and he has been smoking me out for free. As soon as I'm able I am going to return the favor by getting him more blazed than he has ever been. Maybe consider looking at your own habits and find out what about your personality attracts these types of individuals. Also, consider finding some new folks to spend time with.

"Third, their vocabulary is hugely stunted. I have heard a conversation start out fluently at the beginning of a session. People are starting new threads of thought on the first and second and third time around the cypher, but when everyone is starting to get high, the conversation begins to slow down. New threads of thought become rare, giggles become much more prevalent, and all in all, its less productive. "

Nonsense, I challenge you to read my recent posts in forums such as "World in Crisis". You may be suprised to find that I (and many others) are extremely articulate and can clearly, concisely, and thoroughly debate intellectual topics. I have to concede that when people get high, the conversation wanes and people get silly but, that is what happens while smoking. Isn't that the purpose of smoking though, to relax and release? That does not mean people act that way when not blazed. There will always be amotivated, stupid, lazy, self centered people, some happen to smoke, others choose not to.

"Fourth, they seem to think that pot-smoking is the important aspect to life. Look at the politics page, and you will see tons of smokers who are voting based on the candidates' stance on the War on Drugs. Now granted, I believe that the War on Drugs is a mass waste of time, money, etc, etc. But people are DYING right now, ENDING. Its a concept that many of us don't like to think of, but there is so much more important than our ability to get happy. "

Relaxation and entertainment are imprtant aspects of life but not all there is. Balance is the key. Voting for a candidate based simply on one issue is pure stupidity. We all agree the WoD is a waste and it is true that people are dying right now. The drug war being waged or not will not change that fact. I would argue that is exactly the reason to be concerned with being happy. My Dad passed away a few months back and my Mother in law is fighting stage 2 colon cancer right now. I have realized that life lasts just a moment and alot of the things we consider important really aren't, happiness does not fall into that category. Believing MJ will make you happy is a symptom of a much larger issue. While I agree it is fun, it will not change life circumstances or make your problems go away.

"Alright, well my thought process is slightly derailed, probably because I smoked pot a little while ago. So flame away if you want, but I just hope that one person who lives the life of the self-centered, slow-witted, ill-motivated stoner will read this and think that there is better out there. I know I did."

I'm definately not flaming you, I respect other's opinions and enjoy a friendly exchange of ideas. If you thinkthat there is better out there does that mean you plan to change the type of person you are, the type of folks you hang around wit, or that you plan to stop smoking?

DonkeyPunch

I was all ready to respond to huntcc's post point by point, but if we all do that, this page will be too long to read. Instead, I'll give everyone a bit of advice: Never smoke with huntcc02!!!

Dude, who the hell are you hanging out with? The majority of smokers I know would match none of your four characteristics. If they did, they would probably not be friends of mine for much longer.

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huntcc02

The people that I am talking about are all high school graduates, all attending college, most currently atttending college at the University of Michigan, most of them engineers. So its not that they are lazy by societal standards. But in comparison to non smokers, even at the University level, they are overall lazier and less productive. And this is not merely one or two or three people; dozens.

cwallis88

some ppl are gonna have problems and be losers with or without pot. You say they are mentaly ill cause they smoke pot. most likely they were mentaly ill to begin with. some ppl are destioned for such fate .

solutions

If I weren't so lazy I'd post a more comprehensive and articulate reply.

Lazy? Yep. Self-centered? Nope. Moderation dude/dudette, moderation.

peace. *giggle*

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Cassius

Marijuana also opens your perceptions of reality. Perhaps these stoner friends of your have realized that college is about getting the piece of paper at the end, and very little else matters.

I know I, for one, learned very little in college. I was always the kind of person that did the bare minimum in school, but I never got poor grades. I was the kind of person that would have a 99.5% percentage in classes in high school, and skip the two homework assignments and test during the last week, taking zeros on them and dropping my percentage to a 94.5% and still getting the A.

I think that it's more that your nonstoner college friends do whatever is asked of them because they feel they have to, whereas smoking provides your stoner friends the ability to realize most of it is bull**** and only do what they need to in order to get through it and out into the real world.

That's my hypothesis. /shrug

StewScum

Alot of the aspects of your arguement have already been disproven by the previous posts, but I'd like just to comment on some of your statements.

First off, I'd like to know how you can even consider people who are attending a acreddited college such as Michigan State while working as an engineering major makes them lazy. If they are able to hold their position in college, then I'd say they are doing their work. Most people aren't willing to go the extra mile because if you walk the extra mile, all you come out with is sore legs.

Self-centered, nah. Have you even bought weed? It can be treated as currency, i once saw someone pay for a bong with a 1/4 of dro. It's money, you wouldn't just go out and hand people free money would you, if so, then let me be around for one of these giving extravaganzas. I personally smoke tons of people out with weed, I don't care, its just weed, but sometimes a person can have enough ganja to get only 2 people high, and a someone else wants to take a hit. Sorry, but sometimes there isn't enough to share, it's not because we are self centered, because its a waste otherewise. 3 heads on a bowl that would get 2 high, gets no one high.

The last thing i want to comment on is why someone would vote for someone who only wants to legalize. Most third parties are created because they have special interest that they feel a small majority of the nation wants. Such as stances on abortion, legalization, and the enviroment. When that third party become popular by gaining support from the public, a major party like the democrats or republicans adopt the policies that gained the publics support. It has happened before in our history and will happen again. Thats why i will throw my vote at a candidate who wants to legalize, because then maybe the larger parties will see that voters do want legalization.

And now the flame............................................. .........poot

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beats

It may have been answered, but I think I'll give my own opinions here.

First of all, I do agree with mentally unhealthy, not excessively so, but the potheads in my circle are pretty unhealthy. Of course I know alot of other potheads who aren't, probaly 90% of the ones I know are fine. Just in my expierience, I agree. Now to do the ol' quote and reply method...
This seems pretty biased. You seem to not have taken a good long look at humanity as a whole.

This is generally the opposite in my opinion. I'm a pothead (I guess...was is the appropriate term), love volunteering, and a vast majority of the potheads I know, are very generous.

I don't know about that. I've used and heard some pretty damn big words in my stoned ramblings.

This I do agree with, I stare in awe at the people supporting the NDP or Marijuana party. They will do horrible things to every other section of goverment, but will legalize pot so it's all fine and dandy? This, is a true point.

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