Get Your Pot in Massachusetts
- Thread starter over9five
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Catatonic
Nine Lives
I don't care what argument is made by economists or hippies, I still think marijuana is a 'gateway' drug.....a door to bigger & stronger drugs. Ask any addict!
I'm glad Californians voted it down....Jerry Brown is enough of a hippie era reminder that I need.
I have had some discussions with people who work in the treatment industry ... pot is a gateway drug but the overwhelming gateway drug is alcohol.
UnconTROLLed
perfection
I don't care what argument is made by economists or hippies, I still think marijuana is a 'gateway' drug.....a door to bigger & stronger drugs. Ask any addict!
I'm glad Californians voted it down....Jerry Brown is enough of a hippie era reminder that I need.
I don't think it matters whether or not marijuana is a gateway drug. It's partly a gateway drug because it's illegal and kids think it's cool to be antisocial and doing what they shouldn't be doing. Whether it's legal or not, it's going to be used by minors and be the same gateway drug.
Given it's nearly impossible to control; and given there's tons of taxpayers money being wasted on stopping it's sales and movement, it's probably a better idea IMO to legalize and tax, or at least decriminalizing, and focus on the dangerous drugs and drug dealers rather than the petty stuff.
Of course you "don't care what argument is made" , which means your mind is made up already no matter how convincing the evidence or how logical the opposing views are.
Catatonic
Nine Lives
One big difference between coke, crack and Alcohol versus pot is that pot is not addictive while the others are.
Alcohol has long been realized as having the most adverse affect on society in terms of emotional anguish and monetary impact. Of course, the reason for this large impact is that alcohol is the drug of choice for the most people in the US.
UnconTROLLed
perfection
It is addictive....
Catatonic
Nine Lives
I was speaking in terms of physical addiction ... should have made that clear - my bad.
Pot, sex, gameboys, eating, gaming are examples of Psychologically addictive activities.
UnconTROLLed
perfection
It's phsyically and psychologically addicting IMO. There are supporters and contrarians to both sides, but I do believe it is addicting on all levels. The only thing is, it's not dangerously addicting -which is what is important. For ex:, no one's going to kill someone or rob to get marijuana. Coke or heroin, different story.
Another thing with the whole gateway drug thing- I think most kids are predisposed to go down the path of drug use whether they smoke pot as a "gateway drug" or not. If it were not pot it'd be something else. AKA It's not so much the drug, it's the person.
Not only can alcohol be addictive, even in non-alcoholics it can create huge health problems all the way through the digestive and pulmonary sytems of the body.
Catatonic
Nine Lives
Alcohol has been recognized as one of the strongest carcinogens that people normally come into contact with. It is a leading cause of mouth cancer, esophageal cancer and stomach cancer.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
So you are saying that it is in their genes or DNA or whatever that a child is going to use drugs at some point in their life? This kid could have the best home life, go to the best school, hang around with the best kids yet something in their chemistry will cause them to use or at least try drugs?
If I had to bet I would say that peer pressure and the lack of parental involvement would be the two leading causes of drug use by kids today and that there is no predisposiition to drug use.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
...as well as divorce, unwanted/unintended pregnancies, job loss and resulting financial difficulties...
UnconTROLLed
perfection
Upstate - that wording wasn't right. What I meant was that, IMO given the entire population that uses and eventually gets hooked on drugs in their life, many if not most have addictive qualities and/or genetic links to that type of behavior.
Many of them also do as their parents do - the more drugs in the parents world, the more the kids think it's okay. Even your dad drinking a 12 pack getting loaded on Sunday. A child sees that as what grownups do, and what to look forward to in their 20s. :/ That is more of an environmental thing.
Many of them also do as their parents do - the more drugs in the parents world, the more the kids think it's okay. Even your dad drinking a 12 pack getting loaded on Sunday. A child sees that as what grownups do, and what to look forward to in their 20s. :/ That is more of an environmental thing.
moreluck
golden ticket member
It's TRUE !! It's an addictive gene. Sometimes it skips a generation. You can be the best, most attentive, most involved parent and give your kids the best education, but they go and not only do drugs, but become hopelessly hooked. As far as addicted kids, I'm batting 1000! One is celebrating 8 yrs (AA) on Nov. 16th. (crystal meth, heroine & cocaine)The other one quit cold turkey years ago and never looked back (ice). The other one is ....I don't know where, but he has been a career criminal all his life from young teens.
And it's not the trying of drugs so much as becoming addicted when they do. The trying is probably peer pressure....but the fact that they can't stop is in them. Hubby & I never tried any drugs.....knowing that the gene for addiction was in our families. I guess we were scared straight.
The Role Of Genetics In Addiction
Most experts agree that genetics do play a role in addiction but this factor does not necessarily mean that family members have a gene that says they will definitely become an addict of something but that these people all carry significant genetics that suggest they are more susceptible to addiction and once they start using a substance, will find it increasingly difficult to cease using it.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry, I'm just not buying it. Peer pressure and lack of parental involvement weigh far more heavily than any supposed predisposition.
"...once they start using a substance..." is the key. I would think that most people would find it increasingly difficult to break a habit once we have started, whether it be pot or biting our fingernails.
I tried pot and, to be honest, I kind of liked the way that it made me feel. It was also just as easy for me to stop.
My addiction is junk food, especially Hot Tamales and Circus Peanuts. I can't have just a few--I normally finish the box or bag as soon as I open it.
"...once they start using a substance..." is the key. I would think that most people would find it increasingly difficult to break a habit once we have started, whether it be pot or biting our fingernails.
I tried pot and, to be honest, I kind of liked the way that it made me feel. It was also just as easy for me to stop.
My addiction is junk food, especially Hot Tamales and Circus Peanuts. I can't have just a few--I normally finish the box or bag as soon as I open it.
UnconTROLLed
perfection
You're entitled to an opinion but you're speaking like a know-it-all as always. Ridiculous, but run with it if you want.
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