Is it really the pot that's the problem?

Let's just say there wern't the legal issues. Say pot laws were similar to alcohal laws. Would there be negative aspects on peoples lives from smoking pot? I used to be friends with a guy who who owned lots of retail and home rental propertys. He took care of the rentals and his wife made over 100 grand a year at her job. He delt with a lot of the 'business' men in the town, bankers, busineess owners etc. It wasn't untill after being very close with him for a long time and gaining his trust he let me know he was a pot smoker. Then I think of the steryotypical 'stoners' and wonder is it the poeple who don't care if everyone knows they smoke pot who set the idea that pot 'makes' people a certain way? I' m sure there are plentyy of professionals, dictore, teachers, etc. who smoke pot but very descreatley due to haveing to protect their image from those who may disaporve.

As someone who is from a country where smoking and selling pot is totally legal (and to some extent that's what a lot of people know the Netherlands for), we do have the same problems. Smoking pot has a bad connotation. It leaves a stigma on those who do.

Those people aren't bad. They're not worse than people who enjoy a beer. But because more people drink beer, even potsmokers are a minority. And therefore treated as such.

Also, take in consideration what stereotypes come with smoking pot. Lazy stoners that just want to be stoned all the time. And I think that a reason why this stereotype exists is already to be found in the 1970's with the hippie movement. Add in the bold stereotype of Jamaican rastafari culture and their potsmoking habits (which isn't true all Jamaicans at all, but that's what the stereotype dictates) and you have a solid foundation for "the lazy stoner".

People that actually achieve stuff in life and smoke pot confuse people because of that stereotype. If you do well in life, most people will be in some kind of denial where they can't imagine someone like that smoking pot on a regular basis. If you tell someone you smoke pot, before you tell them what you do for a living, they'll have this huge preconceived notion that you're on social security and a drug user that doesn't want to work.

So to answer your question in the title "is pot really the problem?". No it's not, it's judgmental people. It's the same type of judgment that passes on for autism, all because stereotypes are way easier to focus on. Imagine you'd have to judge every person individually... most people don't have the motivation for that. That's the problem.

I agree that's it is about judgmental people. But not so sure that just as mony successfull people don't smoke just as much pot as 'stoner' people do. It may be just that they are very descreet about it therfore people asume that most pot smokers are stoner types and not successfull or acheiveing types. Judgment bugs me although I know it's human nature, and I'm sure I am guilty of it at times but I very much try not to be. The result of judgment is never good.

my mom, dad and step dad smoked pot for a number of years. The effects of it actually calmed them down, and in my mom's case, made it so that she could sleep that night. Me personally I would trust something natural like pot then to trust something man made like alcohol. My grandpa was a heavy drinker and ended up having cancer. They decided to open him up to see how far the cancer had spread and thought they got it all. He was dead 3 months later. He hadn't known how bad it had gotten because of how much he drank on a daily basis and also, as well as smoking cigs for 50 years, numbed him to the pain of the cancer. I'm sure that pot has the same affect but alcohol also kills your liver and pot doesn't. Like I said before I would rather trust something natural like pot then something man made like alcohol.

Sorry, Butterfly Lady, but as someone who lives in the middle of wine country I do have to correct your misunderstanding of alcohol being man-made. I can't speak for other kinds of alcohol but wine is definitely a natural product. It is grape juice that is not. As soon as the grapes are picked (and sometimes even before while they are still on the vine) they start fermenting and if left alone will turn into wine (alcohol). It doesn't matter if they are "wine grapes" or "juice grapes" In order to keep grape juice from fermenting it must either be drunk right away (within a day or so) or something must be done to it to keep it from fermenting. So that bottle of grape juice you see on the supermarket shelf? That's not natural. Not at all.

Now as far as pot is concerned it does seem to be true that some people can smoke it and have no problems. I think the jury is still out on that one and I for one would like to see more research on the subject. It does seem to have quite a bit of medical potential. However, I have also seen pot make people retreat from reality--it destroys their ambition. Before you all jump on me, I live in a low-income neighborhood where pot and other drugs are common so I am only observing what I see first-hand. POT IS NOT A WAY OUT OF POVERTY!!!! For a young person with few options in life, pot can be disasterous because it takes away a person's focus; they are not as apt to study or get an education or any job skills beyond minimum wage work. And the trend in employment (at least around here) is for jobs that demand highly skilled/educated people. Now maybe there are those who can smoke pot and still have the discipline necessary to get these skills and education; from what I've seen that's a rarity.

Finally, because pot is illegal, anyone who gets involved with it runs a risk of getting involved with the law. Again, I have seen what that does to a person's future earning ability, where they can and cannot live, and so forth. I don't know about anyone else, but I just don't think it worth screwing up my life over a joint.

And here's something to think about: yes, the trend seems to be towards legalization, but again, ask yourself--why is it that the powers that be are willing to legalize pot but they are NOT willing to see that there are sufficient jobs paying living wage, they are NOT really interested in improving schools, and they are NOT really interested in improving poor areas? Is it because a stoned person is not likely to rise up and revolt?

Spinning...-
[/B]In answer to your last line, I would guess that's not the reason. Becouse most of the people who want to smoke pot probably already do. I
To quote you spinning....
"pot can be disasterous because it takes away a person's focus; they are not as apt to study or get an education or any job skills beyond minimum wage work."

Dose it really? Or out of ALL the pot smokeing people out there are the ones who are open and known for it the ones who don't care about much anyway and therfore don't bother to hide the fact that they are 'stoners'. Most people base these opinions on what they observe as you do. In ways I observe the same. Is that becouse the high acheiving pot smokers who have an image to prtote are descreet and not know for being pot smokers so we don't get to 'observe' that aspect? That is what I really want to know. I'm not even sure if any studies would reveil the truth. I mean once these people who have much to loose are so used to keeping there pot smoking private, would they even confess on a servey? Even if it is told to be anonomous? I'd have to guess many would not.
I do have to agree with you about the legal aspect being a problem for some peoples lives. But still have to wonder if those are the people prone to legal troubles anyway and the pot just gets thrown into the mix or their legal issues?

Butterfly...
I do have to agree that I'v seen some worse effects of alcohol on people than I have pot. If you want to take that argument to another level what about all the man made LEGAL drugs that cause people all sorts of devistaiting side effects includeing death! I give my son a pill regularly that is KNOWN to wear out the heart. He is a kid and I find it absurd that this is perfectley acceptable and legal when pot is probably much safer yet such a 'bad' thing. Not only that but school insistes that I have him to his doctor and on meds becouse of his lack of focus at school. And besides that he can really not get by in a regular school setting without something like this in him. The doctor has him on a prescription for sleep as well. Any number of kids can be on any number of meds. ONe to put them to sleep, one to get them focused, one to calm them, one for their anxiety..... etc. etc. etc. And O that's all great, legal, and socially acceptable. How many people do you think get prescribed legal pain meds and then end up addicted? You think the medical comunity dosn't know the risks? You think when a 'great new drug' comes out and perscriptions are flying out the doctors doors that the medical community is ignorant as to the effects? They don't have a clue that in several years there will be Law firms putting out commercials on TV asking people who have suffered terrable effects of this drug to call them to seek compensation? If they don't know the drugs are so dangerous than what use is the FDA (Food and Drug Adminstration)? Yet a kid rolls up and smokes an herb put on this planet by our maker and OMG that's an issue! They say it makes them feel relaxed, focused, sleep better, and lowers their anxiety. Im not a pot smoker but I can beleive it. Yet as a mother I have to tell my kid No! thats wrong! I have to take him to the doctor and get LEGAL and probably more harmefull drugs. But hey that's all OK by societys standards!

Well, I don't want to argue but I have a problem with this "natural is good/man-made is bad" notion. It seems that it is applied selectively. After all TOBACCO is a NATURAL HERB too and one that has been well-documented to cause numerous health problems. Yet I don't see anyone outside of the tobacco industry arguing for the use of tobacco.

Furthermore, if you want to talk about natural/unnatural, the very act of smoking anything is definitely not natural. Our lungs are not designed for inhaling smoke of any kind, doesn't matter what it is. If you inhale any kind of smoke long enough and frequently enough you will damage your lungs. That is why air pollution of any kind is such a big issue. Smoke and lungs don't mix. That's why I don't buy the argument that pot doesn't damage the lungs. Look how long it took the tobacco industry to admit that their product was a problem (and they still are fighting that). Now if you are talking about eating or drinking, that's different because our bodies are designed for that. Not to breathe in smoke.

Also, while I do think that drugs in general tend to be overprescribed (especially in the case of children with behavior disorders--I have my own personal horror story) I would much rather take my chances with an FDA-approved drug where the side effects are known than with some "natural" medicine that has not been tested for safety nor efficacy (meaning does it work). No, the process of drug approval is not perfect, but it is a damn sight better than what existed before the FDA came into being.

I'm not against herbal remedies and vitamins (I take one myself) but they have not undergone the same kind of rigorous testing as "man-made" drugs. Some "natural" herbs like pennyroyal can cause miscarriage if taken by a pregnant woman at a certain stage of pregnancy. Other herbs may have other side effects. Just because that bottle of herbal extract doesn't have a warning notice packed inside it does not mean that there aren't any side effects. It just means that the FDA is much more lenient when it comes to herbal and natural medicines and does not require the same kind of testing as other drugs. Instead they are lumped in a category called "Generally Recognized As Safe." In other words, herbal and natural remedies are ASSUMED to be safe in the absence of reports to the contrary.

ple are gonna use nautral anything they should look into the facts of it. Everything nautral is not automatically saffe foe everyone and if people do asume that they shouldn't. People should not think FDA aproved drugs are safe either. They obviousley are not. It is all aobut the bottom line. They can come out with this new drug and do the math......

How much money will they make off of it
- now much money they will end up paying out in compensation
=how much profit the drug is worth

if the bottom line is high enough is high enough the drug is approved. I can't beleive the FDA with all it's knoledge and money and power truley makes that many honest mistakes putting harmefull drugs on the markt to the population to consume. I mean think about this...Putitng out a Telivision comercial costs a LOT of money. Almost any day you watch TV there will be a law firm comercial offering to seek compensation of harmfull effects of an FDA aproved drug. Thes law firms Must be rackin in the money to even afford to put out a tv comercial. All the testing being done the FDA just has to know the efects when they approve the drug.

Well I take them anyway if I need something. even if I don't trust them. I didn't used to but I am on medicade and all I can afford somethines is to go to the doctor and get what they prescribe. Herbs and other natural remedies arn't cheep. I don't think the doctor prrescribed drugs are the best thing for me but I don't really worry much beocuse if I die I die. My day will come when it is supposed to anyway. If I had the money and the choice I would choose the natural way. I did used to do that for about three years all I did was take natural stuff and I was able to pretty much take care of everything safley and effectivelly. I did study every thing I ever used though. I thought that was just comon sence. I don't feel that I'm in the besst of care by going to a medical doctor becouse I know they are backed by one of the hugest money makeing business in the United States. The FDA and the medical comunity. Big business is about the bottom line .

And yea as for the pot ...probably would be better to eat it like in brownies or something than to smoke it. I'm not sure why everyone smokes it.