All reality is a world perceived by senses and a brain that assumes the senses are telling the truth. A chemical reaction decoded by a computer. Well, then reality is just chemical.
I just love being told about the horrors of drug use by drunk friends. It's fuckin' fantastic. "You don't know what that shit is doing to you" while you down your third long island iced tea. Wow, how insightful. I'm going to make it clear, I'm not talking about drug addiction or drug abuse, these are separate issues. What I'm talking about is the decision that alcohol is somehow on this pedestal where you can use it (that's right, use, it is a drug) regularly and that's fine but any other drug is somehow deviant.
The first response is normally "but alcohol is legal", which smacks of poor reasoning. Yes, alcohol is legal, but this has nothing to do with health benefits or government insight; alcohol and tobacco are pretty much the worst things for you and when's the last time you saw a really aggressive pothead? Obviously stuff like ice is the exception because it's ridiculously addictive, bad for you and makes you aggressive, but very few other substances pose that specific set of issues.
Government rulings like not allowing marijuana consumption in public areas because it promotes antisocial behaviour makes no sense. How is being stoned any more antisocial than getting drunk? It's probably more social, when's the last time you saw a bunch of stoners get into a fight?
Long story short, it's yet another example of people passively accepting what they're told without even thinking about it themselves. Yet another aimless wander down the road away from social freedoms and towards fascism. You know what, it's probably the same douchebags who voted Liberal. Thanks a lot, you conservative smeg-pipe, for perpetuating the myth that the biggest threat to the ostraaahlyan way of life is refugees and young people. I hope you choke and die.
To be clear: drunkenness is not legal in public. How much marijuana does it take to become inebriated due to exposure? I do not know. However, no matter the rate at which one's mental state is altered during exposure to the prepared substance it remains illegal to present one's-self in public while under the influence of any serious psychoactive drug. At least to the best of my knowledge it is.
ReplyDeleteThe above statement may not be directly related to your comments, but it should of course be noted that any challenge to a law or serious expression of dissent should be presented with scientifically gathered and verifiable evidence. That is to say: is it actually proven that marijuana is less likely to allow a person to act in such a way as to inconvenience or harm others?
That's a question which must be answered before this particular comment can be taken seriously.
"Public Drunkenness" is a vague and poorly enforced law. As for the legality of being under the influence of any psychoactive drug, i would say that any such law is similarly poorly worded and enforced.
ReplyDeleteAs for the scientific verification of the benefits of marijuana vs alcohol & tobacco, I am aware of studies done that support my statements, but if you want a proper scientific journal with the results in them, I'm afraid I have to concede fault there.
Finally, it is empirically demonstrable that alcohol is more likely to cause behaviours defined as "antisocial" than marijuana, but again, I couldn't point you to the specific journals that state this.
Fault noted. I've been speaking to our mutual friend Ace of Spades, and he -has- got the study. While Cannabis isn't ranked as dangerously as some other substances including Tobacco and Alcohol, it's a very very wide analysis, including long-term detriments.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, looking specifically at the level of intoxication provided, which is generally disruptive, Cannabis outranks LSD! It's also got a particularly unpleasant odour, which means that if I walk past someone consuming, it's a pain in the ass.
You're right, though, Alcohol is in many ways worse than Cannabis. However, I think it's important to note that while "socially acceptable", it is not legal to consume it on the street, or wander around under its influence.
As to your assertion that public drunkenness is a vague and poorly enforced law, that doesn't mean it's an incorrect law, or that it shouldn't exist. It may need to be refined, and it may need more emphasis in certain areas specifically, but it's a very good thing to have in my opinion.
Also, if you want that report, just let me know. I don't know if it's copyrighted or what, so I won't mirror it personally.
I would love to read that report.
ReplyDelete