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Stop Treating Marijuana Like Heroin

nytimes.com

11–20 of 266 posts

Re: Stop Treating Marijuana Like Heroin

#13
While I'm totally for drug (all drugs - not just cannabis) legalisation/regulation, I do think the "dangers" of marijuana have been really downplayed over the last few years.

I know a lot of people at university who got into smoking it very often and basically lost 10+ years of their life to complete apathy to anything. Some have now stopped and are totally different people - just 10 years behind.

While it doesn't cause overdose, cirrhosis or criminal activity from the user, it does become very addictive for some people and causes them to be extremely unmotivated in their life.

Is this as bad as heroin or crack? No obviously not, but a lot of people end up really trapped by it.

Re: Stop Treating Marijuana Like Heroin

#14

Stop treating addiction as a legal problem and treat it as a public health problem, like Portugal. Decriminalize all substances and push addicted to treatment programs. And just legalize pot entirely, one of these is not like the others (at least Canada is leading the way there).

It may need a good government, which is hard. E.g, I don't think SF can manage to handle so many homeless addictions. Yes, ideally it can be managed in this way. In fact, it's hard to be carried out. And the result would be catastrophic.

Re: Stop Treating Marijuana Like Heroin

#15

While I'm totally for drug (all drugs - not just cannabis) legalisation/regulation, I do think the "dangers" of marijuana have been really downplayed over the last few years. I know a lot of people at university who got into smoking it very often and basically lost 10+ years of their life to complete apathy to anything. Some have now stopped and are totally different people - just 10 years behind. While it doesn't ca…

Correlation and causation can be hard to pick apart there

Re: Stop Treating Marijuana Like Heroin

#16
post #5

And start treating nicotine like heroin.

I believe cigarettes and other tobacco products should be unlawful.

If one wants to grow and dry their own tobacco to smoke, I am okay with that.

But, productizing addiction of known deleterious substances should be illegal.

Re: Stop Treating Marijuana Like Heroin

#17

While I'm totally for drug (all drugs - not just cannabis) legalisation/regulation, I do think the "dangers" of marijuana have been really downplayed over the last few years. I know a lot of people at university who got into smoking it very often and basically lost 10+ years of their life to complete apathy to anything. Some have now stopped and are totally different people - just 10 years behind. While it doesn't ca…

Some of that might be because they are afraid if they go outside they'll be arrested.

Re: Stop Treating Marijuana Like Heroin

#19
post #2

I've been a daily user for about 30 years now. It's more like coffee and cigarettes than it is like heroin or alcohol.

Wow, 30 years! Is it for a medical condition? I have a friend with ptsd who uses regularly, but he claims he feels a "buildup" in hos brain so he does a week or two on and a week or two, sometimes more off. Do you feel that as well?

Re: Stop Treating Marijuana Like Heroin

#20
post #6
post #4

Stop demonizing heroin. To be honest, not sure what is right here. Is it ok to demonise interracial marriage while trying to get the minority the right to vote? Does the end justify the means? But if you think heroin is a demon and marijuana(or alcohol) is ok you are sadly mistaken.

But if you think heroin is a demon and marijuana(or alcohol) is ok you are sadly mistaken. 1 of the 3 is ok, by some definition of ok. My definition: doesn't have serious health effects and users can (and do) live normal lives.

Plenty of people have opiod problems and live normal lives.
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