It's not just a freakin plant... do you know what it does? I once knew this one kid who was a genius, did amazingly well in math, one of the top in my state. Then he started doing pot and now I barely see him in school and I hear his grades are dropping. It's a real shame, because he had so much potential.

Funny, my 'smart' smoking friends and I from college work for NASA, engineering firms, and did just fine. There are people who can't handle life that happen to smoke pot. But it doesn't wreck lives, and cars, like alcohol and prescription narcotics. Restrictions on underage(18) smokers is acceptable of course, however is not an arguable point in legalization or decriminalization.

But you will never be convinced, as I am sure you know it all. Pour yourself a strong cocktail and chill.

it sounds like to me that he just got tired of math and decided to try something different. Dude, Ive seen it all. Methheads, Alcoholics, fat people (food addicts), Opiate abusers, coke heads, whores, welfare addicts, rapists, murderers, people addicted to creatine, steroids, people addicted to video games. I mean the list can go on forever.

btw, havent you seen that movie PI? Math can destroy your life just a quickly as pot can. oh wait, nm because pot cant destroy your life! only getting arrested, thrown in jail and labeled a criminal can get your life destroyed by pot.

It really is just a plant.

"Cannabis is one of the safest psychoactivly substance known to man" Who said that? a judge handling a cannabis investigation for Pres Nixon in the 60's.

Pot smokers run the gammot. It depends more on the person smoking it.

Not unlike alcohol. Some people get ruined by it, others have no problem exercising moderation.

Hey drplim you know what's even funnier? I thought you could infer from my name that I'm under 21 right? And I admit I don't know it all, and I've never smoked pot and not planning on doing it. I just don't like what I hear and sometimes see about it.

you could be any age that happens to be graduating in 2012, if you are still in high school than you have a lot to learn You haven't been out there yet to see the destruction alcohol does in comparison to pot.

At the root, you are right, it is only a freaking plant. But this plant can produce paper cheaper, more environmentally sustainable, and better than the current pulp paper mills. As a medicine, it is helpful to numerous ailments - but corporate pharms don't like it because they can't patent a plant!

Marijuana is also safer than alcohol - many studies prove it - I've done my research, you do yours. Legalizing this plant will generate revenue for bankrupt government agencies. It will also greatly decrease crime related to illegal pot profits.

Wake up America! Legalize a God-given herb!

Grad2012, I hate to break this to you but you are the very thing destroying this country. I don't mean you in particular, but people who, like you, rush to believe the government propaganda, which is spoon fed to those among us who, instead of learning to think for themselves, are used as a tool, members of a voting block, just numbers. Everybody is entitled to an opinion, however that entitlement is squandered if the opinion is one that has been given to you, and particularly when it is given to you by the government / press, as opposed to say a parent or trusted friend. This is the seed of totalitarianism. Do us all a favor, don't take the lazy way out. Learn, before you graduate to think for your self. You'll go far.

Graduation 2012....I am not too much older than you. Class of 2006! But I still remember my sophmore year like it was yesterday, even though I toked up. LoL I was always an honor student and yes I smoked pot from the age 16 and on. I worked full time jobs all throughout my educational career, which still isn't over by the way. I went to college got my degree. Graduated the top 5 of my class and now I have myself a damn good job that I am damn good at. They are paying my tuition to get my Masters. There is nothing like a blunt to sooth the mind after a crazy day.

But I remember kids who really didn't have what it takes to be successful and some had deep seeded problems that came out the first chance that arose, usually around high school when independence hits. There are lots of problems that you might not see so you blame it on the marijuana. These kids will use anything as an excuse to do drop responsibilities they just don't want for whatever reason it may be. I can tell you now, abandoning my goals and dreams was NEVER an option, NEVER crossed my mind. If anything the good nights sleep I get after smoking the sweet leaf keeps me going LoL

Sorry for my cocktail crack, 2012! Keep strong, and I don't think anyone should be forced to try smoking or drinking anything ever.

Good luck out there, and keep doing well in school. Alternatives of not continuing educational pursuits are nearly always worse than having ecucation!

Peace

Question- do you drink alcohol? And, if so, how much? That is legal, and still bad for you. So, what's the difference between alcohol and pot?

History shows that prohibition didn't work, either. I'm going to speculate that sometime soon, pot will be legal, and taxed and regulated just like alcohol is.

well then, dont smoke it. but what right do you have to say that I cant smoke it?

Have you ever even smoked pot? lol

Marijuana and aspirin are the only drugs most people need. Most pharmaceuticals should be outlawed because they are poison. They destroy your liver and kidneys. Big pharma is murder incorporated, and the FDA right along with them. The list of side effects listed for everything from pain pills to acne meds to cholesterol drugs... often includes possible death. Nobody ever died smoking pot.

To quote the late great Jack Herer "the only dead bodies from marijuana are in the prisons and at the hands of the police. This is ridiculous." Look up Granny Storm Crow if you wanna know the benefits of cannabis.

Another quote. "I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is an herb and a flower. God put it here. If He put it here and He wants it to grow, what gives the government the right to say that God is wrong?"
Willie Nelson

If you're any kind of competent grower u will have a mother plant (female) from which u make clones (all female)

Hey hey, don't forget them "side effects-" you know, the ones that question the validity of any given Rx drug by screwing people up badly and causing a TON of lawsuits...

The nation lost it's way when it instituted the marijuana tax stamp act in the 20s strictly as a government sponsored racist policy.

You're a complete idiotic moron! Just STFU and GTFO. No offense or anything...douche-bag.

I would strongly disagree, however, many kids today like Lady GaGa, so there goes that argument!

geez 2012, you must have gotten your facts straight out of the ONDCP handbook, huh?

peruse this website, then write back with an effective argument. I mean really, its ok to oppose it, we welcome it in debate, but try to hear both sides:

www.norml.org, www.maps.org, www.mpp.org

And I say good.We can thin out the herd of idiots who think that way.Pot was here way before the European invasion.It is not harmful.The drugs the Pharm companies push are harmful.

I have done a little research on the subject and marajuana's main ingredient THC is apparently much less toxic than tobacco and alcohol, and nobody has ever died from it. However, increased THC levels do raise levels of dopamine, which can lead to addiction as the difference neurotransmitter levels may alter some regions of the brain, although not as much as nicotine or alcohol. "High Potency" Marijuana, on the other hand, that is grown in the non traditional way which is optimized for growth rate can cause some serious health effects with its high levels of THC and dopamine, and is difficult to distinguish from traditional marajuana. And heavy marajuana use can alter the brain development of adolescents, so I can't really make a judgement call here until I find more information. I don't see what's wrong with the ONDCP handbook however because while the effects of marajuana are harder to study in the United States where it is illegal, the studies do seem pretty legitimate.

SInce you think the ONDCP is doing such a good job... why don't you read about their requirement to only use true facts. They are the only govermental agency that is Sanctioned to lie by congress.

"

(12) shall ensure that no Federal funds appropriated to the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall be expended for any study or contract relating to the legalization (for a medical use or any other use) of a substance listed in schedule I of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812) and take such actions as necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use of a substance (in any form)."

So you really think the ONDCP wants to see facts, studies, scientific evidence, or any statistics that show any side other than the one they take published? Go on and live in a dream world where your politicians always tell you the truth. Smoking pot surely won't take you there..

I hate the whole saying "Pot is the window to much harder drugs". Maybe in some cases, but in reality, no. Alcohol can do the same, and alcohol can also be considered a drug. It alters your brain, and can make normal function impossible. Marijuana basically just chills you out. Do a little more research on this before you post. And it does help people who could be in pain or for other medical reasons. It is natural. Try smoking it before you bash it. Its a lot different than you think it is, and helps broaden your mind.

Then enlighten me. It still seems to me that pot smoking and drinking for that matter is a waste of time compared to studying or pursuing a hobby, especially in high school. And I did state above that I did need to do more research, although reading through dozens of scientific research papers from both sides is time consuming lol.

Like you said, going by your screen name your about 16 y.o. One important lesson you will learn as you get a little older is "don't believe everything you read & about 1/2 of what you see."

A lot older & a litle wiser.

2012. The Control and Regulate Marijuana act, Prop 19, in California creates a legal system for cultivation and sale of cannabis for adults aged 21 and older.

How can you (high schooler) get alcohol? do you go buy it from your friend? no, because your friend cant get it, because he isnt 21. He has to steral it from his parents, and even then, he wont go to jail, put on probation, and denied entrance to college and financial Aid.

how can you get pot? buy it from a schoolmate, because its illegal, any dirtball off the street can and will sell it to a minor. In fact, if were an unscrupulous drug dealer, I would pay my little brother or other kids to sell pot for me and I get the profits. but if it is controlled and regulated, then only people over the age of 21 would be allowed to purchase it.

Indeed, it can be more beneficial to devote your cognitive energies to exploring academic topics, though I would say, and some would agree, that cannabis is a catalyst which allows some cognition to occur. In cases of depression or PTSD I have noticed that pot can relax the mind and allow thought to move more freely. I guess it just depends on what you want out of life.

Using Cannabis as a psycotropic ("smart supplement") medicine is probably not something that would work for everyone, and it is not currently a legitimatly accepted reason for medical consumption.

As for the gateway drug theory: I have tried many different drugs, I am not afraid to admit that. I have tried alcohol, tobacco, coke, meth, dxm, pot, opiate derivitives, inhalents, antidepressants, and others. I think i just had to go through that stage. I do not reccomend trying any of these drugs until you are an adult and can accept responsibility for your actions. I dont think that trying drugs should be a crime. I tried them a little, and stopped. why? because, liek you said, I would rather devote my time and energy into studying and learning and enriching my mind through education rather than numbing it through drug use.

of all these drugs I can say, without a doubt, that cannabis is the safest and least addictive of all these. Cannabis does not influence dopamine production in the brain nor is it a dopamine receptor antagonist. It influences the endocannabinoid system which is naturally occuring in the human body.

I agree with everything you said.Pot was growing in the U.S. before the Quakers came over on their boats and started dictating to the Native Americans about their sinful barbaric ways.Alcool was introduced in this country by Europeans.Alcoholism caused a lot of bad memories in our family.It is by far the worst drug.I think we should let the native Americans in our country grow it and sell it.The casino industry on Indian land was a bad idea.

With todays marijuana there is a strain to float most any ones boat ... make you tired makes you awake some are great over all tonics..

as in Arizonia were they voted to stop illegals yet Crying it's unconstittuional If the people voted for it so be it If it's illegal from the feds it's illegal in the States