Legalization of Marijuana

[Ink Asylum]

I'm using "you" in a general, hypothetical sense.

[Reverant]

Originally Posted by TheFlyingOrc

I'm...pretty sure that, cigarette for cigarette, marijuana is worse for you than industrially-created tobacco. The trick is that very, very few people smoke the equivalent of two packs a day of marijuana.

Yeah, you're right. Took it up with the ol' pharmacist (aka wife), and we tried to look up some information. What I read was that a joint is about as bad as 2.5-5 cigarettes in terms of airway obstruction. The problem seems to be the lack of filter on joints and the fact that smokers hold in marijuana smoke longer than regular cigarette smokes

[MagGnome]

Originally Posted by TheFlyingOrc

As a white southern christian, this is ridiculous. Some people are far too rude to others, but forcing others to deal with your addiction (if the problem is addiction, use a nicotine patch when
you're in public) by walking through your smoke? How is that possibly good manners?

I know we all love analogies around here, so I've come up with a good one.

Let's say that I'm addicted to masturbation. I want to masturbate all the time, everywhere, and if I don't masturbate at least one per hour then I get antsy. How rude are the people who take offense when I rub one out on the bus, or in a doorway? I have an addiction! Is the sight of my penis really so offensive that they can't just hurry past and/or avert their eyes?

I think, by bean's logic, that it would be rude of people to chastise me for choking the chicken in a way that might make others uncomfortable.

Originally Posted by Ink Asylum

MagGnome told you just how bad it could be...

Oh no, it could certainly be much worse. I may get the sniffles, watery eyes, and sometimes have a little trouble breathing (mainly through my nose), but I've seen people have far worse reactions. My reactions are generally somewhat mild, at least compared to some other people I've met.

The worst experience I ever had was when I stayed the night in a hotel room that allowed smoking. My friend and I didn't smoke, but it was obvious that people smoked in the room frequently. One night there and I was literally sick for a few days. It was awful. If that situation ever arises again I'll probably just sleep in the car.

[Reverant]

Originally Posted by MagGnome

I know we all love analogies around here, so I've come up with a good one.

Let's say that I'm addicted to masturbation. I want to masturbate all the time, everywhere, and if I don't masturbate at least one per hour then I get antsy. How rude are the people who take offense when I rub one out on the bus, or in a doorway? I have an addiction! Is the sight of my penis really so offensive that they can't just hurry past and/or avert their eyes?

I think, by bean's logic, that it would be rude of people to chastise me for choking the chicken in a way that might make others uncomfortable.

This is serious. Masturbation addiction kills millions of men between the ages of 9 and 37 ever year.

[bean]

@MagGnome - As I've said before, but I think it was ignored by the flame warriors who prefer outrage to discussion, your position on this made me reconsider it. I'm allergic to cats, and if people were jumping up and down with cats in the air to spread their dander about so that I couldn't pass without getting a runny nose and itchy eyes, I'd have a real problem with it too.

However, that doesn't make my other statements less true. You know there are people out there that are just rude, selfish authoritarians who feel entitled to punish smokers because it's a nasty habit. Douchebags who are incapable of empathy rub me the wrong way, even when their bullshit isn't directed at me.

[Ultima Thulian]

Originally Posted by MagGnome

stuff

Wait a minute. So you're saying that, by bean's logic, we would be living in a society in which people could masturbate without fear of reprimand? How is this a bad thing, again?

[Ink Asylum]

However, that doesn't make my other statements less true. You know there are people out there that are just rude, selfish authoritarians who feel entitled to punish smokers because it's a nasty habit. Douchebags who are incapable of empathy rub me the wrong way, even when their bullshit isn't directed at me.

Most non-smokers aren't like that, though. The behavior of asshole non- smokers does not make nice non-smokers rude for wanting smoke free environments.

[bean]

@Ink Asylum - I wasn't talking about rational, normal non-smokers. What gave you that idea?

[Slack3r78]

Standing by a door smoking is a dick move.

Going out of your way to walk past a smoker that's made a point of standing well away from the general flow of traffic to make a point of coughing and "shaming" them is an equally dick move.

I see both far too often.

[Matthias]

While we're complaining about people smoking in doorways/highly trafficked areas, can I whine about people putting their cigarettes at waist level just as someone passes by? I know it's unintentional, but I've been burned on my hand easily half a dozen times because I've been walking through a crowd or crowded doorway and someone lowered their hand as I passed.

[MagGnome]

Originally Posted by bean

@MagGnome - As I've said before, but I think it was ignored by the flame warriors who prefer outrage to discussion, your position on this made me reconsider it. I'm allergic to cats, and if people were jumping up and down with cats in the air to spread their dander about so that I couldn't pass without getting a runny nose and itchy eyes, I'd have a real problem with it too.

The image of people waving cats through the air in such a manner made me laugh, but yes, that's a good analogy, even if it's something that isn't going to actually happen. I was allergic to cats when I was younger, but thankfully it's abated quite a bit. Some of them still bother me, but not all.

Originally Posted by Ultima Thulian

Wait a minute. So you're saying that, by bean's logic, we would be living in a society in which people could masturbate without fear of reprimand? How is this a bad thing, again?

I'm quite sexually liberal, and even I don't think people should be allowed to masturbate on the bus, the street corner, or other such public places. I do think people are too paranoid about nudity, but a bus or sidewalk is not one of the places where anyone should be rubbing one out.

Originally Posted by Matthias

While we're complaining about people smoking in doorways/highly trafficked areas, can I whine about people putting their cigarettes at waist level just as someone passes by? I know it's unintentional, but I've been burned on my hand easily half a dozen times because I've been walking through a crowd or crowded doorway and someone lowered their hand as I passed.

I haven't been burned, thankfully, but there have been times where I ended up with a streak of ash on my clothing. Yuck...

[Ink Asylum]

Originally Posted by bean

@Ink Asylum - I wasn't talking about rational, normal non-smokers. What gave you that idea?

Because this was your first post on the topic:

I have no problem with smokers smoking outside - even near doors. That's rude of them, but few places have created a safe area for smokers that is out of the wind.

I was under the impression we were comparing the desires of smokers with the desires of the general, non-smoking public. You've only brought up excessively rude non-smokers occasionally as a side point.

If you just want to compare rude smokers to rude non-smokers what's the point?

[bean]

@Ink - Then you ignored a lot of discussion between that starting point and what I think now after having considered MagGnome's allergic viewpoint.

[Ultima Thulian]

Originally Posted by MagGnome

I'm quite sexually liberal, and even I don't think people should be allowed to masturbate on the bus, the street corner, or other such public places. I do think people are too paranoid about nudity, but a bus or sidewalk is not one of the places where anyone should be rubbing one out.

I was just yanking your chain (punny!), but I do think it would be funny to live in a society where masturbation can happen at any time. I bet people would get used to it after awhile. Society would adapt to it.

[MagGnome]

Originally Posted by Ultima Thulian

I was just yanking your chain (punny!), but I do think it would be funny to live in a society where masturbation can happen at any time. I bet people would get used to it after awhile. Society would adapt to it.

I figured (hoped?) that you were joking. Yes, that would be an interesting world indeed. Sort of like college dorms, but on a mass scale?

[National Kato]

Originally Posted by bean

@J Arcane - Right. I agree about the hemp part. However, I have to wonder about the one point that remains. Are pharmaceutical, alcohol, and tobacco companies opposing the legalization of marijuana in order to prevent competition?

PhRMA, for sure. The medicinal application of marijuana, instead of buying OTC and prescription medicines, would hurt the pharmaceutical companies on their bottom line. Add alcoholic beverage manufacturers/distributors and tobacco companies to cover recreational usage and you have a lot of lobbying power against legalization.

[Xerxes]

I normally don't partake but if legal I'd probably go hog wild.

[bean]

Originally Posted by Xerxes

I normally don't partake but if legal I'd probably go hog wild.

I still think I wouldn't because I'm not a fan of "being high". It just seems like wasted time and money to me.

That's not a judgment of those who do it. I don't think they are "time-wasters" anymore than they should think that my playing video games or drinking with friends is a waste of time. It's just not how I want to spend my free time or money.

However, I still think the benefits of legalizing it out weight the cons.

[evilgoodwin]

I'd just like to enjoy independent films for once.

[J Arcane]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/05/0...ne-to-survive/