TR: The former Soviet Republic of Sacramento

[Sculpto]

btw..

you guys know absolutely NOTHING about the medicinal marijuana culture I live in. 

Bear.. I don't presume to tell you how to do your job.. so.. why would you even make the comments you made about me going on a hike and smoking a joint?  Hmm... lets see.. first of all the Road and Track issue on smoking weed and driving might be worth reading.. and second.. time between smoking and driving would be about 4 hours.. so.. you tell me.. any risk?  ummm.. I would be more concerned about just being tired and minor dehydration from the hike than from any residual affects.  besides, I only smoke Sativa during the day which is known for sharpening senses and giving energy rather than Indica which is great for falling asleep and what I occasionally smoke if I can't sleep. 

I would no sooner smoke weed in front of a child than I would be piss drunk in front of a child.  But hmmm.. how many of you have had a beer in front of a kid?  how many a glass of wine?  You gonna try and tell me that gin and tonic or irish coffee you had in front of a kid is somehow more acceptable?  tsk tsk tsk..

Smoking weed and then drinking is no big thing.. however.. if someone is drunk and then smokes weed.. it is in fact a very dangerous situation.  I don't drink.. so that is never going to be an issue for me.  I have seen people go form being pretty drunk to totally wasted after adding a small amount of weed to alcohol.  I have never seen it go the other way though.  Anyway, any smart "partier" knows not to mix things..

Gator.. medicinal marijuana is LEGAL in the state of California.  I am legally able to possess up to one ounce in public and I can consume in nearly any location I want.  Full legalization will be on the November ballot and will likely pass.  The rest of the country will follow along soon enough.  The tax revenue alone is more than enough reason not to mention the elimination of wasteful enforcement expenses.  There is already a rather large weed tourism thing going on and when the ballet passes with will become HUGE.  Weed is likely to rejuvenate the entire California economy.

California law accepts "creative stimulation" as an acceptable medicinal purpose.  It was one of three reasons I gave when I had my medical evaluation to get my card and the one the Doc found the most interesting.  99% of my consumption occurs in my art studio when I am alone with paint and canvass.

Frankly.. a couple of tokes would do a lot of you guys some real good.. it relieves uptightness.. you know.. that confirmed medical condition known as clenching.. you know.. so tight that you could crush an aluminum can between the cheeks of your ... 

[SANDRO43]

we ordered a 3 way appetizer, a cajun style king crap in a steam pot

Amazing delicacies in your Southern cuisine .

[ML]

Quote from: 2012isFiction on Today at 02:32:56 AM
we ordered a 3 way appetizer, a cajun style king crap in a steam pot


Sandro: Amazing delicacies in your Southern cuisine Cheesy.

Actually there really is a lot of crap in many fish type of dishes.

[Sculpto]

Amazing delicacies in your Southern cuisine .

lol.. call that typo being really tired.. I was too wired from the drive back to SF to sleep.  Its pretty interesting that freeway drive goes fast.. average speed is easily 80 mph.. I was cruising at 80 and getting passed by more cars than I passed.. and then you get passed by CHP and they hav no intentions of pulling anyone over or slowing down the flow.. its really bizarre when even the cops are breaking the law.. must be all the medicinal substances..

Anyway, I was going to order the steam pot with crawfish.. I know they are quite popular in Ukraine.. but, it occurred to me that they would be either farmed (yuck) or soaked in BP oil, so I stuck with the west coast king crap! 

[Boethius]

I'm going with bear on this one.  There are a lot of studies which prove that cannabis use impairs perception, and the ability to drive, and that such  impairment lasts 4-6 hours after the last puff.  In Canada, where pot use is effectively decriminalized, if you were caught driving after smoking a joint, you would be facing an impaired driving charge.

Do as you wish, 2012, but it is just as irresponsible to drive after smoking a joint as it is to drive after downing a few beers or glasses of wine.

[kievstar]

Boethius your correct about drugs.  It does not make you drive better. 

Scultpo is correct that drinking is not good in front of children.

I have done drugs and drank alcohol past three years in Ukraine.  I was not fit to drive nor did I.  Pot smoking is very common in Ukraine.  Scultpo will find many RW who smoke pot or will try it.

[Sculpto]

Boethius your correct about drugs.  It does not make you drive better. 

Scultpo is correct that drinking is not good in front of children.

I have done drugs and drank alcohol past three years in Ukraine.  I was not fit to drive nor did I.  Pot smoking is very common in Ukraine.  Scultpo will find many RW who smoke pot or will try it.

lol.. you guys..

http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/misc/driving/driving.htm

That is the US DOT report.. I really love this part.. hahahaha 

"The city driving study measured the subjects' ability to operate a vehicle in urban traffic. for reasons mentioned in the respective chapter the THC dose in that study was restricted to 100 ug/kg. For comparative purposes another group of subjects was treated with a modest dose of alcohol, producing a mean BAC of about 0.04g%. Results of the study showed that the modest dose of alcohol, but not THC, produced a significant impairment in driving performance, relative to placebo. Alcohol impaired driving performance but subjects did not perceive it. THC did not impair driving performance yet the subjects thought it had. After alcohol, there was a tendency towards faster driving and after THC, slower."

that said.. I dont take risks with cars.

And Kiev.. thanks for standing up and saying what I have been saying for the last 1+ years.. its really not that big of a deal and is in fact quite common.  Except for people who like crushing cans with their ... cheeks.  LOL.

[Boethius]

I disagree, 2012.  In including impairment by drugs, including cannabis, to the Criminal Code definition of "impaired driving", the backgrounder on Canada's Criminal Code was as follows:

A substantial body of research assessing the effects of cannabis on human performance exists, and several authoritative reviews of this literature have been published. The evidence is very clear that a moderate or higher dose of cannabis impairs driver performance and several of the skills necessary for safe driving. Some authors have reported that the largest degree of impairment is observed with tasks involving attention, tracking and psychomotor skills. As with alcohol and other psychoactive drugs, tolerance may be observed to some of the effects of cannabis in experienced users. . . .

Many studies internationally have examined the prevalence of cannabinoids in drivers who have been injured or killed in motor vehicle collisions. These studies reveal that cannabinoids are the drugs most commonly found after alcohol in these individuals. Evidence from Canada is consistent with this observation; two recent studies detected cannabinoids in 13.9% and 19.5% of samples of seriously injured and fatally injured drivers, respectively. For several methodological reasons it is much more difficult to assess the contribution of cannabis to collision risk, for example, it is very difficult to obtain appropriate control samples not involved in collisions. In the most methodologically sound study reported to date, Quebec researchers found that cannabis was associated with a doubling of the risk of being involved in a fatal collision. However, other studies present more variable results. Other research paradigms can also provide important evidence here. For example, recent studies with individuals seeking treatment for substance abuse have found that individuals who report a problem with cannabis have elevated collision histories in the few years preceding treatment entry.

When cannabis enters the body, THC and other cannabinoids are widely distributed to all tissues. Cannabinoids accumulate in fatty tissues and are slowly released into other body compartments. Metabolites can be found in the urine for up to 12 days after a single dose of THC and for a month or two after heavy use. For this and other reasons research has frequently observed a poor correlation between plasma or urine concentrations and the pharmacological effects of the drug. However, more recent studies have been able to link plasma concentrations with pharmacological effects with more accuracy. Several methods have been proposed or used to assess the presence of cannabinoids in drivers, including breath, blood, urine, saliva and sweat tests, and behavioural examinations.

There are a fair number of studies that have linked cannabis use to impairment.  Comparing alcohol and cannabis impairment is apples and oranges.  You are impaired, and you shouldn't drive.  Just as you shouldn't drive if you drink, or are taking certain prescription or over the counter drugs.

[Seeker]

I disagree, 2012.  In including impairment by drugs, including cannabis, to the Criminal Code definition of "impaired driving", the backgrounder on Canada's Criminal Code was as follows:
There are a fair number of studies that have linked cannabis use to impairment.  Comparing alcohol and cannabis impairment is apples and oranges.  You are impaired, and you shouldn't drive.  Just as you shouldn't drive if you drink, or are taking certain prescription or over the counter drugs.

I am with Boethius on this.  I will not drive under the influence of anything, even over the counter meds.  And not because I don't think 'I could do it' but because I couldn't live with myself if I hurt someone, even if it wasn't my fault.  I would always blame myself if I was in any way distracted or impaired.  The phone doesn't even get turned on in the car.  Other peoples lives depend on us when we are behind the wheel. 

[KenC]

I, for one, would love to hear more about your weekend with your gf.  This "weed" convo, is not necessary IMO.  You have your thoughts and so does everyone else.

I am surprised you enjoyed Joe's Crabshack so much.  With all the great fresh seafood in SF, Joes is kind of a step down IMO.  A little like Applebee's if you ask me. 
KenC

[Sculpto]

I, for one, would love to hear more about your weekend with your gf.  This "weed" convo, is not necessary IMO.  You have your thoughts and so does everyone else.

I am surprised you enjoyed Joe's Crabshack so much.  With all the great fresh seafood in SF, Joes is kind of a step down IMO.  A little like Applebee's if you ask me. 
KenC

The Crabshack was fun.. its a lively place.  Frankly these days its no different to get seafood in SF as it is in Omaha.. the fishing fleet on SF Bay is essentially decimated and with the exception of a short crabbing season the whole fleet is pretty much reduced to taking tourists out for line fishing.  Kind of sad.

so... the main thing though.. it was pretty awesome enjoying that kind of meal with someone who never felt really free to just dig in with her fingers and get messy.  It was pretty funny in fact because when the food started to come she didnt really know what to do and I was just watching.. I knew exactly what she was going through.  By the end.. lol.. totally awesome.. I was cracking open the crab parts and putting them on her plate... by the way.. we sat on the same side of the booth..

I will share one thing of significance overall and truly relative to this particular day and in fact to the advice given earlier in the thread.

So, it turns out this very wonderful lady has had her heart broken pretty hard.  After the initial euphoria with me she pulled back a lot.  I almost walked away.  But, I decided to persist and give her the space she clearly needed, even though it went against my instinct. 

The last few weeks have been challenging.  There have been several phone conversations where she literally cried for an hour or two.  When I arrived in Sac Saturday evening.. what I thought would be a romantic dinner at an Italian cafe turned into another crying session at the hotel. 

All this saddness on her part was really turning me off.  But, I decided.. I already made the drive up so I might as well stick it out for Sunday and see if I couldn't change her mood.

I did, and then some. 

She said.. "when you not here, I thinking too much of past.. and always sad, but, you change my mood this day and I forget all problems"

So.. we are definitely in the "slow plan" but that is fine with me too after all I went through earlier this year and last year.  She is really sweet and I think worth the effort.

I am trying to come up with something real good for the 4th of July. 

[KenC]

It sounds like you both need to focus on the here and now and not dwell too much on the past.

I don't know about the seafood in SF.  The first time I brought Lena to SF, I ran out to the "store" from our hotel and came back with a shopping bag full of fresh seafood.  She DEVOURED it!  I didn't know how the whole wharf scene would play out for her because she was/is kind of a stickler for cleanliness.  After she tasted how good the seafood was, she had no problem with the "presentation" at the wharf! LOL.  Can't imagine anything better than the seafood you can buy there.

Glad you stuck with it during her down feelings about her past.  Only time will tell if she can really move past it.  I hope for the best for the both of you.
KenC

[Sculpto]

It sounds like you both need to focus on the here and now and not dwell too much on the past.

I don't know about the seafood in SF.  The first time I brought Lena to SF, I ran out to the "store" from our hotel and came back with a shopping bag full of fresh seafood.  She DEVOURED it!  I didn't know how the whole wharf scene would play out for her because she was/is kind of a stickler for cleanliness.  After she tasted how good the seafood was, she had no problem with the "presentation" at the wharf! LOL.  Can't imagine anything better than the seafood you can buy there.

Glad you stuck with it during her down feelings about her past.  Only time will tell if she can really move past it.  I hope for the best for the both of you.
KenC

You are right Ken.. its not really hard for me to focus on the here and now.. as I said in previous posts in other threads.. I am an expert in breaking up.. LOL.. in other words.. I get over stuff FAST.  But.. I think she is really kicking herself over some less than wise decisions she has made.  Most likely.. she is at that age when girls become women.. thats my feeling anyway.. Either way.. she is as I said really awesome and I am going to stick with her and see where it goes.. "time will tell all" is her favorite comment.  I think she will move past her issues..

I was teasing her a little when we were driving back to her house.. I have not used "game" on her at all.  On the contrary I have just been direct and simple with my intentions and really sweet with her.  I told her if she didn't snap out of her "issues" soon I would "game" her and she will fall in love with me and become my love slave.  And then I told her I don't want to be a manipulator so to just take her time and make the right choices.    I really hate it when girls try to kiss you when you are driving at 80+ miles an hour in traffic.. its a lot more dangerous than smoking medicine thats for sure.. LOL.

Funny you would mention the wharf for seafood.. lol.. its the LAST place I would go in SF for quality seafood..  hahha.. since the cliff house remodel it has become a pretty awesome choice.. and there are some really excellent places in the east bay on Alameda Island.. but.. the fish is still being flown in from wherever.. there is no real fresh fish processing going on here..

[Ludmila]

Eric,

I respect your right to do what you like to do, as long as it doesn't hurt other people.

I've never done any drugs in my lifetime, never did I smoke or drink. A man with bad habits would immediately  be off my list of men for marriage.

However, I think I could listen to somebody who is an interesting person and is capable of an intelligent conversation, is ready to share and has something new to tell me, has certain charisma about him.

I think you are a fairly interesting person : you have soul and heart, an eye for a detail ( being an artist), love for music and a lot of life experience ( albeit) not necessarily and example to follow.

I am asking myself a question : would i like to have a friend like that? I don't know. May be. Are you reliable ? Does smoking weed make one irresponsible, unstable emotionally, unreliable?

Does  creative stimulation require more and more stimulation ? Are you dependant on this weed for a stimulation ? What will happen, if you have to quit smoking? Will it make your spirits low all the time?

How far does it stretch your freedom, say, in a serious relationship with a lady?  Does it stretch your morals, or... Please, tell me what you think. I would like to hear, if you care to share. I have never met / talked to a person over my lifetime, who smoked weed.

[Sculpto]

Eric,

I respect your right to do what you like to do, as long as it doesn't hurt other people.

I've never done any drugs in my lifetime, never did I smoke or drink. A man with bad habits would immediately  be off my list of men for marriage.

Bad habits... I quit smoking tobacco 45 days ago.  That is a nasty habit.  I smoke weed irregularly.  Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.  There is no pattern or habit associated with it.

However, I think I could listen to somebody who is an interesting person and is capable of an intelligent conversation, is ready to share and has something new to tell me, has certain charisma about him.

I think you are a fairly interesting person : you have soul and heart, an eye for a detail ( being an artist), love for music and a lot of life experience ( albeit) not necessarily and example to follow.

I don't think anyone should ever "follow" anyone.  People must make their own choices in life.  I have friends that do smoke weed and friends that don't.  Some friends smoke constantly.. others only occasionally.  For those that do smoke.. it is like wine culture.. we appreciate different variants.. the flavor.. the taste.. and the subtle variations in the affects.  Some are cloudy and sleepy.. great for people with chronic pain.. others are very stimulating and can offer exceptional clarity of thought.

I am asking myself a question : would i like to have a friend like that? I don't know. May be. Are you reliable ? Does smoking weed make one irresponsible, unstable emotionally, unreliable?

Are you asking me?  I am very reliable.. one of my greatest frustrations living in California is unreliable people that show up late or don't do what they say they will do.  I don't think smoking weed makes someone irresponsible.. I think some irresponsible people smoke weed, same for emotional instability. 

The truth is Ludmilla.. we could be sitting together at a dinner party that began with me not having consumed any weed.. I could go outside.. smoke a little.. and you would never know the difference.. but.. I would.  My sense of taste would be enhanced.. my feelings of empathy for the people around me would be enhanced.. and as long as it was a sativa strain and not an indica strain I would be a little more open/talkative and definitely more funny. 

Does  creative stimulation require more and more stimulation ? Are you dependant on this weed for a stimulation ? What will happen, if you have to quit smoking? Will it make your spirits low all the time?

More and more?  Nope.. it is useful at the right time.. dependent?  definitely not.  I have gone extended periods without and then after sometimes months will have a little and my first thought is always.. why did I stop? 

Here is an example.. recently I had to organize one of my studios because I am closing it and moving my stuff out.  I have been there in that studio for 5 years.  I was sitting there for about an hour thinking.. ok.. I have no idea how to even begin.  then a neighbor came by.. we smoked a little.. and as soon as he left.. I immediately knew exactly how to start and I worked without break for almost five hours with complete focus and determination.  When I was finished I had established an entire game plan to pack up and organize an enormous amount of stuff.

How far does it stretch your freedom, say, in a serious relationship with a lady?  Does it stretch your morals, or... Please, tell me what you think. I would like to hear, if you care to share. I have never met / talked to a person over my lifetime, who smoked weed.

Let me put it this way.. in the last 10 years I can count on one hand how many times I have been drunk.  I can't stand drunk people.  They annoy me terribly and I never put myself in situations where there are going to be drunk people.  Very few of my friends drink anything more than an occasional beer or two or some good red wine with food.  I suppose an occasional cocktail slips in also.  At the same time.. nearly all my friends smoke weed from time to time.  What I just described is the typical culture in San Francisco.  In certain areas walking down the street you will smell weed constantly.. go inside the bar and everyone is drinking lemonade. 

So, consider this with the above comment.. San Francisco is the place in all the world with the largest concentration of internet inventors, multi media design firms, and hugely successful new companies like Google etc.. weed culture is embedded in all those places.

Most of the negatives you are hearing on this forum are from people who have no experience, and, who are subject to outdated information and propaganda on the topic. 

"Obviously God knew he was making marijuana, he must know what it does, the Bible doesn’t say anything about it. Marijuana can definitely give you small feelings of an expanded consciousness, in many ways it can give you spiritual experiences, not to the same extent as other drugs, but it definitely can. Why would God make a plant like this? What do you think are the chances God made marijuana because he knew it was a medium for some people to come and discover God and grow close to him?"

[Ludmila]

Eric,
 
Thanks for your time and wish to share.
 
As I said, my impression is : you are an interesting interlocutor, a many sided, many faceted personality, subtle and good natured.
 
However, I am convinced ( not that I am trying to "convert" you into my "religion", I am simply telling you what has always been ABCs to me) that  the weed ( marijuana, in this case) is a foreign substance to the body. As any other drug-- as is known --it increases the dopamine levels in the brain, and the more it is used, the more it is associated with pleasure and reward, AND THE MORE PROFOUND THE DEPENDANCY.
 
I am not saying you are dependant though.
 
It is well known too that people who become addicted to any drug/weed come to take less pleasure in things they used to enjoy. Is it true with you?
 
It's far from a revelation to me that San Francisco is  in the vanguard of innovations, etc.
However, it is a personalty, not the industry we are talking about.
 
It is the  changes in brain functions, disintegration of normal life, including broken personal relationships, families, etc.
 
Talking of only 1 example of industry you have in mind--show business in this case, the world of rock world is an excellent example. While I believe that rock music is something I cannot imagine my life without, and it is simply a HUGE PART OF MY LIFE ( some examples sound next to  divine: The Pink Floyd, Elvis, Freddy Mercury, The R. Stones, M. Jackson, there are legions of them)........ look at what became of those talented people, locomotives of the industry ? ). They DID pay and others are paying, yet others WILL PAY WITHOUT FAIL-- each and every one of them-- a VERY HIGH PRICE. Too high a price for the success. It may seem it isn't-- if they value success more than life.

 
 
 
 
 

[Sculpto]

Do you drink coffee or tea or eat chocolate??  Do you feel an affect from them?  What about sugar?  How about food with naturally occurring msg like tomato sauce?

God put this plant on this planet for a reason.  God gave us the plants to use. 

The rock and roll comparison is not really relevant.  I get the impression that while you love this sort of music you have not spent much time in the company of the people who make it.  I will tell you about an old friend from Seattle that didn't make it.  You see, he was in his own view just a normal average guy.. but he couldn't deal with the success, with the idolization that people put on him.  In the end, his only escape were hard drugs like heroin and finally a big dose plus a shotgun.  The thing was.. it was never the drugs.. it was the fame and the pressure associated with it.

Don't mix things up Ludmilla.  In my own case I love the plant.. it is beautiful. produces lovely flowers.. smells wonderful.. and produces something that makes life more pleasant.  Avatars don't mean that I live for it or that it is the only thing that is important to me or that I can not live without it.  Au contraire mon ami.. je piense tres bien.. and it is funny how some people on this forum over react about it. 

Eric,
 
Thanks for your time and wish to share.
 
As I said, my impression is : you are an interesting interlocutor, a many sided, many faceted personality, subtle and good natured.
 
However, I am convinced ( not that I am trying to "convert" you into my "religion", I am simply telling you what has always been ABCs to me) that  the weed ( marijuana, in this case) is a foreign substance to the body. As any other drug-- as is known --it increases the dopamine levels in the brain, and the more it is used, the more it is associated with pleasure and reward, AND THE MORE PROFOUND THE DEPENDANCY.
 
I am not saying you are dependant though.
 
It is well known too that people who become addicted to any drug/weed come to take less pleasure in things they used to enjoy. Is it true with you?
 
It's far from a revelation to me that San Francisco is  in the vanguard of innovations, etc.
However, it is a personalty, not the industry we are talking about.
 
It is the  changes in brain functions, disintegration of normal life, including broken personal relationships, families, etc.
 
Talking of only 1 example of industry you have in mind--show business in this case, the world of rock world is an excellent example. While I believe that rock music is something I cannot imagine my life without, and it is simply a HUGE PART OF MY LIFE ( some examples sound next to  divine: The Pink Floyd, Elvis, Freddy Mercury, The R. Stones, M. Jackson, there are legions of them)........ look at what became of those talented people, locomotives of the industry ? ). They DID pay and others are paying, yet others WILL PAY WITHOUT FAIL-- each and every one of them-- a VERY HIGH PRICE. Too high a price for the success. It may seem it isn't-- if they value success more than life.

[Daveman]

.....

"Obviously God knew he was making marijuana, he must know what it does, the Bible doesn’t say anything about it. Marijuana can definitely give you small feelings of an expanded consciousness, in many ways it can give you spiritual experiences, not to the same extent as other drugs, but it definitely can. Why would God make a plant like this? What do you think are the chances God made marijuana because he knew it was a medium for some people to come and discover God and grow close to him?"

So can smacking the right side of your head with a magnet, but I had to give that up... a truly painful habit.  

[Sculpto]

So can smacking the right side of your head with a magnet, but I had to give that up... a truly painful habit.  

Umm Dave.. you have a metal plate in your head or something?  Otherwise.. the magnet thing won't work..

speaking of magnets..

[youtube=425,350]<object width="980" height="765"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/me5Zzm2TXh4&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/me5Zzm2TXh4&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="980" height="765"></embed></object>[/youtube]

[Faux Pas]

Do you drink coffee or tea or eat chocolate??  Do you feel an affect from them?  What about sugar?  How about food with naturally occurring msg like tomato sauce?

You Sculpt, are so full of pooh. There is no comparison to sugar or tomato sauce to marijuana. Even though they all come from a plant, the effects are completely different to the human body. One might think as enlightened as you are , you would know this. Perhaps you are not all that enlightened?

God put this plant on this planet for a reason.  God gave us the plants to use. 

This from a man who proclaims to have no use for God? Isn't this statement a bit convenient? Jeeze man, who are you trying to convince?

The rock and roll comparison is not really relevant.  I get the impression that while you love this sort of music you have not spent much time in the company of the people who make it.  I will tell you about an old friend from Seattle that didn't make it.  You see, he was in his own view just a normal average guy.. but he couldn't deal with the success, with the idolization that people put on him.  In the end, his only escape were hard drugs like heroin and finally a big dose plus a shotgun.  The thing was.. it was never the drugs.. it was the fame and the pressure associated with it.

Lame attempt at name dropping to prove your already indefensible point. It isn't the pot, the cocaine or the heroin that produces the music, art or any other form of talent. It's the individual. It already exists in the maker and crediting a mind altering drug for it's creation only denigrates the talent of the artist.

You have no clue as to Cobain and his demons. Claiming such only makes you look bad and further soils an already sad, tarnished image.

Don't mix things up Ludmilla.  In my own case I love the plant.. it is beautiful. produces lovely flowers.. smells wonderful.. and produces something that makes life more pleasant. 

So does the Poppy plant and it's flowers, is this where you defend heroin? Personally, I love the look and appearance of an unopened bottle of Makers Mark. It's beautiful, it keeps many people in jobs and feeds their families of which I am sure all their kids deserve a higher education but, you won't hear me defending alcoholism because of it.

Avatars don't mean that I live for it or that it is the only thing that is important to me or that I can not live without it.  Au contraire mon ami.. je piense tres bien.. and it is funny how some people on this forum over react about it. 

Give it a rest Eric. You continue on this line like a 15 year old trying to defend the merits of getting high to his parents. Grow the fugg up. You like getting high. So effin what? Like you, I have many friends that get high and it doesn't make me any more special than it makes you because your friends do. I even enjoy it myself once in a while in the right setting. I don't live my life for it and I don't need it to enlighten or motivate me to do what I already know I need to do. Marijuana isn't that special and you are not that special because you smoke it. Bottom line here is you are a pothead and you need some affirmation so you bounce it off on a forum about Russian woman to justify it. Wrong place, wrong time.



[/quote]

[Sculpto]

See above for my reply

[Gator]

God put this plant on this planet for a reason. 

Creationism?   

It evolved from some genetic mutation and adapted over thousands of years, just as did poison ivy.

In my own case I love the plant.. it is beautiful. produces lovely flowers.. smells wonderful..

You talk about it as if it were a rose.  Get real!

...and produces something that makes life more pleasant. 

Fine, if you do NOT need it as a crutch.  "More pleasant" suggests that you already have a happy life, and pot simply makes your good mood even better, much like social drinking.  Healthy.

The unhealthy ones are those who get wasted, don't work, don't do $hit, and drive.

BTW, I hope the legalization referendum passes.  It makes sense to me if regulated properly.  California needs the billions of tax revenue that it is now missing.  And we would probably spend less on regulation than enforcement.  And reduce the large cash flow to the South.

[tim 360]

others are very stimulating and can offer exceptional clarity of thought.

 
 
"Obviously God knew he was making marijuana, he must know what it does, the Bible doesn’t say anything about it. Marijuana can definitely give you small feelings of an expanded consciousness, in many ways it can give you spiritual experiences, not to the same extent as other drugs, but it definitely can. Why would God make a plant like this? What do you think are the chances God made marijuana because he knew it was a medium for some people to come and discover God and grow close to him?"

2012,  Good Sheperd:   Step back from that Bong.  You are crackin' me up. :whirling:

[kievstar]

You make drugs legal what will the drug dealers in Mexico do to make money.  There going to do something.  Need to answer what there new business is going to be before making it legal.

[Sculpto]

Creationism?   

It evolved from some genetic mutation and adapted over thousands of years, just as did poison ivy.


You talk about it as if it were a rose.  Get real!
 

Fine, if you do NOT need it as a crutch.  "More pleasant" suggests that you already have a happy life, and pot simply makes your good mood even better, much like social drinking.  Healthy.

The unhealthy ones are those who get wasted, don't work, don't do $hit, and drive.

BTW, I hope the legalization referendum passes.  It makes sense to me if regulated properly.  California needs the billions of tax revenue that it is now missing.  And we would probably spend less on regulation than enforcement.  And reduce the large cash flow to the South.

hahah Gator.. well you know I was just making a point about the God reference..

And yeah for me, and lots of others.. it is a beautiful plant.. I suspect you have never seen a well cultivated female cannabis plant in full bloom.. its really is quite beautiful.

Its anything but a crutch for me and frankly for 99% of the people I know who smoke.  Take my Mom for example.. she started smoking during her cancer treatments and continues to do so for her chronic pain.  It is the ONLY thing that lets her sleep without being totally out of it the next day.  

I have one friend that I wish would put down the beer.. we can smoke all night and he is fun and smart and cool tobe with.. and give him two beers and he turns into an aggressive jackass.

Gator my life is awesome.. In the last year I have become self employed again.. I can travel almost as much as I want.. the only real limitation at this point is back log and net cash flow and if things continue on the current trajectory I will be able to travel 3-4 months out of the year with no problems.. if the second phase of my program comes together as hoped within two years I will be travelling as much as I want with zero concern about back log.  I have a niche that can be managed from any place that has a high speed hook up.  

I will be in shock if legalization doesn't pass.  The only ones that seem to be overtly against it are certain far right church groups, but, even most people that don't use it see that prohibition is causing a lot more problems than it is fixing.  And really, if you are going to do an analysis of detrimental intoxicants.. cannabis has to come out at the very lowest levels of harm.  Once it is legalized there will be a whole culture and commerce that will immediately spring up around it.  

Recently there was a cannabis festival in SF.  I attended with a couple of friends. It was the first time this event had been held and it was pretty amazing.  first of all the line to get in was literally hundreds deep all weekend.  It never let up.. thousands upon thousands of people came through.  Second of all.. I have never in my life seen a marketplace like that.  I would estimate that over that weekend several million dollars worth of samples/gifts and freebies were given away.  I walked out of there with close to $500 worth of cannabis and accesories that was given away.  I wasn't trying hard to get freebies either.. seriously.. they were giving away so much they were practically begging people to take their stuff.  It was really nuts.  There was no alcohol.. not one fight or argument in an event with 25,000 people each day.. and lots of people just relaxing and trying different things.  As now we have wine tasting rooms.. there will soon be cannabis tasting rooms.. there is an giant underground culture that will soon emerge into legitimacy and a ton of really nice people that are involved in it.  There was a chocolate fountain with cannabis infused chocolate.. there were classes on baking with cannabis.. there were booths with all kinds of tinctures and balms made with hemp oils.. literally dozens and dozens of different things that are being made.. in the usa.. by young people with classic american inventors skill and drive.  Seriously, I never saw so much enthusiasm at any kind of trade show and i have been to many.

So really.. my advice is.. get a green cookie or two.. a big box of chocolate.. some good music and hop into bed with your girl for about a 12 hour ride.. if you try that out.. and don't "get it" afterwards.. I will not smoke weed for a year.