Why are people okay with alcohol but shocked if you smoke cannabis?
We live in a society where people abuse alcohol on a regular basis, often weekly. Drunken morons brawl in the streets or wake up with no recollection of the previous night. Alcohol costs the NHS £22 billion per year (and only brings in £8 billion in taxes).
Meanwhile, people are abhorred by the idea that people use cannabis.
Cannabis isn't addictive (alcohol is, moreso than many Class A drugs), it's not toxic (alcohol is toxic, it's not uncommon for people to die of alcohol poisoning), the long-term effects are far less severe than those of alcohol, and it has significantly less of an impact on your decision-making and inhibitions.
Someone who smokes a joint once a month is a waster and a criminal, but someone who gets dangerously drunk every weekend is just having fun.
What leads to this huge paradox in our perceptions of drugs? Why are people so utterly misinformed?
Meanwhile, people are abhorred by the idea that people use cannabis.
Cannabis isn't addictive (alcohol is, moreso than many Class A drugs), it's not toxic (alcohol is toxic, it's not uncommon for people to die of alcohol poisoning), the long-term effects are far less severe than those of alcohol, and it has significantly less of an impact on your decision-making and inhibitions.
Someone who smokes a joint once a month is a waster and a criminal, but someone who gets dangerously drunk every weekend is just having fun.
What leads to this huge paradox in our perceptions of drugs? Why are people so utterly misinformed?
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Its a strange situation really. People dont seem to realize the dangers of alcohol and how badly it can impact you and others around you.
Cannabis is an illegal drug. Thats why people get like they do about it. Because its illegal, people that use it are seen as criminals. The police will take an interest in you if they find you can cannabis on you. But because alcohol is legal, people are ok with it and because lots of people use it too (im not one of them).
I think its down to the legality aspect of it really.
Cannabis is an illegal drug. Thats why people get like they do about it. Because its illegal, people that use it are seen as criminals. The police will take an interest in you if they find you can cannabis on you. But because alcohol is legal, people are ok with it and because lots of people use it too (im not one of them).
I think its down to the legality aspect of it really.
As somebody who has lived (and unfortunately still lives) with somebody who smokes weed after it caused a stroke for them, I would say that may be that I don't even feel safe leaving £2 lying around because he will use it to fund this habit.
because a lot of people really have no idea about drugs
So what we get drunk?
So what we smoke weed?
We’re just having fun
We don’t care who sees
So what we go out?
That’s how it's supposed to be
Living young and wild and free
So what we smoke weed?
We’re just having fun
We don’t care who sees
So what we go out?
That’s how it's supposed to be
Living young and wild and free
We live in a society where people abuse alcohol on a regular basis, often weekly. Drunken morons brawl in the streets or wake up with no recollection of the previous night. Alcohol costs the NHS £22 billion per year (and only brings in £8 billion in taxes).
How many people smoke weed, and how many drink alcohol? SMH, you're really this stupid?
Meanwhile, people are abhorred by the idea that people use cannabis.
Because of the physcological effects which are profoundly damaging and permenant, not to mention weed being more of a 'gateway' drug than alcohol is.
Cannabis isn't addictive YES IT IS, that's a steet myth. (alcohol is, moreso than many Class A drugs)WRONG. Only for alcoholics, it's not toxic (alcohol is toxic, it's not uncommon for people to die of alcohol poisoning), the long-term effects are far less severe than those of alcohol Wrong, unless you disregard mental effects, such as suicide., and it has significantly less of an impact on your decision-making and inhibitions.
Someone who smokes a joint once a month is a waster and a criminal, but someone who gets dangerously drunk every weekend is just having fun.No, someone who gets drunk every weekend is irresponsible.
What leads to this huge paradox in our perceptions of drugs? Why are people so utterly misinformed?Science. You ar misinformed by street myths. You are really this desperate to legalise your drug?
How many people smoke weed, and how many drink alcohol? SMH, you're really this stupid?
Meanwhile, people are abhorred by the idea that people use cannabis.
Because of the physcological effects which are profoundly damaging and permenant, not to mention weed being more of a 'gateway' drug than alcohol is.
Cannabis isn't addictive YES IT IS, that's a steet myth. (alcohol is, moreso than many Class A drugs)WRONG. Only for alcoholics, it's not toxic (alcohol is toxic, it's not uncommon for people to die of alcohol poisoning), the long-term effects are far less severe than those of alcohol Wrong, unless you disregard mental effects, such as suicide., and it has significantly less of an impact on your decision-making and inhibitions.
Someone who smokes a joint once a month is a waster and a criminal, but someone who gets dangerously drunk every weekend is just having fun.No, someone who gets drunk every weekend is irresponsible.
What leads to this huge paradox in our perceptions of drugs? Why are people so utterly misinformed?Science. You ar misinformed by street myths. You are really this desperate to legalise your drug?
Tbh weed did turn me into a waster when I was a teenager. However I have never got in trouble due to it, in fact it made me too lazy to do anything at all which in hindsight was the problem. It didn't ruin my life but certainly derailed it for a few years.
I have a friend on the other hand who was able to work harder when stoned, things affect different people in different ways.
I unfortunately have to walk past the place where the smack rats get their clean needles from during my morning commute, there's no way you can group stoners in with them.
I have a friend on the other hand who was able to work harder when stoned, things affect different people in different ways.
I unfortunately have to walk past the place where the smack rats get their clean needles from during my morning commute, there's no way you can group stoners in with them.
Original post by balanced
WRONG. Only for alcoholics
Uhh, who exist because alcohol is addictive. That's literally what an alcoholic is. Somebody who is addicted to alcohol. Because it's addictive. So much so you can actually die going cold turkey.
Original post by balanced
We live in a society where people abuse alcohol on a regular basis, often weekly. Drunken morons brawl in the streets or wake up with no recollection of the previous night. Alcohol costs the NHS £22 billion per year (and only brings in £8 billion in taxes).How many people smoke weed, and how many drink alcohol? SMH, you're really this stupid?
15% of adults in the UK binge drink. Compared to 31% of the population who have taken illegal drugs (including things far worse than cannabis), 20% of whom use illegal drugs regularly. This is almost definitely lower than the actual number because, naturally, people don't like admitting to committing crimes. So the difference isn't as big as you seem to think (because you've just made lots of assumptions with nothing to back them up.) And yet alcohol is a factor in 22% of A&E admissions and 53% of violent crimes. In 2013 there were over 8000 alcohol related deaths, and in 2015 there were only 2248 deaths from illegal drugs. 952 of those were from heroin.
So even when we're including the most dangerous illegal drugs, the proportion of people who use them that end up dying from them is smaller than the proportion of people dying from alcohol abuse. But since we're on the topic of cannabis, and you conveniently ignored my statement that cannabis is not toxic, I'll link you to the Wikipedia page for THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis. "There has never been a documented human fatality solely from overdosing on tetrahydrocannabinol." You literally cannot overdose on it, it's one of the safest drugs in the world. This is a fact.
Meanwhile, people are abhorred by the idea that people use cannabis.Because of the physcological effects which are profoundly damaging and permenant, not to mention weed being more of a 'gateway' drug than alcohol is.
You've made two horribly flawed points here, so I'll address the psychological effects first. If you'd kindly take a look at this review, you'll find that the vast majority of psychological effects of cannabis are not permanent. Most effects are acute (temporary), and most only occur if you're a regular (abusive) user of this drug. Many of the effects, such as psychosis, are linked to pre-existing mental health conditions, and "There is however, no robust evidence that heavy cannabis use may lead to a psychotic illness which persists after abstinence".
Alcohol, on the other hand, has a range of acute and long-term effects. High blood pressure, heart disease and stroke risk increase. Psychologically, alcohol is linked with long-term symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, and of course can cause persistent changes in the brain leading to psychological problems and impaired functioning.
As for gateway drugs, this is ludicrous argument with absolutely nothing to back it up scientifically. "The National Institute on Drug Abuse have noted that while most cannabis users do not go on to use "harder" substances, reported data is consistent with the theory that cannabis is a gateway drug. However, they also suggest an alternative explanation. It may be that some individuals are more prone to using drugs and that these people are more likely to start with readily available substances such as cannabis, tobacco, and alcohol."
But if you insist on pretending that gateway drugs are real, please note that "Alcohol tends to precede cannabis use, and it is rare for those who use hard drugs to not have used alcohol or tobacco first; the 2005 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) in the United States found that, compared with lifetime nondrinkers, adults who have consumed alcohol were statistically much more likely to currently use illicit drugs and/or abuse prescription drugs in the past year."
Cannabis isn't addictive YES IT IS, that's a steet myth
Fair enough, yes it is. But it's less addictive than both alcohol and nicotine, and the withdrawal symptoms are far less severe than with other drugs. You're also much less likely to be addicted to cannabis if you use it as an adult.
(alcohol is, moreso than many Class A drugs)WRONG. Only for alcoholics,
What are you even saying? "Alcohol is only addictive for people addicted to it"???????? What? Alcoholics are addicted to alcohol.
it's not toxic (alcohol is toxic, it's not uncommon for people to die of alcohol poisoning), the long-term effects are far less severe than those of alcohol Wrong, unless you disregard mental effects, such as suicide.
I'm curious whether you have a source for this claim, because I've never heard of cannabis being linked to suicide. Alcohol, on the other hand, is a factor in 30% of suicides every year. Other psychological effects I've already discussed.
Someone who smokes a joint once a month is a waster and a criminal, but someone who gets dangerously drunk every weekend is just having fun.No, someone who gets drunk every weekend is irresponsible.
People who abuse any drugs are irresponsible, it doesn't change the fact that 15% of people (a ****ing huge proportion) binge drink weekly.
You ar misinformed by street myths.
Ah, yes, street myths published by such disreputable organisations as the British Journal of Psychiatry.
You are really this desperate to legalise your drug?
I've used cannabis once in my life, about 2 years ago, and was extremely underwhelmed. But of course, if you can't bring any facts to the debate, just accuse people of being criminals!
Science
Science???????????????????
There's absolutely nothing "scientific" about anything you've said. You haven't provided a single source, and I doubt you've ever read an actual study on either alcohol or cannabis, but almost every point you've made is directly contradicted by the current literature. You're just spouting myths and scaremongering.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by JordanL_
We live in a society where people abuse alcohol on a regular basis, often weekly. Drunken morons brawl in the streets or wake up with no recollection of the previous night. Alcohol costs the NHS £22 billion per year (and only brings in £8 billion in taxes).
Meanwhile, people are abhorred by the idea that people use cannabis.
Cannabis isn't addictive (alcohol is, moreso than many Class A drugs), it's not toxic (alcohol is toxic, it's not uncommon for people to die of alcohol poisoning), the long-term effects are far less severe than those of alcohol, and it has significantly less of an impact on your decision-making and inhibitions.
Someone who smokes a joint once a month is a waster and a criminal, but someone who gets dangerously drunk every weekend is just having fun.
What leads to this huge paradox in our perceptions of drugs? Why are people so utterly misinformed?
Meanwhile, people are abhorred by the idea that people use cannabis.
Cannabis isn't addictive (alcohol is, moreso than many Class A drugs), it's not toxic (alcohol is toxic, it's not uncommon for people to die of alcohol poisoning), the long-term effects are far less severe than those of alcohol, and it has significantly less of an impact on your decision-making and inhibitions.
Someone who smokes a joint once a month is a waster and a criminal, but someone who gets dangerously drunk every weekend is just having fun.
What leads to this huge paradox in our perceptions of drugs? Why are people so utterly misinformed?
Not toxic except it causes a condition called toxic psychosis.
Posted from TSR Mobile
I'd love to legalise marijuana... Not because I want to smoke it but because I want the tax it would attract in our system.
Every person I have met that smokes it has mental issues mainly due to smoking it. Their character definitely changes but not enough for me to care.
Every person I have met that smokes it has mental issues mainly due to smoking it. Their character definitely changes but not enough for me to care.
Original post by luminarychild
So what we get drunk?
So what we smoke weed?
We’re just having fun
We don’t care who sees
So what we go out?
That’s how it's supposed to be
Living young and wild and free
So what we smoke weed?
We’re just having fun
We don’t care who sees
So what we go out?
That’s how it's supposed to be
Living young and wild and free
love wiz's songs haha
Original post by balanced
Meanwhile, people are abhorred by the idea that people use cannabis.
Because of the physcological effects which are profoundly damaging and permenant
Meanwhile, people are abhorred by the idea that people use cannabis.
Because of the physcological effects which are profoundly damaging and permenant
Then why are they not worried about the psychological effects of alcohol?
Alcohol is a common cause of psychotic disorders or episodes, which may occur through acute intoxication, chronic alcoholism, withdrawal, exacerbation of existing disorders, or acute idiosyncratic reactions.Research has shown that alcohol abuse causes an 8-fold increased risk of psychotic disorders in men and a 3 fold increased risk of psychotic disorders in women.
Alcohol can produce detectable impairments in memory after only a few drinks. Large quantities of alcohol, especially when consumed quickly and on an empty stomach, can produce a blackout. Alcohol reduces a man’s testosterone levels, leading loss of libido, shrunken male genitalia and a general increase in whininess, aggressiveness and rapeyness or small penis syndrome. Alcohol can make people lose their inhibitions and behave impulsively, leading to actions they might not otherwise have taken including self-harm and suicide. Regular drinking lowers levels of serotonin in the brain leading to anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.
In the long term alcohol consumption, can profoundly and permanently harm the brain, leading to serious and potentially fatal brain disorders such as as hepatic encephalopathy, Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome, alcoholic neuropathy, alcoholic myopathy, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, dementia, alcoholic cerebellar degeneration and other cognitive deficits .
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Aria Enoshima
As somebody who has lived (and unfortunately still lives) with somebody who smokes weed after it caused a stroke for them, I would say that may be that I don't even feel safe leaving £2 lying around because he will use it to fund this habit.
Original post by balanced
We live in a society where people abuse alcohol on a regular basis, often weekly. Drunken morons brawl in the streets or wake up with no recollection of the previous night. Alcohol costs the NHS £22 billion per year (and only brings in £8 billion in taxes).
How many people smoke weed, and how many drink alcohol? SMH, you're really this stupid?
Meanwhile, people are abhorred by the idea that people use cannabis.
Because of the physcological effects which are profoundly damaging and permenant, not to mention weed being more of a 'gateway' drug than alcohol is.
Cannabis isn't addictive YES IT IS, that's a steet myth. (alcohol is, moreso than many Class A drugs)WRONG. Only for alcoholics, it's not toxic (alcohol is toxic, it's not uncommon for people to die of alcohol poisoning), the long-term effects are far less severe than those of alcohol Wrong, unless you disregard mental effects, such as suicide., and it has significantly less of an impact on your decision-making and inhibitions.
Someone who smokes a joint once a month is a waster and a criminal, but someone who gets dangerously drunk every weekend is just having fun.No, someone who gets drunk every weekend is irresponsible.
What leads to this huge paradox in our perceptions of drugs? Why are people so utterly misinformed?Science. You ar misinformed by street myths. You are really this desperate to legalise your drug?
How many people smoke weed, and how many drink alcohol? SMH, you're really this stupid?
Meanwhile, people are abhorred by the idea that people use cannabis.
Because of the physcological effects which are profoundly damaging and permenant, not to mention weed being more of a 'gateway' drug than alcohol is.
Cannabis isn't addictive YES IT IS, that's a steet myth. (alcohol is, moreso than many Class A drugs)WRONG. Only for alcoholics, it's not toxic (alcohol is toxic, it's not uncommon for people to die of alcohol poisoning), the long-term effects are far less severe than those of alcohol Wrong, unless you disregard mental effects, such as suicide., and it has significantly less of an impact on your decision-making and inhibitions.
Someone who smokes a joint once a month is a waster and a criminal, but someone who gets dangerously drunk every weekend is just having fun.No, someone who gets drunk every weekend is irresponsible.
What leads to this huge paradox in our perceptions of drugs? Why are people so utterly misinformed?Science. You ar misinformed by street myths. You are really this desperate to legalise your drug?
science show that cannabis is good in in raw form the us medical authority has admitted as much it what is mixed with by street dealers such as pesticides and fertilizers
Alcohol is socially acceptable. If weed was legalised a long time ago and had been sold in shops and taxed, it'd be just as acceptable as alcohol or cigarettes, both of which may be just as harmful. If alcohol was just being discovered in this day and age, what with its mind-altering properties and huge list of potential side effects and potential for addiction, it'd be put on the controlled substance list and only obtainable illegally.
I say all of this as an outside observer btw, I don't drink or toke.
I say all of this as an outside observer btw, I don't drink or toke.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by WoodyMKC
Alcohol is socially acceptable. If weed was legalised a long time ago and had been sold in shops and taxed, it'd be just as acceptable as alcohol or cigarettes, both of which may be just as harmful. If alcohol was just being discovered in this day and age, what with its mind-altering properties and huge list of potential side effects and potential for addiction, it'd be put on the controlled substance list and only obtainable illegally.
Yeah, probably this.
Original post by jamesthehustler
science show that cannabis is good in in raw form the us medical authority has admitted as much it what is mixed with by street dealers such as pesticides and fertilizers
Okay..? Im not saying it doesn't have any kind of benefits, but like any kind of medication it has side effects.
Original post by balanced
x
Original post by JordanL_
x
Pretty sure that marijuana is psychologically addictive, and considerably so. Physiologically, seemingly not so much, as you both suggest.
But marijuana relative to alcohol has a lot of things going for it.
I wonder if it would be beneficial for health in legalising it, as it would pull people away from the 'legal highs'; with very little substantiation of effects.
The fumes given off by glasses of alcohol aren't going to cause any long term damage.
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