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Obama: Marijuana a 'bad habit and a vice,' no more dangerous than alcohol
The Hill ^ | January 20, 2014 | Justin Sink

Posted on 01/20/2014 7:39:50 AM PST by Biggirl

President Obama said in an interview published Sunday he does not believe marijuana is more dangerous than alcohol and that it was “important” that the legalization of the drug in some states to “go forward” because it would prevent unfair penalties for some users.

(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: marijuana; obama; potheads; states
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy
So, you are certain that your anecdotal information is more accurate than medical and statistical information?

The same types of "medical and statistical information" support everything from global warming to the mythical dangers of 2nd-hand smoke. Those studies and research are funded by grants which almost always seek to have that research support a foregone conclusion that it is in their political interests to have "proven." WAKE UP. Anecdotal information experienced first-hand puts the lie to a whole lotta "research."

It's best to ALWAYS take "the research" with a large grain of salt, especially when it is so obviously out of line with the reality (or "anecdotal information") around you. Like the gardening books that assure me that I can't grow peaches in my particular climate zone. Tell my peach tree that! But my peach tree is just "anecdotal," as compared to the research done by the gardening book publishers. *rolls eyes*

Best to factor BOTH items into consideration, and when it comes to believing either the research or your lying eyes, believe your eyes.

81 posted on 01/20/2014 3:09:27 PM PST by Finny (Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -- Psalm 119:105)
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To: abclily

After one beer I lose the willingness to work. Some guys drink before and during work but for me the first beer I drink relaxes me terribly.


82 posted on 01/20/2014 3:14:25 PM PST by Sawdring
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To: Sawdring

See there?


83 posted on 01/20/2014 3:16:17 PM PST by abclily
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy
My advice holds true, not to smoke marijuana solely because it makes you dull and slows you down. Life should be better than that.

Like I said, tell that to Louis Armstrong and Michael Phelps. If that person hadn't snapped that candid pic of Phelps smoking pot, YOU would never in a million years think that Phelps' life reflected that of someone "dull" and slowed-down. A dull, slowed-down person doesn't win 22 Olympic medals. So either you're badly mistaken, or Phelps was smoking parsley instead of pot.

I kinda think it's the former rather than the latter. Just a hunch.

84 posted on 01/20/2014 3:23:38 PM PST by Finny (Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -- Psalm 119:105)
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To: molson209

I know smokers who down two packs a day but are average drivers and work full work weeks.
I wouldn’t trust a stoner behind the wheel ever, and I don’t know anyone who smokes more than a joint a weekend capable of a full work week.
On the basis of productivity and public safety, cigarettes win hands down.


85 posted on 01/20/2014 4:28:41 PM PST by tbw2
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy
FRiend .... (still waiting on that business call ... grrrrrrrr)

I think it is VERY GOOD that you advise not to smoke marijuana. I think it's also VERY GOOD when someone advises not to drink alcohol.

What makes me kind of sad is that while the advice holds true in a "better safe than sorry" kind of way, that's as far as it goes. The "vast majority" actually smokes pot once or twice and never touches it again. In my experience -- BETTER than some research paper -- the "vast majority" of chronic but moderate users are people you would NEVER know used it unless someone told you. Ala Phelps. The abusers, the heavy users, are people who would be screwed up whether they had access to marijuana or not.

I have and will continue to try to warn young folks about the pitfalls of pot as quickly as I'll warn them about the pitfalls of booze, and I have real credibility in the latter, having been in the ol' Crowbar Hotel more than once because of it. But I won't falsely represent what either one "does" to them in order to scare them away from it. I will, on the other hand, tell them something that is kindred spirit with your own words: LIFE IS BETTER THAN THAT.

86 posted on 01/20/2014 4:42:20 PM PST by Finny (Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -- Psalm 119:105)
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To: tbw2
I don’t know anyone who smokes more than a joint a weekend capable of a full work week.

That you know of. ;^)

I know several people who smoke pot after work pretty much every night, the same way others relax with a beer or a glass of wine. With a couple of them, it was years before they felt comfortable enough with me to reveal their secret. Many people -- probably some known to you fairly well -- are capable of a full work week who smoke "more than a joint a weekend." It's just that they keep their mouths shut.

87 posted on 01/20/2014 5:00:16 PM PST by Finny (Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -- Psalm 119:105)
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To: Biggirl

You can see where this is headed. When you are putting people out of work and taking away their medical care, you gotta give them something in return. So you legalize pot and tax the crap out of it - they are happy and you get their benefit money back in taxes. Heads I win, tails you lose.


88 posted on 01/20/2014 6:05:48 PM PST by Some Fat Guy in L.A. (Still bitterly clinging to rational thought despite it's unfashionability)
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To: Finny
If that person hadn't snapped that candid pic of Phelps smoking pot, YOU would never in a million years think that Phelps' life reflected that of someone "dull" and slowed-down. A dull, slowed-down person doesn't win 22 Olympic medals. So either you're badly mistaken, or Phelps was smoking parsley instead of pot.
Did Phelps state he was a long-time pot smoker? I figured he smoked just here and there to slow himself down, because there was no s-l-o-w in his life. Swim, swim, swim, practice, swim. He also ate an enormous amount of junk food. If he would have taken better care of himself (however, I realize that much good food would have cost a fortune), and not put any smoke into his lungs, he might even have more Olympic medals.
89 posted on 01/21/2014 2:48:47 PM PST by mlizzy ("If people spent an hour a week in Eucharistic Adoration, abortion would be ended." --Mother Teresa)
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To: mlizzy
I admit I have a little insight most folks don't have on the competitive swimming community, including the immense amount of focus, solitude, self-discipline and sheer physical strength both aerobically and muscularly, that it requires in ways that other sports do not. Phelps is not the only elite, world-class swimmer who smoked pot; I know of one who admitted to smoking pot to increase his focus during workouts, though he said he only did it for a little while. I'm sure he wasn't alone!!! {^)

Judging by Phelps' er ... "comfort level" and familiarity with a bong as shown in the candid photo that got him into such hot water (!!), I would guess that yes, he'd been smoking pot for some time, but perhaps he was new to it.

I swim quite a lot myself and can consume vast quantities of junk food and get away with it only because I swim.

The most likely explanation is that physically and mentally, moderate pot use is exactly comparable to moderate alcohol consumption, and I think Phelps offers pretty strong confirmation of it. I mean, come on -- winning more Olympic medals than any athlete in history isn't enough for you?

90 posted on 01/21/2014 3:21:46 PM PST by Finny (Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -- Psalm 119:105)
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