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The Cannabis Catastrophe (Pot softens brains: Stoners don't care)
The Daily Mail [UK] ^
| January 26 2003
| Melanie Phillips
Posted on 01/26/2004 2:36:49 PM PST by quidnunc
As David Blunkett contemplates the chaos and fury triggered by his decision to downgrade the law on cannabis, he could do worse than consider the case of Dominique Lansdowne.
Eleven years ago, when she was 18, the former care assistant from Swindon started smoking cannabis once a week. After a couple of weeks, I found it was addictive, she said. As soon as you start you get the feeling youre completely relaxed and calm, but then you crave it. I used it more and more until I was smoking it every day. Then I couldnt work because I was too stoned all the time. I was so paranoid I couldnt leave the house.
I havent worked for the past six years. I lost all my friends and nearly lost my family. I couldnt afford to pay my mortgage, my house was repossessed, I had to live in a hostel. I was in hospital three times, and couldnt cope at all in the community. I had no social skills left. My life was in tatters. I didnt stop completely until two years ago.
I still take anti-psychotics, antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs, and will probably have to take medication for the rest of my life. Im positive cannabis was the cause; I became paranoid as soon as I started smoking it. Ive known hundreds of people who smoke it; all of them have some kind of paranoia or a problem, whether they recognise it or not.
All of which makes it truly extraordinary that this Thursday, cannabis will be downgraded from a class B to a class C drug.
The Home Secretarys move has delighted the drug legalisers but astonished and horrified those like Dominique, who know the truth about its effects.
Tory leader Michael Howard has boldly declared that a future Conservative government will reverse the policy. Yet Mr Blunketts so called reform has already caused many people mistakenly to believe cannabis is now legal or safe to use.
Despite ministers desperate insistence that it remains illegal and dangerous, putting cannabis in the same category as slimming pills, painkillers, tranquillisers and anabolic steroids sends the inescapable signal that it is not very dangerous after all.
Dominique Lansdowne knows what nonsense this is. Before she used cannabis, she had not even smoked tobacco; afterwards she also tried speed, LSD and ecstasy. I would never have touched hard drugs if I hadnt taken cannabis. Reclassification is really dreadful and sad because the government is saying cannabis isnt that bad and so people are going to take it thinking its not going to do them any harm.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at melaniephillips.com ...
TOPICS: Extended News; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: cannabis; marijuana; needlessexcerpt; pot; wodlist
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To: Xenalyte
Except, he responded he did a search and found next to nothing.
He either didn't try or was lying.
141
posted on
01/26/2004 5:06:56 PM PST
by
Monty22
To: NYC GOP Chick
Ok How about Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5?
142
posted on
01/26/2004 5:07:17 PM PST
by
missyme
To: Monty22
the English word assasin is from the Arabic Hashishin.These people would use Hashish before they killed so that they would no remorse afterwards.
Marijuana and hashish are not the same thing.
143
posted on
01/26/2004 5:07:25 PM PST
by
Xenalyte
(I may not agree with your bumper sticker, but I'll defend to the death your right to stick it)
To: Oschisms; dubyaismypresident; Dan from Michigan
Too bad Dan's friend doesn't have a screen name, 'cause she might appreciate this. :D
144
posted on
01/26/2004 5:07:34 PM PST
by
NYC GOP Chick
(Kaddafi is such a whack job that he never promoted himself past Colonel!)
To: missyme
Ehhh....not what I'd call mellow...I still think you should stick with the lesbo folk music. You know, the Lilith Fair kind of stuff.
145
posted on
01/26/2004 5:08:21 PM PST
by
NYC GOP Chick
(Kaddafi is such a whack job that he never promoted himself past Colonel!)
To: Xenalyte
Thanks for the offer, but I'm in for the night. I just finished a little science project this weekend. Went to home depot, and with a little bit of plumbing supplies, and some household objects....
gurgle gurgle gurgle gurgle
:-)
146
posted on
01/26/2004 5:08:34 PM PST
by
Huck
(Was that offensive? I hope that wasn't offensive.)
To: Xenalyte
Here comes the drugged out delusional-thinks-she-looks-like-a-character expert on everything drug related.
An already bad thread's just gotten worse.
147
posted on
01/26/2004 5:08:41 PM PST
by
Monty22
To: Monty22
So what is your observation about Jello Shooters and Tequilla shots? or you never did those either? seriously...
148
posted on
01/26/2004 5:08:50 PM PST
by
missyme
To: missyme
I have drank, yes.
I've been with friends that drank. I've done it myself some. The potheads were always more annoying and stupid to me, and frankly ruined their lives a lot faster.
149
posted on
01/26/2004 5:09:43 PM PST
by
Monty22
To: Chris Tucker
I got mind control over Deebo. When he say shut up - I be quiet. But when he leave, I be talking again.
150
posted on
01/26/2004 5:09:43 PM PST
by
Xenalyte
(I may not agree with your bumper sticker, but I'll defend to the death your right to stick it)
To: missyme
I think we already know the answer to that one...
151
posted on
01/26/2004 5:10:00 PM PST
by
NYC GOP Chick
(Kaddafi is such a whack job that he never promoted himself past Colonel!)
To: NYC GOP Chick
OK your right.. but let's include "Puff the Magic Dragon"
152
posted on
01/26/2004 5:10:09 PM PST
by
missyme
To: Lazamataz
It's what coke does to my checking-account balance that makes ME paranoid.
153
posted on
01/26/2004 5:10:34 PM PST
by
Xenalyte
(I may not agree with your bumper sticker, but I'll defend to the death your right to stick it)
To: missyme
That was one of my 2 favorite songs when I was a toddler or so.
154
posted on
01/26/2004 5:10:49 PM PST
by
NYC GOP Chick
(Kaddafi is such a whack job that he never promoted himself past Colonel!)
To: Huck
:-)
To: Huck
I just got home, so I'm not there yet.
To: Monty22
I've lost too many friends and relatives to even pot use to not get angry on the subject now.
You should report this to the authorities. There are no recorded cases of deaths directly caused by marijuana, unless we count the dude who got crushed by a bale of it, so I'm sure the CDC would find your statistics quite helpful.
157
posted on
01/26/2004 5:13:36 PM PST
by
Xenalyte
(I may not agree with your bumper sticker, but I'll defend to the death your right to stick it)
Comment #158 Removed by Moderator
To: stands2reason
Me too. Gimme a sec. Aaaaaaah. That's nice.
159
posted on
01/26/2004 5:15:10 PM PST
by
Huck
(Was that offensive? I hope that wasn't offensive.)
To: Monty22
You make me yawn.
160
posted on
01/26/2004 5:15:21 PM PST
by
Xenalyte
(I may not agree with your bumper sticker, but I'll defend to the death your right to stick it)
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