2073: Reefer Madness

[DWarrior]

Why didn't Monica Lewinsky get out of it the same way Bill Clinton did? Because they're not on the same level. It's not the difference between male/female, it's the difference between a successful career politician who's the ruler of the world and an intern. Why don't we gloss over the Tiger Woods scandal and how he lost millions while his mistresses profited, or how consensual sex with legal-aged students ruins male teachers' lives while having 0 repercussions for the female student (and how female teachers get off basically scot-free compared to men), or how women can get away with false rape accusations, that would go against your belief in the patriarchy.

And I don't like how "privilege" is becoming the latest buzzword. I wouldn't even consider Keith privileged. And I don't get why Chemda believes she's less privileged than Keith. If Chemda is going to use "ok privileged man" to dismiss points, can we go back to using "ok woman"?

[Mattman]

IMO (not particularly humble) "druggy" is not someone who occasionally partakes. It is someone who is a regular user, whose social habit are changed by it, and who usually tries to convince people that it's harmless (compared to something else harmful), or totally under control.

A piss-head (thanks, Scumhook) is the same with alcohol.

An addict, or alcoholic has a sickness.


...and another thought, or two.

THC was first isolated 50 years ago, I believe, why are there not a whole bunch of medicines out there? And please do not simply answer "big pharma".

And also how come the wiki page for THC "lends undue weight to certain ideas, incidents, or controversies" in the Medicinal Use section??? They don't even put that qualifying rider on the Wiki for Martians or Scientology!

[DWarrior]

Originally Posted by Mattman

And also how come the wiki page for THC "lends undue weight to certain ideas, incidents, or controversies" in the Medicinal Use section??? They don't even put that qualifying rider on the Wiki for Martians or Scientology!

Martians and Scientology would get the same label if they went under the wiki entry for Reality.

Or alternatively, THC can lose that label if the section gets renamed to "Beliefs"

[The Girl]

You're right, DWarrior! Keith and I have the same job so we must be treated the same. In AND out of the studio.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by DWarrior

And I don't like how "privilege" is becoming the latest buzzword. I wouldn't even consider Keith privileged.

we all have privilege. sometimes they intersect. race is one. class is another. gender. it's a real thing. it's also hard to understand. it's nuanced--because it intersects. my being poor doesn't negate the institutional and systemic bumps i get for being a white woman in a heterosexual relationship: no one's ever looked at me suspiciously while shopping, looked uncomfortable that i've gotten on an airplane, asked to engage with me sexually because i'm holding Bear's hand, i've never been hassled by the police, no one has ever quizzed me about my skin tone or hair texture in public or asked where i'm "really" from. but, i'm still poor and some doors are not open to me even though i am white.

having privilege doesn't mean your whole entire life is a peach. it's easy to hear that, though. it's why people in thinky circles are having large conversations about it and others choose to obstinately believe it doesn't really exist. it's like saying fuck all to physics because God is easier to swallow.

here's a couple of examples of privilege:

Bear and i own an organization together. he runs our tech, but i do the large scale planning for the year. we collaborated with another organization in town a few years ago to help with a spring festival they were doing. we took a lunch to talk about it with their executive director; a woman. guess how many times she looked at me while we were talking? few. all questions were directed towards Bear. this happens a lot, especially here in the South. it is always assumed the man standing next to me is the authority. to be fair, this mechanism does get me out of traffic tickets, but that only goes to prove that privilege is nuanced, it intersects, it is a complex idea and warrants conversation because clearly, like all new ideas during times of social change, people by and large just do not understand it. acknowledging privilege is difficult and humbling.

another:

people do not trust atheists here. i grew up in the church in these places, but the moment people find out i am without God i am looked on with suspicion. upon introduction, being Christian here is an instantly clear character. i am blighted, again, even having grown up here (i am not an outsider in this insular community) because i am faithless. businesses tack up jesus fish on their storefronts to let you know what kind of place it is.

being Christian here gives a person privilege. it definitely helps your business. you can be a lot of unsavory things, but at least [if you have Jesus in your heart] you're ok enough. replace inside those brackets: you're not black, you're not muslim, you're not gay, your genitals match your brain.

[Sparrow]

Your privilege is comprised of the questions you’ve never had to ask.

Catherynne Valente

[andsoitgoes]

Okay, so here's my take on things.

I've been dealing with chronic pain for the last 4 years now, something that has worsened due to multiple surgeries that not only did not resolve the problems, but created new ones.

Up until about a year ago, I was taking heavy narcotic pain meds and muscle relaxants prescribed by my doctor. I was taking long acting oxy neo twice a day and using constant short acting oxycodone (Vicodin without the Tylenol) throughout the day to try and help with the pain. When my muscle cramps would get bad, I would take prescription muscle relaxants to try and relieve that.

The problem was that they were destroying my life.

I couldn't wake up in the morning, my body could easily sleep for 14+ hours a day, and when I was awake I was barely functional. I was groggy, irritable, miserable and it was a living hell. When I'd have to take the muscle relaxants, often at night, I would wake up the next day and feel hung over.

God forbid I missed a dose of my long acting oxy neo, I had countless times where I woke up with withdrawal symptoms, shaking and itching, because I forgot to take my nighttime dose.

My stomach continued to worsen and worsen to where I couldn't eat any food without feeling nauseated, having stomach pains and immense fatigue constantly.

I FINALLY decided to go off and try to supplement with medical marijuana, and my life has turned around almost completely.

I'm still in pain, constantly, but it's far easier to cope because my brain isn't addicted to the narcotic pain meds for relieving the pain. I went from using narcotic pain meds from the second I woke up until the second I fell asleep to not using them at all, and I was on a significant dose.

The only thing I do now is use medical marijuana at night to help me sleep. It's the only time I'm without pain, it's the only time that I have relief from my stomach issues, my hip, ankle, back, neck and so on pain. It's given me a new lease on life and allowed me to actually be a useful parent. When I use marijuana at night, I'm also able to wake up the next morning refreshed and ready to go. 4 years I spent dreading waking up, dreading going to sleep knowing that I could easily sleep all day (something I'd done when my kids were in school) and I had no ability to actually do anything through the day. I had to go on a trip and was without my weed at night and had to revert back to using my muscle relaxants, my mornings were miserable. I felt hung over and crap, but if I didn't use them the pain would be too intense to sleep.

YET when I discussed medical marijuana with my family doctor, the same doctor who didn't even hesitate to prescribe me what is basically medical heroin, she wouldn't help. It required me to get a referral to a pain management clinic, where I was fully supported.

By doing that, it allowed me to find strains that would help me during various situations. I now have a strain that I use at night, and one I can use during the day if I'm not able to cope. It's terribly simply, and it is immeasurably better than what I was on before.

Weed is NOT a cure-all, and I despise the hippie mentality that tries to make it out as some sort of miracle drug that can cure cancer. That's bullshit. But it DOES help. I've gone to bed where I've felt quite sick, either from a cold or from severe allergies, but when I use medical marijuana through a vaporizer at night, it takes those issues and renders them moot. I'm able to sleep peacefully and go about my life.

And just to put this into perspective, people are not able to walk into their local CVS to purchase marijuana, a plant which is not chemically addictive (yes, it can create a dependence, just like porn can, cookies, chips - but it is far easier to move past that as it doesn't fuck with your brain chemistry like cocaine, heroin or meth) but are able to purchase any of the following:

- Nyquil, also know as sizzurp. Has hallucinogenic properties when used in high doses recreationally, there are no restrictions for the purchase of this.
- Sudafed, which contains the main ingredient for making methamphetamines (which is why there's a limit to the amount you can buy). It's well known for being addictive and for causing huge spikes in blood pressure and can cause severe panic attacks.
- Advil/Asprin, a drug that if misused can cause ulcers and can cause massive stomach irritation. Using an anti-inflammatory ended up causing my stomach problems to worsen to a severe degree.

Weed has its faults. It's often very sedative, and unlike alcohol it's not as easy to "casually smoke a joint" because it is very fast acting. Many people that get high do not have the same energy and desire to be active as someone who is drunk. That's why the stoner culture is as it is, and the people who embrace it and tout it are far too often people who want to promote that. You don't as often see people embrace the other strains that are used for daytime (sativa versus indica, very different properties) because it's not as "funny" or marketable. Half Baked wouldn't be as funny if they focused on the strains that can help people be more energetic.

Now to compare it to alcohol, which is well known to cause severe, long term damage over years of regular use, and how ANYONE can say alcohol is okay while weed isn't, and say that someone who drinks regularly is in any way better than someone who uses marijuana regularly is absolutely ridiculous.

Here's a video of a Doctor who, initially, was very anti marijuana. He's a neurosurgeon who was introduced to the benefits of using marijuana for his patients with seizures. He was able to work to develop a strain that saved the life of a little girl. He's done many AMAs on reddit regarding his stance, and his change of heart, on marijuana.

Part 1 - Dr Sanjay Gupta's CNN Special "WEED" - YouTube
Part 2 - Dr Sanjay Gupta's "WEED 2" Documentary - YouTube

I'll get off my soapbox now.

[andsoitgoes]

Originally Posted by jaredv1214

Yea I'm sure a the results proving that weed is a cure for cancer from a study conducted by the organization that stands to profit of such findings are beyond reproach. You don't have to be a doctor to use common sense. Studies conducted by parties who stand to make money off results that prove their stance are almost never taken seriously and must always be taken with a few thousand grains of salt. If you can find an independent, third party study that produces the same exact results than you can make your argument without looking like a fool. Try using some rational thinking before bringing anything up because, as of right now, you are only hurting your side of the argument.

While I don't buy into many of the Rick Simpson claims, you also have to realize that his website is primarily there to show you HOW to make it, it doesn't sell the actual product.

In fact, the only thing he's selling is his book.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by andsoitgoes

How ANYONE can say alcohol is okay while weed isn't, and say that someone who drinks regularly is in any way better than someone who uses marijuana regularly is absolutely ridiculous.

It sure would be ridiculous. Who's saying this, by the way?

[andsoitgoes]

Originally Posted by Keith

It sure would be ridiculous. Who's saying this, by the way?

Lots of people. Most of the American government, the ATF, conservatives, etc.

You haven't said those exact words, but you are very clearly biased against marijuana.

I understand it. The stoner culture has a public face that screams "lazy loser". For whatever reason, that's harped on while the often aggressive/violent and dangerous decision making that comes along with alcohol is simply shrugged off.

You are biased towards marijuana. Every time you speak of it, it's done in a judgemental manner. Maybe it's because you feel a hypocrisy from people judging your alcohol use in the past more harshly than Chemda's marijuana usage currently, or maybe it's just deep seeded from your childhood. I understand that, technically, marijuana is illegal and it seems that fact has really stuck in your craw, especially concerning Danny. And I understand that side of it, I get your concerns. But the way you treat Chemda and others who use marijuana regularly is very negative and judgemental. If you don't hear it, while many others do clearly and have been verbal about it, maybe you're wrong.