[Vision2020] Soda vs. Marijuana

Joe Campbell philosopher.joe at gmail.com
Tue Jun 11 16:56:46 PDT 2013


The gateway-drug argument is a fallacy. Most of us started out on milk. If you want to establish an interesting correlation you need 4 cells of information: how many used Mary Jane and then heroin; how many used MJ but did not use heroin; how many did not use MJ but used heroin; etc. even if you've got a high percentage it is just two of the 4 cells of info needed.

I think the issue is: Should the government be paternalistic and save us from ourselves? In general, I think no. If you're not going to restrict steaks and guns, I don't see much sspoint in restricting anything else.

On Jun 11, 2013, at 4:42 PM, Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com> wrote:

> Mr. Keim -
> 
> Instead of listing inifinite sources that tend to support legalizing, regulating, and taxing marijuana, I invite you to start your browsing at an organization of which I have been a member for quite some time . . .
> 
> The National Organization for the Reduction of Marijuana Laws (NORML)
> <image.jpeg>
> http://www.norml.org
> 
> A couple other things . . . 
> 
> 1 - As far as that illogical claim that 95% of those currently addicted to heroin got their start on marijuana . . . I would be more concerned about the 5% who jumped right in to heroin.
> 
> 2 - My "indulgences" led more to increased sales revenue at the neighborhood KFC versus any increased liquor consumption.
> 
> Ah, the memories:  While stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco (1977 - 1979), my two favorite haunts were Baker Beach (about a quarter mile south of the Golden Gate Bridge and a two-block stagger from the government quarters in which Rodna and I resided) and a tavern at the corner of Fifth Street and Clement Avenue called the Moonshiner (whose customer base consisted of everything from lawyers to opera singers to Hells Angels . . . and yours truly).
> 
> To make a long (and rather interesting) story short, marijuana was easily procurable at each location.  In fact, I recall several occasions where people would sit on the curb, outsde the Moonshiner (that had no entry door, just a slider that would open the entire front end), openly smoking a joint, watching cars (including SFPD) go by.
> 
> Those were the days, my friend . . .
> 
> Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .
> 
> "Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
> http://www.MoscowCares.com
>   
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
> 
> "There's room at the top they are telling you still 
> But first you must learn how to smile as you kill 
> If you want to be like the folks on the hill."
> 
> - John Lennon
>  
> 
> 
> On Jun 11, 2013, at 3:24 PM, Darrell Keim <keim153 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Interesting graphic, though a poor logical argument.  Sure soda is bad, does that mean we should A.  Ban all bad things?  B.  Legalize all bad things?  Isn't there room for a third option?  I won't attempt to defend soda. 
>>  
>> The graphic goes very light on marijuana's harms.
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-term_effects_of_cannabis
>> The above page mentions positive correlations to:  female infertility, dependency, acute psychosis (but only when tied to an underlying mental disorder), chronic psychosis (in adolescence), increased suicide rate, gateway drug (my personal anecdotal experience backs this-most of the folks I meet in treatment started with either booze or pot), and loss of IQ.    Curiously, it doesn't seem to cause lung cancer (though other cancers show a positive correlation), though it does have some of the other health issues usually correlated with smoking. 
>>  
>> The above are correlated with marijuana.  I won't argue that correlation equals causation.  I also won't argue that it also correlates with some positives:  pain relief, slows cognitive decline, The Eagles famous "Peaceful, Easy Feeling."
>>  
>> Sounds to me like neither is a net societal positive...
>> 
>> 
>> On Tue, Jun 11, 2013 at 3:00 PM, Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com> wrote:
>>> <1010437_10151481021971275_1141633502_n.jpg>
>>> Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .
>>> 
>>> "Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
>>> http://www.MoscowCares.com
>>>   
>>> Tom Hansen
>>> Moscow, Idaho
>>> 
>>> "There's room at the top they are telling you still 
>>> But first you must learn how to smile as you kill 
>>> If you want to be like the folks on the hill."
>>> 
>>> - John Lennon
>>>  
>>> 
>>> 
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> =======================================================
> List services made available by First Step Internet,
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