Joe Rogan dropped an interview with Michael Shellenberger yesterday. I like MS so I listened and they talked for a long time about psychedelics. Rogan thinks they should be legalized because they’ve helped so many people overcome trauma, particularly military personnel. Michael pushed back, a lot, about the pitfalls. I’m not down with le…
Joe Rogan dropped an interview with Michael Shellenberger yesterday. I like MS so I listened and they talked for a long time about psychedelics. Rogan thinks they should be legalized because they’ve helped so many people overcome trauma, particularly military personnel. Michael pushed back, a lot, about the pitfalls. I’m not down with legalizing anything more than booze personally, but it was an interesting discussion.
Making it illegal clearly did work. Rates of alcoholism, alcohol-related trauma (e.g. drunk driving), and other societal ills dropped dramatically during Prohibition. It was a stunning success in demonstrating alcohol's highly destructive impact, and how society improves when its access is limited.
That limitation wasn't perfect however, which is what you point to as not working. Yes there was organized crime trafficking of alcohol but it was still far less available than before Prohibition. When a policy leads to dramatic improvements in society, but isn't perfectly implemented, that doesn't mean it failed.
You have been fed a false narrative your entire life about Prohibition that doesn't withstand the slightest scrutiny. Prohibition may have been unpopular, but it didn't fail. It was repealed because government wanted the tax revenue they didn't get from bootlegging, and lobbying from business interests.
How about this? People are allowed to do anything they want so long as they do not egress on another person. I don't want, or need, the government, or anyone else, telling me what I an and cannot do. If I can take heroin, not steal to get it and not hurt anyone , what's the harm? We aren't junkies lying in the street, needing one of the now countless overdose packs that are placed all over the country, even this little island we are in Maine,. I don't, not won't, but we do love our beer and wine. Pay for it ourselves, feed and shelter ourselves , and hurt no one.
The crimes should be the crimes, not what caused them. Eff that. Hate crimes?? It's a crime stupid. Why do you need to double criminalize something? It's all a gimmick.
Yeah, and isn't it funny how these arguments in favor of various prohibitions sound sooooo familiar? "It's for the common good!" (cf Convid jabs) or "We CAN stop school shootings" (neverminding school shootings a miniscule percentage of gun deaths every year; i.e. the 'solution' does NOT address the common good, just the most sensational ill).
What do we do about all the people driving around drunk killing others? I mean, it's illegal to kill someone while driving drunk, but that sure doesn't stop it. What would stop it is if alcohol weren't so readily available - everywhere. It would be interesting to see if there are less drunk driver-related deaths in dry counties in the US.
I presume you are in favor of banning guns too, because people kill people with guns. And knives. And my new favorite, "smart" phones. Honest to God, I would rather be behind a drunk driver than one who is face effing his phone, because the drunk is at least trying to drive, while the phone zombie just happens to be driving while fornicating with his phone,
Sorry, but I'm not buying it. Kill someone while drunk driving. life in prison. . Kill someone with a gun. Life in prison. Kill someone while fornicating with your phone and driving. Life in prison. If you want to ban alcohol, ban guns, phones, and rank stupidity too.
FYI, a recent study has proven me out. More people are killed by phone effers driving than drunks.
If it isn't alcohol it will be something else. Take away the guns and knives or acid will be the weapon of choice. Take away the booze and there is still a veritable smorgasbord of mind-altering drugs out there. People will find a way, anyway. "weren't so readily available" is I think an idealized understanding of what would happen with a prohibition. All you have to do is look at gun violence in states with the strictest gun laws and....whole argument falls apart. People will find a way.
I'd rather tax dollars get spent on carrots, not the stick of the bureaucracy that would have to enforce such laws, as well.
EDIT: I do think legalized weed has been a disaster, and is pernicious, so my own logic is inconsistent here. I'll have to think about this more in order to make a better argument. You can ignore what I wrote, lol, for now!
That's interesting. I had never heard that prohibition was successful. It does seem that today alcohol is being pushed even within the church. I've heard stories of church leadership pushing alcohol on minors! The argument is that the Bible doesn't speak against it so we are free to do it but there is no discussion of potential addition to alcohol. The attitude is we are free to partake so why not. There are even Bible studies in bars to make it more attractive to the world. My husband has a saying, "What you win them with is what you win them to." His other saying is that people are asking the wrong questions; they want to see how close they can get to sin without crossing the line rather than asking how much can I be like Christ in my thoughts, attitudes and actions.
And that is why legalization of other substances is popular with the government...taxes. Although this hasn't worked out well in CO from what I've read. Most people are still going with the blackmarket because it's cheaper than the government regulated version. Plus, the money that must be spend on social ills far outweighs the benefit of making money through taxation. It hurts my heart to think of all the children who grow up in homes where substance abuse is a normal part of life.
Definitely true that our hearts are desperately wicked as God says in Jeremiah 17:9 . And God warns us in Galatians about using our freedom as an opportunity for the flesh.
Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh...16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.... 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, [a]for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
A holistic approach has been quite successful in many cases of mental illness. Just changing one's diet to fresh and healthy foods and getting off sugar, processed foods and foods one test allergic to has turned many people around dramatically.
Many people fail to realize how dangerous alcohol is. The Salvation Army was founded on the basis of outreach to drunks. Prohibition didn't go well. People were so desperate for alcohol that in NY they were distilling furniture. Many died by their own intoxicating brews which turned out to be poisonous.
Prohibition didn't go well for a very small percentage of society addicted to alcohol. For the overwhelming majority it went just fine, in fact their lives improved.
When someone is addicted to a drug the answer is not to make it readily available so they don't do stupid things to get it.
Another good podcast from a distinctly Catholic perspective is called The Exorcist Files. I know the name is a bit cliche, but super interesting dramatization of real-life stories and a thoughtful exploration of demonic activity. It also discusses Church teaching and talks to people of other faith traditions too.
Booze is legal for a reason and it does far more damage to people than weed. Young people smoking tons of weed is a serious problem. Alcoholism kills millions. Legality is important mostly in terms of incarceration and taxation.
There is a monetary incentive to industrialized marijuana. And the THC in the new plants is so high that it is causing schizophrenia. Not to mention that people I have seen that use, typically have low motivation to work. It does affect the brain. No substance will fix anyone's problems and typically creates more problems. It's scary to think how many people drive while under the influence of various substances. It's a miracle that there are not more fatalities on the road.
My son has Tourette Syndrome with really severe tics throughout school years. He was influenced in college into using medicinal marijuana to control the anxiety it caused and lessen his tics. And guess what? Four years later he was diagnosed with full blown schizophrenia. He went from being a hard worker, overcoming disability obstacles, and earning a B.S. to having no ability to work at all, no motivation or desire, and a complete change in his mental makeup. Now he is controlled by delusional thinking and occasional hallucinations. After being off marijuana for a full year, and off ALL pharma for two years, and on a ketogenic diet, he is calmer than he’s ever been before - with very little tics - but he still struggles with motivation because depression over what he lost settled in deeply.
I. Hate. Drugs. All drugs. He wasn’t a heavy drug user at all, but it ruined his life completely. Even medicinal marijuana is unsafe.
You might be interested in the series A Midwestern Doctor is doing on DMSO. It has some extraordinary healing benefits, many in the neurological space, but a whole assortment of benefits. I had used it on my horse back in the day (she fully recovered from a bowed tendon) and knew it was powerful for neuromuscular injuries, but AMD is covering things like strokes, headaches, nerve damage, etc. The series is in several parts, so check it out.
Another LIE the enemy has brainwashed people with. It’s not addictive, it’s safe, it’s an herb, it’s medicine blah blah blah. Nope. And I have personal reasons I can say that. People in Florida are trying to legalize it now. Oregon did it - disaster. Colorado did it - disaster. Every single place has been a disaster. So now Florida. 😔 Nope. I will NEVER in my life EVER vote to legalize that crap or any other drug. I liked Juju’s last statement. And yours.
No no no! I had that 3 years ago and now I have very strange, loud booming tinnitus. Please be careful. I think it can induce structural changes of a longterm nature. I wish I had never consented to it. But you are so right that God can redeem lost time.
His problem is when he attended the support groups everyone there was a recovering addict. He wasn’t an addict himself. He couldn’t relate to anybody at the meetings nor they him. He was only using it for medicinal purposes, but it harmed him. Not sure what kind of support groups there are for those that aren’t struggling with an actual addiction.
The neighborhood where I live has a homeless diagnosed schizophrenic whose family left him once his mother died. Evidently she was the only one that could handle him according to the family that has posted on social media. We are told he wasn’t always this way and many remember him as a talented student. I’m so sorry about your son’s situation and wish our healthcare agencies might provide a similar tactic of healthy eating over drugs!
I was a major pothead in high school (class of ‘84). The pot we got then was about 1/50th the strength people get now. I always ask, “What if beer were 50 times stronger today???”
Great point! That’s exactly the problem today. Our alcohol is the same strength. Pot isn’t. Plus a lot of it is laced with Fentanyl, and in CA the police told me that 100% of all samples they had gotten from the streets had fentanyl in it. Even the medicinal dispensaries aren’t as careful with who they get their stock from. They are supposed to be, but I saw something very different when we had to use them.
1970. I moved into a commune of student hippies. There was a lot of “house weed” and most were heavy users. By the end of the semester all but me had dropped out or flunked out. And I was making D’s and not caring. Amotivational Syndrome is a real thing. The only reason I didn’t crash and burn totally was that it had started to make me paranoid while using it. I really loathe the stuff and all the hype from its promoters. BTW, Alex Berenson’s wife was an ER shrink who made a compelling case for opposing it. He based his book on a lot of her observations of acute psychosis and schizophrenia among teenage users.
When I used to ride a motorcycle all the time I became adept at identifying the behavior of an automobile based on how it was moving, which would tell me certain things, most notably, if they were using their phone or not, I quickly put them in my rearview mirror
Yep that’s what we were told by every doctor we have dealt with the past three years. Marijuana induced schizophrenia is everywhere, no matter what kind of user, mild or heavy use. They think it’s because many people today have more neurological issues from food and pharma, causing ADHD and ASD conditions. The extreme strength of the THC in all strains today is impacting something already stressed and out of whack. We didn’t have quite as many disabled kids when I was growing up and the few we had didn’t do recreational drugs at all. It’s a different story today. It doesn’t always mean it was caused by “extreme refer madness”.
Alex Berenson (the anti-Covid Scamdemic journalist) has written extensively on the link between weed and schizophrenia. It is an emerging area of medical concern, and not at all propaganda.
So true! The MJ Industry is the main problem; unlimited funds, sneaky tactics.
I read a piece written by a guy who said he would encourage every one of his business competitors to use MJ. That way he’d beat them bc he’d keep his incentive to work hard & they wouldn’t. Voila!
It was entitled something quite clever but I’ve forgotten. Bet I have it saved…. somewhere.
Look at Kamala harris and how she oppressed the Black community in Oakland over weed, and other drugs. as well as throwing single moms in prison for truant children with health issues.
South Dakota has a ballot measure this November to legalize recreational cannabis. There is so much $ behind this drive that their ads populate national news sites and use an image of Trump to promote it (I'm sure Trump does not promote it).
I was an election judge when it went on the ballot in MO in 2022. Steady stream all day of young people showing up to vote. The judges at the check-in table will often ask a young person when they check in if they are voting for the first time, and if they say yes, call out 'first time voter' and everyone claps. They were calling out ALL DAY LONG! Way more frequently than previous and more recent elections, hands down. My suspicion was that the pot amendment was the motivation, and that they voted D for the most part. R's lost some close races in purple areas and I blame the pot voters. It was a horrible amendment, 26 pages added to our constitution thanks to our overly lax initiative petition process, where big out of state money pays signature gatherers to put more crap in our constitution and low information voters vote for it as they never read the full text.
SD has 8 initiated ballot measures this Nov, all except one designed to destroy the existing culture, and those 7 are funded and managed by out-of-state money.
Ironic that the very thing that is supposed to empower and engage individuals politically - ballot initiation -i s being used to completely disenfranchise us.
In our case, the legislature is a bunch of cowards, Initiative petition reform comes up every year but never passes, in part as the D's & local media scream bloody murder about the R's trying to 'end democracy'. Not sure what is democratic about out of state $ paying signature gatherers who mislead the people who sign the petitions without reading them! We have an awful abortion amendment that is not just about abortion. It includes usurping parents rights on abortions and transgender surgeries, and would allow abortions up to birth. And 2 gambling amendments that claim 'money for education'. It's exhausting as the abortion fight is taking away volunteers and money for local candidates many with close races in purple and blue areas. Trying to do both but only so much blood from this turnip and hours in the day to volunteer.
South Dakota would do well to take the restraints off the farming of industrial hemp. It is the single most useful plant that can be applied to so many things. Fiber for dozens of applications, seed oil for a multitude of purposes. There are good reasons that it has been suppressed, and it aint because of gettin high.
So use something from plants which absorb toxins very well? I don’t understand.
I have read the MJ plants were planted at Chernobyl to purge soil of radioactive substances. Don’t remember if they had a plan for disposal of the tainted plants.
I can tell you from experience that Arizona took a hard left after the marijuana vote. The college kids came out in force for their weed and look where we are now. Teetering on the brink of Californication ( some say already gone). I now see desert-baked young homeless kids at every intersection with their sad cardboard signs. It did not use to be this bad, and they are getting younger and younger, it seems.
I could be wrong but I thought Trump supported very heavy regulated medicinal use. But that was it. What I love about him is he never drank or used drugs his whole life, and saw the dangers of both early on. He remained pure in spite of his wealth and contacts. Love that
First of all I don’t trust ANYTHING to be reported properly by CNN and their headline doesn’t exactly represent things he actually said. I also don’t trust any of their quotes to be accurate. These guys are editing things daily to spin a narrative.
When I’ve listened to Trump discuss it during interviews, it did not sound to me like full blown recreational support. A person’s small, individualized amounts are different than a dealer or large disbursements or selling to kids. He also is much more interested in the medicinal uses. I don’t agree with him on his stance because it ruined things in our own family, so I’m completely against legalizing any of it except for cancer patients, etc when provided by a doctor. But I also don’t think Trump is a “throw open the gates to all as much as they want and let it be everywhere” kinda person.
I just picked one link but there are many others. I get a conservative FL report online and it published an article when Trump said he would vote FOR recreational mj amendment in FL coming up, whereas DeSantis opposes it. I was sorry to see Trump say that because now many voters will go for it. And that will be a big problem if it passes.
Sorry to say that Trump does promote it: https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/15/donald-trump-marijuana-legalization-00179205. The high THC level in plants now is damaging to the brain, and users show lower motivation, lowered IQ, and poor performance in school and work. It's just one more way to dumb down the population and make people more compliant. Medical Marijuana has its uses, but recreational is the last thing we need now.
I commented on this above. You guys are quoting leftists articles and they are not representing him honestly. I disagree with him on any legalization, but I know he isn’t for willy nilly, wide open legalization of all amounts anywhere and out in the open.
Even “medical” carries risks; fertility & procreation. It messes with DNA & doesn’t stop with the user. Passes to future generations (if procreation is even successful).
there is ZERO POINT in jailing marijuana users. its a useless double standard. I am NOT a fan of weed and think a lot of education needs to go along with legalization. but more lives are ruined w Alcohol than w weed. or psilocybin, despite Jeff's funny story.
I am absolutely against jail time for marijuana users, but I am opposed to recreational use being legalized. I have done plenty of research on marijuana, and it does harm the health and mind of a regular user. Plus my husband is a counselor and has had plenty of clients whose lives have been ruined from it. Same with alcohol and other drugs. Life is hard; I get it that people want an escape, but to alter one's own mind in the long run is hurting oneself, one's family, and one's society.
I think that both THC and opioids have their place in a well educated Doctors tool kit. Prior to use the prescribing either for more then 3-5 days for acute injury, testing should be conducted to assess genetic compatibility. These are strong substances that should be reserved for serious medical events and even CS Lewis commented on the benefit of modern analgesics on physical suffering. As someone who has needed to use opioids for a serious medical issue, they were benifical in the short to mid term WHILE I holistically learned other pain management practices that enabled me to wean off the medication. Yes the standard of care needs to change but the ability to control physical suffering is a good thing. I do not support recreational use of cannabis in any capacity.
I can see your point of view. However, here in Florida it’s supposed to be legal only for medical use, but there are many medical marijuana stores everywhere. Doesn’t make sense that there are so many stores if it’s not being abused.
Yes Michael has been reporting on the ground and helping those he could who are suffering under the open drug markets in California. He has seen the suffering caused by unrestrained drug use and has no f’s to give about legalizing any of it. He’s a good guy.
All substances should be legal. But as a culture we lack ritual and purpose, making them incredibly dangerous rather than helpful.
Culture is the issue here, not the substance, I’d argue.
So while ideally they should all be legal, they shouldn’t. Alcohol included.
So there really isn’t a legal solution so we should be focusing rather on our culture. This starts with our kids and ending the stranglehold of the Department of Education, and that’s just for starters. That’s my drug argument. And the DOE. When that’s done, it’s onto the next culture fix. It won’t be overnight.
And then I moved to a place (Seattle) where ZERO drug laws were enforced, and drug deals OPENLY occurred on the steps of the King County Courthouse.
The nearly 100,000 people living in filth under bridges, in tents next to expressways, and daily encounters with psychotics cured me of my libertarian naivete.
I was horrified to find that Oklahoma had made the mistake of legalizing marijuana when we returned. It ruins every place it occurs.
In theory, I agree, but in the real world, people have sought escape from the beginning of time. Of course making anything illegal just lines the pockets of criminal enterprises, but if it's legal gov will tax the sh*t out of it, and that is just lining the pockets of a different criminal enterprise.
They should be free to manage the consequences of their own decisions about what they put into their bodies without ruining the world for people who don't do the same and without forcibly extracting the wealth of competent people to pay for and support and enable the ones who choose to become incompetent.
I agree, but fear the argument is one that has also been used against those of us who didn't take the covid vx. We were fortunate there didn't end up being physical consequences for most of us.
Big difference between not putting a foreign substance with unknown effects in one's body and putting a foreign substance with known negative effects in one's body.
Because what they put into their bodies can negatively impact the lives of others. Like we really need more stoned people driving around. Drunks are dangerous enough.
I don’t disagree with that. But the solution is to enforce the laws not control what people do with their own bodies in their own homes on their own time. They do need to be punished if they commit actual crimes . Driving while stoned is illegal.
when we get past our prejudices many will see that Psychedelics, particularly the natural ones, have so much to offer us. I refer you to Gabor Mate's books esp IN THE REALM OF HUNGRY GHOSTS for the relationship of Trauma to Addiction and to his many youtube videos to learn more about effects on DEPRESSION. ANYTHING is better than these HORRIFIC PSYCH MEDS which are included in almost every mass shooter's medicine cabinet. along with a hefty push from cia /fbi I wager.
Joe Rogan dropped an interview with Michael Shellenberger yesterday. I like MS so I listened and they talked for a long time about psychedelics. Rogan thinks they should be legalized because they’ve helped so many people overcome trauma, particularly military personnel. Michael pushed back, a lot, about the pitfalls. I’m not down with legalizing anything more than booze personally, but it was an interesting discussion.
Booze, right. No pitfalls in the most intoxicating, addictive substance in history.
I’m not a fan, but it’s not going anywhere legally. I don’t want to add anything else, though.
Booze is legal. Making it illegal didn’t work. But why legalize other destructive addictive substances just because booze is legal.
Making it illegal clearly did work. Rates of alcoholism, alcohol-related trauma (e.g. drunk driving), and other societal ills dropped dramatically during Prohibition. It was a stunning success in demonstrating alcohol's highly destructive impact, and how society improves when its access is limited.
That limitation wasn't perfect however, which is what you point to as not working. Yes there was organized crime trafficking of alcohol but it was still far less available than before Prohibition. When a policy leads to dramatic improvements in society, but isn't perfectly implemented, that doesn't mean it failed.
You have been fed a false narrative your entire life about Prohibition that doesn't withstand the slightest scrutiny. Prohibition may have been unpopular, but it didn't fail. It was repealed because government wanted the tax revenue they didn't get from bootlegging, and lobbying from business interests.
How about this? People are allowed to do anything they want so long as they do not egress on another person. I don't want, or need, the government, or anyone else, telling me what I an and cannot do. If I can take heroin, not steal to get it and not hurt anyone , what's the harm? We aren't junkies lying in the street, needing one of the now countless overdose packs that are placed all over the country, even this little island we are in Maine,. I don't, not won't, but we do love our beer and wine. Pay for it ourselves, feed and shelter ourselves , and hurt no one.
The crimes should be the crimes, not what caused them. Eff that. Hate crimes?? It's a crime stupid. Why do you need to double criminalize something? It's all a gimmick.
No nanny state. Period. No "except for this".
Yeah, and isn't it funny how these arguments in favor of various prohibitions sound sooooo familiar? "It's for the common good!" (cf Convid jabs) or "We CAN stop school shootings" (neverminding school shootings a miniscule percentage of gun deaths every year; i.e. the 'solution' does NOT address the common good, just the most sensational ill).
I agree 100%, there should be no such thing as
a victimless crime.
The same should be true for medical treatments.
If somebody wants to try chew peyote and have their Chakras realigned
to cure their migraines, they should be allowed to try it.
What do we do about all the people driving around drunk killing others? I mean, it's illegal to kill someone while driving drunk, but that sure doesn't stop it. What would stop it is if alcohol weren't so readily available - everywhere. It would be interesting to see if there are less drunk driver-related deaths in dry counties in the US.
I presume you are in favor of banning guns too, because people kill people with guns. And knives. And my new favorite, "smart" phones. Honest to God, I would rather be behind a drunk driver than one who is face effing his phone, because the drunk is at least trying to drive, while the phone zombie just happens to be driving while fornicating with his phone,
Sorry, but I'm not buying it. Kill someone while drunk driving. life in prison. . Kill someone with a gun. Life in prison. Kill someone while fornicating with your phone and driving. Life in prison. If you want to ban alcohol, ban guns, phones, and rank stupidity too.
FYI, a recent study has proven me out. More people are killed by phone effers driving than drunks.
If it isn't alcohol it will be something else. Take away the guns and knives or acid will be the weapon of choice. Take away the booze and there is still a veritable smorgasbord of mind-altering drugs out there. People will find a way, anyway. "weren't so readily available" is I think an idealized understanding of what would happen with a prohibition. All you have to do is look at gun violence in states with the strictest gun laws and....whole argument falls apart. People will find a way.
I'd rather tax dollars get spent on carrots, not the stick of the bureaucracy that would have to enforce such laws, as well.
EDIT: I do think legalized weed has been a disaster, and is pernicious, so my own logic is inconsistent here. I'll have to think about this more in order to make a better argument. You can ignore what I wrote, lol, for now!
That's interesting. I had never heard that prohibition was successful. It does seem that today alcohol is being pushed even within the church. I've heard stories of church leadership pushing alcohol on minors! The argument is that the Bible doesn't speak against it so we are free to do it but there is no discussion of potential addition to alcohol. The attitude is we are free to partake so why not. There are even Bible studies in bars to make it more attractive to the world. My husband has a saying, "What you win them with is what you win them to." His other saying is that people are asking the wrong questions; they want to see how close they can get to sin without crossing the line rather than asking how much can I be like Christ in my thoughts, attitudes and actions.
And that is why legalization of other substances is popular with the government...taxes. Although this hasn't worked out well in CO from what I've read. Most people are still going with the blackmarket because it's cheaper than the government regulated version. Plus, the money that must be spend on social ills far outweighs the benefit of making money through taxation. It hurts my heart to think of all the children who grow up in homes where substance abuse is a normal part of life.
And red state Alabama went for “medical” marijuana (yeah right; every state that legalized it recreationally started w/ the medical angle).
Now our super-majority Alabama legislature is pulling another one. Legalize gambling to regulate it & end illegal gambling.
Btw, we have laws outlawing gambling; how about enforcing those laws???
Oh wait! The Gambling industry (like the MJ Industry is passing out “incentives” to “public servants” who will make more than their salaries.
“Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a man.” -JC
Definitely true that our hearts are desperately wicked as God says in Jeremiah 17:9 . And God warns us in Galatians about using our freedom as an opportunity for the flesh.
Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh...16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.... 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, [a]for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
because when used by educated people, not nuts, it can be very helpful. and what we have IS NOT WORKING.
with anti depressants the "cure" iS ALWAYS WORSE THAN THE DISEASE> ask around, read up.
I am a therapist and have dealt with many who are DESPERATE to get off psych meds. we need alternatives.
A holistic approach has been quite successful in many cases of mental illness. Just changing one's diet to fresh and healthy foods and getting off sugar, processed foods and foods one test allergic to has turned many people around dramatically.
Many people fail to realize how dangerous alcohol is. The Salvation Army was founded on the basis of outreach to drunks. Prohibition didn't go well. People were so desperate for alcohol that in NY they were distilling furniture. Many died by their own intoxicating brews which turned out to be poisonous.
I’ve heard there is a global organization, devoted entirely to helping people stop using alcohol
Yeah I've heard that too, they all seem to be friends of a guy named Bill W. Consider him a friend myself, going on thirty five years now.
clean and sober 30 yrs, I did my trauma work, now drink wine when I feel like it. not recommending for everyone.
I DO RECOMMEND the 12 steps for EVERYONE. substance issues or not.
That sounds familiar. A pity I waited so long to become acquainted… so far so good
Prohibition didn't go well for a very small percentage of society addicted to alcohol. For the overwhelming majority it went just fine, in fact their lives improved.
When someone is addicted to a drug the answer is not to make it readily available so they don't do stupid things to get it.
The federal government literally poisoned alcohol during Prohibition killing thousands of people.
When they come for my red wine, that's when we're gonna fight!
😂😂😂
Another good podcast from a distinctly Catholic perspective is called The Exorcist Files. I know the name is a bit cliche, but super interesting dramatization of real-life stories and a thoughtful exploration of demonic activity. It also discusses Church teaching and talks to people of other faith traditions too.
Tucker did a show with an Exorcist Priest a few years back on Fox Nation. It was a fascinating discussion.
Who runs the podcast?
Here's a link to the "about" page on their website:
https://www.exorcistfiles.tv/about
Booze is legal for a reason and it does far more damage to people than weed. Young people smoking tons of weed is a serious problem. Alcoholism kills millions. Legality is important mostly in terms of incarceration and taxation.
There is a monetary incentive to industrialized marijuana. And the THC in the new plants is so high that it is causing schizophrenia. Not to mention that people I have seen that use, typically have low motivation to work. It does affect the brain. No substance will fix anyone's problems and typically creates more problems. It's scary to think how many people drive while under the influence of various substances. It's a miracle that there are not more fatalities on the road.
My son has Tourette Syndrome with really severe tics throughout school years. He was influenced in college into using medicinal marijuana to control the anxiety it caused and lessen his tics. And guess what? Four years later he was diagnosed with full blown schizophrenia. He went from being a hard worker, overcoming disability obstacles, and earning a B.S. to having no ability to work at all, no motivation or desire, and a complete change in his mental makeup. Now he is controlled by delusional thinking and occasional hallucinations. After being off marijuana for a full year, and off ALL pharma for two years, and on a ketogenic diet, he is calmer than he’s ever been before - with very little tics - but he still struggles with motivation because depression over what he lost settled in deeply.
I. Hate. Drugs. All drugs. He wasn’t a heavy drug user at all, but it ruined his life completely. Even medicinal marijuana is unsafe.
You might be interested in the series A Midwestern Doctor is doing on DMSO. It has some extraordinary healing benefits, many in the neurological space, but a whole assortment of benefits. I had used it on my horse back in the day (she fully recovered from a bowed tendon) and knew it was powerful for neuromuscular injuries, but AMD is covering things like strokes, headaches, nerve damage, etc. The series is in several parts, so check it out.
Love AMD! Thanks! I will
I agree that medicinal marijuana is unsafe. The high is quite addictive and has power to take control over your motivation.
Another LIE the enemy has brainwashed people with. It’s not addictive, it’s safe, it’s an herb, it’s medicine blah blah blah. Nope. And I have personal reasons I can say that. People in Florida are trying to legalize it now. Oregon did it - disaster. Colorado did it - disaster. Every single place has been a disaster. So now Florida. 😔 Nope. I will NEVER in my life EVER vote to legalize that crap or any other drug. I liked Juju’s last statement. And yours.
Yes. When one realizes that being high causes one not to care, being high as much as possible becomes a goal. Trust me, I know.
Please don’t think that his life is ruined. There is no way you can predict the future now that he is clean.
Talk to somebody about transcranial magnetic stimulation. That may be one answer for him.
I do recommend always remembering that God can redeem time lost
No no no! I had that 3 years ago and now I have very strange, loud booming tinnitus. Please be careful. I think it can induce structural changes of a longterm nature. I wish I had never consented to it. But you are so right that God can redeem lost time.
exactly. the potential for people to come back in sobriety is a story many need to hear, but you will only hear in AA.
I recommend everyone go and hear what is possible. Blessings.
His problem is when he attended the support groups everyone there was a recovering addict. He wasn’t an addict himself. He couldn’t relate to anybody at the meetings nor they him. He was only using it for medicinal purposes, but it harmed him. Not sure what kind of support groups there are for those that aren’t struggling with an actual addiction.
Your last paragraph is powerful. And I agree!
The neighborhood where I live has a homeless diagnosed schizophrenic whose family left him once his mother died. Evidently she was the only one that could handle him according to the family that has posted on social media. We are told he wasn’t always this way and many remember him as a talented student. I’m so sorry about your son’s situation and wish our healthcare agencies might provide a similar tactic of healthy eating over drugs!
JuJu, I am sorry for what happened to you and your son. He was a guinea pig, like so many of us.
I was a major pothead in high school (class of ‘84). The pot we got then was about 1/50th the strength people get now. I always ask, “What if beer were 50 times stronger today???”
Great point! That’s exactly the problem today. Our alcohol is the same strength. Pot isn’t. Plus a lot of it is laced with Fentanyl, and in CA the police told me that 100% of all samples they had gotten from the streets had fentanyl in it. Even the medicinal dispensaries aren’t as careful with who they get their stock from. They are supposed to be, but I saw something very different when we had to use them.
1970. I moved into a commune of student hippies. There was a lot of “house weed” and most were heavy users. By the end of the semester all but me had dropped out or flunked out. And I was making D’s and not caring. Amotivational Syndrome is a real thing. The only reason I didn’t crash and burn totally was that it had started to make me paranoid while using it. I really loathe the stuff and all the hype from its promoters. BTW, Alex Berenson’s wife was an ER shrink who made a compelling case for opposing it. He based his book on a lot of her observations of acute psychosis and schizophrenia among teenage users.
I know several people who had this happen during their usage of this “herb”. Oh palease! 🙄
I cringe every time I see someone using a smartphone while driving.
So dangerous...
When I used to ride a motorcycle all the time I became adept at identifying the behavior of an automobile based on how it was moving, which would tell me certain things, most notably, if they were using their phone or not, I quickly put them in my rearview mirror
IT certainly does affect the brain. Causing schizophrenia not so much. Sorry but that is on the level of Reefer MAdness.
They recently legalized marijuana in my state (Missouri). My doc said the ER's are seeing a huge influx of marijuana-induced psychosis this year.
Yep that’s what we were told by every doctor we have dealt with the past three years. Marijuana induced schizophrenia is everywhere, no matter what kind of user, mild or heavy use. They think it’s because many people today have more neurological issues from food and pharma, causing ADHD and ASD conditions. The extreme strength of the THC in all strains today is impacting something already stressed and out of whack. We didn’t have quite as many disabled kids when I was growing up and the few we had didn’t do recreational drugs at all. It’s a different story today. It doesn’t always mean it was caused by “extreme refer madness”.
Alex Berenson (the anti-Covid Scamdemic journalist) has written extensively on the link between weed and schizophrenia. It is an emerging area of medical concern, and not at all propaganda.
Weed stinks.
Might watch a very informative video on the subject at PragerU
https://www.prageru.com/video/whats-wrong-with-marijuana
So true! The MJ Industry is the main problem; unlimited funds, sneaky tactics.
I read a piece written by a guy who said he would encourage every one of his business competitors to use MJ. That way he’d beat them bc he’d keep his incentive to work hard & they wouldn’t. Voila!
It was entitled something quite clever but I’ve forgotten. Bet I have it saved…. somewhere.
Look at Kamala harris and how she oppressed the Black community in Oakland over weed, and other drugs. as well as throwing single moms in prison for truant children with health issues.
Watched an excellent PragerU video on the problems with marijuana.
https://www.prageru.com/video/whats-wrong-with-marijuana
That was a good video.
Smells like wet skunks.
South Dakota has a ballot measure this November to legalize recreational cannabis. There is so much $ behind this drive that their ads populate national news sites and use an image of Trump to promote it (I'm sure Trump does not promote it).
I was an election judge when it went on the ballot in MO in 2022. Steady stream all day of young people showing up to vote. The judges at the check-in table will often ask a young person when they check in if they are voting for the first time, and if they say yes, call out 'first time voter' and everyone claps. They were calling out ALL DAY LONG! Way more frequently than previous and more recent elections, hands down. My suspicion was that the pot amendment was the motivation, and that they voted D for the most part. R's lost some close races in purple areas and I blame the pot voters. It was a horrible amendment, 26 pages added to our constitution thanks to our overly lax initiative petition process, where big out of state money pays signature gatherers to put more crap in our constitution and low information voters vote for it as they never read the full text.
SD has 8 initiated ballot measures this Nov, all except one designed to destroy the existing culture, and those 7 are funded and managed by out-of-state money.
Ironic that the very thing that is supposed to empower and engage individuals politically - ballot initiation -i s being used to completely disenfranchise us.
In our case, the legislature is a bunch of cowards, Initiative petition reform comes up every year but never passes, in part as the D's & local media scream bloody murder about the R's trying to 'end democracy'. Not sure what is democratic about out of state $ paying signature gatherers who mislead the people who sign the petitions without reading them! We have an awful abortion amendment that is not just about abortion. It includes usurping parents rights on abortions and transgender surgeries, and would allow abortions up to birth. And 2 gambling amendments that claim 'money for education'. It's exhausting as the abortion fight is taking away volunteers and money for local candidates many with close races in purple and blue areas. Trying to do both but only so much blood from this turnip and hours in the day to volunteer.
Missouri extended the welcome mat to drug cartels and other nasties.
I sure hope it goes down in flames.
Or up in smoke 😊
South Dakota would do well to take the restraints off the farming of industrial hemp. It is the single most useful plant that can be applied to so many things. Fiber for dozens of applications, seed oil for a multitude of purposes. There are good reasons that it has been suppressed, and it aint because of gettin high.
Absolutely.
People are shocked to hear that hemp is AMAZING and pulling toxins out of the soil.
We are looking to buy land - if soil tests show high toxin levels, we have our plan.
So use something from plants which absorb toxins very well? I don’t understand.
I have read the MJ plants were planted at Chernobyl to purge soil of radioactive substances. Don’t remember if they had a plan for disposal of the tainted plants.
It can shrink tumors too which would upend the chemo/radiation market.
There are all manner of uses for cannabinoids!
What I object to is the younger generations using their bodies as abusement parks and then waking up years later with dain bramage.
it also helps with SEIZURES.
It’s a risk-benefit matter.
Using even “medical” MJ has consequences. It affects fertility & alters DNA for generations. Not good.
I just can’t hack the smell. It’s so gross. I tried a tea once and it smelled EXACTLY like pot smoking smells.
hemp saves forests~!!
When people start wanting about paper and Forrest, I just look at them sideways and basically say what you just typed
I can tell you from experience that Arizona took a hard left after the marijuana vote. The college kids came out in force for their weed and look where we are now. Teetering on the brink of Californication ( some say already gone). I now see desert-baked young homeless kids at every intersection with their sad cardboard signs. It did not use to be this bad, and they are getting younger and younger, it seems.
I could be wrong but I thought Trump supported very heavy regulated medicinal use. But that was it. What I love about him is he never drank or used drugs his whole life, and saw the dangers of both early on. He remained pure in spite of his wealth and contacts. Love that
The homeopathic materia medica is an interesting read on cannabis's mental symptoms.
Wrong. Trump is coming out in support of legalizing recreational marijuana. https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/09/politics/trump-marijuana-florida/index.html
First of all I don’t trust ANYTHING to be reported properly by CNN and their headline doesn’t exactly represent things he actually said. I also don’t trust any of their quotes to be accurate. These guys are editing things daily to spin a narrative.
When I’ve listened to Trump discuss it during interviews, it did not sound to me like full blown recreational support. A person’s small, individualized amounts are different than a dealer or large disbursements or selling to kids. He also is much more interested in the medicinal uses. I don’t agree with him on his stance because it ruined things in our own family, so I’m completely against legalizing any of it except for cancer patients, etc when provided by a doctor. But I also don’t think Trump is a “throw open the gates to all as much as they want and let it be everywhere” kinda person.
I just picked one link but there are many others. I get a conservative FL report online and it published an article when Trump said he would vote FOR recreational mj amendment in FL coming up, whereas DeSantis opposes it. I was sorry to see Trump say that because now many voters will go for it. And that will be a big problem if it passes.
We need more drunks and stoners in America! Make it legal today!!! BTW that’s sarcasm.
Easier to manage them when they come to the government for food and housing.
Sorry to say that Trump does promote it: https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/15/donald-trump-marijuana-legalization-00179205. The high THC level in plants now is damaging to the brain, and users show lower motivation, lowered IQ, and poor performance in school and work. It's just one more way to dumb down the population and make people more compliant. Medical Marijuana has its uses, but recreational is the last thing we need now.
I commented on this above. You guys are quoting leftists articles and they are not representing him honestly. I disagree with him on any legalization, but I know he isn’t for willy nilly, wide open legalization of all amounts anywhere and out in the open.
Even “medical” carries risks; fertility & procreation. It messes with DNA & doesn’t stop with the user. Passes to future generations (if procreation is even successful).
Source?
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41585-024-00868-w
file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/68/08/66584103-9377-427A-A696-05D3BE6B96CD/2022%20Reece%20Genotoxicity.pdf
there is ZERO POINT in jailing marijuana users. its a useless double standard. I am NOT a fan of weed and think a lot of education needs to go along with legalization. but more lives are ruined w Alcohol than w weed. or psilocybin, despite Jeff's funny story.
I am absolutely against jail time for marijuana users, but I am opposed to recreational use being legalized. I have done plenty of research on marijuana, and it does harm the health and mind of a regular user. Plus my husband is a counselor and has had plenty of clients whose lives have been ruined from it. Same with alcohol and other drugs. Life is hard; I get it that people want an escape, but to alter one's own mind in the long run is hurting oneself, one's family, and one's society.
I think that both THC and opioids have their place in a well educated Doctors tool kit. Prior to use the prescribing either for more then 3-5 days for acute injury, testing should be conducted to assess genetic compatibility. These are strong substances that should be reserved for serious medical events and even CS Lewis commented on the benefit of modern analgesics on physical suffering. As someone who has needed to use opioids for a serious medical issue, they were benifical in the short to mid term WHILE I holistically learned other pain management practices that enabled me to wean off the medication. Yes the standard of care needs to change but the ability to control physical suffering is a good thing. I do not support recreational use of cannabis in any capacity.
I can see your point of view. However, here in Florida it’s supposed to be legal only for medical use, but there are many medical marijuana stores everywhere. Doesn’t make sense that there are so many stores if it’s not being abused.
Laura, very intelligent knowledgeable comment. We need more Lauras!
Yes Michael has been reporting on the ground and helping those he could who are suffering under the open drug markets in California. He has seen the suffering caused by unrestrained drug use and has no f’s to give about legalizing any of it. He’s a good guy.
This is sort of an irrelevant question.
All substances should be legal. But as a culture we lack ritual and purpose, making them incredibly dangerous rather than helpful.
Culture is the issue here, not the substance, I’d argue.
So while ideally they should all be legal, they shouldn’t. Alcohol included.
So there really isn’t a legal solution so we should be focusing rather on our culture. This starts with our kids and ending the stranglehold of the Department of Education, and that’s just for starters. That’s my drug argument. And the DOE. When that’s done, it’s onto the next culture fix. It won’t be overnight.
Just my 2 cents.
"All substances should be legal."
Exactly what I believed.
And then I moved to a place (Seattle) where ZERO drug laws were enforced, and drug deals OPENLY occurred on the steps of the King County Courthouse.
The nearly 100,000 people living in filth under bridges, in tents next to expressways, and daily encounters with psychotics cured me of my libertarian naivete.
I was horrified to find that Oklahoma had made the mistake of legalizing marijuana when we returned. It ruins every place it occurs.
Portland just recently criminalized drug use!
They are backtracking!!! They legalized it all and then the stupidity of it all set in and they went -woah! Maybe this isn’t a good idea 🙄 🤦🏼♀️
It's a process called "Learning." What would be "stupid" would be having experience but failing to learn from it.
In theory, I agree, but in the real world, people have sought escape from the beginning of time. Of course making anything illegal just lines the pockets of criminal enterprises, but if it's legal gov will tax the sh*t out of it, and that is just lining the pockets of a different criminal enterprise.
Exactly.
So are you claiming that government knows best? Why shouldn’t people be free to decide what they put into their bodies?
They should be free to manage the consequences of their own decisions about what they put into their bodies without ruining the world for people who don't do the same and without forcibly extracting the wealth of competent people to pay for and support and enable the ones who choose to become incompetent.
This is my point as well, thank you.
Yup, same goes for the obese.
👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻💯
I agree, but fear the argument is one that has also been used against those of us who didn't take the covid vx. We were fortunate there didn't end up being physical consequences for most of us.
Big difference between not putting a foreign substance with unknown effects in one's body and putting a foreign substance with known negative effects in one's body.
Well stated. Screenshot this one!
TT,
Because what they put into their bodies can negatively impact the lives of others. Like we really need more stoned people driving around. Drunks are dangerous enough.
I don’t disagree with that. But the solution is to enforce the laws not control what people do with their own bodies in their own homes on their own time. They do need to be punished if they commit actual crimes . Driving while stoned is illegal.
I would also say that having to reattach a member negatively affects others because that makes healthcare prices go up.
I’m not advocating anything.
You advocated not legalizing anything more than booze.
Once we figure out how to keep the drunks off the road, I might think about legalizing pot. Might.
when we get past our prejudices many will see that Psychedelics, particularly the natural ones, have so much to offer us. I refer you to Gabor Mate's books esp IN THE REALM OF HUNGRY GHOSTS for the relationship of Trauma to Addiction and to his many youtube videos to learn more about effects on DEPRESSION. ANYTHING is better than these HORRIFIC PSYCH MEDS which are included in almost every mass shooter's medicine cabinet. along with a hefty push from cia /fbi I wager.
Quick somebody needs to tell Rogan! LOL
Ever wonder why alcohol is referred to as Spirits? Not good ones.