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I cant believe 35% smoke pot every week. The other 30% - how frequently? ALL Americans? I know you're not making these up but it's difficult to imagine.
I've seen some scientific research and polls that prove the point. I'll have to look it up.
Its not hard to believe if you look at the amount of Marijuana being grown and imported in America. I'm willing to bet that if you take 10 of your freinds, at least 3 of them smoke pot, weekly, monthly tops.
The numbers I've seen vary, as with any poll on an illegal activity, some people just aren't willing to tell you the truth.
The 65% and 35% are the far end estimates. The above link is about the most scientific, and close to reality estimates I've seen. But as I said before, how many people are willing to tell a polster that they use an illegal drug.
Interesting numbers, the numbers stop in 2001, and usage has increased since then. At the time, those 18 to 25 and 26 to 34 had the highest percentage of past use, and current use.
Check out the numbers on Alcohol, 3 out of 10 Americans drink Alcohol on a weekly basis.
Thats not far from the number of Americans smoking pot on a weekly basis. Even the most conservative estimates are around 10% of Americans smoke on a weekly basis.
Its crazy that people think of this is a hard drug, and think of the users as drop outs and losers. Its simply not the truth. They fail to educate themselves on the world around them, and thats sad.
If you think of it on a level of Prohibition, lets say 2 out of 10 Americans were drinking weekly before Prohibition, because it was likely people had the money for a drink, and it was frowned upon by more then. So after prohibition, its likely that the number dropped to around 1 in 10.
Thats the exact number even the most conservative analysis says smokes grass today. So why not legalize it? Prohibition of alcohol was a bad idea, same with Marijuana. Those people who want to "hang" all illicit drug users are just crazy.
Nothing wrong with not trying drugs, I'd just like it if those who don't, don't look down or persecute those who do. We are your freinds, your neighbors, bosses, parents and children.
IN the late 1970s, I recall my dear departed grandfather, who would have turned 100 next year, chastising my uncle for his pot smoking combined with poor grades and lack of motivation. Grandaddy also informed him, "You punks think you discovered something? You don't know squat. This dope ain't nothing compared to what we smoked during WWII."
Oh, god what a flashback!
I could never figure out, talk about naive, how my 70 year old grandfather knew every time I lit up around his house. Some how the conversation came up at his funeral and his brother and sister both fell over laughing as they pointed out that my generation hadn't invented "muggles". Turns out he and everybody else were getting high throughout the 30's and 40's. As a Jazz buff, I was rather stupid on my part to have assumed they had lived a squeaky clean existence.
Next chapter, discovering that boomers didn't invent extra-marital sex.
It's surprising to me just how many people I encounter who eventually reveal that they have at one time consumed illicit narcotics. I'm in my thirties, and even when I was a rock and metal musician, I never touched weed or any other illegal substance. Is it just me or is getting high disturbingly pervasive in our society?
Let's have a look in your medicine cabinet shall we? To me, there is no distinction between being illegally "high" and legally "high". There are lots, and lots and LOTS of people out there who don't mind paying the doctor's fee (or in most cases, using their INSURANCE) for the excuse of getting a prescription that makes it all *OK*. They are just as guilty, IMHO as someone who goes to see Tyrone on the street for a little "pick me up".
And also, I don't think that people who smoke weed should be lumped in with people who use the hard stuff. Although I do not partake personally, I think that pot is relatively harmless in the grand scheme of things.
I read online somewhere (sorry, did not save link) that people over 60 take, on the average, of 13 prescription drugs per day. Have yoiu seen them drive? There is a misconception that old people are slow and dody. NO THEY ARE NOT. It is the DRUGS that they are taking that make them that way.
Over-prescribed medications is a HUGE problem in this country and one that should be addressed as vehemently as illegal drugs. So unless your medicine cabinet is free of meds, you have no right to point fingers.
I'm not only under than age of 70, I'm under the age of 60.
I have never gotten high.
And I support the legalization of marijuana.
Funny how The Party That Wants To Get Government Out Of Our Lives can be very selective about where they poke their nose into what should be other peoples' private business.
Did you ever have a drink of alcohol before you were 21? Did you ever try a cigarette when you were a kid before you were 18?
Odds are you did.
Polls show that over 65% of Americans today smoke Marijuana. Over 35% smoke it on a regular basis (once a week). That puts it on par with alcohol in consumption numbers in this country.
The list has been shown many times of great "pot-heads" in our history, and in our current culture.
I graduated college with a 4.0, and I'm a pot smoker. I have a great job, I have a great kid, I have a good life.
Where in the world do you get your "facts"? That's ridiculous.
People are free to do what they want, but to the OP's question, yes, it's a disturbing trend. The point of smoking weed is to get high. Period. The usual cast of characters is jumping in comparing it to alcohol, cigarettes, etc., but the fact is that you can partake in those without getting high. You cannot smoke weed without getting high. Yes, you can abuse those substances and that's just as dangerous, but it's possible to have one drink.
My thoughts are that it's sad that people feel the need to use a substance to escape their lives.
I know there are plenty of people that smoke pot and are functional, but I know that there are millions more that smoke pot, and it causes them to be pretty much worthless to society.
It's surprising to me just how many people I encounter who eventually reveal that they have at one time consumed illicit narcotics. I'm in my thirties, and even when I was a rock and metal musician, I never touched weed or any other illegal substance. Is it just me or is getting high disturbingly pervasive in our society?
I never have, never will engage in drugs, and I agree that it IS a disturbing trend. It seems that people just don't care anymore, about themselves, their communities or anyone else. The decline of moral values and community focus I think has a lot to do with it along with a fundamental lack fo self worth and education.
I'm in my 20s, and I have never used an illegal drug or smoked. I've also rarely drink (probably about one drink a year if that). I find that most of my friends drink and smoke to loosen themselves up for going out, and since I already like to dance and I'm pretty uninhibited anyway, I really don't feel the need to do anything else. I also don't care what anyone else does. It's their life, and it's not my place to judge.
Where in the world do you get your "facts"? That's ridiculous.
People are free to do what they want, but to the OP's question, yes, it's a disturbing trend. The point of smoking weed is to get high. Period. The usual cast of characters is jumping in comparing it to alcohol, cigarettes, etc., but the fact is that you can partake in those without getting high. You cannot smoke weed without getting high. Yes, you can abuse those substances and that's just as dangerous, but it's possible to have one drink.
My thoughts are that it's sad that people feel the need to use a substance to escape their lives.
I know there are plenty of people that smoke pot and are functional, but I know that there are millions more that smoke pot, and it causes them to be pretty much worthless to society.
Jeez, you need to calm down, get off your high horse & quit judging people. The typical movie type pot smoker that you're referring to as "worthless" is a very small minority. Why should you even care? What do you consider worthless? Because they simply smoke pot? They do it on the weekends when they don't have to work the next day? What, those few hours when they smoke on the weekends, they watch movies & eat? Give me a break. Y'all need to turn it back on yourself sometimes, what's w/the superiority attitudes?
It's surprising to me just how many people I encounter who eventually reveal that they have at one time consumed illicit narcotics. I'm in my thirties, and even when I was a rock and metal musician, I never touched weed or any other illegal substance. Is it just me or is getting high disturbingly pervasive in our society?
Have you ever had alcohol?
What about NyQuil?
What about Tobacco?
Any Caffeine?
Those are all narcotics, they're just legal...
Marijuana is safer than many legal products, so an arbitrary legal status really doesn't make a difference. What is more disturbing is how pervasive ignorance has become in our society. Have you ever seen those shows like "Street Smarts" or Jay Leno's "Jaywalking"? It's amazing how stupid people are, and that's far more scary than a PhD student lighting up a joint after studying for 4 hours.
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