Is Stephen Baldwin running for something? At one point he indicates marijuana is a gateway drug that leads to alcohol… ummm, Really? So does that mean he is a prohibitionist? And why is it he always looks stoned… hmmm? Ridiculous.
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#33–Pedro==fair debating point “but” I think you actually highlight the starting point: definitions.
What is a gateway drug? One that “leads to” another you would not have taken without the gateway, or you would have eventually anyway? I was going to post that MJ was “an indicator behavior” that one was open to experimenting and in breaking the law, a concomitant relationship, not casual.
I’m sure some maybe even most people on harder drugs first experienced MJ, but before that Beer, and before that Milk, and before that Mothers Milk. If you have “an addictive personality” does it matter what the order of drugs were that a. were available, b. were affordable?
I am always reminded of Eric Clapton’s answer to what was the first drug he ever got addicted to? Sugar.
36–Nth==good point. I’ve got to remember that. I certainly have done some real stupid things while drunk while friends have gone to work and performed without notice while stoned.
I wanted to let it sit for a while but I’ll state “the obvious” now: truly the most relevant/impactful/resolvable issue really is the legal status of drugs/people being free as opposed to opinions about health factors.
#39–Pedro==you are saying that smoking MJ is like playing russian roulette?
No, its not.
Maybe that false information/dogma is your central error?
MJ is relatively benign and safer than booze or cigarettes and even IS THE ONLY MEDICINE that helps certain conditions.
Let go of your tired old emotions.
IMO, there is one fundamental reason why marijuana is illegal: there is no test to determine whether someone is currently under the influence of the drug. Without it, law enforcement agencies cannot test drivers and until that happens it will remain illegal. The day they come up with said test, is the day it becomes legal.
#15
I was unaware that caffeine raises dopamine levels. I’ve never heard of someone getting high off coffee.
Number 15
“Paul talks about personal responsibility, but that is a smoke screen. Is he off booze and cigarettes and caffeine? I’ll bet he has a at least 1 out of three. But that personal responsibility means not overdue the booze and cigs and joe. As well as anything else like overeating, too much work, etc.”
Paul is the squarest person I’ve followed. He doesn’t smoke; at all his gatherings and parties during the primaries he only sipped on a glass of wine; and he doesn’t drink coffee.
Listen to other interviews, square to the max!
Pedro (#33),
I just wrote a research paper on the topic. I don’t smoke any substances and occasionally drink, so I don’t have a High Times bias here. There are no conclusive, peer-reviewed studies that demonstrate that marijuana is a gateway drug. If anything the studies have shown that cigarettes are the gateway drug, not marijuana. By lying to children about marijuana being a gateway drug, they don’t believe many other things we tell them (several studies did show that conclusion). So stop lying to the children, legalize marijuana, have controls like alcohol and cigarettes, and tax the daylights out of it. Otherwise, prohibit alcohol and cigarettes and let the cartel wars extend into out country like the mob wars during prohibition.
#35, Bobbo,
I am always reminded of Eric Clapton’s answer to what was the first drug he ever got addicted to? Sugar.
I’m reminded back in the olden days the retort was that 90+% of heroin addicts had used pot first while 100% had used milk first.
I might also point out that one cappuccino every two days isn’t moderation. That counts as negligible. Some might even count it as starvation.
As far as Curser’s comments go. I agree that normal people don’t need drugs to stimulate their brains.
I’d better warn my sister. She’s been toking for her Multiple Sclerosis a few years now (Canada, remember), and all those MS sufferers found in alleyways and ditches of late… now stoned homeless and broke, are a sure sign that we made a big mistake, eh?
Sis, if you are reading this, stop the MJ right now! The pain is better in the long run. Oh, I hope it’s not too late.
Marijuana is a gateway drug that leads to the munchies.
Did anyone else think the Stephen ‘looked’ stoned? hehehe …
Rejoice ganja smokers! The house of cards is falling and all they have is people like Steven Baldwin to hold it up. The weakness of his arguments and the strength of Dr. Paul’s spell out the end of this wicked policy that has imprisoned thousand of people for choosing to alter their own conciseness.
#21
Anyone who has studied human behaivour realises that humans are really only animals. Give an animal the chance to gorge on food, drink, whatever and it will not stop. It sees no reason to do so. Humans are not much farther away. Give them a buffet, they gorge. A free bar, they drink to excess, bowl of ludes, they take a handful. Free coffee refills, they are there.
Dopamine is a standard issued chemical in our brains, in every brain. Over-stimulated and it will, like any addict of anything can tell you, you need more and stronger. More booze, more pot, more sex, more base jumping, more roller coasters, more marathons. It releases dopamine and it makes you feel GREAT. That is its job.
If you cannot accept that basic animal fact of even the human animal. Then nothing will convince you otherwise.
#38
I endorse moderation. Sobriety implies the adverse of drunkenness. One does not need to get beyond control to be happy. In fact, it is not being happy at all, its being deluded.
Drunkenness, stoned, high, whatever you like is unhealthy for yourself, your loved ones and society. It costs every single one of us money, resources and time when people go overboard and either injure themselves or others.
As the saying goes, no man is an island.
To all, as a child that suffered physical, mental and emotional scaring from an alcohol addicted dipsomaniac; I know beyond doubt that addiction and overuse of anything is more brutal and inhumane than just shooting someone in the head.
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Generally people do not take drugs because they NEED them. We take them because they are fun. Any substance not taken with care or overused can be bad for you (and others if alcohol is the drug).
#41 The police in my home state in Australia have a saliva test for marijuana use designed to be applied to drivers. Funnily enough, the first person to be charged using this test as evidence got off on a false positive.
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“Humans do not need to be triggering these biochemical responses for fun. They are survival mechanisms, not a play toy. It goes back to the oldest argument, just because you CAN does that automatically mean you SHOULD.”
yes this is a question of want not need
Humans have been ingesting just about every thing that won’t kill them sense the dawn of man. As soon as humans find something that alters our brain chemistry in a pleasurable way we try to get more of it. To think a law can change that is delusional. Legend has it goats discovered coffee I don’t think its just Humans.
Paul talks about personal responsibility and thats whole enchilada(mmm enchiladas) . These substances are out there and will be used if you make the relatively safe ones illegal people will just break the law to get them or use unsafe but easy to get substances like inhalants.
I don’t come to these attitudes lightly
Alcohol killed my Grandfather(liver disease) cigarets killed my Mother(lung cancer) Yes its very sad but they only harmed them selves and they enjoyed life. With out Free Will and the personal responsibility that comes with that what’s the point of living?
You and I have chosen not to drink, smoke or toke but as long as your neighbors are not hurting you why should you care what they are doing. I’m sure at some point in your life you have engaged in an activity of risk(hiking nordic skiing in the woods?) that community might have needed to help you out if some thing went wrong.
Education of the young to not use/do or to only use/do responsibly is the solution.
Ask Bristol Palin who is now an unwed mother of a new baby whose father is out of the picture now that the campaign is over how that Nancy Reagan “Just Say No” plan worked out.
Teach personal responsibility temptations will always be their law or no law.
Enough ranting off to get and the a double-shot 16oz Americano no room.
#52
Is it not also the case that they have banned driving with any trace amounts of THC in your system? This is far from an accurate determination of “under the influence” while driving. Someone can smoke pot the night before and realistically be completely fine driving the next day and therein lies the rub. AFAIK, there is no accurate test that would hold up in court as to whether you were high at the time you were driving.
#54 Yes, I believe this is the case. Im really not sure how widely it is being applied, but Im pretty sure you can be charged even if there are week old ‘traces’ picked up on the test.
I think the only true test is for the cops to bring out a plate of fresh donuts, and if you scoff the lot they charge you for being stoned 🙂
Viva los biodome!
The debate between Stephen Baldwin and Ron Paul is the typical conversation you would expect with a conservative bible thumper – it’s all about legislating morality (theirs).
Ron Paul assesses the issue with facts on drug war failure, its cost, historical precedence with alcohol and government intrusion.
Never mind that. Baldwin looks at the problem with church goggles. This is like Einstein debating the universe with a penguin.
MJ leads to dancing, Dancing leads to sex, NUFF SED!!
I’m just in shock that Stephen Baldwin has the balls to give people advice on drug use.
Baldwin vs Paul, total BS and a setup. Common practice by the media when they want to push an agenda, get two people to debate the issue, one credible and one a total nut-job…
Here’s the problem, which one’s the nut-job?
#61. That would be you.
pedro-your ignorance knows no bounds. Please cite your specific sources and research that link marijuana use to other drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Otherwise, kindly shut up.
Ron Paul is not a Republican, he’s a Libertarian who ran as Republican because he’s smart enough to know the US has devolved into a two-party system where other parties are excluded from the ‘democratic’ process. He’s all for personal responsibility.
The fact that Baldwin made boatloads of money from movies that glorified marijuana use now is saying it’s bad for other people to use it is the absolute height of hypocrisy.
When the government gets the hell out of all of our lives and we are allowed to govern ourselves the better off we’ll all be.
61-if you want to think that Ron Paul, who endorses personal responsibility is a nut job, are you actually admitting that you are incapable of making decisions on your own and you need the government to make them for you? Damn that’s a scary thought, but, from reading your comment, it’s apparent that you’re a mindless moron who can’t make any decision on your own.