I liked that mention was made of no dispensaries accepting bitcoin. I think this is a real issue. Not quite sure why this is, other than it is difficult enough to try to go about with cash in a legal manner. If you throw something into the mix that can bring about money laundering charges as well as what ever else they are feeling like tossing into the mix.
Weed is just a plant, that is what i don't understand.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_Substances_Act is the best place to start i think. Leaves me scratching my head anyway. How archaic are we? Prescription meds where the side effects range from bleeding out of your ass, insomnia, depression, kidney and/or liver failure. I have been told that they need to list the possible side effects even if it has been just one person who has experienced the claimed effect. It makes sense that they warn you it could happen if you do such a thing. None of those things have ever happened as a result of me smoking. Maybe i get a little depressed when i am out ;P
It isn't that i need it to survive, or function. It adds a little sparkle back into life though. Makes things "fun" again. That child-like sense of wonder and adventure that often times seems to die as we grow older. It lets me feel that again. I am not out there raping men and women, eating babies, or anything crazy. Plenty of sober non-drug using individuals do tons of horrible things. I think people like to blame drugs because it makes coping with that dark side of humanity that much easier. It can't be that monsters truly exist, it has to be external influence that drives people to do horrible things to each other. Often times that may be the case, although it is usually how one internalizes things that leads to such drastic outbursts of emotions, or displays of lack of any emotion for that matter. Shooting people in movie theaters, shooting up schools, what ever, joining jihadists, eating people, pick your poison. If smoking marijuana made you any more susceptible to any of those things i could certainly understand why there was such a push to keep it illegal.
I don't doubt that excessively doing or using anything is good. It is all about moderation. I wonder often times how many people have brain issues, imbalances in chemicals and other psychotic issues, and that is what drives them to drug use to begin with. It is easier to demonize use and victimize the user than it is to try to put your self in the shoes of another. To see things from a perspective that is outside of your own. Instead of there being a war on what makes people use drugs to begin with (hint hint, usually mental illness, past traumas, or other horrific things) there is just a war on drugs and the users who seek solace in their effects. If the drugs aren't being used for recreational reasons and are being consumed daily then the individual is medicating. I think that is part of the issue in understanding drug abuse. All different types of people do drugs for all different types of reasons. The ones that receive the most focus are the habitual users, which while there may be nothing visibly wrong with them, something is most likely driving them towards daily drug use. At least this is what my self reflection has lead me to believe. Who doesn't have skeletons? The lucky ones... If they have found a drug that doesn't destroy their bodies and minds, doesn't hurt another, and allows them to cope with their issues, who the fuck is anyone to tell them they can't do that? Whole thing seems pretty shitty imo.
I was watching the news today, another sensationalized news story of course, but the topic is something to consider. Kids dying from "designer" drugs that are legally for sale online. Ya know what doesn't kill your kids, well it might give them heart problems if they wind up eating tons of doritos or other munchies. Good ol' mary jane.
There is no winning, there is no losing, there was no argument. It is just fucked up how easily manipulated people are.