Syk3

[url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=42879]Putting up banners/avatars[/url] Please refer to the above Sticky thread, which was in the Art by Request forum because that is likely where people will need it most. ;) Hope that helps.

[quote name='Annalisse][color=darkslategray']Sorry man, the image isn't downsized. How could it be? I still can't really make out the font. I don't know if it's my computer or whatever, but I still can't read it clearly. It doesn't need to be too much bigger; maybe one size up.[/color][/quote]It probably is your computer if the font seems small and the image isn't downsized, because it looks fine on my computer. If that's the case, your resolution is higher than ours. I like your alterations on Morpheus a lot. The way he kind of fades into the background, and is all Matrix-ey-distorted, is really cool. It looks like you have the contrast up pretty high to pull that off. The text below the title and subtitle is nice, too.

[quote name='Katamari666']I thought you just use the little dotted line thing..

[QUOTE=Manic Webb]Actually, quitting really is that simple. It's not easy, but it's simple. Just put down the cigarette and never pick it up again. Have you ever heard the phrase "I can quit whenever I want"? The reason most people don't stop smoking cigarettes is because they simply don't [i]want[/i] to, even though they know it'll give them cancer. Problem is, a risk or chance of danger usually isn't enough to motivate people. Imminent danger usually can, though. My grandmother tried to quit for years. The gum, the patch, smoking less, ect, and it never worked. When her doctor told her that she [i]will[/i] die unless she quit smoking, she quit cold turkey that day. That was 4 years ago, and she hasn't smoked since. She quit, and she "sucked it up." Tobacco will put you through major withdrawls, sure, but it is possible to quit cold turkey. Pregnant women quit cold turkey. Heck, Morpheus just said that his grandfather's sisters quit cold turkey. No one said it would be easy. It's just simple.[/QUOTE]Well, I suppose there are certain ways to be scared out of doing something again, which can happen with a lot of things. And yes, the only person who really needs to take action is the person smoking. The process of just putting down the cigarettes is simple enough, I'll give you that, but to actually do it is often extremely difficult due to the physically addicting qualities. That's all I'm saying. A lot of people who use the phrase "I can quite whenever I want" are very likely in denial, and won't admit to being addicted to nicotine. But for those who understand their addiction, I don't know a single person who is glad that they depend on the substance. It's a lot easier said than done.

[quote name='Morpheus']I agree with Chabichou(Who thought that would ever happen?). Tabacco is nasty and I'm sick of breathing it. The people that are addicted to nicotine can just suck it up. You can quit cold turkey if you want to (My Grandfathers sister shows that). You've got to put down the pack and not buy again.[/quote][i]What?![/i] Do you even know what you're saying anymore? lol Just quitting nicotine really isn't that easy; your body comes to depend on it, which is why people have so much trouble getting off cigarettes and have to resort to patches. o_O You can try to quit, sure, but you'll go through physical withdrawal of the substance, and to tell people to just suck it up shows how uninformed you really are. [quote name='ChibiHorsewoman']You'd be amazed at how long you can go without knowing. For example, you could be under a lot of stress, which can cause your period to be late. You may think that it's just the stress. My best friend didn't show until she was 8 months along and she knew she was pregnant. It's entirely possible to not show or have your period through the pregnancy. Ah the amazing thing that is a woman's body .[/quote]You're missing the point. You have sex, you check if you're pregnant. If you use a condom, check if it's broken, and if you're on birth control and miss your period, be cautious and check just in case. This is a pretty irresponsible way to have sex. [quote][i]Welcome to the world of homosexual couples that want to get married. Ok, so they don't get hauled off to jail, but the government is still unwilling to change their veiws. I'm not sure what to add to this.[/i][/QUOTE]This is obviously a seperate topic for another time, but honestly, I don't agree with prohibiting same-sex marriage either. So I guess it depends on where you stand on that issue in order to justify your point that the government should or shouldn't make marijuana legal.

[quote name='Harry']Numerous studies have pointed to an increase of chances for schizophrenia. I really shouldn't have to say this to you if you've done any research at all.[/quote]You mean if predisposed, or are you saying materializing from scratch? If predisposed, yeah, we agree on the possibility of those kinds of mental disfunctions.

[quote name='ChibiHorsewoman][color=darkviolet'] She also didn't know she was pregnant until the second month and was -as you are as well-addicted. And you're an idiot for starting as well.[color=black][/quote][/color][/color] [color=darkviolet][color=#000000]How could you not know you were pregnant until the second month? o__o;; She should have picked up on that [i]much [/i]earlier.[/color][/color] Secondly, for the nth time, marijuana is not addictive. It isn't a substance that your body will become physically dependant upon. There's a certain [i]psychological[/i] addiction, but it's all habit-forming, which can happen with literally anything. Because of this.. it's pointless to use that argument. I have [i]never [/i]talked about my own experience with marijuana at all in any one of these threads. Why would you think that I'm "addicted"? Because I'm supporting it? Do you think that everyone who supports the herb is only doing so because they have some strange facination and are trying to justify their habit? O_o Tell me, because I'd like to know. Zeta here has been clean for six months. [color=darkviolet] [color=black][quote][i][/color]HOw is job loss, from having to submit to drug tests, an underlying problem? And getting shot...well maybe if the idiot hadn't been trying to go and buy drugs in the first place he wouldn't have gotten shot at. Neither of them would have had these problems if it wasn't for getting involved with doing drugs in the first place[/color][color=black][/i][/quote][/color] [color=black]How is job loss a problem? How is getting shot by purchasing marijuana on the black market a problem? Well maybe if it wasn't for the drug being illegal, there wouldn't be anything to stand in the way of there being an issue.[/color] [color=darkviolet][color=black][quote][i][/color]You miss read what I was saying. I meant that since I have no emotional ties to you, I reallly don't give a damn what you do. I wasn't saying that I support legalizing marijuana for [b][i]RECREATIONAL PURPOSES[/i][/b]. I just was saying I don't care what you do with your life.[/color][color=black][/i][/quote][/color] [color=black]If you don't care what we do with our lives, though, how would that be different if the herb was legal? So suddenly it becomes legal, and you care what we do with our lives. It won't affect you, after all. No one is saying that you have to do it, but if it was legal, people would have the choice.[/color] [color=darkviolet][color=black][quote][/color][i]You know what? Stop blaming other people for not reading your posts and start to read other people's posts. If it's legalized for [b]purely medical reasons it's ok. What do I care if my elderly neighbor is helping her gluacoma with some stinky plant? [/i] [i]But you're talking about legalization for recreational purposes so you can relieve 'stress'. I'm against that.[/i][/color][color=black][/quote][/color] [color=black]But the concequences you were listing for using pot in the first place all were directly related to whether or not the herb was legalized. lol And you said you don't care if, and only if, your neighbor is using it medically, but earlier you also said you don't care what we do with our lives. You're contradicting yourself, ChibiHorseWoman. So which is it? Regardless of legality, you do care or you don't care if other people use it recreationally?[/color] [color=darkviolet][color=black][QUOTE][i][/color]Because,amazingly enough, when you use a toothbrush and toothpaste you can brush your teeth and get rid of plaque. Isn't that amazing?! You can also do this crazy thing called excersize. It works really really good.[color=black][/i][/quote][/color][/color] [color=darkviolet][color=#000000]Like Zeta said, excersizing and maintaining a healthy diet are extremely effective when using marijuana. I still can't understand why you are trying to defend junk food and not pot for the same reason. Because you eat junk food a lot and hate the thought of marijuana? [i]That[/i] is bias.[/color] [color=black][quote][i][/color]I can jump all over marijuana as you keep whining about because marijuana does have serious effects on unborn babies even when done in moderation. Those are the facts. Unbiased nuetural facts.[/quote][/color][/i] [color=black]Don't get me wrong -- you're stupid if you smoke while pregnant. But in moderation, your baby isn't going to come out with one eye and no nose. Where in the hell are you getting these "facts"? XD[/color]

Before I start, I'd like to take a moment to welcome Morpheus and ChibiHorseWoman back to the debate. ^_^ We missed you guys. [QUOTE=Siren]Syk, you're missing one very important detail. Harvard University is neutral research. As I said before to Zeta, I scoured Harvard's page and there's one mention made of federal funding in some 13 pages of Finance background, and in about 20 pages of various other Harvard bios. Their funding primarily comes from private fundraising, most notably spearheaded during the late 90s, I believe. They're not getting funded by the government. You want to talk about neutral studies? They're about as neutral as you can get, and they're reporting results that are a lot more dangerous than you find reported on your support sites.[/quote]Are you sure you read it? Perhaps you missed the point about how further research must be done on a number of levels to say for sure exactly what effects are caused by marijuana usage. It can be as neutral as you want it to be; the data they collected is only a thin bottom layer of experiments that in the future will conclusively prove what is fact and what is wishfull thinking. Even so, some of the "data" that they have collected is very misleading, but I'm planning on addressing that specifically in a future post. [quote][i]At least touch upon the redundancy of the Pro-Legalization argument, on how Legalizing marijuana will do very little to actually solve any of the problems seen today, how very little will actually change if MJ is Legalized. The only real change we'd see with Legalization is people being able to walk around in public, stoned. That's it, and that's not going to be a benefit for society. I don't see how anyone could deny that, regardless of what "side" they're on.[/i][/quote]If that's the only thing that you believe will happen, then you are being rather naive. You think legalization, you think more stereotypical pot heads running around? Geeze, no wonder you don't support it. lol I've already discussed legalization in past posts, so apparently you skipped over it. I think pot becoming legal would be a sort of mixed blessing. Obviously, like Heaven's Cloud said before, you don't weigh the benefits of something you legalize, you weigh the concequences. If the concenquences can be controlled, then I'm all for it. This means stricter laws for driving high, for unlawful distribution, etc. For the most part, these would be similar to alcohol restrictions in the sense that the laws would be doing their best to ensure responsible use. What makes you think you'll be seeing these pot heads in public if you aren't allowed to be drunk in public? Besides, a lot of the money that they are spending on anti-marijuana campaigns could be used to combat much more dangerous drugs and other substances. Keep in mind that I support marijuana, not irresponsible marijuana [i]abuse[/i]. A lot of you seem to trip and fall without grasping this point. [quote][i]Oh, c'mon, lol. "Pink Floyd wrote great music while high. Therefore, marijuana is good"? We should see pot as a good thing simply because a few fantastic albums came out of its use during the 60s and 70s? Just like how we should view deafness as a blessing, just because Beethoven wrote some glorious music while he was deaf? Be sensible, Greg, be sensible.[/i][/quote]The 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and even now.. a lot of great music that you listen to was created with the help of marijuana and other drugs. If you don't think that they have done anything for society, then throw it all away. This doesn't have anything to do with marijuana being such a wonderful herb, it's about the benefits, or "redeeming qualities", that it can have in bringing out creativity and imagination. Some could argue that deafness is a blessing because it allows you to view the world in a completely different way. :p Just like marijuana. [quote][i]EDIT: As Zeta has been unable to understand the concept of an unreliable narrator in the past, I'm going to also take my leave here. With time (meaning, as Zeta graduates from high school and gets out of the small pond), he'll come to understand that pot consumption has very little place in the real world. And, it's interesting that the only two here arguing for marijuana are high schoolers, while the majority of those arguing against (on any level) MJ have long since graduated and have begun mapping out their lives.[/i] [i]There are many more productive things one does with one's time, and many more concerns and responsibilities than one finds in high school. Zeta's (and Greg's) preoccupation with pot will disappear entirely once they start looking for a job (drug testing will see to that), and the pothead lifestyle (i.e., getting high everyday) will become a distant memory.[/i][/quote]Okay, you want to talk about bias? How about just brushing aside any and all liable points brought out by people because of their age? O_o Ignorance at it's finest. But I guess since you're off to college now and since high school is all busy work, we should be praising you because of your infinite knowledge, since you're obviously better than us. Or you could grow up and stop being so damn stubborn about debates, trying to convince others of completely irrelevent information in an attempt to say that our opinions are worthless. You could care less about this topic than just being absolutely unwilling to let someone else have the last word. Sorry about that. I got away from myself a little there.. [quote][i]Ultimately, anyway, this (high schooler pot) is just a phase.[/i][/QUOTE]On the contrary, lol. The most crucial point for the effects of marijuana to be damaging would be adolescence, since you are still going through both physical and mental growth. Once you get out of college, though your mind is still going through it's natural learning process, that's actually the safest time to use the herb, health-wise, because you won't have to worry about getting off any of the wrong tracks in school. People who started smoking at 16 and continue to smoke regularly/excessively will, very likely, act like they are 16 at age 36. This is exactly why an age restriction would be in place for the drug, probably at 21. But these specific learning effects are, for the most part, entirely temporary, in that they will go away if you quit smoking. [quote name='Morpheus']I'm taking the same point as James: You can't say it's safe or good for you.[/quote]No, you're not taking the same point as James. James is using specific examples and data to back up his beliefs, while you are using the same general argument that you have been for the entire thread, something that's representative of what schools teach you to think about the herb. While not without its concequences, marijuana is a good choice if you want to be responsible in getting high, something that is very misunderstood by those who have taken in what they have heard from the government all their lives without question. [QUOTE=ChibiHorsewoman][color=darkviolet]Ok, so some of us who are replyingto this thread may not have smoked MJ, but some of us [i]have[/i] seen the effects that Marijuana has had on people close to us. One of my friends had a misscarriage, my brother's friend was shot at. And my brother lost a few jobs.[color=black][/quote][/color] [color=#000000]Well, your friend was admittidly rather stupid for smoking to the extent to cause a misscarriage. The other two are both personal reasons that they, or you, may give not to start. If I haven't mentioned it before, things such as that are perfectly acceptable reasons not to get involved. But to use that soley to argue against marijuana in general is just rediculous, and something that I won't stand for.[/color] [color=black][quote][i][/color]You keep saying that bad things won't happen to you even if you keep doing drugs and maybe they won't. Maybe you'll keep on smoking into your 40's and get some cushy government job. [/i] [i]Or maybe you'll just lose your mind, or be shot to death by your dealer. Either way it's not anyone's concern but yours.[color=black][/i][/quote][/color] [color=#000000]If you think that it should be up to someone to decide for themselves whether they want to get involved, then how is that different from supporting legalizing the herb?[/color] [color=black][quote][i][/color]There is good and bad in everything in this world. There are health benefits to marijuana it can be used as a pain reliever. And there are also consequeces with marijuana. You can lose custody of your kids, you can lose your home, your job ect....[color=black][/i][/quote][/color] [color=#000000]Oh, my mistake. I thought you didn't want it legalized. But based on these consequences, clearly that would be the logical answer.[/color] [color=black][quote][/color][i]The reason you can have chips, candy bars and caffiene is because those don't rot your brain...they don't have serious effects on unborn babies when used in moderation. But hey, you already knew that because you're so smart.[/i][/color][color=#000000][/quote][/color] When used in moderation.. no, there aren't serious effects on unborn babies. O.o And chips, candy bars, and caffiene all rot your teeth, as well as your health. How can you support that and suddenly jump all over marijuana for these similar effects?

[QUOTE=James][color=#334366]The only thing is, some people (quite a lot apparently) [i]don't[/i] know about very large chunks of data related to marijuana research (including the example I posted earlier on). If people know the risks and they still choose to take it, I'm not going to criticize them; it's their choice. My aim isn't so much like Morpheus; if you smoke, I really don't care. That's your choice. All I'm saying is that it's important to dispel the myth that marijuana isn't harmful or linked to several health problems/risks. Once that myth is broken, adults can make edjucated choices about their use of the substance (in the same way as junk food, cigarettes or alcohol).[/quote][color=black]Okay, so now you're getting into what's going on in the minds of people who choose to smoke. That their choice is uneducated due to the fact that they don't know exactly what they are doing to their body. This is the kind of irresponsible use that we've both been talking about; if you're not going to be responsible with the herb, you won't even bother looking for the facts, and I can't condone any such usage.[/color] [color=black]It's going along a never-ending cycle, though. Back in the pre-1930s, people would have most likely believed that it's perfectly safe. And considering how much less potent it was back then, it very well may have been for the most part.. excluding the smoke. The Reefer Madness, as they call it, began after it had been prohibited, which made people think that it was going to kill you if you so much as smelled it. After a while, people began to use it again and believed that it really was harmless. These days, schools are teaching that while being made out to be completely harmless, marijuana is [i]extremely[/i] bad for you. Growing up in this generation of information, Zeta and I have been trying to convince others that what we learned as kids was misleading, and want others to be better prepared to understand the truth. As Zeta puts it, "I am not saying the government was 100% wrong, I am saying they aren't 100% right." On the same note, you're trying to convince others who think that it's harmless that there are some concequences, though not to the extent that the government does.[/color] [color=black]In a lot of ways, we're preaching similar things to a different set of people, and therefore, we stress different things. You are saying to those who think that it's harmless that there are consequences. We are saying to those who used to think it was harmless, but then changed their opinion because of what they learned in school, that it's safer than they think it is. We're not saying that you're wrong that pot isn't completely harmless, just as you're not saying that we're wrong that responsible and moderate use is alright (I think).[/color] [color=#000000]But if people aren't going to be responsible, they won't listen to us, or you. Perhaps more than wanting the herb to be legalized, at least at the moment, we would like schools to teach something that's much closer to the facts, in order to prepare people to make the right decision. Abuse of marijuana would then be much easier to discern "uninformed" from "irresponsible".[/color] [/color][color=#334366][quote name='Me][i][color=#000000']No one here is saying that marijuana is a harmless drug. No one is saying that there are no problems associated with it.[/i][/quote][/color][/color] [color=#334366][quote name='James][i']Well, no, that's not true really. Zeta directly said that no matter how much you smoke, it won't have any impact. lol[/i][/quote][/color] [color=#334366][quote name='Zeta]Morpheous said in the thread Falsely Accused that I posted saying that marijuana was harmless. Not true. I never said such a thing. I have repeated over and over, that I know it isn't harmless. But what I have said is that [i]it is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be.[/i] there is a difference between that and saying it is harmless.[/QUOTE][quote=James']The problem isn't that I'm trying to make it out to be worse than it is -- the problem is that some of you are making it out to be a lot more harmless than it really is. That's the key issue.[/quote][color=black]Other than some specific issues, we agree with you for the most part that it is harmfull on various levels. But if you switch the words in your statement, it might as well be me talking.[/color] [color=black]"The problem isn't that I'm trying to make it out to be safer than it is -- the problem is that some of you are making it out to be a lot more harmfull than it really is. That's the key issue."[/color] [quote][i]But yeah, as I said, if everyone is working off the same research data (and many are working off wonky, emotive data), then we can start making real choices about the drug (ie: legalization or just personal use itself).[/i][/quote][color=black]That's very true. Even what seems like the most nuetral research could look, to either side, like biased data. You have to know where to draw the line to pick out honest, truthfull facts that will ultimately decide how we can make educated decisions on legalization. Like I quoted in my last post.. prohibition laws should be based on how dangerous a substance is.[/color][/color] [quote name='MistressRoxie][color=#9933ff]If MJ was to become legal, I believe the government should then have to run a shitload of PSAs (Public Service Announcements) to tell about the short and long term effects (from medical studies) of using the drug. I think if they did it that way, people would have the knowledge to choose whether or not to use MJ. A lot of the people I know usually have a one-sided perspective of the issue, and I think the facts would be nice.[/color'][color=black][/quote][/color] [color=#9933ff][color=black]Ideally, I totally agree. But they would have to be completely unbiased facts.. not the "facts" the government has been saying about the herb for years.[/color] [font=Verdana][size=2][color=black][quote][i][/color][/size][/font]I know some of you are saying that it's not harmful because it "[i]only[/i]" causes mental problems in those where the genetic predisposition is already present. But isn't that still harmful to you? I think that's something important to note, even if it is a minor footnote. Wouldn't you want to know that if you have a family history of lung problems, cigarettes (MJ will do it too) will make it worse? If you've got liver problems to begin with, wouldn't you want to know that excessive drinking will make it worse? To completely disregard that fact is called "tilting the facts in favor of your position."[color=black][/i][/quote][/color] [color=black]I don't know where you're reading that someone is saying that mental effects are the only thing that's harmfull. In fact, I knew it was harmfull long before I knew that you could get mental disfunctions from long term use in cases where the disease was genetically predisposed. But yes, it is a dangerous possibility, while still rare. However, this is something that would also come from frequent use of the herb, and if you know about the other side effects at the same time, people might not even bother checking on family history. In other words, someone who would be the type of person to check on family history or genetics, would also be aware that there are further health concequences and therefore would use it moderately, which most likely wouldn't bring out this mental disease.[/color] [color=black][quote][i][/color]I know you're going to say "BUT BRINGING IT UP IS IN FAVOR OF YOUR BUTTHEAD POINT OF 'I HATE MJ!!!' " but the truth is it's not (and no, I don't hate it - MJ for medical use is perfectly acceptable, as well as using it recreationally, as long as you know how use it and its long term effects on your body). All it is, is FACT. EFF AY CEE TEE. Facts are good. Ignoring them is bad. =)[color=black][/i][/quote][/color] [color=#000000]Hey, we love facts. That's what made us choose our side in the first place.[/color][/color] [quote name='ChibiHorsewoman][color=darkviolet']Zeta, you're telling me that my reply to sara/lore about the potato chips was complete nonsense,(actually, it was meant to be a lame attempt at humor) but you're the one sitting around on your computer trying to convince everyone that Marijuana is a good thing and should be legalized for recreational use. Don't you think you're full of nonsense yourself?[color=black][/quote][/color][/color] [color=darkviolet][color=#000000]Wow, Zeta. Never thought about that one, did ya, buddy? ;) I mean, obviously if you're supporting marijuana, you must know that you're full of nonsense. Because, you know.. you disagree with your own beliefs.[/color] [color=black][quote][i][/color]Potato chips may not be one of the best food sources in the world, but they do help to keep you alive if you're all out of other more healthy foods like fruits and vegatables. Can you say the same thing about Marijuana? Didn't think so. What are the redeeming qualities of marijuana on a recreational level, not a medicinal one? Don't use calming becauses there's this fun thing called meditation, that can calm you too. Marijuana calming is a load of BS.[color=#000000][/i][/quote][/color] [color=#000000]The point is that potato chips are bad for you, but not horrible in moderation, just like pot. You can't live off marijuana just like you can't live off potato chips or other junk food.[/color] [color=#000000]The redeeming qualities of marijuana on a recreational level, while it's already been noted (I suggest you read the topic a little closer), is that it's fun if you're looking for a responsible way to get high. It makes you a lot more relaxed and relieves tensions, both mentally and physically. Just because meditation works to making you calm doesn't mean that weed [i]doesn't[/i], and in a lot of ways it's easier to accomplish. :p The herb improves both imagination and creativity, and allows you to look at a problem in a different light in order for your mind to move past it.[/color] [color=#000000]You know what.. you don't think marijuana (or other drugs for that matter) has (/have) any benefits, so just go ahead and throw out every single piece of music that you listen to, right now. If you're that convinced, please, I implore.[/color] [color=black][quote][i][/color]And the reason I say you're irrational is because you're sitting on your computer admitting that you knowingly do something that hurts your body, yet you don't see a problem with it. You're in denial and don't know it. And either you or your buddy is trying to blame the person and not the drug (it's both) that the person was hurt. If that isn't irrational, well then maybe I should start lighting up.[/color][color=black][/i][/QUOTE][/color] [color=black]We've gone through these points so much, that it's pointless to explain any further. Go back and read the topic again if you missed our standpoints.[/color] [color=black]I'm not going to respond to Siren's post, because that's between him and Zeta. That's all it really is; the topic has been lost in discussion.[/color] [color=black]Legalize nature. ;)[/color]

[quote name='James][color=#334366']The problem with your argument is that it reminds me of the "it's the person and not the gun" argument. In a sense both sides are correct.[/quote][/color] [color=black]Well, yeah, I understand what you're saying. Obviously it would have been the marijuana that brought out the predisposed mental condition, rather than materializing out of thin air. My argument was saying that the marijuana doesn't force you to take part in excessive use, in the sense that it's more habit forming than actually physically addictive, like Heaven's Cloud was saying. Which means you have a choice, and depending on the person, some will inevitably end up choosing the wrong one.[/color] [color=#334366][color=black]No one here is saying that marijuana is a harmless drug. No one is saying that there are no problems associated with it. I think a lot of you need to take a step back and realize that Zeta and I have never so much as implied this in our posts. Just because we support marijuana doesn't mean that we are oblivious to its own faults.[/color][/color] [color=#334366][color=#000000][/color][/color] [color=#334366][color=#000000]I could lecture you all until I'm blue in the face about how much safer pot is than other drugs, but in the end, it's going to do little to influence your opinions because none of you do or justify any other drug. Which is the main reason I bring up things such as junk food; this is something bad for you that many people consume on a daily basis. It would be hypocritical to then talk about how marijuana is bad for you.[/color][/color] [color=#334366][color=#000000][/color][/color] [color=#334366][color=#000000]Sure, between weed and fatty foods, the effects to your body are going to be different. That's a given. But on the large scale of things, and on the topic of moderation and excessive use, the correlation as well as how harmful it is going to impact your body is going to be similar for the two, I believe. To try to justify a reason to do either one instead of the other would be difficult (keep in mind, we're talking health effects to the body).[/color][/color] [color=#334366][color=#000000][/color][/color] [color=#334366][color=#000000]One study in particular for negative effects due to smoking marijuana would be the smoke itself. Smoking anything has been shown to have an adverse effect on your lungs after a certain amount of time. That is why bringing up the point of alternate, and safer, methods is not something that should simply be cast to the side as some kind of excuse or attempt to poorly justify our reasoning. The practice of things such as pipes, bongs, and vaporizers are going to lead to an even safer experience for your body because they help to filter out harmful chemicals that might otherwise end up in your throat.[/color][/color] [color=#334366][color=#000000][/color][/color] [color=#334366][color=#000000]Even so, the herb is going to have different effects on different people. It's only common sense to discontinue use if you've had a bad experience; if it doesn't bring you joy, I don't see why someone would want to do it again.[/color][/color][color=#334366] [quote][i]The thing is though, the drug itself is what can trigger mental defects in people. It is known that there are mental consequences for smoking marijuana heavily if you are [i]not[/i] mentally unstable (note that I said "heavily") and it's also known that marijuana can aggrivate existing mental illnesses.[/i][/quote][color=black]Heavy marijuana use may bring out certain predisposed traits for some people, or make them worse than they already are, but that doesn't mean that it will simply create them from scratch. Any diagnosed mental illness that has gradually developed from longterm use of weed has always been within the person as potential for arising.[/color] [quote][i]So, if someone has a mild mental disorder that can be aggrivated by a drug (whether it's an illegal substance like marijuana or a legal one like alcohol), you could argue that it's the individual's fault for using that drug. And I would agree; I tend to believe that people are responsible for their own actions. [/i] [i]However, it's simply not correct for anyone to say that the poor harmless drug is not a problem at all.[/i][/quote][color=black]This goes back to what I was saying at the beginning of my post. Not only about the choices people make, but also about how everyone seems to assume that we think of the herb as "poor" and "harmless."[/color] [quote][i]I mean, you could say that heroin sitting there on its own isn't a problem until someone uses it. Of course that's the case -- but nobody is saying that these drugs jump up and force people to use them.[/i] [i]The problem [i]is[/i] "drug use" and "drug addiction" -- not necessarily the mere existence of the substance.[/i][/quote][color=black]Alright, the two factors working together result in a given problem, and them existing on their own won't do anything (but honestly, what's the point in stressing the simple existance of the substance if it was meant to be used in the first place?). Assuming that, however, even a[/color][color=black]fter a single use of a drug such as heroin, it [i]does [/i]in a sense force people to use it, since it's highly physically addictive. That's when the responsibility for use of the drug shifts from the person to the drug itself.[/color] [color=black]For marijuana, even after the first, for example, three uses, it's still up to the user whether or not he or she wishes to continue it.[/color] [quote][i]What I'm saying is that we have two extremes here.[/i] [i]One side is saying that marijuana will lead to the total decay of society and that it is one of the most dangerous drugs out there.[/i] [i]That is false.[/i] [i]The other side is saying that marijuana is harmless and that it doesn't do anything other than getting you high occasionally.[/i] [i]That is also false.[/i][/quote][color=black]Alright, then we agree. What's the problem?[/color] [quote][i]So please, try not to react in a knee-jerk fashion, especially if you (or anyone else) are going to start quoting statements from sources that have an interest in legalization of marijuana. Not to say that you are doing that specifically, but the legalization debate tends to lend itself to that kind of interference.[/i][/quote][color=black]A knee-jerk fashion? Is that how you describe someone who is supporting their opinion? lol Like I explained before, I'm merely reciting the first few sites that came up when I was searching for studies involving longterm marijuana usage. But if you are going to overlook their evidence since they come out in favor of weed, that's your own business I suppose.[/color] [/color][color=#334366][quote][i]That kind of tells me that you do have an interest in supporting marijuana here.[/i][/quote][/color] [color=black]*looks around*

[font=Times New Roman][font=Verdana][size=2]I?m continuing this discussion/debate from the other topic, [/size][url="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=45309"][size=2]Falsely Accused[/size][/url][size=2], since it really was starting to get off topic, though I didn?t get the chance to share my opinions on the recent posts.[/size][/font][/font][font=Times New Roman] [font=Verdana][size=2]Another good topic to reference is [/size][url="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=43368&"][color=black][font=Verdana][size=2]Marijuana: Should it be Legalized???[/size][/url][size=2], which is where we last fully discussed marijuana on the forums.[/size][/font][/color][/font] [color=black][font=Verdana][size=2]Both are great backdrops to set you up for where I and others stand on this issue. You are free to use this thread to present your own opinions and join in on the discussion. This is something that I feel very passionate about due to the fact that the government has hyped the drug up to appear so much worse than it really is. As long as we understand this, let?s move on..[/size][/font][/color] [font=Verdana][size=2]How about a little story time to kick us off, eh?[/size][/font] [size=2][color=black][font=Verdana]There once lived a man named Harry Aslinger. The [/font][/color][font=Verdana]Federal Bureau of Narcotics director[color=black] during the time of Mexican immigration to the [/color][/font][color=black][font=Verdana]United States[/font][/color][color=black][font=Verdana] in the 30s, he set out to prove that marijuana was the cause for the radical behavior he seemed to distinguish with the race, which, in fact, was named to sound Hispanic. He played on the public?s tendencies toward racism at the time to also make the statement that it was causing [/font][/color][font=Verdana]"white women to seek out sexual relations with Negroes." He then proceeded to go through a series of tests of which he couldn?t find anything to suggest its harm. When injecting marijuana into the brains of 300 dogs, saying that dogs are ?kind of similar to humans?, his finding of 2 dogs that died ([color=black]probably not even accounting for extraneous variables), led him to produce the following statement: "Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death." Now, Aslinger was appointed to the government by, and was cousins with, a man who owned a rope company in rivalry to one that use hemp, an ingredient from the marijuana plant. Marijuana was taxed, and then ultimately prohibited.[/color][/font][/size] [font=Verdana][size=2]And that my friends, is why marijuana is illegal. ;)[/size][/font] [size=2][b][font=Verdana]Insanity[/font][/b][font=Verdana]: When under the influence of pot, you aren?t going to act like your normal self. You will be disoriented, depending on how much you smoked and how often you get high.[/font][/size] [size=2][b][font=Verdana]Criminality[/font][/b][font=Verdana]: I?m not going to lie; some criminals do smoke pot. ~_^ But the drug itself has been known to do the exact opposite, by calming someone down and just making them happier and more relaxed.[/font][/size] [size=2][b][font=Verdana]Death[/font][/b][font=Verdana]: There have never been any reported deaths directly liking to marijuana (i.e. overdosing). That should tell you something about how dangerous or toxic it is.[/font][/size] [font=Verdana][size=2]Do any of you honestly think that I would be defending it if it really is as bad as you or the media make it out to be? I could really care less how fun it is, if it will potentially put someone in harm's way. I'm sure that cocaine might be fun for a while before you become addicted and overdose. If I was ignorant to the effects of pot, then what would stop me from supporting other drugs?[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Believe me; I too was extremely against any sort of drug for my entire life. Going through D.A.R.E., health classes, and watching anti-marijuana commercials put it in a very negative view for me, which Zeta will tell you when recalling the many times I lectured him about smoking. When I finally did open up to the idea that it's really misunderstood, it took me a while to accept it. But as I researched it more and more, looking at both sides of the argument, I came to find little inconsistencies in anti-pot information. It's like, people are targeting it simply due to the fact that it is illegal and categorized as a drug.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]And now to respond to posts from the other thread.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2][quote name='James] [color=#334366]There have been longterm studies in [/color][font=Verdana]Australia[/font][font=Verdana'], which have demonstrated that longterm marijuana use can lead to severe mental disorders.[/font][/quote][/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Like Zeta.. well, forgive me if I don't accept this as fact right away. Other than from you, I have never heard of anything to suggest that excessively using pot can lead to mental disorders. It's not because I'm trying to "block out the bad stuff" or anything; that's not the issue at all. I?ve read a lot from both sides of the argument regarding, and I simply have never heard of evidence for this. Based on what you have said, though, with no actual links or sources to support, I could understand that someone with predisposed genetics for a mental disorder might make it worse with the drug, but if it could come from scratch, I'm sure that we would have heard much more about it. Even in extreme cases, it can be argued that it's the user, not the drug, which these effects result from.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2][quote][i] [color=#334366]But having said that, even medium term use of marijuana can cause mild to moderate mental side effects. I mean, I've definitely met plenty of medium-term marijuana smokers...and I don't think anyone would want to argue that the drug hasn't significantly affected their consciousness and behavior.[/color][/i][/quote][/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Well, in a lot of cases, that's true, I suppose. You have your stereotypical pot heads who are lazy and don't really care about doing anything except smoking, which brings them joy. This isn't the direct fault of the marijuana, necessarily, since you can?t become physically dependent on it; they are lazy by nature, the pot simply brings them enjoyment. If there wasn't any weed, they would seek out a different substance to get away to, and based on other drugs, pot is arguably the safest.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]There are a lot of grey areas when looking at someone who uses the drug. I don?t and can?t condone the reasons for those who use it to get away from life, or because their friends do it and they want to be cool; they really have no liable reason to do it in the first place if they aren't consciously aware of the effects and choose to do it on their own terms. The site that I often reference had this to say:[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2][quote name='perkel.com]Marijuana use has been associated with turning teens into mental zombies who lose all motivation. They claim that it makes it so that all you want to do is lay around and get high, that you will become like [i]Cheech 'n Chong[/i']. There is a real correlation with lazy dopers and Pot but I'm not sure if the Pot makes you a lazy doper or if you are a lazy doper type first and are therefore attracted to Pot. Some people experience fear and paranoia while high on Pot. Some people get headaches. Marijuana does compromise certain mental abilities on a short term basis. You don't want to smoke a joint before taking a test. Therefore, if Pot is messing up your life, or you don't have the self control to use it moderately and appropriately, don't use Pot.[/quote][/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2][quote][i] [color=#334366]So, I think it's important to say two things. One, long term use of any drug (alcohol, tabacco, marijuana) is dangerous. But two, marijuana should not be classed as some kind of "safe drug" that does no harm. Be careful with that side of it -- there are plenty of people who are trying to advocate that position, and they have no real interest in presenting the facts about the dangers of the drug. There are definitely people on both sides who want to advocate particular positions.[/color][/i][/quote][/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Marijuana is not a substance free of its problems and harm, but when you weigh it against other such drugs, it is clearly saf[b]er[/b]. If there?s a fact that puts pot in a negative light, I?m not going to just ignore it. I?ll take it with a grain of salt, consider its liability, and compare it to the opposition (or in this case, the supporting facts). If the risk factor becomes too high and the bad outnumbers the good, I?ll gladly change my opinion and use my knowledge to inform others. Until then, I?m pro-marijuana.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]This thread is your chance to convince me otherwise, and possibly mine to do the same. :p[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2][quote][i] [color=#334366]People who suggest that marijuana is harmless and that a weekly or bi-weekly smoke is fine, are in the dark, in the sense that they are ignorant about the impact.[/color][/i][/quote][/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Weekly or bi-weekly? Doubtful.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2][quote name='perkel.com] Smoking Pot increases your risk of cancer [color=teal](from excessive smoke in the lungs)[/color']. But most people smoke very little Pot. If you use Pot moderately you don't have anything to worry about. Moderate means a joint every few days.[/quote][/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]If you have evidence of your own, I?d be glad to take a look.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2][quote][i] [color=#334366]There are plenty of other dangerous drugs that don't get much attention. For example, ecstacy -- that drug is somewhat safe, if you know how to use it. But many kids don't. And that's why so many of them get taken to hospital or die; as a result of ignorance about it.[/color][/i][/quote][/size][/font][font=Verdana][size=2]I don't see how you could say that ecstasy, a drug that will kill you if you drink too much or not enough water, is [i]possibly[/i] safe. Regardless of the fact that you need to be fully responsible when using it (which in itself is difficult to survive), there's really no comparison to marijuana.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2][quote name='Morpheus']But it is dangerous. Why in bloody hell would you intentionally abuse a substance that hurts you? Are you just stupid?[/quote][/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Okay, then tell me this. Do you drink soda? Coffee? Eat potato chips, or even white bread? Have you any concept that things you consume on a regular basis are bad for you? We?re not stupid, we?re being realistic. Pot won?t do any more harm to your body than the crap you put into it every day. Do you wonder why someone would smoke pot? Ask yourself why you like eating unhealthy foods.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]I have a friend that smokes nearly every day, and he?s the biggest health nut I know. In a sense, it makes up for how often he gets high, but it?s amazing how much he lectures you about the food you eat. And you think he?d smoke if it did considerable harm to his body? lol And the difference between people doing pot and other drugs is that someone who does pot chooses to do pot, as opposed to doing it based on addiction.[/size][/font] [color=black][font=Verdana][size=2][QUOTE][i]Did you ever wonder why it is illegal? It's not AS dangerous as other drugs, but don't be an idiot and think that that makes it okay.[/i][/QUOTE][/size][/font][/color] [color=black][font=Verdana][size=2]Yep, when I was totally against pot, the reason it was illegal was a big factor that supported my opinion for a while. So I checked, and you can read what I found at the beginning of my post.[/size][/font][/color] [color=black][font=Verdana][size=2][QUOTE][i]Cigarrettes should be illegal. You are right in that the gov't doesn't always do what's right, but they aren't stupid.[/i][/QUOTE][/size][/font][/color] [color=black][font=Verdana][size=2]They may not be completely stupid, but they think you are and will get you to believe anything. And yes, they should be illegal.[/size][/font][/color] [color=black][font=Verdana][size=2][QUOTE][i]Okay, let's get off that point. It's obvious you don't care that you are hurting yourself. Even if the drug itself had no side effects(and it does), here is a danger of marijuana: It makes you look like a Jack***. Answer me this: What is the point of smoking it?[/i][/QUOTE][/size][/font][/color] [color=black][font=Verdana][size=2]Uhh, it makes you look like a jackass because it's not socially acceptable, since it's illegal? o.O Well, whatever makes you happy. lol[/size][/font][/color] [color=black][font=Verdana][size=2]If you want to know the point, why don't you smoke it and find out? You're clearly open-minded enough to do so.[/size][/font][/color] [color=black][font=Verdana][size=2][QUOTE][i]When people see someone smoking or smell it on them, They tend to look at them in a bad light.[/i][/quote][/size][/font][/color] [color=black][font=Verdana][size=2]"People are stupid."[/size][/font][/color] [color=black][font=Verdana][size=2][quote][i]I've seen a picture of MJ, and it looks different from some things, such as cars, houses, toilet paper, etc.[/size][/font][/color][/i] [i][color=black][font=Verdana][size=2]Wonderful logic. I should fall down a flight of stairs, 'cause I can. I should run into traffic, 'cause I can.[/size][/i][size=2][/quote][/size][/font][/color] [color=black][font=Verdana][size=2]You really have no desire to present an educated response that presents your opinion, do you? Please.. if you don?t know what you?re talking about, you need not take part in these discussions.[/size][/font][/color] [color=black][font=Verdana][size=2]In response to James? posts, though I?m not going to quote each bit, I must say that you do present some good points. Your concentration of study seems to be of the long term and extensive use of marijuana, an area that?s very difficult to study due to the fact that the chemicals continue to be altered to create a more potent herb. If you?re going to find any harmful side affects, it?s going to be of extensive use, and from that, long term is the most dangerous. That?s a rather obvious fact, I think. But exactly what it does, I decided to do some research from unbiased sites.[/size][/font][/color] [color=black][font=Verdana][size=2]The first site I reference can be found [/size][url="http://www.calyx.net/~olsen/RASTAFARI/cognition1.html"][size=2]here[/size][/url][size=2]. The study shows evidence of marijuana on the brain, and how it affects the cognition, or thinking/intelligence/etc., process. Some quotes have been shortened merely to save space.[/size][/font][/color] [font=Verdana][size=2][quote][i]We had the opportunity to observe a group of long-term heavy users of ganja in both a Southern state and a Caribbean island. The ganja was used by this group for religious purposes and symbolized the sacrament of communion--"the Green Herb of the Bible." It was used, as we observed, even during the extensive neuropsychological evaluations that we completed, in a continuous and ritualistic manner throughout virtually all waking hours. Very large cigarettes (or "spliffs") and pipes, containing ganja mixed with tobacco, were regularly shared by members of the group.[/i][/quote][/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]If you can think of any more extensive use, please.. lol. I?d [i]love[/i] to hear it.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]The subjects in questions were reported to smoke ?...between 2 and 4 ounces of the ganja-tobacco mixture per day, with a reported mean duration of use of 7.4 years.?[/size][/font] [size=2][color=black][font=Verdana][quote name='calyx.net][/font][/color][font=Verdana']investigators have concluded that heavy and prolonged use has not led to impairment of mental and cognitive functions consistent with brain or cerebral dysfunction.[/quote][/font][/size] [font=Verdana][size=2]In fact..[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2][quote][i]The mean IQ scores are all in the superior to very superior range of intellectual functioning, ranging from the upper 6.7 percent to the upper 2.2 percent of the population.[/i][/quote][/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]And for the skeptics..[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2][quote][i]?one could speculate that perhaps cannabis had produced a priori declines in IQ scores for all ten subjects?data included equivalent IQ conversion scores virtually identical to those we measured for those subjects?scores were obtained some 15 to 20 years earlier, long before either subject began the use of cannabis[/i][/quote][/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]This seems to be as close to a strictly marijuana study as possible, however, in the sense that this was basically the only substance they used.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2][quote][i]members of the church do not use substances (drugs, alcohol, or psychoactive herbs other than ganja, and we observed them to maintain a regular diet consisting primarily of vegetables, fruit, and small amounts of meat. All ten subjects (as well as other members of the church) appear to be healthy and highly functional individuals adhering to a strict religious doctrine.[/i][/quote][/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Next link we have.. and I?m not being biased in any way when picking sites, this was just the next one on the list for Google. You can find the article [/size][url="http://www.news-medical.net/?id=2050"][size=2]here[/size][/url][size=2].[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2][quote=news-medical.net]Contrary to previous research findings that have suggested a link, marijuana use does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of developing oral cancer, according to a large, population-based study led by researchers at [/size][url="http://www.fhcrc.org/"][size=2]Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center[/size][/url][size=2].[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Their findings, the result of the most comprehensive evaluation to date regarding the association between marijuana use and the incidence of oral squamous-cell carcinoma, appear in the June issue of Cancer Research, a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]?found no association between marijuana use and increased oral-cancer risk, regardless of how long, how much or how often a person has used marijuana.[/quote][/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]They went on to say that there are no differences between those who smoke and those who don?t with the predisposed genetics. The article also denies the validity of the tests done by Fred Hutchinson, who concluded in 1999 that marijuana users are more likely to develop this type of cancer.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]However, the man who oversaw this experiment, Stephen M. Schwartz, is quoted saying that "...for moderate levels of use our study is pretty solid in saying there's no association, but when you get out to heavy-use patterns we can't be sure, because the numbers are still too small.? So he can?t be completely sure for extensive use, but there?s nothing in the research to suggest that there would be a difference.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]The third site that I found, [/size][url="http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=30105"][size=2]here[/size][/url][size=2], is exactly what I?ve been looking for. It?s difficult to pick out particular pieces of information supporting or not supporting long term effects of marijuana, since most of the information is quoted from other sources, but I encourage you to take a look and see what you can find. More specifically, the very top answer is very informative.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Well, I really need to wrap this up. If I think of anything else that I forgot to add, I?ll likely edit this post later, or mention it in a reply to someone else?s post. As you can see, I put a lot of thought into marijuana.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]And now, I?d like to see your own opinions. Post how you feel about pot, whether or not you think it should be legal, or just whatever. Thank you for your time.[/size][/font][/font]

[quote name='Annalisse][color=darkslategray]I've been accused, strangely enough. I believe that every teenager gets[/color][color=orange] accused[/color][color=darkslategray] of smoking, doing drugs, alchohol consumption [/color][color=orange]at least once[/color][color=darkslategray'].[/color][/quote]You know what, that just reminded me that I actually [i]have[/i] been accused of doing drugs and other substances before. Back in sixth or seventh grade, I was at soccer practice one night and I was totally out of shape. I was running around the field, completely out of breath, and my dad is on the side lines, looks at me and says, "Been smoking those cigarettes lately?" I just looked up at him like he was crazy; I couldn't see how he could possibly accuse me of that, and his expression.. as if he knew exactly what was going on and I couldn't convince him otherwise, lol. I know, classic teenage "my parents think they know everything" situation, but my dad couldn't have been more wrong. He's tried to accuse my of smoking cigarettes other times since then, and tries to look for different ways to prove it. "Oh, you must be wearing those sleeves up on your shirt like that to hide cigarettes." O_o They even found a cigarette in the back basement one time, and though they say that it was probably someone who worked on our house, they probably think that it was me. -.- Then a few months back, I had some friends over, and we go down to the basement to play video games and such. Well, one of my friends likes the smell of incense, and he just bought an incense burner, so he brought it over and burnt some. The next morning, my parents were like, "Were you guys having a That 70's Show thing going on downstairs and using the incense to cover it up?" XD And when I was planning to go to my old neighborhood to hang out with a friend a month or so later, I commented on how it still smelled like incense in the basement, and my mom said, "Well, be sure to tell me if Wesley (my friend) has incense burning, because I heard he had a huge bong in his basement. He's not going to be taking that out this weekend, is he?" Since then, I really don't think my parents fully trust me anymore.

Did somebody say marijuana? ;) Here we go again.. [quote name='Methuselah']Something like marijuana, a hallucinogen, on the other hand could endanger them or could end up disrupting the school. I've known people who do cocaine in our school, given, I didn't tell the teachers about that.[/quote]If someone was doing cocaine, how could you possibly justify not telling someone like you would if they were doing marijuana? They're both illegal, right? Both may disrupt class, right? And honestly, it's not even worth discussing how much more dangerous cocaine is than pot. [quote name='elfpirate']Sorry... here- some seriousness: Pot smokers are some of the laziest, do-nothing, monotonous, civilly behaved people there are... because they don't have the energy to do otherwise. They might display some gross eating habits sometimes, but they're usually harmless... and they don't care enough about your learning process to disrupt it... if they even bother to be in school to begin with...[/quote]Well, I could see it being sort of disruptive. I mean, if someone smokes and then gets into a laughing fit, or gets a little disoriented in general, that could draw attention to themselves. But seriously, how stupid do you have to be to do it in school? lol [quote]And- pot is not an hallucinogenic drug. It doesn't cause hallucinations like LSD and PCP and 'shrooms... and all the other true hallucinogens.[/quote]True, it's not as strong as others, but marijuana is officially categorized as a mild hallucinogen. And when you think about it, it's true.. it alters your senses a bit, so that you hear louder, colors are amplified, etc. But it is a hallucinogen, no matter how low when compared to others. [quote name='DarkOtakuBoy]Dont forget, theres a big difference between smoking pot every now and then at say... a house party, and being a raging Pothead. I mention this because I have been accused by parents and police in the past of being a stoner, when in reality I [spoiler]smoke weed no more than 3 times a year[/spoiler'], and thats not even an exaggeration. Its a stigma on society that just doesn't need to be there. Its the same difference between a raging alcoholic and being a social drinker. Also, medically speaking...being a raging alcoholic is actually worse than a raging stoner. (And I have a degree in Biology.) You know, its just....one is more socially acceptable than the other.[/quote]Exactly, exactly. You could even say that even when doing both socially, alcohol is the worse of the two. [QUOTE=DoctorCox]I am glad you have a degree in Biology, but your argument suggests you should have taken a course in Logic and in Law. Smoking marijuana is illegal. Drinking, even drinking until you fall unconscious, is not illegal. To claim that doing each in moderation is better than doing it excessively is true. But, no matter how much or how little marijuana you smoke, you are still breaking the law. Your logic breaks through when you try to make the two situations synonymous. There is no 'big difference' between doing it every now and then and doing it frequently. If you cheated on your significant other just once, it is still just as wrong as doing it a hundred times. I do agree that it is a social stigma, but I'm afraid that it does have every right to be there.[/QUOTE]Uhh.. he said "medically speaking." You're bringing up two completely different standpoints here and trying to compare them, lol. DarkOtakuBoy, on a post-conventional level, was saying that health wise, regardless of whether or not doing it would be breaking the law, pot is a lot more harmless than it has been made out to be. Your conventional "it's illegal and therefore you shouldn't do it at all costs" morality, while true, doesn't cover whether or not it is right ethically, and doesn't leave any room for you to come to your own conclusions. I mean, sure, [i]because[/i] it's illegal would give reason to turn someone in for smoking it in school in this instance, but to use it soley as a personal argument for why someone shouldn't be doing it is to ignore a lot of the raw facts concerning marijuana. [QUOTE=DoctorCox]I make the practice of reading everything with the knowledge that the writer is biased in some way or another. That bias can leak through in the simple terminology that is used. The writer of that article doesn't even attempt to mask his bias. One of the first things that teachers in high school teach you is to look at your sources and check to see if they are indeed an authority on a subject. Let's examine the author of that article... hmm. He's the [i]director of government relations for the Marijuana Policy Project[/i]. So, if you are looking for support of marijuana, then he's the guy to go to.[/quote]Simply ignoring the points that he brings up would be just as bad as making a somewhat biased article. After all, he does bring up some good facts: [quote=AlterNet]But you would never know that from those government ads, which suggest that if you smoke a joint you will shoot your friends, run down little girls on bicycles and end up a homeless derelict. Far more dangerous substances are rarely mentioned in this ad blitz, whose government origins are typically disclosed in a minimal, easy-to-miss fashion. There are clear signs that this distorted emphasis [color=teal](pay especially close attention to this next statement)[/color], driven by politics instead of science, is hurting our kids. According to the latest federally funded [i]Monitoring the Future[/i] survey of American teenagers, adolescent use of marijuana declined slightly last year while use of potentially lethal inhalants and cocaine went up. And teens rated occasional use of marijuana as being more dangerous than trying crack cocaine, drinking nearly every day or taking LSD regularly.[/quote][quote name='DoctorCox']Two things disturb me. The emphasis about Marijuana being less harmful than alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, is the first.[/quote]... Maybe it's because of the fact that.. well, let's just say that this isn't the first time that I've had to convince someone that pot is much "less harmfull than alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs", but by now I would think that this is generally common knowledge. Out of all of those, marijuana is the only one that isn't physically addictive, it's not filled with poisons like tobacco is, and you have complete control unlike being drunk. You've been lied to your whole life. :/ [quote]Note: I would like to take a moment to congratulate natnorml.org, because although they are obviously for Marijuana use, they do mention both sides of the argument. So what Dr. Leslie Iversen is suggesting is that for Marijuana users who only use 'occasionally', they are not likely to suffer any major problems. Daily, however, might be a problem? This isn't covered in this article. The rest of the summary makes me suspicious of the entire thing - it seems like they are trying to make it appear that occasional use is ok, and then make it appear that because of that, Marijuana is ok. One should not follow the other.[/quote]Smoking anything for long periods of time can have an impact on your lungs, especially marijuana due to the fact that you're holding it in longer. But that shouldn't suggest that there aren't alternative, safer methods for getting high off the drug; brownies, water bongs, and vaporizors, just to name a few. The reason that it wasn't mentioned in the article was because it wasn't their job to present both sides of the argument, lol. They were showing research, and providing facts to back up what they can confirm are true. Frequent use, therefore, would need to be tested by them before they could explain both ways. But let me make this clear, and you can quote me on this -- there has never been any research to indisputably prove that longterm use of marijuana in general has a harmful impact on your body, other than what I mentioned about the lungs. But like I said.. better alternatives. [quote]Let me translate this for you: Because the government is focusing on Marijuana, which in the past has been the most pervasive problem drug for teens, they are at fault that inhalants are on the rise. Will someone please explain to me how that logically can make sense. Are they trying to blame the government for only focusing on Marijuana and not the other drugs? This seems a little farfetched.[/QUOTE]The point is that the government is needlessly focusing on marijuana by spending millions, and often billions of dollars on campaigns to crack down hard on the market, when that money could either be used to prevent the use of harder and [i]much[/i] more dangerous drugs, or on things that could be more productive to society on the whole. But of course.. this is a government that focuses on making money when something bad happens, rather than when something good does. If someone can put those in better words, please feel free to. lol If you wish to continue a discussion on marijuana in general, I highly suggest that you read up on a previous topic that we have gone through, which you can find [url="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=43368&"]here[/url]. Or through an EXTREMELY informative site that you can find [url="http://www.perkel.com/politics/issues/pot.htm"]here[/url]. ANYWAY, back onto the topic itself, I get accused of things that I didn't do all the time, though mainly under my own roof. My dad really tends to favor my brother and what he tells him, so I'm blamed for stuff either that I had completely no part in whatsoever, or the story is twisted so that I look like the bad guy. My mom is generally unbiased and can tell what really happens, but my dad can be just so stubborn at times.

[quote name='Surreal']I know you are the moderator of this forum, but with all do respect you did not provide any constructive criticism as to Hack Helba's wallpaper. Thus you contradicted yourself by reprimanding master_of_anime for his lack of constructive criticism, which it was. Which allows for a question, where is your constructive criticism on the wallpaper?[/quote]I appreciate the attempt to point out my "hypocrisy", haha, but as moderators, we do reserve the right to simply correct things in a thread and go on with our business. Some mods edit the offender's post to help them out, but I choose to make a seperate one so that they notice it. So should that mean that when editing the post, we should in turn provide insight to the topic as well? In any case, these are the rules, and I'm merely upholding them and doing my job. And hey, at least I'm trying to help this member out instead of just deleting his post and going on to something else.

Sometimes I think I'm too honest for my own good, lol. I try to be objective in my thinking and eliminate as much bias as possible in order to look at things from a variety of perpectives, which really defeats the purpose of lying, I think. Actually using honesty also works to create certain responses out of others, like shock value or just avoiding subtleties, which is always great to do. haha Besides, why should you have to feel like you need to hide behind falsities? :p Other than when I'm being sarcastic or facetious, the only way I can justify a white lie is to avoid meaningless or trivial arguments or discussions, like elfpirate and Panda were saying. But we all have our secrets.. and will avoid at all costs to completely and honestly tell them. ;) [quote name='Charles]Is merely standing for the flag salute such a [i]terrible[/i'] ordeal?[/quote]Forgive me for just picking this up when doing a quick look-over of the topic, but when we have to say the pledge every morning in school, I never stand up, lol. It's not because I have anything against it or anything, but I've been saying the pledge every morning for the last 12 years of my life, and that should account for something. Plus, I'm in the very back corner of the room and I'm lazy. haha

Hey, welcome back. ^_^ If you look around, you'll notice that there's a subforum that we have for Art by Request. Just be sure to post there in the future, but this time I'll just move it there for you.

[quote name='master_of_anime']That is very good man, I love ur name haha, but yea keep up the awesome work![/quote][url="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=32738"][size=4]READ ME.[/size][/url] Please always use constructive criticism in your posts, or they will be deleted. :/ The link above notes exactly what you should be doing in your post when you reply to an art piece. ^_^

Now that I'm on my home computer, I found that the CD I have is called 'Scenes from a Memory'. It's interesting how it's set up; starts and ends with a calming meditation-esque thing, and goes through the songs like "Scene 1", "Scene 2", etc. [QUOTE=Blackjack][color=darkgreen][size=1]Okay, it proves that in terms of technical guitar playing he's only surpassed by Joe 'biggest-selling-instrumental-guitar-album-ever' Satriani* and Steve 'thirty-notes-a-SECOND' Vai, but I've always maintained that 'difficult to play' does not always equate to 'good music'. Lots of notes very quickly makes me say 'wow, he can really play the guitar', but when I listen to music I'd far rather react with 'wow, that's a really catchy/moving/danceable riff'. *I do quite like Satriani, because he makes music that's technically amazing [i]as well as[/i] being fun to listen to, not technically amazing [i]at the cost of[/i] being fun to listen to. If you like Dream Theater, Satriani's a good one to get into as well.[/size][/color][/QUOTE]Well, being really good at the guitar and coming out to good music usually goes hand in hand, lol. Without good music to play, the musician is often caught, but to say that music is good [i]insinuates[/i] that they are really good at the instrument that they're playing. And in my opinion, that talent is presented much better in Liquid Tension Experiment, which you would call "catchy/moving", though I never really consider the danceable aspect of it. :p You bring up a good point, though. I recently listened to Joe Satriani, and his music is very similar to that of Liquid Tension Experiment and Dream Theater, which is absolutely amazing, but in some respects I think I prefer Liquid Tension still.

[color=black][size=2]If you like Dream Theater, you'll love Liquid Tension Experiment. It's basically the same group, except a different bassist and a singer in Dream Theater, I think, from what my friend has told me about them. They're pretty good; I like a lot of their songs on the CD I have, which I can't remember the name right now, but their singer could be better. Still not as bad as a lot of singers in bands out there, but to be performing with an absolutely fantastic group, it's somewhat disappointing. I prefer Liquid Tension Experiment, though, even comparing without the vocals, simply because the music is just awesome, lol.[/size][/color]

[u][url="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=28018"][color=red]*points up*[/color][/url][/u] Be sure to read the stickies in forums, because they tend to answer questions before you ask them, heh. ~_^

I think basically all of the bands that I listen to currently have been introduced by friends. One in particular, my friend Nate, who has a very deep appreciation for rock music and music in general, has contributed to around 90% of what I listen to. He's very passionate about music, heh; when he hates something, he [i]loathes[/i] it, and when he loves something, he can't stop talking about how talented the guitarists, bassists, drummers, or whatever, are. It's something that I think he's been surrounded by his whole life, and he occasionally plays bass, so I trust that he knows what he's talking about. It's funny, just sitting around in class or wherever not really doing anything, he'll randomly break into a song or a beat; I think that he constantly has a song playing in his head at all times. :p Nearly everything he's shown me has been excellent, too, but often times I'm troubled by whether or not this is because I respect his decision a little too much, or if it really is very good and he knows what he's talking about. In any case, he's introduced me to and/or provided CDs for: -311 -Incubus -Sublime -Liquid Tension Experiment -King Crimson -Pink Floyd -Tool -Primus And then my friend Matt, who goes to this site under the name Zeta, has told me about a bunch of nice music as well. He'll sometimes send me lists of songs that I should d/l, and most of them are pretty cool, including: -Cold -Crossfade -Finch -Flaw I've gotten the rest of my music from suggestions of other friends, but the two main sources are listed above, lol. That's really the best way of being introduced to bands, in my opinion -- word of mouth. I don't really trust my local radio stations, and music tv stations mainly play crappy mainstream and popular songs that I don't go for.

I haven't been in this thread for a while, so I thought I might go back and comment on a few of the older quotes before I get to some more recent ones. :D [quote name='maladjusted][color=firebrick']Does anyone have any tips for moving up in heavy? The highest I get in it is usually a C or D, and it's almost impossible for me. I'm like sweating like a pig after doing it about two times. V_V [/color][/quote]Nothing inparticular, I suppose, but just a lot of practicing does seem to help. It's okay to start with some of the easier Heavy songs and slowly move your way up, and for those of you who have Extreme, Mission Mode does an amazing job of improving the quality of your steps. An interesting thing that I did before moving up to Heavy -- and some of you might find this unnecessary -- is perfect my ability on Standard, by making sure that I could ace just about any and all of the hardest songs on that difficulty before I dabbled in Heavy. Also, when you get to the harder songs, be aware that you should train with the knowledge that every beat is intended to be stepped on with a different foot, excluding gallups and fast double beats, of course. [quote name='CurseOfPhoenix][color=darkred][size=2][font=Arial]Does anyone hear have a DDR club at their school? If so, I'd like some details so I might be able to base my plans on it. Thanx in advance.[/font][/size'][/color][/quote]We don't, but we took a few moments to consider the possibility, lol. The reason that we didn't in the end was because of all the work it would take to set everything up, you know? We would like to bring quality pads, have a big tv that can be rolled in, etc., and none of that was really able to be guarunteed for a given day. It's a real hassel to bring in dance pads, the one tv may have been checked out already, and the fact that there might be a lot of people there to play is discouraging when considering that only two people can go at a time. We'd have to set up a complicated system or something, and those that bring in a quality pad might be afraid of someone stomping or wearing it out faster. Plus, we already had Anime Club, and just dealing with one activity was hard enough, haha. [quote name='Wondershot']I'm actually trying to perfect this routine where, instead of always hitting the up arrow with my right foot and the others with my left at the beginning, I switch between my left and right foot every two up arrows, starting with the right. This is a little dangerous in the sense that it forces me to jump using one foot from the down arrow to the up arrow with all my body wight shifted back, and I'm usually missing the up arrow completely, or when I land, I'm so off balance that I can't keep up with the rest of the arrows. If anyone has any ideas for that I'd love to hear them.[/quote]Well.. it's a little difficult to follow, but I don't really pay attention to what foot I'm hitting an arrow with, since I'm all around the pad making sure that I'm using each foot every other time. After that, you just use whatever foot is more conveniant depending on the upcoming arrows, which, luckily for me, my brain seems to decide by itself without me doing much conscious thinking. :p [quote][i]On one last note, I was wondering what people think of using the standard PS2 controller instead of the pad for play.[/i][/quote]I've only used it a few times, but I honestly suck at using the controller, lol. I think this is entirely due to the fact that I've gotten so used to using the pad, and that using the controller a lot would make it seem like a cheap way of passing a song, but that's only a theory. [quote name='Wasabi][size=1']Hey, has anyone gotten DDR Konamix? I have wanted to check it out, but I only found it available on amazon.com. If you've played it, should I get it?[/size][/quote]I don't, but I have a friend who does and I've played it quite a bit. It does have a lot of great songs on it, although not a beauty graphically, and I would rate it among the better DDR games. [quote name='Mitch']Well, I got DDR this Christmas - for the PS2, DDR Extreme. Since then, I've been playing it on a mostly daily basis (somedays I just don't have the time, since I work and go to school, etc), and improving. I first started off on Lesson mode, which gave me the basics of how to play decently enough. And now I am all the way up to playing Heavy, getting C's and B's and a few D's and E's.[/quote]Geeze, Mitch, you move quickly! Getting to Heavy in just one month is quite a feat, showing how practicing every day is extremely good to help you get better. I got the game last March, and it took me.. well, quite a while, probably 3 months or so to finally get to Heavy.

Something like that, yeah. The forum didn't generate much discussion, and was replaced by that thing in your profile that allows you to put up pictures. Of course, not everyone really uses it for that.. *nods towards his evil monkey picture* You can always use [url="http://www.sweethypocrisies.com/obpics/"]this site[/url] for pictures, though. Other than that, be sure to read the rules again and keep on discussion, and as this isn't really a thread showing an artwork piece we can critique, you're not starting out that great for coming back after being banned. :p

Geeze, the second thread in the wrong area in the last few hours? OMG, IS THIS HELL? :eek: Yeah.. this belongs in Art Request. Just try to be more careful next time, and btw, the pics aren't showing up.

Changing so soon? And in Art Studio, no less? Please try to hold off for a little bit to show appreciation for what SPX made for you.