Marijuana Legalization
Is it time for marijuana legalization? After all, dozens upon dozens of the most famous movie stars, sports heroes and prominent politicians admit that they have smoked pot. If so many of America's celebrities are using it, and if it has some important medical uses, then hasn't it come time to legalize it?
Just consider the following list of celebrities that allegedly currently use marijuana or have used marijuana in the past...
Bill Maher
Jennifer Aniston
Jack Black
Michael Bloomberg
Tom Brokaw
George W. Bush
Bill Clinton
Jack Nicholson
Conan O'Brian
Bob Dylan
Carrie Fisher
Keanu Reeves
Newt Gingrich
Al Gore
Cameron Diaz
Drew Barrymore
Justin Timberlake
Paris Hilton
Mariah Carey
Charlize Theron
Dave Chapelle
Barbra Streisand
The following list is even more eye opening. This list is of celebrities that have been arrested for marijuana...
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Chuck Berry
Bo Bice
Notorious B.I.G.
David Bowie
Bobby Brown
James Brown
Marcus Camby
Jennifer Capriati
Ray Charles
Coolio
David Crosby
Macaulay Culkin
Bob Denver
Neil Diamond
Andy Dick
DMX
Snoop Dogg
Faith Evans
David Faustino
Mark Foley
Jerry Garcia
Boy George
Al Gore III
Woody Harrelson
George Harrison
Don Henley
Dennis Hopper
Whitney Houston
Allen Iverson
Mick Jagger
Haley Joel Osment
Shawn Kemp
Lil Kim
Queen Latifah
John Lennon
Bob Marley
Paul McCartney
Matthew McConaughey
George Michael
Randy Moss
Bill Murray
Willie Nelson
Carlos Santana
Tupac Shakur
Charlie Sheen
Oliver Stone
Thurman Thomas
Rasheed Wallace
Dionne Warwick
Amy Winehouse
Wow.
How can we continue to make something illegal when so many people are obviously using it?
Well, maybe because it is extremely dangerous. The following is a list of some of the health effects that you may experience if you smoke marijuana.....
*Impaired perception
*Diminished short-term memory
*Loss of concentration and coordination
*Impaired judgement
*Increased risk of accidents
*Loss of motivation
*Diminished inhibitions
*Increased heart rate
*Anxiety, panic attacks, and paranoia
*Hallucinations
*Damage to the respiratory, reproductive, and immune systems
*Increased risk of cancer
*Psychological dependency
One thing that is often overlooked is the role that marijuana use plays in traffic accidents. One study of patients in a shock-trauma unit revealed that 15 percent of accident victims who had been driving a car or motorcycle had been smoking marijuana, and another 17 percent of them had been both smoking marijuana and had alcohol in their blood.
Another study focused on the drug tests of 150 reckless drivers. The study found that 33 percent of them tested positive for marijuana, and 12 percent of them tested positive for both marijuana and cocaine.
In addition, smoking marijuana is worse for your lungs than cigarette smoking is. Marijuana smoke actually contains higher concentrations of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons than cigarette smoke does. In fact, researchers believe that marijuana smoke deposits more than 4 times as much tar on the lungs as cigarette smoke does.
While not as addictive as a drug such as cocaine is, the reality is that marijuana can still be addictive. A marijuana addiction can be beaten, but nobody can do it for you.
So how do you know if you are addicted to marijuana? The following are some of the common symptoms:
-The feeling that you can’t get through the day without marijuana.
-You are not able to control your marijuana use. In other words, “one hit” is never enough.
-The feeling that you must always have a supply of marijuana.
-Repeated failure in trying to stop using marijuana.
-You may find yourself driving under the influence of marijuana even though intellectually you know that it is wrong.
-You may find yourself stealing money or committing crimes to obtain marijuana.
-The feeling that you must have marijuana to deal with your problems.
-You may have many unexplained absences from work and have difficulty sleeping.
If you are addicted to an illegal drug, there is good news. You can get free if you are willing to fight to do so.
There are basically four key steps that you need to take.
#1) Admit You Have A Problem
Most addicts refuse to admit that they are addicts. They ignore the problem and so they never get any treatment for it. If you are going to beat this, then at some point the first step is to admit to yourself and others that you do indeed have a problem.
#2) Decide That You Want To Change
Many addicts are perfectly content to stay in their addicted state. It is comfortable for many of them. But in order to change you have to decide that is what you want, and you aren’t going to accept the pain and suffering that your addiction is causing you any longer.
#3) Reach Out For Help
Talk to someone that you trust and ask for help. This involves swallowing your pride. Often a good first step is to reach out to a trusted family member. After that, reaching out to a professional who works in the field of your addiction or reaching out to a spiritual advisor can be extremely helpful. You are likely to need help in overcoming your addiction, and family, friends and licensed professionals are there to be that help.
#4) Turn To God
Ultimately this is the most important step. Many have found that they did not have the power in themselves to beat an addiction, but that when they turned to God they found all the power that they ever needed. The truth is that we all need God whether we are addicts or not. We are all messed up in some way and we have all sinned. But the good news is that Jesus Christ came to this earth to die for our sins on the cross. We urge you to invite Jesus Christ into your life today, because He will not only help you overcome your addiction - He will forgive your sins and give you eternal life, and nothing is more important than that.
To learn more about how you can become a Christian, we would encourage you to read this…..
http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/1049/1049_01.asp
March 30th, 2009 at 8:14 am
This article is filled with misleading information, the driving study you posted showed that 30+% of people that came in had smoked cannabis, I cant read the reference you stated because I have to sign up for something. I believe I’ve heard this referenced before and it showed that only 3% of the people that had cannabis in their system were ACTUALLY DRIVING. Not to mention your other theories are direct results of prohibition.
March 30th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
How about rather than get addicted to another thing (Religion) you just start believing in yourself and recognize you are human. Marijuana is not Physically Addicting.
No one has ever died from using Marijuana (never an Overdose, or death from inhaling/using has been recorded from simply using Marijuana), so linking it to other incidents (that almost always involve stringer/dangerous drugs like Alcohol) is a simple untruth.
Hemp, Cannabis, or even plain old weed is more natural and better for your body than any other ‘drug’. What other ‘drug’ allows you to create Textiles, Fuel, Food, and gives a nice feeling while doing it?
Plus, its the only true GREEN RESOURCE that is abundant…as it can grow in many conditions, like any “WEED” would.
April 13th, 2009 at 10:32 am
if they got a rid of alcohol and other drugz. and replaced it with weed the world would be a better place. but you have to look at the factor of the major job losses and people desperate for cash.
April 21st, 2009 at 4:22 am
medicinal pot should be legal. Find and watch “Waiting to inhale” by jed Riffie, It a documentary about this subject well written and very informative!!! Here is a link about pot and its history in America. pretty deep http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/print.asp?ID=3774
May 3rd, 2009 at 2:43 am
Doesn’t seem like anyone can agree, it always has to be about something.
May 4th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Thank you for coming to our site. We are here to motivate and inspire other people to living a better life without unnecessary substances. Of course, everyone gets an opinion. I can see your points and greatly appreciate the time you spent to respond to our article.
My husband and I have been Christians for a very long time, because there is so much evidence for it! No other religion touches on the amount of proof Christianity has. Not only that, God brings to your life a meaningful purpose. Check out my blog http://evidence4christianity.blogspot.com/ and see how much evidence exists!
Huge Blessings my friend!
Meranda
May 11th, 2009 at 3:26 am
I think you would be surprised at how many ‘Christians’ smoke pot. I think you would also be surprised at the amount of people whom claimed they became closer to God through smoking marijuana.
Also, studies have shown that smoking cigarettes is WAY worse for you than smoking marijuana on almost all levels.
May 21st, 2009 at 1:00 pm
look at why pot is illegal in the first place. was it banned for health risks? NO! some racist guy in washington was like “I dont want mexicans in MY country!!! >:( and he knew many of them grew marijuana as a cash crop and used it so he made it illegal so many of them wouldnt be able to come into this country and could be arrested on site. ALso, you can smoke tobacco at 18 which is MUCH MUCH MUCH more addicting than marijuana so why isnt it ok to smoke pot? ya there are down sides but to much of anything is a bad thing!
*Live*Laugh*Smoke*
July 21st, 2009 at 6:39 am
OMG, What ever happened to honest research prior to publication, Well i guess this “news group” or whatever have failed to check all areas of the issue and as the NY Times and Fox network have all proven to be useless for true and honest reporting of facts. There are many papers, studies, and programs out there just using same old outdated links is getting tired. I have been looking for honest information for the anti legalization but all i have found out is that i am not a strong pro legalization activist.
Check Norml, MPP, LEAP and many other interesting groups who honestly show both aspects not just by writing alot of crap and linking to only one group of researchers, you would be surprised what is out there if you just type a few letters and actually read the facts. The rest falls into place. We are not sheep! About time we let them know that!
God bless Americans, To hell with government and their lapdog puppets.
October 28th, 2009 at 3:34 am
Come on dude, these facts* and proof* i mean who is posting* lol
November 11th, 2009 at 2:07 am
Not only are ALL of these symptoms found in typically perscribed medications, but most of them are false.
Hallucinations?
Give me a break.
You are the worst kind of filth.
December 28th, 2009 at 1:12 am
I’m really disappointed, I have no problem with Christianity but its people like you who perpetuate the stereotype of the conniving, pushy Christians who push their beliefs on people who are weak (someone looking for help on a drug addiction). But then again maybe God and a structured religion WOULD be useful for someone battling a drug addiction. I could see how the belief in a higher power could give one strength if they needed it. Interesting I can see both sides of the argument.
I’m also really high.
December 29th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Here is my problems with keeping marijuana illegal.
1. forces people to use mch more dangerous drugs like cocaine, meth and alcohol, because it is out of the system much quicker for job related issues.
2. why can the government regulate what I do because they feel it is bad for me? when does this end? cigarettes kill more people in the U.S. (400,000 people) than drugs and alcohol and suicide and homicide put together but we dont seem to have a real problem with this. It should not be up to the govenment to decide what is bad for me.
3. Abortion kills 1,000,000 people a year and we dont seem to have a problem with that.
4. So why do so many people care if I like to get high as long as I am being responsible and harming no one else?
5. I am so tired of the P.C. bull, politicians controling our lives, and people telling me what is not good for me. Give it a rest already.
6. The article mentioned that pot should be illegal because of traffic accidents. alcohol isnt! stupid drivers arn’t. what happened to just holding people accountable for their behaviors instead of making everyone suffer for the few ******** that use alcohol or in this case pot and drive. And while ZI am on the subject, If I want to affect my motivation and be lazy, and do all the things mentioned in this article, that is on me, not the government. The government is becoming way to communist in America!!!
May 20th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
Ok Im really tired of the “facts” both christians and anti pot ppl.
A. the bible is not fact it is like me quoting the enquirer or the brothers grim.
B. if you havent smoked weed before then you dont know about how it affects you, stop trying to tell us how it is.
June 16th, 2010 at 10:15 pm
I am a certified drug and alcohol counselor who has used marijuana and I am a Christian. So many people are unlearned when it comes to the truth about marijuana. It is an addiction, just ask those who CAN’T stop, even when they want to. It is more harmful than cigarettes. It causes every type of cancer and lung disease that cigarettes cause. The legalization of marijuana is a big issue because there is no way to determine if you are currently high, or still under the influence of the drug. You can take a urine drug test and it will say you have THC Metabolite in your system, but that doesn’t mean you are currently high. Almost every other drug is out of your system in three days, hours for alcohol, so there is a better surety of current inebriation. You can overdose on marijuana (it doesn’t have to kill you for it to be an overdose.) And if there is no way to tell if you are currently high, how can any corener state that you died from marijuana? BTW – Alcohol overdose doesn’t kill you, it’s that fact that the alcohol anesthesizes the part of your brain that tells you to breathe so you stop breathing.