The Cannabis Thread

[relaxed1]

Absolutely Relaxed - I would be going up the walls if I had to rely on the painkillers Im given. 

what a crock of shit that statement is ..." I would be going up the walls if I had to rely on the painkillers Im given.   "

thats a dope heads war cry that is also the first thing a dope head says to justify their use of pot  ...

jeez next you will be advocating having a toke or two when women give birth ...

NFella... and YOU know what would be better for us as a choice because?

1 Have you ever given birth?

2 You think hardcore presciribed narcotics is the way to go because they said so?.

3Unless you are in the same boat shut the fuck up your opinion is factles and useless...All just because you think so.

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

From the Los Angeles Times

Marijuana's new high life

Cannabis is moving into the mainstream, with fashion, films,
TV and politicians acknowledging it's here to stay.

By ADAM TSCHORN | Sunday, August 30, 2009



The new high life: marijuana is moving into the mainstream
with fashion, films, TV and politicians acknowledging its
here to stay. — Jon Krause/For the Los Angeles Times.

In June, an estimated 25,000 people attended the inaugural THC Expo hemp and art show in downtown Los Angeles, an event that pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into the local economy — including a $22,400 payment directly to the city of Los Angeles for use of its convention center.

Barneys New York in Beverly Hills is celebrating the Woodstock spirit by selling $78 "Hashish" candles in Jonathan Adler pots with bas-relief marijuana leaves; Hickey offers $75 linen pocket squares or $120 custom polo shirts bearing the five-part leaf; and French designer Lucien Pellat-Finet is serving up white-gold and diamond custom pot-leaf-emblazoned wristwatches for $49,000 and belt buckles for $56,000.

Earlier this year, Season 5 of Showtime's "Weeds" kicked off with promotional materials plastered on bus shelters, buses and billboards throughout the city. Last year, just across from the tourist-packed Farmers Market at 3rd Street and Fairfax Avenue, a "Pineapple Express" billboard belched faux pot smoke into the air. Even the '70s slacker-stoner comedy duo Cheech and Chong are back. After recently concluding an international tour, they say they are working on another movie, voicing an animated version of themselves and even batting around the idea of staging a Cheech and Chong Broadway musical.

After decades of bubbling up around the edges of so-called civilized society, marijuana seems to be marching mainstream at a fairly rapid pace. At least in urban areas such as Los Angeles, cannabis culture is coming out of the closet.

At fashion-insider parties, joints are passed nearly as freely as hors d'oeuvres. Traces of the acrid smoke waft from restaurant patios, car windows and passing pedestrians on the city streets — in broad daylight. Even the art of name-dropping in casual conversation — once limited to celebrity sightings and designer shoe purchases — now includes the occasional boast of recently discovered weed strains such as "Strawberry Cough" and "Purple Kush."

Public sentiment is more than anecdotal; earlier this year, a California Field Poll found that 56% of California voters supported legalizing and taxing marijuana. Last month, voters in Oakland overwhelmingly approved a tax increase on medical marijuana sales, the first of its kind in the country, and Los Angeles Councilwoman Janice Hahn has proposed something similar for the City of Angels. "In this current economic crisis, we need to get creative about how we raise funds," Hahn said in a statement.

Smoking pot used to be the kind of personal conduct that could sink a U.S. Supreme Court nomination (Douglas H. Ginsburg in 1987) and embarrass a presidential candidate (Bill Clinton in 1992). Today, it seems to be a non-issue for the current inhabitant of the Oval Office; Barack Obama issued his marijuana mea culpa in a 1995 memoir.



Drug references in popular music have multiplied like, well, weeds in the last three decades. Marijuana's presence on TV and in the movies has moved from the harbinger of bad things including murderous rage ("Reefer Madness" in 1936) to full-scale hauntings ("Poltergeist" in 1982) and burger runs gone awry ("Harold & Kumar go to White Castle" in 2001) to being just another fixture in the pop-culture firmament. Cannabis crops up on shows such as "Entourage," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "True Blood" and "Desperate Housewives," and even on animated shows such as "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy."

To date, none is as pot-centric as Showtime's "Weeds," which follows the adventures of widowed soccer mom turned pot dealer Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker), though the show's creator, Jenji Kohan, says there are TV shows in development that are set against the backdrop of medical marijuana clinics.

Richard Laermer, a media and pop culture trend watcher and author of several books, including "2011: Trendspotting for the Next Decade," points to Bill Maher as a bellwether of change. "Ten years ago, he would have been taken off the air." ("Real Time With Bill Maher" airs on HBO.) Now, he's "a totally mainstream comic who consistently talks about how much pot he smokes."

Marijuana's role on TV and in the movies is no surprise, says Robert Thompson, a professor of television and pop culture at the University of Syracuse S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. "The people who are making movies and television shows, from the scriptwriters to the director and the producers — a very large chunk of those are probably people who grew up not only much more comfortable with marijuana's presence in society, but probably as consumers themselves of it.

"As a result," Thompson said, "it's almost switched with alcohol. Think back to Dean Martin and Foster Brooks — their whole comedy act was the fact that they were in the bag — that now is seen a lot less often. The stoner is the new drunk."

There's one hitch

General marijuana use is, of course, illegal. Under federal law, marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance (in the same category as LSD, heroin and peyote) and possession of it is punishable by up to one year in jail and a minimum fine of $1,000 for a first conviction. According to the FBI's annual Uniform Crime Report, in 2007 there were 872,721 arrests in the U.S. for marijuana violations. For Californians who are not otherwise covered under the state's medical marijuana law (which continues to engender controversy among those who believe it's abused by recreational users), possession of 28.5 grams or less is a misdemeanor punishable by a $100 fine. What's more, passing a drug-free urine test is still a prerequisite for many jobs across the country.

Nonetheless, some indulge. Marijuana reform groups say it's a $35.8-billion domestic cash crop. And today's cannabis consumers — the state chapter of the National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws estimates the number of Californians who have smoked at least once in the last year is 3 million — open their wallets for pot-themed movies, handbooks, calendars, fancy glass storage jars, energy drinks, hemp clothing and ganja-themed bus tours, all part of the ever-widening marijuana-adjacent economy.

How much do we spend?

"It's hard to say," says Brian Roberts, co-founder of the THC Expo. "Do you count ‘Pineapple Express’ that did $100 million at the box office? Do you add in Dr. Dre's ‘[The] Chronic’ and ‘2001’ albums that [together] sold over 10 million copies? What I can tell you is that [the expo] pumped over $400,000 into the local economy," he added, citing expenditures for security guards and other temporary staffers, banners, decorations, printing and advertising, and renting the South Hall of the L.A. Convention Center.

Roberts, who launched and later sold a now-dormant, pot-themed apparel line called THC Clothing before getting into the expo business, has seen pot culture consumers' buying power firsthand. "I used to own a smoke shop [2000 BC] over on Melrose and people would spend up to $400 for a piece of glass to use as a water pipe — you're talking about an adult with extra money. That's like buying a power tool."

Did something happen between 2003, when Tommy Chong started a nine-month stint in federal prison for selling a mail-order water pipe, and the June THC Expo, when he stood signing autographs and shaking hands, barely a roach clip's throw from row upon row of swirling glass pipes, smoking devices with octopus-like tentacles, whirring motors and price tags as high as $800?

Some people point to the Obama administration as the biggest game-changer. "It was when [former President George W. Bush] and his boys were run out of office, that made the biggest difference," Chong said by phone near the end of the "Light Up America and Canada Tour" that reunited him with Cheech Marin.

Roberts cited the election as the tipping point as well. "The whole show teetered on who won the election," he said. "If McCain had won, I'd have never have put up my money. But Americans are no longer living in fear."

In addition, trend watcher Laermer points to a more subtle shift: aging baby boomers — a generation famous for tuning in, turning on and dropping out — who are keeping their party habits going into their golden years.

"It's hard to fathom that the fifty- and sixty-somethings would be against pot after all the pot they smoked," Laermer said, "Their kids would laugh them out of the room if they started telling them not to smoke pot."

The so-called marijuana movement has attracted some surprising names. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) has spoken out about decreasing penalties for possession and protecting medical marijuana users. Earlier this year, Glenn Beck of Fox News announced on the air: "Look, I'm a libertarian. You want to legalize marijuana; you want to legalize drugs — that's fine."

David Bienenstock, senior editor of New York-based marijuana magazine High Times and author of "The Official High Times Pot Smoker's Handbook," said: "Whether you're with the press or a politician, it's no longer a third rail. In the past it could have cost you your job. Now people are at least able to have those conversations."

Roberts, for one, is ready. He's already booked 50,000 square feet at the Los Angeles Convention Center for next year's THC Expo. It's going to happen April 23-25 — right after the April 20 date that's become a kind of pot smokers' national holiday.

"They're happy to have us back," Roberts said. "They told me the food concessions sold $38,000 worth of food on the first day alone — and that's more than they do in a whole week at the California Gift Show."

http://www.latimes.com/features/image/la-ig-potculture30-2009aug30,0,669328.story

[Im2Sexy4MyPants]

Obama talks about decrim MJ 2004


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qih2KsppObY&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fxtranewscommunity2%2Esmfforfree%2Ecom%2Findex%2Ephp%2Ftopic%2C1664%2E0%2Ehtml&feature=player_embedded

[Im2Sexy4MyPants]

The Giant Underground Cave Pot Farm 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHuucaOaU_M&feature=PlayList&p=8A4E9C5204471C01&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=46

[Magoo]

Speaking out about marijuana and the effects it has  is like telling an alcoholic the booze is frying his brain.     

[Lovelee]

A new study in the UK has cast doubt on the supposed link between cannabis use and schizophrenia.

But at least one Australian researcher says the study needs more evidence.

Previous research has suggested cannabis use increases the risk of being diagnosed with either psychosis or schizophrenia.

This latest study, led by Dr Martin Frisher of Keele University, examined the records of 600,000 patients aged between 16 and 44, but failed to find a similar link.

"An important limitation of many studies is that they have failed to distinguish the direction of association between cannabis use and psychosis," the authors write in the latest edition of the journal Schizophrenia Research.

They point out that "although using cannabis is associated with a greater risk of developing psychosis, there is also evidence of increased cannabis use following psychosis onset."


Not as predicted

Frisher and colleagues compared the trends of cannabis use with general practitioner records of schizophrenia and psychosis.

They argue if cannabis use does cause schizophrenia, then an increase in cannabis use should be followed by an increase in the incidence of schizophrenia.

According to the study, cannabis use in the UK between 1972 and 2002 has increased four-fold in the general population, and 18-fold among under-18s.

Based on the literature supporting the link, the authors argue that this should be followed by an increase in schizophrenia incidence of 29 per cent between 1990 and 2010.

But the researchers found no increase in the rates of schizophrenia and psychosis diagnosis during that period. In fact, some of the data suggested the incidence of these conditions had decreased.

"This study does not therefore support the specific causal link between cannabis use and the incidence of psychotic disorders," the authors say.

"This concurs with other reports indicating that increases in population cannabis use have not been followed by increases in psychotic incidence."


More evidence

Professor Joseph Rey of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sydney, whose previous research has identified a link between cannabis and schizophrenia, is sceptical of the study's results.

"Not showing that there is a link does not mean there is no link," he says.

"There might be other factors at play that may reduce the incidence of diagnosed schizophrenia."

According to Rey, "this study is just a start and the evidence suggesting that cannabis use does increase the risk of schizophrenia is quite strong. We need more evidence to counteract what we already know."

The authors of the study say that while they cannot completely dismiss all alternative explanations of their data, such explanations "do not appear to be plausible".

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/01/2673441.htm

[Im2Sexy4MyPants]

How can somthing that makes people feel happy be bad




 

[Lovelee]

Cos the govt cant tax it    thats about all I can think of.

[Im2Sexy4MyPants]

They could put it in packets like ciggys and sell it at the gas stations they might get a little tax from that 

[Justic]

  I can see it now.  Buy your dak with your gas and then get picked up by the Coppers with their new test for drug driving.

Maybe the Police could use that revenue to keep some of thier cars. 

They could then have one car 100 metres down the road from every Gas station

[Nitpicker1]

I can see it now.  Buy your dak with your gas and then get picked up by the Coppers with their new test for drug driving.

Maybe the Police could use that revenue to keep some of thier cars. 

They could then have 100 metres down the road from every Gas station

better still, have their their new test for drug driving and one car at every Gas station

[donquixotenz]

You could buy tailor-made pot cigs back in the 50's they were called Spud and were in a silver packet and touted for athsmatics.........

[Lovelee]

Lucky Strike was purported to have it in too.

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

Cannabis ‘improves’ driving, some users say

NZPA | 6:43PM - Tuesday, 22 September 2009

Two thirds of cannabis users say the drug does not affect their driving ability, while 16 percent say it improves it, according to a new survey.

Almost 1200 people responded to an online Drug Foundation survey ahead of the introduction of new drug-driving tests set to be enforced by police from December.

Almost 80 percent of those who had driven while under the influence of cannabis felt their driving was not changed or was better.

New Zealanders' were assessed on their knowledge, attitudes and behaviours around driving under the influence of psychoactive substances, including illicit drugs, prescription medicines and alcohol, for both users and non-users and drug drivers and non-drug drivers.

Out of the 1164 people surveyed, 1124 were drivers, 36.4 percent were cannabis users and 7.7 percent were methamphetamine users.

Nearly a quarter, 23.6 percent, of drinkers surveyed reported driving under the influence in the past year.

Driving under the influence of multiple substances was the most dangerous driving behaviour in terms of impairment, yet 11.6 percent of respondents reported doing so in the past year.

More than two thirds (70.5 percent) "totally agreed" or "somewhat agreed" that random roadside drug testing would improve road safety in New Zealand.

A long-term study was being carried out by Environmental Science and Research to analyse blood samples from most driver deaths in New Zealand.

Preliminary results showed 40 percent of drivers killed between 2004 and 2006 had used alcohol, cannabis or both before their death.

Thirty percent of drivers who used cannabis and died in a motor vehicle accident were likely to have smoked within three hours of driving.

But the number of people convicted of drug-driving was low, as there was no technology to detect drug users quickly .

Provisional police data showed 69 people were charged with driving under the influence of a drug last year, compared with 60 in 2006 and 84 in 2007.

Only one person was charged with causing death while under the influence of a drug.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/2891468/Cannabis-improves-driving-some-users-say

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

I guess you learn something new every day!         

[Im2Sexy4MyPants]

[Im2Sexy4MyPants]

[Im2Sexy4MyPants]

[Im2Sexy4MyPants]

Spongbong Hemp pants

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD-5ljZnHtg&feature=related

[Im2Sexy4MyPants]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4njJAUshRg&annotation_id=annotation_21614&feature=iv

Marijuana Nation

From the Israeli scientist at the end of the film.
Most of us are anxious from time to time, Most of us are depressed from time to time, We want to change that, And in many cases such a change can be brought forward by cannabis, So that's why people use it ,that's all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goy7UVQY4F8&feature=related



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN-8VzizBEE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnmznj2kzsM&feature=related

MY RANT
Why victimized people who smoke Dope for wanting to feel happy and good,
Or people suffering from cancer or an illness or in pain,
Or feeling anxious or depressed, Marijuana users are not hurting anyone and they should be left alone.

The only people hurting from marijuana use, Is one the government and that's just because they are not getting tax money from it,

And two the American drug companies would lose billions,because a lot of people would not need to buy their drugs anymore.

Give me the freedom to choose how i wish to spend my life maybe even smoking marijuana without our big brother government sending their shock troops around to my house to give me shit. I want personal freedom,Am I not my own master,

I do not belong to the government,I did not give them my life,Our government are supposed to be there to serve me.

And the last time i looked I found that I do not have a number tattooed on my head so i guess i am not a slave.



Some famous people who have smoked marijuana
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etYrAZxCAKU&NR=1&feature=fvwp

[DazzaMc]

Lol... listening to the cops doing a drug bust yesterday... all they found was a seedling 4cm high, they proceeded to document it, photos and all. Was funny listening to them laughing about it.

:-)

[Lovelee]

Lol... listening to the cops doing a drug bust yesterday... all they found was a seedling 4cm high, they proceeded to document it, photos and all. Was funny listening to them laughing about it.

:-)

LOL I had a visit about 15 yrs ago from the local copper - he removed one plant about 9" high.  I laughed at them with all their bravado.  He wasnt happy at me laughing and made some comment about a news paper article which made me laugh even more, I said I can see it now - Cops Bust 50 yr old for 1 very small MJ Plant     Needless to say he wasnt prepared to go any further with it.

[Im2Sexy4MyPants]

I bet when the cops find those big plantations some Piggy's poke a few nice buds into their pockets and have good puff up later

[Im2Sexy4MyPants]

A friend of mine was looking out the window years back 2 vans pulled up near his place 2 guys walked up to his door and knocked,he frantically ran around ripping out his plants and was flushing the bits down his toilet,
He then opened the door.
It turned out these guys were at the wrong address they were just workmen, he was spitting

[Lovelee]

I saw a bloke grab a pound off the table change shirts and get out of the house in about half a second - then had time to watch him disappearing down the beach before the 'suits' knocked on the door.  They looked like D's.  We had seen them come into the driveway    They ended up being lawyers coming to check out the house, there had been a murder in it about a year beforehand