Oh and one more thing....
I am sure this will infuriate weed advoctae to no end, but its worth making mention....
A symbiotic relationship between two organisms, ie humans and cannabis.....is not a mutually beneficial realtionship. We do indeed benefit from the cannabis as a symbiant....but in truth there is nothing that we as humans have offered evolutionary speaking to the existence of the Cannabis. You might be just as accurate in calling us a "predator" to the plant as a symbiant. Basically, we dont have a relationship with Cannabis thats any different from our relationship with tomatoes or corn, so I dont agree that its a valid attribute to the arguement that cannabis is a required constituent of homeostasis outside of what we consume daily....ie not "special"....again, effective but not unique when described as a symbiant.
Our neuroreceptors are geared to accept all manner of chemical interactions in order for us to exhibit action and reaction physically or emotionally. Sometimes the neurotransmitters can get screwey or overload the receptors, and a substance such as what you get when you smoke pot can indeed behave as a balancing force.....but certainly not always and every time for every person, no more than anything else. The same thing is not always right for every person.
i would probably enjoy pot alot more if it effected me in the way that it does many of you. I have been giving it opportunities to for the better part of 15 years and it simply does not effect me in the same way it does others. i am okay with idea that this means that pot is not right for me.....but I would be irresponsible in thinking that there werent many others who reacted to it like me, and that it would be the wrong substance of choice for them too. its not personal, just a different experience....therefore NOT omnipotent as you would have it be.
OK, OK, let's step back and take a deep (vaporized WEED-filled) breath.
Carmel, I apologize if this discussion has somehow turned into a personal attack on you. THat was not my intent, and I am sorry if that has been fueled by this discussion. I like you, Carmel, you have an interesting perspective and are not afraid to speak your mind, even under intense opposition. That's calleed character, Carmel, and it counts for a lot in my book. Hats off and a few tokes of TBPITW to you.
ANyway, I have to point out that the cannabis species has most definitely benefited from it's association with mankind. Check out a book called
THe Botany Of Desire and you will read a much more in depth account than I can give here. Basically, by cultivating and crossbredding, etc., we have introduced the cannabis plants to many environments it would never have made it to, and created many different strains. THe total "cannabis biomass" is much greater than it would have had mankind not evolved receptors for the psychoactive component of the marijuana plant. Perhaps that is the weed's evolutionary strategy, to glom onto the dominant species, thereby ensuring its survival. Possibly, we are mere "hosts" for the WEED Overmind, franticly doing the bidding of a collective inteeligence for the cannabis species. At any rate, the cannabis plant has appealed to humanity through many other uses, but it is the psychoactive component that gives it its special relationship with us.
I would agree with you that there are certain unfortuneate cases, such as schizophrenics, who would probably gain no benefit from marijuana use, but the number of such cases is truly too small to be anything other than the exception that proves the rule. As with other psychoactives, WEED is best used when set and setting are taken into consideration. THe method of ingestion can also play a significant part in determining the nature of the experience. I would suggest that perhaps you have never approached the WEED in the proper set and setting, but I don't know. I do know that daily use of marijuana is not an abberation, or excessive amount. It is a first class treatment for many of the ailment s associated with survivors of situations such as Straight, Inc. That's all I'm saying. Lifestyle changes, etc., etc., shareing feelings, getting to the root of the problem, eating healthy, exeercising, blah blah, yeah, of course theose are all good ideas, but tit is not always practical and many times people do want a quicker solution--one that marijuana could provide for them. Once they have treated the primary symptoms with WEED, then, they can find out if these other lifestyle changes etc. will work for them, or not. And if not, well, the WEED is always available , despite efforts to eradicate it.
Again, I apologize if anything here turned into or fueled some of the personal attacks, which are completely uncool. I think it's cool that you don't cave in under opposition, integrity like that is prertty rare.
