I would draft Honey Badger

[Dee Dub]

I personally don't see it as a 'gateway drug' but rather the first drug that was available to them other than booze. If crack or coke was cheap and as readily available as weed is that would be their 'gateway drug'. Those people are looking to escape life which is a mental health issue. This country seriously needs to address mental health in a more serious manner. Our country is seriously broken. Our government has flip flopped its intended power. County government should be the most powerful form of government where the issues can be more directly addressed and you could look your elected official in the eye on a more consistent basis. Those in need of true help could be identified, as could those bilking he system to sit around and be lazy phucks living off your hard work.

Marijuana use usually starts in the teens. It is seen as cool and socially acceptable by many young crowds. And not a serious drug. It's is seen as all fun to them. But even teens know that crack and meth are serious drugs that can be dangerous. As I said before most serious drug users will tell you that for them it all started with marijuana use. It led them to their drug of choice or the drug that brought them to their knees. And not sure if you know this but crack and meth can come rather cheaply now. $20.00 worth of crack or meth can get one lit up pretty good. Marijuana on the other hand is rather expensive now. How much good weed can one get for $20.00?

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Marijuana use usually starts in the teens. It is seen as cool and socially acceptable by many young crowds. And not a serious drug. It's is seen as all fun to them. But even teens know that crack and meth are serious drugs that can be dangerous. As I said before most serious drug users will tell you that for them it all started with marijuana use. It led them to their drug of choice or the drug that brought them to their knees. And not sure if you know this but crack and meth can come rather cheaply now. $20.00 worth of crack or meth can get one lit up pretty good. Marijuana on the other hand is rather expensive now. How much good weed can one get for $20.00?

Dee Dub, correct me if I am wrong, but I seem to recall you mentioning you donate you time in drug clinics or something of that sort to spread the word of God which I'm pretty sure you are a heavily religious person. Am I correct on the drug clinic and religion statements?

[TD386Steel]

Amen to that!! I am right there with you BradshawsHairdresser. Thanks for sharing that.

Amen to that brothers and thank you Lord

[flippy]

There are a billion guns owned in this country. What type of gun owners do you hear about?

Actually the most successful people in the world do the most drugs because they can afford them. Sometimes it's good to be a broke shlub.

Did you hear Steven Tyler said this week that he's spent $6M on drugs over his lifetime?

All of my ancestors combined could have never afforded $6M worth of anything let alone drugs. And we're a clan of hillbillies that would end up on Jerry Springer if we were a bunch of addicts.

Even going back to the teens years, the kids with the rich parents were always the ones with the weed and stuff at parties. For some reason, I think rich people have more problems than the rest of us and they need more drugs to cope.

Us poor folks have to cope with a few extra pierogies.

[Dee Dub]

Dee Dub, correct me if I am wrong, but I seem to recall you mentioning you donate you time in drug clinics or something of that sort to spread the word of God which I'm pretty sure you are a heavily religious person. Am I correct on the drug clinic and religion statements?

I have spent time in in clinics, hospitals, AA and NA groups, as well as prisons, sharing my own experience, strength, and hope.

I dont know if I would say I am a religious person. I am a saved man who lives his life for the Lord.

[feltdizz]

I had a fraternity brother that was also on a genius level that smoked pot from the time he woke up until the time he went to bed. He graduated with his 4 year undergraduate in 3 years, flew through medical school, and is currently happily married with a beautiful family and he still smokes pot once his kids are asleep to relax just as you might have a Beer or two.

You know how beer effected you when you had your first couple beers? Maybe had one or two and you were drunk as a skunk. But as you more regularly have one or two beers, it hardly effects you? Weed is very much the same. So if you tried it once or twice and got royally messed up that is not a true indicator of pot. I know plenty of hard working professional adults that could have a joint handed to them from Snoop Dogg himself, take a few puffs off of that, and their demeanor hardly changes at ll to the point you would have no idea they took a puff.

i think most people would be very, VERY surprised how many high level professionals in all fields smoke pot. You just don't know who they are because it is illegal and they are nothing like the folks you guys mention that have life issues regardless of the drug they choose to try and escape reality with.

This is spot on... some people try it and don't like it, others love it so much they abuse it, and some use it and you wouldnt even know it.

Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers, etc... plenty of professionals are users. Those who do other drugs were going to do them anyway. Its foolish to think weed is a "gateway" drug. IMO its an excuse to blame weed for a person trying coke, meth, heroin. Some people are addicts and they will abuse anything they get their hands on.

Unfortunately I have an addict in my family. She does every drug BUT weed.

If the badger had bath salts its a clear sign he has deeper issues... once he gets money, watch out.

[Dee Dub]

.........Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers, etc... plenty of professionals are users. Those who do other drugs were going to do them anyway. Its foolish to think weed is a "gateway" drug. IMO its an excuse to blame weed for a person trying coke, meth, heroin. Some people are addicts and they will abuse anything they get their hands on....

You are entitled to your opinion but there are many doctors and addition counselors who believe marijuana to be a gateway drug. No one is talking about people who try coke, meth, or heroin. We are talking about those who are addicted to it. That means more than trying it.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

I have spent time in in clinics, hospitals, AA and NA groups, as well as prisons, sharing my own experience, strength, and hope.

I dont know if I would say I am a religious person. I am a saved man who lives his life for the Lord.

Going to those places and meeting drug addicts, prisons, etc, of course you hear the stories of it being a gateway drug. If I talked with folks at gambling addiction groups then 5 dollar bets on pool games with friends would lead to being 10k in the hole betting on football and folks at weight watchers would tell tales of how that one donut stop ended up with them crying into their rear view mirror, faces shiny with donut glaze, as they think of what gluonous pigs they are for eating the entire dozen donuts.

You don't realize the people you meet every day, coworkers, friends, church goers, etc. that take care of their business during the day, raise their kids with love and tuck them into bed at night, then go sit on the porch and take a couple puffs. You don't know who they are because they are responsible people that enjoy pot in a responsible way and don't readily talk about it or flaunt it because it is illegal and the social stigma people have against pot.

[flippy]

You are entitled to your opinion but there are many doctors and addition counselors who believe marijuana to be a gateway drug. No one is talking about people who try coke, meth, or heroin. We are talking about those who are addicted to it. That means more than trying it.

I heard that sugar has a similar effect on your brain as cocaine in terms of addiction. The FDA regulates food and drugs, yet those companies are always trying to weave some sort of addiciting substance into their products to hook consumers and make more money.

Since drugs are about making money for the drug cartels, those guys have to be thinking about putting something addictive in their weed to keep you coming back for more. It's all about the money. Actually, maybe it's the pot brownies that they're using to hook evertyone eventually.

[Shoe]

Go into a drug re-hab and ask everyone you see what was the first drug they did. 90% will say marijuana. It is a gateway drug. And it is very addictive. Not for all but for most drug addicts it was addictive. And again, addition is a two fold disease. A physical addiction/allergy of the body and an obsession of the mind. Take any steady pot smoker and take weed away from them and there will be some time of withdrawal. Now they may not act like a heroin addict without their fix but they will have mood swings and physical cravings. But you can bet most of them will never admit that. Because to them they dont see it an addition as you yourself have said. Yet they need it in order to cope with life or enjoy life. Think about that.

And yes that man you speak of was a broken man before he ever did drugs. Drugs made him worse.

Holy cow... I'm not meaning to attack you Dee Dub, but that's about as ignorant a post as I've read in a long time. First of all, pot isn't "a gateway drug". Whatever "gate" there is, people with a propensity toward drug use will find that gate regardless of what drug the government chooses to make legal/not legal. Legalize pot, and criminalize booze--guess what becomes your gateway drug? Addictive people will find a way. It's not marijuana; it's just people who are weak (in that regard), and they would get addicted to whatever it is.

With regard to the Honey Badger, I'm like someone else (previously), who said they aren't upset about the pot use... more so about what would get him dismissed (it's gotta be more than smoking dope).