Drug propaganda.

[milefile]

Have you guys seen this new round of anti-drug ads on television? I can think of two of the top of my head... a little toddler is playing dagerously close to a swimming pool with no supervision while the narration goes "Sure, just tell her parents you couldn't watch her because you were too busy getting stoned. They'll understand." The obvious insinuation is that the kid will drown because pot will make an otherwise responsible person a useless menace. The other one I can remember is a kid sitting outside a school or something. He's sitting and waiting and has been there for a while, apparently forgotten. The narration goes "Just tell him you forgot about him because you were too busy getting stoned. He'll understand." The insinuation being that somehow, if you smoke pot, you will neglect children.

This propaganda offends me. Their purpose seems to be to reinforce false opinions, and if not, it's effects are the same in any case. Anyone with the slightest familiarity with pot knows these ads are way overboard and unecessarily accusatory. The implication that smoking pot will make the smoker not care about kids, be dangerously reckless and apathetic, resulting in abuse and even death, is simply absurd. These ads are on par with the 30's classic, Reefer Madness.

If you have the money to buy ads that tell people to not do drugs, great, go for it. But why must you lie? If it's really so bad wouldn't the truth be persuasive enough? Here's a good ad they should use: Some guy is looking in the fridge for a snack. There is a pie dish with only one piece left. With a sneaky yet guilty look the guy takes the pie and eats it while the narration says "Sure, just tell her you ate all the pie because you got stoned, she'll understand." Much better. True and funny. Or how about the mother who's baby drowns in the tub because she was on the phone, or watching TV. Let's make propaganda ads against those things, too, after we make them illegal.

So let's just be honest. It benefits nobody to instigate false fear into parents and other authority figures, which is all these ads do. But we repeatedly find, rather easily, that when pot is discussed openly, and accurately addressed, it is rediscovered as a mostly harmless substance, nowhere near as dangerous as, say, eating Luchables every day, or riding a bus.

I wonder what it is about pot that is seen as so diabolical that any lie is justifiable if it supposedly keeps people from doing it. It just makes no sense to me; the ignorance and lies employed to instill fear in people makes me angry when I see it. It's at least as stupid as saying SUV's cause terrorism.

 

[DGB454]

The apathetic part is right though. At least it was for me way back when.

 

[Danoff]

It's interesting to hear your opinion on this. I'm not familiar with how much pot can affect people, so I didn't know if the ads were accurate. It does seem like they should concentrate more on the irresponsible behavior rather than blaming the drug. It seems like it would be just as fair to say "Don't get disracted when you're babysitting a two-year-old"

The exaggeration of this commercial would be a dad wailing on his son and a voiceover saying "Just tell him you beat him because you wanted to get drunk."

It's really the irresponsible behavior that's the problem. But people should be aware that if they're going to get drunk or stoned that they should be in a safe place without responsibility.

 

[boombexus]

Originally posted by danoff
It's really the irresponsible behavior that's the problem. But people should be aware that if they're going to get drunk or stoned that they should be in a safe place without responsibility.

This is also how I interperate these commercials. I don't see it as an over exageration or propeganda, I see it as maybe using the 'worst case scenerio' to excentuate the point of "responsibility." But all well within the realm of possiblity.

I could be horribly wrong, but I get the sense that milefile is taking the standpoint of someone who uses pot as a very casual thing that is done in the safety of someones home, by a responsible adult, after a hard days work. Someone who will smoke a bowl or roll a joint, and relax. Not someone that takes repeated bong rips till they pass out.
The responsible user is a correct assumption of some pot users behaviour. (IMO the minority of pot users.)
But there is also a flip side to that person, and I see that flip side every single day. (Especially in my line of work where drug abuse is the norm, and not frowned upon in the slightest.)

I see people get high before work, during work and after work. I see large quantities of pot used.
Someone smoking an ounce of weed by themselfs in a matter of a day or two is not unheard of and is more of a regular happening then one might think. (This I know cus I used to live with a person that did this.)
I see the effects that overuse of this drug can have on people. I see a useless employee, stoned out of his mind, trying to perform tasks that are barely acheiveable of someone sober.
I've seen a waiter roll their car into a ditch during a snow storm cus they got distracted while trying to light a bowl while driving home.
I see aquaintances of mine drunk and stoned walking down the middle of a dimly lit street trying to hitch a ride. This person I almost ran over. I wasn't expecting someone standing in the middle of the road. Good thing he didn't get killed by a drunk driver that couldn't react fast enough.

Those are just a few examples of the behaviours I've witnessed, and see so many more on a daily basis, due to people being under the influence of pot. It's just so wide spread where I live and it's very dissapointing to see the waste it can create. So many deadbeats.

I used to be like them myself. I used to smoke pot. Not just smoke it responsibly, but smoking to the point of passing out. Some of the things I've done. (I'm reminded of smoking pounds upon pounds of pot with some friends through a wet/dry vac set on reverse.)

The things that people will do are amazingly stupid somtimes and knowing and experiencing this first hand makes those commercials seem completely feasable and certainly within the realm of possiblility, and not as ads that are way overboard and unecessarily accusatory. I mean c'mon, forgeting something while stoned? [sarcasm]That's never happened.[/sarcasm] I know I've forgotten many things while stoned.

But we repeatedly find, rather easily, that when pot is discussed openly, and accurately addressed, it is rediscovered as a mostly harmless substance, nowhere near as dangerous as, say, eating Luchables every day, or riding a bus.

I think that a lot of people see pot as a relatively harmless drug and, it's relatively true when done in moderation. But does everyone use moderately? No.

But I'm about to tell you something that might seem a bit odd and you will probably say that there is no correlation between the two drugs, but as someone that has done both, I'm just trying to make a point so bear with me.

Crystal Meth. Meth in my opinion is in no way different than pot. Both these drugs alter your mind right?
The times that I have done meth I can tell you that I was at the top of my game. I was moving, getting things done, nothing could slow me down and I can say that mentally you feel sharp. Now heavy continued use of this drug will do many bad things to you, just like pot can. (Ever seen the movie "Spun?")
But my experience with Meth, as a casual user, is that during the high (sometimes 3 days or more) I was on top of my game. Think of it as having a really, really intense caffine buzz. No way were you going to forget a baby by the pool side. I mean that's why some mothers do meth. To be able to stay aware long enough to get through their busy days of work and taking the kids to soccer among the multitude of other things they are responsible for. Think that dont happen? Think again. The meth is just the opposite end of the spectrum. Some people use pot to relax, and some use meth to get thigs accomplished.
So why shouldn't meth be legal then? It can enable you to get so much accomplished. Maybe a commercial should be made about meth and how a mom can use it to get through her day.
I use this to illustrate that so many are so quick to praise the benefits of pot, they merely propegate the opposite propaganda mentioned in the first post. Why not tout the benefits of meth?

But that's the point. Even though I thought I was at the top of my game, I really wasn't. I had barely known 3 days had passed.
The same holds true for pot, something renowned for it's mind numbing characteristics. Even though you think that you are on top of things and menally aware, you really are not and you can't dispute that fact.
The point is, that there are negative effects of pot use. Negative effects that a lot of casual users may not see and will probably never experience, so they might think that pot use should be acceptable for everyone. By that rational, meth is great for busy mothers or for other people that have busy schedules.
However, I see the negative effects personified on a daily basis, and see things that make those commercials seem completely legit.
Seeing this rampant irresponsible use makes me wonder if pot should ever be legalized. The entire world already has enough problems with legal alchohol, does society really need to deal with the addition of another mind altering drug becoming legal?



It's late and I'm tired, but the commercials are not that far off base at all.

 

[emad]

damn boom - i actually read it all.

From what i've seen of my friends, the commercials aren't too far off. I know a few that smoke pot only after they know they won't have to do anything later because they don't want it affecting their performance. Can't say that about everyone else though...

 

[ledhed]

Mankind throughout its history has always found a way to get high. I wonder why ?

 

[Crayola]

I agree about meth or any other kind of stimulant, meth is just like an insanely high caffeine hit. I have done speed, meth and ecstacy and although Im not necessarily proud of it Im not going to ignore the fact that I dont think its dangerous when used responsibly. The problem is its to make people use it responsibly and Ive seen people get completely ****ed over from amphetamines. I had a friend who overdosed on speed and jumped into a river and drowned (I wasnt with him or I woulda done something). I also have friends who do weed and I see them trying to play soccer and being completely overwhelmed by breathiung trouble. I think this would be a much better ad: "He was so stoned he couldnt even play soccer with his mates." (You could change the sport) its the truth and it works.

 

[Ghost C]

There's a big difference between weed and meth. A weed smoker won't break into your house, stab you with a rusty spoon, and steal your TV because they need to sell it to get money for an 8th.

There used to be a meth lab on every corner in my city, and the crime rate was skyrocketing. Now the Drug and Narcotics Task Force (SWAT Team, basically) is shutting them all down, and the crime is...Uh, groundrocketing. They've gotten rid of most of them, but when all you need are some household items to put up a meth lab, you can't really put a stop to it.

Anyway, back on the subject of weed. I smoked an ounce with my friend one night, and we had to take care of a little girl. The only thing that happened was an increased amount of laughing while we were playing GTA3, and a need for Mountain Dew and Doritos.

The little girl is still alive, so I can safely assume that unless you're completely lazy by nature, weed can't really make you that lazy.

 

[milefile]

Isn't an ounce in one night a, um, waste of money?!

 

[Gil]

Isn't that about 20+ splifs?
I used to know guys/girls in junior high that stayed high all day on 4-5 jays.
What in the world did you guys need with 20?
You sure you guys didn't just have a nickel bag?

I have to, in some (acutallly many) respects, agree with boom. I've had some of my buds get stoned, and then get stoopid. (When a 120lb stoned dude breaks bad with a 220lb sober dude, that's STOOPID.) I've also seen pot as a "gateway" drug.
Milefile might be a "responsible user". But those types of users are not the general norm.

One of my good friends from "back in the day" (he taught me to ride a motorcycle) used to smoke weed fairly casually. But he eventually, in the course of about a year, started smoking it like Columbia was gonna fall in the ocean, and deprive him of prime Redbud forever.
Next thing I know, this dude is sniffing glue, and doing coke, and other ****e.

So, I guess what I'm saying is that I don't believe that I'll be smoking any pot, or encouraging any of my friends or family to either. I have seen too much bad come of it, to ever think of it as being a good thing.

 

[Ghost C]

It would've been a waste if it was better stuff. It was schwoo with a bunch of sticks and seeds in it.

'Sides, I wasn't paying for it, so I didn't really care.

 

[Crayola]

Originally posted by Ghost C
There's a big difference between weed and meth. A weed smoker won't break into your house, stab you with a rusty spoon, and steal your TV because they need to sell it to get money for an 8th.

Those guys were paying to much. I know where you can get speed for as little as AUD$25 a tab. Not that anyone would or should ever want to do that because its illegal.

 

[Squid]

It only makes you that lazy if you let it, but if you want to do somethin you can concentate way better like on driving, i think im a better driver high

 

[TruNinja619]

you know what the funny thing about these anti-drug commercials....

i remember listening to the news a year ago about these anti-drug campaigns..... and they said.... ever since these anti-drug commercials aired.... you can see an up in cigarette sales.....

ironic isn't it?

 

[milefile]

No. Not really.

 

[Pupik]

The current crop of drug propaganda is stupid. It's reinforcing that you'll get in more trouble if you did the same stupid mistakes while not on any drug. At least nobody's convinced they've supported terrorism. Last I checked, I never heard of Iraq or Afganistan becoming hot spots for trafficing weed, meth, or acid. (Opium, maybe, but we haven't had an opium problem in the US in 80 years.)

However, one must only listen to a bunch of stoned kids ramble aimlessly to understand that weed will, at worst, make you say stupid things,a little lazier, and eat a little more. You might start appreciating better music, too.

There are some people that will use weed as a gateway drug. I did it, and it's normal for those who hung around their local dealer (or became one). But as long as you practice a bit of moderation, and don't use drugs as a means of total escape and/or waste of money, you're probably going to be okay.

The moment you have to miss a day of work/school or don't want to do anything all day after taking drugs, then there's a problem. You've got to quit right then and there, and never return to drugs. The hardest part about quitting for me was giving up the lifestyle of a drug culture. It was harder to break off the lifestyle changes than the addiction itself.

Drug culture is an absurdity: These are people who swear anything they do on drugs "doesn't count" and that their actions "don't mean anything because they were high" is an oxymoron. They voluntarily take the drug, and then take no responsibility for their actions afterward. Those are people who think they are above the law, and distort philosophy to fit their weaknesses. Excessive drug users don't want any part of non-drug doing people, because they will expose their weakness. Basically, thedrug has become a crutch, an excuse, a false prophet that delivers no useful message.

 

[milefile]

Great post Pupik.