Yeah that might be a good idea to move it to Research. Go ahead mods.
Okay I see. The fact that Marijuana is illegal doesn't mean it is a bad thing. Cuz what is ''Bad'' really? Who decides? The Truth about Marijuana is that it is no Worse for your Health than Smoking Tobacco. In fact Cannabis's active Substance: THC is a non-toxic hemical that does no Damage to human cells at all. However the Sale of Cigarettes is Legal. Strange isn't it? Alcohol floods richly throughout the World, certainly in the United States. Alcohol kills tens of thousands of people every year. I don't even wanna know what the International Yearly Alcohol related Death-toll is o_Õ In Traffic accidents, Alcohol induced Violence...etc. Alcohol is strongly addtictive. Alcohol is highly Toxic, Kills brain- and Liver cells, often makes people violent or sexually herassing others. And Alcohol is Legal? Strange world isn't it?
So who are you to define Good and Bad? And how about this:
I've heard of a bar fight, even seen it maybe once or twice, but I have NEVER EVER seen a Coffeeshop-Fight. Stoned people are just too relaxed and at peace to even concinder harming or herassing someone.
And to your Question What Good is Marijuana besides medical use:
WELL, Imagine you have had ADHD all your life and lost the hyperactivity during your teenages, but still have the same overwhelming amount of energy and business going on inside your head. (ADD) It's sometimes like your Spontanious thoughtprocess goes completely hectic and your having miljions of spontanious thoughts crossing your Mind every 3 seconds.
Can you Imagine how that would drive you mad? And can you imagine how hard it is to Concentrate on any activity like reading a book, paying attention at schoolclasses...etc? This is called ADD. Which is a shame cuz my IQ test sais I have a very high intelligence.
And in a way I see Marijuana as a sort of Self medication. When I smoke Marijuana The Hectic Chaos in my mind slows down to a reasonable stream of thought, which is much clearer, calmer and Focussed. If I smoke 1 joint and then start to work on a piece of art I have been wanting to make for some time I suddenly find it Much easier to concentrate and not get distracted from my work: Normally I am quite easily Distracted by inner thoughts or external stimuli.
I've had lots of medicatins for my ADD but noe seemed to really work; Most turned me into a slow-motion, doped up zombie, others gave me dizzymaking high heartratees and rediculously low bloodpressure...etc All these Pharmaceuticalls failed to calm my Mind in a Clear way and had more nasty sideeffects than actual intended effects. And I forgot to mention that most of these Medications were quite toxic on my liver which has lead to me having a weak liver.
No man I'd rather smoke a Joint sometimes to take the edge off of the Hectic Chaos in my Head. No list of Side-effects, no physical harmfullness/Toxicity. Just a mental peace that helps me Concentrate better and stronger at the price your health pays from smoking.
I have found that smoking Marijuana when my Mind is hectic and jumbled really helps alot calming down my mind, making it clear and therefor much easier to concentrate.
Well for me THAT is what smoking Marijuana is good for. besides it opens up quite a usefull state of Mind: The Creative state of Mind. This allows me to Draw, paint, write Music..etc from the Creative Inspirations from this State of Mind Pretty interresting and usefull for someone who wishes to start a Carreer in Graphic Arts.
And what about weed? Should we just all hush up about it? pretend it doesn't exist and must we all Ignore the fact that allthough it's illegal MANY people smoke it? I'll tell you what: Smoking a joint is no ''worse'' a ''Shame'' than smoking a cigarette.
I find it a shame to encounter the same Sentiment I've witnessed so many times before: If it is an Ethical and Sensative, Debatable and Controversive Question: avoid it, don't speak of it, Ignore it and lock it away.
I think we should be able to talk openly about these matters so that people are properly informned of the objective truth. Not just what Mama thinks. Then persons can decide themselves what they find ''Right" and ''Wrong'' instead of just being Told.
Besides here's such a bit of Ojective Truth about Marijuana I've found on Weed&Driving here:
Check this out.
And another thing
spiritofthewolf: You used to Smoke HALF AN OUNCE a day? Sweet Jesus. If I had half an ounce it would have taken about almost 2 weeks to smoke that up. In that case Cannabis does more harm than it doesn good. But it certainly does it's good. If you don't smoke half an ounce a day off course, Cuz DAMN that is aLOT of weed for one day.[/b]