Bad Weed Debate on my facebook between myself & family

[Kevin Sparks]

My facebook status
786,546 marijuana arrests in 2005 (FBI-Uniform Crime Report)

Aunt (Detective in San Diego, CA)
When you get ticketed ( and here in California you do for anything less than 1 ounce..sometimes even over that amount) it's considered an arrest...but you are released with a citation...so, don't let those numbers fool you!

Me (Kansas City, MO)
Hopefully the federal government will legalize it & regulate it like alcohol at some point. I saw that california legalized it for medicinal purposes but since the federal government didn't, they can come in & shut down the stores any time they want.

Aunt (Detective in San Diego, CA)
What you read and what actually happens are very different. I am a narcotics detective so I know what goes on...Since I just saw some guy in Arizona shoot down a senator, a federal judge and 18 plus + innocent people...killing at least 6 s...o far, including a 9 year old girl...and his drug of choice appeared to be marijuana...and like you he had his distorted views on legalizing certain drugs, opinions of weapons and "different" views of government...I would not agree with you. For most "medicinal" users...it's just an excuse.

Me (Kansas City, MO)
If you watch the documentary that I listed on here, it will show that it wasn't the weed that made the kid shoot all those people. Weed is healthy. No one has ever over dosed on weed. No scientific study shows that weed kills brain cells.... You can abuse weed though, just like we abuse everything else. We can jump off bridges, should we outlaw those? The fact that the government would rather we use their drugs that are all mostly not natural so they can make that money rather than have us use something natural like weed that will cost the pharmasutical companies millions is wrong.

There is no reason that you can mention that supports why weed should remain illegal.[/I]

Aunt (Detective in San Diego, CA)
cocaine, heroin, mushrooms etc are all natural...should we llegalize those too?? I am sure it wasn't the "weed" alone that made that kid do what he did. By all appearances...he was not stable...as demonstrated in his rantings...(similar t...o yours and why I am concerned!) he used weed to "medicate" himself...obviously it was not the answer. What it comes down to Kevin is...you have a view of the world based on what you read (which is not noted for being reliable) what you conjure up when your high. You have a view of it from your room..where you sit in front of a computer. If you were really wanting to be healthy in your new year...why would you promote your desire to use marijuana? It's an oxymoron. You feel that way because you want to smoke and you don't want to get in trouble for it...quit making excuses. Get out and make change in a positive way.

Me (Kansas City, MO)
If you knew me at all, you would know that I have never once smoked weed. Ask all my friends on my friends list if I've ever smoked with them or if they've ever seen me smoking ever. Ask my parents the same thing. Same with cigarettes.

Th...e reason that I believe that weed should be legal is due to the facts. This documentary has reliable sources from reliable people. You don't have to take my word for it. Jack A. Cole (Director of L.E.A.P. & Former Undercover Narcotics Agent-14 years), Dr Perry Kendall (British Columbia Provincial Health Officer), Dr Lester Grinspoon, MD (Professor Emeritus, Harvard Medical School), Dr Donald Tashkin, M.D., UCLA, Dr Tod Mikuriya, MD (Former National Administrator of the U.S. Gov's Marijuana Research Programs), Neil Boyd (Professor of Criminology, Simon Fraser University & Author of "High Society"), John Conroy, QC (Criminal Defense Lawyer)

Continued...

Aunt (Detective in San Diego, CA)
nice cut and paste job.

So, should be legalize heroin, cocaine, mushrooms and all the other "natural" drugs out there? You still haven't answered that. I don't care what all these people cite. I have worked around and with addicted p...eople for years...most started with marijuana and it spiraled into worse things.

What we have out here in Cali...for the most part..is a whole new generation of 18+ year olds you cite they are on medicinal marijuana for the craziest reasons (because they know they don't really have to have a medical reason..they just cite one..and get their recommendation). They able bodied, but cite the craziest reasons why they are on disability and sitting home smoking weed and no contributing to society at all. why does this bother you?

Me (Kansas City, MO)
Norm Stamper, PHD (Seattle Chief of Police, 1994-2000), Dr Tim Stockwell, PhD (Professor of Psychology University of Victoria), Jeffrey Miron (Visiting Professor of Economics, Harvard University), Darryl Plecas, PhD (Professor of Criminolog...y, University College of the Fraser Valley), David Malmo-Levine (Vancouver Drug War History School), Senator Larry Campbell (Mayor of Vancouver, 2002-2005 & Former Member of RCMP Drug Squad), Dr Paul Hornby, MD (Biochemist & Human Pathologist), Dr James Hudson, PhD (Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia & Department of Pathology & Lab Medicine)

All those people I mentioned are intelligent & knowledgeable sources that are in the documentary, "The Union: Business Behind Getting High.". Feel free to watch it when you have time.

Me (Kansas City, MO)
When it comes to Heroin, Cocaine, Mushrooms & other natural drugs, it all depends on what it does to your health. If it is not bad for you whats so ever, then in my opinion, it should be legalized & regulated or at the very least, used for... mudicinal purposes. I haven't done my research on the different drugs to make an over all opinion. Right now, I'm just discussing weed.

When it comes to doctors that are perscribing medicine to people that don't need it. I have no control over that. From a legal perspective, those doctors should be treated just like doctors who perscribe other medications incorrectly. But from my own opinion, if the person is 21, I believe it should be up to the individual person to make their decision on weather they want to smoke it or not. We're supposed to be in a free country so who am I to tell someone that they can't experience something?

[Kevin Sparks]

Part 2 Continued

Grandma (CA)
So like what is the point of all this wasted time and key stokes if you don't use "drugs?" Again, get out of that room, spend some time in the real world, take a couple of ride alongs and hopefully you will gain some maturity in your persp...ective of the lifestyles that existing in the community around you.

Be especially mindful of those who to exercise their "rights" against the "unfair" rule/laws and see how a promising good life can quickly change as a result of ignorant "choices."

There is a great deal of difference between "legal," "rights" and chosing to make your life a reflection of Christ's love. With him you don't mind or body altering "natural" or "artificial" assists. Maybe by sharing him with others you could actually help someone in pain.

Me (Kansas City, MO)
‎@Grandma, on an unrelated note, my mom needs you to call her tomorrow. My dad wants to know what day they are supposed to show up on when they come to San Diego, Saturday or Sunday? I also wanted to thank you for the Oscar De La Hoya boo...k that you got me for christmas, I definitely appreciated the book.

When it comes to your comment, I am athiest. I'm not gonna say that God is fake but I'm not gonna say that he is real neither. When it comes to getting out of my room, I'm rarely home. I'm out a lot. When it comes to doing ride alongs, that doesn't change the way weed affects the body. I will continue to be pro-pot until it is legalized & regulated like alcohol is because in my opinion, no one should be fined or incarserated for something that your god put on this earth.

Grandma (CA)
Yea, right Kevin. Let's all exercise our "rights." May be it will be you and your family at the grocery store when some one like the Arizona shooter exercises their "free country" right to experience that type of "something!"

Me (Kansas City, MO)
I don't see your point or where your going with your last comment. It doesn't have anything to do with my original post which is the fact there there were 786,546 marijuana arrests in 2005.

Me (Kansas City, MO)
my dad was wondering which day you want them to come over on when they come to San Diego, Saturday or Sunday?

Aunt (Detective in San Diego, CA)
after reading all this,I wanted to add another point. I think the reason I don't give weight to your "arguments" &/ "opinions" is that they are impulsive. You BASH the cops the other day saying you think they are all out of control and st...upid and then you want to use them "in/for" your argument regarding marijuana. You say your an atheist and then USE God in your argument for marijuana. You say you want to be healthy but talk about how marijuana and steroids are not bad for you. My understand is that you were a witness to a family member who deteriorated due to the use of drugs..but your an supporter of it. You yak about how smoking is bad "tobacco" ...yet...most people Smoke marijuana. I think I would give your opinion more weight...if you didn't contradict yourself so much.

Use this kind of passion in your own quest to be healthy and prosper.

Me (Kansas City, MO)
You can say what you want about me contradicting myself but I haven't at all. I've supplied statistics & facts & reliable sources on why weed should be legal & you've supplied none. You can't win a debate on opinions aunt kim. What your ...doing is bringing a knife to a gun fight.

When it comes to god, no one knows for sure that there is a god. You believe in Jesus Christ because you were raised that way. So you believe that your god is superior to others but you have a limited point of view on the other gods. If you were born in the middle east, you would be raised a muslim & that's what you would believe in. Of you were raised back in the old days, you would believe in zeus. Many people claim to be christians & will debate tooth & nail that jesus christ is real but literally haven't read a quarter of the bible.

Me (Kansas City, MO)
When it comes to my opinion on steroids, that is an opinion based on another documentary that was about steroids alone. The documentary was , "Bigger, Stronger, Faster." I recommend you watching that too & I can name all the reliable sour...ces on there too. They don't same that its not bad at all. They say that all the short term affects of steroids actually end when you stop taking the steroids & return to normal "IN MEN." in women, some of the side affects such as a lower voice may continue even after a women stops taking steroids & at this time, they don't have any studies regarding the long term affects of steroids.

I think that what I'm truly contradicting is your preconceived notions of who I am. I don't believe that all cops are bad & crooked. I believe that the government & cops & to strong & that is what leads cops to be "crooked" & I have extreme views on how to handle them. Lots of people don't agree with my opinion or stance & that's fine.

Grandma (CA)
Sorry you don't know my God. He has known you since your conception and loves you inspite of yourself, in fact he died on a cross for your eternal life. But you have a choice, so live your life alone or with him helping through the good and bad times. Maybe you will finally hear him calling you in one of those disappointing point yet to come.

Me (Kansas City, MO)
@Kim

I watch a lot of documentaries & that's where I gather my opinions from. I watch maybe 2 movies per month & maybe 20 documentaries per month between netflix & youtube. I already know what I want to do with my life. My passion is com...bat sports, Hip Hop & Politics & I hope to have my own radio station in the future discussing all of these subjects & playing real hip hop music. Not this new pop rap & dance rap but stuff that makes you think.

Many people will call in & tell me why they don't agree that something should be the way that I think it should be & they will provide their facts. Just by that happening, I have achieved my purpose in challenging someone's thoughts & opinions & making them think.

We're in the time of technology & knowledge & yet no one searches for it. We have more ways then ever to talk with each other & share our thoughts & ideas but we are further from each other than ever.

If you have any documentaries that you would like to recommend, then please feel free. I WILL watch them. Maybe those will change my opinions on things. My opinion will keep changing along with new facts because no one knows everything. Anyone who's opinion never changes, they never challenge their thoughts or ideas & they refuse to gather knowledge is ignorant & I can't fix that. That's on them, not me.

[Sam Marshall]

???? why are are family talking to u like they dont know you anyway

[Kevin Sparks]

My other facebook status
Parents go crazy when they hear that their kid smokes weed but they fail to care when their kid smokes cigarettes & they urge their kids to take zoloft or prozac. people would rather take something that is chemically engineered then something natural like weed. People in this world are so damn dumb.

Me (Kansas City, MO)
Sad thing is that even if there are 12 states that allow the sale of weed for medical purposes, its still against federal law so the government can go in & shut down all the dispensers any time that feel like it no matter what the state law says.

Aunt (Detective in San Diego, CA)
Well bravo..you got this one right. Fed government can..and they occasionally do. But with all the other things that go one...they can't as much as they would like. Here is Cali...we had several undercover officers go into the DOctor for... they medical recommendation and all they did was make up medical problems and they didn't even have an exam. Undercoveres got their recommendations and off they went to the dispensaries...buying without a "real &/or legitimate reason" ....so obviously this is a problem. The dispensaries biggest problems now...getting... robbed.

Me (Kansas City, MO)
LOL@ your last comment. I can understand how Dr's writing a prescription for something that they don't need can be a problem. I also find it sad that someone would rather go rob the weed store when the product is so easy to get your hands on for free but people will rob people for anything these days. Its sad & it hurts the weed prohabition.

Aunt (Detective in San Diego, CA)
Yeah....free? weed In the dispensaries is not "free". They rob the dispensaries because the weed is high grade and worth a lot of money. happening here on a regular basis...

Me (Kansas City, MO)
That's not what I meant, I meant that you can go to a friend or find out who your friend goes to & get weed from the product for free. Instead they rob a store. All I can say is that all this stuff that is happening with Weed happened with the alcohol prohabition back in the early 1900's. I'm not saying that it's right but it all takes time.

Grandma (CA)
Okay Kevin, you feel everything written about your point of view is absolutely right because "just look at all the experts" support it. Now get yourself to the library and find articles/books with the opposite opinion supported by lots of ...other "experts." Then you will have a firmer basis to make public comments about some very serious issues; guns, cops, drugs, "rights" verse "common good," etc. Only then will "you" be equipped to "debate."
Remember you are watching products prepared with a purpose and goal in mind. Based solely with that information you are challenging very educated, mature individuals with much wider life experiences than your own. And your youth is showing by rejecting their wisdom.
It is that type of limited scope that lead Hiilter to such power and control. AND DO NOT EVEN GO THERE ABOUT ALL THAT NOT BEING TRUE.....ETC. I will be seriously "pissed" and might have to call in a favor from a couple of "Italian" friends who can give you another prospective of how the world work!

Me (Kansas City, MO)
@Grandma

Feel free to provide the facts on why I'm wrong in regards to weed. The problem is that there is only 1 study regarding weed that showed that weed kills brain cells. With that study, knowledge came out that they stuck oxygen styl...e makes on the monkeys & gave them nothing but weed. No Oxygen, just weed smoke & that suffocated the monkeys. They have doctors that discuss that & they explain that when you brain goes to long without oxygen, the first thing that starts happening is your brain cells start dying. They also explain that no test known to man shows that weed kills brain cells & in some of these tests, the weed promoted brain cell growth.

There are no cases that support that weed alone causes cancer. Not 1 & if you find one, feel free to share. It's hard to go search for articles that prove other wise when they don't exist. I'm challenging 2 people that apparently know nothing about weed. Feel free to go watch the documentary before you reply back, "The Union: The Business Behind Getting High." The difference in finding people with the opposite opinion is that is all they present is their opinion. They don't provide medical tests or medical studies, no lab results at all, just their opinions. I'll stick my sources because they provide the lab results, statistics & medical studies before they give their opinion.

Feel free to listen to a detective who has limited medical knowledge & I'll listen to the Harvard Medical & Ebony Professors & their lab results. When it comes to having a limited scope, I feel that I have a very open mind & I'm open to any & all documentaries or studies that you want to offer & I'll look into them. The difference is that I've provided sources that you refuse to look into. That's not my problem. I thought that your years of wisdom, well educated, mature & wider life experiences would teach you that, I guess not. Your opinions wont sway me, please provide facts & source them or I can't continue this debate.

Something that I have noticed thoughout this whole debate is that you & Aunt Kim have spent more time debating my own person relivance then debating on the subject at hand. Busier debating me as a person then providing your own facts & sources on why my own argument is false. It's lazy to easily say that my opinion is wrong & that I just haven't done enough research when that same person that says that has done no research at all. Their only research is a family member's opinion. No Doctor's opinions or anything.See More

[Kevin Sparks]

Part 2 Continued

Grandma (CA)
The point was little man, "you" do the work. "You" verify your views before you start arguing with your elders and quoting information that is "right" because "you" watched it and "they" said. We have lived these situations, we have dealt... with the destruction, and we don't have to "prove" anything to you.

I will suggest to your Mom and Dad they take you down to the "wrong" side of the tracks in Kansas City and leave you there for awhile to help out at a half-way house, soup kitchen, AAA meeting, etc., so you can get some first-hand one-on-one experiences with some of your "weed" users. You may not have an MD degree, but I think you are smart enough to form an opinion as to their mental state from long term use. If their brain cells aren't dead, something sure isn't working anymore!

And don't even go to into all their other problems as excuses, either medically or financially. The "weed" came first, then the other drugs and finally physical and financial ruin. If your smoking friends aren't in that shape yet, just wait and watch.

First sign is not enough money -- loan them alittle for rent/food/gas and see where it really goes, just might start missing a few things from around your house or your wallet/purse, mean system screws them out of a job -- of course they weren't able to get there because they were sleeping it off, then the weed isn't enough so they get hooked on something just alittle bit stronger -- of course may have to steal or hurt someone to afford that stuff, and the slope gets slicker.

In the end you get to spend part of your paycheck supporting "their" wive and kids for food, housing, and medical. Of course, you make just too much to get any kind of help with your obligations. Plus there is your tax increase to pay for his jail expenses for serious crimes.

And the world continues to go around, huh!

Once you are really "on your own" and the fallout from legal or illegal drug users starts to impact your lifestyle and pocket I think you vision might be improved. And no you are not "on your own" already because you have a car, a job, and you can pay to eat out! Let's try renting a place to live, money for the laundry, food in the house to eat, paying gas/water/ lights bills, etc., plus money for that future girlfriend.

No one is attacking you personally, just trying to make you realize your time on this eath has been short and very sheltered. You still have alot to learn, experience and understanding. If we weren't concerned about your limited knowledge, the delete key is within easy reach.

Just remember, no one ever won good people as friends, influenced the right people or advanced in their field because they could better debate a strong opinion on Facebook, especially a controversial subject which alienates over half their audience as the key strokes strike.

Me (Kansas City, MO)
Everything you said is what's wrong with our society. You again provided a bunch of opinions that mean nothing. You provided no medical tests, no lab results or anything. I provided my results & I have more. Go watch the documentary, "T...he Union: The Business of Getting High." & the other documentary, "Super High Me." Everything is wrong. My friend's mom is an addict & lives in a half way house, let's ask her how many people are there for weed.

Anything can be abused. People like myself abuse cheeseburgers, should we outlaw cheeseburgers. People jump of bridges, should we outlaw bridges. After your last post, I don't care what you think you know, you know nothing about the subject. Watch the documentaries & then reply back. It's laughable that everything you talk about is talked about in this documentaries & you refuse to watch them. If your just gonna reply back with your opinion & no facts, then there is nothing to talk about because obviously you'd rather be ignorant further your knowledge.

All because you are older than me doesn't make you more knowledgeable about weed. I'm a combat sports fan, are you gonna say that because you are older & experienced more, you know more about combat sports. No because you "probably" haven't done any research on it. You know nothing about the affects of weed on the body & mind from a doctor's perspective & your last post was laughable & if you watch the documentaries, You'll be embarrassed that you even talked like that.

Talk about me needing to go to a bad part of town to see how real things are. I've been there, but obviously you don't know that because you didn't ask before you prejudged me. I've been down their plenty. I've seen these addicts that you speak of. I know lots of older people that have smoked weed their whole lives & don't appear to be slower mentally. You know of people too, Stephen King, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, Barack Obama, Woody Harrelson, Willie Nelson, Redman, Lil Wayne, Dave Chappelle, Joe Rogan, ect. How crazy is that they haven't moved on to crack yet, you know they need that more intense high. LOL! Feel free to reply back without even more stereotypes. Watch the documentaries or don't reply back on "my" status. Or recommend some documentaries for me to watch. If not, then please don't reply back on "my" status.

[Kevin Sparks]

they don't really. I see my Aunt every few years but her husband who use to be a cop & now works for the Prosecution Attourney Office for the City of San Diego, I never see him. I haven't seen them or their 2 kids (my cousins) together since I was a little kid. My Grandma, I see her a little more often but even with her, its once every 2 years or so but we don't talk very often.

[Andy Lopez]

this conversation makes me so glad my family is pro weed. Well at least my mom and my brother are and as far as I'm concerned that is all that matters.

Sounds like you have a lot of family members who are victims of the brainwashing that this government has done to make people feel that weed is bad. LOL at them for using the completely tragic and totally unrelated incident in Arizona as a reason why weed is bad. Let them feel the way they feel you can't argue with someone who is blind and ignorant

[Jared Gammel]

Bunch of fucking tangent arguers in your family.

[Kevin Sparks]

this conversation makes me so glad my family is pro weed. Well at least my mom and my brother are and as far as I'm concerned that is all that matters.

Sounds like you have a lot of family members who are victims of the brainwashing that this government has done to make people feel that weed is bad. LOL at them for using the completely tragic and totally unrelated incident in Arizona as a reason why weed is bad. Let them feel the way they feel you can't argue with someone who is blind and ignorant

thanks man, it's been pretty stressful on my parents too. They called my parents & got on them about it, My mom is the one that is related to them & she was pretty upset, she didn't even know that I was athiest, let alone pro-weed. My dad knows, he doesn't agree but he feels that I'm entitled to my own opinion. But between my aunt & grandma, they've been pretty on my mom about all this.

[Kevin Sparks]

Bunch of fucking tangent arguers in your family.

I'm no different, I'm just more open minded to new info. If someone is trying to prove me wrong & they provide "sources" then I'll watch or read into their source & develop my outlook after that, my opinion may or may not change but I'll take that into consideration. I don't know about my aunt but my grandma refuses to look into any of my sources.