Spekkio wants his weed...

[Spekkio]

Wouldn't want drunk, stoned or sober-stupid to be packing my chute either...

What about people flying with the jitters from too much coffee?

Our society is a little hypocritical when it comes to drug use. Nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol are fine. Nicotine causes cancer and is highly addictive. Alcohol is responsible for a ton of deaths, particularly while driving, induces violence, and is associated with all sorts of other issues. But Marijuana, whose only harmful effect is making you fat from the munchees, is outlawed.

But more importantly, the use of drugs is much more prevalant than a lot of people choose to acknowledge. I'm not just talking about marijuana, either. While the drug of choice varies by region (for example, you will find cocaine to be extremely popular on Long Island where income levels are relatively high), you'll still find a significant portion of the population experimenting with them at one point or another. Most of these people will grow to become productive, normal citizens.

Source: http://www.drugabusestatistics.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k7NSDUH/tabs/Sect1peTabs1to46.htm#Tab1.1A

Pay special attention to table 1.1b and 1.6b, particularly cocaine and non-medical use of prescription drugs. Also, according to the study, 46% of the population has tried an illegal drug in their lifetime, and the number is rising.

Nothing wrong with the military saying that you must stay drug-free while serving, but I agree with Gaucho that the policy of outright rejecting people based on prior drug use may have to change in the near future.

 

[vulcanx]

i'll say straight up that drugs are a huge interest of mine and that i've had to work hard to not do them while in nrotc.

i think it takes a special person to be truly immune to the influence of drugs while the rest of us flounder about with this or that drug.

i highly recommend the book "On Drugs" By David Lenson.

he goes over every aspect of the drug war.

 

[HooverPilot]

i'll say straight up that drugs are a huge interest of mine and that i've had to work hard to not do them while in nrotc.

Please stop. You need help. Go to counseling, something. Having drugs as a huge interest is NOT compatible with military service.

 

[phrogpilot73]

i think it takes a special person to be truly immune to the influence of drugs while the rest of us flounder about with this or that drug.

I guess my wife and I are special people then. It's actually pretty easy to resist the influence of drugs. You have to be strong of character which, oh my god, is also required in the military. Good luck with that.

 

[Swanee]

What about people flying with the jitters from too much coffee?

Our society is a little hypocritical when it comes to drug use. Nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol are fine. Nicotine causes cancer and is highly addictive. Alcohol is responsible for a ton of deaths, particularly while driving, induces violence, and is associated with all sorts of other issues. But Marijuana, whose only harmful effect is making you fat from the munchees, is outlawed.

I think you may be putting on those rose colored glasses for this one. Driving under the influence is always more dangerous than not. The act of smoking still has harmful side effects, whether it is tobacco or marijuana or anything else. If it wasn't then firefighters wouldn't get disability retirement from black lung. Any vice without moderation will have a negative bearing on your life.

 

[HighDimension]

I went to a top-tier private College

I don't want to start any arguments here, but it is a cultural phenomenon. Our last, currant and future presidents have all admitted to doing it. That doesn't justify it, but it does tell us that for most it's a very brief stage in their life that they quickly move beyond.

Nice.

 

[Spekkio]

Speaking of poor grammar/spelling, I saw a CNN headline scroll that said "Obama is launching a probe to find out if one of his aides has talked with the gov. of Illinois."

Wtf? You get PAID to make headlines, at least use proper grammer.

I think you may be putting on those rose colored glasses for this one. Driving under the influence is always more dangerous than not. The act of smoking still has harmful side effects, whether it is tobacco or marijuana or anything else. If it wasn't then firefighters wouldn't get disability retirement from black lung. Any vice without moderation will have a negative bearing on your life.

I probably wasn't very clear: alcohol and nicotine, both perfectly legal substances, can cause death from overdose and extremely adverse affects over time. There is no conclusive evidence that marijuana causes cancer, and IIRC there isn't a single person who died from an overdose of it.

Yes, driving under the influence is a bad thing, but people drive under the influence of nicotine and caffeine all the time.

 

[Flash]

Yes, driving under the influence is a bad thing, but people drive under the influence of nicotine and caffeine all the time.

You can't get a DUI from them, but you can if under the influence of marijuana.

 

[Spekkio]

Your point?

 

[Flash]

Your point?

Ummmm, drink a coke and drive and you are fine, smoke pot and drive and you can go to jail. Good enough?

 

[lmnop]

Yes, driving under the influence is a bad thing, but people drive under the influence of nicotine and caffeine all the time.

There are numerous studies which indicate that combined usage of caffeine and nicotine 'enhance alertness, vigilance, and concentration' (Kozlowski, 2001). I don't see the validity of comparing driving under the influence of a substance which enhances concentration with driving under the influence of a CNS depressant.

 

[ea6bflyr]

i'll say straight up that drugs are a huge interest of mine and that i've had to work hard to not do them while in nrotc.

I think the FEAR of losing your scholarship due to being popped on an NROTC Whiz Quiz is probably what's keeping you drug-free. Like Hoover said, if it's really a that much of a temptation, then seek help.

If you think you'll do less whiz quizes after your commission, then you are sadly mistaken.

-ea6bflyr

 

[Spekkio]

I've been in the Navy for 8 months and have taken 6 piss tests.

 

[ea6bflyr]

I've been in the Navy for 8 months and have taken 6 piss tests.

Exactly my point.

I've been in the Navy for 20+ years and the drug problem was horrible in the early eighties. They started out with the "Three Strikes and your out" policy, but it didn't curtail the use of drugs, it just slowed them down. Then the Navy got smart and adopted the "Zero Tolerance" policy that is in effect now.

You should always be prepared to donate your urine at a moment's notice.

Illicit drugs have no place in today's military.

-ea6bflyr

 

[HooverPilot]

I probably wasn't very clear: alcohol and nicotine, both perfectly legal substances, can cause death from overdose and extremely adverse affects over time. There is no conclusive evidence that marijuana causes cancer, and IIRC there isn't a single person who died from an overdose of it.

Yes, driving under the influence is a bad thing, but people drive under the influence of nicotine and caffeine all the time.

You know what, I don't care if you get cancer from nicotine, your liver quits from alcohol or you gain 50 IQ points from just 1 joint. I do care if you choose to use a drug that is illegal. Just because you don't believe it should be outlawed doesn't mean it's ok to do it anyway. That's not how it works, you are supposed to gather support for your point of view, make a valid issue of it with the lawmakers, and change the law. THEN you can indulge your little heart out. If you hate nicotine and alcohol so much, then do the opposite and get them outlawed. That is the constitutional way of doing things. You did swear to support and defend the constitution didn't you?