A serious blow to Canadian audiophiles, must read

Pragmatist,

Canada does not subsidize speaker R&D. I don't know if they still do but the NRC at one time did allow speaker manufacturers the use of it's anechoic chamber. The larger companies have now built their own. The government may have tax benefits available to speaker manufacturers the same as they would for other businesses but that would be the same as I imagine it would in the States. Tell me though, are you all still subsidizing your farmers?

As to the other thing, to each his/her own. If you aren't harming anyone (not using & driving), if your kids are fed and well looked after, if your bills are paid on time, then do whatever it is that floats your boat. There is enough misery in the world today. We don't want to be incarcerating people for doing something that is less harmful than gettin caught. AIDS is far more deadly than pot or alcohol and if you are going to jail then you've got an excellent chance of getting that. Best to leave the soap where it falls. If you don't want to smoke pipeweed then don't. No one will force you. I just can't afford the government machinery that keeps it illegal. Any social programs we would have in lieu of the anti-pot establishment would be far cheaper and certainly more effective. Sooner or later some country will get it right. Oh yes, the Netherlands. I don't believe their pot use is much higher than it is in North America.

Macmimir:

Perhaps I was not clear enough in my statement above, so here goes.

Pot is indeed a stimulant; it is somewhat unique in that it is also a depressant. Your point about how it affects different users is well taken, though. As to its classification as a hallucigen, my thought on that is that it is a little off base. Your point on the driving study illustrates that perfectly and gets to what I was trying to say-we are more in agreement than disagreement here. Would you rather get in a car with a pot smoker or an LSD (a true hallucigen) user?

As to your point on concentration of THC, your analogy of good and bad may be correct, but there was a lot of "bad" pot in the 70's. I was there too. I think we're splitting hairs on this one if we agree that there is uniformly better (or worse depending on which side of the argument you're on) pot out there. And there is no doubt in my mind that growers in the past 20-30 years have worked on improving the product-hence the consistent availability of "better" pot.

As to legalization-taxation, the Netherlands is clearly reaping some economic reward with its system. And although I've never been there, I found it interesting when an acquaintance told me of the strong popularity and esteem in which Canadian marijuana is held in the Netherlands. So there are obviously differences based on growing techniques, breeding, etc. My feeling is that's not much different than the respect that certain single malt scotches deserve, but that's a matter open to debate I suppose.

cv,

Sadly,the United States is still subsidizing farmers. The worst instance is tobacco. Before the US election two and a half years ago,welfare payments to farmers were increased by 87 billion dollars.

This is a gross oversimplification but democrats tend to give welfare payments to people;republicans give welfare payments to corporations. The recent energy bill was so shamefull that even the republicans were embarrased by it.

I'm not a biologist but it seems to me that the carcinogins in smoke can be avoided by extracting the thc from cannabis and absorbing it through the digestive tract.

Having grown up in Nebraska I can tell you where the "bad pot" of the 70's came from. August was the month for arrests of out of state entrepreneurs that came to harvest hemp in my former state. You could smoke a truck load of the stuff and only get a headache. It was leftover from the early railroad days when hemp rope was in high demand and was found in abundance along railroad right of ways. Those plants grew well over twenty feet under the right conditions. I suppose the entrepreneurs cut it into other, higher quality grass. Hell, I don't know what they did with the stuff but it went to some market somewhere.

I haven't bought the stuff in years but still partake on occassion when offered. Having grown up on Panama Red, Columbian Gold, Thai Stick and Mexican Bud, I will state in no uncertain terms that the California, Canadian and Hawaiian stinky stuff is fine but not better than the other offerings I've had since 1964. The "much more potent" comment is an urban legend that would never stand up under close inspection. The same can be said of most of the studies cited here. Liars figure and therefore figures can be made to lie.

Before you write me off as being biased in favor of people being stoned please consider the basis of my opinion. Experience has shown me that the biggest threat to non-users is not being able to find any potato chips in the convience store on a Friday or Saturday night since all the pot heads snarfed them up early. I've never known anyone that was ripped committing and act of violence or causing any kind of harm to others. And, for this threat to the public we are given an enormous machine that costs beyond what anyone can actually estimate? Again, think: Jails, prisons, courtrooms, judges, police, gaurds, probation officers, parole officers, lawyers, lawyers and more f***ing lawyers.

Even William F. Buckley considers legalization the only rational remedy. I'm at a point in my life where I don't care if I ever see another bud again and have been there for more than a decade. I do oppose the burden being borne by taxpayers to support an industry that serves no real purpose.

Humans and most other animal species seek substances that provide a temporary escape from reality. Elephants seek out fermented fruit. Horses and donkeys seek out loco weed. Cats crave catnip. Even bees get drunk. Staggering drunk. Confused drunk. Mankind has been fermenting alcohol and consuming halucinogens since long before the pyramids. Even the oldest discovered societies in France and South America left evidence of use. The need for a temporary escape from reality is part of the human condition and to fight it is folly. How much more evidence is needed? The war on drugs is one that will never be won.

Addiction is the emotional hot button that continues to drive the parasitic industry that costs more than we can compute. Treatment for addicts would cost society a fraction of what we now spend and yield real results. It is the addictive personality that concerns us and yet we pay dearly to incarcerate rather than treat. It doesn't make any sense to me, but then again I may have damaged my brain copping a buzz now and again.

Roughly 50% of middle age males in North America have used pot at one time or another. If it were not for lawyers entering politics, writing legislation that only provides work for their growing legions, we would not be where we are today. Give me no LIP (lawyers in politics).

I was thinking comparatively about Tobacco. I suppose the curing, selecting, and blending process tobacco undergoes would make it more difficult to the homegrower. Unlike Marijuana which is easily grown and prepared for consumption. A lot of states in the US have basically "decriminalized" possession. For instance, possession of less than 28 grams will be a misdemeanor. So long as you can prove it was not for distribution. Meaning the Pot would be contained in one container along with possession of apparatus for smoking, like a pipe or papers. I really ride the fence on this issue so its hard for me to formulate an opinion. Anywho, its food for thought nonetheless.

Pragmatist, "gross oversimplification" indeed, and fairly inaccurate as well. But I digress, hoi palloi politics are mostly ideology and cannot be proved either way. The "energy bill" you speak of, was in writing in its last form, and it looked right smart to me. With all he "corporate welfare" as you might call it, as rewards for renewable power, clean air, technology, long term updates, exploration, etc. etc.

As evidenced by the latest power difficulties, the last thing we need to do as a nation, is cripple our power industry. We are a capitalist country and if it isnt already obvious, the companies will do nothing if we dont dangle a carrot of profits in their nose. Companies are not so indifferent from people. It would be obsurd to expect someone to do something, anything, for absolutely nothing. More food for thought.