Why wont our society recognize alcohol as a drug? Makes me crazy!

gaynorvader
have you actually read site3?
and this is a site you try to make your argument with?
i will use it for my argument, this is why cannabis should not be legalised:

Not surprisingly, marijuana intoxication can cause distorted perceptions, impaired coordination, difficulty in thinking and problem solving, and problems with learning and memory. Research has shown that marijuana’s adverse impact on learning and memory can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off.2 As a result, someone who smokes marijuana every day may be functioning at a suboptimal intellectual level all of the time.

Research on the long-term effects of marijuana abuse indicates some changes in the brain similar to those seen after long-term abuse of other major drugs. For example, cannabinoid withdrawal in chronically exposed animals leads to an increase in the activation of the stress-response system3 and changes in the activity of nerve cells containing dopamine.4 Dopamine neurons are involved in the regulation of motivation and reward, and are directly or indirectly affected by all drugs of abuse.

Addictive Potential
Long-term marijuana abuse can lead to addiction; that is, compulsive drug seeking and abuse despite its known harmful effects upon social functioning in the context of family, school, work, and recreational activities. Long-term marijuana abusers trying to quit report irritability, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, anxiety, and drug craving, all of which make it difficult to quit. These withdrawal symptoms begin within about 1 day following abstinence, peak at 2–3 days, and subside within 1 or 2 weeks following drug cessation.5

Marijuana and Mental Health
A number of studies have shown an association between chronic marijuana use and increased rates of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and schizophrenia. Some of these studies have shown age at first use to be a factor, where early use is a marker of vulnerability to later problems. However, at this time, it is not clear whether marijuana use causes mental problems, exacerbates them, or is used in attempt to self-medicate symptoms already in existence. Chronic marijuana use, especially in a very young person, may also be a marker of risk for mental illnesses, including addiction, stemming from genetic or environmental vulnerabilities, such as early exposure to stress or violence. At the present time, the strongest evidence links marijuana use and schizophrenia and/or related disorders.6 High doses of marijuana can produce an acute psychotic reaction; in addition, use of the drug may trigger the onset or relapse of schizophrenia in vulnerable individuals.
What Other Adverse Effect Does Marijuana Have on Health?

Effects on the Heart
Marijuana increases heart rate by 20–100 percent shortly after smoking; this effect can last up to 3 hours. In one study, it was estimated that marijuana users have a 4.8-fold increase in the risk of heart attack in the first hour after smoking the drug.7 This may be due to the increased heart rate as well as effects of marijuana on heart rhythms, causing palpitations and arrhythmias. This risk may be greater in aging populations or those with cardiac vulnerabilities.

Effects on the Lungs
Numerous studies have shown marijuana smoke to contain carcinogens and to be an irritant to the lungs. In fact, marijuana smoke contains 50–70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke. Marijuana users usually inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers do, which further increase the lungs’ exposure to carcinogenic smoke. Marijuana smokers show dysregulated growth of epithelial cells in their lung tissue, which could lead to cancer;8 however, a recent case-controlled study found no positive associations between marijuana use and lung, upper respiratory, or upper digestive tract cancers.9 Thus, the link between marijuana smoking and these cancers remains unsubstantiated at this time.

Nonetheless, marijuana smokers can have many of the same respiratory problems as tobacco smokers, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent acute chest illness, and a heightened risk of lung infections. A study of 450 individuals found that people who smoke marijuana frequently but do not smoke tobacco have more health problems and miss more days of work than nonsmokers.10 Many of the extra sick days among the marijuana smokers in the study were for respiratory illnesses.

Effects on Daily Life
Research clearly demonstrates that marijuana has the potential to cause problems in daily life or make a person’s existing problems worse. In one study, heavy marijuana abusers reported that the drug impaired several important measures of life achievement including physical and mental health, cognitive abilities, social life, and career status.11 Several studies associate workers’ marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardiness, accidents, workers’ compensation claims, and job turnover.

 

Ok, how are any of those effects worse than those of alcohol abuse, etc?

 

there not.
im not saying dope is particularly bad, its not as bad as most of the drugs ive tried but with side effects like those it should stay illegal.

alcohol is past that, its already legal so we have to deal with it. if alcohol came out tomorrow and was new it would be banned.

 

No where near as bad as alcohol.

Maybe a little bit of short term memory loss, nothing serious.

It's kind of hard to quit but nowhere near as bad as this article makes it seem.

I will agree here somewhat. A mentally unstable person should not be smoking weed and I have seen the consequences of this.
But a perfectly healthy person should be fine.

Can't argue here, but what doesn't give you cancer?

In my opinion if a healthy (mentally) person smokes weed it has about the same risk as smoking cigarettes.

 

not smoking

 

Why sholud alcohol be recognize as a drug?Can it change a the nature of a man?
Is it really dangerous?
Are you a religious fanatic?

 

Ah, because Marijuana can deal damage to the person using it, it should be banned. Why shouldn't junk food then?

 

oh god dont get me started on that lol, i would be ranting all day!
i eat as healthy as it is possible to, a properly balanced diet and i even take multivitamins every day. and go to the gym twice a day.

 

Do you not believe in the right to free choice? As far as I'm concerned, if it doesn't affect other people, a drug should be legal.

 

no because it just encourages young easily influenced people to do it, at least if its illegal its putting some people off.

 

Or becomes mysterious/forbidden and therefore desirable.

 

whats your idea then?
good morning shopkeep, i will take the morning paper, a snickers and 20ml of heroin please.

yes lets make drugs legal so everyone can become addicted and go rob old ladies to buy it

 

Heroin does effect people around you, anything ridiculously addictive like that tends to.

 

I just think things should stay illegal. where do you draw the line to decide when its affecting others?
alcohol should be raised to 21 to stop this binge drinking, when i was 18 clubs wouldnt let you in unless you were 21 and had shoes, collar and trousers. now its 18, jeans and chavvy jumper with trainers.
as for junk food....who cares? that isnt in the same bracket as drugs and drink and if people want to be fat, unnatractive and die a virgin in their 30's that really doesnt affect anyone

 

alcohol should be illegal as it can cause people to become violent. Cannabis however causes people to relax. Junk food is addictive and can lead to serious health issues if abused, I don't think it should be illegalised, but I do think it should be heavily taxed.

 

And start another Prohibition? It's as if you have a hankering for blackmarket violence! A smuggler's best friend is a ban. That way, they can set their prices for their wares.

I suggest you read this. Also, here's a lovely quote from John D. Rockefeller:

"When Prohibition was introduced, I hoped that it would be widely supported by public opinion and the day would soon come when the evil effects of alcohol would be recognized. I have slowly and reluctantly come to believe that this has not been the result. Instead, drinking has generally increased; the speakeasy has replaced the saloon; a vast army of lawbreakers has appeared; many of our best citizens have openly ignored Prohibition; respect for the law has been greatly lessened; and crime has increased to a level never seen before."

 

no, nothing like that.
just leave things already illegal, illegal

 

Nothing will change I guess. Things would continue to be legal and illegal.
Law is a tool- Miles Edgeworth

 

I am of the opinion that alcohol is a drug. It alters your state of mind and is addictive.

Yes alcohol contributes to a lot of societys problems and although I'm not much of a drinker I would be against a prohibition.
I am a strong believer that everyone should be free to make their own decisions.

What if someone were to say that internet should be banned from the general public beacuse it contains information on how to manufacture illegal drugs?
Wouldn't it do everyone a huge favour if there was no internet? Mabey the world would be a much nicer place without it!
Lets make internet illegal for the greater good!

No fuck that, whos to say what we can and can't do in our own homes?

Anyway banning alcohol is plain stupid, it's just was too easy to make.

 

I'd be up for banning drinking in public places(ie pubs, clubs, etc.) as this seems to be what leads to alcohol effecting people other than the drinker.