Treefarn, where are you residing?

While I don't agree with trim's arguments, I disagree with the statement that marijuana is more dangerous than alcohol. It's useless to say that it's not dangerous, because it carries with it inherent risks. It impairs co-ordination, and smoke inhaled from a joint carries four times the tar of a cigarette.

Increasing age has nothing to do with exposure... I would say the adolescent population has a much higher exposure to the drug and weed culture than does middle aged persons. Invictus probably has a decent amount of experience with alcohol despite that he's "only" 19. Most teenagers in the States start drinking significantly below the legal drinking age.

I will say that weed is a social drug, it fosters camaraderie just as well as alcohol and does not turn you into an anti-social hermit that pisses their life away. Contrary to certain other drugs, such as Salvia or Heroin, weed is highly social. Perhaps the perception is different in America where weed is frowned upon more and there is probably a smaller population of weed smokers, but I would say that the weed smokers here in Canada smoke much more responsibly than anyone drinks responsibly.

I will say that I've noticed that drunk driving seems to be a larger problem among American adolescents... of course, this is anecdotal evidence, but all my American friends do not seem to think that driving drunk is a huge deal. They recognize the risks, but they often do it anyways, to my dismay, and it seems every time someone in one of my friend's school's dies it's because of drunk driving. Here in Canada, nobody I know would ever drive while drunk. They find the notion absolutely absurd, as if it was a straight ticket to trouble (which it often is). Despite that I know more people in Canada than I do in America and both groups of friends come from similar socioeconomic backgrounds I find the incidence of drunken driving is much higher in America.

Also let me say Australian beer is terrible, sorry all you Aussies here but damn.. It really makes you appreciate real ale a whole lot more

Kestas definitely makes a good point. Marijuana is definitely more damaging to your lungs than tobacco despite what most weed dealers and smokers will tell you. Tobacco seems like the larger problem simply because far more people smoke cigarettes than weed. At the same time I'd say that alcohol is more damaging than cigarettes, and I would probably it on par with weed. Weed is probably worse for your health in the long run, despite the adverse effects of alcohol on the liver, but alcohol not only impairs co-ordination, but it causes more reckless behaviour. I don't recall ever seeing a weed smoker doing anything particularly reckless... when high you mostly want to relax and chill out and eat.

By the way I also think marijuana may be much less dangerous to adults. It's ironic that because alcohol is legal and highly taxed it's usually more out of reach to kids than marijuana is, so they turn to marijuana instead because it's relatively cheap and easy, but I think kids with developing brains are the people most at risk for some of marijuna's effects

their lager is better than ours though!

Chrispminis, I never argued that weed was more dangerous. Someone else made that assertion. I was only objecting to claims that weed wasn't harmful, or that weed must be good because its less bad than alcohol.

I don't believe that weed is more harmful. And I don't believe it should be illegal either. But I most certainly do not believe it is harmless, especially to children and teenagers still growing.

And Trim, your logic once again is rediculous. Because Invictus can't legally drink, you don't think he should have an opinion on alcohol. By that same logic, none of us Americans should be posting on this thread because we can't legally smoke pot. I know you don't believe that; so please apply the same logic when talking to a 19 year old, you whippersnapper.

Chispminis: Yup I think there's definitely a long term vs short term risk trade-off. Personally I think for a well-informed adult whos aware of the risks marijuana is no problem at all

trim: Ugh not an english lager drinker :-P to think of all that excellent real ale you have access to but aren't enjoying while all I have is lager :-(

ridiculous

Treefarn, most of my post was in response to Invictus' assertion. He did say he believed pot was more dangerous than alcohol. I can see that that might have been confusing since I started off by asking where you were residing... that was actually not necessarily related to the rest of my post and I was asking out of interest because I think these views vary depending on your cultural background.

ok first of all kesta i hate english lager and real ale but i quite liked aussie beer i seemto have a very sweet tooth when it comes to booze @treefarnwhat i meant was he cant have the full picture/experience of alcohol if he has only drank in the "safe" environment of campus bars and at friends houses so i think im being very logically and its you who thinks that invictus can have the full picutre without experiencing the whole alcohol culture properly who is being illogical!

What is the whole alcohol culture...? I'm fairly sure the problem isn't that Invictus doesn't have enough exposure to the alcohol culture... I would say that perhaps it's because he doesn't have enough exposure to the weed culture, but that's irrespective of his age. But then, perhaps the weed culture is different in America than in Canada so while I would say marijuana is not more dangerous than alcohol and be right, he is able to say marijuana is more dangerous than alcohol and still be right, just for America instead of Canada. My main point is I think many of the dangers associated with weed in America are due to it's relatively heavy enforcement of the illegality of cannabis.

in my view invictus seems to think that alcohol is a fair more social drug than weed is and doesnt cause as many problems as weed, which in part im putting down to him not really experiencing a friday night "on the town" (this is from anenglish point of view) i know for one who i would prefer to run into a group of drunk guys or a group of stoned guys and i dont think invictus as had enough experience of alcohol to see how bad it can be compared to weed.

Treefarn: BEing a real ale snob or adults smoking marijuana ?

trim: It is a matter of taste of course, but real ale can be sweet

theres a bear called summer something by shepard neame which i did really like it was very light

*beer sorry

Trim, and can say that you don't have as much exposure to LIFE in general, being only 23. You're a kid, I would guess without a family or responsibility beyond your share of the rent of a pitiful apartment (you call it a flat)? Am I presuming about your life? Sure. In the same manner as you presume about others.

Kestas, Treefarn's "ridiculous" was a spelling correction to an error he made in his previous post, not a response to your post. I made the same mistake when I read it the first time too. =)

you making massive assumptions based on soley my age my assumptions about invictus were based on more than just that they were based on the view that he seemed to have this lovey dovey view on alcohol and based on that i came to the conclusion that he hasnt seen the real side to it and my assumptions about him were only about alcohol,you know nothing about me and your assumptions are fair more wide ranging!

*far i cant spell today

Your posts would be much easier to read if you used punctuation.

I am making assumptions based on your assertion that pot is harmless. You obviously haven't seen the down side, as you freely admit.

i will try to remember that treefarn i'm sorry.

i didn't say that pot was harmless.i said it was far less dangerous than alcohol.which in my view it is.

You said "alcohol is a dangerous drug weed is not"

yes but i didnt say it was harmless did i? i said it was not dangerous, burgers are harmful but there not dangerous!

Vomiting is not inherently dangerous. Being bulimic can kill you. Smoking pot is not inherently dangerous. Being a pot smoker....

this thread has got silly is got down to trying to score cheap points off each other, and neither one of us will back down so shall we call it quits, and you treefarn can come away with the small victory of making use more punctuation :p! and as a little aside do me a favour mate and invictus go watch some bill hicks if it doesn't change your mind you will at least laugh.

I prefer Daniel Tosh, thank you very much.

yeah for some reasoni didnt think you would go for bill hicks' style of comedy