9 reasons why there wasn’t stress in the good old days
Mon, Jul 6, 2009
Post filled in: Feature Post, Other
Nowadays, people seem to be more and more stressed, even average people that at least apparently don’t take big gambles. Researchers have put a lot of time and money into the study of this problem, and came up with a whole lot of theories, but really, don’t let those fool you. Here’s the real deal, here’s why it was so easy in those days.
Bayer’s Heroin
Yeah baby, between 1890 and 1910, heroin was sold as a ‘less addictive form of morphine’. At some point, it was even recommended to treat the usual cough, but only in children.
Diacetylmorphine was first synthesized by Alder Wright, who concluded it was even more addictive than opium, and abandoned research in this direction. However, the Bayer company concluded that it was very effective in treating moderate pains and dealing with diseases such as asthma or tuberculosis, so they branded it as Heroin. What’s interesting is that it was branded pretty much at the same time with acetylsalicylic acid, that became later known as aspirin. It’s hard to say which one of these had more success…
Boehringer & Soehne
Paperweight
Boehringer & Soehne were located in Mannheim, Germany. Never heard of them?? Well, if they were doing today what they did about a century ago now, you’d definitely know about them, because they proudly advertised their products, claiming the make the best produts from cocaine and chinine. It wasn’t only the quality that made them so good, as their ads said: “Prices no higher than for any other brand”. You just don’t see that anymore, sadly.
Opium for newborns, and not only
Stickney and Poor’s are known today mostly for spices, but back in the day, they also sold this syrup that helped babies sleep well; and if the opium inside wasn’t enough, then the 46% alcohol would definitely do the trick.
Coca wine
Believe it or not, wines with cocaine were by all standards not uncommon. Metcalf Coca Wine was one of the famous brands and everybody who drank it said it will make you happy, and was also good as a medicinal treatment. Maltine Coca Wine was also used a lot in the U.S., especially in New York, where it was made. It was recommended for health reasons - a glass after each meal, and for the children, just a half glass of course.
But without a doubt the most appreciated such wine was the Mariani Wine. It was so good, that pope Leo XIII never left the house without a bottle of it. He even awarded the producer with Vatican’s Gold Medal.
Amphetamine inhalers
Benzedrine (racemic amphetamine) inhalers were available in the U.S. until the mid 50s, and they were so appreciated that even airlines gave them to passengers to treat discomfort when the plane was taking off and landing. It was also proclaimed that more than 10 million Benzedrine inhalers had been distributed in the first 7 years it was released, which means they sold even better than mister McDonald’s hamburgers.
Opium for Asthma
It’s not sure how good this treatment was, but at least, the National Vaporizer Vapor-OL (opium) Treatment no. 6 for asthma (as it was called) provided a unique way of smoking opium. You had a pretty volatile liquid that went in a sort of frying pan, heated by a small kerosen lamp placed under the pan.
Dragees Antiseptiques Au Menthol
So yeah, everything seems to be good, at least if you go by the name, but these ‘dragees’ were basically Cocaine throat lozenges. Yeah, cocaine was not only fun, as with the wine but also useful. This Belgian product was “indispensable for singers, teachers, and orators”. Word.
Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup
Of course, as a working mother, things are never easy. So when you get home, you want to get some peace and quiet, and that’s exactly what this soothing syrup was doing. Because no matter how noisy and restless a child is, 65 miligrams of morphine per fluid ounce does the trick.
Cocaine toothache drops
Without a doubt, cocaine is our winner (perhaps there’s a lesson here, somewhere, I’m not sure). These cocaine toothache drops were absolute miracle drugs, and they cured aches almost instantly and they also came with a bonus: after taking them, children were always happier.
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Andrei is no scientist, but from an early age, he has been fascinated by science; that's why he went to college, and signed up for Geophysics. Feeling that there's a huge gap between science and average people, he rallied TP, started ZME Science, and gave it a green twist too.
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July 9th, 2009 at 3:39 am
First post. I win. But seriously I totally agree. why they made drugs illegal i will never understand.
July 9th, 2009 at 3:40 am
And you wonder why Grandma sometimes acts a little goofy in her old age…..
July 9th, 2009 at 4:36 am
Great, now if I ever run across a time machine in the future I will not what year to come back in.
July 9th, 2009 at 7:17 am
You understand why people like taking drugs because he comes for the blood of their parents. And for going a little bit far away I understand why the 21 century was so bloody.
July 9th, 2009 at 7:40 am
They made it illegal to get more money.
July 9th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Heh.. Those drugs were easy to make and did their job well..
50 years later (hopefully sooner) we will all look at the drugs we are using now, which are sold everywhere, and think the same.
Current drugs compared to those used before are much worse… If you need to wear dark glasses for two weeks only because your doctor told you to use new prescription drugs, it really isn’t a good thing for you
Smoke pot, people. it doesn’t hurt you. you cannot die from it.. try taking 10 tablets of aspirin (a drug that is given even to babies) and we’ll see what happens
July 9th, 2009 at 9:46 am
If you want the current pharmaceuticals to become illegal, just pretend you’ve developed a life shattering addiction to them.
July 9th, 2009 at 10:02 am
@bocefus: Not a bad idea. Not a bad idea at all…
July 9th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
@bocefus: shiit thats already happenin mang. its a shame ridalin was a popular as it was when we were kids
July 9th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
haha right on Sketsargis
blaze it!
July 9th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
lmao@ shukov & bocefus comments….Thanks
July 9th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
the coca wine itś not wine with cocaine.
The coca leaf (hoja de coca) is not a drug, it’s all natural.
The coca leaf is one of the ingredients that is used to prepare cocain, the other ingredients are Sulphuric acid, cement, kerosene, etc.
Please, remind the the coca leaf by itself is not a drug.
July 9th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
The coca leaf is not a drug? I guess thats why the raw leavesa are used to treat upset stomaches and makes your lip go numb?
July 9th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
The primary reason many drugs are illegal is the same as why prostitution is illegal in most states. Taxation.
Fact is, most drugs are fairly easy to produce, so it is hard to regulate the production and sale of them. Because of this, the government doesn’t get any money out of most of it, so it is illegal.
Same with prostitution. Otherwise why would it be illegal to sell something that you are allowed to give away.
July 9th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Well, all of that bottles are empty…
July 9th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
to sergio:
although not a drug, coca leaf wine, and coca leaf tea have an intoxicating effect. Also a similar speediness to a couple of cups of coffee. i have had the tea a couple times, and is a great pick me up.
also most of these are derived almost directly from plants. plants that were gifts to us.
if laws were changed, so that people were allowed to grow, cure, and synthesize their own personal use drugs. the black market and numerous killings would begin to decrease.
with awareness and tolerance becomes responsibility.
July 9th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
I think the stress was even greater back then. Cool article, very interesting remedies.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Nice post, good research.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
I don’t think I could have said it better than SlamminSalmon. So many users take drugs as an act of rebellion because its illegal, self regulation would be best.
July 9th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
these products were probably taxed, so why are they illegal?
July 9th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Maybe people should just grow the fuck up and handle their problems on their own.
July 9th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
a drug is any substance which alters your bodies chemistry so yes even natural substances such as cocoa leaves, willow bark etc. are drugs. a drug does not need to be manufactured
July 10th, 2009 at 1:30 am
Ha! Funny kevin Tredau is no where around here. I wonder if he ever had any addictions.
July 10th, 2009 at 4:15 am
No wonder babies slept through the night…because they got high! Great post
July 10th, 2009 at 4:33 am
Drugs have played a huge part in our history that is often overlooked in historical teaching. Sure, we all know how and why alcohol became the norm, because that’s ok (!), but Heroin and Cocaine have also heavily influenced (pun) our history. Hong Kong, for example - became a British Colony after the First Opium War in 1849!
Drugs are illegal now because government (and the system of law) don’t want society to be relaxed and open minded - they want obedient workers. There is still much (though waning, thankfully) drug propaganda these days - to influence the publics perspective on something that they don’t know anything about. (don’t worry people, we know what is best for you - you are safe with us!)
Alcohol and Nicotine - two of the most addictive and destructive (and mind numbing) drugs - yet they are the legal ones.
Drugs should be decriminalized and people should have a greater awareness of their benefits and dangers.
“Excess in moderation!” (Doug Stanhope)
July 10th, 2009 at 4:46 am
Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup is got to be the winner of all these.
July 10th, 2009 at 8:49 am
if people used drugs responsibly it the problem..its morons who abuse it, and end up getting others or themselves hurt. 98% of the people who want drugs legalized for “medicinal” or other reasons are only looking to get high. at least be honest in your damn reasons, and not pull oh it helps with glocoma (when your 20 yrs old), or hemp makes great rope bullshit.
July 10th, 2009 at 9:41 am
DRUGS?—Let’s vote on it!
July 10th, 2009 at 10:41 am
The above drugs have all been replaced by the 21st century high tech drugs of the day. Just watch TV and you will see ads for a bunch of them. When watching these ads think of the bottles above for the day will come when our grandchildren will be amazed just as we are that our grandparents took the above cure all’s and even gave them to babies. The best of the worst is Oxy Codone. I have lost friends to this evil little beast. We have replaced the opium, cocaine, heroine and weed with synthetic alternatives that are real killers. These new drugs are cheap and easy to get all while making big Pharma Richer and richer. give me a Coca Cola with a little peruvian additive and I think my day will be just fine thank you. De-criminalize and taxing will make drugs a medical issue not a legal one. But with the Prison industry in need of raw material I just don’t see that happening.
July 10th, 2009 at 11:34 am
They made drugs illegal because war makes more money to the people at the top than does taxation.
July 10th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
I like Drugs Says:
July 9th, 2009 at 3:39 am
First post. I win. But seriously I totally agree. why they made drugs illegal i will never understand.
Because they found out everyone wants happyness, so lets make it hard to get and much more expensier XD
July 10th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
mmmmm i wish i lived then. id be happy
July 10th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
There seems to be a typo in:
“Boehringer & Soehne were located in Mannheim, Germany. Never heard of them?? Well, if they were doing today what they did about a century ago now, you’d definitely know about them, because they proudly advertised their products, claiming the make the best produts from cocaine and chinine.”
I’m pretty sure chinine (what is that?) should be quinine. As it says on the bottle, and as in the anti-malarial stuff in Tonic water.
July 10th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Wow. Articles like these make make me feel glad that there’s an FDA and similar agencies across the world to prevent drugs like these from being used as ‘common cold remedies’.
Nevertheless, there are sometimes ways around all the red tape… and lobbyists sometimes put their interests on top…
July 10th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Stress is not caused by the things that happen around us. It is caused by the way we think. If you put 100 people in the same situation they will al react differently. Why? What makes this difference? They all think differently.The way we think about the situations that we are in causes us to have the feelings that we have and finally influences our behaviour. Look it up on google: REBT. http://www.rebtnetwork.org/whatis.html
July 10th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
I think drugs and alcohol were made illegal by well-meaning people who, after witnessing the effects on individuals and their families, believed that if the substances weren’t available, all the problems would be gone. They were wrong. Demand was still there, and criminals moved in to provide what people wanted. Make steak illegal and see what happens.
Since a relatively large number of people used alcohol compared to the number who used narcotics, the Prohibition was repealed, but not before solidifying the methods and structure of Organized Crime. The mob grew stronger each day, spreading its tentacles into other endeavors such as prostitution and gambling (also prohibited) and compromising the legal system with bribes and violence.
During Prohibition, production of alcohol was pushed underground - profits were so high that people rushed in to fill the demand without regard to public safety. The term “bathtub gin” wasn’t fiction - people went blind and even died from some of these concoctions.
In short, if we want to strengthen organized crime (including gang activities) and provide a reason for street crime (robberies, theft, car-jacking, etc.), all we have to do is prohibit a substance or behavior. It stands to reason to me that to eliminate crime, we should simply decriminalize drugs, gambling and prostitution. IMHO, if you further want to de-glamorize drug use, the government should just buy the drugs and dispense them, free of charge for consumption on the premises, in a traditional government office (think BMV or Post Office setting). Eeuww.
I think the reason this very obvious step hasn’t been taken is nothing more sinister than the fear by career politicians that they’ll be viewed/labeled by a small percentage of (very noisy) people as being evil and unworthy of being re-elected. For this and other reasons, I believe that the first step on the path of making this country a far, far better place is simple: term limits on all elected officials.
So…are you willing to DO something about it?
July 10th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
In my humble opinion, stress in America is what results from good people forced to do more w/less, due to unstable, economic challenges/decisions brought on by greed or a lack of the common good! Also (my opinion), western governments support “illegal” drug regulations to control freelance commerce (untaxed income!). Its not the drugs or the common good!!! Why do governments chose to support (w/o regulatory oversight) the pharmaceutical industry? Drugs are big business, and its killing us (another big business!). The stress factor is, capital greed… from all fronts, in my opinion!
July 10th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Why can’t we have this stuff now adays?
July 11th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
No shit. No fucking shit! What’ll I do to go back to the past? A fucking lot!
July 12th, 2009 at 12:09 am
I hate when people go and look for reasons to blame the government. Honestly, wake up. If serious drugs like cocaine and heroin were legalized and regulated the country would eventually become a shit hole. These are highly addictive and dangerous drugs, it was even apparent back then. BOB said it the best when he spoke honestly in stating how these aren’t miraculous medicinal compounds (although beneficial in extreme health situations) but rather drugs that people want legalized for recreational use. Believe me, its a good thing these products no longer exist.
July 12th, 2009 at 11:09 am
let me guess… you used photoshop to produce those labels…right?
July 13th, 2009 at 5:04 am
drugs as we know them today are laced with a mixture of many many dangerous ingredients from talc to soda crystals.
Drugs in their PURE form are as safe as any other drug
July 13th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Fizzy: You are right that most street dugs especially MDMA and other drugs in pill form are laced with other drugs, but you are sadly and completely wrong if you think drugs in their pure form are not dangerous. Cocaine and heroine in their “pure” form are perhaps even more dangerous than cut down or laced alternatives. It makes me worried to think that there are people out there that honestly think what you just said is accurate; it is just truly ignorant. I guess you will just have to learn the hard way.
July 14th, 2009 at 2:08 am
Between 30 and 50 million people smoke marijuana in the United States. It’s a hugely popular recreational drug, just like alcohol and tobacco. If it were federally decriminalized, regulated, and taxed, you’d see all the revenue going to the government instead of to drug cartels in Mexico. That in itself is a huge benefit.
Look at the Netherlands. That country is renown for its social progressivism. Euthanasia is legal there. Prostitution is legal. Marijuana is legal there and is sold in coffee shops. That country isn’t a “shit hole”; the Netherlands enjoys one of the most prosperous economies and was ranked in the top 7 most Democratic countries of the world last year (United States ranked 18th).
A lot of people literally believe what they’re told by these anti-drug agencies; that drugs are terrible and will kill you. Here’s a wake up call: ANY SUBSTANCE THAT CAN BE ABUSED CAN KILL YOU. It’s not just drugs. Any person who chooses to do something that has risk needs to be responsible. If you possess a credit card, it is in your best interest to use it in moderation, pay back your dues, and not go into debt. People abusing their credit and not being able to pay back their purchases is exactly what has caused our economy to become what it is at this moment.
Criminalizing the smoking of a plant does not stop people from using it. People do and will continue to use it. Some people will use it casually and some people will abuse it. It happens. You can’t stop it, whether it’s illegal or not. The smartest thing to do would be to educate the people on how to be safe, not tell them no; look how well that’s working with abstinence “education”.
United States citizens, you have drugs. You can’t get rid of them, but you don’t want to embrace them either. It’s time to man up and do the responsible thing; regulate it. People are already doing it, why make them criminals? Why put non-violent drug offenders into federal prison with people who ARE violent, who have KILLED? You put innocent people into an environment with murderous beings and call that fair and just punishment for smoking a plant!
The more money you taxpayers let your politicians waste on a “war” on drugs, the less money you have for education, science, and infrastructure. The more your prisons fill. The less tolerant you become. Stop letting this kind of injustice happen.
Do the right thing for your countrymen. Educate and adapt. Do not turn a blind eye.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:42 am
I can now see the reason why there was a lack of stress.. but you also have to think less traffic due to less cars and THERE WAS NO COMPUTERS(PC)!!
July 14th, 2009 at 11:15 am
I have taken an opium syrup for a terrible bronchitis cough. Sold to me in Switzerland at the pharmacy in the 1990s. My cough stopped immediately. I didn’t feel drowsy or any other effects, must have been a small dose, but the stuff works great. No other cough syrup has ever worked.
July 15th, 2009 at 9:00 am
Nice Kat Williams quote Sketsargis.
July 15th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Everything is Legal until your Caught.
We need Agriculture, Arts & Sciences and Master Craftsmen in Trades to bring this country back from the dead. Use your hands, take what you need, leave what you don’t, re-use and re-think everything.
July 15th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
why were these made illegal? moral panic, that’s why
July 15th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Drugs were in everything!
July 15th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
To
I don’t think anyone is arguing against the legalization or regulation of marijuana. What you have said is very intelligent but has little to do with the “heavier” or significantly more dangerous drugs being presented in this article.
July 15th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
To
Also, marijuana is not legal in the Netherlands. And all heavier drugs are very illegal and distribution/possession laws are strictly enforced. The police force however turns their heads to softer drugs like marijuana, which can be bought and sold in coffee shops with proper licenses, and individuals can buy up to 5 grams in one day for use in a coffee shop (this does not include individuals under the age of 18).
As for the argument about placing “innocent” individuals who sell and distribute drugs into federal prisons with more dangerous and violent criminals…I think you are talking about the type of people in terms of their behavior and position in society, which has nothing to do with breaking the law. Just because someone is a good person and non-violent doesn’t make them exempt from following the laws set forth by his or her nation. Breaking the law is being an irresponsible citizen, and the people who are arrested for selling and distributing marijuana (although there are sad cases) should be well aware of the consequences.
July 15th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
I read somewhere that Aspirin would probably not pass FDA approval if it was invented now
July 16th, 2009 at 1:30 am
Alcohol is just as hard as those other drugs, but few people realize this. Breaking the law is not being an irresponsible person if the laws are unjust (think civil disobedience to segregation).
July 16th, 2009 at 6:19 am
It would still count as an addiction, have you seen what it does to people who constantly use it? Once you run out, BOOM, then everything goes to shit, the whole goddamn world will be bipolar…but I guess this is the length people want to go to just to die happy.
July 16th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
drugs…*sigh*
July 17th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Once I was addicted to cough syrup and it was horrible.
July 17th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
most of you are mis-informed, uneducated, incompetent idiots. you don’t know 98% of the populations reasons for wanting certain ‘drugs’ (as you refer to them) to be legalized. coca leaves, marijuana as well as other PLANTS are not drugs. the definition of a drug as per the dictionary is “drug
1. a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being.”
the legal over the counter painkillers are the real drugs in our country. our government has you absolutely brainwashed. how come our “health care” system “cures” cancer by killing not only the unhealthy cells but the clean healthy cells as well? it is a system designed to keep people sick. they make people “better” by putting them on opioids which are EXTREMELY expensive and addictive. now they don’t have leg pain anymore but hey mommy has a painkiller addiction that’s going to cost thousands to cure. and oh, they cure that addiction with methamphetamines. now mommy has a meth addiction. you should all do your research before you start rambling on like idiots. you have no idea what you speak of. 435,000 people will die this year because of tobacco related illness. LEGAL and killing nearly half a million people a year. who do you think collects from the bills those people had for treatments prior to their death? the government. 85,000 people this year will die from alcohol related deaths. who makes a profit from those peoples illnesses? the government. 0 people will die this year from marijuana related anything. there has never been a single person in the history of man kind who has ever died from an illness related to marijuana nor from a marijuana overdose. which would you rather, your teenage son or daughter tokin’ a joint or going into your vanity and stealing the vicodin and percoset you have for your ‘pains’? think about it.
July 17th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
AaH the good old days!!!!!!! Even pot was cool then
July 17th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Any chance you can change the colors on the site so it’s not dark grey text in dark brown background? I didn’t even see the text between the pictures until I accidentally highlighted some and it showed up grey in blue. It’s impossible to read as is.
July 17th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
georgeindallas has submitted the most honest post, i believe. Most drugs destroy people. Pot and tryptamines such as LSD and psilocybin are rather safe, and perhaps could be decriminalized…but in most states you DO NOT goto prison for pot possession anyways, depending on amount (i am for legalization of marijuana, but I don’t want government controlled marijuana…puhleaze) manufacture or growing or whatever they call it is different. Reading these posts I see rampant ignorance, or just lack of education. I don’t smoke pot. Please, try to see both sides of things. Our country (USA) is torn between ideologies…we must start to view things with an open mind, and that does not mean just legalize everything. The post regarding methamphetamines for opioid addiction…i hope this is a joke, seriously, if this is what you think you know then I feel compelled to educate.
I am 26 years old. What is going on within my generation? Have you all lost your minds? You subscribe to a progressive idealism, yet you dont let your hearts guide you. Stop rebelling for the sake of rebelling. Stop listening to the media…especially “alternative” media. THINK FOR YOURSELVES…and if you haven’t been there and done that…get off my cloud man.
sorry for the rant, but man whole blog depresses me.
July 19th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Stress is the confusion created when the mind overrides the bodies natural desire to choke the living shit out of some asshole that desperately needs it. As a pharmacist, I find the legality of “recreational drugs” astonishing. We should legalize it, make sure it is of good purity (avoid bathtub gin, etc) and tax it. Crime goes down, true abusers kill themselves and educate the public on correct dosage and the government makes a shitload of money…like they want. Of course Big Pharma is going to get their 30 pieces of silver too, which pisses me off, but we could spend the money to EDUCATE our children on what is safe, what is not, what to avoid and truly become an educated society. However, it would be counterproductive to the powers (gov and pharma) and they would simply abuse us (like they do now). Either way, we get screwed in the end…but at least we could get a little lube, eh?
July 20th, 2009 at 1:21 am
In the US the government is the biggest importer and exporter of illegal drugs- that’s why they were made illegal. The government wasn’t making any profit off these drugs when they were legal, but in recent years they’ve been able to wipe out most of the major competition allowing them to profit from the nation’s addiction.
July 20th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Just a few facts, Marijuana has 5-7 times more tar than tobacco. Marijuana can cause tachycardia, increased heart rate, so it is bad for people w/ heart conditions. Heart conditions can be undiagnosed, I had a friend die last week. Marijuana can cause anxiety attacks, which could be bad for people w/ a mental diagnosis’. There are over 400 chemicals found in Marijuana smoke, one of which is Benzyprene, a carcinogenic. Long term use does cause female hormone irregularities, so women may experience irregular periods, which could lead to problems with fertility. Men, with long term use, do experience a lower sperm count, which will also lead to problems with fertility.
I have a number of friends that have ruined their lives through drugs, prescription and illegal drugs. Marijuana is not as innocent a drug as many of you seem to think.
July 20th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Lets all get fucked up and screw!!
July 20th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
they need to bring this stuff back to these good days.. do they have any idea how much money they would make?
July 21st, 2009 at 6:29 pm
You are all missing the point regarding prohibition. It does not matter how harmful a drug is, the government does not exist to tell people what they can and can’t put in their bodies. Particularly by using the coercive force of the criminal justice system. The things that makes humans unique from all other species is that we have freedom - the ability to make decisions about how we will live our lives. Unlike animals we don’t simply respond to stimuli using instinct, we use our minds and have the ability to decide how to fulfill our wants and desires, and even the ability to modify those desires. You may not like the choices somebody else makes because you have decided for YOUR self that an alternate choice is preferable. But there is no reason you (or a group of yous in the case of the aggregation of preferences accomplished through democracy) should be able to coerce that individual to make a different choice unless a GUARENTEED, DIRECT and MEASURABLE consequence of that individuals choice is the infringement of another individual’s freedom (see John Stuart Mill, On Liberty for an introduction to this fundamental concept). Saying that the person MIGHT mess up there lives and up on welfare (or has a higher PROBABILITY of doing so), MIGHT commit crime, MIGHT overdose and increase health care cost just doesn’t cut it. Not when you are taking away people’s with the threat of arrest, loss of their career, and ultimately the loss of there freedom through incarceration, for the simple act of POSSESSING a naturally occurring substance. This is chemical Mcarthyism as best and tyranny at worst. And for the record, as many have mentioned, the negative consequences that often flow from the consumption of alcohol, a drug that the government has arbitrarily and through historical anomoly allowed to be possessed and consumed without criminal consequence, are far more severe than most “illicit” drugs.
July 22nd, 2009 at 10:38 pm
These old remedies may be extracted from plants we now have negative connotations about. They have been legally (and slanderously!) squashed by Big Pharma and its heavily funded control over our governments. Probably because, like someone said: they are too easy to make on your own…so gov’t makes it illegal. The pharmaceuticals being produced today have less research assigned to them before they are released to the public and encouraged in spite of known risks - or made mandatory (be wary of immunizations!). Plants that grow that have intoxicating and HEALING effects are indeed drugs by definition, but they are certainly in a form that nature intends us to use. Chemicals that are produced by pharmaceutical companies are often toxic to our bodies, our environment and our governments. (See Bill C-51 & C-52 in Canada.) Sickening really. Literally. Trying to take away our right to take herbs, supplements and vitamins… Good way to keep people sick and using your products, which make us sicker still….
…But I digress…
July 28th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Jackie- I am astounded that what you think you have said is educated or accurate and that you have announced that everyone on this forum is ignorant and idiotic. I don’t know whether your ideas come from personal experience or not, but you are wrong about many things you said. First off, there are multiple definitions for the word “drug” and people use it as slang to pretty much describe any mind altering substance. Also, the definition you gave is accurate, but you are forgetting that marijuana falls under the category of “a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being” because it is controlled in some states and allowed for use in treating extreme medical conditions. You should really do some research.
As for your whole rant on painkillers, nobody was arguing against you, so your hostility on the subject i found rather funny and out of place. Obviously they are highly addictive and dangerous compounds, but they are helpful for medical conditions and you need a prescription for them anyway.
Also, its the trichomes of the marijuana PLANT which contain the chemical THC. Pretty much all plant related chemicals that are defined as drugs or used otherwise are chemicals associated with plant defensive mechanisms; this is especially true and relevant for the chemo-therapy drugs Vincristine and Vinblastine used in cancer treatment as well. They kill both healthy and unhealthy cells, but they are used to target cancer cells, if there was truly something better, then the world would know about it and whoever found it would be sitting on a goldmine.
Accusing the healthcare system (which is by no means perfect and has many problems) with the phony idea that they use the drugs to kill healthy cells is what i would consider not mis-informed, but idiotic, completely extremist, and utterly wrong.
July 29th, 2009 at 4:08 am
“Alcohol is just as hard as those other drugs, but few people realize this. Breaking the law is not being an irresponsible person if the laws are unjust (think civil disobedience to segregation).”
Thank you, sqyttles. Nobody wants to mention good ol’ ethanol because Uncle Sam says its an OK drug to take. Instead we have idiots rambling on about how painkillers are unnecessary… and expensive Jackie? Opiate meds are amongst the easiest drugs to make and thus quite INEXPENSIVE, very effective, while being less toxic to the body than asprin, ibuprofin, and tylenol at effective doses… go to school you moron.
These medication make life bearable for millions of chronic pain sufferers who might otherwise not be able to work, or even live a normal life. Like practically anything else, they require responsible use. So? Why does that anger you??
And Random Person, sorry that not everyone’s moral and philosophical outlook on life is unequivocally based on what the United States government says is good or bad.
Marijuana, which is for all practical purposes IMPOSSIBLE to overdose on, is illegal while millions and millions of people are killed or injured in alcohol fueled/related poisoning, illnesses (cirrhosis), violence, and accidents both auto-related or not.
The same goes for the OK-TO-SMOKE tobacco cash crop!! Oh wait, there is a surgeon general’s warning on it… imagine that! Our government cares about us THAT much?? Oh wait, tobacco kills and has killed millions more from lung cancer and emphysema.
But Uncle Sam says it is not wrong. Relax have a cocktail. Light up a cigarette or put some chewing tobacco in your mouth. Our country could CERTAINLY use the tax money generated on these harmless recreational products!!!
Meanwhile, as Mr. Frown
points out, the US government’s MORAL (hahaha) stance on Marijuana costs the country untold amounts of illegal dollars instead going to Mexican drug cartels.
Oh yeah, and the TAXPAYERS pay the price for the Uncle Sam’s totally arbitrary and UNJUST laws. Prisons are filled up to capacity and many of them do not NEED to be there. In fact many SHOULDN”T be in there. VICTIMLESS CRIMES do not warrant imprisonment, at least in a country prides itself on justice and the people’s freedom.
That being said, I think ALL substances proven to be completely non-addicting and non-dependency causing should be legal. Why not? Has LSD killed or hurt more people than the aforementioned legal drugs? What if I wanted to grow a peyote cactus in my backyard? Oh wait that means… oh no SCHEDULE I DRUG HOLY COW MUST BE DANGEROUS.
Random Person, get off your pedestal and recognize that people should have freedoms as long as they do not infringe on the rights of others. Victimless crimes should not be punished…
And oh yea, if you haven’t got the point yet… please don’t let Uncle Sam be your guide to what is right and what is wrong. I know your not THAT stupid.
July 29th, 2009 at 4:25 am
Jake, I missed your post. Good point. Even if a substance DOES pose a certain level of danger for the individual consuming, that should be his/her prerogative. And again I will emphasize that this is especially true when consumption rarely if ever infringes on the rights of another human.
Also, Random Person, as far as what is ‘right and wrong’… I was looking at a different post and I see your main issue was that breaking ANY law makes the person breaking the law irresponsible… well if you read my previous post you obviously know how I feel about that.
We are screwed as a country if everyone were to just play sheep to the government’s Shepard. Civil liberties seem to be becoming a thing of the past.
July 29th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Reasonable Person- I am by no means an advocate of what the government tries to make us think as you seem to put it. My MORALS are based off of what is logical. I think the vast majority of the marijuana smoking population is unaware or uneducated about its potential dangers. First off, i don’t think a single person here has argued that alcohol and tobacco are less dangerous than marijuana (people who want legalization should emphasize this). Marijuana has damaging effects on the developing brain, which people overlook. Legalization and regulation of marijuana would just make it more accessible to kids, in the same way that kids can get alcohol and their parents meds today. Memory deficits and cognitive decline are evident in people who use marijuana and this is only amplified for people who start smoking at a young age. It upsets me how everyone preaches that it is perfectly safe…It Is not “safe.” It appears safe when it is placed in the context of where it is compared to other drugs, even legal ones such as alcohol and tobacco, but this does not mean that it is a substance that wont cause harm if legalized.
As for your rant on how marijuana is “proven to be non-addictive.” (and LSD, peyote, etc)- It is by no means proven whatsoever to be non-addictive and it certainly is dangerous to one’s health. It also completely depends on how one defines addictive. Most people don’t understand how up regulation of cannabinoid receptors in the brain and body are a process of addiction. When your body receives THC over and over again your cells up regulate the receptors which THC bind too and when they undergo mitosis you are left with new cells with more receptors for that chemical. It’s not as strongly chemically addictive as other drugs, but it is chemically addictive in similar ways. If you can honestly tell me that marijuana isn’t habit forming with something other than anecdotal evidence then i’ll shut up.
Another thing to realize is that the people who get arrested for marijuana related crimes aren’t just arrested for mere possession of a little weed (although there are some sad cases); the majority is arrested for a large amount in their possession with intent to distribute. And when i say distribute it is important to consider how it can end up in the hands of our nations youth.
My main point was not “braking the law is being an irresponsible citizen.” That was my response to another post before. Your idea of civil disobedience seems a little misplaced in this argument. Of course civil disobedience is necessary in certain instances, but your reasons for why marijuana should be legal are based on incorrect information, misinformed information, or a lack of proper research in general. (EXCEPT for the obvious financial benefits of regulation, and the relation to the Mexican cartel wars which you mentioned).
I don’t believe the government should tell us what we can and can’t put in our bodies. But if a substance is potentially harmful to our health, especially the developing brains of our nations youth, then i don’t think it is a poor decision by the government to keep it illegal and make it harder to obtain than it already is (its pretty easy to get, so it shouldn’t be made easier to get). I smoke a decent amount from time to time, well aware of the consequences.
July 29th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
you should too…and try to look past the pointless arguments of the misinformed or extremist. The REAL reason that people want pot to be legal is so they can get high, because it’s fun.
July 30th, 2009 at 2:12 am
Random Person, we will have to agree to disagree on more than one issue, but I do know what you mean how many supporters of legalization do so because they want to get high. Of course they do. But people will always have fundamental differences– and I happen to think that if someone does “choose to use”, so to speak, there is nothing inherently wrong about that. Decisions in life, within their personal realm, are theirs to make regardless of potential consequences.
Even though I don’t smoke or chew tobacco, and use it in my argument for legalization/regulation of certain substances, I have NO problem whatsoever with anyone who does… on a regular basis or not. The same goes for alcohol (I do drink socially but not often excessively) . Like tobacco, it is known to be hazardous to them when overdone, but only when it becomes hazardous to others is when the law should be involved (ie drunk driving).
An important fact to be considered is that people who are personally against using any kind of recreational substance (herbal or chemical) are normally not involved with people or circles of people who DO use any particular substance for whatever their reasons. Because of this, they are largely unaware of just HOW available pretty much ALL drugs are to those who are curious.
I understand that future and current generations of young people should not be tainted by being raised in circumstances where they are exposed to various levels of substance abuse. I think it is irresponsible for any adult to indulge in front of young people, things like that should be kept more private.
But another fact of life is that, whether raised well and sheltered or exposed to whatever degree of substance use… when a child gets old enough that he/she is becoming their own person and thinks for their selves more, in line with how he/she was raised or not, they may have an inclination (genetic, self-medicating attempt, or whatever) to be curious to use something at some point.
This fact, like it or not, compounded with the fact that drugs are widely available to those who are intent on AT LEAST trying, means that those who do want to try something eventually will. Sadly, a smaller portion of these people wind up developing fascinations and realizing them at inappropriate ages, regardless of the environment in which they were raised. This is really a psychological issue, and many factors contribute, but it is an unfortunate truth of human nature that some people, old and young, are reckless and irresponsible.
In short, since less addicting drugs/herbs are there anyways (and trust me based on our exchange I know about this more than you do, not to sound pompous), I happen to feel that not much good comes from the government wasting so much money on a War on Drugs they are losing and will go on forever. Governing forces should NOT continue to attempt fighting human nature at the expense of TAXPAYERS when the only way they can actually achieve this is by taking away the liberties of their subjects.
Do you care so much that you would be willing to live in a drug free society that is run by a totalitarian government who kept an eye on EVERYONE and EVERYTHING in order to subdue the human nature to use particular substances as best as possible?
The ugly truth is: So much money is wasted in the pointless and War on Drugs… only to allow the criminals to move in (just like they did during Prohibition) and GLADLY handle the duty of supplying the healthy demand for substances that, due to sheer profitability, will always be around REGARDLESS.
Let’s face it, those criminals are entrepreneurs totally enabled by the War on Drugs. They make millions of dollars off an industry that, if instead regulated by the government would create countless legitimate jobs and generate those billions in tax revenue. Instead, billions of tax dollars are spent by the government fighting the very criminals their laws enable to get rich. For me, it is puzzling.
I am tired and finished typing for tonight but that is how I feel about the futile War on Drugs… and I have not even touched on the issue of substance quality control which, in the hands of criminals, poses serious dangers to public health. Lack of quality control makes many drugs significantly more dangerous than they actually are, much like how bathtub gin posed unnecessary dangers to people during prohibition that gin purchased today does not. Another sad fact. Goodnight.
August 4th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
you forgot coca-cola which was marketed as a wonder tonic and was loaded with cocaine back in the days. And it’s still a symbol of American pride and yet people don’t seem to realize what the ‘coca’ stands for.
They also used to sell cannabis tincture in big bottles you could buy in a pharmacy. People were high as hell in the old days and as soon as they made them illegal we had WWI and WWII.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:15 am
They made it Illegal because they want complete and utter control. in so many different ways. Wake up World you are being taken over by Adolf Hitlers offspring and you dont even know it….
August 8th, 2009 at 9:17 am
notice that drug companies not doctors did this and called these things CURES, this is why people believe all Cures come from outside themselves and is in pill or liquid form.
look up Valium it has asimilar story. Also STADOL was reclassified 2 years after being released to public from non addicting to addicting. check out Lyrica side effects. it lists maybe habit forming ie.. addicting.
August 8th, 2009 at 9:21 am
Mgrub is correct
August 9th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
I have a large collection of these bottles. Are they worth anything?
August 20th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Seems like 9 good reasons to invest in time travel research.
August 29th, 2009 at 1:17 am
Not sure if anyone reads this anymore but a few more things id like to add about what random person has said. First of all painkillers can be dangerous and addictive but…over half of overdoses related to narcotic painkillers actually are apap overdoses which can also be brought back to the government because drugs like vicodin MUST have a certain amount of apap in them in the us. Therefore people who abuse them ruin their livers. Also, although they are addictive according to the FDA and DEA( the people who are currently attempting to demonize them) less than 1% of the millions of ppl perscribed them ever become addicted and 70-80% of that 1% have had an addiction to a “hard” drug ( most commonly cocaine ) in the past. Also you spoke of ppl’s definitions of addiction and this is a very irritating sticking point for me. Marijuanna is not PHYSICALLY ADDICTIVE whatsoever. In other words, your body will not EVER go into withdrawal because of stopping marijuana use. That myth isn’t even believed by the government or the medical field. Its just ridiculous to think that marijuana is physically addictive. Now habits are another thing and people have all sorts of things the will crave if they stop doing them. Masturbation!. that doesn’t indicate and addiction. Its as ridiculous as actually saying people are addicted to food. Its just psychosomatic bullshit. Furthermore, speaking of upregulation is really only discussing tolerance not addiction. Your mind and body can become tolerant of many things and require more of them to achieve the same goal but that doesn’t mean stopping them will actually cause withdrawal. I don’t believe the mind can always overcome addiction or anyhting like that. Its just that if the addiction is only in the mind its not an actual dependence. Addiction is seen as a disease BECAUSE it causes structural changes in the brain that causes severe adverse reactions when use of the drug is stopped(withdrawal).
October 20th, 2009 at 5:19 am
Crazy article man ! really