Don't drink and drive - or someone could end up like THIS!! *Distrubing Content*

[Rasha]

I copied this from an email I received. Seriously, it is the saddest, most distrubing thing I've ever seen, but I think it's important to post. Please, stop your friends (and yourself) from driving under the influence. Imagine your mother, sister or best friend ending up like this girl. . .


"This young lady was recently on Oprah and what a loving, forgiving young woman she is! An amazing story of what she has suffered and will bear the rest of her life.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/Velfarre2000/1.jpg

This is Jacqueline Saburido on September 19, 1999.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/Velfarre2000/2.jpg

This is her and her Father, 1998.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/Velfarre2000/3.jpg

This is her on Vacation in Venezuela.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/Velfarre2000/4.jpg

The car in which Jacqueline traveled. She was hit by another car that was driven by a 17-year old male student on his way home after drinking a couple with his friends. This was in December 1999.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/Velfarre2000/5.jpg

After the accident Jacqueline has needed over 40 operations.


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/Velfarre2000/6.jpg


Jacqueline was caught in the burning car and her body was heavily burnt during around 45 seconds.


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/Velfarre2000/7.jpg


With her Father, 2000.


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/Velfarre2000/8.jpg


Getting treatment.


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/Velfarre2000/9.jpg


Three months after accident.


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/Velfarre2000/10.jpg


Without a left eyelid Jacquie needs eye drops to keep her vision.


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/Velfarre2000/11.jpg


Now 20, he cannot forgive himself for driving drunk on that night.

He's aware of devastating Jacqueline Saburidos life.


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/Velfarre2000/12.jpg


Not everyone who gets hit with a car dies. This picture was taken 4 years after the accident and the doctors are still working on Jacqueline, whose body was covered with 60% severe burnings.


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/Velfarre2000/13.jpg

Please send this to as many people as you can to make them aware of the consequences"

[Matt Cruea]

I'd wanna die.

[Margo]

Oh, my gosh ;o;

[Jessica Adnee]

I've seen this before... I cried for and entire day straight... and here I go again.

[Matt Alan]

Thats the most horrific thing I've ever seen.

[Peterodl]

Holy explative!

[Matt Cruea]

I've seen this before... I cried for and entire day straight... and here I go again.

Um, simmah?

[Windy*]

Sadly, the people who are the ones affecting others by doing such things are the only people who will fail to care.

[hideko_dahlia]

One of my friends was killed in a drunk driving accident. And one of my other friends has had more than one person killed like that. It's just so....... stupid that people drink and drive. And to see something like this-- well that's just the icing on the cake, so to speak. It's not that people don't care about it, they just think "Oh, I won't drink and drive," but then will get behind the wheel thinking that they aren't drunk when in reality they are. It's a thin line...

I think bars and anywhere with alcohol should do what my friend's group of friends do. Take the keys, and put them up high, like in a tree. If you're too drunk to get the keys, you can't drive.

[Margo]

I think bars and anywhere with alcohol should do what my friend's group of friends do. Take the keys, and put them up high, like in a tree. If you're too drunk to get the keys, you can't drive.

Oooh! That's smart going there!

[Rasha]

Well I agree that most people think that they won't drink and drive, but still do. However, imagery like that tends to stay with a person. I have a co-worker who does nothing but drink on the weekends and those pictures made her want to stop getting drunk altogether for fear if she had to drive herself somewhere. Dunno if it'll actually compel her to ease up on the alcohol. . .but at least this girl's story will always be in her mind.

[Henageshi]

Yeah I saw that a long time ago.

She was so beautiful too.

[Cefaclor]

wow.. this picture actually made want to cry. Thats horrible really. Im totally against any kind of drinking. Never thought of trying a drink actually. Thought of sipping kinda freaks me out. Sipping = more sipping = extra sipping = drinking = drunk.

meh. But then again I am the paranoid type XD.

[Runai]

People should know not to drink and drive without having to be exposed to things like this. It makes me sick, and kind of worries me that it's posted on these (usually) high-spirited forums.

Still, I guess if some may not have considered the worse-case scenario it's better to have an existing graphic story drummed into you than to actually be the cause of another's misery.

[Rasha]

Im totally against any kind of drinking. Never thought of trying a drink actually. Thought of sipping kinda freaks me out. Sipping = more sipping = extra sipping = drinking = drunk.



Me too generally! I never had one sip of alcohol until long after I was 21. Even now, the most drinks I've had in one night is. . .one. And that's like. . .every couple months or so. My boyfriend keeps egging me on to get drunk just to see what I'm like, but I'm like "Why? I don't need alcohol to have a good time or to be myself." Getting drunk is stupid. . .period. Having a drink or two is not a bad thing, but people seem to LOVE to get drunk. . .why? I don't understand it and never will. I just don't see the thrill in acting stupid, not having complete control of your motor functions, your judgement being impaired and feeling sick that night and/or the next morning.

[Nikki Wright]

"Why? I don't need alcohol to have a good time or to be myself." Getting drunk is stupid. . .period. Having a drink or two is not a bad thing, but people seem to LOVE to get drunk. . .why? I don't understand it and never will. I just don't see the thrill in acting stupid, not having complete control of your motor functions, your judgement being impaired and feeling sick that night and/or the next morning.
Oh, my god. THANK YOU. That's exactly the way I feel, too.

I honestly thought I Was the only person who felt that way. You tell it, Rasha!



As for that girl. I remember hearing about her. I saw an episode of Oprah [like, lemme be honest, the only episode of Oprah I've seen, besides the episode with Johnny Depp.] with that girl on it awhile back. I think she was on another talk show, too, but I don't remember. It's so sad to hear about things like this, and even worse to actually see the effects that it has on people. I hope that people think about things like this if they ever decide that driving drunk is a good idea. e.e;

[Holy Crap!]

The best way to prevent drunk driving isn't simply beating it into the heads of everyone. Yeah, we get it.

The problem comes when someone is drunk and they need to go home or elsewhere. When sober this person would probably NEVER think of driving. But now they just think, man I need to go to X place now! And the only way to get there (without paying for a cab) is to drive.

A lot of college campuses are insituting systems for people to bus around drunk people to their homes or other bars free of charge. This is a good idea because it accepts the fact that people are going to want to go places after they're drunk. AMAZING!

Yeah, sure, it won't stop everything magically and rainbows won't appear and angels come down to bless us all...but it's something.



But a side note...if I end up in as much pain and suffering as the lady...please kill me.

[Jessica Adnee]

[QUOTE=Holy Crap!]The best way to prevent drunk driving isn't simply beating it into the heads of everyone. Yeah, we get it.

The problem comes when someone is drunk and they need to go home or elsewhere. When sober this person would probably NEVER think of driving. But now they just think, man I need to go to X place now! And the only way to get there (without paying for a cab) is to drive.

A lot of college campuses are insituting systems for people to bus around drunk people to their homes or other bars free of charge. This is a good idea because it accepts the fact that people are going to want to go places after they're drunk. AMAZING!

Yeah, sure, it won't stop everything magically and rainbows won't appear and angels come down to bless us all...but it's something.[QUOTE]

I sooooo agree with you. <3

And now... my rant...

Yes, I drink. But I have only been drunk once in my life and personally, hated it. Same with being stoned or high. I hated it.

Drinking, I do. Yes, I'm a bad person. All of you drinking=sin people can slay me, shun me, whatever... but understand, that this thread is really sending a message like, "You drink and you kill people! AH! Bad! Beer equals the juice of Satan!!!"

But it's not... driving drunk is just plain stupidity. Not being in control is stupidity.

Though, I would really be pissed if this turns into a thread where every reply is, "Drinking is bad. I've never been drunk or drank anything alcohalic. Drinking is bad under any circumstances."

Sorry.... just had to clarify I few things.

[Runai]

Dayum, that's 2 posts in a row where I hold the same opinion as Rasha! Score!
Pixie, thanks for clarifying, but I doubt the likes of us who don't drink are shunning those who do at all - drinking isn't usually a big deal. I have a lot of friends who always insist "we're gonna get you drunk" (but always fail), and just because I don't understand their motives doesn't mean they're any less my buddies!

It makes sense to me to generally stay in control and a reasonable state of awareness, let alone not especially wanting to deal with any 'morning after' symptoms =) That seems to be the opinion of a few, and I'm sure none of us try to force this behaviour on others like some sort of wacky religion.

[Yami no Kitsune]

I actually jumped when I saw that... it was far more shocking than I had anticipated. There was a similar case of this over here in the UK when a woman was so badly burned she had to wear a plastic mask, but she was burned in a house fire. But... wow...

Things like this make me no want to learn to drive at all. Over here (being Scotland and all) you'd be hard pressed to find people that don't drink. But if you're out in Glasgow city centre, there's nowhere for you to park encouraging you NOT to bring your car, also there are 24-hour running buses to most parts of the city and taxis absolutely everywhere. Even when going to a family party or something like that, most of my friends and family just leave their cars at home and get a taxi to and from the venue so as not to be tempted. This is the kinda thing people should think about when they're sober. If you're going to be drinking, just don't bring your car. That's not too hard now, is it?

Not to say we don't have drunk drivers over here, we do. Its still a problem that a few daft people take their cars to go to bars knowing they're gonna be drinking. It really baffles me.

[Seishiro17]

what I find sad yet shocking is that that entire e-mail has been made into a wallpaper for my drivers ed class...pictures and all...

also on the subject of alcohol, it should be banned. and on that note marjuana should be legalized. seriously if you bump into a stoner at a concert guess what happens...nothing, yet if a drunks gets tapped it either goes into a brawl or breaks down. alchol isn't a good thing. yet we let people drink whenever they want. while "druggies" sit in prison. have you ever had withdrawl? going threw that in itself is enough punishment for "possesion". the "druggies" aren't criminals for doing drugs, these people are sick and instead of helping them to get beter all america is doing is letting them freak out in a jail cell. we need to change this, we need to put the drunks into prisons and the stoners in hospitals.

[Merr]

also on the subject of alcohol, it should be banned. and on that note marjuana should be legalized. seriously if you bump into a stoner at a concert guess what happens...nothing, yet if a drunks gets tapped it either goes into a brawl or breaks down. alchol isn't a good thing. yet we let people drink whenever they want. while "druggies" sit in prison. have you ever had withdrawl? going threw that in itself is enough punishment for "possesion". the "druggies" aren't criminals for doing drugs, these people are sick and instead of helping them to get beter all america is doing is letting them freak out in a jail cell. we need to change this, we need to put the drunks into prisons and the stoners in hospitals.
I don't know if I'd go that far...but I do think they should start having "Can anyone tell us why drinking isn't stupid" style ads. I mean come on, what other reason is there to drink besides getting drunk? It's not like alcohol has some amazing flavor or anything, it tastes nasty! Drinking beer is like drinking sweat.

So if you're not drinking it for the flavor, then you're either drinking it to get drunk or drinking it because its there. So if they started up some kind of ad campaign like they did for cigarettes (yeah even though those ads are cheesy, they have worked), I'm sure fewer and fewer people would be having binge fests the instant they turn 21.

The only exception would be wine since I guess you can be a wine connoisseur and actually enjoy the taste of the wine as opposed to just getting drunk.

Other than that, alcohol is a drug. It makes people do stupid things to themselves and others, I honestly don't get why the entire world is so tolerant about it.

[Rasha]

I mean come on, what other reason is there to drink besides getting drunk? It's not like alcohol has some amazing flavor or anything, it tastes nasty! Drinking beer is like drinking sweat.


OMG - that is so totally true! Then again though, some may consider coffee to taste nasty and to be an acquired taste. And since Starbucks, it's cool and trendy to drink coffee - so I think some people still think it takes gross but do it to be social.

And yeah, legalizing pot is a LITTLE extreme. That's a real quick way to get people to learn addiction and help them explore other more dangerous drugs. People who are high aren't in their right state of mind either. . .not saying that they violent like drunks, but still. . .dangerous to be out in public or driving a car.

[Yami no Kitsune]

Uh... I don't think drink should be banned. Last time the American government tried prohibition, they single-handedly created the mafia.. and they're still around. So, no that's not a good idea.

And marijuana should only be legal for people in chronic pain as a medicinal drug. Medically speaking, canabis is a depressant the same as alcohol, but its also a powerful relaxant and anti-spasmodic, and has no physical withdrawal symptoms. But driving under the influence of marijuana is just as dangerous as driving drunk. It slows the reflexes and impairs your judgement. So don't think that one way is better than the other.

[Runai]

What they hey? I don't like coffee (except for the smell), and when I go to Starbucks I'll have a tea/hot chocolate/frappe to be social instead!

It's the same with beer - I wouldn't feel the need to drink in order to be social, as the only brands I like are a few foreign ones. I won't bother with anything else =D

[White Rose Assassin]

Oh my gods, and to think I'm about to fall asleep! Drinking and driving don't go hand in hand. Never.

There's nothing wrong with drinking and having a good time if that's your thing, but please drink responsibly and do have a designative driver. I've been in situations where I've done group projects. Some asshole sneaks in a bottle of Gray Goose. I'm sorry, we have to get work done. He drinks it, and drives back to school to pay tuition. Thank gods he made it back alive. I don't know how, but that was really stupid of him.

I admit, yeah I'm 21. I have a glass of wine at Olive Garden and the ocassional pina colada with my fiancee. I am willing to try other drinks, but not in excess. Maybe it's the Buddhist in me, do everything in moderation.

In general, I don't drink to get drunk. I drink to sample new wines (I went to school in Napa! Blame them!) and maybe I'll get to tipsy. Yet, I'm not your typical college party chick. I've always preferred small get togethers were we went movies and have popcorn. That's my idea of a good time! I'm pretty much in the same boat as Rasha and Nikki. Drinking isn't our idea of a good time, we have other outlets to explore our crazy side.

[Cheshire]

Gah, things like this just make me feel so bad. I mean, her life has been completely messed up because of one stupid mistake someone made. -_- Honestly, is it really worth getting drunk if you cold do this to yourself or someone else? Jeez.

I've had -some- alcohol before(yes, I'm underage, and stupid ^^;), but I can honestly say I can't stand the taste of it. It just makes me want to gag. Whenever anyone actually offers me a sip of their drink or something, I'm like "Nooooo, thank you." I am quite fine with my virgin Bloody Marys and rasberry Daquiris, thank you. X3 I've just never seen the point of drinking to get drunk, or anything like that, anyways. I mean, honestly, the only thing that comes out of it is a killer hangover, so I'm told, and sometimes waking up and not recognizing the person sleeping next to you. ._. Bah. I'd much prefer to actually have my wits about me around people. Makes for a much better time. ^^

For the record, I'm against underage drinking. I swear, I about spazzed when my friend(thirteen at the time) tried to drink a wine cooler. O_o( Whether it coems off as stupid or whatever, I absolutely have to play the big-sister role around my younger friends, heh).

[traviata]

Okay.

Drinking and driving is stupid, yes. I think we can all agree there. Binge drinking is stupid, yes. We can agree there, too.

But there's no reason to BAN alcohol. If anything, I think the stringent 21 year-old age limit should be lifted (though maybe in a slowish process so everyone doesn't go apeshit), and people should be taught how to enjoy alcohol in moderation while they're still young and impressionable. Mind you, I'm no advocate of getting your toddler wasted, but that badass mystique of illegality that comes together with the 21-year drinking age lends itself to dangerous drinking habits. If we were taught about moderation by our parents, would we (high school/college students) go out solely for the purpose of getting wasted? Maybe some of us would, but for most of us, our social choices wouldn't be completely dominated by whether or not we could get drunk at a function. And yes, this happens a lot at my school. Drives me up the wall.

For instance, I spent the summer in Europe and I saw the most irritating thing. All the underage American students in Florence were constantly staggering around in the streets, drunk as all hell, making dumbasses of themselves in front of everyone else. It was like, "Hey! We can drink! Sweeeeet! Let's get wasted EVERY NIGHT!" As for myself, I'm not one of those people who can tolerate acting like an idiot in front of an entire city, so I generally kept myself in check and ended up taking care of all of my plastered friends. But let me tell you, I never ONCE saw a staggering, slurring, singing Italian girl flashing people in the street because she'd fallen down from being sloshed. And these people drink wine at every meal, no joke.

So I don't see anything wrong with drinking at any age, so long as you're not putting yourself in a position where you could be harming your health or someone else's (physical, mental or otherwise). As long as you understand that it's not always super awesome to get LIECK TOTALLY WASTED N WAKE UP IN SOMEONE ELSE'S BED AND LIEK B TOTALY HUNGOVR LOLZ, then I think it's all good. But that understanding takes a while to cultivate, and throwing us out into the drinking world once we turn 21 with only a "plz dont drink n drive, kthx" is not going to do much good.

....
sorry about that long post, but this whole "OMG I WOULD NEVAR DRINK UNDARAGE OMG BC DRINKING IS HORRIBAL!!!" was getting ridiculous

[Jessica Adnee]

I agree with Sukisho that if anything should be banned, it's alcohal. That really messes you up.

But, pot doesn't do that to you. It's much safer and much better for you. They only banned it because it is a gateway drug. True, it is, but alcohal makes you do things that you really don't want to do if you had your common sense.

And, on that note... a selfless plug for my no drinking and driving Boredom Clip (http://www.voiceacting.co.uk/board/showthread.php?t=8772)!

[Nikki Wright]

I agree with Sukisho that if anything should be banned, it's alcohal. That really messes you up.

But, pot doesn't do that to you. It's much safer and much better for you. They only banned it because it is a gateway drug. True, it is, but alcohal makes you do things that you really don't want to do if you had your common sense.
Pot is safer? Mm. Clearly, you haven't been.. reading.. or watching TV.. because it does have side effects on your brain and lungs. In addition to this, you're "lagged" when you're stoned, so you don't react to things as you would when you're sober. So, if you're driving a car and a kid starts crossing a crosswalk, thinking that you'll stop... even if you have an intention to stop, you're more likely to hit him, because you won't stop the car right when you see the kid in the street.

It doesn't put you in a good state of mind and you do do things that you wouldn't normally do if you were sober. The bottom line is.. it's a drug. All drugs can neither be good for you, nor can be very safe for you.

But back on topic...

There's a reason why there's that little phrase, "If you are going to drink, drink responsibly." If you're an idiot, you really shouldn't be touching alcohol... because it's likely to make you act like an even bigger idiot.

[Jessica Adnee]

Pot is safer? Mm. Clearly, you haven't been.. reading.. or watching TV.. because it does have side effects on your brain and lungs. All drugs can neither be good for you, nor can be very safe for you.


Clearly you have never been ON it. I have. It does slow you down... that's what you want it to do.

It is just as bad as alcohal so if one is going to legalize one then the other should be legalized as well.

Alcohal is a bit more dangerous because it makes you more active. When you're stoned or high, you're more relaxed. You are less likely to hurt anyone when stoned than if you're drunk. Also, being drunk kills brain cells... pot doesn't.

And where exactly is this information that you've found? Personally, I would prefer to listen to what has happened to me first hand that go by some stupid commercial on TV.

Alcohal causes you to think that you can do anything and can be anything. It makes you think (in most cases) that you CAN drive yourself home and that you CAN get into a fight with that guy twice your size and win.

Pot doesn't. It just makes you more relaxed and happy. It does have side effects, yes, but in the long run, it is safer for you and for the people around you. I'm not saying that it's COMPLETELY safe and that nothing bad will happen, but it's better (from my personal experience) than alcohal.

[Nikki Wright]

And where exactly is this information that you've found? Personally, I would prefer to listen to what has happened to me first hand that go by some stupid commercial on TV.
I like to go by medical texts, psychiatry books.. things that doctors and people who have done extensive research have written. I also like going by the news. But I could imagine understanding why you'd want people to pay attention to you. And you're right, I've never done it.. because I'm more intelligent than to do something so incredibly stupid for a person to do. I like my brain and lungs being in-tact, thanks.

Anyway. Wasn't this topic about alcohol? Nevermind: wasn't it about not drinking and driving? Hm.

Also, I'm going to stop reading/replying to this thread, 'cause I already threw in my two cents, and don't really care anymore. <3 PM me if it gets out of hand.

[Matt Alan]

The people who think alcohol should be allowed, or even have the age limit lowered, need to STOP drinking. Really now. Give me one BENEFIT of alcohol? it makes you feel good? It relaxes you? Oh bull. Just drink some pepsi.

Not as bad as pot? Wow. Now THERE'S an intelligent comment.

[Jessica Adnee]

But I could imagine understanding why you'd want people to pay attention to you. And you're right, I've never done it.. because I'm more intelligent than to do something so incredibly stupid for a person to do.


So now you're attacking me about my personal choices?! It's not as stupid as you think it is. It's not sky-diving butt naked or driving a car with you're toes.

And no, I don't want people to pay attention to me. I'm making a point. I've tried it and nothing bad happened. Same with my friends. I'm not saying that it's perfectly safe, but it's not some random rebelious act that always leads to disaster.

And where exactly are these medical documents? And what did they say on the news? How much does it take to be incredibly harmful?

This thread turned slowly into a drug and alcohal thread, so be it. I suggest continuing with the conversation until we can get an answer. I think we all established that drinking and driving is bad.

All I'm asking is for a little proof. I know that it isn't healthy for you, but neither is soda.

[Matt Alan]

So now you're attacking me about my personal choices?! It's not as stupid as you think it is. It's not sky-diving butt naked or driving a car with you're toes.

And no, I don't want people to pay attention to me. I'm making a point. I've tried it and nothing bad happened. Same with my friends. I'm not saying that it's perfectly safe, but it's not some random rebelious act that always leads to disaster.

And where exactly are these medical documents? And what did they say on the news? How much does it take to be incredibly harmful?

This thread turned slowly into a drug and alcohal thread, so be it. I suggest continuing with the conversation until we can get an answer. I think we all established that drinking and driving is bad.

All I'm asking is for a little proof. I know that it isn't healthy for you, but neither is soda.


So, you've never had a Health class at school? Or the "JUST SAY NO!" pep rallies? One time, at band camp, no wait, it was Driver's Ed at school, they played this hour long documentary on how people die in car crashes because they're intoxicated via alcohol or pot.

In May, a friend of mine, who had used pots just a few times, well, he had to get to work, but on the way, he ran over the side of a railing and now, he'll never walk again.

Oh yes! Its true! It really has happened! *GASP* People die because of the effects of Pot! A friend of mine, he tried pot a few times, just to slow down, like you said, well, he slowed down right into a tree and died from the injuries.

You can't honestly say pot is good.

No one, with any intelligence whatsoever inside their head, can say, "Its okay to smoke pot."

There is ALWAYS a consequence.

And yes, soda is bad too. Damn that caffeine! It made me so hyper I jumped right into the side of my house and scrapped up my face! Gosh darnit! I sooo shoulda just smoked pot instead!

[TamTu]

Proof? Here it goes.

TamTu does pot. TamTu smells like pot. TamTu wants to kiss Nikki. TamTu isn't allowed to kiss Nikki. TamTu does pot out of depression. TamTu finishes a pot-session. TamTu is happy and high and relaxed. TamTu goes to Nikki to have fun. TamTu is smacked in the face.

Pot is not good for love-life. Bad love-life leads to bad health.

[Jessica Adnee]

I'm not saying that it's COMPLETELY safe and that nothing bad will happen, but it's better (from my personal experience) than alcohal.


I'm not saying that it's perfectly safe, but it's not some random rebelious act that always leads to disaster.


I'm not saying it's good. It does help you to relax but it's like alcohal except it slows you down.

I know that people have been hurt by it. I'm not some fucking moron. I know that it isn't good for you.

I'm not advocating it or saying that everyone should do it... but if you are okay with alcohal then you should be okay with pot too. I have gotten stoned before. I don't do it all the time and stuff but I do know what it does first hand.

There are health risks, and it is a drug, but it's not Satan. That's all I'm saying. You all are blowing what I'm saying way out of proportion.

I'm sorry if I sound snappy but I'm getting quite frustrated and already in a bad mood.

[Chris Nagy]

I agree with Sukisho that if anything should be banned, it's alcohal. That really messes you up.

But, pot doesn't do that to you. It's much safer and much better for you. They only banned it because it is a gateway drug. True, it is, but alcohal makes you do things that you really don't want to do if you had your common sense.
The phrase "better for you" is a bit misleading. It damages your lungs the way smoking anything else would, though admittedly it has fewer toxins that some legal drugs like tobacco. Marijuana was not banned because it was a gateway drug-- the term hadn't even been coined back in the 30's. The main driving force behind it's banning was racial tension. I give you statements:

"When some beet field peon takes a few traces of this stuff... he thinks he has just been elected president of Mexico, so he starts out to execute all his political enemies."

"All Mexicans are crazy, and this stuff [marijuana] is what makes them crazy."

"Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men's shadows and look at a white woman twice."
Furthermore, alcohol doesn't make you do things that you don't really want to do. Alcohol lowers inhibition, so you do the things that you want and would normally keep yourself from doing. It takes your rational thoughts out of a great deal of the process.


Pot is safer? Mm. Clearly, you haven't been.. reading.. or watching TV.. because it does have side effects on your brain and lungs. In addition to this, you're "lagged" when you're stoned, so you don't react to things as you would when you're sober. So, if you're driving a car and a kid starts crossing a crosswalk, thinking that you'll stop... even if you have an intention to stop, you're more likely to hit him, because you won't stop the car right when you see the kid in the street.
The effects of marijuana on the brain and lungs are, in the long run, the same effects that you get for any form of oxygen deprivation. The only addition marijuana makes is that smoking it saturates your canabanoid receptors, making it harder to get high as well as inducing a semi-permanent marijuana high. This is why people change when they use the drug for long periods of time but, unlike most drugs, going clean for an extended period of time returns your body and brain chemistry to normal. Essentially, marijuana has no permanent, long-term effects.

As for driving while under the influence, that is illegal regardless of whether you are on marijuana, alcohol, or over the counter pain killers. Anything that impairs your reaction time, even cough medicine, will get you a DUI.


Also, being drunk kills brain cells... pot doesn't.
Oxygen deprivation does kill brain cells, but the whole brain cells bit is overemphasised. Tapping yourself moderately hard on the skull kills brain cells. You can neither drink yourself nor smoke yourself permanently stupid. You'll get liver cirrhosis from alcohol long before then (and that takes 10 years of heavy drinking) and while your mental processes will be lowered for extended periods of time on marijuana, the effects (as I mentioned earlier) fade away after an extended period of disuse.


The people who think alcohol should be allowed, or even have the age limit lowered, need to STOP drinking. Really now. Give me one BENEFIT of alcohol? it makes you feel good? It relaxes you? Oh bull. Just drink some pepsi.

Not as bad as pot? Wow. Now THERE'S an intelligent comment.
People who don't know what they are talking about should not expect their opinions to be taken seriously. Do even a single search for the effects of lowering the drinking age, and you'll see that it does not produce raging drunks. It takes the mystery out of alcohol and the taboo out of drinking it. It becomes less of a deal and you are less likely to find binge drinkers because of it.

You want a benefit of alcohol? Drinking 8 oz of red wine a day can lower your risk of heart disease. Alcohol is a pain-killer, which works in a pinch if you have a sore tooth. Alcohol is a disinfectant. Alcohol can relieve stress and tension.

As for your last line, it's gibberish. Are you saying that Alcohol is as bad as pot? Because that seems to be what your ill-used sarcasm is pointing to.


So, you've never had a Health class at school? Or the "JUST SAY NO!" pep rallies? One time, at band camp, no wait, it was Driver's Ed at school, they played this hour long documentary on how people die in car crashes because they're intoxicated via alcohol or pot.
Have you ever heard of propaganda, Matt? I'm not saying Marijuana is good, I'm saying you can't blindly trust the people who are told to tell you why it is bad because of a ruling over 70 years ago.

In May, a friend of mine, who had used pots just a few times, well, he had to get to work, but on the way, he ran over the side of a railing and now, he'll never walk again.

Oh yes! Its true! It really has happened! *GASP* People die because of the effects of Pot! A friend of mine, he tried pot a few times, just to slow down, like you said, well, he slowed down right into a tree and died from the injuries.
First off, I'm going to assume you meant pot and not pots. Doing pots is... well, weird. Your friends were idiots, and were using it irresponsibly. Yes, you can use something responsibly even if it is dangerous. People get killed cleaning firearms, which are legal. People find a thousand and one ways to die by irresponsibly using perfectly legal things.


You can't honestly say pot is good.

No one, with any intelligence whatsoever inside their head, can say, "Its okay to smoke pot."

There is ALWAYS a consequence.
Thank you, Obviousman. No one would have figured out actions had consequences were it not for your brilliant observation. Allow me to give you a medal. *Tagged* As for the generalization about intelligence, I've known people a hell of a lot smarter than you and a bit smarter than me who seem to think that pot is not only okay to smoke, but that it is really cool.


And yes, soda is bad too. Damn that caffeine! It made me so hyper I jumped right into the side of my house and scrapped up my face! Gosh darnit! I sooo shoulda just smoked pot instead!
Well, I guess we have proof that pot isn't the only thing that can make people stupid.

[Jessica Adnee]

First off, I'm going to assume you meant pot and not pots. Doing pots is... well, weird.

XDDDD That is such a cool way to end the drama. XDD

And yea... I guess that I misworded a few things. That's what happens when I get frustrated. I start speaking like a 7-year-old. ^ ^'

I guess I just got personally offended since i happen to be someone that does smoke.

[TamTu]

It's not necessarily drama. This IS the TBONTB forum. Debates galore, baby. You jump in a debate, you better be prepared to take some hits :D


Which is why I never post here >D

[Rasha]

Wow - such livliness out of my thread. . .impressive.

Oh, here's my two cents that has no factual or statistic proof to back it up, but wait. . .it's my opinion so I can say whatever I want.

Let's see. . .it's hard to say which is worse. . .alcohol or pot. In actuality, probably alcohol is in my opinion but again, only in excess. However, to me, even using pot in MODERATION is bad. . .and no, not because it's illegal. . .because I don't agree with ever smoking a cigarette or cigar either. In fact, if I EVER caught my boyfriend smoking pot, it would be a major problem. . .but if he's having a beer. . .not so much. On that note, you want to ban something? Ban tobacco. . .that actually kills the people subjected to working or living around it all day even if they've never smoked in their lives.

But seriously. . .I think after all this excitement, each one of you should go pour yourself a glass of wine or take a hit to relax. [/sarcasm]

[Deiji]

Furthermore, alcohol doesn't make you do things that you don't really want to do. Alcohol lowers inhibition, so you do the things that you want and would normally keep yourself from doing. It takes your rational thoughts out of a great deal of the process.


I'm sorry but i can't agree with you on that. My dad became an alcoholic due to his low self-esteem and confidence. After a few years of drinking, he became totally hooked on it and became violent and yelled at people, including my mom for no reason. He would normally never even dream about doing anything like that because normally he wouldn't hurt a fly. But thanks to alcohol, he became a violent and very scary person to be around. My mom and i ran away from him when i was 4 years old, and a few years ago he died.
I know that small amounts of some alcohols can be good for you, but the benefits you get out of it are all things we could easily live without because the risks are way too great.

[Chris Nagy]

I'm sorry to hear about your father, however, the fact of the matter is that alcohol lowers inhibition. There are two types of people who get angry; there are those who rant and rave but ultimately do nothing. These people are seen as having very violent tempers. The other type of person directs all that anger inward, they bottle it down, keep it shut. I am one of those types of people, and we are seen as gentle giants who would not hurt a fly.

And due to a measure of self control, this remains true-- we don't hurt people, we don't get violent unless something causes us to crack. That doesn't mean that we don't want to sometimes, just that we keep ourselves in check. Alcohol removes that check. If someone does something that really pisses me off, my first impulse might be to knock their teeth into the back of their throat, but I stop myself long before that urge manifests itself into a physical act. This is inhibition.

Alcohol removes this, or causes it to act much slower than normal, and thus in the above situation I might deck the other person. If my inhibitions have been totally impaired, I won't even care, because that natural shame and natural restraint are being suppressed. This is why alcoholics can get violent, and this is in part why alcoholism is a disease. If my inhibitions are only slightly impaired, I might still deck the person and immediately regret it afterwards, because my morals, my shame, my control kicked in, but too late. "Baby, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, I really didn't" is the kind of thing you are likely to hear when this happens.

You might think your father acted erratically for no reason, but to him there would have obviously been a reason at the time. The problem is that those reasons were likely baseless, and while a sober person would dismiss those things out of hand, someone who is not sober has no such control, and will lash out for seemingly no reason.

[Cheshire]

I've got a personal story now:

The other day, I happened to check the website for the news of my old hometown(I just moved a few months ago), as I like to keep up with what's happening there. One of the headlines was that a fifteen year-old girl had been killed in a car crash. I was saddened, but it didn't have that much of an effect on me until I saw that it had happened in my old county to a student at the local high-school I'd attended. I freaked out, as another one of my friends had been in an accident recently (which hadn't been her fault), and was insanely worried that it had happened to someone I know. Yesterday, when talking on the phone to my best friend Brittany who still lives down there. She asked me if I knew this one girl, Shayla, who went to her school still. I did; she wasn't exactly the brightest girl, but she was nice and sweet to pretty much everyone, despite being one of the 'popular set' who normally mess with others. I'd known her for about three years, though the two of us were pretty much just accquaintances, and she'd been in a few of my classes. My friend goes on to tell me that she was the on who'd been killed in the car crash. I honestly couldn't speak for several minutes, and when I got my voice back, Brittany told me that the driver of the car, who'd walked away with barely a scratch had apparently had a bottle of some kind of alcoholic beverage in his hand, and had been completely, stone-cold drunk by the time the paramedics arrived. One other passenger is still in critical condition, and another was only minorly injured.
So because some asshat decided to be stupid and drive drunk, he took away this girl's entire life, before she even finished high-school. She had a future, she could have done nearly anything she wanted with her life, but now she can't. Just because someone made one of the stupidest desicions you can ever make in life.

So just...think about what you're doing, people, or else get someone to think for you. You don't know what you can do to people until you actually do it.

[Dagita]

Yes i'm still alive.. I work a lot these days, bills and rent must come first. 60+ hours a week actually!

This cought my eye while I was browsing. Drinking and driving is a fools game and I can not handle seeing young people do it, which is why I do not go to parties anymore. Last party I was at four or five car loads of drunk teenagers left. A friend of mine and I tried to bargin with them but they just had to go to this other keg party. I wonder what happened to them? The drivers and the groups in each death wagon where hammered out of their minds so who knows?

I like to gamble but there is a difference between gambling and acting like a fool eh?

Take care folks, I miss VA'ing... Silly computer broke. I wonder how much worse I suck? Did I suck? Did I have potential?