Why is it illegal?

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Actually, I go to a technical school that emphasizes hands on and "real world" experience. Though, this is irrelavent from the subject.

Maybe we're going on about two different things. I'm trying to clarify on the term "addiction". What are you trying to do? If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong. It would leave me wanting to know the clarification of the term "addict" or "addiction" better. Telling me that I don't know what I'm talking about because I haven't smoked pot on a regular basis won't do any good. There are psychologists out there that never smoked pot but they can still clarify what abuse, dependence, and addiction is.

I would think it would be pretty obvious as to what defines an addict or an addiction. Someone who has smoked all their life and can't quit... is an addict. It doesn't impair their "normal" functioning other than their health.

Quote:Someone who has smoked all their life and can't quit... is an addict You don't have to have smoked/drank all your life to be an addict. There are many people that get hooked the first few times they smoke/drink. Quote:It doesn't impair their "normal" functioning other than their health. Unless I am misunderstanding you, I totally disagree. It impairs thier work, school, responsibilities, relationships, etc. I don't know about you, but for myself, all of those things including my health are what I need to be functioning normally.

You can be a functioning drunk.My grandfather would have a bottle of Brandi a day, and you would never know it, but he was the greatest alcoholic I ever met because he blew his brains out when his wife discovered what he was doing, he'd rather kill himself then have to quit, or face his wife that he was so addicted to it. This is an Orthodox Jew.

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I totally disagree. It impairs thier work, school, responsibilities, relationships, etc.

Is this comming from an extremist anti-smoker???

Quote:I would think it would be pretty obvious as to what defines an addict or an addiction. Someone who has smoked all their life and can't quit... is an addict. It doesn't impair their "normal" functioning other than their health. I thought it would be pretty obvious too until Ineligible replied to one of my posts and got me thinking. That's when I started scrounging for information regarding addiction. Apparently, it's not as easy as I originally thought. When physiological addiction is at play, it's not that complicated. Psychological addiction is trickier.

Originally Posted By: sdp Quote: I totally disagree. It impairs thier work, school, responsibilities, relationships, etc. Is this comming from an extremist anti-smoker??? I agree with her...adults are one thing, but kids are another. Dope may have (MAY have) minimal effect on an adult person's life...but it has good potential to wreck the development of younger folks when abused. Abuse is also rampant at that age because it's a very difficult age to go through, and drugs are often used as a means of escape from the pressure and stress. It begins to take the place of other non-damaging coping methods (including facing your problems) and, before you know it, kids are smoking it all the time. Been there, done that...and lucky I made it through.

Yes, you can be a functioning drunk. But it doesn't mean the addiction doesn't 'impair' other areas of your life.In your granfather's case it obviously 'impaired' his relationship with your grandmother. Which is what I said previously.

Absolutely not. This is coming from an adult who has dealt with mother/father addiction, some addiction of my own, and now is dealing with my boyfriend and his addictions.

It didn't till she snooped through his drawer. Before that, she had no idea.

She had some idea if she was snooping in his drawer, right?

No, she was looking for the Mortgage payment to pay the bills.

Guess I'm gunna stick my nose in for a minute.To be addicted to something means your body needs it to function.Typically cigerettes are addictive while Alchohol is habit forming.If you are truly addicted then you may have organs shut down unless you get whatever it is your addicted to.(Granted severity depends on substance and level of addiction) Like it or not.. Water is the most addictive substance known to man.typically more people have habits formed around alchohol.. and to some extent the habit is just as bad as the addiction... Because habits aren't by any means easy to break. In the case of "weed" its debateable.. Dunno what the statistics are.I really don't care what the statistics are.. My general view is that either way.. its not good.I personally don't care who does what on their own time. Want to smoke weed? just don't drag anyone else into it.. Want to drink? then don't get drunk and hit your kids.. want to smoke regular cigs? hey knock yourself out.. Both my great grandparents did it for over 20 years.. they don't have cancer yet..just bronchitis(wrong spelling I know) and a stroke.. and theya re 94 and 95 now..I don't recomend it and have no proof those aren't just from old age.. but, I my mom "tried to quit" back about 7 years ago... still doing it.

That's not true. Addiction has nothing to do with what your body needs. Addiction - if it's substance abuse, sex, gambling, whatever - is a function of your neurological workings. Synapses and all that. Nothing to do with other organs in your body.And there are psychological addictions, which also have nothing to do with other organs in your body.An alcohol addiction is not just a habit. It's a real physiological phenomenon. A real addiction. To treat it as less is asking for failure.

Quote:To be addicted to something means your body needs it to function.Typically cigerettes are addictive while Alchohol is habit forming. It's possible for alcohol to become physiologically addictive. I think it starts off as a psychological addiction, and if enough alcohol is consumed over a certain period of time then it can become a physiological addiction.

Yes, and the delirium tremens is the withdrawal illness.

Exactly. That's a withdrawal that can directly kill you. This is part of the reason why I think alcohol is worse than marijuana.