Alan Branch suspended 4 games, marijuana (update-won appeal)

[Andrew Son]

 

Well, from my experience and the people I know, every single person who uses hard core drugs - like blow, acid, meth, etc. started out using weed first. Every single one of them.

 

I grew up in that crowd. In every instance that I am aware of - weed was the first illegal drug any of those (kids at the time) tried. Once they realized how much they liked smoking pot, they lost their fear of trying other harder drugs.

 

At least several of them that I still know of - definitely messed up their lives with drugs and would have no doubt been better off if they had never taken that first hit of the doobie or bowl or bong or whatever.

 

So there's that. Weed has definitely led to ruined lives. If you claim it hasn't, you are in denial of the obvious.

This is an interesting point. Through the DARE program, and other propaganda, cannabis has been grouped in with those other harder drugs you reference above. When someone experiments with pot and find that it's not that bad, they wonder what else have I been lied to about? Maybe this other stuff is not that bad either? Pot should have never been grouped in with the other harder drugs.

 

And again, yes, people can develop a problem with pot. But those same people would develop a problem with something else if pot didn't exist. Unfortunately they are just wired that way.

[4merper4mer]

Alcohol is a great gateway to blow and it's legal ! You got a bump maaaaaan?

 

Obviously there's some truth to your statement and obviously there are tons of people who are smart enough to draw the line at cannabis as well.

 

 

 

 

I don't dispute what you say there although I'm not sure booze is a gateway to blow. It does cause enough problems on its own though.

 

Anyway you wanted a story before and i feel rude for shutting it down. One is a dude....and I admit I don't really know him....but he seemed like a smart dude and he ended up having to mooch kinny garden teachers for his meals.

[PolishDave]

This is an interesting point. Through the DARE program, and other propaganda, cannabis has been grouped in with those other harder drugs you reference above. When someone experiments with pot and find that it's not that bad, they wonder what else have I been lied to about? Maybe this other stuff is not that bad either? Pot should have never been grouped in with the other harder drugs.

 

And again, yes, people can develop a problem with pot. But those same people would develop a problem with something else if pot didn't exist. Unfortunately they are just wired that way.

 

I agree with that because that was my own experience. First time I smoked pot I thought - what's the big deal? It doesn't make you crazy. It makes you giggle or turns you into a silly zombie depending on the quality and quantity and your own tolerances.

 

That led me to think - "I wonder how bad these other drugs are?" So I tried them too. A bunch of them. Fortunately I never got addicted to any. And eventually I realized how childish it was to be using them and I just grew up. But I had friends who never did. Some of them completely destroyed their lives - even death. Some of them are just wannabe hippies now who think the most important thing in this world right now is getting weed legalized. They are burnt to a crisp. They are just flat out dumb/stupid and don't even realize it. Too bad for them.

 

Wish I would have never tried it, any of it. Wish those other guys hadn't either. One of them was my best friend through high school and one hell of a great football player.

 

Having said all that, I don't have an issue with legalizing it. I would vote yes. But, I do get sick of the "pro-weed" crowd acting like there is absolutely nothing wrong with smoking it. Their definitely is. But I do believe it should be an adult's choice just as it is with alcohol.

 

And the vast majority of "pro-weed" people aren't people who want it or intend to use it for medicinal purposes. They are just stoners who want the law to forgive them for their current and future transgressions.

[87168]

 

It has been available with far fewer restrictions in states other than NY for medicinal purposes (and now it is available for recreational use in several more)--yet narcotic ODs still occur in those states.

 

The vast majority of Americans is insured and the vast majority of low income individuals is insured for free with Medicaid. In states that require medical prescription or some form of card to buy weed, it's not much of a barrier.

 

You are misinformed regarding NYS. It is allowed for: "cancer, HIV infection or AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury with spasticity, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathy, and Huntington's disease. The associated or complicating conditions are cachexia or wasting syndrome, severe or chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, or severe or persistent muscle spasms." To get certification this is the process: " If your physician determines this is the appropriate treatment for you and he or she registered with the New York State Department of Health's Medical Marijuana Program, he or she may issue you a certification for medical marijuana". Also, you don't have to go to a "hospital" to get the marijuana.

 

You are also incorrect that heroin users are not using to control pain. Many are doing just that because prescription narcotics are much harder to come by.

mmm not quite. the diseases you listed...are pretty sever diagnoses. listing more than what I listed...doesn't make them less sever, and that was my initial point. you need a sever diagnosis to even be considered...which in most cases is relative when dealing with pain. again proving my point that it is not easy to get for someone without a server diagnosis. and yea, you do have to go to a hospital unless, said clinic offers onsite fills. I have yet to see one that does. I know this first hand. not to mention, many doctors in NY do not support marijuana based solely on moral or archaic stances. and again, the strains are very very limited.

 

you are very wrong. many heroin addicts are not looking towards the drug for pain relief. that wasn't even at the root of the drug's discovery. opioids, yes...heroin, no. same could be said for crack. same drug different forms. so would you say cracks heads were/are looking for chronic pain relief? what have you been reading or watching? you do realize that marijuana was used much earlier and more frequent than opioids for pain among many cultures. it wasn't until good ol' Anslinger changed that worldwide.

 

so you again, to address your initial claim...heroin is cheaper and easier to get, hence more ods. heroin and crack addicts are in a completely different category.

Edited November 22, 2016 by 87168

[John from Riverside]

mmm not quite. the diseases you listed...are pretty sever diagnoses. listed more than what I listed...doesn't make them less sever. again proving my point that it is not easy to get for someone without a server diagnosis. and yea, you do have to go to a hospital unless, said clinic offers onsite fills. I have yet to see one that does. I know this first hand. not to mention, many doctors in NY do not support marijuana based solely on moral or archaic stances. and again, the strains are very very limited.

 

you are very wrong. many heroin addicts are not looking towards the drug for pain relief. that wasn't even at the root of the drug's discovery. opioids, yes...heroin, no. same could be said for crack. same drug different forms. so would you say cracks heads were/are looking for chronic pain relief? what have you been reading or watching? you do realize that marijuana was used much earlier and more frequent than opioids for pain among many cultures. it wasn't until good ol' Anslinger changed that worldwide.

 

so you again, to address your initial claim...heroin is cheaper and easier to get, hence more ods. heroin and crack addicts are in a completely different category.

I am being told that they are going to sell it at Wall Mart in California now

 

Im gonna pick up some while I get a franchise QB off the end isle

[Maury Ballstein]

I don't dispute what you say there although I'm not sure booze is a gateway to blow. It does cause enough problems on its own though.

 

Anyway you wanted a story before and i feel rude for shutting it down. One is a dude....and I admit I don't really know him....but he seemed like a smart dude and he ended up having to mooch kinny garden teachers for his meals.

Weird last I heard from that guy he was driving a new truck and making 6 figures, he's already off for the day too.

 

Try going to a bar sometimes without bumping into cokeheads.

Edited November 22, 2016 by Ryan L Billz

[BaaadThingsMan]

Alan Trees, am I the only one? !@#$ it then.

[iinii]

Misinformation reigns supreme! Every coin has two sides and you know what they say about opinions. Carry on.....

[4merper4mer]

Weird last I heard from that guy he was driving a new truck and making 6 figures, he's already off for the day too.

 

Try going to a bar sometimes without bumping into cokeheads.

 

 

If he is making six figures he must either:

 

1. Not realize that the figure to the right of the decimal point don't count or

2. Be just plain mean to make a kinny garden teacher pay his way

[Sig1Hunter]

you are very wrong. many heroin addicts are not looking towards the drug for pain relief. that wasn't even at the root of the drug's discovery. opioids, yes...heroin, no. same could be said for crack. same drug different forms. so would you say cracks heads were/are looking for chronic pain relief? what have you been reading or watching? you do realize that marijuana was used much earlier and more frequent than opioids for pain among many cultures. it wasn't until good ol' Anslinger changed that worldwide.

Heroin and crack are the same drug in different forms? Say what?

[Maury Ballstein]

If he is making six figures he must either:

 

1. Not realize that the figure to the right of the decimal point don't count or

2. Be just plain mean to make a kinny garden teacher pay his way

In the United States women have jobs too and can pay for dinner.

[iinii]

Oh and by the way there are a lot of people who smoke weed and make well in excess of six figures. I hate to break it to you old timers but listening to all the reefer madness propaganda is just that, propaganda, perpetuated by big tobacco, the alcohol industry, big pharma and that old reliable government.

[Mr. WEO]

mmm not quite. the diseases you listed...are pretty sever diagnoses. listing more than what I listed...doesn't make them less sever, and that was my initial point. you need a sever diagnosis to even be considered...which in most cases is relative when dealing with pain. again proving my point that it is not easy to get for someone without a server diagnosis. and yea, you do have to go to a hospital unless, said clinic offers onsite fills. I have yet to see one that does. I know this first hand. not to mention, many doctors in NY do not support marijuana based solely on moral or archaic stances. and again, the strains are very very limited.

 

you are very wrong. many heroin addicts are not looking towards the drug for pain relief. that wasn't even at the root of the drug's discovery. opioids, yes...heroin, no. same could be said for crack. same drug different forms. so would you say cracks heads were/are looking for chronic pain relief? what have you been reading or watching? you do realize that marijuana was used much earlier and more frequent than opioids for pain among many cultures. it wasn't until good ol' Anslinger changed that worldwide.

 

so you again, to address your initial claim...heroin is cheaper and easier to get, hence more ods. heroin and crack addicts are in a completely different category.

 

 

Are you high while you write this? Forget misspelling "severe" 4 times (and two different ways)--the heroin epidemic we are now seeing is due in large part to the public's initial addiction to prescription narcotics. Since a nationwide crackdown on prescribing is being enforced in nearly every state (certainly in NY), addicts have turned to heroin.

 

Also, no you don't have to go to a hospital to get your oil of pill in NYS. Their website has a list of places you can go to get your prescription filled. Even if it was an outpatient pharmacy IN a hospital, so what?

 

Gibberish, man...

[Doc]

Doctors were vilified at one time for under-treating patient's pain. Now we are being vilified for over treating it, leading to opioid abuse.

[3rdand12]

Doctors were vilified at one time for under-treating patient's pain. Now we are being vilified for over treating it, leading to opioid abuse.

My doctors are very strict.

 

and i though we were talking about Branch. who lost his job due to lack of self discipline. Or lack of interest in retaining his job

[boyst]

Can we merge this with the 1,000 other pot threads?

Oh and by the way there are a lot of people who smoke weed and make well in excess of six figures. I hate to break it to you old timers but listening to all the reefer madness propaganda is just that, propaganda, perpetuated by big tobacco, the alcohol industry, big pharma and that old reliable government.

big tobacco pushed for legalization a few decades ago. Studies were done by rjr to grow it in nc

[justnzane]

 

 

No he can't. If the owners want it banned, nothing he can do. The owners want it banned.

 

Yes, we are all aware of the abuse of narcotics, but they have been the mainstay of pain control for decades. The rates of abuse were never as high as now. People are dying of overdose of heroin in states where medicinal weed has been available for years. Claiming that marijuana is the answer to this problem is at odds with what is known.

You are telling me that the commissioner of the league can't lobby for change in said league? Really? Goodell has more power than you think. Suspending numerous players for a substance that is socially acceptable by a majority of the country is bad business, and he knows it.

 

The heroin epidemic is in large part due to Big Pharma pushing doctors to prescribe oxycodone and other similar drugs at rates far beyond necessary. This led to a number of people checking into rehab such as Rush Limbaugh, Brett Farve, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Cindy McCain among countless others. Unfortunately, many people often transition to heroin from oxy and vicodin, which in turn has left far too many dead. Weed is not the answer to the problem, but it is a much safer stopgap than prescribing legal forms of heroin to players.

[iinii]

Can we merge this with the 1,000 other pot threads?

big tobacco pushed for legalization a few decades ago. Studies were done by rjr to grow it in nc

http://www.snopes.com/politics/satire/marlboro.asp

[Bob in Mich]

 

It has been available with far fewer restrictions in states other than NY for medicinal purposes (and now it is available for recreational use in several more)--yet narcotic ODs still occur in those states.

 

The vast majority of Americans is insured and the vast majority of low income individuals is insured for free with Medicaid. In states that require medical prescription or some form of card to buy weed, it's not much of a barrier.

 

 

This article cites a study showing 25% fewer opiate overdoses in states that have allowed medical marijuana.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/25/health/medical-marijuana-overdose-deaths/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

 

Also, the earlier study that you discounted in this thread, showed that pain patients with access to both opiates and cannabis reduced their opiate use by 2/3. Certainly nothing to discount given the stigma still attached to cannabis use.

 

Your earlier response too seems to indicate that you think that medical insurance is paying for doctor visits to get cannabis authorization. That is not the case in Michigan or NY. I happened to speak to a NY cannabis doctor's office assistant regarding costs just a month ago. Their policy was two office visits before prescribing. These would NOT be covered by insurance and the cost for the two visits would be $450. Then the patient could buy extremely expensive cannabis extracts (easily $150/month) but these would not be covered by insurance. Then, every 3 months patients would need another uncovered office visit at the cost of $150 each. So, is cost a barrier? You bet it is - a big one.

 

It is pretty clear to me that doctors are generally anti-cannabis despite ever more evidence that cannabis can be medically quite useful. Frankly, it is doctors such as yourself that are standing in the way of relief for at least some of your patients. You are experts in every other medical topic and so, somehow feel you are the expert on this topic too. Most doctors know less than their self medicating patients as they have no more formal education, have done far less research, and have less practical experience. Some learn from their patients but others seem too arrogant to let information flow in that direction.

[Not at the table Karlos]

 

Well, from my experience and the people I know, every single person who uses hard core drugs - like blow, acid, meth, etc. started out using weed first. Every single one of them.

 

I grew up in that crowd. In every instance that I am aware of - weed was the first illegal drug any of those (kids at the time) tried. Once they realized how much they liked smoking pot, they lost their fear of trying other harder drugs.

 

At least several of them that I still know of - definitely messed up their lives with drugs and would have no doubt been better off if they had never taken that first hit of the doobie or bowl or bong or whatever.

 

So there's that. Weed has definitely led to ruined lives. If you claim it hasn't, you are in denial of the obvious.

from my experience everyone I know(probably a few people you know) started with alcohol. Every. Single. One. Alcohol led to something different. Some smoked cannibis (just because that guy is annoyed by it) others went to harder stuff. I would say it's probably 2 out of 10 ended up doing something harder than alcohol or cannibis. But every case when trying something new alcohol was consumed.