Thailand Legalizes Marijuana - Giddy Up!

Marijuana makes a person more cautious. Alcohol makes a person more reckless. Meaning more accidents. More domestic violence. More sexual assaults.

But don't show Koreans these statistics. They
have been so heavily brainwashed that the numbers would not
register and you would be automatically labelled a societal freak
and outcast for uttering such blasphemy.

I'm currently reading another thread where, upon providing stats that show a fact counter to the other poster's claim, they counter that it's not true in their experience, and therefor the stats must be wrong.

Belief perseverance is incredibly annoying . Especially online where you can't just slap good sense into those who need it. 

But seriously, I think that in Korea, the issue is that since there is effectively no pot here, it isn't so much that it's better or worse than alcohol, it's that it would be just another vice added to society *in addition* to alcohol.
   I think studies showing that pot can replace and mitigate the negative effects that alcohol has on society would be more convincing to the average Korean than a study showing how relatively harmless it is.

That's a pretty substantial difference, and that difference is even greater when one starts to include those substances as contributing factors towards death (suicide, car accidents, violence etc).

One might *prefer* one over the other, but it's pretty clear which substance is a bigger detriment to a society.

What if there's lost opportunity when a society embraces mass consumption of cannabis? While some people can be high-functioning on both alcohol and cannabis, that's not the case for everyone.

Personally, I generally favor decriminalization, but I understand why some countries don't want to and don't see any real appeal in cannabis consumption. And that's just fine. Honestly, sometimes the pro-pot people can go a bit overboard. Cannabis is not a panacea. It's just another way homosapiens trigger endorphins in themselves albeit with some more psychoactive effects.

   I think studies showing that pot can replace and mitigate the negative effects that alcohol has on society would be more convincing to the average Korean than a study showing how relatively harmless it is.

Also, westerners telling Koreans "Why can't you be more mellow like these tropical/islander folks that rank far lower on economic development, industry, education, etc. vs. your country which has no natural resources and transformed itself into an economic dynamo and is currently, punching wayyyy above its weight as a culture exporter to the world at the moment" might not be the convincing argument some here seem to think it is.

In fact, it sort of makes the case why cannabis consumption is perhaps NOT a good thing- It may not kill you, but even when sober it seems to start to mess up your judgment.

Also, westerners telling Koreans "Why can't you be more mellow like these tropical/islander folks that rank far lower on economic development, industry, education, etc. vs. your country which has no natural resources and transformed itself into an economic dynamo and is currently, punching wayyyy above its weight as a culture exporter to the world at the moment" might not be the convincing argument some here seem to think it is.

Also DeFartino expertly explaining Thailand when he has never been there. Haha

I guess the amazing economic dynamo is what makes this place such a nice place
to live. I was wondering why so many Koreans kill themselves and why younger
people loath to have children. Thanks for explaining!

What if there's lost opportunity when a society embraces mass consumption of cannabis? While some people can be high-functioning on both alcohol and cannabis, that's not the case for everyone.

I'm sure there *is*.
Like I said in the comment just above, if cannabis is ever to be considered *beneficial* to a society, one would have to examine if the introduction of this vice might displace more malignant vices (like booze, or, uh, rubbing alcohol or whatever). For example, if it were decriminalized and popularized here in Korea, would we see a down-tick in alcohol consumption, and would that displace the cost of everybody just chillin' at home and munching crisps all day?

I just dug up a forbes article that shows that increased availability of pot *does* in fact impact (ie reduce) alcohol related harm, although I couldn't read past the intro 'cause I refuse to turn on cookies so I can't relate the exact details.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/amandasiebert/2020/11/30/cannabis-as-harm-reduction-study-shows-patients-who-use-cannabis-drink-less-alcohol/?sh=4c9a8fa17c6a

Personally, I generally favor decriminalization, but I understand why some countries don't want to and don't see any real appeal in cannabis consumption. And that's just fine. Honestly, sometimes the pro-pot people can go a bit overboard. Cannabis is not a panacea. It's just another way homosapiens trigger endorphins in themselves albeit with some more psychoactive effects.

I favour it's decriminalization as well, although it doesn't really affect me either way. 
 Also, unless they, like, you know, drive a Scooby bus, I don't think anybody really considers it a panacea.
It's all about balancing pros and cons, and I feel that the former *do* outweigh the latter in most cases. Would Korea be one of them? I think so, but I doubt we'll find out any time soon.

Also, a lot of people are just buzzfiends.

What do I mean?
I had this one coworker, who constantly smoked weed from wake n' bake to before bed. Didn't drink. But one day she couldn't score a bag- just one of those weird freak days where every single one of her connections was out/busy/out of town/etc. We could smoke her down at work but what would she do when she got home? So what did she do? Went down to the liquor store and bought a fifth of 5-0 and some juice. Why? She was a buzzfiend. If all the liquor stores in the city had suddenly burned to the ground, she would have looked for a sock and some spray paint. Or gone in on rubbing alcohol or who knows what else. But she needed, as some have put it, "something to take the edge off."

I don't know whether that speaks to legalizing or not legalizing cannabis, but it is what's being dealt with to some degree out there. People addicted purely to endorphins and dopamine, not really to specific drugs.

Also DeFartino expertly explaining Thailand when he has never been there. Haha

I need to have visited Thailand or been there to know it ranks substantially lower on economic development, industry, education?

Really?

Folks this is exactly why you being a buzzfiend can cause your thinking to go south. You do things like conflate your experience in a resort town as a tourist with the general lifestyle enjoyed by the population and overlook things like statistics. You also make errors in critical thinking like believing you need to visit a country to make assumptions on where it ranks on certain things involving common and universally accepted information such as economic development, industry and education.

I need to have visited Thailand or been there to know it ranks substantially lower on economic development, industry, education?

Yes. You will learn that many things in life can't be quantified or listed on
a Wikipedia page.

In fact, probably the most important things can't. However These are concepts
that come with travel and experience.
 

Yes. You will learn that many things in life can't be quantified or listed on
a Wikipedia page.

In fact, probably the most important things can't. However These are concepts
that come with travel and experience.
 

Doing a lot of empirical research on Thailand's economy, social services, health care, exports, education, etc. down there during your vacation in Phuket or Bangkok while getting high and enjoying the beach?

On my 'never going to happen, but wish it would' bucket list, is to go to America and visit some weed shops, then sample some of the weed shop's products. True! Then I want to go on a self driven tour and have a look at really 'small town' America. Maybe even go have a look for 'Bigfoot' up in Northern Cali 

We all know smoking marijuana makes one work harder and achieve more. Deadbeats consume whiskey. Then again,... Pot smokers are more prone to violence and hard liquor reduces cancer risk.... In bizarro world.

In Thailand, the Land of Smiles, foreigners are welcome to come, drop their cash, eat, drink, sleep, **** and smoke, as long as they smile, fit in rather than stand out: go with the flow; don't make waves. Then, days or a few weeks later, GTFO of the country (unless you marry a local and the family drills and pumps that resource dry).

My month in Thailand was not in touristy Phuket or any of the southern isles. Most of it in Chang Mai, Bangkok and touring the northeast and east. I did spend a few days in Hua Hin, the King's beach getaway town, but it got old fast: too many typical tourists, not enough interesting, open locals.

My month in Thailand was not in touristy Phuket or any of the southern isles. Most of it in Chang Mai, Bangkok and touring the northeast and east. I did spend a few days in Hua Hin, the King's beach getaway town, but it got old fast: too many typical tourists, not enough interesting, open locals.

What happened to that bar girl you fell in love with? I remember your posts about her, about planning to visit her again asap.

What happened to that bar girl you fell in love with? I remember your posts about her, about planning to visit her again asap.

Lol.

I've never given a bar girl 10 minutes of my life. I have bought a drink then FO. I can't fathom what those who entertain bar girls talk about.

I can't fathom what those who entertain bar girls talk about.

  "So, we might f**k later. heh, pretty cool."

  "How much money in your wallet?"

  "Not sure. Anyway, it's really cool you came over and talked to me. I heard Thai people are really chill. The women in Canada won't top blathering on about how they don't want to chained to the stove and how every man is a rapist. And let me tell you, I am NOT a rapist. It is pretty cool how I'm trying to f**k you though. And you laughed!! Yeah, you did! You like me, huh?"

  "You are most handsome man I ever seen, baby! Can you count how much is in wallet? Please, baby"

  internally Gawd, I f**king slay.

CO2... if you had sex with locals in Thailand, then get yourself tested.

I have had sex with 9 people in my life. If you lost count, get yourself tested.

Too many waygooks with blisters on their lip. I asked once about a guy's bumps (years before the Internet informed me). Opps.

I'm definitely in the four figures when it comes to the poon tang. Never been tested but everything down there is green and oozes green.

CO2... if you had sex with locals in Thailand, then get yourself tested.

Do you know............... ..... creative writing?

Do you know............... ..... creative writing?

Instead of making up excuses, how about you go get tested? Can't trust those bar girls

I have had sex with 9 people in my life.

Hold on, I read this at 4AM when I woke up for a spell.

I didn't quite get this then. Did you honestly just tell us that? Jesus.............

He's a gift that keeps on giving