Of course, Scott.  You know a lot more about addiction than all the psychologists and medical scientists who have put their science to work figuring out its nature.  You should submit your data to _Science_ or _Nature_.  Might get you a Nobel Prize for Medicine, having discovered that substances are not addictive.

Good work.

---- Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM> wrote:
> Love your comments Marc,
> about 'addiction' ...
>
> it is NOT just 'the drug'
> it's the entire ritual and cultural link about it.
> Notice.....a large part of most drugs is,   first the preparation ( japanese
> tea ceremony carrys  this to extreme for example...the preparation is very
> ritualized )
> then there's the hand-mouth thing.
>
> Licoroce say ....licorice is not very addictive as a sumstance...but eating
> licorice can be addictive.
> you get the stuff, you open the package, you start stuffing it into your
> mouth ...
> it's comforting .......just the 'behavior' ......'the act of it'
> ...........not just the substance is what can be comforting or addictive.
>
> if the act also links you to other people...say you hang out at licorice
> bars a lot - that also is a HUGE part of the high - it's 'family' ...
> and licirice is the common link.
> There are solidary drug addicts, but the social part of it is a large
> factor.
>
> Darn right grass is relaitvely benign and that likely ot smokers tend to
> drive more carefully.
> "Officer, I'n not impared. In fact, I would impared without a hit or two,
> since I don't even feel right without a hit or two.'
>
> like to see that stand up in court !
> the way courts are going this day, it will too sometime.
>
> re
>  Why aren't the taxes that I'm paying as a result of my cigarette habit
> > going into a fund to pay for my increased health expenses that result
> > from my smoking?
>
> reminds me of how in Oregon, like many states there is a Lottery system, AND
> ...there is a state program to help people with Gambling Addcition.
> Why offer a possibly-life and familly distroying additive behavior, then
> programs to treat abuse ....
> why even offer it in the first place !
> I think gaming is a SICK way to geneate government funds, and I can't really
> support casinos on Indian Reservations. Games and gambling are fun for sure
> now and then ....but to use it for revenue generating ...come on, we can do
> better than that  !
>
> re that taxes for health programs.
> I have for a long time been totally appalled by people working in toll
> boothes..........where( most )  every car stops, then zooms off , and the
> toll takers are right there breathing that air.
> Who is going to pay for their lung deseases after 30 or fewer years on that
> job ??
> pretty dysdunctinal , I think it's fair to say.
>
> It does appear that alchohol is as high quality as it ever was, and that the
> price is reasonable......since governemnt took over regulation and taxing of
> alcohol.
> I doubt that most pot smokers think that governement suppled or regulated
> and taxed pot would be as 'rewarding' as what the industry provides now.
> It will be ineteresting to watch as it unfolds.
>
> bottom line though, Addictive Behavior is extremely common..and the
> substance itself is only an, actually, small part of that.
>
> I have proof of that too ........that it's the pyscholigical factor in
> addiction that is a main factor, and not the substance.
>
> Most people realize how additive cigarette smoking is. It is usually just
> hell for anyone to quite cigarettes...extremely addictive, the whole thing
> ...the drug affect , the hand-mouth thing etc.
>
> I visited my parents in Hawaii once, when I would 'just die' if they knew I
> smoked cirarettes.
> I was there about 12 days. No gravings. I did not sneak out and get a
> cigarette.  No problem doing that.
>
> The second I got to my regular work envirnoenment....where I always smoked,
> yup, can't really quite think or function without a cigartte.
> Which shows that it's the Psychological Factor that is at least as big as
> the substance itself factor.
> Actually ...the substance itself is a small part of the equation- though
> it's far better ( less bad actually  to be addicted to say, coffee than meth
> say.
> And 'the environmewnt' is a huge factor in the addiction.
> the way I quit cigarettes is I quit everything ...sugar, meat, alchohol,
> work...everything. I completely changed my entire circumstances and
> environmewnt, then I didn't touch a cigarette for year and years. It's
> really easy to slip back with that one.
>
> but really 'most people' do some addictive behavior or habbits, and to
> condeme Addiction Itself as a really bad horrible thing is  to not
> recognize that most people are one 'something' .....like that morning cup of
> coffeee say.
> After all, coffee is 'the drink' of American - you go to a  Denny's
> resturant - they are right there with the coffee, first thing.
>
> it's not big deal, just be respnsible about it is all !
>
> and the government,..........it must drive them nutty in california being
> however many billions short on funds to work with, and there's all those
> hippies ( and unfortunately mexico -based gangs ) growing the stuff, and
> making big bucks off it.  (pot )   They must loose sleep over that  ...
> members of government seeing all that money flow that they are not gettting
> a cut of,  but they also don't want to come right out and admit that they've
> been 'wrong' all this time about pot.
>
> What a funny world !
> It's really humorous.
> I just discovered this suppliment ....called Happy Camper. Based on kava
> kave root. They claim it will make you feel 'really good, like happy relaxed
> mood' . They warn about use with alchohol though ...possible liver damage.
> But I think that stuff might work !
>
> smiles,
> S.
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Marc Perdue" <mcperdue@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Friday, April 16, 2010 12:37 PM
> Subject: Re: It's Phinally Phriedae, and Drug prohibition created the drug
> lords. (
>
>
> > Amen to much of what Scott said.  Here are a couple of things I think
> > about on occasion:
> >
> > If I'm driving on a very busy highway, I'd prefer that nobody be out
> > of their mind on any kind of drug, alcohol, pot, whatever.  However,
> > if I were to be surrounded by people that were on something, I'd
> > prefer it be marijuana.  Think about it . . . alcohol tends to get rid
> > of your inhibitions and make you think you can do things that you
> > can't.  People who drink think they can drive responsibly and they
> > think they can control their vehicle even though their reactions are
> > impaired.  Pot smokers tend to get paranoid and drive more slowly,
> > probably more carefully, but I don't know if this has ever been
> > measured.
> >
> > Marijuana isn't addictive, period.
> >
> > There is as much tar in one joint as there is in 7 cigarettes.  One
> > pack-a-day of cigarettes, 3 joints . . .  Yes, of course there's a lot
> > of other nasty stuff in cigarettes, oh, and nicotine is VERY
> > addictive.
> >
> > Why aren't the taxes that I'm paying as a result of my cigarette habit
> > going into a fund to pay for my increased health expenses that result
> > from my smoking?
> >
> > It seems to me that the laid-back, relaxed buzz associated with
> > smoking pot sort of goes along with the "enjoy the journey, we'll get
> > there eventually" mentality that I associate with owning and driving a
> > Vanagon.
> >
> > Consider all the potential uses of marijuana as a crop for things
> > other than/in addition to its use for "medicinal"/recreational
> > purposes...
> >
> > Consider how much revenue would be generated if marijuana were a
> > "controlled substance" like alcohol and tobacco...
> >
> > I own my Westy pretty much for one reason only, to take me to music
> > festivals and gigs, where I hang out and play banjo, guitar, kazoo,
> > washboard, whatever strikes me.  I bought my banjo strap on Ebay
> > because it has this really cool leatherwork of a banjo with fretboard
> > inlay that matches my banjo.  It also has peace signs, doves,
> > marijuana leaves, and the NORML logo on it.  That was just bonus, I
> > guess.  I only smoke cigarettes, but I support not making criminals
> > out of otherwise decent, law-abiding citizens.  I have many people
> > come up and tell me how cool my banjo strap is.  I also have many
> > people comment on how cool my Westy is.
> >
> > If only we could eliminate the so-called drug "war" and let peace and
> > music break out . . .
> >
> > Have a great weekend, y'all!
> > Marc

--
David McNeely