Medical Marijuana--

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by mousepod

The argument that these people probably had those traits (or a tendency toward them) is as valid as saying that someone who drinks alcohol and acts inappropriately "had it in them anyway". Altered thinking can and often does lead to dumb decisions.

This is true and I don't think anyone would argue that there is zero chance of negative side effects. It's a matter of likelihood and root cause. Pot COULD lead to serious permanent alteration of mental state, but most evidence suggests that it does so in the small segment of people who happen to be wired in a way that pot triggers it.

To me, it's like wanting to outlaw rollercoasters because of the aneurysms people have had. Sure, if those people hadn't gotten on a rollercoaster they probably wouldn't have died. And the rollercoaster definitely had a direct contributing role in their death. But does that mean that rollercoasters are inherently dangerous?