Hey oavada, your post was submitted at 14:20..so close! hehe
This debate will never go away, but as I've said before, I do not consider MJ a drug. It's a plant, like tea is a plant, but that's just my perspective.
Caffeine however is one I have avoided for many many years, I and it so happens I gave myself a good reminder as to why.
Last week I was in a hurry and in need of a beverage with dinner..... I grabbed a 20 oz P*psi and proceeded to down the whole thing. And yes I know all the nasty shit that is in soda, but all too often food establishments only have carbonated bevs available. Conspiracy? Probably.
But within 20 minutes I was feeling like I had a ton of stuff to do ( I did) but unusually like "gotta get this crap done, gotta gotta NOW! And just feeling uneasy, and then I remembered I just sucked down 20 ounces of liquid crack.
Wow Dumbass! Mind racing so fast I couldn't even put 2 and 2 together, cause and effect! I have avoided caffeine for so long mainly because I am kinda hi-strung naturally, and because it clashes with THC, hardcore. Kinda like trying to get drunk while on acid, you can do kegstands all night long, will have almost no effect.
I think intent with many substances is more a factor than the substance itself. This is a personal choice, and the one point I will always stress is "hey, you don't like it, fine- don't do it!" But more oten than not, I find it is 85% stigma that keeps people in constant fear of trying something new. Tradition says we are not to do that....blah blah
Even some people who are regular users of this-or-that can't shake the guilt that has been instilled, and THAT makes it feel wrong or bad.
As for the higher dimensional aspects of prohibition and what not, I will allow for that possibility, but honestly if it resonates with you and does not compel you to do things you would not normally, or create violent mood swings, then I think it's mostly OK.
I understand different people are going to react to different 'drugs' differently. But they often fail to realize that the 'imagined' effect will alter the true effect. An example, someone who has heard repeatedly that 'this' substance always creates 'this' effect will not allow their mind to go beyond the perceived prejudice and that DOES color the outcome. If someone sees many anti- advertisements, is it possible that YCYOR will overshadow the enjoyment, or experience that could have been.
That outlook tilts the scales toward the negative, and I've often wondered if some of these propaganda spots aren't actually HOPING for the worst possible scenarios en masse.
I don't want to give the impression that I am some kind of junkie, I am certainly not. I also don't wish to promote something that others see as negative or another machination of potential control, but this is a very personal thing.
In closing I would say: If it feels like you are abandoning control when under the influence (of whatever) then stop. If you don't have predispositions or known reactions, and it feels like more of a help than a hindrance, then maybe it's time to re-analyze where the feelings of guilt may be coming from, because it might be far from your original notions..... J
Happy to have been a part