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Denver, 12:32 AM
Tue Nov 24
53 posts in the last 24 hours
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07/23/09
Regarding the general lack of positive portrayal of cannabis in video games, I think this comes down to the fact that, for the most part, games tend to shy away from anything controversial. Political issues where public opinion is largely mixed are avoided by most developers.
07/23/09
07/23/09
I have Crohn's disease and pot helps me maintain my appetite plus some pain alleviation. Unfortunately, I don't live in a state thats legalized Marijuana for medicinal purposes. Sometimes I go a couple days without wanting to eat because it makes me nauseous. Of course, the getting high part is nice too.
Still, I get a little self conscious and annoyed when pot references invade entertainment. Even though drinking plays a heavy part in media and almost always in a positive light I hate when people throw out 420 or some other stoner culture reference. Its like...yeah I like to smoke pot...but that doesn't mean I have to talk about it like we're part of some cool dudes club.
At the same time, I know that if pot smokers don't speak out then we'll go back to popular culture believing pot causes people to jump out windows and commit random acts of rape.
07/23/09
Also, it all sounds kinda low-brow. They're making a GTA clone and saying "yeah...huh-huh...weed!" I haven't played it, but from the art, shots, and stuff like this, it sounds like some suit is sitting in a room watching rap videos and yelling "Pot! The kids love the pot!"
It just seems stupid and there just because they can, which makes it hardly worth mentioning in passing, let alone a story on this site.
07/23/09
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07/23/09
Prohibition just doesn't work, and the USA of all countries should know this. People should be educated, not controlled. If people knew beforehand the effects of these drugs, we'd have a lot less addicts.
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07/23/09
It is not that hard at all. Just go to any heavy drinking party or concert.
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07/23/09
Keighley's the worst though. He has a forum in which to promote this cause at least twice a week on GT Yet he just sits there baked and yet does nothing to help promote our cause.
We all do it, just come out and admit it gamers.
07/23/09
07/23/09
Then at least we all know someone who does it. At least one person we care about has probably used it and no one wants anyone they care about to go to jail for that reason.
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07/23/09
When you start place getting off ahead of moving ahead you lose your right to cope and I hit you with my car.
Still, we need to legalize the bloody thing and make the potheads shut the hell up.
07/23/09
Actually marijuana is one of those drugs/medications that can have very different effects depending upon the biology of the user. For some it's an appetite stimulant, for others an appetitie depressant. For some it eases nausea and for others it causes nausea. For SOME it can increase depression, for others it CAN alleviate depression.
07/23/09
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07/23/09
And no, we don't all do it, gamers are as diverse as any other group.
07/23/09
You can't really believe that. Alcohol is legal (and highly addictive) and not everyone drinks. Tobacco is legal (and highly addictive) and not everyone smokes. Marijuana is not addictive, so why would everyone start doing it just because it's legal? And why would that be ALL everyone would do?
The only reason I want it to be legal is because I don't think that people should go to jail or have a ciminal record for doing something that is no worse for you than taking an asprin. It has nothing to do with the availabilty of it. You want weed? Just go to any high school parking lot at lunch.
If it were legal it would not be sold in schools or back alleys. It could be regulated and it could be controlled. And it could be taxed to hell to fund programs to try to keep kids from getting into other kinds of worse drugs like crack, meth or alcohol.
07/23/09
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07/23/09
So true. I can't think of the last time I saw a stoned person get into a fight or even suffer a hangover.
Getting high once in a while, especially using a substance that isn't physically addictive, should be the least of everyone's worries. Everything in moderation, kiddies. For god's sake, regular consumption of junk food and red bull have more profound physical effects on the human body.
I haven't taken anything more than advil in years aside from the odd glass of red wine, but even I know that full-on drug prohibition is a crock.
No one needs a criminal record because they smoke pot. No one.
07/23/09
Marijuana should be legalized, but the pseudo-religious "legalize it" crowd needs to go away. So annoying.
07/23/09
lmao. I think that says more about you than the world at large.
07/23/09
07/23/09
and you probably don't understand how it helps them, I'm an artist, and love to draw, but have no desire to draw unless I'm stoned, it doesn't make me draw better! just have no desire to put concentration into it.
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07/23/09
Now, I'm not trying to discourage the usage of weed (it probably should be legal), but you can't make ignorant comments like that and expect weed to be legalized. Remember, you're trying to convince the government, so be smart about it. To argue that weed has no negatives like the ones he pointed out is naive. You're arguing against people who will provide proof that those negatives exist. The strongest argument is to disprove the opposition in that those negatives are null and non-detrimental to society.
07/23/09
07/23/09
Don't get me wrong, while I don't smoke, I do support it's legalization. I just get really annoyed by all the "pot culture". 420 and such, it's all silly if you ask me.
People are going to smoke pot, that doesn't bother me. Just don't act like you're being all noble fighting the establishment. I don't play video games to prove a point or fight the government, I play them because I enjoy them.
07/23/09
07/23/09
But the point of adding it into games, I guess, is to further press it into the mainstream. Besides, whats wrong with putting something you like into a game you made? :)
07/23/09
somehow i feel a responsible person can give it a good name and let people know it isn't that bad.
07/23/09
This just in: Obama smokes bud, says it's ok!
07/23/09
Damn... that's a really dumb comment. Ever heard of Carl Sagan? Brilliant scientist, star of the 1980s "Cosmos" series, Author of several science books, and at least one science fiction novel. Oh... and avid pot smoker.
07/23/09
07/23/09
If it is an adventure, RPG, or some game deemed acceptable for children and young teenagers to play, having pot alone would give the game a M rating.
You have no choice but to put an illegal drug in a game where the protagonist lives in a criminal subculture.
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07/23/09
At least this game gets the message across in some form, even if it is just two words and a frequency.
07/23/09
But aren't some of the pot smokers relatively harmless characters who are simply mellow and non-violent? Much like the stereotypical "stoners" we've seen in movies.
Though that isn't a positive stereotype either.
What I hate the most is how society makes it that there can't be positive marijuana models in society, if you speak about weed you're going to get a random drug test and than fired, regardless of performance. If they know you smoke weed you won't be promoted, again regardless of performance.
Companies won't hire you if they know you do weed, yet cigarette smokers are expected in the work place.
We're going to have to work hard to legalize it, then get positive leaders in high positions in the corporate scene.
07/23/09
I dont do it myself, but I am not against the use of it.
Alcohol does far more damage.
With that said, well said.
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07/23/09
That may have something to do with it.
But the impairments are far different.
It all comes down to self control as an individual obviously.
07/23/09
02/20/09
02/16/09
Damn video games...
...ruining heroin abuse for everyone.
02/16/09