Anti-Marijuana Advocates: Do you believe those who smoke weed are inarticulate, unintelligent and incapable of succeeding in life?

Question

A brief list of high-functioning nerds that use, or at least support, the use or legalization of marijuana.

Rick Steves
A renowned world traveler and travel expert, Rick Steves has built an empire out of his passion for exploration and understanding of the world abroad. While Steves has an encyclopedic knowledge of world travel, he is also a persistent advocate for marijuana legalization.

Carl Sagan
Alpha Nerd Prime Carl Sagan has set more minds adrift on a sea of wonder than possibly any other single person in history thanks to his television series “Cosmos.” A legendary advocate of human understanding, Sagan held a PhD in both astrophysics and astronomy from the University of Chicago. With rock-solid credentials like these it’s easy to categorize Sagan as a nerd.

A little more mysterious is Sagan’s use of marijuana. Sagan had extensive knowledge of the plant through his own use, and credits its use with awakening a deeper understanding within him.

Bill Gates
With the ability to leap a chair from a standing position and more money in his bank accounts than some countries have in their treasury, the Gator may seem like a genuine badass. However, few people will deny that the Microsoft founder is a nerd. He famously said that people should be nice to nerds, as you will one day most likely be working for one.

It is rumored (and confirmed in at least one biographical account) that Gates used marijuana in college, and his support for the legalization of weed in his home state of Washington is no secret.

Steve Jobs
Former CEO of Apple and the man who brought you the iPod, iPad, iPhone, and nearly every piece of cool technology you can’t explain your desire or need for. According to an interview conducted by the Department of Defense later obtained by Wired Magazine, Jobs was a somewhat regular user of Marijuana back in the ‘70s. In the interview Jobs stated “The best way I would describe the effect of the marijuana and the hashish is that it would make me relaxed and creative.”

If Jobs’ cerebral prowess and tech savvy don’t earn him a spot on our list of nerds, certainly his iconic nerd attire of a black turtleneck tucked into acid-washed jeans does; I mean, James Dean couldn’t even make that look cool.

From here.

Answer 1

... but I think the need to escape can be overcome by more healthful practices.

Answer 2

This is getting us nowhere fast!

Answer 3

Moderation in all things.

Answer 4

Pot just is not that harmful. Just like booze some can use it without dysfunction because they say moderate. There are those other people that cannot use it for whatever reason and using it makes them dysfunctional. I am glad to see pot decriminalized.

Answer 5

Answer 6

For most, it has a negative effect and leads to ****** drug use. There will always be a few exceptions, and you only listed 4, but that doesnt justify legalization in my opinion.
Before you reply, just know that I've been there, done that.

Answer 7

"For most, it has a negative effect and leads to ****** drug use."

This just simply isn't true.

Answer 8

It simply is true. I have seen it and lived it.

Answer 9

For most, it has a positive effect and rarely leads to ****** drug use. There will always be a few exceptions.

This is true because I have lived it and seen it.

See how that works?

Answer 10

I agree!

Answer 11

Anyone who still thinks that way about all marijuana smokers is misinformed.

Answer 12

Nah.
I smoked for like a year and got bored with it.
If you're stupid you'll go get addicted to ****** drugs.
But only if you're stupid.

Answer 13

"For most, it has a negative effect and leads to ****** drug use."

You know what leads to ****** drugs? Having to go to a dealer to get your weed that has "****** drugs"....but overall that is a fallacy. If you hang around with dirtball people you will probably go down that road but I've always surrounded myself with worthy people so never an issue. There are plenty of people in my life that smoke on a regular basis (including me and my wife) and not one of them ever fell into "****** drugs" scenario. **#t...I think I've seen cocaine once in my life and I'll be 40 this year.

Answer 14

Regularly smoking Marijuana makes people dumb and confused. No doubt about it.
We need fewer stupid, confused, stoned people, not more.

Of course, this doesn't mean all people who have ever smoked marijuana are suddenly permanent idiots.

TyVig BLOCKED ME LIKE THE COWARDLY DOPER ATHEIST HE IS.

Answer 15

You've ignored the examples provided proving you're wrong. There are many others not listed on this poll that thoroughly dispute your claim as well.

Answer 16

Only if they can get away with it.

Answer 17

Moderation in all things.............

Answer 18

LOL! Like anything in life balance is essential.

Answer 19

No not at all, they just lack good judgement on this matter.

Answer 20

... but I think the need to escape can be overcome by more healthful practices.

Answer 21

it must affect their judgement., their mental health and their physical well being yes

Answer 22

If there's one person who defies all pot-related stereotypes, it's Paul McCartney, the most successful songwriter in human history.
Legend has it that Bob Dylan turned the Beatles on to pot in 1964 and Paul was by his own account a regular user through 2012. McCartney told Rolling Stone that as a 69-year-old father of a young *****, it was time to call it quits. "I did a lot, and it was enough," he said, adding that cannabis was "such good stuff."
During his 48-year run as a pot smoker, McCartney was a hugely productive member of The Beatles and Wings and enjoyed an incredible solo career. He developed a reputation as a good guy, a dedicated husband, and a responsible business partner. He had repeated run-ins with the law regarding pot, even being deported from Japan in 1980 for carrying the stuff.
Would he have written such songs as "Yesterday," "Hey, Jude," "Let It Be," and "Maybe I'm Amazed" and recorded dozens of albums if he hadn't smoked pot on a regular basis? Perhaps, but the point is that he did smoke pot while creating one of the richest musical legacies of all time.
That's certainly not an argument to use marijuana, but it is a fairly definitive rebuttal to claims that there is no "responsible way to recreationally use marijuana."

Answer 23

Not by default.

Answer 24

like drinking it depends on how much and often you do it.

Answer 25

While I support the legalization of marijuana, I don't smoke it myself. The list of names given of some famous people who also support it is somewhat of a joke though. (Would anyone actually believe any of those on the list are even "moderate" users?) Can anyone provide a list of highly successful people who are heavy or even moderate users (Outside the entertainment industry?) They already live in a fantasy land.
Trying to claim extremely success people are pot smokers is just an attempt to cover up the fact that most heavy pot users are not very successful. (It's their choice and I support them having that choice but lets be honest about the reality of it.)

Answer 26

look at the pro dopers in the government feds,state and local. In California they have 5 year olds can be ***********(they don't even know what there word means)S.F. wants to lower the voting age too 16(*** pot smoking capitol of the world). Wonder why they want young mindless 16 year olds making decisions

Answer 27

Not all of them, but at least 95% of them. Here are a few facts that dope smokers will NEVER accept as fact, the truth, or reality:
Smoking pot/hash does NOT make you more efficient. Smoking pot/hash does NOT give you clarity. Smoking pot/hash does NOT give you outside the box thinking or creativity.
Smoking pot/hash does NOT make you effective at ANYTHING. Smoking pot/hash does NOT increase your situational awareness.
I've seen pot heads drop out of my high school by the dozens. Many years later, these same characters either live in their mommy's basements or still work at those fast food restaurants that employed them when they were teenagers. NO ambition whatsoever. MOST of them have NEVER seen another country because their drug habits removed any inclination to succeed in life. THAT is the reality!!!
By the way, the handful of successful examples are the few exceptions I already mentioned! They are NOT successful because of pot/hash, but in spite of it!!!

Answer 28

As a daily pot smoker (at night...I'm not a drinker) I would agree with most that you listed except for "Smoking pot/hash does NOT give you outside the box thinking or creativity." I've come up with some great marketing ideas for my businesses while smoking weed and talking with my wife and friends. Sure there are plenty of laughable ideas but to say it WILL NOT is not true at all.

Answer 29

I support the recreational use of Marijuana...It is a far safer recreational drug than alcohol.

To me your description above describes an alcoholic...

I believe someone who drinks would be more likely to use ****** drugs than someone who just uses pot.
(many pot smokers don't even drink)

Answer 30

The question is a bit heavy on the adjectives; it is possible that smoking weed may contribute to any and all of the adjectives because it is a thought altering drug. Put it this way--Would you want your heart surgeon to smoke weed?

Answer 31

Just like alcohol, some are, some aren't.

Answer 32

There is a difference between smoking weed on the job and a guy who smokes a joint at night. If my heart surgeon smoked weed at night I have no issue with that.

Answer 33

I sincerely hope that you never need open heart surgery. Incidentally, our President smoked pot, how would you rate the job he is doing?

Answer 34

I hope I don't as well.

Answer 35

You didn't answer my question.

Answer 36

I didn't think your question was really engaging...but I don't think him smoking pot has anything to do with him being a **@tty president just like I don't think Bush doing coke made him a **@tty president.

Answer 37

I don't believe that, because I know and have known so many people who use marijuana fairly often, and are quite productive and articulate. I do personally know a police chief, a doctor, some lawyers, and even a local judge in the past, who sometimes smoke "weed".

Even my 86 year old father thinks it's ridiculous that possessing or using marijuana is considered a crime.

Answer 38

Should be taxed and regulated just as beer and alcohol and users treated likewise...

Answer 39

But they have an addiction, many people has different additions. Life is easier when people do not need any kind of substance in a regular basis in order to feel well, or for sleeping, etc...Anyways given the circumstances legalizing it is the best option because making drugs illegal have brought all kind of problems and have put a lot of money and power on the hands of the organized crime. Criminality is destroying our world and everybody's life and now we have the war in addition to it.

Answer 40

I just think that, like alcohol and nicotine, marijuana is unhealthy, dangerous for the person and their surroundings, and, like nicotine and alcohol, I think it would be beneficial if it was illegal. In no way do I find weed smokers to be intellectually inferior.