Hmm...I'm reading this thread with great interest and appreciation.

I am a member on another raw food forum where the topic of using the whole hemp plant as a source of raw nutrition was shot down because "it's illegal omg!!!!!!" Pretty funny and quite kindergarten-ish....

I see that this discussion is not about eating hemp, but rather, smoking it, but still. Refreshing that the site allows the discussion to begin with. Perhaps the poster from "over there" will post over here on using the whole plant as food.

I've read through all these comments and still don't understand how people justify it. What is the purpose of this going raw? To nourish and heal our bodies... So people are still ok with willingly putting drugs in their body and defending thier choices? Double standard for sure...can't you use the money and effort towards something better? Like some really good fresh organice produce??

@ Kitty and others:

I don't smoke pot, and personally would rather do as you say and spend my money on good produce.

However, I have to say that "drugs" is a very broad term. Have you ever eaten chocolate or had a cup of coffee or tea? Eaten something with Splenda or popped an Aspirin? If so, you have also "willingly put drugs in your body". It just so happens that caffeine and Ibuprofen are legal, and marijuana is not, so there is a huge stigma.

And let's not forget what so many others have pointed out: We shouldn't always trust our governments' decisions in what should or should not be legal. Aspartame and countless other dangerous chemicals that pass as food are deemed safe and legal by the US government and other governments (so was the diet drug Fen-Phen- remember how many people that killed?). I'd rather have marijuana from plants I grow myself than eat half of that crap anyday.

I also disagree with earlier posts that claim that "happy, fulfilled people do not smoke pot". I know educated professionals and family men/ women who occasionally have a joint. They're just as happy and fulfilled as those who have an occasional beer or cocktail, or those who like a hot tea to get them going in the morning....they're not necessarily looking to drown out a painful life with any of these substances.

Pot probably isn't a good choice for daily or even semi-daily usage, but I think it is demonized way too much,

I do agree with you Kitty that we are eating raw to better our bodies when smoking weed could hamper that. On the flip side i used to be mentally addicted to weed (before i became a Christian) and totally supported its uses and what not so i can see the points everyone else is trying to make as well. It really is a good topic to talk about because there are so many different opinions.

My point is, At the end of the day you have to admit that all of us are spending money on something that isn't optimal for our health. Some people like indulge in some processed fast food once in a while, some people let thier skin bake and age in the sun to look tan, you could go on and on. For example, sometimes i drink alcohol. Not in excess but just a little here and there. From what i have heard no one has overdoesd on marijuana but people have definitely died from drinking too much. So yes pot definitely is demonized because i believe alcohol can be way more harmful when used in excess. That always bothered me.

I used to have a pot habit in my late teens. It actually adversely affected my life and so I am not gung-ho about it at all. Yes, it's less dangerous than alcohol or other harder drugs. And? It's more dangerous to get shot in the head versus punched in the face, but I am not interested in having either happen to me.

I read a comment on here where a young woman said that she loves pot and grew up with alcoholism so she is turned off to that. I think if someone has grown up with addiction being presented as a normal part of life, s/he tends to believe that as long as you pick a substance that isn't the same as your parents, it's all good. River Phoenix supposedly had hippie parents and rebelled by getting into coke and heroin. It's not unsusual to decry your parent's addiction and yet not see that it doesn't matter what one is addicted to (or compulsive about). Whether it kills you or makes you foggy-headed or gives you lung cancer, the end result is that a person become preoccupied with it: getting IT, affording IT, not getting adversely affected by IT. IT could be talking on your cell phone all day long and staring at the screen like a zombie.

We all want to be happy. But if we take something outside of ourselves, regardless how "natural" it is, then we are dependent on the outside to make us happy. I can listen to music and relax and watch a movie without having to take something. It's not necessary to take something in order to enjoy something else. Yes, pot may have therapeutic benefits but as a raw fooder should know, lots of chronic illnesses originate from a poor diet!

My concern really isn't about whether it's healthy for you or not as the jury is still out on that one and there's so many conflicting opinions. However, what I would ask, is to think about where your marijuana is coming from. If it's local grown, fine, but if you're buying it from dealers, you are basically buying into a huge network of pain, suffering, barbarity, and death caused in other countries from the wars between the drug cartels and the drug fighting police units. Watch or read about the Brazilian film Elite Squad (same director as City of God) to gain some perspective on that one.

jakkrabbit- you are right and not to mention the dealers spray it with all kinds of crap to make it weigh more.