The SUSPENSION of illicit drugs/mind altering substance topics on ATS (The experiment failed)

reply to post by Unit541


And, I reiterated that discussions on personal experience with MEDICAL MJ are far different than discussions on personal experience as it relates to FULL LEGALIZATION.

I am for those types of discussions as they relate to medical MJ use.

I want to make one more comment on the original OP.............

it says:

IN OP:
ANY discussion of illegal drugs or mind altering substances (even if they are legal in your country, state, province, county or city) ends today, Wednesday 25 February, 2009 at the time of this post.

Okay, though pharma drugs are legal, above says, even if "legal" in your country etc.......................

considering pharma drugs alter people's minds also............

So I am still reading it as, NO discussion of even "legal" drugs.

So, I know Skeptic - you said - it was ok, but the original OP says it is NOT OKAY!!

So, until I get word that it is ACTUALLY ok, to discuss Pharma drugs from the OP, I will doubt that is allowed also.....




[edit on 25-2-2009 by questioningall]

reply to post by ZeroGhost


Although you could argue that to reach a point in which such experiences can be achieved without the use of external "tools" -- a level of 'motivation' is needed in order to get the ball rolling, so to speak. I believe things exist for a reason. I also believe in spiritual progress.

Can't you see how for someone like me, with genuine intentions, can be affected by such restrictions?

Perhaps this discussion would be better suited for a thread on the new forum, if it's created of course.

[edit on 25/2/09 by Navieko]

Question: Are possible solutions to the drug/ drug gang/ addict problem off limits? This would not be discussing anything but social and economic solutions.

reply to post by skeptic1


Point taken. I saw that after I had submitted my post. My mistake my friend!

[edit on 25-2-2009 by phushiontwo]

reply to post by pteridine


Doesn't look so, besides the clarification needed if ALL LEGAL drugs are off limits too!!!

It seems to me, we could not even discuss anti depressants .......... since those are "mind altering" LEGAL drugs also!

reply to post by questioningall


Right now, all illegal drugs are not okay. We're trying to make them okay. So we're asking for your support.

You can discuss antidepressants in the Medical forum right now, because they are legal.

Please hang in there with us.

[edit on 2/25/2009 by ravenshadow13]

I believe this decision to be a mistake.

With all due respect to those in charge of the process -
ATS represented a place where, in many cases,
an intelligent discussion could be conducted without
fear or prohibition.

Why should we limit ourselves?
FDA clearly doesn't - they recently went as far as legalizing a vitamin.

Having Mods deleting anonymous posts and then claiming them to
be irrelevant to the subject posted is... tolerable. Having stricter rules
on drugs and substances discussions is yet another, new, point of regress.

Still an ATS-er but wondering more and more about where will this end...

Let's give Admin time to look over this.

I am on the list because someone nominated me; I am not pushing for that position like some are. I am sure whoever gets chosen will do a good job as long as they are the right people wanting the positions for the right reasons: helping the members, not themselves.

This is a concern for a lot of people but we aren't going to get anywhere without giving Admin time to read all of this and digest it.

reply to post by eventHorizon


The rules used to be a lot stricter. Then they were loosened. Now illegal drugs are not okay to talk about it at all. And we're trying to make a forum where they can be discussed in a mature, responsible way. Would that help?

So they are making a new forum where we can talk about drugs. Not personal use but policies and so on.

When will the new forum be up, how many points to get in, and whats with the nominee list deal? are they going to moderate the new forum?

The staff is right in the reasoning, I can completely believe that the topic hurt the bottom line in terms of users, sales from affiliates and all the rest.

Sites like this attract your "campaigners" out there, pro drug advocates, politically always end up being dominated by people who hurt their own cause more than help it, the 'crowd" as far as political activists go, it often sucks the worst... aside from Maybe giving Nambla cart Blanche...

and i'm the biggest pro legalization guy out there, but i also work on the web and know there is truth in these words

With that said...

despite loss of revenue and that it would be one topic that takes away from a dozen other good ones at any given time...

The motto is deny ignorance

and the war on drugs is probably the single biggest conspiracy that threatens any of us...

It's Honestly and Purely a Mockery of the entire conspiracy topic to bad discussion on the War on Drugs, because it's the funding behind much of the evil at hand and the single largest conspiracy that actually effects all of our daily lives.

It's sort of a giant Joke

War on Afghanistan

Mexico being near revolution

Columbia and Venezuelan Issues

Black Budget funding

Corruption in Washington

Behavior of presidents

Practices of Various Cults

American History

Egyptian and Phoenician Presence in North America in times past

The Police State

School Shootings

Population control

The Economy

Agendas of Wars

Lowering IQ down of the population

Holistic Health

OOB Experiences

Abduction Experiences

Astral projection

The Religious centers of the Brain

Thought, Memory Cognition

The Economy

Global warming

Terrorism

Law Enforcement

Federal law...

Big Pharma

NWO

I write this in bold to be sure it's read... every topic above and many more can NOT be effectively debated without taking into account the Reality of the Drug Trade, from economics, to crime and corruption and conspiracy to global economic impact and global health impact.

In essence to bring the Global Drug trade and the wealth and power derived from it OUT of these discussions is too make the TRUTH impossible to discuss

It in all reality INVALIDATES the legitimacy as a source of Truth almost every topic in here

Drugs are with us, they are going nowhere any more than fire is

They are one of if not the most powerful social and economic forces in the world

To rule them out of discussion is simply renders any actual discussion of conspiracy null and void of any genuine consequence

I for one, will not be able to take ATS seriously as a site to converse about any topic, when any topic is banned and free speech is denied.

IMHO ATS is reaching a size where, the intelligence of conversation, and exposure of ideas is dominated by special interests very often, and the bulk of the content comes down to who reads Science Daily first that day basic big political issues that are no more than distractions and Pulp Pseudo Sci Fi theories from main stream For Profit speakers who make a career out of pushing false information on gullible people

In other words... Coast To Coast part 2

And...life is Life business is business

All i'm saying is...

If I had a nice site on these topics and a good following I wouldn't be so fast to get too big to a point where the basic integrity is compromised at every turn..

Not this kind of site at least, it makes it a joke, seriously... it does.

reply to post by ravenshadow13


I understand that, and even though I have never joined in any of those discussions, as it is not something I am interested in........... except for the hemp angle, of it being illegal, when it is a very valuable commodity that could be used in many industries..............

So, I have to say, not into that illegal drugs threads, but I also personally don't think it should be banned, if a thread is about a "valid" issue regarding that subject etc.

None of us know, what will happen tomorrow....................

As I see it, NO one could even post a thread saying:

"A billion dollar coc aine bust or plane crash" etc...................

That would not be cool at all, and it would also be not allowing information out, that is interesting etc.

No, I don't want to read how someone got "high" one weekend etc.................. but I do want to read about "news" info and real issues regarding drugs.

There is a difference and those differences should be acknowledged by the owners. From what I gather, they are being acknowledged and coming to an agreement on how to handle it, without an outright ban.

I do NOT agree with an out right Ban, on all drug issues!

[edit on 25-2-2009 by questioningall]

reply to post by caballero


We don't know, they're not making it yet. WE (many of the people up for nomination for the committee to discuss this with staff) want it to happen. So first the committee needs to be nominated, then discussions ensue, so it will be awhile if all goes well.

reply to post by eventHorizon

Exactly mine and others sentiments. This is only leading to more banning of some type of speech. Just like free speech in the UK and other places where you must be heard in an area designated as free speech, yet they make it not very pleasant for those that may want to do that or listen.

I will be the one of the first ones to complain about the pictures of death and killing fields when this goes through.... Then I'll complain about all the derogatory religious stuff I have to read when I intentionally go into these religious threads.

ATS has some intelligent programmers and website gurus working for them. Why not have them suggest something ATS? I have limited programming abilities but I could probably come up with something that would actually prevent you from losing your clientele. Unless you don't care about people that believe in the ability to speak freely?

In lieu of continuing to repeat myself all night, I'm going to sleep. Feel free to U2U me with any questions, and I will be back on this thread at the latest 11am tomorrow (Thursday). I may end up checking it earlier, and sporadically through the night, in case another movement occurs.

Thanks again, we can get through this, and hopefully we will be able to end this global ban very soon.

reply to post by ravenshadow13


Well I will say - to the owners and the mods

I DO NOT AGREE with the BAN!

Also clarification is needed with the "LEGAL" drugs aspect that is in the original OP...........

As I stated in another post........ that could be taken as a TOTAL AND COMPLETE BAN on ALL Drugs, illegal and pharma drugs!!

If so, that is a VERY SERIOUS censorship in my opinion ...........

Also - good debates on "valid" issues should BE allowed!

Ok, I threw my .0001 cent in.......... for what little it is worth, at least I have voiced my opinion............... which -- I am not shy about doing...........

I will be looking for clarification

[edit on 25-2-2009 by questioningall]

its not going to end, and not because ats staff is out to get us, but because of the lack of ability of forum users part to talk within bounds of rational and reasonable topics and related matters. Even if there was a post on " item X " and 98% of the thread was intelligent there ( statistically speaking ) will be someone who says something smart-arsed or about their personal use and then you'll have 5 or 10 more people comment along the same lines just to be " special " or even just to get extra attention. This does nothing more than derails the thread, causes others to try and " one up " the previous poster, which normally leads to a foot in someones mouth.

So as this may not be a widely liked rule, its because of posters this has come to be, and even though I may not like it, I fully understand it and also know its not a " shot to the nuts " to us, just a way to " protect " us from gettin into a bigger cowpie then we'd get into if this wasn't even a normally discussed topic. let alone an allowed topic.

So all an All, Smart move, its like preventing a problem before it even becomes one. and if its so much of a necessity to talk about token and flipin, and bumping and grindin, then use a instant messenger.

Over and Out.

[edit on 25-2-2009 by Trance Optic]