cannabisnews.com: Pothead Ph.D.





Pothead Ph.D.
Posted by CN Staff on July 27, 2008 at 14:41:38 PT
By Tom Quincey
Source: Chronicle of Higher Education
Washington, D.C -- I never would have made it this far in graduate school without the aid of marijuana.Perhaps the title of this column made some people think it would be a cautionary tale. On the contrary, I think my pot smoking has helped smooth out the roughness of a Ph.D. program. And frankly, I think the disturbing issue with a younger generation of graduate students is that they don't toke up enough. Instead many indulge in things far worse, both for them physically and for the humanities.
On one level, marijuana is simply fun, of course. However, it has other worthwhile properties for the abject doctoral student. To begin with, it's probably the only drug that rewards you for using it. Sure, if you smoke cheap pesticide-laden stuff, you'll probably feel crummy the next morning. But if you buy something decent, you'll probably be good to go after a cup of coffee. I've often been at my most productive the day after I've indulged.I'm an insomniac who averages four to five hours of sleep a night. The best way to deal with a sleeping problem is with regular exercise. But it's nice to have a secret weapon to knock me out on days when I can't make it to the gym. I'm certainly better off than peers who have flirted with Xanax addictions, or who waste their stipends on genuinely worthless stuff like Ambien or Lunesta.Some might accuse me of minimizing the danger of a substance that is, after all, illegal. But it ain't heroin or cocaine. You'll never hear rumors that an actor's heart stopped or an actress got scary-thin because he or she was smoking too much pot. For that matter, it ain't alcohol, which is far worse for one's body and mind.Of course I'm not arguing that one should smoke out every day. In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Aunt Polly commands Tom to whitewash a fence. Pretending to enjoy it, Tom is able to unload the job on a friend with surprising ease. The narrator then remarks: "If he had been a great and wise philosopher, like the writer of this book, he would now have comprehended that Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and that Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do."If you feel obliged to get wasted every time you're stressed, then smoking will become a part of Work, and will increase your dissatisfaction with graduate school. But if you use the substance judiciously, marijuana can remind you that "intellectual labor" is really a form of Play, and infinitely preferable to most of the jobs your peers are drudging through.Hence, I accept Paul Bowles's basic distinction between an alcohol-drinking culture and a cannabis-smoking culture, with the latter encouraging inwardness and creativity. It probably comes as no surprise that I'm a graduate student in the humanities. Literature departments are still influenced by the legacy of Romantic poets and their latter-day heirs, the Beats, who used drugs to imagine alternatives to mainstream society. Snipped   Complete Article: http://chronicle.com/jobs/news/2008/07/2008070201c.htmSource: Chronicle of Higher Education, The (US)Author: Tom QuinceyPublished: July 2, 2008Copyright: 2008 by The Chronicle of Higher EducationWebsite: http://chronicle.com/Contact: letters chronicle.comCannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #47 posted by FoM on July 30, 2008 at 16:50:39 PT
fight_4_freedom 
My motto is have fun and make lots of good memories. I'm sure it will be a great visit for you. You are the kind of person that doesn't go looking for a good time but takes a good time with you. That's how to live in my opinion.
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Comment #46 posted by fight_4_freedom on July 30, 2008 at 16:42:52 PT:
Thanks FoM
I'm sure I will have a blast. My sister made the trip for 10 days, but now she has decided she wants me to stay longer so she's trying to extend it a few days. Now there is a sprinter train station a quarter of a mile from her house that connects to a few cities. It also can take you right near the ocean. So now I don't have to worry about driving to the beach :)I have a semi-new digital camera too so I'll make sure to take lots of pictures for you to see. Wow, seeing him perform makes me want to go jump on the nearest piano and go wild. lol
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Comment #45 posted by FoM on July 30, 2008 at 16:29:28 PT
fight_4_freedom 
Have a great trip when you go out to California. Maybe you should download and memorize the song A Whole Lot of Shakin Going On! LOL! Seriously when you get settled in the Fall you might find new friends if you get involved locally. I know you would have liked the young lady that I met. Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On (1957)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yRdDnrB5kM
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Comment #44 posted by fight_4_freedom on July 30, 2008 at 16:24:00 PT:
I think I will get more involved with 
the local campaign once I get back from my Cali trip. I'm also going to be dealing with some different living arrangements this coming Fall so that's first on my list. But surely, once I get settled in wherever I'm moving to I'll get more involved. I think it'll be really exciting. And like you said, I'm sure I'll meet some like-minded people around my age through it.
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Comment #43 posted by FoM on July 30, 2008 at 13:11:03 PT
fight_4_freedom 
Thank you. You know something. You should get involved with your local Obama Campaign. You probably would meet people your age that I'm sure you would like. Just a thought.
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Comment #42 posted by fight_4_freedom on July 30, 2008 at 09:45:21 PT:
Thank You for your efforts FoM
I'm glad we have such an amazing activist representing our cause :)
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Comment #41 posted by FoM on July 30, 2008 at 09:33:15 PT
Paint with light 
She was a very nice young lady. We talked about Obama, horses, marijuana, drug laws and much more. I like Obama folks. They have always been fired up and down right happy people.
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Comment #40 posted by fight_4_freedom on July 30, 2008 at 08:26:08 PT:
Thank you Paint with Light
But I wouldn't be half the activist I am without you all here at C-News. You have all taught me so much in the short time that I've been posting here. I am very thankful for each and every one of you. I learn something new every time I jump on the site.All it took was them taking my freedom for a tiny amount of herb, to light the fire inside me. That really opened my eyes.But yes, Michigan is a very beautiful state with many sights to see.I am not too familiar with the west side of the state, but I have been over there a few times when I was younger. It's funny, I've been to Florida, California, and even Hawaii (for my sister's wedding), but I've never been to the Upper Peninsula of my own state. lolI still have a lot of exploring to do.Thanks again for the warm comment.And once again, thank you FoM, for providing this wonderful community for activists alike. 
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Comment #39 posted by Paint with light on July 30, 2008 at 01:25:13 PT
FoM
Thanks for meeting with the Obama lady. I am sure you made an impression as a knowledgable and compassionate person for our cause. The more the politicians and their staff meet the activists like yourself, the more they can see the maturity of the movement. That is maturity as in behavior, not years.Thanks for all you do to provide this forum for us to network and encourage each other. I know there must be times when the physical ailments test your will. May you have the power to always triumph. You do good works and you deserve good in return.Equal with alcohol is all I ask. 
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Comment #38 posted by Paint with light on July 30, 2008 at 01:02:25 PT
fight-4_freedom
When you say you are only 22, I am more impressed with your activism.As each generation adds more activists that are willing to really work for a common goal, we get closer to legal cannabis.Thanks to the work of FoM we have a forum where we can come to encourage each other.No, I have never lived in Michigan. I've just had the pleasure of visiting there while doing shows. Early one August while on the road, I took a four day relaxed ride up the west coast to Muskegon and back down to a show in Indiana. It was a great trip. I saw a lot of beaches, dunes, and couple of lighthouses. It was before 9/11 and I got a ladder out of my van and leaned it up against a fence outside of a coast guard station in Muskegon, to get a better angle on a sunset. I stayed there about an hour and a half photographing the activities of the coast guard as the sun went down. I couldn't imagine trying to do that now.Before I left Muskegon I spent over five hours on a self guided tour photographing the Silversides submarine. Tours would come through and I would just let them pass. Then I would be alone for 30 to 45 minutes at a time. It is a strange feeling to have the run of an entire submarine.I love the variety of environments you have there.Thanks again for being an activist. Keep up the good work.Equal with alcohol is all I ask, for now. 
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Comment #37 posted by fight_4_freedom on July 29, 2008 at 16:43:52 PT:
FoM
I'm glad your friend got out of there once the laws changed. Although even 2 years is too long for a marijuana offense. Paint with Light- I have never attended that festival but I have heard of it. My sister used to live in West Bloomfield down that way before she moved to San Diego.You are correct though, there has been a lot of activism here in Michigan over the years. I personally have only been a part of it for 3 or 4 years, but I still have done my share of research on the history of the activism here in the Great Lakes State. So I definitely am appreciative of all the work that was done before I was involved, or even born for that matter.And being only 22 I feel I am just getting started. Three months away from the big vote! This summer is just flying by.So did you formerly reside here in MI?
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Comment #36 posted by FoM on July 29, 2008 at 08:37:08 PT
museman
You got mail.
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Comment #35 posted by museman on July 29, 2008 at 08:32:36 PT:
FoM
Please contact me.
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Comment #34 posted by FoM on July 29, 2008 at 08:29:16 PT
Just Something
I was reading the Rust List and there are rumors that maybe just maybe Neil Young might tour the east coast and Wilco would open for them. Wilco endorsed Obama. Wilco is playing the Bridge Street Benefit this Fall for Neil. What an interesting time we are coming into. http://wilcoworld.net/records/index.php
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Comment #33 posted by FoM on July 29, 2008 at 04:54:59 PT
Paint with light 
We are in the home stretch now. In just a couple of weeks the Democratic National Convention starts. From that point on it will be moving at a very fast pace I think. The young lady that I met yesterday from the Obama campaign gives me hope that the young people are fired up and ready to go. PS: I wish McCain the best and I hope it is benign.
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Comment #32 posted by Paint with light on July 29, 2008 at 03:35:46 PT
FoM
I wish the chart over at pollster.com would work out the way it is predicted now.Less than 100 days are left till we will know.The debates should be interesting.Fired up! Ready to go!Equal with alcohol is all I ask.
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Comment #31 posted by Paint with light on July 29, 2008 at 01:50:56 PT
fight_4-_freedom
Thanks for all the work you are doing in Michigan.I did the Art and Apples Festival in Rochester Hills for three years.One of those years I was headed across Ohio and missed the turn for Toledo. I noticed something was wrong when I saw the signs for Columbus. I did not mind. It was 2:00 in the morning and a moon lit night. So I just fired another one up, and took the back roads to Detroit.It felt good just to drive through Ann Arbor and remember how much work the people from there have done for the movement over the years.More people working together is the only way things will change.Legally, equal with alcohol would be a start.
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Comment #30 posted by Dankhank on July 28, 2008 at 20:42:03 PT
McCain
That was my point when some in here alluded to the idea if Hillary won the nomination they wouldn't vote.The most important thing about a McCain presidency, bite my tongue for that, is who will be his running mate. The VP has a fifty-fifty chance, IMHO, to ascend after McCain kicks from melanoma or old age. Who's that gonna be? 
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Comment #29 posted by ekim on July 28, 2008 at 19:43:12 PT
dont know how long this will be up -- 
http://jackshow.blogs.com/jack/2008/07/essay-cars-and.html?cid=124264182#comment-124264182
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Comment #28 posted by FoM on July 28, 2008 at 18:34:14 PT
Off Topic
I just saw a picture of McCain in a news article that showed the mole that was removed. It looks questionable to me. What in the world will happen in the Republican Party if it is a melanoma? 
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Comment #27 posted by FoM on July 28, 2008 at 18:11:08 PT
fight_4_freedom 
Before they changed the laws back in the 70s there was a 20 to 40 year sentence. We have an old friend who was sentenced under those laws and while he was in prison they changed the law and he was released after two years.
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Comment #26 posted by fight_4_freedom on July 28, 2008 at 17:57:50 PT:
Sort of a Cannabis friendly state
Even growing small amounts won't get you in very much trouble there. You are in the right place FoM!
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Comment #25 posted by FoM on July 28, 2008 at 17:47:28 PT
fight_4_freedom 
Check out my states laws. http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=4557
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Comment #24 posted by fight_4_freedom on July 28, 2008 at 17:44:44 PT:
That's true
Weren't you just saying you can get in more trouble being in possession of paraphernalia vs. being in possession of herb?That's quite odd if you ask me.
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on July 28, 2008 at 17:39:48 PT
fight_4_freedom 
I think why we probably don't have an active group in my state that I know of is because the laws were changed in the 70s so our state is one of the ok states. There are states that things are bad like Virginia and others I'm sure.
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Comment #22 posted by fight_4_freedom on July 28, 2008 at 17:33:04 PT:
Maybe You're state will become more 
energized when they see their neighbors from the north become the big #13 in a couple of months here :)And yes, this is wonderful news. I was just wondering about this bill the other day and what had happened to it. Here's my answer.It's really good to see that all the marijuana reform groups are coming together for it as well.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJqNxKdgyqM "Come Together"
-John LennonI'll be on the lookout for more news about it. 
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Comment #21 posted by FoM on July 28, 2008 at 17:20:56 PT
fight_4_freedom 
Thank you. I don't think they have one or at least an active one in my state. The news you posted is really good. I hope I can find an article about it even if it is only from the AP.
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Comment #20 posted by fight_4_freedom on July 28, 2008 at 17:14:13 PT:
You're welcome FoM
It's an e-mail discussion list I'm on through NORML. Actually, it's only specifically for Michigan NORML members. That's probably why you are unaware of it. We have a very active list so there is always new e-mails popping up. Although most of the time I see a news article on the list, I then come here to pass it on but more than likely you already have it posted :)
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Comment #19 posted by FoM on July 28, 2008 at 17:02:36 PT
fight_4_freedom 
What's a NORML talk list? I don't get anything from NORML. 
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Comment #18 posted by FoM on July 28, 2008 at 16:59:44 PT
fight_4_freedom 
That's good news. Thank you! Thank you Barney Frank!
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Comment #17 posted by fight_4_freedom on July 28, 2008 at 16:45:41 PT:
MPP, NORML, & DPA will all join together
Press Advisory: Marijuana Decriminalization Bill in CongressMonday, July 28, 2008WHAT:
Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) and other Congressional cosponsors will convene a press conference to announce the introduction of legislation to remove federal penalties for personal marijuana use, and take questions from the media.HR 5843, entitled An Act To Remove Federal Penalties for the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults, would eliminate federal penalties for possession of up to 100 grams of marijuana, and for the not-for-profit transfer of up to one ounce of marijuana.This proposal reflects the basic recommendations of the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse (aka the Shafer Commission) in their groundbreaking report to Congress in 1972 entitled Marihuana: A Signal of Misunderstanding.This is the first federal marijuana decriminalization bill to be introduced in Congress since 1978, and reflects the changing public attitudes that no longer support treating responsible marijuana smokers like criminals. According to a nationwide Time/CNN poll, three out of four Americans now favor a fine only, no jail, for adults who possess or use small amounts of marijuana.Representatives from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana LAWS (NORML), the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) and the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) will also participate in this press conference.WHEN:
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 10:00am.WHERE:
Room 2220 Rayburn House Office BuildingFOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 202-483-5500:
Ask for NORML Legal Counsel Keith Stroup; keith norml.orgSorry if this has already been posted. I just received it through my norml talk-list.Thank You Barney Frank!
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Comment #16 posted by FoM on July 28, 2008 at 16:37:22 PT
Boomers, Beware: Pot More Potent Now
July 28, 2008http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080728/NEWS05/807280314
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on July 28, 2008 at 16:14:43 PT
goblet
Thanks again. My state doesn't take a liking to anything that is paraphernalia. It would be better to be caught with marijuana. I'm serious too. The charges are worse.
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Comment #14 posted by HempWorld on July 28, 2008 at 16:08:40 PT
Pothead MBA from Amsterdam, no pun intended...
Hey, let me put in my 2 cents ... Yes, I got my MBA from Amsterdam, no pun intended. I was among the top 3% earliest to graduate and I did so with honors, spending the last 3 of the 4 year MBA program totally out of class, actually I was living in France and then Spain. What I did was against the RULES, whoa, scary... Now you can see what I really got myself into (?!)I spent my MBA years studying like no-one else could! And steadfast, after studying from 10 to 10, 10 to 12 was my relax time where I drank 2 bottles of Grolsch beer and schmoked some of Amsterdam's finest. It was wonderful! Under the influence I would re-gurgitate the 500 hundred or so pages that I went through that day and everything came to life. My (photographic) memory was also greatly enhanced because of it. I could vividly recall any image I had copied into my brain during the tests.In general, this is the message 'society' does not seem to get: We use drugs to make us better, we will always use drugs to make us better, just turn on your TV and watch the commercials.
On a mission from God!
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Comment #13 posted by goblet on July 28, 2008 at 16:01:56 PT
FoM
I don't imagine it would be too difficult to make it work like my hotbox herbal aromatherapy device ;)
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on July 28, 2008 at 13:59:40 PT
goblet 
Thank you. I have no idea how something like that would work unless it would be made into an extract. It seems like it could be like GW Pharm.
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Comment #11 posted by goblet on July 28, 2008 at 13:52:15 PT
alexza
from the website they have been in testing since last year - not sure of the consumer availability. I keep checking to see if they have FDA approval but it is not blatantly clear. This could open an avenue the status quo does not want to see.
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on July 28, 2008 at 13:34:12 PT
goblet 
Is that available now?
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Comment #9 posted by goblet on July 28, 2008 at 13:23:48 PT
no problem - here's another (a bit off topic)
when prohibs say smoke isn't medicine I point them here:http://www.alexza.com/smoke isn't the only delivery mechanism....
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on July 28, 2008 at 12:41:56 PT
goblet
Thank you for the link.
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Comment #7 posted by goblet on July 28, 2008 at 12:17:23 PT
Marijuana replaces Ritalin in treatment for ADD/AD
http://cannazine.co.uk/cannabis-news/united-states/marijuana-replaces-ritalin-in-treatment-for-add/adhd-video.html
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on July 28, 2008 at 10:29:01 PT
Storm Crow 
I was very bad in school. I could never keep my mind still enough to learn. I got by and that's about all. I think that cannabis can help people who have trouble slowing the mind down. I doubt I'll go back to school though. The only thing I enjoyed learning was theology and biology. The rest went over the top of my head. Thank you for the compliment.
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Comment #5 posted by Storm Crow on July 28, 2008 at 10:20:51 PT
ripit.....
You could very well be right about staying in school if you had used cannabis. I had a kid with ADHD who was failing 8th grade, badly! He started coming in reeking of pot about twice a week. He did his best work on those days. The teacher and I just looked at each other and ignored the obvious. The kid passed by the skin of his teeth. I wonder how many other kids with ADHD could benefit from cannabis? How many drop-outs like you could have been prevented? Have you ever thought of completing your education now that you have cannabis? With cannabis, education can be fun- really! Having worked with many kids with learning disabilities, I image your school years were pure hell! Might be different this time! Think about it. And FoM, first time around in college, I dropped out before the end of my second year to get married....took me over 25 years to get back to college with my sons this time- and the "brain lube" still worked! Graduated with honors! One prof said she saved my papers for "dessert" because of my "novel approaches" to subjects. Got an A+ in her class. Come to think about it, once cannabis is legalized, I expect you to go back to school and get your degree, FoM! You have a good mind, as well as a good heart, don't waste either!  
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Comment #4 posted by ripit on July 27, 2008 at 21:34:16 PT:
ihave always had
better luck or should i say results when working on any of the things i do when i was using cannabis. my ollady says i mellow out and get more done!she also says i get so easily distracted when i'm not!apperantly it helps me concentrate. so maybe if i had been usein when i was a kid maybe i would have stayed in school! ( i never made it past the 8th grade and no i didn't take my first toke till i was out of school for over 3 years!)
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Comment #3 posted by goblet on July 27, 2008 at 20:39:41 PT
same here
I would not have had the discipline and mental focus to complete my assignments - cannabis allowed me to eschew distraction and concentrate on the task at hand. Couldn't say the same thing about the legal "options", however. 
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on July 27, 2008 at 19:38:47 PT
Storm Crow 
I didn't go to college. I got married! LOL! That must have been very cool.
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Comment #1 posted by Storm Crow on July 27, 2008 at 19:18:32 PT
I had much the same experience...
In college, I referred to cannabis as a "mind lubricant". I wrote most of my best papers "under the influence" of cannabis. My spelling and grammar needed a bit cleaning up later, but the ideas were "golden". Connections that would have been missed in a "sober" state became clear. 
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