I was reading the New York Times article this morning called, As America’s Marijuana Use Grows, So Do the Harms. It’s one of those anti-cannabis articles that makes all pot smokers to be ignorant hillbillies and children who lack brains and smoke lots of pot without ever thinking about any risks of their drug use. To say that people don’t know about the risks of lung damage, heart attack, psychosis, addiction, accidents from driving or operating machinery while high seems rather silly. All you have to do is do a simple google search. Or pick up any book on the topic. You should be informed, and make your own decisions.
As they say, there is no free lunch. Fun things inherently have some danger, be it driving, riding a mountain bike, hunting and shooting guns, or even a solitary walk in the woods. People do get struck by lightening on beautiful days and by city buses crossing the street. Your house could catch fire, and your burned to death. Life has risks, and people are aware of many of them.
The claim that cannabis users are ignorant of the dangers is the latest tack of anti-drug zealots. But they aren’t motivated about alerting the public about the real danger. What they fear is losing their lucrative business of arresting, prosecuting, fining, jailing and “treating” recreational drug users — somewhat funded by fines but mostly funded by the taxpayer slop bucket. And it’s a disgusting business they’re in, completely contrary to the public interest. I’m not saying, toss all bums in the police departments and rehab clinics on the street — but when their industry is harmful and wastes taxpayer dollars — they should assisted at getting off the public dole, and given the assistance necessary to transfer their skills in the public sector into in-demand jobs in the private sector.
but with work and meetings I am much too busy for that, though I am thinking of heading out to Madison County for the Columbus Day Weekend assuming it’s not too wet. It would be a blast to ride some of the roads and Charles Baker, and also paddle Nine Mile Swamp. 
Probably the colors are pretty good out in the hills of Madison County, they were getting pretty good at elevation in the hilltowns over the weekend. More cows and less coal then West Virigina but still fun. 
I am hopeful next year, especially if I get a new truck and do not get too tighted up in owning a house or being a homesteder. 
That house next to my parents house sold, but it would have been a mess to fix up and had too many neighbors even if it was cheap. You know, I do kind of like the smell of cow shit, and it’s legal to smoke pot in New York and be a stoned poney 
at the State Horse Camp.
but there was just shit to do before it got dark out, and I wanted to unpack and decompress before the week was done. I had a list of data jobs to run down at the library, and I was completely out of food but didn’t want to drive to the grocery store, 
as I am low on fuel and I like biking to the grocery store as it forces me to make choices on what I buy. 
It’s kind of a money saving strategy, I guess, plus it saves on fuel and the risk in getting in a crash. 
But maybe it’s kind of silly. 🤪 I also returned a bunch of beer cans, 
as that needs to be done so I got my $1.70 and it’s not like you can burn the cans.
Seems silly but they’re such a seasonal treat. I ran home and made some delicious homemade pancakes with shredded cranberries, whole wheat flower, some stevia, baking powder and salt. 
Lately I’ve been really into pancakes, using whole wheat flower and often hardy ingredients for dinner like chopped frozen vegetables 
and soy sauce. Just like to try new things. Eggs were good for breakfast as was the coffee. 
Mornings are so dark these days. And Friday it’s off to Madison County for the next adventure. 🛻 I’ve been wanting to paddle Nine Mile Swamp for a number years — it was over a decade since I last dun it.