I agree with some of your points, but I just wanted to comment on your personal reactions to your use. See, when I smoked (for a couple years out of High School) It did exactly the opposite for me. I felt my mental capacities dropping off and my memory especially. I had a blast dont get me wrong, I went to more than a few awesome concerts and would not trade the experience for anything. (ie. Tool) So, yeah... its interested how it effects everybody differently, like any substance I think a lot of of it is purely psychological as well. I'm glad that you have such a good reaction to it, and you are not alone in not liking to drink. I have quite a few smoking friends that hate to drink.. so thats pretty normal I think.
Aprox, thanks for the comment, it is nice to know that someone got to actually read up on that mess I put up. Yes the drinking thing ugh! it sucks I drank last night and I felt horrible this morning. I am still kind of feeling remnants of the alcohol in me but as soon as I spark it I am going to begin my three hour workout session. It is the craziest thing to me this sparking of the 'ism'. I have never felt so motivated to workout so much. Moreover, my case is interesting to myself since I have not felt anything regarding memory loss because the constant workout regime I have implemented in my lifestyle. It seems as if its a safe balance. The reason I mention that was due to a little education I was diving into regarding being active and its effects on the brain. My understanding while getting educated on that subject is while I workout I am stimulating my mind to keep my body straightened out and in line. I would not recommend the same to anyone else due to the variating effects that it has on different people.
To Trainmaster77, that sounds like one mean drug cocktail and I have never messed any part of my body but I would not have liked being drugged up on all that prescribed drug overdose they put you on. I am glad to hear that marijuana aided your recovery. I question myself though, do you continue use since your injury or have stopped since? It is awful to hear all those drugs you described in your experience with that injury.
There is one more thing I want to share with you all. A co-worker of mine mentions, every now and then the concept of 'its all in your mind' and I have become such an avid believer of that because 'it is all in your mind'. Whatever 'it' is in your lifestyle its all in your mind. James Brown said it best in 'Mind Power' listen to it!