Prohibited Content

[Stil]

So, I have run into some issues regarding the rules of the site and I want to know what other people think.

Ive been seeing threads advocating the use of drugs and applauding "getting high".
Now, I personally don't have an issue with the use of drugs, but I do feel like it may be unsuitable for discussion on The Bell Tree as many of the users are under age. The general age for legalized marijuana is 18-21, not 13. As I do understand marijuana is legal in most of states, It is also illegal in a few others including many countries. (Keep in mind this is not an attack on drug users, this is simply me asking why this content is allowed on a site that is for a game directed towards the younger population)

Some people may see this as self harm (I do understand that this statement is a stretch), and some people may not. Everybody has a different outlook on it but I want to get an opinion from both sides on why or why not we should subject younger Bell Tree users to this content.

Some questions I have:

Could these threads influence somebody to try drugs because they see other people with a common interest claiming its "fun" and they enjoy it?

Could this cause a kid to get in trouble if their parents saw these posts on their computer?

Is there a line between right and wrong on this topic? Example: "I love to veg out on some heroin when I play ACNH" or "I usually hit my bong and just play New Horizons for a few hours"

Is it possible that discussions like this are more appropriate for discord or other social platforms?

Please let me know below what your opinion is and why.


Prohibited Content

• Self-harm

Accounts

• You must be at least 13 years of age to register on and use the forum.

I myself am 26. I have "been there, done that" with just about all designer and recreational drugs, so this isn't a case of an extremely right wing opinion. I just feel morally wrong about the idea.

I just want to see other members have to say about it.
Thanks for reading!

(Please keep any replies to other members civil and respectful)

 

[Fey]

Are we talking mainly about posts here and there making a (minor) mention of the subject, or whole threads dedicated to it?

The former seems acceptable if it’s about legalized substances, the latter being more problematic. That goes for pot as well as cigarettes or alcohol imo.

 

[seliph]

i definitely wouldn't put it in the same vein as self-harm but i think there needs to be a line drawn, perhaps the addition of "encouraging drug usage" in the rules. there's been threads on whether pot should be legal or not which i think is fine, but threads that are essentially a bunch of people talking about how they love getting stoned would absolutely cross said line. anything that has an inkling of a possibility to be seen as encouraging its use isn't suitable for a site like this, though especially not for its younger members.

i have friends and family who use it, and i know marijuana has medicinal and positive side effects - one that's often touted about being relieving anxiety/stress. but what's never talked about is how it also has the possibility of worsening anxiety, as well as triggering manic, paranoid, and psychotic episodes in mentally ill people. that's primarily why any discussion that has a hint of praising weed should be shut down immediately imo, and if not, the op should be required to have heavy, heavy disclaimers/warnings etc.

also for the record i'd feel the exact same way with cigarette/alcohol threads but i haven't ever seen one.

 

[biibii]

-

 

[peachp1t]

i think saying opinions have no place on a forum is a bit strong, but as someone who is an adult and partakes in a light version of this topic (dr*g usage), i agree we shouldnt be actively talking about this on the forums
i do think theres a line though - i jokingly referred to bob as a stoner and agnes as a wine aunt in my island journal and i think thats fine, but i dont think anyone should be talking explicitly about doing drugs or using alcohol here, as there are indeed minors

 

[LambdaDelta]

I think s**, dr*gs, politics, and personal beliefs/ opinions have no place in a forum about animal crossing which is an E rated game.

idk why you're so against sap and drags

also, kai basically nailed my thoughts on the matter

 

[Red Cat]

I think s**, dr*gs, politics, and personal beliefs/ opinions have no place in a forum about animal crossing which is an E rated game.

Politics and personal beliefs are not R rated topics. Talking about drugs isn't really "inappropriate" in itself as long you aren't just promoting recreational use. Some people use specific drugs to treat medical conditions, so saying all drugs are horrible and people should never use or talk about them is an oversimplification of a complex issue. I think teenagers are mature enough to at least understand that recreational use is usually bad, but if for example someone were struggling or had struggled with addiction and wanted to share their story, I don't think it would be bad if they wanted to do so as long as it's done in a thoughtful way.

 

[Stil]

Politics and personal beliefs are not R rated topics.
I think teenagers are mature enough to at least understand that recreational use is usually bad

I can 100% guarantee I can give an opinion on something that would get me banned.
As for the second part, I don't think anybody can make that assumption. Things that may seem apparent to you, may not be so clear to somebody else.

 

[peachp1t]

I can 100% guarantee I can give an opinion on something that would get me banned.
As for the second part, I don't think anybody can make that assumption. Things that may seem apparent to you, may not be so clear to somebody else.

gotta say, that first statement makes me a bit nervous, seems like we've got pretty chill and nice rules here

but on the second part, as someone who was a teen who thought smoking and alcohol was cool - yeah, you cant make that assumption
i do feel like this is an oversimplification of a very complex issue - but its not really a complex issue to talk about on an animal crossing forum. there are other places

 

[Antonio]

I actually did my final public speaking project on the illegalization of marijuana and why it should be legalized. The reason why it was illegalized in the first place was due to racism. Even back then, scientists stated there were no harm coming from the drug.

Of course, there is harm when taking other drugs with Marijuana or with other medical conditions but there is also positive health benefits that can truly help people. I feel like out right banning such a mature discussion is wrong for a few reasons:

1. There is no harm from discussing the topic and no way to prove such a discussion on the topic can lead to illegal usage alone. There could be other factors leading into drug usage under 18 besides a few messaging board threads.
2. We are all 13+ so we can have the maturity to handle such a discussion about it or given the chance too. It's not like a political thread.
3. Sheltering people from reality ain't going to fix anything, only delay the inevitable.

 

[Corrie]

Promoting anything that is harmful is bad, regardless. I agree that talking about that stuff here on an AC forum is kinda weird but I'm also under the opinion that underage folk are gonna hear/read about this stuff somewhere anyway so we might as well be a positive source of "information."

 

[Antonio]

Promoting anything that is harmful is bad, regardless. I agree that talking about that stuff here on an AC forum is kinda weird but I'm also under the opinion that underage folk are gonna hear/read about this stuff somewhere anyway so we might as well be a positive source of "information."

This is what I was trying to phrase in my 2nd point. I agree it's better to have such a mature discussion.

 

[Stil]

Promoting anything that is harmful is bad, regardless. I agree that talking about that stuff here on an AC forum is kinda weird but I'm also under the opinion that underage folk are gonna hear/read about this stuff somewhere anyway so we might as well be a positive source of "information."

Sitting there talking about ripping a bong and playing ACNH high isnt "A positive source of information"

 

[xSuperMario64x]

I don't think that discussing it is an issue. It hasn't bothered me much because I've only seen like one, maybe two, threads about this topic. Now if it gets to the point where it starts to become a "hey yall should do this too" or "hey this is what the cool kids are doing" kind of thing, or if it gets really out of hand and starts to become a prominent discussion here, then yeah I would report it right away.

I would honestly really like to hear staff input on this issue.

 

[myow]

i definitely wouldn't put it in the same vein as self-harm but i think there needs to be a line drawn, perhaps the addition of "encouraging drug usage" in the rules. there's been threads on whether pot should be legal or not which i think is fine, but threads that are essentially a bunch of people talking about how they love getting stoned would absolutely cross said line. anything that has an inkling of a possibility to be seen as encouraging its use isn't suitable for a site like this, though especially not for its younger members.

i have friends and family who use it, and i know marijuana has medicinal and positive side effects - one that's often touted about being relieving anxiety/stress. but what's never talked about is how it also has the possibility of worsening anxiety, as well as triggering manic, paranoid, and psychotic episodes in mentally ill people. that's primarily why any discussion that has a hint of praising weed should be shut down immediately imo, and if not, the op should be required to have heavy, heavy disclaimers/warnings etc.

also for the record i'd feel the exact same way with cigarette/alcohol threads but i haven't ever seen one.

I agree with this post a lot.

I actually did my final public speaking project on the illegalization of marijuana and why it should be legalized. The reason why it was illegalized in the first place was due to racism. Even back then, scientists stated there were no harm coming from the drug.

Of course, there is harm when taking other drugs with Marijuana or with other medical conditions but there is also positive health benefits that can truly help people. I feel like out right banning such a mature discussion is wrong for a few reasons:

1. There is no harm from discussing the topic and no way to prove such a discussion on the topic can lead to illegal usage alone. There could be other factors leading into drug usage under 18 besides a few messaging board threads.
2. We are all 13+ so we can have the maturity to handle such a discussion about it or given the chance too. It's not like a political thread.
3. Sheltering people from reality ain't going to fix anything, only delay the inevitable.

I think this is less about the fact that it’s objectively “ok” for people to get high, and more about the fact that it just isn’t a necessary or appropriate topic for this particular forum.

And as for what peachp1t’s post said:

i think saying opinions have no place on a forum is a bit strong, but as someone who is an adult and partakes in a light version of this topic (dr*g usage), i agree we shouldnt be actively talking about this on the forums
i do think theres a line though - i jokingly referred to bob as a stoner and agnes as a wine aunt in my island journal and i think thats fine, but i dont think anyone should be talking explicitly about doing drugs or using alcohol here, as there are indeed minors

I agree very much with this as well.

Mentioning this stuff in passing and in a benign way is one thing, but it’s quite another to see a thread full of people glorifying “getting high” on a platform such as this.

It just seems unnecessary and in rather poor taste.
As infinity mentioned, it’s odd that people would want to use this as a platform to talk about getting high when there are far more appropriate places for that kind of discussion (discord etc.)
The fact that this forum’s purpose is tied directly to people chatting about and trading in animal crossing & other video games designed for people and kids of all ages makes me think it’s just (as I said) unnecessary and in poor taste.

 

[Antonio]

Sitting there talking about ripping a bong and playing ACNH high isnt "A positive source of information"

That's just one example. There are other threads talking about the legalization of marijuana which could be a positive source of information.

 

[ForgottenT]

These discussions happen everywhere, news, public, podcasts, games, movies, books, I mean even the books we had read back when I were in school, I don't think it's an issue at all, in fact I find the idea of censoring it quite ridiculous.
Better they read about it on a forum with friendly people, than hearing and trying it behind the school anyways.

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This obviously does not represent the forum as a whole, but it does represent what I've seen on here for the past 7 years.
The minors are literally a minority on here.

 

[Antonio]

And I think it’s less about the fact that it’s objectively “ok,” and more about the fact that it just isn’t a necessary topic for this forum.

All off-topic discussion usually go in the Brewster Cafe section. Have a discussion doesn't mean it has to be necessary in terms of off topic discussion.

I agree that ripping a bong is inappropriate but out right banning the discussion is not the solution, especially when there has been proper threads about the topic before.

 

[Stil]

That's just one example. There are other threads talking about the legalization of marijuana which could be a positive source of information.

Youre missing the point.
Its not about being against drugs, its about being against the act of glorifying drugs.

 

[xsopants]

Lmao I read the rules thoroughly before posting the thread. Also I'd like to say I 100% agree with Antonio. I'm gonna sound like a huge hippie (which I kinda am) but marijuana is medicine, for the mind and body, the only reason its illegal is greed and was given a negative image with racist propaganda. If you have no interest in educating yourself on something you aren't interested in that's totally cool, but here's a tldr:

Anglo-Americans and Europeans have known about marijuana’s medicinal benefits since at least the 1830s. Perceptions about the drug changed during the increase in mexican immigration to the U.S. in the 1910s due to the Mexican Revolution. Heres a quote from Eric Schlosser's book Reefer Madness: Sex, Drugs, and Cheap Labor in the American Black Market:

“The prejudices and fears that greeted these peasant immigrants also extended to their traditional means of intoxication: smoking marijuana [...] Police officers in Texas claimed that marijuana incited violent crimes, aroused a ‘lust for blood,’ and gave its users ‘superhuman strength.’ Rumors spread that Mexicans were distributing this ‘killer weed’ to unsuspecting American schoolchildren.”

tldr: weed is safe and your govt has brainwashed you to think otherwise