Drugs

[diorio]

Today my crosscountry team had its Metro crosscountry race. On the way to the meet I found out some bad news. One of our best runners (#2) had overdosed on speed and liquor earlier in the day. He is now in the hospital. Obviously he is off the team, and probably expelled from school. We probably would have qualified for state with him, but its going to be tough without him.

I feel angry, sad, and frustrated by this. He is a good friend, and I didn't think he was doing any drugs. He has know put his life in danger, and less importantly, our season on the line. Has anyone else had friends with drug problems? Please, give me your experiences with friends and loved ones having drug problems.

[big]

drugs are bad, even pot. I have seen it used as a "gateway" drug, even though people say it isn't.

I assume most of these boards are "fairly" young posters, so I will say this. Those of us whom are older and either indulged or watched our friends do them, see a HUGE change in a persons life. even cigarettes can change a person's persona.

Don't start me on driving under the influence of anything. My wife's family was devastated when her & her siblings were in a car wreck due to a drunk driver.

Call mom and dad if you get too ripped. so what if you get grounded, ruining other people's lives is not fair.

[diorio]

I know that my friend had done pot previously, like one year ago, but I thought he quit. He threw up during third period and went to the hospital. They found the speed in his backpack. Drunk driving is probably the worst thing you could do. I don't understand why people can't drink responsibly, do they like throwing up and feeling like s*** the next day?

[big]

when a person gets older, normally they learn to enjoy drinking, responsibly.

[diorio]

Unfortunately, most teens don't drink responsibly, they drink to get drunk. I guess it takes them time to realize that it isn't good for them.

[scem0]

Never been drunk... Never done drugs... Im an angle.... Im 15 though.... I get my highs from challenging myself....

:rolleyes:
:D

[alex_ant]

Never have done drugs, never will. I kind of wish I did though, because I feel like about 2/3 of Pet Sounds and Sgt. Pepper is going right over my head. Tomorrow Never Knows is ****ing mind-bending enough when you're on the straight and narrow - I can't even imagine how incredibly mind-warping it would be on acid.

[big]

The beatles are just fine sober, and so is the Pink floyd & Wizard of Oz thing (which is so for real!!!)

I never drank until I was 19 or 20. My dad died (when I was a baby) after popping some pills and taking a few shots of alchohol.

I have seen so many people in and out of rehab, I'm just glad I lived through my "bad ass" faze. and now admire those friends of mine whom substained (they still do, and are more successful, all of them) Maybe there's some corrillation there, I sure can not spell either

[Choppaface]

my dad used to let me have beer when it was 13 or 14. I drank it for a while, and then it made me sleepy so I stopped drinking it. after that there's been too much controversy to have a reason to start drinking it again spontaneously without motivation. and I like orange juice a lot better anyways :D

[Wes]

Originally posted by scem0
Never done drugs... Im an angle.... Im 15 though....

:rolleyes:
:D

Acute, Right or Obtuse? ;)

[bousozoku]

diorio:

I feel for you. Maybe it will just wake everyone up at skool and they'll take a little more time to evaluate the dangers.

I've seen a lot of people killed by others taking drugs or drinking and driving. I feel very responsible for my actions in public...maybe it's just the Japanese side of me.

I first got drunk when I was 3. My adoptive dad left his wine too near to me on the bar at home. I got it and it was good. :D My parents used to have parties and my mum's family would let me take sips of different drinks just to try them. Because of all this, I never thought much about getting drunk. It wasn't interesting enough.

In 5th grade, I did a science project on drugs and had a whole poster with the various kinds and their effects and whatnot. This probably wouldn't seem too precarious today, but it was back in the late 1960s when the whole "free drugs, free sex" movement was making its way around the USA. I woke a few people up that night. :)

[shadowfax]

originally posted by scem0
Im 15 though.... I get my highs from challenging myself....

that sounds really conceited man. distancing yourself from drugs is one thing, but "i get my highs off challenging myself" hurrumbug! humility is a vitrue

[Hemingray]

Originally posted by Shadowfax


that sounds really conceited man. distancing yourself from drugs is one thing, but "i get my highs off challenging myself" hurrumbug! humility is a vitrue

Conceited? How? If that's how he gets his "highs" then sobeit. He's saying he doesn't need drugs, and I applaud him for that.

I've also never touched drugs. And I broke off my engagement to a girl who did drugs behind by back, and then lied to me about it for two years. I've said it before and I'll say it again (even though it is a bit off topic): a relationship is worthless without trust (among other things). It wasn't so much that she was doing drugs that angered me (although I did object to it when we started going out); it was the fact that she lied to me about it. That was the first time I had trusted someone completely... and probably the last.

[big]

>Shadowfax

bravo! *standing ovations* *clap clap clap*

[scem0]

LOL, I made sure that I didn't put angle, but angel, and somehow I managed to put angle in there. Hmmm, I would definately be and acute triangle though. What I mean when I say 'I get my highs by challenging myself' is that I can go through life without drugs. So far I can. I know some people who do drugs, but I try not to get 'too close' to them.

[shadowfax]

"get my highs from challenging myself" says a helluva lot more than "i don't rely on drugs." i've never done drugs in my life either. saying you get your highs from doing things that are difficult for you just sounds (a) impossible and (b) like i said, like you are some kind of renaissance man who is always studying for his AP biology, AP european, AP french, AP spanish, (etc) tests or out learning yoga or diving or.. dare i say it? high school football. and on a further note to b, it sounds like you are proud of that. i know tons of incredibly talented people, like this giril i know who's in her senior year who's already APed out of her freshman year of college and who manages to be president of the student council, on varsity tennis, and participant in her church's activities. she NEVER EVER comes remotely close to boasting about how smart she is, and is extraordinarily gracious whenever she asks for help, and she takes considerable pains to notice people like me, who tend to get overlooked, always greeting me with, "hey nicholas! what's up? how was your weekend? wow, that's awesome!"

all that to say, "i get my highs from challenging myself" is much more loaded than you are implying.

and saying that you are acute just before you discount any suggestions that you are conceited is absolutely hilarious.

don't be obtuse LOL;)

[Wes]

This is becoming a "Let's all have a dig a scem0" thread, give him a break. You guys are picking apart what he says way too much. Just for the record, I'm 16 never been drunk, never tried drugs and don't intend to do either.

[shadowfax]

i would add that "piccking apart" is exactly the vehicle by which you construct an argument, but granted, W-_-W, this is getting a bit nasty. sorry scem0, i admit i am reading a lot of your other posts into this one. i don't have a problem with you personally. i'm sure you're quite lovable in reality; i was just a bit upset by that comment... this isn't sounding a whole lot like an apology, but... yeah.

i pimped out on the SAT II's this morning, god i love challenging myself ;)

[Wes]

Originally posted by Shadowfax
i would add that "piccking apart" is exactly the vehicle by which you construct an argument, but granted, W-_-W, this is getting a bit nasty. sorry scem0, i admit i am reading a lot of your other posts into this one. i don't have a problem with you personally. i'm sure you're quite lovable in reality; i was just a bit upset by that comment... this isn't sounding a whole lot like an apology, but... yeah.

i pimped out on the SAT II's this morning, god i love challenging myself ;)

Notice "too much" in my above post, to be honest, I had picking out, but I thought somebody would make a comment like this so I changed it.

But seriously guys, cut him some slack...

[diorio]

I feel for you. Maybe it will just wake everyone up at skool and they'll take a little more time to evaluate the dangers. posted by bousozoku.

Thanks, hopefully the kids at my school will realize how much potential can be ruined by drugs.

Never been drunk... Never done drugs... Im an angle.... Im 15 though.... I get my highs from challenging myself.... posted by Scem0.

I haven't done drugs either and can't see why people use them. I get a high from running, though it's a natural high with the endorphines and all. Keep off the drugs and keep challenging yourself.:)

ND

[big]

yeah, but you live on a beach... its different here in the south states, where the humidity knocks you flat.

I love running, and unfortunatly have been to preoccupied with school & work.

I need to get over it and back into it. I'm quickly moving into a stage where a habit like that will greatly affect the rest of my life

especially if it'll help me knock off my smoking habit. It seems when I run, I completely quite, but when I have too much school & work, I smoke more.

I wish I had never started. I have an appoitment with my doc this coming thurs & will ask for some help from him on the matter

[diorio]

Originally posted by big
yeah, but you live on a beach... its different here in the south states, where the humidity knocks you flat.

I love running, and unfortunatly have been to preoccupied with school & work.

I need to get over it and back into it. I'm quickly moving into a stage where a habit like that will greatly affect the rest of my life

especially if it'll help me knock off my smoking habit. It seems when I run, I completely quite, but when I have too much school & work, I smoke more.

I wish I had never started. I have an appoitment with my doc this coming thurs & will ask for some help from him on the matter

Actually, I don't live on a beach, but I still don't have to deal with humidity where I live. Good luck on the smoking habit, I've heard it can be the hardest one to kick. Keep up the running, and don't work too hard.:)

[sickboy_osX]

As a former heroin addict, i know what it feels like when you see anyone you know, doing drugs. i saw my best freind overdose, and I held his hand when he died at the hospital later that night. Not somthing i recommend for people. Now my younger brother is acting worse than i ever did homeboy my brother actually accepted a dare and whipped out his member to a female in his class. So it kind of scares me to think that he would do somthing like that, so the moral of this story is DONT DO DRUGS

[RogueLdr]

Originally posted by diorio
Unfortunately, most teens don't drink responsibly, they drink to get drunk. I guess it takes them time to realize that it isn't good for them.

When alchohol was made illegal in the US during the Prohibition, the incidences of alchohol poisoning increased dramatically. The very fact that a substance is illegal will move people to overindulge. The reasoning behind this is that if having an illegal substance in your possession will result in legal action, then it is good to not have it in your possession for long. The easiest way to make sure that you do not have an illegal substance in your possession for long is to consume it rapidly. Assuming that this reasoning is valid, then it would seem to follow that chronic drug use (alchohol or otherwise) results mainly from laws prohibiting the possession of said drug.

[RogueLdr]

Originally posted by diorio
Unfortunately, most teens don't drink responsibly, they drink to get drunk. I guess it takes them time to realize that it isn't good for them.

When alchohol was made illegal in the US during the Prohibition, the incidences of alchohol poisoning increased dramatically. The very fact that a substance is illegal will move people to overindulge. The reasoning behind this is that if having an illegal substance in your possession will result in legal action, then it is good to not have it in your possession for long. The easiest way to make sure that you do not have an illegal substance in your possession for long is to consume it rapidly. Assuming that this reasoning is valid, then it would seem to follow that chronic drug use (alchohol or otherwise) results mainly from laws prohibiting the possession of said drug.

Hypothetically, if the current crop of illicit drugs were made legal, there would be less of an incidence of overdose, since users would be able to save any drugs they didn't want to do right then for another time without having to worry about being "caught" with them.

RL

[RogueLdr]

Sorry for the (almost) double post. The server was acting up.

RL

[jelloshotsrule]

big- good luck quitting smoking... my dad's tried several times and never been able to kick it......... :(

as for alcohol/drugs being illegal being the only reason people get hooked.... hmm. don't buy it

not to say that all the drugs that are illegal should be, but there are some too potent to legalize. i'm sure sickboy could confirm that (whereas i can't.)...

word

[blackpeter]

Seems to me like too many people here are making this a black/white issue. It isn't.

Drugs don't kill people. People kill themselves. It's short-sighted (to say the least) to think that someone should never touch drugs or alcohol, because they are all bad. What do you mean by "bad?"

Do you mean that people should never use perscription drugs? Because here are the facts on perscription drugs:

- More people are addicted to perscription drugs than all illegal drugs combined.
- Each year, 5 times as many people die from perscription drug overdoses than from all illegal drugs combined
- Alcohol/TOBACCO costs taxpayers more $$ than all illegal drugs combined

Open your eyes. Don't believe the hype.

Not all junkies live on the street and stick needles in their arms. Most junkies live in the suburbs, go to work everyday, and act pretty normal (though they are completely dependant on drugs). The dealers don't wear leather coats or work on the street-corner. The real pushers work in hospitals and wear white lab jackets (and get huge kick-backs from these multi-billion dollar drug companies).

I don't think it's wrong to use drugs because they're dangerous. If you want to live a safe little life without danger, then just sit in front of your computer and post here all day. Don't go out, don't experience life, don't do anything. But it's not fair to judge something based on false pretenses.

Life is dangerous. Drugs represent a very small part of life's dangers. If you're honest with yourself and are fearless in the way you live life, you won't become an addict. You'll become experienced!

[jelloshotsrule]

i think it's just as funny to look at drugs as though you are in total control and can just gain "experience" from them.

are you saying that no one has ever had your mindset, been like "yeah, i smoke up sometimes, i snort sometimes, but i'm in control" and the next moment found themselves totally hooked?

i don't see the need to do drugs (spend the money, the effort, the possibility of addiction/death/etc) when i am having a great time with life without the drugs.

that said, i don't think all druggies are folks on the streets. of course, there are probably more white collar druggies here in nyc than street addicts. so? they are owned by the drugs in the same way. why bother

and yeah, it's those white collar druggies that probably make drug dealing the business it is today... i mean, they're the ones with the 9-5 jobs and cash out the ass to spend on drugs.

doesn't change the fact that they have an inherent need for a substance that is harming their body.

as for prescription drugs. of course they're risky. however, their intent is far different. people use tylenol to get rid of headaches (i don't bother really, myself) and people use acid to.... trip. enjoy it. etc.

don't get me wrong, i see the potential for medicinal uses of "illegal" drugs. pot. or whatever. but even that's different at that point.

so the difference is that i don't see the point/need to harm my body to enjoy life. to "live on the edge". to become "experienced". not to mention the possible harm it COULD (not always) cause others.

and last time i checked, alcohol and tobacco aren't "prescription drugs". ;)

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by big
The beatles are just fine sober, and so is the Pink floyd & Wizard of Oz thing (which is so for real!!!)



in the early 70s, john tried desperately to have a child with yoko, but they kept on having miscarriages

the western doctors could not do a thing to help

then a san francisco chinese medicine doctor simply told john, "get off the drugs and you will conceive"

john lennon went clean and he and yoko had sean lennon

i am sure a son with his wife was more important than continuing drugs and keeping up the image of a drugged up rockstar

[blackpeter]

Originally posted by jelloshotsrule

as for prescription drugs. of course they're risky. however, their intent is far different. people use tylenol to get rid of headaches (i don't bother really, myself) and people use acid to.... trip. enjoy it. etc.

and last time i checked, alcohol and tobacco aren't "prescription drugs". ;)

...last time I checked, Tylenol wasn't a perscription drug either.

I think you've completely misunderstood what I'm saying about "experience." If you don't want to use drugs, that's fine. But don't make a black/white statement about something you know nothing about.

You say you don't feel the "need" to do drugs. Great. Don't do drugs. Last time I checked, the only things I "need" to do are: eat, drink, and sleep. Everything else is just life.

Sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll are completely optional. But don't try to tell me that these experiences can't add to your life and create positive experiences just becasue they don't for you. Or (even worse) because you've never even tried them.

I've never spent the time/effort to post 4000 messages in a 7 month period of time, so I won't make judgements about it. Even though (from the outside) it seems like anyone who spends that much time on one thing must be missing something in their life.

As with anything in life... balance is the key. ;)

[jelloshotsrule]

haha. no need to make personal attacks out of something that was a good discussion.

but thanks


and as i said, drugs harm your body have have possible (yes, possible, not definite) side effects (addiction, etc). whereas other things i do for fun in my life (watch movies, go to concerts, animate!) don't generally have the same risks.

you're right. tylenol is not a prescription drug. sorry. but i think my point remains whether it's tylenol or whatever the prescription version of it would be. the intended use are different. one is meant to soothe a pain or ailment.

anyways, i didn't mean to say it was a black/white issue... as seen by my uses of "possible" and such.

i certainly think people can grow/learn from their experiences with drugs. but i also don't consider people who haven't experienced everything i have to be lesser than me because they don't have the desire to do the same things.

"you don't animate ever? what a joke you are... you've never experienced anything"

and again, i realize it's a personal choice. and that's fine. just stating my opinions on why i don't.

[blackpeter]

Originally posted by jelloshotsrule

you're right. tylenol is not a prescription drug. sorry. but i think my point remains whether it's tylenol or whatever the prescription version of it would be. the intended use are different. one is meant to soothe a pain or ailment.

anyways, i didn't mean to say it was a black/white issue... as seen by my uses of "possible" and such.

i certainly think people can grow/learn from their experiences with drugs. but i also don't consider people who haven't experienced everything i have to be lesser than me because they don't have the desire to do the same things.

I think that you're reading too much into what I'm saying. I don't feel like everyone needs to have the same experiences in life. But too much of one thing (anything) is harmfull. It means that you're not living a well-rounded life. The dangers of anything (including drugs or computers) is that it will take time away from doing other worth-while things in life.

Now, as for my point about perscription drugs: Pain killers are the most abused drugs (legal or illegal) in the world. Why do you think these companies make so much money. Don't think that just because your doctor is willing to perscribe them, that it's safe or "okay" to take them. Don't think that just because you feel a little "down" or "gloomy" that you need to take Paxil or Prozac all day. These companies are multi-billion dollar empires who care MUCH more about money than they do about your health or well-being.

Again (as Public Enemy said so well) "Don't believe the hype!"

Western medicine loves to treat the symptoms, but rarely tackles the cause. IMHO, anyone who needs to take painkillers or antidepressants everyday is just as addicted as a crack addict or heroin junkie.

[Taft]

Originally posted by diorio
One of our best runners (#2) had overdosed on speed and liquor earlier in the day. He is now in the hospital. Obviously he is off the team, and probably expelled from school. We probably would have qualified for state with him, but its going to be tough without him.

Instead of expelling him from school and kicking him off the track team, why not get him some help and help him get his life back in line. This kind of attitude makes no sense to me...

A person OD's. He's obviously got a problem. Now, lets punish him further and take away the good things he had going in his life (extra-curriculars and even an education!). That'll straighten him out. Better yet, lets send him to jail. Then, in the company of other druggies and criminals and with few effective social and psyhological programs, he'll certainly straighten out.

This is the attitude that creates FURTHER problems in this world. Science, psychology and statistics do not lie, and they tell us that our current methods with dealing with drugs in this country DO NOT WORK!

Look at alcohol. Its about as dangerous as many of the drugs out there (look at facts and statistics available on the internet if you don't believe me), but its legal. What happenned when we made it illegal (prohibition)??? Dangerous use went up (binge drinking, etc.), alcohol related crime went up (smuggling, etc.), and deaths from the two combined were sky high. Seems that it was similar to the drug situation we have in our country right now, doesn't it??

Drugs have many legitimate medical uses and many often overlooked psycological benefits for the majority of people. But they also have the dark side. Addictive properties and often long term negative side effects. They have good and bad characteristics. It isn't black and white. I've had the whole debate about wether drugs are bad in other forums. I pretty much side squarely with tfaz. People who do drugs aren't automatically "bad people." Drugs, thought they may have potential problems when you use them, aren't necessarily "evil."

I applaud the people who choose not to do drugs. You are obviously more safe than those who do drugs. Just as those who abstain from sex have less chance of getting HIV or hepatitis. Just as those who don't drive or ride in cars are far less likely to get into a car accident. Just as those who don't own guns are far less likely to get shot at home.

The point is that drugs aren't all bad and that they are one way many people choose to enjoy themselves. And those people, just like the rest of us, are taking risks as we live our lives. Is it a statistically acceptable risk?? It depends. Statistically, casually using marijuana is safer than many legal activities. Likewise, the chance of addiction is less than that of many legal, over the counter and perscription substances. I think that is an acceptable risk compared to other risks I take in living my life.

Those who say drugs are bad and never try them are fine by me. But those who have a negative predisposition to drugs and their casual users and do not know the facts really irritate me. Get the facts, then join the conversation.

Taft

[big]

>I think that you're reading too much into what I'm saying. I don't feel like everyone needs to have the same experiences in life. But too much of one thing (anything) is harmfull.

Damn, and here I am, just breathing all day. Day in & day out. I'll have to cut down.

here's another thought.....Many drugs come from terrorist regimes, they sell drugs, then buy weapons. That's sad we can support them like that.

*edit* I forgot about the current terrorist/ad council thing....I meant specifically a lesser remembered group, see post below so I don't have to retype*/edit*

[Taft]

Originally posted by big
>I think that you're reading too much into what I'm saying. I don't feel like everyone needs to have the same experiences in life. But too much of one thing (anything) is harmfull.

Damn, and here I am, just breathing all day. Day in & day out. I'll have to cut down.

here's another thought.....Many drugs come from terrorist regimes, they sell drugs, then buy weapons. That's sad we can support them like that.

False. Many drugs are THOUGHT to have come from terrorist regimes. To my knowledge (I try VERY hard to stay informed on this subject) only one definite link has ever been made between drug rings or supplies and terrorist networks.

Taft

[blackpeter]

Originally posted by big

here's another thought.....Many drugs come from terrorist regimes, they sell drugs, then buy weapons. That's sad we can support them like that.

Wow. Looks like someone here blindly believes everything the Ad Council spoon feeds them without doing any research of their own...

Evidence please?

Yeah, I saw those television commercials too. And I think it's sad that special interest groups (like the Ad Council) use something like 9/11 to promote their dirty agendas. It makes me sick to think of how little respect these people have for those who were killed and their famlies.

[big]

I was thinking more of Nicaragua & the Cubans, Iran selling poppy etc. But I do now remember those ads, and they were kinda desensatized to 9/11.

in any instance, you can saw what you want, but when you buy "Nicaraguan gold" pot, guess where it comes from?

and if you do a little research, you'd see what kinds problems we've had with them in the past.

so, ummmm, quite reading my mind.

[jelloshotsrule]

tfaz- we're on the same page. and as with most discussions that get heated, it was just miscommunication...

i too see a huge problem in overprescribing drugs for depression, headaches etc.. by all means, i hate pharmaceutical companies a great deal (for their business practices, not the good that they can do potentially). my brother used to work for merck and so i have heard about all the BS behind the scenes.... and i agree with you

and yeah, too much of everything is bad. even maybe my 3800 posts (not quite 4k yet!).

i think the problem is that for all the hype created by the powers that be trying to get people NOT to do drugs, there is just as much hype from kids and the "cool" people trying to get people TO do drugs...

anyhoo. we agree. and yet it took a bit of poo slinging to see it. ha

taft- i agree.

[Taft]

Originally posted by big
I was thinking more of Nicaragua & the Cubans, Iran selling poppy etc. But I do now remember those ads, and they were kinda desensatized to 9/11.

in any instance, you can saw what you want, but when you buy "Nicaraguan gold" pot, guess where it comes from?

and if you do a little research, you'd see what kinds problems we've had with them in the past.

so, ummmm, quite reading my mind.

At any rate, this is just another reason for legalization. If cultivation and distribution was controlled and taxed, illegal trafficing, druglords and the likes would be far less relevant and common.

AND there would be less money and lives spent fighting the drug regimes in foreign countries. Or fighting the influx of illegal drugs and trafficing.

AND the supply could be controlled. No more mary jane laced with gods know what.

AND treatment would be easier to administer and aquire. No more fear of going to jail for admitting an addiction.

etc. etc. ad infinitum.

Taft

[diorio]

Originally posted by Taft


Instead of expelling him from school and kicking him off the track team, why not get him some help and help him get his life back in line. This kind of attitude makes no sense to me...

A person OD's. He's obviously got a problem. Now, lets punish him further and take away the good things he had going in his life (extra-curriculars and even an education!). That'll straighten him out. Better yet, lets send him to jail. Then, in the company of other druggies and criminals and with few effective social and psyhological programs, he'll certainly straighten out.

This is the attitude that creates FURTHER problems in this world. Science, psychology and statistics do not lie, and they tell us that our current methods with dealing with drugs in this country DO NOT WORK!

Look at alcohol. Its about as dangerous as many of the drugs out there (look at facts and statistics available on the internet if you don't believe me), but its legal. What happenned when we made it illegal (prohibition)??? Dangerous use went up (binge drinking, etc.), alcohol related crime went up (smuggling, etc.), and deaths from the two combined were sky high. Seems that it was similar to the drug situation we have in our country right now, doesn't it??

Drugs have many legitimate medical uses and many often overlooked psycological benefits for the majority of people. But they also have the dark side. Addictive properties and often long term negative side effects. They have good and bad characteristics. It isn't black and white. I've had the whole debate about wether drugs are bad in other forums. I pretty much side squarely with tfaz. People who do drugs aren't automatically "bad people." Drugs, thought they may have potential problems when you use them, aren't necessarily "evil."


Taft


I think it does suck that when someone is caught using drugs, they are taken out of everything that could possibly help their life. I don't think that jail is going to cure anyone of an addiction.

I don't think that "casual users" of drugs are bad either. If you can control your drug intake, fine by me, it's when your intake gets out of control that worries me. Unfortunately for my friend, he didn't do it responsibly (I don't think anyone should do speed anyway), and he definately shouldn't have done it one week before our regional meet. I'm not even sure how he's doing now, but I'll update everyone as soon as I find out.

ND

[RogueLdr]

Originally posted by jelloshotsrule
as for alcohol/drugs being illegal being the only reason people get hooked.... hmm. don't buy it

Didn't mean to say that the illegality of drugs causes addiction, just that it adds to the incidence of binge use.

RL

[jelloshotsrule]

Originally posted by RogueLdr
Didn't mean to say that the illegality of drugs causes addiction, just that it adds to the incidence of binge use.


fair enough. i'll binge drink to that! ha

[rainman::|:|]

Well i always get in trouble on these threads, but i'll have a go anyway...

I do have to say that many people who use drugs recreationally are better for the experience. I know a *hell* of a lot more about life, as well as myself, after doing some of the things i've done. You know, Extasy was first used as a theraputic drug, and acid was used in that capacity as well.
That's not to say that *everyone* that uses drugs is better for the experience. I've seen a lot of good, intelligent people fall into treating mental illness with drugs... It's called self-medication. It can be done with a lot of things besides drugs, incidently, and can have negative effects in all forms, because you're not dealing with your problems. It's not a new thing, and it's not something drug are responsible for. Nor would it go away if drugs did. But drugs can be an effective, quick means to an end.

As for the gateway theory. Trust me, some people just won't be happy until they totally screw themselves over, and pot is merely a first step. That doesn't mean it causes people to go to harder things, that's simply a narrow-minded inference. Most of my friends (that smoke put) are extremely *against* harder drugs, and i certainly won't put any of that other crap in my body. If pot was a gateway drug, i'd be riding the white horse right now. I'm not and it's not.

And it does kind of piss me off to hear people pass judgement on drug users when they've never been in that situation. Perhaps you can know without trying it that it's not for you, but you cannot know that it's wrong for everyone.

Drugs can be dangerous. So can automobiles, and hairspray, and staplers, and [insert just about anything here]. Misusing anything to a certain degree can have horrible consequences. That doesn't mean we should ban all these things, it just means we should be careful.

:)
pnw

[diorio]

I saw my friend yesterday and he's doing okay now. He is totally different now, for the good. I went with four other members of the crosscountry team and he was very happy to see us. He was worried that we would hate him, but of course we don't. Everyone is glad to see him well, and changed. He admitted that he hadn't been that close to anyone of the team, or god, but planned to get more involved with both. He will be back on the team in one week, and run at state if we qualify. He is not expelled but suspended for five days. I for one am estatic that everything is okay.

[jelloshotsrule]

great to hear he's doing alright

now as his friend you gotta help him help himself grow from it...

keep us posted.

[diorio]

He is going to start going to youth group, and start to be more involved with the team. When my team and I went to see him, he was very happy to see us. He apologized several times and told us of his plans to change. Everyone who went was amazed at the turnaround. Hopefully he will be able to get back on the team for state.