Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Randy R on June 2, 2011 at 6:57pm

Always interesting.  I'm not sure anyone has a simple answer but I would start with legalizing pot and spending all the money on imprisoning non-violent users and also help eliminate the drug trade and all the problems it brings.  We currently have about 1.5 million medical marijauna users with no ill effects on those states which is some pretty strong evidence.  From there, educating the young to the dangers is paramount.  I also think we need to re-evaluate treatment facilities.  

 

Side tangent-  I used to be a pretty strong drinker, functional alcoholic, (whatever) and was opposed to AA simply because I doubted the 12 steps, give yourself to a higher power mantra.  I read a site called Rational Recovery and after about 15 minutes, it clicked and I didn't drink for a year and only mildly since with no side effects, no lifelong stigmas or any of the bull associated with AA.

 

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Trisha Smith on June 3, 2011 at 3:29am

1925 - It is rumored and later confirmed that government officials have been stocking the White House with bootleg alcohol for president Harding. Simultaneously, Al Capone is reportedly making $100 million per year at this time. The public grows increasingly disillusioned with the rampant corruption within government and law enforcement and with the increase in crime surrounding alcohol.

http://www.theholderfields.com/matthew/Lessons_from_Prohibition.html

Does anything ever change?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Trisha Smith on June 3, 2011 at 3:43am

RandyR -  I used to be a pretty strong drinker, functional alcoholic, (whatever) and was opposed to AA simply because I doubted the 12 steps, give yourself to a higher power mantra.  I read a site called Rational Recovery and after about 15 minutes, it clicked and I didn't drink for a year and only mildly since with no side effects, no lifelong stigmas or any of the bull associated with AA.

I reckon your intuition served you well in steering you clear of AA - I had cause to research it a bit some time back and found all this stuff  http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-powerless.html

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mo Trauen on June 3, 2011 at 10:07am

That's a very informative website.  I researched it as well.   I found that there is evidence to believe that AA "helps" exactly the same percentage of alcoholics as would spontaneously have quit drinking without help in any one year.  IOW, the evidence suggests that AA does no good at all.  I have to wonder, though, if AA doesn't tend to help religious drunks while pushing non-believing drunks away.  In fact, that website contains evidence that they do exactly that.  It mentions one atheist that the AA members actively tried to push back to drinking just to destroy his will and get him to believe in god.  Despicable to say the least.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Nathan Palo on June 3, 2011 at 11:02am

I think they should be legal, but well regulated. Particularly the hard drugs, like the ones you mentioned.

 

The thing to do is to set up safe places where the drug use can take place, and offer free rehab on a voluntary basis. If someone commits a crime while on drugs, or in order to get drugs, punish them for the crime like you would anyone else.

 

It is even a good idea to have the government provide drugs to addicts, under certain conditions. This supply is clean, good quality, and regular, so rather than searching about going through intense highs and withdrawals, the addict is brought onto a regular schedule, and brought to the clinic where rehab is offered. This way, when they want help quitting, they can get it, and they don't feel they have to give up control.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brian Wood on June 3, 2011 at 1:44pm

Three groups like having drugs illegal as it provides them with employment and money:  law enforcement (including corrections officers), lawyers, and drug dealers.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mo Trauen on June 3, 2011 at 3:29pm

Brian Wood wrote:  "Three groups like having drugs illegal as it provides them with employment and money:  law enforcement (including corrections officers), lawyers, and drug dealers."

 

To which I add:  Don't forget the pharmaceutical companies who virtually own Congress.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chuck B. on June 3, 2011 at 7:56pm

Was about to point that out.  Watch the movie

American Drug War: The Last White Hope

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Trisha Smith on June 4, 2011 at 5:11am

I couldnt get that one to play but found this ironically amusing one http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=N7oF3N30rUc

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Trisha Smith on June 4, 2011 at 5:58am

I visited Lanzarote a couple of years ago and there its legal to grow 3 cannabis plants for personal use - it was a very peaceful place indeed and it would be lovely to have more places like that around the globe. Perhaps if people had better access to decent weed they mightnt be in such a rush to get out there and try the pharmaceuticals. It was a great experience! The alcohol was cheap and plentiful too but people hardly bothered with that either - I dont actually recall seeing a drunk person all the time I was there.....

 

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by choSenfroZen on June 4, 2011 at 6:15am

again every one talks about pot.. 

The lady asked about other drugs, most folks and even if you quote Becky

"I'm not talking about marijuana, I am talking about the hard-core drugs like Meth, Crack, etc."

 

Now that I have reached the ripe age of 52, I have met many many diverse folk.

Since the 1970's I have smoked pot, pot and lots of it. An herb not a drug.

Buuuuut, a bad boy must expand so I have tried lots of other drugs,,,,

coke (made me sstay up for 3 days , missed work got fired, thought that was dumb), once heroin (I fell asleep in a train tunnel in the Rocky mtns, a train woke me up, never visited that babe ever again). I have never tried anything else. Smoke some herbs, calm down because chemicals are whats bad.

Still it is the producers at fault, making the user a criminal is sad.

I  think the user has to be treated as a patient rather than a criminal.

There are successful treatment facilities for other dangerous addictive drugs such as alcohol and nicotine, so the same should be applied to meth and crack.

 

 

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brian Wood on June 4, 2011 at 10:14am

Cocaine made me want to drink more whiskey faster.  Marijuana made me want to drink more whiskey with my oreos.  Heroin made me want to drink more whiskey when I woke up.  LSD made me want to contemplate my whiskey before I drank it.  You get the picture.

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 13
• 14
• 15
• 16
• 17
• 18
• Next ›
• Page