Mind altering drugs... rant

[inlinefour]

Illicit substances are shyte. I say this even though, yes, I've tried some of them in the past. I've watched a few friends die from them and then there is the place I work.
I work, generally in the secure side of the inpatient psychiatric unit. I get to see the extremely bad side of substance abuse on a regular basis these days. When I started 3 years ago, it was very rare to have a substance induced problem. These days its a common occurrance. In 3 more years, I suspect that death might be a common thing if it continues to snowball as it is.
I've viewed and dealt with so much shyte there that I'd never even consider using anything again. I've sacked a multitude of friends in the past who could not accept that I was moving on. With all the crap I've seen as a result of substance use, I wish we could send young people through to see the real side of substance use/abuse. Yea there might be people out there who use and can get away with it with nil or minor problems (health, social, financial etc), but substance use creates so much harm its obscene. Anyone with a functioning brain would reel from half the shyte I see in my place of work. The other half might just make it to one of these fine establishments one day.

[onearmedbandit]

Yes inline, you do deal with the worst cases don't you. I'm sure from what you see every day you have good reason to not want to use. But from my perspective I see a different light. How about doctors who see the harmful effects of motorcycles. I remember when I had to go into hospital for doctors to 'show and tell' me to younger doctors. He turned to one and said to him, "this is why I suggest you get rid of that death machine you insist on riding."

Get my point?

[inlinefour]

Yes inline, you do deal with the worst cases don't you. I'm sure from what you see every day you have good reason to not want to use. But from my perspective I see a different light. How about doctors who see the harmful effects of motorcycles. I remember when I had to go into hospital for doctors to 'show and tell' me to younger doctors. He turned to one and said to him, "this is why I suggest you get rid of that death machine you insist on riding."

Get my point?

And I don't have a problem with people doing illicits in their life. As long as it does not involve me. Its all about individual choise.

[onearmedbandit]

Agreed inline. As long as you are not harming anyone else or their property, more power to you.

[T.W.R]

OAB it sounds as if we've both ventured down the same path of being guinea pigs for so-called Surgeons & specialists, being put up infront of a panel of doctors & interns just so they can scratch their heads to work out what to do! with all the crap i went through with my destroyed elbow i was on meds that required me to visit the hsopital every 2wks to make sure the crap wasn't wrecking my kidneys! ( 10yrs, & 7 operations & they still can't fix the damn thing next stop artificial elbow or fuse it in place)
ILF seen your side of it aswell having friends commit suicide & having 1 mate attempt it twice & cousin hang themselves & other relatives give birth to a baby that only lived for 48hrs because it was so damaged from drugs that the mother had been taking ( both parents were wrapped up in a fucked up religious cult ).

[onearmedbandit]

Oh yeah. 'Does this hurt? Does this hurt? Does this hurt? Ahh good. Now everyone watch the patients reaction as I stab him in the back with this pin. Notice the pain he is in? Now that is directly related to the damage he has done to his spine." No it's fucken not, it's directly related to you stabbing a great big fucken pin in my back you cunt.

[scumdog]

Agreed inline. As long as you are not harming anyone else or their property, more power to you.

I agree. But I have to deal with the aftermath that leaves the flotsam and jetsum of society eddying around, creating social problems and affecting a lot of others.
O.A.B.s analogy about motorbikes is true up to a point - they at least can be used in a practical manner as transport.
Recreational drugs?? (In best Al Borland voice) "I don't think so Tim"

[onearmedbandit]

I agree. But I have to deal with the aftermath that leaves the flotsam and jetsum of society eddying around, creating social problems and affecting a lot of others.

But this is in effect damaging others property or harming whether phyiscally or emotionally other people.

O.A.B.s analogy about motorbikes is true up to a point - they at least can be used in a practical manner as transport.
Recreational drugs?? (In best Al Borland voice) "I don't think so Tim"

True true, but it is my choice. And I know I am harming no-one else. A friend cultivates, I receive and smoke in the comfort of my home (well outside actually). At no stage does any proper crime get committed.

[Ixion]

..
the effect pot has on a person depends on that persons metabolisim just the same as alcahol effects people in different ways, some can handle it & some can't.

..:

This is true. I've never bothered with it myself, because the couple of times I tried it when young it did absolutely nothing for me. No good, no bad. Everyone else was passing it round, puffing away, and gradually getting all laughy and giggly and zonked out. I'd puff and puff and puff, and ask "Uh OK, what's supposed to happen ?" Absolutely no effect no matter how I puffed. So I never could see any point in bothering. Incidentally, never smoked tobacco either, for the same reason.

[Str8 Jacket]

Its all about individual choise.

That statement reads volumes for me! We all know or know of someone who has suffered form drug use... We probably all know people that take drugs reguarly and you would'nt ever know.
At the end of the day it is a personal choice if we want to put something that could be potentially bad into our systems or not. You dont know if your gonna wake up everyday, nor do you know what the effect of any drug could have on you until you do it.
I live by one rule, Live life to the fullest you only get one. Take that how you want.

[avgas]

I replaced drugs with bikes many years ago.
I guess it was the more fun of the two evils at the time.
As for all the drug-user-bashing. Its attitudes like that, that make the situation worse. MDU i dissagree with your comment, its like someone barking at you that bikes are evil/bad/dangerous.......dont do it man. There are alot of looser in the world that arent on drugs, likewise there are people out there that are on drugs that are the nicest people.
Just like riding a bike, you cant be against it - untill you try it

[vifferman]

Dunno 'bout "mind-altering", but the various prescription drugs I've been on in the last few years have been brain fucking drugs, if not life-wrecking. Thank goodness for a supportive wife (eventually).

[Teflon]

Theres nothing like a good E.. true bliss

[SixPackBack]

15 years of chronic, constant pot usage culminating with the sale of a Ducati Monster and subsequent purchase of its worth in Marijuana have left this biker bitter......took at least a year to give up, and just when I thought it was all behind me my brother in law died from health complications brought about by 'P' use.
Need help giving up? let me help, I have been through the wringer and know the true pleasure of a straight life.
Think Pot is OK..your wrong! one of the most insidious drugs known will reprogramme you whilst fooling you everything is normal.

[scumdog]

True true, but it is my choice. And I know I am harming no-one else. A friend cultivates, I receive and smoke in the comfort of my home (well outside actually). At no stage does any proper crime get committed.

And more power to you - BUT a lot of drug-demotivated non-working people commit crimes (fraud, burglary, theft,) to buy the cannabis from the likes of your grower friend. (By no means saying HE sells to the likes of them)