Alcohol/Drugs

Slrjoecool · Post by **Slrjoecool** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 10:20 pm

Drinking: I have no problem with it at all. I drink quite often (in the right circumstances. Not while alone and etc.) When I worked in Minneapolis, I drank damn near every night, but it was just a social think me and my co-workers did after work. Nothing like OMG I MUST DRINK OR CLOWNS WILL EAT ME!!!111ONE11!

Cigs: I personally can't stand them. Both my grandparents on my mom's side died from them, and I think my mom will be following the same footsteps if she keeps it up. Personally hate them.

Pot: I've never done it, but quite a few of my close friends have done it at least once, and some do it quite often. I personally don't have the want to do it, and I probably never will. I agree it should be legalized, though.

Harder Drugs: No way I can justify these.

Jumbled Thoughts · Post by **MarioKnight** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:51 pm

Drinking: As I'm sure it's common knowledge, I drink a fair amount, 1 - 3 times a week approx. depending on various things happening in a given week. I used to be against it in high school for no real reason but obviously broke through that in college. It's a nice thing to do in a socail enviroment on many levels, from small get-togethers with friends to giant parties, though I prefer the smaller get-togethers myself. I think that the drinking age should be back down to 18 though.

Pot: I have no problem with it, it enhances a lot of feelings, and generally makes people more chilled out. I really don't see why it's illegal since it's the effects really aren't that bad. Granted, no one should drive when really high, but it limits the same abilities as drinking does, just in a different way. If it was any stronger then I wouldn't feel that way, but it's really not any stronger than drinking. However, I personally think smoking pot should be done less often than drinking.

Cigs: I'm mixed with this one, since the long-term effects are horrible and they're easy to get addicted to. It was the main reason why my grandma on my mom's side died a few years ago. I've tried a few cigs myself, a couple times after drinking since it helps ease the effect of drinking, and it did a bit I'll admit. I've also smoked a couple without drinking to see what it was like, and I guess the best way to describe it is that it's like a small buzz. It may be nice and relaxing for a moment, but everything negative just isn't worth it to me, not to mention it's damn expensive. I do disagree with severly limiting places people can smoke though. If people decide they still want to smoke, then let them. Nowadays there's like nowhere anyone can go for a smoke if they wanted to, especially in NY with that law.

Jusenkyo no Pikachu · Post by **Jusenkyo no Pikachu** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 12:38 am

Alcomahol: Don't touch it. Apparently a glass of champagne helped wean me off milk (it got me off the bottle and onto the cup), and I do like the very occasional drink, you'll usually find me drinking orange juice or milk at the dinner table.

Drugs: Only ever touch Berocca, unless otherwise directed. The most daring I've ever been is when I was doing Ritalin, and even that was prescription.

Tobacco: Never once touched it. Not particularly comfortable around fire (although I am capable of cooking on a barbie)

Oh, and MK, down here, the drinking age is 18.

ParaKiss_Groupie · Post by **ParaKiss_Groupie** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 8:49 pm

I don't normally touch any of the stuff.

Tobacco just seems gross to me. I can't stand the way cigarettes smell, and my dad chews tobacco. Stumble upon one of his spit-cups sometime, and see how fast your appetite disappears.

Alcohol's all right. I don't like beer, but I'll do the occasional shot or have the occasional Zima or something. I just don't like to get drunk. I hold too much back all the time to lose the oh-so-tight self-control.

Marijuana...eh. I've tried it before. Didn't really care for the feeling. Plus, it smells absolutely awful. I don't really see the appeal.

Anything harder: I've got a bottle of Paxill that I don't take, a bottle of Codine that I use during particularly annoying fits of insomnia, and probably some other stuff lying around here that's just been collected from various family trips to the hospital. I just don't use any of it.

Post by **AnimeGuru0** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 11:06 pm

Being LDS, i don't touch any of that stuff.

I don't really see the benefit of any of it. Smoking kills you. Alcohol kills other. Drugs kill your brain cells.

All the highs you get from them are just superficial to me anyways. I try and be happy without the drugs and alcohol.

As far as prescription drugs are concerned, as long as your taking them as prescribed by a doctor, i don't see the harm in that, as long as you don't abuse them.

RoastedTwinkies · Post by **RoastedTwinkies** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:58 pm

Drinking.. I'm not a big fan of it. I hate the taste and smell of beer and most drinks. It's rare that I would ever pick up a drink, but when I do, I get something light like a cooler. I don't have a high tolerance for that stuff at all. I don't like going to the bar because I really don't like most of the people that you would meet there and you have absolutely no control of who goes in and out of that bar. I prefer to have social gatherings in the privacy of my own home. Not that there's anything wrong with going to a bar and I do not have anything against those who do. It's just a personal preferance.

Tobacco. It's a touchy issue to me. It killed my grandfather. My dad has been smoking for most of his life and has never ever been able to quit successfully. Tobacco is a very powerful thing and it destroys lives. I don't think it should be outlawed, but I don't think smoking should be allowed in public places. In Alberta, we do have an anti-smoking law where this is inforced. Needless to say, I've never smoked a cigarette a day in my life.

Pot.. I'm completely against it and I don't think it should ever be legalized. It destroyed two members of my family, so my family is well aware of how destructive it can be. And besides, if you're going in for major surgery, do you want your doctor to be under the influence?

I stay away from alchol, drugs and gambling because there is a weakness in my family that makes us suseptable to addictions. I'll admit that there's one drug that I'm addicted to. That drug is caffeine. I'm so hooked on it that I go through withdrawls without it. Coke says that they put caffeine in their products to enhance the taste. I think they're full of BS. I think they put caffeine in their products to get people addicted. If you go to A&W, they sell caffeine free root beer and I can't tell a difference in the taste between that and other caffeine filled root beers.

Jumbled Thoughts · Post by **MarioKnight** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:29 am

RoastedTwinkies wrote:And besides, if you're going in for major surgery, do you want your doctor to be under the influence?

I can see the points in the rest of your post, but I do have to argue this line I quoted. I think that is a really bad analogy, of course no one would want that, or have anybody working any job in any altered state of mind. I don't see how that helps your arguement of not wanting pot to be legal. Drinking is legal at a certain age, yet you don't see people going to work drunk. Same thing for pot, you wouldn't just be able to go into your job high. I just don't see how that arguement really supports your opinion on that.

Butterscotch · Post by **Butterscotch** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:04 am

MarioKnight wrote:
RoastedTwinkies wrote:And besides, if you're going in for major surgery, do you want your doctor to be under the influence?
I can see the points in the rest of your post, but I do have to argue this line I quoted. I think that is a really bad analogy, of course no one would want that, or have anybody working any job in any altered state of mind. I don't see how that helps your arguement of not wanting pot to be legal. Drinking is legal at a certain age, yet you don't see people going to work drunk. Same thing for pot, you wouldn't just be able to go into your job high. I just don't see how that arguement really supports your opinion on that.

I have to agree; my father still struggles with his addiction to pot, yet I'm for it being legalized. There are some indivuduals, who for whatever reason (genetic, or physcological or what have you) are more disposed to develop dependicies on drugs.

Doctors don't routinly arrive for work drunk (or for that matter, most people in any profession tend to do their work sober), so why would they be high?

DreamEmpress · Post by **DreamEmpress** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:10 pm

Well, I might as well put my two cents in too.

i'm also LDS, so AnimeGuru0 pretty much summed up my religious beliefs on the matter. However I want to also add my personal beliefs.

Alcohol: I don't drink and frankly it's affects really scare me. That's just from what little first hand experience I got from my friends. I'm the kind of person who likes to be in control of my situation at all times and so this just doesn't really agree with me. Also i like remembering what I did the night before and not waking up with a head ache. However, if my friends want to go and get drunk, that's their choice and I dont believe in telling people how to run their lives.

I do feel the 21 age limit is appriopriate. If you are going to drink, you should be old enough and mature enough to know how to do it wisely. I've known too many 18 year olds who aren't really responsible when it comes to the little things. I'd hate to see what would happen if they added that to the mix.

Cigarettes: I don't smoke. Frankly being around smoke makes my eyes water and burn. I can't stand it, luckily my friends who do smoke are very considerate and will stand where the wind will blow it away from me. It's not good for you, but after you give the warning on the label, what can you do? People are gonna do what they are gonna do.

Seattle recently passed the no smoking law for eating establishments. I know that angers some people, but frankly I'm a little relieved. Most places I've tried to eat at around here that have smoking/non smoking sections don't really work that well. I feel it's more of a respect issue. Respecting the rights of those who want to be able to go and have a nice meal out without worrying about smoke. I understand the others have rights too, but this is also a health issue. (Mainly because of second hand) Besides, afterward you can always go somewhere and smoke and talk with friends and know that you're not bothering anyone else. But that's just my thoughts...

Drugs: Don't do them. Never have. Only ever taken prescription stuff. I worked at the Dept. of Corrections probation office and frankly just seeing all the people on various drugs was scary enough. Some drugs aren't as dangerous, in a violent sense, as others. I know that most drugs have a medical purpose and when used for that purpose can be very effective in helping people. I just wish they weren't so abused.

ParaKiss_Groupie · Post by **ParaKiss_Groupie** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 4:14 pm

I'll be the insensitive one here and say this:

Drugs? Don't ruin people's lives.

Alcohol? Doesn't ruin people's lives.

People who take drugs/drink alcohol excessively? Ruin their own lives.

There is no spirit of Marijuana whispering into the ear that you should smoke pot all the time, lace it with cocaine and eventually end up a shivering addict in a broken down building. Alcohol doesn't force you to drink it every other night.

Are some drugs addictive? Yes. Can people very easily get hooked on this stuff? Of course. But in the end, it's the person's fault for doing it in the first place.

The effects of alcohol have been observed for ages. There have been multiple failed attempts at prohibition.

Pot, and harder drugs? I cut more leighway with that, depending upon the person's age. I've no idea when some of the truly harmful effects of these drugs were firmly noticed, to the point where people knew that cocaine could get you addicted with one snort.

Ultimately, however, blaming the drugs is a way of absolving ourselves of things we do. "The devil made me do it," and all that.

Post by **Tiff** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 4:23 pm

ParaKiss_Groupie wrote:I'll be the insensitive one here and say this:

Drugs? Don't ruin people's lives.

Alcohol? Doesn't ruin people's lives.

People who take drugs/drink alcohol excessively? Ruin their own lives.

There is no spirit of Marijuana whispering into the ear that you should smoke pot all the time, lace it with cocaine and eventually end up a shivering addict in a broken down building. Alcohol doesn't force you to drink it every other night.

Are some drugs addictive? Yes. Can people very easily get hooked on this stuff? Of course. But in the end, it's the person's fault for doing it in the first place.

The effects of alcohol have been observed for ages. There have been multiple failed attempts at prohibition.

Pot, and harder drugs? I cut more leighway with that, depending upon the person's age. I've no idea when some of the truly harmful effects of these drugs were firmly noticed, to the point where people knew that cocaine could get you addicted with one snort.

Ultimately, however, blaming the drugs is a way of absolving ourselves of things we do. "The devil made me do it," and all that.

That's not insensitive. It's the truth. My brother may have done drugs and screwed up his life, but HE did it. Not the drugs. The drugs merely helped, and not becuase they came dancing up to him int heir little marijuana conga line chanting "COME AND LIGHT UP A JOINT! COME AND LIGHT UP A JOINT!", but becuase he stupidly chose to do them, and become addicted.

People who become dependent on drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes ruintheir OWN lives. And I agree with you on that 100%.

RoastedTwinkies · Post by **RoastedTwinkies** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 12:59 am

MarioKnight wrote:I can see the points in the rest of your post, but I do have to argue this line I quoted. I think that is a really bad analogy, of course no one would want that, or have anybody working any job in any altered state of mind. I don't see how that helps your arguement of not wanting pot to be legal. Drinking is legal at a certain age, yet you don't see people going to work drunk. Same thing for pot, you wouldn't just be able to go into your job high. I just don't see how that arguement really supports your opinion on that.

I guess my example was a little on the extreme side, however...

When I was in high school, one of our teachers was drunk all of the time, and even brought some alchol to school. He thought that no one saw him sneaking it around, but everyone (the student body) knew. Fortunately, he was eventually found out and fired. But our teacher was so old, that he actually served in World War 2 and never liked talking about it (I actually found this out from another teacher). So I think post tramatic stress disorder was a major contributing factor to his drinking.

I'm sure most people would not go into work intoxicated, but there are some exceptions. Our teacher was never caught with drugs that I know of. If pot is kept illegal, I think it's less likely that people will go into work with it. But of course there's always going to be people who will sneak the stuff in anywhere whether it's legal or not.

Relayer · Post by **Relayer** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 4:21 pm

Hi, first post here! I have strong feelings about drug use and alcohol, personally I have done just about every drug there is, in excess, and sure I am against drug's like crack and heroin, and also meth, but the war on drugs ruins many more lives than the drug abuse does. I have no problem with marijuana or psychedellics like musrooms or peyote, since they are natural organic plant or fungi that can not be stopped by any government, especially one that claims to respect God and Nature. Now, I have done LSD and Mushrooms enought times to get what some call enlightenment from them, and will never do them again. It's not that I hate them, but just that I have gotten all I need from them and have no desire to get any more. Alcohol does ruin lives, almost mine as well, but I shaped up quick. (Couple lectures from my girlfirend!) But harder drugs used for escape (which cant be deined that is what they are far, I been there many times) I think should be kept illeagle but when one is convicted for possesion of minor amounts, jail time is definitley not required where as rehabilitation is much more effective, since drug users will be drug users regardless, maybe just give them fines for the offense, but jail time breeds anger, revenge, hatred these kind of things. But I must say, after a hard day of work and a beer while watching Sailor Moon (Which I watch everyday!) and sitting with my new baby boy is just perfect life for me! Sorry, hope no one is offended by my views or looks down on me for my past, but better to learn than stand arrogantly ignorant in the dark on issues we have strong opinions about right?

#1SailorMoonFan · Post by **#1SailorMoonFan** » Sun May 28, 2006 4:14 pm

Here is my stance:

Drugs and Cigarettes: I personally believe none of these should be legal. I don't want anyone to die of cancer anymore. People who take these should be given help ASAP.

Alcohol: I am against, but it should stay legal. I think only adults should take alcohol and have a limited number of drinks you can have per year.

Post by **Tiff** » Sun May 28, 2006 4:19 pm

#1SailorMoonFan wrote:Here is my stance:

Drugs and Cigarettes: I personally believe none of these should be legal. I don't want anyone to die of cancer anymore. People who take these should be given help ASAP.

Alcohol: I am against, but it should stay legal. I think only adults should take alcohol and have a limited number of drinks you can have per year.

There are many other kinds of cancer, you know. And you can get lung cancer without smoking. So what...if you eliminate cigarretts, you're eliminating smoke-related cancer deaths, but what about the others?

And are you serious? Dictating an amount of drinks that people can have per year? That's insane. How would you even regulate that? Would there be like...a sign-in and sign-out place where you can sign your liquor out? Would there be an alcohol police?

That's a pretty idealistic and unrealistic view on things.

Kameko · Post by **Kameko** » Sun May 28, 2006 5:40 pm

Tiff wrote:
#1SailorMoonFan wrote:Here is my stance:

Drugs and Cigarettes: I personally believe none of these should be legal. I don't want anyone to die of cancer anymore. People who take these should be given help ASAP.

Alcohol: I am against, but it should stay legal. I think only adults should take alcohol and have a limited number of drinks you can have per year.
There are many other kinds of cancer, you know. And you can get lung cancer without smoking.

Case in point: My aunt, who never even put an unlighted cigarette to her lips, got lung cancer. No one worry though. She's been cancer free for awhile.

Sylphiel · Post by **Sylphiel** » Sun May 28, 2006 5:47 pm

#1SailorMoonFan wrote:Drugs and Cigarettes: I personally believe none of these should be legal. I don't want anyone to die of cancer anymore. People who take these should be given help ASAP.

Alcohol: I am against, but it should stay legal. I think only adults should take alcohol and have a limited number of drinks you can have per year.

... o_O

Cars are dangerous. Driving accidents cause a huge amount of deaths per year. By that philosophy, I guess that means cars should be illegal too?

And why then do you think alcohol should be legal, and cigarettes illegal?

I don't get your reasoning.

Post by **Tiff** » Sun May 28, 2006 5:49 pm

Sylphiel wrote:

... o_O

Cars are dangerous. Driving accidents cause a huge amount of deaths per year. By that philosophy, I guess that means cars should be illegal too?

And why then do you think alcohol should be legal, and cigarettes illegal?

I don't get your reasoning.

Or maybe have a certain number of times you can drive your car per year?

Slrjoecool · Post by **Slrjoecool** » Sun May 28, 2006 5:51 pm

Tiff wrote:
Sylphiel wrote:

... o_O

Cars are dangerous. Driving accidents cause a huge amount of deaths per year. By that philosophy, I guess that means cars should be illegal too?

And why then do you think alcohol should be legal, and cigarettes illegal?

I don't get your reasoning.
Or maybe have a certain number of times you can drive your car per year?

How would that work with rental cars? Scan you license before you drive and let it tell you if you can or not?

"Honey, I can't get your medicine because I can't drive anymore this year...." *plans funeral*

#1SailorMoonFan · Post by **#1SailorMoonFan** » Sun May 28, 2006 6:26 pm

a sign-in and sign-out place where you can sign your liquor out? Would there be an alcohol police?

That's exactly what I was thinking!

Cars are dangerous. Driving accidents cause a huge amount of deaths per year. By that philosophy, I guess that means cars should be illegal too?

I personally DO think cars should be illegal. Except solar powered ones.

And why then do you think alcohol should be legal,

Remember what happened last time when it was made illegal?

and cigarettes illegal?

Because if they were made illegal, it would be much harder to make them.