So I'm a try anything guy...

[EvaGina]

What on earth are you trying to advocate here? What exactly is the message you are trying to give to the OP and other readers of the thread?

 

that scare-mongering rarely involves facts...

 

That if you want to do them, its best to be as informed and as educated as possible, to do it as safely as possible.

and that not everyone who does recreational drugs is a junkie no-hoper with tracks in their arm and pee-stains in their pants.

[melrich]

I havnt tried coke as far as I know, but I do love my occasional binge

as long as you are smart, and I mean actually smart... not "I can smoke crack every weekend and Il be ok"... but "I can do something once or twice a year and be alright, if im with people I trust and have an emergency back up plan" then cool beans

 

I love E tho... love it...

 

my entire family has done them, we are all fine,

 

I have had one friend who was addicted to crack for a while, but she got over it and can still do it once or twice a year, and shes fine.

 

You know, crack, ice, heroin, ecstasy....these are the sort of things we should be scaremongering about. Sure one case doesn't make a law but fact is you get these things wrong and you can lose a life, metaphorically and literally.

 

I don't think a message of "drugs are cool as long as you know when to stop" is one that anyone should be out there spouting....experienced or not.

 

 

Drugs are dangerous. They are physically dangerous, they are socially dangerous. The fact that alcohol is also dangerous does not dilute those statements.

[Batya33]

that scare-mongering rarely involves facts...

 

That if you want to do them, its best to be as informed and as educated as possible, to do it as safely as possible.

and that not everyone who does recreational drugs is a junkie no-hoper with tracks in their arm and pee-stains in their pants.

 

No one is saying that everyone is that way but there is no safe way to do illegal drugs, just like there is no safe way to binge on alcohol. Period. What is unsafe is the message you are posting that there is a so-called "safe" way to do that. Being informed and educated should result in not doing those drugs at all, not in doing them "safely."

 

Just my humble opinion.

[EvaGina]

You know, crack, ice, heroin, ecstasy....these are the sort of things we should be scaremongering about. Sure one case doesn't make a law but fact is you get these things wrong and you can lose a life, metaphorically and literally.

 

I don't think a message of "drugs are cool as long as you know when to stop" is one that anyone should be out there spouting....experienced or not.

 

Drugs are dangerous. They are physically dangerous, they are socially dangerous. The fact that alcohol is also dangerous does not dilute those statements.

 

crack, yes

E, no... E's something we should be EDUCATING about

I dont like entering these discussions with people who only have experience through what people tell them NOT to do.

 

EVERYTHING is dangerous... but if someone comes onto this site, starts asking about drugs... are you just going to parrot anti-drug propaganda at them? or will you inform them, so they dont go out blindly?

 

believe me, nothing would have stopped me from doing drugs when I was a teen... but perhaps if someone had actually educated me instead of barking "drugs are bad" like some conservative health lesson school teacher... I wouldnt have taken some of the risks that I did

 

You dont KNOW what you should be telling people who want to take drugs, becuase you arent one of those people. Or you would know where I was coming from.

 

Your fundamentalist view on it wont work with the people you are trying to reach...

Its the drug version of spouting "abstinance is the only way"... a kid who wants to have sex, is gonna have sex, safely or not

a kid who wants to get high, is going to get high...

 

Some of the stuff we did to get a buzz back in the day was INSANE... now we have websites listing all the different kinds of pills and peoples ratings of them, people who had taken them... what kind of home highs can kill you, what ones work, etc etc... something like that would have been invaluable when I was a teen, and its only now that we are becoming more liberal about it, educating kids and empowering them to manage their own risks.

 

its shoddy info that hurts people... people like you saying "your brain will swell and you will die" that made that girl drink water until she died...

we dont NEED false, scaremongering info. it does more harm than good.

[melrich]

Eva, I wish you were right but unfortunately I do have experience with drugs and most of my opinions on them are formed by that experience.

 

When I was a teenager I was in a crowd that well into the drug culture. We spent 4 years doing not much else. Of the core group of about 8, 2 are in jail due to their continuing battle with drugs. The rest thank god are all OK but 2 out of 8 is not a great record.

 

Two people I know (through my younger sister) have died using E in the last 5 years. For one it was the first time she ever used it or so my sister told me.

 

We have here a very comprehensive drug education program. We also have avery strong drug culture and amongst 15 to 25 year olds, amphetamines are the drug of choice, over and above alcohol. We have a growing problem with Ice because of the amphetamine feeder issue.

 

I am not trying to "reach" anyone. Anyone with a half a brain knows if you can you should stay away from drugs of dependence. The Op here came with his story of trying cocaine. I get that many people will want to try drugs. The Op tried and said he'd probably never do it again. The sensible advice he got from everyone was support for that approach.

 

you inform them, so they dont go out blindly?

 

I don't think the sensible advice was "Cocaine's fine as long as you can just have it a few times a year." If you have more informative material I suggest you post it.

[EvaGina]

if you read it properly, I said I have never done cocaine...

 

if you know that culture, then you know that "authority" figures, or ANYONE that tries to tell a kid who is that way inclined, to just NOT do something, dont have any affect.

 

of course it will have effect on kids of a different kind of culture, but not the people who are like me and my friends.

 

Yes, the OP said he didnt like it... I never told him to keep doing it.

 

EDIT: anti-depressants incure more emergency room visits per year than E, amphetamines or acid... combined.

[daveygravey]

I've seen people waste away because of drugs AND alcohol. I don't think either's better than the other. As I said earlier, I think it's a case of moderation. I've used drugs in the past and never become dependent. I find alcohol more habitual.

 

I've seen friends' brains rot because of weed; I've seen a guy strangle his dog to death while on cocaine; I've seen my brother nearly get run over because he was having a bad acid trip.... all bad experiences on drugs. Nothing I'd recommend.

 

But I've seen just as many people go through life dabbling (myself included) and nothing bad happen. I've seen people get their faces smashed in because of alcohol though :S

[Cassie]

Boughs -

 

You seem a bit freaked out by your experience. Please be careful.

 

I witnessed my brother enter a downward spiral from cocaine binging and it was terrifying to live through. He is now serving a very extensive probation period after being thrown into jail for a felony drug charge. Before this, he was an extremely talented guitarist and on tour with Ozzy. Now he's forbidden to leave the immediate county. For the time being, his dreams are shattered.

 

Bare in mind what you are doing is illegal and does have serious consequences in the eyes of the law.

[shikashika]

i think the problem with drugs is that many people , in fact many people on this thread associate drug use with drug addict.

 

Everyone has a story about the kid who used to be so smart, rich educated etc.. then he found drugs and his life went down the gutter.

 

I think the people who have problems with drugs, would have problems with something else if the drugs aren't there.

 

i do think some drugs ARE worse than others.. ie. meth, heroine, crack.

 

But the reason many people die of drugs is not because of the MDMA, its because of some other crap that some criminal put in there... and was actually used for good uses until people decided to make it illegal.

 

Unfortunately a lot of people just listen to the 'drugs are bad' without actually doing investigation into WHY they think they are bad. do you know how many government funded studies out there only want one result. They aren't going to be too happy if the studies turn out as its not as bad as we thought they are'

 

Sure, people get ruined by drugs, by alcohol, by money, by gambling, but the majority of people I know who do drugs have never had problems...

 

People get ruined by money, people get ruined by making poor choices. I think its more about having an addictive personality. and you know what.. I've had a really good time.. a fantastic time. i dabble MAYBE one or twice a year, and its sooo worth it!

 

I think many drugs should be legal.. and then they can be sold, charge a fortune for them! at least I know i'll be getting the real thing.. I wouldn't mind paying more for that.

 

There were no problems with ecstasy when it was legal.. It was legal in Dallas for a few years in the 80's and there were no problems with it then.. only that the DFA had no clue what it was and couldn't control it.

 

it became illegal. guess what.. criminals started putting all sorts of crap into it and people started getting sick and dying.

 

I would say that ecstasy, mushrooms ( which were legal in Japan until 2002!!) and pot definitely need to have their classification reviewed!

 

 

Here is a small clip of a GREAT video( about 40 min) which used to be on youtube called 'ecstasy Rising' with Peter Jennings. unfortunately that wsaas taken off youtube. but it really shows how a lot of these 'government studies' which were used to show people how dangerous and evil ecstasy was was actually a big farce and the study was faulted. of course, THAT never became headline news!!

[Batya33]

It's easy to pull statistics out of a hat comparing all sorts of drugs, alcohol, smoking, crossing the street and eating too much fat. It's slightly offensive to presume that we are talking about drug addicts only - or that anyone who takes the approach I do is that simple minded or naive. It's cliche to pull the "governments lie to us about drugs" to justify using illegal drugs. In any event, I can't imagine a teenager or young person would know how to use drugs "safely" (or an older person but especially a younger person). It's too bad there are still so many people abusing drugs and hurting themselves and others (and at least in this country, using up our health care dollars).

 

Off the soapbox - I just hope that the younger people reading this don't think it's ok to try illegal drugs or binge drink.

[timlondon]

mushrooms ( which were legal in Japan until 2002!!)

 

You could buy fresh, but not dried, magic mushrooms quite legally here in the UK until a couple of years ago. I guess it just wasn't that visible until one year there were absolutely loads of shops selling them - literally every other stall on Camden high street was selling different types. link removed

 

The government then put a bill through and made them illegal the next year - but the summers of 2004-5 were very funny

[shikashika]

It's easy to pull statistics out of a hat comparing all sorts of drugs, alcohol, smoking, crossing the street and eating too much fat. It's slightly offensive to presume that we are talking about drug addicts only - or that anyone who takes the approach I do is that simple minded or naive. It's cliche to pull the "governments lie to us about drugs" to justify using illegal drugs. In any event, I can't imagine a teenager or young person would know how to use drugs "safely" (or an older person but especially a younger person). It's too bad there are still so many people abusing drugs and hurting themselves and others (and at least in this country, using up our health care dollars).

 

Off the soapbox - I just hope that the younger people reading this don't think it's ok to try illegal drugs or binge drink.

 

 

not everyone who uses drugs abuses drugs. Why is is when any drug conversation comes up, people talk about the few that abuse it?

 

Do you really think TRYING an illegal drug is worse than binge drinking?

 

It I were to buy a car, would you tell me not to, because cars CAN be oh so dangerous?

 

This is something that has come up before, a drug user is not neccesarily a drug addict or drug abuser.

 

Should we ban all credit cards because some people get into horrible debt and can't pay them off and have a problem with them?

 

Its not just a cliche about government attitude towards certain drugs. What do you do know about the 'infamous' Decartes study?, if you think the government does not lie about this sort of thing.. Or not neccesarily lie, but not give out the proper information? And, if you have never tried anything, how do you know? How do you know they are so evil? Because some people have problems with it? Some people get sick?

 

I don't think anyone is PROMOTING drug use and i think it is a good thing to teach about drugs, so people are more educated about them.

 

If people don't want to try drugs that is fine... but I think its funny that you say things like 'those that will dabble in drugs are naive' rather than just saying something like "nope, drugs are not for me, but if you like them thats your perogative'

 

Personally I think many people who just have this 'Just say no" attitude are the naive ones. They don't even bother to educate themselves about the drugs, and by just saying things like 'drugs are bad" isn't really helping anyone

 

I've trid illegal drugs.. and still dabble very occasionaly.. I don't regret it. I feel great, and have had some fantastic moments on them never forced anyone to try them, and no one should feel forced either!

[daveygravey]

Everytime a teenager dies from ecstasy it is all over the papers here in the UK. I think it happens like once every couple of years. That`s out of the millions who are taking it. I`m more concerned with the violent drunks who keep randomly attacking people for no reason. I`ve never had anyone who`s on pills punch me in the face.

[shikashika]

Everytime a teenager dies from ecstasy it is all over the papers here in the UK. I think it happens like once every couple of years. That`s out of the millions who are taking it. I`m more concerned with the violent drunks who keep randomly attacking people for no reason. I`ve never had anyone who`s on pills punch me in the face.

 

I agree... and especially in the UK, the amount of people out pill munching in the clubs is easily 80%...

[Batya33]

I'm not going to respond to the slippery slope arguments that get a bit hysterical in my opinion and beyond any relevance or reason. I think it is a big mistake to try illegal drugs -- along a continuum -- where I suppose trying pot once isn't the worst thing in the world (although I never have and never will) but anything else to me is playing with fire and unnecesarily dangerous to oneself and others. We all draw lines so to start talking about credit cards and cars is irrelevant. That is my line that I draw and I think it's eminently reasonable and based in solid research and scientific and scholarly thought. I think binge drinking is a ridiculous activity again because of the risks of harm to oneself and others and I think it is completely irresponsible to promote, encourage, glamorize or condone illegal drug use and binge drinking, particularly on a forum like this where young people visit.

[shikashika]

do you think I'm being hysterical?

 

I do think for many drugs out there, that is has caused people to think its the same as Russian roulette, or 'laying with fire' because people have been made to think this way by many untrue government claims.

 

The problem I think, with anti-drug propaganda, is that people tend to believe 'scientifically funded studies' instead of taking a look at the people around them who say things like "no, hasn't affected me negatively'

 

I question 'studies' and things I read in the newspaper all the time.

 

 

What do you know about mushrooms and ecstasy that you think make it so much worse than pot? Is pure mdma such a bad thing? especially when it was used as treatment ( with no problems!!) for half a century?

 

I think young people are curious... and to say "don't do it its bad" is only going to get responses like "but why??.. lots of people do it and they tell me how good it is!"

 

THAT is why people need to be informed about drugs rather than just a 'don't do it!" attitude. do you honestly believe all these government funded studies are credible? That they are the whole truth?

[justpaisley]

Boughs - please, please be careful. You said you wouldn't get addicted, but if you weren't intrigued by the experience, you wouldn't have posted here about it. Once you get past the fright and shock and see that nothing bad's happened to you, you might be so curious to try it again that you do... one try is all it takes to get addicted and ruin your life, especially (but not only) in addictive personalities, like you said you are. Please stay away from it, and sincerely consider cutting the ties you have to the person who provided the cocaine to you in the first place. Addiction to cocaine completely ruins lives.

 

I understand being a try-anything guy, but please don't try anything that will ruin your life. Likewise, don't try armed robbery or bunjee jumping with dental floss. Try positive things.

 

I'm so sorry, I hope I'm not sounding like I'm lecturing. I've just seen so, so many lives ruined by addiction, and I hope I can encourage you to not go down that road.

 

I just hope that the younger people reading this don't think it's ok to try illegal drugs or binge drink.

 

I second this, as loudly as possible. The OP was scared by his experience, and wants to stay away - people shouldn't be saying "hey, I do drugs, I'm not addicted, it's no big deal." Some people can try drugs and not be addicted, but you never know what kind of person you are until you become addicted. It's best to stay away altogether.

[Dixie]

Growing up..I was never in the "drug crowd". A few years ago.. I was at a party. I was very drunk. My cousin asked me if I wanted an X pill.. I had never even smoked a joint in my life. I opened my mouth and he popped it in my mouth and I was very messed up but in a good way. I loved the feeling. Several months later.. I asked my hubby to try it.. he liked it so we done it occasionally together. Of course, we tested the pills and tried to be safe. About a year later, we were at a party and cocaine was there... Someone did a line out for me and I tried it.. I hated it. BUT.. I found myself wanting it when I was drinking.. My hubby loved it. We spent alot of money in a year buying coke and X. Each time that I did it.. I would pray to God to never let me do it again. It didn't make me feel good.. it depressed me and made me feel as if I was gonna have a heart attack on the come down. So.. I started abusing xanax to come down and it was much better. Then I was introduced to ice and I loved it.. I lost weight.. I only did it about 5 times and that was it..... That was over a year ago and my husband and I made a promise to never do any type of drugs again.. We do not associate with any of the people we used too.. in fact, thankfully because of his job.. we moved away. Life is much better but I do still think about it and it upsets me.. we probably could have bought a new house with money wasted on drugs.

 

 

Moral of my story is there is a such thing as X or marijuana being a gateway drug.. I would have never TOUCHED coke without having tried another drug first.

[timlondon]

Moral of my story is there is a such thing as X or marijuana being a gateway drug.. I would have never TOUCHED coke without having tried another drug first.

 

I was thinking about the "gateway drug" thing the other day. Particularly in the UK, society really revolves around drinking, and it's basically considered fine (and quite funny) for people to get really drunk.

 

As a result, people are exposed to the notion of getting "out of it" from a very early age - while they probably won't see their parents getting drunk it's an integral part of culture. I think that if anything this is the gateway effect rather than marijuana or whatever.

 

Not that I think that drink and drugs are necessarily intrinsically bad - moderation is the key

[RelaxByWater84]

Yeah... I think I just had a wakeup call tonight... scared myself kinda s----less.

 

I tend to have an addictive personality... so I have to be very careful. I think I'll be fine... though it all has got me worried about so many things. Distrusted myself... strange.

 

You have an addictive personality and you're trying drugs?? Forgive me for being a little hyper but if you have an addictive personality and know it why would you try drugs.

 

I know I have an addictive personality and really the only things I'm addicted to are coffee(obviously hehe), the internet, and the news. I know I get pulled into things easily so I don't take the chance of getting addicted to something I can't stop. Why would you run the risk of trying something only to find out that 5 years down the road you can't live without it??

[shikashika]

In your circumstance, this may have been true. but unfortunately , many people who are clueless about drugs ( the ones who just say 'its bad, don't do it.. without actually researching about the drugs) have that philosophy.

 

this is when you get people saying things like "oh there was a break in down the road, the intruders must have been on drugs!"

 

I have tried coke once, and have no desire to do it again.

 

From my experiences, and my friends experiences, I don't see marajuana as a gateway drug... people I know who dabble do the drugs they like, not just 'lets see how far I can go!"

[Batya33]

In my opinion the people who are clueless about drugs are those who use drugs (there is no more clueless state that I can think of) and/or the ones who would encourage or condone illegal drug use or so-called "safe" illegal drug use on a forum visited by teenagers. I grew up for many years in a neighborhood notorious for drug use of all kinds so to even allude that people like me or anyone who is posting here to discourage illegal drug use is "clueless" is a bit bizarre.

[Boughs]

So much has gone through about taking illegal drugs... drug use... things that kill us etc.

 

A few statistics, good opinions on both sides... yadda yadda yadda have been thrown out there... well here is another.

 

I grew up in a very wealthy home. I'd consider myself... well educated (maybe not a smart fellow, but I do understand consequences and have been exposed to a lot of knowledge out there). I'm glad I've read about drugs... I've researched them... experienced the lighter drugs.. and now attempted something more extreme. For me I've understood a limit, which I'm glad I have.

 

Now I'm a very curious person... that doesn't just relate to drug use/illegal substance use... it relates to wanting to know more about history, the news, love, art... etc. I would say I'm fortunate to be a curious person... as I am able to learn about the flipside of things without becoming too upset. I've heard most of the arguments for taking and for not taking drugs... I respect both thoroughly. Its relative to each person whether they will take drugs or not. I think it comes down to respecting yourself... understanding yourself... enough. Will one line destroy my life? I don't know. If I were to become a heavy coke addict... then thats my stupidity. I'd be a fool to fall into it. I have the means to get it, the ability to, but no desire to. I have found a limit in my drug experiences... something i'm glad to have seen. Obviously I've created a gateway... I don't know if I'll fall... but to be honest... I'd rather have the ability to see if I'll fall, test my own strength, than not at all.

 

If my parents carried around my backpack everyday at school, how would I have the strength to lift a book... to respect my parents carrying things for me, people opening the door... holding out the chair for my mother, saying thank you, appreciation towards things, people... saying "I don't know"... unless I've tried each, had the opportunity to.

 

My parents never educated me on sex/drugs. I've learned both myself. As a result, I almost made a few mistakes (sex-wise). I know I've made mistakes drug-use-wise. Now I'm learning. But now I can say "I'm putting my own strength to the test, let me see how well I hold up." This is my mission in my life... I'm curious, and I will get answers if i wish. I'm also knowledgeable of the damage, but I'm willing to risk it. I one day will be able to be humble with all the experiences I possess and potentially become a better man when I'm old. Be someone you could come up to at the grociery store, asking about your girlfriend comitting suicide from drug-use.. and offering legitimate advice, not just "don't take drugs".

[Boughs]

Curious Batya... do you think i'd be a person on the street to be dressed in baggy clothes, a dipped hat, smoking a cigarette... and talking like a hoodlum? Do you think I'd ever hold the door for you walking into a grociery store?

 

I know I'm just one drug-user of the many you've met. But I think that we can be sensible people too. obviously there are those that are not, but I'd like to think that those who are shown a bit about drugs, and have the knowledge aren't bad people.

 

I hope you don't think I'm a bad person, but if you do I understand your view. Do you think I'm hopeless in life? think a drug user can ever become a respectable person in society?

 

I myself don't know many drug users who are respectable people in society... but I do know a few... so I am hoping that with the knowledge on the internet is going to make this coming generation a little bit more careful with abuse... maybe it'll change... maybe it won't... but we must try.

 

EDIT: Perhaps my drug-use has affected my ability as a concise and literate writer... is it bad or good? What if my thoughts come accross to become amazing art that you see in a film, or in the louvre one day... perhaps... just perhaps there is something good out of it all. I don't know yet though, time will tell.

[melrich]

Boughs,

 

It's good you have sucha rational attitude and of course everyone has a right to experience these things themselves. There are two things I want to continue your education on.

 

There have been a number of people in this thread talking about how they are too smart to get addicted. Let me say this as loudly as I can, being smart is not protection against addiction. The problem with addiction is you are addicted before you know it. You may be one of the millions of people who can use drugs with impunity. You may be one of the thousands who gets caught by them.

 

I'm also knowledgeable of the damage, but I'm willing to risk it.

 

Be careful of this sentiment. To me it's a bit like losing a child, until it happens to you, you can have little real understanding of it. How far do you chase it? That's the danger of the experience thrill.