Do you smoke or do drugs?

[Nivech]

Anything is acceptable in moderation. Addiction can breach the boundries between a hobby and an addiction. You can be addicted to anime and soccer just as much as someone may be addicted to crack psychologically. However, since they aren't drugs they may end up living with their parents or becomming a miserable athlete.

For stress relief using small amounts of drugs is a problem. Its when you use them as the only method of escape that somethings wrong.

While I forgot to mention it in my above post, as I do not usually consider it a drug. Forgetting to do so is neglecting the fact that people ask to buy it off me every day - even though I don't sell. This is because I have a ton of amphetamines. I didn't like my grades when I was in high school and wanted them to be better so I got a prescription to help improve them. Which I suppose, considering my motives, is using drugs. While in school I rely on them to help me achieve the gpa I desire. And while I could do without it the drugs saves me hours of studying and allows me to do things other than work.

If you ever want to see the worst abuse of drugs in a "respectable" evironment, visit one of the tougher universities in your area. I'll bet half of them are taking uppers to help them study. Every once and a while you'll see them take to many (like around finals). You can always tell because they have difficulty condtrolling the motor movement in their hands. I've learned from experience not to abuse them and to keep your tolerance as low as possible, because if you cling to them they'll screw you over in the end.

 

[noob]

QUOTE To do drugs is no hobby and there is no way to call it something like that. A hobby is something like playing soccer, watching animes. Its the same as calling alcohol your hobby. Besides there are only 5 people of 100 that are able to smoke weed for example only now and then. I wasnt able to and if I smoke only one joint I would propably become addicted again.

Of course they are. If we were to go by your logic, then watching animation 24/7 would have been nothing but a mere hobby. Hobbies are things that you do every now and then when you're bored and have nothing better to do. But addiction is referred to a "doing something even if you don't have the time because if you don't, you can't live on." Addictions are actions that are repeated periodically and have gone beyond being just a simple hobby.


QUOTE I guess it depends on how much you did.

That and how often you do drugs. If you do a joint every 4 months, then it really isn't an addiction.


QUOTE You can be addicted to anime and soccer just as much as someone may be addicted to crack psychologically.

QFT.

Many students use drugs to calm themselves down. I however, do not need drugs to calm myself down and be relaxed when I take the exam. I need them, just like you, to learn easier. We all know how frustrating learning can become and that's where drugs come in handy, but like you said, we have to keep it low.

 

[Darts]

I smoke weed like 5 times a week well because its fun. I consider it a hobby because theres always liek 5 of us smokin together

I dont consider marijuana a drug but an herb that God put on the Earth

 

[InuyashaX]

QUOTE (Darts @ Dec 31 2006, 04:38 PM) I dont consider marijuana a drug but an herb that God put on the Earth
lol, I hope you know what your doing, cause if your doing that much a day, your gonna be screwed when you get older.

 

[noob]

Inuyasha, you do realize that our new generation are going to be "screwed" when they get older anyway? With this much of air polution, excessive drinking doing drugs every once in a while isn't even considered unhealthy. Now-a-days even the damn sun is unhealthy, BUT it is NEEDED DAILY. I don't know about you, but without sun, I don't think I'd be able to live on.

 

[Nivech]

Going to agree with Inuyasha on that. That is quite a bit all considered. And while studies have shown that it only impares memory while under the influence of the drug and for a short time afterwards when its used. However the long term effects of regular drug use have not been studied. And the saying, "If you don't use it you lose it" does have some truth to it.

Smoking that often must have some influence on you life, grades (if appliccable) and job.

QUOTE (noob)Inuyasha, you do realize that our new generation are going to be "screwed" when they get older anyway? With this much of air polution, excessive drinking doing drugs every once in a while isn't even considered unhealthy. Now-a-days even the damn sun is unhealthy, BUT it is NEEDED DAILY. I don't know about you, but without sun, I don't think I'd be able to live on.I'm going to agree with you on that too. I feel doomed. Even the "smart" kids these days completely lack common sense. They may be brain smart, but I could see them tripping into a moving train or something as they are completely out of grasp with reality.
In order to activate and release Vitamin D (I think) you need at least 15 minutes of direct (as in being outside) a minimum of 3 times a week. However more is recommended. I have to say that I never leave the house, or at least I never get the sun. I hate the sun though.. it hurts your eyes, burns your skin, its too yellow.. hard to see in, wakes you up.

 

[InuyashaX]

Well, noob, even you have the brains to know that all the pollution and bad air quality outside is no where near strong enough as the effects of doing drugs. You can't compare them nor use that as a reason for getting high. Drugs are much worse. But it is true that the world is becoming more polluted each year. By the time were in out 40's/50's, were gonna start to feel some negative effects. Also, the ice caps are melting faster than ever.

 

[shun20]

QUOTE (Nivech @ Dec 31 2006, 03:05 PM) Anything is acceptable in moderation. Addiction can breach the boundries between a hobby and an addiction. You can be addicted to anime and soccer just as much as someone may be addicted to crack psychologically.

I guess you guys really dont know what its like to be addicted. You can never ever compare an addiction of drugs with something like soccer or anime. I dont think you have the feeling that you need to play soccer all the time, do you? Even if its a funny thing to imagine a guy staying day and night at the soccerfield playing.

You mentioned earlier that you dont understand how someone become addicted and thats right. You wont understand it till you feal it by yourself. This feeling is something you cant really describe to someone else.

Ah .. another information: The weed the people smoked in the 50's is nothing compared to what you get nowadays. Theres much more THC in it.

 

[Nivech]

QUOTE (shun20 @ Dec 31 2006, 03:41 PM)I guess you guys really dont know what its like to be addicted. You can never ever compare an addiction of drugs with something like soccer or anime. I dont think you have the feeling that you need to play soccer all the time, do you? Even if its a funny thing to imagine a guy staying day and night at the soccerfield playing.

You mentioned earlier that you dont understand how someone become addicted and thats right. You wont understand it till you feal it by yourself. This feeling is something you cant really describe to someone else.

Ah .. another information: The weed the people smoked in the 50's is nothing compared to what you get nowadays. Theres much more THC in it.
To cigs, no. I don't. As I don't find them at all addicting. To other things yes. I used to be severely addicted to caffeine. And while that may sound silly. I was overdosing on it a ton. Using it to avoid sleeping, staying up all night for literally days at a time. I should apologize to my heart, as I'm sure I gave it a hard time.

And as silly as it sounds I have a problem with getting addicted to video games. While I've been smart enough to realize it and not let it destroy my life, on multiple occasions its really messed me up. I've gotten a better handle on it, but thats mostly because of college making me. An addiction is something that severely disrupts you life and effects you socially, psychologically, and physically harms you. Tell me, is a person addicted to something if they play a game to a point of sleep deprivation and physical exhaustion that they become so physically ill they have difficulty breathing, seeing, and moving in general? People do die over addictions to things other than drugs. Video games being one that has recently got some decent media attention.

I understand addiction fully. Don't get me wrong. What I don't understand is how people are unable to stop their addiction at will. Something I've always been able to do. I've talked to many smokers, drug users, ect. and many will often say its fun, just to relax, or that they'd quit if they could, but can't. When people say they would quit if they could it irks me. While I have never been addicted to what is commonly considered "drugs" (other than caffeine) that include the physical addiction, I am well aware of the psychological addiction. However, whenever I realize I've gone to far I just draw the line and stop. While it is in no way an enjoyable experience I realize the necessity and ignore the constant desire to whatever I'm addicted to. Yes, I ignore it. Its still there though.
I easily become addicted to things, maby thats why I've learned to have a hold on controlling them.

Being addicted to anything can kill a person. People who are addicted to being healthy may become anorexic for example. And I'm sure there is somebody out there who has lost a lot from playing too much soccer. There are also workaholics, people who work themselves beyond what their body can handle. They wear out their bodies so much that they often end up having severe physical problems that require surgery to correct or even prevent the person from dying.

Your right about the THC though. There's a ton more of it in weed these days.

 

[xcouger]

QUOTE (noob @ Dec 31 2006, 06:25 PM) If you do a joint every 4 months, then it really isn't an addiction.
what about every other day?

haha.. just playin..
QUOTE (InuyashaX @ Dec 31 2006, 07:06 PM)QUOTEI hope you know what your doing, cause if your doing that much a day, your gonna be screwed when you get older.
well.. we're all gonna get screwed when we get older.. and we'll all colapse sooner or later.. there is no way to prevent it.. and speeding up the process is just facing reality..

 

[noob]

QUOTE (InuyashaX @ Dec 31 2006, 05:04 PM) Well, noob, even you have the brains to know that all the pollution and bad air quality outside is no where near strong enough as the effects of doing drugs. You can't compare them nor use that as a reason for getting high.
Lol, you do understand that the air polution kills more people than the drugs? The drugs, in general, don't destroy the environment, or atleast, they don't completely destroy it. But what about other polutions? Are you kidding me? The air polution is not as dangerous as drugs? Are you out of your mind? Air polution causes acid rain and acid rain kills the environment. It doesn't damage it, it kills it. No more food = no more humans. Now that's only a "consequence" that we are all aware of. What about the "asthma" caused by air polution... true it doesnt kill you on the spot, but it limits your activities to a point where you approach death on a more rapid rate than the ones doing drugs. Air polution kills a group of people while drugs kill few individuals. And that is, if they use it "excessively"

I guess you JUST DO NOT UNDERSTAND what I mean by a hobby. Something that you do every 4 months IS NOT ADDICTION, it's a HOBBY.


QUOTE I guess you guys really dont know what its like to be addicted. You can never ever compare an addiction of drugs with something like soccer or anime. I dont think you have the feeling that you need to play soccer all the time, do you?

I guess you don't really know what it's like to be a game addictive then. Playing games all day and night long, for 24 hours a day 4 days a week, then playing 18 hours a day for the rest of the week IS addiction and IS UNHEALTHY.


QUOTE Your right about the THC though. There's a ton more of it in weed these days.

but that all comes down to how much, often you use them and or who you get it from. If you've got the right person, you can get the goods with less THC in em.

 

[gdboijason]

ya'll bring so many good points in this section.

I am a drug user. Not the really hardcore drugs like acid, ecstasy, heroin, or shrooms, but things like bars, weed, cocaine, and unprescribed medicine. If your an american drug user, you should know what i'm talking about, which brings another point. I see here that ya'll say that 5% or 3% of so and so country uses drugs. that's nothing compared to america. I'd say atleast 15% have used drugs.

You really can't say anything about drugs unless you've lived through it, and understand the many different perspectives you get from smokin weed, for instance, you watch Inukami while your high. It makes it way more enjoyable and you see so many things that aren't there, but your pretty sure you get the meaning like thinking outside the box. But when you watch it again sober, you won't be able to experience the same feeling as you did, you see it and hear it, but you can't remember exactly how you made that "assumption".

I'm really not sure if this is true for all other potheads out there, but that's how i feel. I've tried to quit, like, twice already. but when somebody flashes a bag of weed in front of your face, you'll think about the great times you experienced with it. It's very hard to say no when you had good weed the first time you try it

I don't see how you would not like cannabis. Must've had a bad trip o something.

And, in my opinion, weed isn't even half as harmful as cigs. I've heard of people dying from lung cancer FROM cigs, but not weed, since in the long run, you'll mostly likely still be smoking cigs after 5-20 years than weed.

If you just listen to what the TV commercials or the government or what anybody else says about weed, then I don't know how to put this, but, doing what others tell you to do is your life. In other words, asskissing. But I do agree, you would rather listen and be healthy than take the risk and die much earlier. Whatever you do is your choice. I started smoking because I seek knowledge of the underworld, not because of peer pressure, but by free will. And what I learned, is that this world would be a happier and friendlier place if eveyone tried weed. Not pressurin anybody, just a dream for world peace. And, no, I'm not a hippie.

Thank you for your time. I hope everyone learned alot from this post.

 

[rtgmath]

QUOTE (noob @ Jan 01 2007, 01:44 AM)I guess you JUST DO NOT UNDERSTAND what I mean by a hobby. Something that you do every 4 months IS NOT ADDICTION, it's a HOBBY.

Noob, please forgive me, then. I didn't know you only did it about three times a year. You mentioned that you did weed and cocaine "from time to time." I assumed a greater frequency.

Still, understand that people who have been talking with you are concerned. Most of us know someone who has been affected by drugs adversely. I have.

And no one ever starts taking drugs with the thought, "I'm going to be a junky the rest of my life." Usually, the person taking drugs feels like they are in control -- and they continue to feel like they are in control even when they aren't. It isn't until some time after they are truly addicted that they realize what has happened.


QUOTE ( gdboijason)I've tried to quit, like, twice already. but when somebody flashes a bag of weed in front of your face, you'll think about the great times you experienced with it. It's very hard to say no when you had good weed the first time you try it.

Would you call yourself an addict? Or would you say you are in control?


QUOTE (xcouger @ Dec 31 2006, 08:26 PM)
well.. we're all gonna get screwed when we get older.. and we'll all colapse sooner or later.. there is no way to prevent it.. and speeding up the process is just facing reality..

I admit to finding this attitude discouraging. How many of you really have given up on the idea of having a good life?

Warning: Those of you who hate the advice of older people might want to skip this.

I am nearly fifty years old. My grandfather fought in World War 1 and lived through the Great Depression. My father was in the military and fought in Vietnam. Each generation has its challenges. You can give up. Or you can work hard to make a good life for you and the ones you love.

Each generation has "been screwed" by the previous generation in some major way. Each generation complains to the older generation that they "don't understand" their problems. Yet each generation finds a way to make things better anyway.

My sons are facing their own crises of growing up. And they will find their way. They are beginning to find out that their futures are indeed up to them. And while they are occasionally discouraged, they are pretty good workers. I have high hopes for them.

And I would have to say that most of you who are presently feeling "screwed" by circumstances, given a bit more experience and age, will also begin to find your way. It won't be by taking a pessimistic long view, but a long view of hope and determination.

In any case, a happy New Year to you all!

 

[InuyashaX]

Is that you rgtmath???? You don't look that old

But what he said is true. Most of you think that your life will be screwed anyways when your older if you don't do drugs. That's false. If you work hard and stay fit, you can live a great and fullfilling life. People are starting to live longer and soon 40-50 year olds might become the next 30 year olds. But by taking drugs, you pretty much limiting your chances of a long life dramatically. Also, if your hardcore, you might start feeling those efects even now. Depending on the drug you take, you appearace will take a turn for the worse. Even if you get hight in moderation like noob, its still not good for you.

1. Your taking a risk of getting addicted to drugs.
2. Your slowly killing your health.
3. Your slowly killing your hopes and dreams for the future.

Even if you get high in moderation, your still going to feel the effects of drugs at some time in your life. Only then will you regret it.

 

[shun20]

QUOTE (gdboijason @ Jan 01 2007, 12:24 PM) I don't see how you would not like cannabis. Must've had a bad trip o something.

And, in my opinion, weed isn't even half as harmful as cigs. I've heard of people dying from lung cancer FROM cigs, but not weed, since in the long run, you'll mostly likely still be smoking cigs after 5-20 years than weed.

Cannabis makes your feelings become more intensiv. When you feel bad you feel even worser when you smoke weed. Thats one reason why even Cannabis is very dangerous.

I guess you havent heard of someone dying from lung cancer from cannabis, because the THC has been increased in the past 10 years. Wait another 10-30 years and there will defenitly be people dying due cannabis.

Besides .. do you think anyone would tell his doctor that hes smoking cannbis? If not, they might assume that you got lung cancer, because you smoked cigs. I'm not quite sure if you get the lung cancer because of the THC or something else in cannbis, but I know that there are studies that prove that cannbis is much more cancer arousing than cigs.

I met a guy in a coffeeshop that I talked to for a while. After some time he asked me: "How long do you wanna live? 50 years?" He was around 40 years and told me he already has lung cancer and that it is defenitly because he smoked cannabis a long time.

If you dont believe me look for studies in the net by yourself. There are some very good reasons that cannabis is forbidden.

 

[rtgmath]

On the topic of addiction in general (and not just drugs and alcohol), it is important to understand that most of us have certain areas where addiction could be a problem. We are physiologically hardwired in a way that facilitates addiction. I guess you could say we have "addictive personalities."

Some people are "addicted" to the message boards. Others are "addicted" to food. Someone said that moderation is the key -- and they are right. Just about anything taken to excess can kill you.

Me? My problem is that I like to eat. Call it a "food addiction" if you like. Over the years I have topped 200 pounds (up to 93 kilos). The doctor told me after my heart attack that I have to lose weight, and that my first goal was to lose 20 lbs. So I am working on it.

Food might not be a "drug," but it often seems addictive to come people (and I might be close to that). That is a struggle right about now. I can eat a nice, sufficient lunch and find myself back in the kitchen looking for something else -- and not even realizing what I am doing until I am in there. But my overweight has caused a problem with cholesterol, and that led to my heart problem. Not to mention what the overweight is doing to my knees.

So yes, there are other kinds of addictions. Just because some are legal doesn't make them right -- and they are still destructive. Nor do they justify the use of drugs to get "high."

That said, there are uses for many drugs in a medical sense. Marijuana has legitimate medical uses, and I truly wish the Federal Government would recognize it.

Legitimate medicines can be abused. Some people abuse meds to get high. The doctors have me on some meds for my heart. The beta blocker caused some problems. The dose was too high at first. I was light-headed (blood pressure went too low), really cold, and very tired. "Out of it," as it were. The doctor cut the dosage in half and I have been fine since.

QUOTE (InuyashaX @ Jan 01 2007, 01:49 PM)Is that you rgtmath???? You don't look that old 

Yup, that's me. I was a bit sleepy at the time I took the picture. Maybe I'll post another one when I lose a bit of weight.

Regards,

 

[Nivech]

QUOTE (rtgmath) On the topic of addiction in general (and not just drugs and alcohol), it is important to understand that most of us have certain areas where addiction could be a problem. We are physiologically hardwired in a way that facilitates addiction. I guess you could say we have "addictive personalities."

Some people are "addicted" to the message boards. Others are "addicted" to food. Someone said that moderation is the key -- and they are right. Just about anything taken to excess can kill you. Thats true. And while I wouldn't recommend using illegal drugs, even they have properties that in moderation can be useful. Take LSD for instance. Before it became abused in the united states it was prescribed in extremely low dosages to help couples work out marage issues and settle disputes between them. The drug had had a high success rate, and even those on the verge of divorce were able to work things out. Once couples on the drug had settled their disputes they were no longer given the prescription for LSD, but for the majority of patients more problems did not arise.
Or amphetamines, one of the most abused prescription drugs on the market today, like adderall or ritalin, which help individuals focus and concentrate with ADD and ADHD to allow them to perform normally in life and achieve their goals.

I can be pretty harsh on drugs too. My mother has an illness where she becomes convinced her children are ill and have problems. Her's was not very severe, but nonetheless life threatening to the child. As a kid I was subject to many doctors in which my mother would demand I recieve treatment for some problem I had. Ninety percent of the time the doctor would refuse. However, there was always a doctor willing to prescribe what she wanted just to get her off my back. Because of said doctors I've had rare blood diseases, seizures, coughing up blood, fainting spells, ect. The blood disease I had from an allergic reaction to one was able to cause enough damage to my intestines that a few years ago I got an infection by my appendix resulting in an apendectamy as the area was putting so much pressure on my appendix it was at risk of rupturing. I was in the hospital for a week (compared to 3 days for normal appendix removal) and they only kicked me out because I wasn't eating enough. Thats the effect having drugs I shouldn't have at all have had on me. Even though I may have had a reaction to it nearly a decade ago, the effects it had then are still there.

 

[REYOMA]

I voted yes,i'm a constant smoker and was in the drug scene for a while but stopped using drugs reason being just not for me unlike others i never liked it but like Noob said just done it for my amuzement.I dont actually get how that is addictive smoking ciggies is more addictive i done drugs for about two months constantly everyday and night and i smoked for about two weeks and got hooked so now i smoke ciggies and not doing any drugs.Some ppl i know can't believe that i gave it up just like that cuase they can't,we started doing drugs together only on weekends then sometimes in the week and then everyday like i said none stop we used for about a year but when i thought about how constantly we used it i just stopped sometimes i can't believe it myself others are still hooked and i gave it up without craving for it.I used crystal meth,heroin,cocaine,weed and some pills like e's and other shit i can't remember,i'm glad i gave it up when i did cuase seeying ppl suffering of the drugs aint no joke some of the ppl that i used drugs with are now dressing and smelling like begger's and yes they do beg for money i don't give them though but i do give the real homeless ppl.So i do not recommend drugs to anybody.

 

[rtgmath]

QUOTE (REYOMA @ Jan 02 2007, 05:40 AM)I voted yes,i'm a constant smoker and was in the drug scene for a while but stopped using drugs reason being just not for me unlike others i never liked it but like Noob said just done it for my amuzement. I dont actually get how that is addictive smoking ciggies is more addictive ....
Cigarettes (nicotine) are now better understood for their addictive properties. Nicotine is now known to be one of the most addictive substances, similar to cocaine in addictive strength. However, the physiological effects of nicotine are less damaging than most other drugs. It tends to increase alertness and suppresses the appetite. Tends is an appropriate word. Your mileage will vary.

The biggest risk factor from cigarettes is the tar from the flavorings and the tobacco itself. That hurts the lungs.

How addictive other drugs are quite often depends upon the individual. You may be a person who can really quit. Others, however ....

We define drugs as addictive NOT by the individual experience, but by the collective experience. Your friends who are reduced to begging to support their habit are people who experience the addictive properties of the drugs they used more fully than you.

So yes, cigarettes are more addictive than many other drugs. However, their social cost is less so they are tolerated more than other drugs. Alcohol is also addictive, and has a larger social cost than cigarettes, but has a long, long history and is often seen as a social lubricant. It won't be outlawed any time soon.

Regards,

 

[gcgx]

QUOTE (shun20 @ Dec 31 2006, 02:44 PM) P.S. Dont forget: 1 joint = 1 package of cigs
Sorry bro but that just shows how much you don't know about either. That's the propaganda the media feeds you. The truth is that cigarettes do A LOT more harm to your body on there own than marijuana. When a cigarette is burned there are almost 5,000 different chemical compounds which consist of more carcinogens than marijuana. Second people who smoke marijuana are also less likely to get lung cancer when compared to people who smoke cigarettes. Even though lung cancer may be only one of the many diseases able to be caused by smoking, it's one of the most well known and feared. Cigarettes are in the top 2 most addictive drugs in the entire world and weed is in like the top 30? In my opinion weed shouldn't even be considered an illegal drug because it's nothing when compared to the actual real drugs such as herion, pcp, acid, speed, extacy, cocaine, opium, and all the other various ones out there. You can't overdose on weed, but you can overdose on childrens tylenol? Also weed has been on the earth forever, literally I mean forever, it's a plant that can grow on it's own without man tampering with it, and cigarrettes are made by us using ingredients we invented close to about 400-500 different ones. Marijuana that's smoked in moderation is 10 times better then today's average cigarette smoker. I've never met or knew anyone who has died by the effects of weed, but I've known at least a dozen people who have passed away due to the causes of cigarettes. Now you tell me which of the two is more destructive?