So I battled off and on my whole life with narcotics and booze. There is a lot of myths when it comes to addiction. I've been sober sober X number of months and feel like I should share. No one wants to grow up to be a drug addict. Not every drug addict steals. Not every every alcoholic drives drunk. Of course, most do. I think we should have more compassion for people. Law enforcement only does so much. How many people get a DUI and then go on, and obtain another DUI? How may people get arrested for narcotics and get put on felon probation, yet test positive and go to prison. I hear some say, lock them up, but the truth is that their is limited slots in most State prions. We can't lock up every addict. Of course, treatment is the better option but even that is not too successful. I'm thinking, should marijuana be legal across the country? There talking about a "free injection zone" in Philidelphia so you can use dope in a safe environment. Is that too much? Or should we lock every dope addict and drunk driver up for good?
Alcohol And Drug Addictions.......
- Thread starter Willclark
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I see this getting political in a hurry...
AZjeff
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You're an expert on the subject, what do you think? Seems like whatever the situation was that caused the addiction has to be dealt with first? What does legalized pot have to do with alcohol and narcotics?
Originally Posted by tony1679
I see this getting political in a hurry...
Yep. All I'll say is there are better ways of handling it than "lock ‘em up and throw away the key!"
I see this getting political in a hurry...
Yep. All I'll say is there are better ways of handling it than "lock ‘em up and throw away the key!"
Interesting topic. IBTL.
Originally Posted by Willclark
..........I'm thinking, should marijuana be legal across the country? There talking about a "free injection zone" in Philidelphia so you can use dope in a safe environment. Is that too much? Or should we lock every dope addict and drunk driver up for good?
Giving an addict free drugs, and / or legalizing more intoxicants, is not going to "fix" anything. More than 70,200 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2017, including illicit drugs and prescription opioids—a 2-fold increase in a decade.
https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates
Giving them more for free is not the answer. Intoxicated = impaired, period. I would rather see these people locked up, than on the road causing even more damage. Jail may not cure them. But it prevents them from creating even more carnage to themselves, their families, or others who are unfortunate enough to be exposed to them at the wrong moment. (Not that there is a right one). And either way they end up costing society money that someone else has to pay for.
States that have legalized Marijuana have seen significant increases in motor vehicle accident rates. This leads to higher insurance premiums. There are always unintended consequences with legalizing more intoxicants.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...legal-marijuana-studies-show/1693567002/
And whatever they do in Denmark or Amsterdam is as irrelevant here, as their healthcare system is. They don't have 327,000,000 people, that almost half of which already receive something for "free".
..........I'm thinking, should marijuana be legal across the country? There talking about a "free injection zone" in Philidelphia so you can use dope in a safe environment. Is that too much? Or should we lock every dope addict and drunk driver up for good?
Giving an addict free drugs, and / or legalizing more intoxicants, is not going to "fix" anything. More than 70,200 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2017, including illicit drugs and prescription opioids—a 2-fold increase in a decade.
https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates
Giving them more for free is not the answer. Intoxicated = impaired, period. I would rather see these people locked up, than on the road causing even more damage. Jail may not cure them. But it prevents them from creating even more carnage to themselves, their families, or others who are unfortunate enough to be exposed to them at the wrong moment. (Not that there is a right one). And either way they end up costing society money that someone else has to pay for.
States that have legalized Marijuana have seen significant increases in motor vehicle accident rates. This leads to higher insurance premiums. There are always unintended consequences with legalizing more intoxicants.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...legal-marijuana-studies-show/1693567002/
And whatever they do in Denmark or Amsterdam is as irrelevant here, as their healthcare system is. They don't have 327,000,000 people, that almost half of which already receive something for "free".
Decriminalize drugs. Individuals who have a propensity to use will continue to use however there will be treatment options and they'll less likely have a record. Think of the thousands of men/women who are murdered domestically and internationally over the drug trade. The bottom will probably fall out of the market in terms of price if drugs were decriminalized.
The thing to remember about drug control is that it was a political maneuver with a racial component. "Vote for me because I'll pass the law to protect your daughters from those xyz folk who are suffering from reefer madness!"
Of course it won't be pretty, it's difficult for one human to watch another ruin their life but that is the price of individual freedom.
The thing to remember about drug control is that it was a political maneuver with a racial component. "Vote for me because I'll pass the law to protect your daughters from those xyz folk who are suffering from reefer madness!"
Of course it won't be pretty, it's difficult for one human to watch another ruin their life but that is the price of individual freedom.
This is a subject that is complex. Where I grew up drinking and being drunk or using drugs was the norm. I never used drugs or was drunk. My memory of my father was being passed out on the weekend until he took his life when I was 16. I worked in a one month treatment program for 5 years. I saw a lot of destroyed lives and good people. At that time I did clinical work to become a therapist. Pretty much all of my fellow students had abuse or some other skeleton in their closet. My dad was in the front lines of Korea in a machine gun nest at 18. He was never the same after that according to his friends. So far me you need to deal with why the problem began for long term success.
While we certainly need to try and stop the flow of illegal drugs into this country, whether its drugs or alcohol, treatment and education is what will really help those who are addicted. I realize the success rate is not very high but we need to keep trying.
I think the "friends of Bill" on this forum would agree that one gets sober when one really gives thought to this statement "how is that plan working out for you" and you realize that alcohol is getting in the way of your life and its time to stop drinking.
I think the "friends of Bill" on this forum would agree that one gets sober when one really gives thought to this statement "how is that plan working out for you" and you realize that alcohol is getting in the way of your life and its time to stop drinking.
I put this personal issue knowing full well that most of you are the AARP members? It's not rally political. I was drinking and snorting heroin on a daily basis. It took me 10 minutes from my West suburb to get to the West side of Chicago. Interestingly enough, the police never bothered me. In fact, one morning at the gas station I was getting a cup of coffee and the officer told me, "I heard red bags are the thing today". lol He helped me steer myself to the right block.
Originally Posted by Donald
I think the "friends of Bill" on this forum would agree that one gets sober when one really gives thought to this statement "how is that plan working out for you" and you realize that alcohol is getting in the way of your life and its time to stop drinking.
Really? There are "friends of Bill" on here? I would, indeed, love to talk to them.
I think the "friends of Bill" on this forum would agree that one gets sober when one really gives thought to this statement "how is that plan working out for you" and you realize that alcohol is getting in the way of your life and its time to stop drinking.
Really? There are "friends of Bill" on here? I would, indeed, love to talk to them.
There is 'a point' in time when people are NOT addicted to drugs.
Why do they make the decision to start ?
That is where the problem needs to be addressed.
Edit: I'm referring to your typical non-motivated individual.
Being addicted to pain-killers because you had surgery is a total different problem with different solutions.
Nancy Reagan said it best, "just say NO" / again, non-motivated individual.
And I will add, "buy a pizza and go home".
Why do they make the decision to start ?
That is where the problem needs to be addressed.
Edit: I'm referring to your typical non-motivated individual.
Being addicted to pain-killers because you had surgery is a total different problem with different solutions.
Nancy Reagan said it best, "just say NO" / again, non-motivated individual.
And I will add, "buy a pizza and go home".
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My younger sister was on heroin. Because she is 6'2", she was pushed into playing basketball and got a full athletic scholarship. She got an 1180 on her SAT and recruiters from all over wanted her.She was injured while playing and given pain pills. She was expected to soldier on for the season and handed Vicodin and Percs like candy. She was eventually yanked off the pills but was addicted to them, they got difficult to get and heroin is as easy to get as ordering a pizza.
So she was on heroin, dropped out of school, started shoplifting, got caught, became a hooker and said guys would pay her $120 and eventually got caught soliciting.
She smoked heroin and didn't inject it.
She eventually got on methadone and is now on Suboxone.
She got her record expunged and works a full time job. My parents bought my old house which they rent to her.
I'm a few miles away from her to keep tabs on her.
She isn't ashamed to talk about her past which is why i'm sharing it here.
Alcohol is worse than marijuana. Ask any cop who they'd rather deal with, someone drunk or someone high on weed.
Me personally, I cant stand the smell of weed and don't like the obnoxious looking pot shops and ad's in Colorado and California.
I think pot should be legal, but low key. I think it should only be sold at state liquor stores for adults 21+.
So she was on heroin, dropped out of school, started shoplifting, got caught, became a hooker and said guys would pay her $120 and eventually got caught soliciting.
She smoked heroin and didn't inject it.
She eventually got on methadone and is now on Suboxone.
She got her record expunged and works a full time job. My parents bought my old house which they rent to her.
I'm a few miles away from her to keep tabs on her.
She isn't ashamed to talk about her past which is why i'm sharing it here.
Alcohol is worse than marijuana. Ask any cop who they'd rather deal with, someone drunk or someone high on weed.
Me personally, I cant stand the smell of weed and don't like the obnoxious looking pot shops and ad's in Colorado and California.
I think pot should be legal, but low key. I think it should only be sold at state liquor stores for adults 21+.
he eventually got on methadone and is now on Suboxone.
She got her record expunged and works a full time job. My parents bought my old house which they rent to her.
I'm a few miles away from her to keep tabs on her.
She isn't ashamed to talk about her past which is why i'm sharing it here.
Good for her. I am so happy that she made it. But, my point is that I think addiction is like a "dirty little secret" still in most families. And that really doesn't help anyone. Not only the addict but the family members also who live in denial. They say it can be a "family disease" and in some cases, I believe it. Everyone has a role. The parents/spouse/kids who enable the addict, the pawn shop who lends them goods, the narcotics police who want to "give them a last chance", ect...... I been through it all.
She got her record expunged and works a full time job. My parents bought my old house which they rent to her.
I'm a few miles away from her to keep tabs on her.
She isn't ashamed to talk about her past which is why i'm sharing it here.
Good for her. I am so happy that she made it. But, my point is that I think addiction is like a "dirty little secret" still in most families. And that really doesn't help anyone. Not only the addict but the family members also who live in denial. They say it can be a "family disease" and in some cases, I believe it. Everyone has a role. The parents/spouse/kids who enable the addict, the pawn shop who lends them goods, the narcotics police who want to "give them a last chance", ect...... I been through it all.
here is 'a point' in time when people are NOT addicted to drugs.
Why do they make the decision to start ?
That is where the problem needs to be addressed.
Only if it was that easy. And you quoted Nancy Regan. lol The Regan Administration really took the "war on drugs" to a next level. It was one of the biggest debacle in U.S. history.
Why do they make the decision to start ?
That is where the problem needs to be addressed.
Only if it was that easy. And you quoted Nancy Regan. lol The Regan Administration really took the "war on drugs" to a next level. It was one of the biggest debacle in U.S. history.
I have a very good customer who is a psychiatrist. We go back over 35 years now and I consider him one of my best customers, and a friend. When I work for him we can talk for hours while I'm working. I asked him if he treated addicts, and which were the hardest addictions to treat. Much to my surprise he said alcohol addictions were the hardest to treat. He said he won't even consider taking on an alcoholic as a patient unless he/she is actively involved in AA. The success rate IIRC is about 20%.
Originally Posted by Willclark
Originally Posted by CT8
The cost of drugs and alcohol to society is mind boggling.It is not a victimless crime..
You are absolutely right. But, the truth is, I really don't care.
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Originally Posted by Willclark
he eventually got on methadone and is now on Suboxone.
She got her record expunged and works a full time job. My parents bought my old house which they rent to her.
I'm a few miles away from her to keep tabs on her.
She isn't ashamed to talk about her past which is why i'm sharing it here.
Good for her. I am so happy that she made it. But, my point is that I think addiction is like a "dirty little secret" still in most families. And that really doesn't help anyone. Not only the addict but the family members also who live in denial. They say it can be a "family disease" and in some cases, I believe it. Everyone has a role. The parents/spouse/kids who enable the addict, the pawn shop who lends them goods, the narcotics police who want to "give them a last chance", ect...... I been through it all.
The truth is, I really don't care either.
Originally Posted by CT8
The cost of drugs and alcohol to society is mind boggling.It is not a victimless crime..
You are absolutely right. But, the truth is, I really don't care.
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Originally Posted by Willclark
he eventually got on methadone and is now on Suboxone.
She got her record expunged and works a full time job. My parents bought my old house which they rent to her.
I'm a few miles away from her to keep tabs on her.
She isn't ashamed to talk about her past which is why i'm sharing it here.
Good for her. I am so happy that she made it. But, my point is that I think addiction is like a "dirty little secret" still in most families. And that really doesn't help anyone. Not only the addict but the family members also who live in denial. They say it can be a "family disease" and in some cases, I believe it. Everyone has a role. The parents/spouse/kids who enable the addict, the pawn shop who lends them goods, the narcotics police who want to "give them a last chance", ect...... I been through it all.
The truth is, I really don't care either.
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