3 ms·

Ah, the result of war on drugs. People want to change their state of consciousness. People also self-medicate when facing issues, like chronic pains, or chronic

Ah, the result of war on drugs. People want to change their state of consciousness. People also self-medicate when facing issues, like chronic pains, or chronic mental stress. Why don't we take a look at each category of drugs (benzos, opiates, stimulants, psychedelics, ...) and make the least harmful one or two of those legal? Regulate it, control it, make it safe. Create clinics where people can get educated about safe use, and where people can get clean, medical-grade drugs that they'll buy off of random dude in the suburbs otherwise. People are going to use drugs. Alternatively, they'll get addicted to other things, like gambling, which can be just as destructive. Stop making drug addiction a moral failure. It's not. It's a part of life, and a very human thing. I wonder how many wall street traders still regularly do coke nowadays.

brobdingnagians 4y ago
We should look at why our society has such high levels of mental illness, stress, and dysfunction. Putting a bandaid on a gunshot wound or having self medication become standard isn't a real solution, the underlying problems persist. If it's something about modern lifestyles, philosophies, or social environments, then fixing those could lead to much better mental health outcomes. We can do studies on which groups have the best mental health outcomes and encourage those.
- BossingAround 4y ago
  What I'm saying is that to a certain level, humanity will always want to change their consciousness. This has nothing to do with suffering in the world. Of course, suffering then leads to people seeking out quick fixes. But you know what? If you're suffering from chronic pains, and medical experts can't help you (as has been the case for many people), taking some of these drugs (like THC) is highly preferable to not having anything.
  - felipemnoa 4y ago
    I wouldn't really call it changing consciousness but rather just escapism. A lot of people will do drugs because they are trying to escape their lives. Once addicted they are then trying to escape withdrawal.
    - BossingAround 4y ago
      And that's where we disagree. I would hardly talk about a strong LSD/mushroom trip as escapism.
InTheArena 4y ago
"Ah, the result of w̵a̵r̵ ̵o̵n̵ drugs" FTFY I grew up in the 80s in the San Fernando valley. I was in the center of DARE, in the middle of the Crips and the Bloods and their narco-fueled civil war. The biggest drug bust in history (to that point) occured 7 blocks from my house. I rolled my eyes ever since... And then... I lost college friends to drug overdoses. I saw some of the best and brightest of my university program permanently addle their brains, I saw friends in their 40s, with amazing baby children, commit suicide after years of fighting opiates (the completely legal ones). I saw the CEO in waiting of a fortune 500 company destroy his life with heroin. Now the very first of my children's schoolmates and friends are dying to Fentanyl. Drugs are more and more powerful. The bar to them is less and less. Some people (including myself) have issues with addictive behavior. True enough. But thoose don't melt the skin off your body. Stop normalizing drug use.

brobdingnagians 4y ago

We should look at why our society has such high levels of mental illness, stress, and dysfunction. Putting a bandaid on a gunshot wound or having self medication become standard isn't a real solution, the underlying problems persist. If it's something about modern lifestyles, philosophies, or social environments, then fixing those could lead to much better mental health outcomes. We can do studies on which groups have the best mental health outcomes and encourage those.

BossingAround 4y ago
What I'm saying is that to a certain level, humanity will always want to change their consciousness. This has nothing to do with suffering in the world. Of course, suffering then leads to people seeking out quick fixes. But you know what? If you're suffering from chronic pains, and medical experts can't help you (as has been the case for many people), taking some of these drugs (like THC) is highly preferable to not having anything.
- felipemnoa 4y ago
  I wouldn't really call it changing consciousness but rather just escapism. A lot of people will do drugs because they are trying to escape their lives. Once addicted they are then trying to escape withdrawal.
  - BossingAround 4y ago
    And that's where we disagree. I would hardly talk about a strong LSD/mushroom trip as escapism.

InTheArena 4y ago

"Ah, the result of w̵a̵r̵ ̵o̵n̵ drugs" FTFY I grew up in the 80s in the San Fernando valley. I was in the center of DARE, in the middle of the Crips and the Bloods and their narco-fueled civil war. The biggest drug bust in history (to that point) occured 7 blocks from my house. I rolled my eyes ever since... And then... I lost college friends to drug overdoses. I saw some of the best and brightest of my university program permanently addle their brains, I saw friends in their 40s, with amazing baby children, commit suicide after years of fighting opiates (the completely legal ones). I saw the CEO in waiting of a fortune 500 company destroy his life with heroin. Now the very first of my children's schoolmates and friends are dying to Fentanyl. Drugs are more and more powerful. The bar to them is less and less. Some people (including myself) have issues with addictive behavior. True enough. But thoose don't melt the skin off your body. Stop normalizing drug use.