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To be fair, the stigma attached to people who use these drugs is, I think, wrong. I call it "wrong" because I think the negative associations with "doing drugs"

To be fair, the stigma attached to people who use these drugs is, I think, wrong. I call it "wrong" because I think the negative associations with "doing drugs" contribute to the rate of bad experiences and, given that people are going to use drugs, I'd rather they not have bad trips. I think it's unwise but not immoral. And a person who has taken a drug and is having a difficult experience shouldn't be thinking thoughts like, "this is wrong and I knew it is wrong and that's why I'm suffering" because that will enhance the bad-trip/panic-attack element but, instead, "I made a decision and now I'm having this experience and the only thing I can do is learn from it". I like the Eastern approach to morality better than the Abrahamic one. Negative actions aren't "immoral" and don't make you a "dirty" person; they're unskillful and, given that we've been in samsara for a long time, we've all done a lot of extremely unskillful things.

jacquesm 14y ago
For me it is really simple: other people get to use their bodies as they see fit and I get to use mine the same way. I don't judge my friends that drink, smoke or do drugs. If that is what they think is the best way for them to live then that is their freedom.
- michaelochurch 14y ago
  Exactly. I think you're right on about sugar. The amount of it that people are consuming is ridiculous. Obesity in the U.S. is a real problem. I've seen people ruin their lives with soda. One person I know is at least 300 pounds (135 kg) and most of it is from soda. He drinks, on average, 4 20-oz (590mL) bottles per day. That's 960 empty calories, or a pound of fat every 4 days (!). Also, I know a couple people who are now dealing with the end stages of diabetes. Really ugly stuff.
- nacker 14y ago
  Well it seems to me that when you said: "> Part of the reason why people want others to use the same drug is to feel less guilty about their using. I think that about sums it up." that is an extremely negative judgement. So you think that anyone who recommends a drug to you is doing do for the selfish reason that this makes them feel "less guilty" about something they actually consider wrong? Bizarre. Judgmental. And very wrong.

jacquesm 14y ago

For me it is really simple: other people get to use their bodies as they see fit and I get to use mine the same way. I don't judge my friends that drink, smoke or do drugs. If that is what they think is the best way for them to live then that is their freedom.

michaelochurch 14y ago
Exactly. I think you're right on about sugar. The amount of it that people are consuming is ridiculous. Obesity in the U.S. is a real problem. I've seen people ruin their lives with soda. One person I know is at least 300 pounds (135 kg) and most of it is from soda. He drinks, on average, 4 20-oz (590mL) bottles per day. That's 960 empty calories, or a pound of fat every 4 days (!). Also, I know a couple people who are now dealing with the end stages of diabetes. Really ugly stuff.
nacker 14y ago
Well it seems to me that when you said: "> Part of the reason why people want others to use the same drug is to feel less guilty about their using. I think that about sums it up." that is an extremely negative judgement. So you think that anyone who recommends a drug to you is doing do for the selfish reason that this makes them feel "less guilty" about something they actually consider wrong? Bizarre. Judgmental. And very wrong.