Taboo subject - Drugs

[Jenny]

Debate thread WARNING *red lights flashing*


Back to topic at hand. I will be completely honest here. If my child wants to try to drink or smoke a joint for the first time. I would really rather they did it in my presence and only with the substance bought by me personally (I'll get into that later). Better in front of me, than some strange place with a bunch of "friends" or people he or she do not know. Because face it, your kids will be exposed and it's their choice as to if they will cave into the pressure to try it. It's up to us to inform them of what is ok or not. And if they are adamant of trying it than like I said, at home and completely supervised. We plan on keeping an open mind about all this.

Hard drugs.. NO NO and NO never would I condone that. Just because of personal experience. I am an ex raver, was completely immersed in it. I've done everything BUT stick a needle in my arm or smoke cr*** (you get the point). Funny how when you're doing them you still have your no no's. Unfortunetly though, became an addict of one of the worst drugs in my opinion (meth). Those were some very very hard times for me but with the help of my DH (who was also a meth addict at the time) and a tragic event we quit for good. Have been clean for many years now. Now, I KNOW there isn't really anything you can do to stop your kids from experimenting. I will try to dissuade them from ever doing any kind of drug. But I also want to keep an open channel that if they DO do it that it's OK to come to me and explain it and help them so they don't do it again. The last thing I want is to make them feel like they can't tell me .

As I mentioned before, about alcohol and weed. Those are the lesser evils in my mind out of anything. Pot is not as bad as liquor to me but I live in Canada, it's not a huge deal here. Being a recreational smoker myself (Do not judge me on this, I DO NOT smoke it infront my kids and I make sure they're gone for the weekends before I partake), I just don't find pot as being a bad thing. BUT BUT BUT, it's only in moderation! Same goes for drinking. So like I said previously, if they want to try those two, then I would prefer it in front of me and supervised when the time comes. And only if I'm able to acquire the substances myself!

This is my opinion on it

 

[Love Bunny]

To wobbles - I agree completly but that applies to all drugs legal and illegal and alot of illegal drugs aren't actually physically addictive. Nicotine is legal and that is highly addictive - I know my OH gets sooo ratty when he hasn't had a fag yet on the otherhand he doesn't get grumpy because he can't have a joint or a pill. I can see why people get enraged when they can't get their fix if they are phsyically addicted, this is because their body *needs* it to cope and its obviously distressing, this doesn't make it right to do so however! Whereas on the otherhand, recrational users are not likely in the slightest to behave like this because their bodys don't have the urge and the need for the drugs they use because they aren't phsyically addictive. Not all illegal drugs are addictive - most of the party drugs are only psychologically addictive to people who think they need them to have a good time, rather than their bodys not functioning properly because the drug isn't in their system. Not all drugs make people angry and horrible , but its sad when they do xx

 

[NuKe]

i cant say ill get mad if i find out my kid has done drugs, as i have been a heavy drug user in the past. that would make me a hyprocrite. i would make sure they knew what they were doing- drink plenty of water etc, make sure you are with friends etc, and try to encourage them to not do it, but at the end of the day, if they are going to do it, they are going to do it. id rather it be an open subject with myself and hubby so they felt at ease and able to talk about it. as long as they have the info- like mixing coke with alcohol actually creates a third poison in your body which is extremely dangerous.

 

[NuKe]

oh and p.s. to the people who are saying about alcohol is legal, drugs arent... alcohol/effects of alcohol kill A LOT more people every year than all illegal drugs put together!

 

[trashit]

Just reading all the updates...
I don't think drugs are a great idea, and i definitely wouldn't want my child to take them, but lets face it they are going to at one point or another, i'm sure even the best of us have tried them, and our children aren't gonna be any different. It does worry me that they'll either become a junkie, or be one of the unfortunate ones who tries it once and dies of course it does. But as love bunny said, alcohol is just as bad and is getting people into trouble just as much as illegal drugs do...
As i said before, i won't promote that they take them, i'll tell them how i feel about them but say that in the end its their decision.
I personally have done them in the past and not really enjoyed them, and same goes for alcohol, i used to binge drink alot but i soon realised how crappy it is..
My OH is very pro-canabis, and grew up that way, but i wouldn't want him bringing our child up with them views, just because i have seen the bad side of it and trust me, that was enough to put me off been pro anything intoxicating...
xx

 

[etcetera]

I can proudly say that I have never and will never do drugs just because I know right from wrong and I've seen up close and personal with my father, my uncles and several other family members exactly what happens when you abuse a substance.

I find it extremely shocking and hard to believe that anyone can be okay with their child doing drugs. Even if you wouldn't promote it, even if you educate them, i still can't imagine it ever being okay. I would hope that my child has enough sense not to do them. I've done some things that I'm not proud of in my lifetime, but thankfully none of them included drugs, and I hope to teach my child that it is possible to have fun with your friends without alcohol and drugs, however, if they do decide to "experiment," which i truly pray to God that they don't, then I guess I will have to cross that bridge when I get to it.

 

[Love Bunny]

I don't think experimenting with drugs is "wrong" but I do believe that letting yourself become absorbed in them and becoming addicted is certainly irresponsible! And that applies to everything! I wouldn't be who I was today if I hadn't tried different things and if anything they've made me more streetwise and open minded Everything in moderation!

 

[Nic1107]

I've experimented "lightly" in the past (tried acid & ecstasy ONCE each and smoked some weed in my time) but I'm gonna be proudly hypocritical and say that if my kids do drugs I'm gonna kick their butts. I'm not gonna fool myself and believe they'll never try anything, but it would be highly inadvisable for them to decide to make a hobby of recreational drug use while under my roof. I have nothing against people who choose to indulge, as other people have a right to do what makes them happy, but it's not something I want to have to deal with in my household, iykwim?

 

[Twin.Mommy]

Debate thread WARNING *red lights flashing*


Back to topic at hand. I will be completely honest here. If my child wants to try to drink or smoke a joint for the first time. I would really rather they did it in my presence and only with the substance bought by me personally (I'll get into that later). Better in front of me, than some strange place with a bunch of "friends" or people he or she do not know. Because face it, your kids will be exposed and it's their choice as to if they will cave into the pressure to try it. It's up to us to inform them of what is ok or not. And if they are adamant of trying it than like I said, at home and completely supervised. We plan on keeping an open mind about all this.

Hard drugs.. NO NO and NO never would I condone that. Just because of personal experience. I am an ex raver, was completely immersed in it. I've done everything BUT stick a needle in my arm or smoke cr*** (you get the point). Funny how when you're doing them you still have your no no's. Unfortunetly though, became an addict of one of the worst drugs in my opinion (meth). Those were some very very hard times for me but with the help of my DH (who was also a meth addict at the time) and a tragic event we quit for good. Have been clean for many years now. Now, I KNOW there isn't really anything you can do to stop your kids from experimenting. I will try to dissuade them from ever doing any kind of drug. But I also want to keep an open channel that if they DO do it that it's OK to come to me and explain it and help them so they don't do it again. The last thing I want is to make them feel like they can't tell me .

As I mentioned before, about alcohol and weed. Those are the lesser evils in my mind out of anything. Pot is not as bad as liquor to me but I live in Canada, it's not a huge deal here. Being a recreational smoker myself (Do not judge me on this, I DO NOT smoke it infront my kids and I make sure they're gone for the weekends before I partake), I just don't find pot as being a bad thing. BUT BUT BUT, it's only in moderation! Same goes for drinking. So like I said previously, if they want to try those two, then I would prefer it in front of me and supervised when the time comes. And only if I'm able to acquire the substances myself!

This is my opinion on it

I agree with what your saying (I have never done anything other than drink alcohol and smoke weed) I will be 20 in october so Im not even legal age to drink but some of my first drinks were wine or champagne with my mother it taught me how to enjoy it rather than abuse it . For example I worked in a Night Club and could drink anytime I worked but never really felt the need to on a rare ocassion I did but I believe because I was introduced to it in a mature and safe way I never felt the need to go overboard. ( I do realize this post was originally about drugs)

 

[Dinoslass]

Well, coming from a country where you can buy soft drugs freely I am brought up with the view drugs are like any other addiction. I have not tried them myself, although once ate some hasj cake, but didn't feel anything. But then again I have never smoked either and am not a big drinker. I think that trying anything is not so bad as long as you don't get addicted. My children know this, so hopefully if they try it will just stay at that. I think it is important to educate children but in the end they will make their own choices about using. You can not imagine this when they are just small and are scared for all the dangers there are ahead, but once they are teenagers and do make their own choices you get even more scared!
And obviously you can say to them that they are not allowed, but still they will do it with friends, allthough I must admit I am not wanting them to use at home either, but then again I don't want them to smoke at home either. Haha, so basicly I am open minded but don't want my children to use any!!!

 

[sparkswillfly]

It not alway the drug that turns people it the 'NEED' for it *now* that can also cause that ituation of violencen ...the pure addiction alone is just as dangerous therefore drugs can be the cause of violence and tempers flying even if its not apart of the effect.

My ex got nasty when his addiction needed his buzz ...or whatever people call it.

I completely understand where your coming from. My mums partner was a violent alchoholic and he used to attack me when I was a teenager to the point where I was removed by social services.

In my experience alcohol is far worse for violent behaviour and far more common.

I havent experienced anyone who is addicted to herion or crack and those kind of things. To me experiementing with MDMA in clubs in my early 20s is completely different from someone who does herion or crack. Its so far removed. They may both be drugs but they are so completely different. A lot of my friends still do go out and take stuff in clubs, some have grown out of it. But not one person has a 'need' to do it, they arent addicted and they would never in a million years go near anythign like herion or crack. I wouldnt even know where to get things like that from.

I dont think my opinion is immature, its just based on my life experiences. Obviously I would prefer my daughter to not do anything, binge drink or take drugs. But if she said she did one or the other I would much prefer her to take a little bit of MDMA once in a while becuase in my opinion is far safer than drinking ridiculous amounts of alcohol to the point you dont know where you are or what your doing, with MDMA you never get like that your not out of control. And I hope that I dont turn into one of those parents who doesnt have the faintest idea what their child is up to so that I can speak to her about things and explain the consequences of all drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. And if she did try anything I would hope that it would be a short time thing that she would grow out of like most people do. I wouldnt do anything anymore because things are different now. I dont even go out anymore.

I dont really base my morality on whats legal and whats not because cigarettes are legal and I cant think of one good reason why they should be. If your looking at long term health affects cigarettes and alcohol are far worse than ecstasy. You dont get liver disease or lung cancer from long term use of ectasy. Its pretty hard to get addicted to it, but its not hard to get addicted to cigarettes.

I could find the statistic of drug related death and deaths relating to cigarettes and alchohol and it is a shocking difference.

 

[Wobbles]

Oh both can make a person violent - the only reason I mentioned it was because it was suggested that it doesn't happen but it does ...above that alcohol is legal howevere thats why I said understanding and control of alcohol is important. I've turned on a few as well so I know it can but both can.

Sadly I have met someone who did go from a little of something to something much worse ...my own father. Drugs are dangerous imo because you try one you'll quite often easily try another innocently.

Who said your opinion was immature? I think I used the word (got to go feed Meggy pops) but it wasn't aimed at you or anyone specific I think some answers just kind of shocked me lol but I guess thats my experience like you Sparks that Ive faced 2 people in my life who have taken different kind of drugs but drugs all the same.

Just because its legal doesn't make it right your definately right there. Even as a smoker wish they would just stop shelving the damn things & alcohol more sensible drinking is needed but how does the world make people realise these things.

x

 

[HotChocolate]

I can proudly say that I have never and will never do drugs just because I know right from wrong and I've seen up close and personal with my father, my uncles and several other family members exactly what happens when you abuse a substance.

I find it extremely shocking and hard to believe that anyone can be okay with their child doing drugs. Even if you wouldn't promote it, even if you educate them, i still can't imagine it ever being okay. I would hope that my child has enough sense not to do them. I've done some things that I'm not proud of in my lifetime, but thankfully none of them included drugs, and I hope to teach my child that it is possible to have fun with your friends without alcohol and drugs, however, if they do decide to "experiment," which i truly pray to God that they don't, then I guess I will have to cross that bridge when I get to it.

It's not that i'm "okay" with my child doing drugs but don't we all have to be aware of the fact that our children are more likely to face them in their lifetime? Yes we can steer them in the right direction but we cannot make their decisions for them. My argument is that i'm not going to drum it into my childs head NOT to take drugs because if i do that, they're only going to want to do it.
However, if i found them popping a pill then yes I'd definately make them aware of the consequences and i'm not being funny or anything but i'd much rather hand them a spliff there and then rather than watch them go down the road of pills. But then again, some "hard" drugs are completely natural but it's just the people who deal drugs that decide to mix other substances in with them so they make a profit..'sell less, gain more' & that's exactly how the drug world works.
Yeah there are people who can get themselves out of it easily and won't have to worry about becoming completely addicted but then you've got the scag heads who can't climb out and make people believe that smoking cannabis is completely WRONG and it's this and it's that. When i watch the Jeremy Kyle show and there's a young lad on there who occasionally smokes a spliff, JK automatically assumes he/she is addicted and tells them they MUST stop straight away.. & i'm sitting here like.. Well, why? What about all the people who go to the pub every night and get rat arsed.. Then at around 3 in the morning you see them crawling up the street, pissing up walls and you can't even begin to imagine what their liver must look like.
I can't honestly understand why alcohol is legal and cannabis isn't... 5 pints of beer will turn a person much nastier than 5 spliffs will.

(I think i must of stopped replying to what a quoted at the beginning somewhere.. I just got carried away lol) xxx

 

[Love Bunny]

Maybe that poses the fact that they are legal and so obviously more people are willing to try them that reason the death/illness rate from legal drugs are so high?

I'm pretty sure that if anyone was open to trying a drug like MDMA, ecstacy or acid they would like it if it was the decent clean stuff as whats not to like about walking round with the hugest smile on your face, feeling so euphoric you are lost for words without a care in the world and just generally being able to see deeper into everyday things and understand things from different perspectives.

I completly agree with the facts and figures death rates are far worse from legal drugs to illegal drugs but i think its honestly only to do with the fact that most people aren't stupid and irresponsible with them. I personally can't stand alchohol, it ruins my friends and when I see them drunk it makes me feel embarressed as they are loud, leary nearly always end up in a heap crying (for no apparent reason?! why do people feel the need to cry when they are drunk!) slurr so much you cant understand what they are saying and generally just look a complete mess and usually pass out halfway through the night! They aren't like this sober, so why does alchol make them like this and produce such negative effects? And this isn't just my friends! I see it everytime I go out! But my other friends who I used to use drugs with weren't like that at all! Even if they were high and I was sober I never found them annoying or loud or worst of all crying for no reason !! Good party drugs like ecstacy, cannabis, MDMA and acid very very very rarely turn people nasty as they aren't addictive and aren't produced to have negative effects, they are happy drugs which make people want to talk and be social and send your serotonin levels high so you have no reason to be angry! Its drugs like heroin, crack, cocaine etc that are nasty and addictive.

Drugs like Heroin and MDMA might be in the same classification (A) but you really cannot get 2 drugs further away from eachother!

I'd hope that in the future my babies will tell me about their experiences good and bad if they chose to take drugs as it will more than likely fascinate me whats around in 15-20 years time! As long as they look after themselves, are streetwise and are happy with what they are doing (as I can't imagine addicts being happy with their addiction!) that is all that matters

 

[sparkswillfly]

Sadly I have met someone who did go from a little of something to something much worse ...my own father. Drugs are dangerous imo because you try one you'll quite often easily try another innocently.

Yeah I know that happens but I think it takes a certain kind of person to try things like herion or crack. I just cant understand why someone would do it. I guess people try those kind of things because they want some kind of escape from their troubles where as someone trying 'party' drugs are just looking to have fun and it rarely goes past that.

For example cocaine addiction, when I was younger I thought that it was really easy to get addicted to it and that one bit would have you hooked but its not like that at all in reality. You would have to do vast quantities over a period of time. When you look at people like Kerry Katona and that girl from eastenders with no nose, they must have been doing ridiculous amounts to get to the point where you want to do it in your bathroom before you go pick the kids up. They clearly got that way because they were trying to medicate their problems. Cocaine use is rife, I dont think people realise how bad it is. When I worked in a bar I would have to check the toilets every 30 mins and there would always be people doing it. Every kind of person young, old, professionals or students. Im not saying its a good thing by any means but its more common than people think and you wouldnt know to look at people if they were doing coke on a weekend. I guess what Im trying to say is its highly unlikely that those people will go on to try what I would call harder drugs.

Its like saying someone who has a glass of wine with their meal every night would then go on to drink bottles of wray and nephews or white lightening.

 

[HotChocolate]

"I'm pretty sure that if anyone was open to trying a drug like MDMA, ecstacy or acid they would like it if it was the decent clean stuff as whats not to like about walking round with the hugest smile on your face, feeling so euphoric you are lost for words without a care in the world and just generally being able to see deeper into everyday things and understand things from different perspectives."

I completely agree with you. IF ecstacy or MDMA were legal and more and more people were trying them, everybody would want some for the simple reason of them being legal.. They wouldn't really think about the fact that they're bad for you etc. & who wouldn't want to? When i've had a joint and i'm with my friends all i want to do is listen to DEEEP songs and talk about what is really going on in my mind whereas when i've just had 3 shots of vodka and 5 WKD's, for example, i'm either crying on my friends shoulder or sitting on a kerb chatting complete shit to somebody i've never met in my life, before being sick everywhere!
I know that i could easily say OMG.. When i'm high it just takes me somewhere i've never been before and it's just amazing, i think about things i've never imagined i'd think about and it allows me to look at things in a different perspective. But then you have people who can't control themselves and they're the reason why everybody assumes that people who smoke weed are tearaways.
I'd quite happily spark up a spliff with my teenage son/daughter, they may be a little embarrassed but at least they know that they don't have to hide things from me. I'd rather me know than have to hear it from the person living in the next street. Besides, i don't see the difference between doing that & me handing them a can of lager.

 

[sparkswillfly]

Maybe that poses the fact that they are legal and so obviously more people are willing to try them that reason the death/illness rate from legal drugs are so high?

Not really. Long term use of ectasy doesnt have the same effect as long term use of alcohol or cigaretters in terms of health.

Deaths associated with different illegal drugs are also difficult to judge accurately. One exception is ecstasy with over 250 ecstasy-related deaths being reported between 1999 and 2004.

It is estimated that each year in the UK around 114,000 people die from tobacco-related diseases, particularly from cancer, respiratory diseases and heart disease.

Estimates of annual alcohol-related deaths in England and Wales vary from 5,000 to 40,000. This includes deaths from cirrhosis of the liver and other health problems from long-term drinking, deliberate and accidental overdose, traffic deaths, fatal accidents while drunk etc.

https://www.drugscope.org.uk/resources/faqs/faqpages/how-many-people-die-from-drugs.htm

 

[Love Bunny]

I never said it did in the way your putting it :S I meant in a way as in if it was legal your more likely to die suddenly from people thinking its okay to take loads (like people who drink themselves stupid) or develop more serious mental illnesses which is very true indeed. I think I'd rather my organs fail me than be braindead/schitz from using too many/much of one drug(s). Illegal drugs have the ability to unlock mental illnesses in some people that can't be erased and can cause some people brain damage if they aren't careful.

And who said I was talking about ecstacy alone haha!! You can't just use one drug as an example!

 

[sparkswillfly]

https://www.drugscope.org.uk/resources/faqs/faqpages/why-do-people-die-after-taking-ecstasy.htm

This is also a very interesting article it shows that no one actually has died from the toxic affect of pills. Busting the 'bad pill' myth. People die from not being sensible. It is all just blown up by the media.

People drive cars but if done senisble wont get harmed. Its not the cars that kill people its the people driving like maniacs.

 

[Wobbles]

Sparks:

Whats a 'certain type of person' it can simply be going with the crowd the moment? I know why my father started and it wasn't because he was a 'certain type' at all. My Dad never touched alcohol or drugs so it is likely & not unlikely! Hes a certain type now though. Was very heartbroken when I found out.

You firstly get hooked on the feeling not the need in most cases (drugs and alcohol) its wrong to say you can't on drugs and possible on alcohol or vise versa both substances are easily that - hookable lol

The last comment you made - Funny I was going to say like someone who will have a drink of vodka & coke will try their mates whiskey & lemonade.

..........
I don't want to be open to drugs Ive had plenty of chances in my life & for some reason even with the company I never bothered. I don't really want my children walking round without a care in the world. I am a VERY street wise person (going on a reply a few back) it didn't take drugs to make me that person it took watching others screw up their lives & be in control of mine imo & my personal experience.

Would I be pissed if I found my children had done any of these things - be the mad angry Mummy? Not at all. Both me & their Daddy have had 2 different experiences in life so we're both pretty wise to whats around and we hope that one day we can together help our chdilren should we come across any of these situations.

I have to say Im pretty glad I didn't spend any of my life staring at patterned wallpapers & my life is what it is today because I wasn't sitting on a big fluffy cloud I am terrible however for having a glass of vodka because it gives me confidence ...I lack it big time ...thats my drug to cure it. In its own little way possibily just as bad for sure.

What I was pointing out with the legal & illegal stuff is I'd rather my girls weren't sat in a prison cell for the handling or possession of drugs - I got arrested once for drugs ...I was mortified because it wasn't even mine & I'd rather they knew how to take control of things like alcohol if they do like it at all & that you don't need 10 drinks to have a good night! Like my Auntie ...she will go out have a single bacardi then she'll have a coke/orange alone to stay alert to the surrounding company/people and herself. Control.