Why have you not tried 'drugs'?
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Original post by limetang
Well firstly I have no idea what's in the stuff someone is selling me on a street corner, and I'm not going to put something in my body when I haven't actually got a clue what it is. And secondly I know what the affects of drugs are, but they're affects that don't really appeal to me.
You get it from trusted dealers, not off the street
Original post by abc:)
Well you would think so but these things turn up in tests. Yes if you're taking drugs you should use a testing kit but I don't know anyone who does, that's what worries me mostly. And the fact that a lot of people, myself included, wouldn't know what to do if someone reacted badly to drugs.
It sounds like you're pretty clued up but out of the people I've come across you're in the minority.
I guess there's a good case for legalising drugs here, although I'm undecided on it
It sounds like you're pretty clued up but out of the people I've come across you're in the minority.
I guess there's a good case for legalising drugs here, although I'm undecided on it
Well school shouldn't simply be blanket teaching people 'dont take drugs', it should be teaching people how to take drugs safely if they choose to. These things rarely turn up in tests, although there was a phase when weed was sprayed with glass, which was seriously ridiculous and totally down to prohibition. If you have tested the drugs, and the person has a bad reaction then it is almost certainly an allergic reaction, and they need to go to hospital to be given antihistamines. But that is very unlikely to happen.
The question you need to ask is are people using drugs in lower quantities because they are banned, and is it increasing safety? Studies suggest that cannabis use in The Netherlands is far lower than here, despite it being freely available to adults. Everywhere that has played around with decriminalisation and legalisation have seen a decrease in drug use. And as we have discussed, the majority of the dangers stem from the fact the drugs are illegal. And as if that wasn't enough you can tax the drugs to pay for the damage done, and then some. And you also save tons of money because you don't need as many police officers, or people in prison.
Original post by Elipsis
Well school shouldn't simply be blanket teaching people 'dont take drugs', it should be teaching people how to take drugs safely if they choose to. These things rarely turn up in tests, although there was a phase when weed was sprayed with glass, which was seriously ridiculous and totally down to prohibition. If you have tested the drugs, and the person has a bad reaction then it is almost certainly an allergic reaction, and they need to go to hospital to be given antihistamines. But that is very unlikely to happen.
The question you need to ask is are people using drugs in lower quantities because they are banned, and is it increasing safety? Studies suggest that cannabis use in The Netherlands is far lower than here, despite it being freely available to adults. Everywhere that has played around with decriminalisation and legalisation have seen a decrease in drug use. And as we have discussed, the majority of the dangers stem from the fact the drugs are illegal. And as if that wasn't enough you can tax the drugs to pay for the damage done, and then some. And you also save tons of money because you don't need as many police officers, or people in prison.
The question you need to ask is are people using drugs in lower quantities because they are banned, and is it increasing safety? Studies suggest that cannabis use in The Netherlands is far lower than here, despite it being freely available to adults. Everywhere that has played around with decriminalisation and legalisation have seen a decrease in drug use. And as we have discussed, the majority of the dangers stem from the fact the drugs are illegal. And as if that wasn't enough you can tax the drugs to pay for the damage done, and then some. And you also save tons of money because you don't need as many police officers, or people in prison.
In school we learned about taking drugs safely
obviously with the whole 'don't do it, but if you do...'I think it was a good approach
Original post by crazyunicorn133
Just never fancied it tbh.
Simples.
Simples.
this
Food is my drug.
Original post by kerily
I just haven't got round to it, really 
A pretty boring reason 
I agree that we should legalise some drugs, but blimey, don't you think heroin is more dangerous than alcohol?
A pretty boring reason I agree that we should legalise some drugs, but blimey, don't you think heroin is more dangerous than alcohol?
Heroin is more dangerous than alcohol, tests have been done. But alcohol kills more people per year, obviously because more people take it.
Original post by I-Am-A-Tripod
So the bigger question is why do some people feel they need a chemical high, its not part of the basic human need to eat, sleep, pro create etc. Perhaps the same reason why some people feel they 'need' a drink to be social. This non science question, something for a psychologist to investigate.
So the bigger question is why do some people feel they need a chemical high, its not part of the basic human need to eat, sleep, pro create etc. Perhaps the same reason why some people feel they 'need' a drink to be social. This non science question, something for a psychologist to investigate.
Well I think it's just a natural urge, I mean, we're not the only species that likes to get loaded. It's not just for a buzz/high either (although that's always nice), the psychedelic experience can be more of a spiritual experience than any church can give you. I suspect it's where the whole idea of a "god" came from in the first place.
It's been practiced for many thousands of years and tribal communities out there still do it today. There's a difference between that and using drugs just to get ****ed up on, that can be fun but that's also where drugs get their bad name from. Some of them really are pointless & dangerous, but some of them are gifts from nature IMO.
(edited 12 years ago)
Are you telling me I should take drugs? Shame on you. I want to be a pharmacist. Can't do that if I have a history of drug use. How could they trust me not to nick drugs from behind the counter? And I really want this. Besides, I have an imagination, I don't need drugs.
LIST OF DRUGS IN ORDER OF DANGER
Thought this might be useful (sorry if this list has been put up already, but this is a massive thread and I can't look through the entire thing :P)
Legal
Illegal
1. Heroin
Class A drug. Originally used as a painkiller and derived from the opium poppy. There were 897 deaths recorded from heroin and morphine use in 2008 in England and Wales, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). There were around 13,000 seizures, amounting to 1.6m tonnes of heroin.
2. Cocaine
Class A. Stimulant produced from the South American coca leaf. Accounted for 235 deaths – a sharp rise on the previous year's fatalities. Nearly 25,000 seizures were made, amounting to 2.9 tonnes of the drug.
3. Barbituates
Class B. Synthetic sedatives used for anaesthetic purposes. Blamed for 13 deaths.
4. Street methadone
Class A. A synthetic opioid, commonly used as a substitute for treating heroin patients. Accounted for 378 deaths and there were more than 1,000 seizures of the drug.
5. Alcohol
Subject to increasing concern from the medical profession about its damage to health. According to the ONS, there were 8,724 alcohol deaths in the UK in 2007. Other sources claim the true figure is far higher.
6. Ketamine
Class C. A hallucinogenic dance drug for clubbers. There were 23 ketamine-related deaths in the UK between 1993 and 2006. Last year there were 1,266 seizures.
7. Benzodiazepines
Class C. A hypnotic relaxant used to treat anxiety and insomnia. Includes drugs such as diazepam, temazepam and nitrazepam. Caused 230 deaths and 1.8m doses were confiscated in more than 4,000 seizure operations.
8. Amphetamine
Class B. A psychostimulant that combats fatigue and suppresses hunger. Associated with 99 deaths, although this tally includes some ecstasy deaths. Nearly 8,000 seizures, adding up to almost three tonnes.
9. Tobacco
A stimulant that is highly addictive due to its nicotine content. More than 100,000 people a year die from smoking and tobacco-related diseases, including cancer, respiratory diseases and heart disease.
10. Buprenorphine
An opiate used for pain control, and sometimes as a substitute to wean addicts off heroin. Said to have caused 43 deaths in the UK between 1980 and 2002.
11. Cannabis
Class B. A psychoactive drug recently appearing in stronger forms such as "skunk". The subject of intense controversy over its long-term effects and capacity for inducing schizophrenia. Caused 19 deaths and there were 186,000 seizures, netting 65 tonnes of the drug and 640,000 cannabis plants.
12. Solvents
Fumes inhaled to produce a sense of intoxication. Usually abused by teenagers. Derived from commonly available products such as glue and aerosol sprays. Causes around 50 deaths a year.
13. 4-MTA
Class A. Originally designed for laboratory research. Releases serotonin in the body. Only four deaths reported in the UK between 1997 and 2004.
14. LSD
Class A. Hallucinogenic drug originally synthesised by a German chemist in 1938. Very few deaths recorded.
15. Methylphenidate
Class B drug. Brand name of Ritalin. A psychostimulant sometimes used in the treatment of attention deficit disorders.
16. Anabolic steroids
Class C. Used to develop muscles, notably in competitive sports. Also alleged to induce aggression. Have been blamed for causing deaths among bodybuilders. More than 800 seizures.
17. GHB
Class C drug. A clear liquid dance drug said to induce euphoria, also described as a date rape drug. Can trigger comas and suppress breathing. Caused 20 deaths and 47 seizures were recorded.
18. Ecstasy
Class A. Psychoactive dance drug. Caused 44 deaths, with around 5,000 seizures made.
19. Alykl nitrites
Known as "poppers". Inhaled for their role as a muscle relaxant and supposed sexual stimulant. Reduce blood pressure, which can cause fainting and in some cases death.
20. Khat
A psychoactive plant, the leaves of which are chewed in east Africa and Yemen. Also known as qat. Produces mild psychological dependence. Its derivatives, cathinone and cathine, are Class C drugs in the UK.
Source: Professor David Nutt, ex-Chairman of the Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs
Thought this might be useful (sorry if this list has been put up already, but this is a massive thread and I can't look through the entire thing :P)
Legal
Illegal
1. Heroin
Class A drug. Originally used as a painkiller and derived from the opium poppy. There were 897 deaths recorded from heroin and morphine use in 2008 in England and Wales, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). There were around 13,000 seizures, amounting to 1.6m tonnes of heroin.
2. Cocaine
Class A. Stimulant produced from the South American coca leaf. Accounted for 235 deaths – a sharp rise on the previous year's fatalities. Nearly 25,000 seizures were made, amounting to 2.9 tonnes of the drug.
3. Barbituates
Class B. Synthetic sedatives used for anaesthetic purposes. Blamed for 13 deaths.
4. Street methadone
Class A. A synthetic opioid, commonly used as a substitute for treating heroin patients. Accounted for 378 deaths and there were more than 1,000 seizures of the drug.
5. Alcohol
Subject to increasing concern from the medical profession about its damage to health. According to the ONS, there were 8,724 alcohol deaths in the UK in 2007. Other sources claim the true figure is far higher.
6. Ketamine
Class C. A hallucinogenic dance drug for clubbers. There were 23 ketamine-related deaths in the UK between 1993 and 2006. Last year there were 1,266 seizures.
7. Benzodiazepines
Class C. A hypnotic relaxant used to treat anxiety and insomnia. Includes drugs such as diazepam, temazepam and nitrazepam. Caused 230 deaths and 1.8m doses were confiscated in more than 4,000 seizure operations.
8. Amphetamine
Class B. A psychostimulant that combats fatigue and suppresses hunger. Associated with 99 deaths, although this tally includes some ecstasy deaths. Nearly 8,000 seizures, adding up to almost three tonnes.
9. Tobacco
A stimulant that is highly addictive due to its nicotine content. More than 100,000 people a year die from smoking and tobacco-related diseases, including cancer, respiratory diseases and heart disease.
10. Buprenorphine
An opiate used for pain control, and sometimes as a substitute to wean addicts off heroin. Said to have caused 43 deaths in the UK between 1980 and 2002.
11. Cannabis
Class B. A psychoactive drug recently appearing in stronger forms such as "skunk". The subject of intense controversy over its long-term effects and capacity for inducing schizophrenia. Caused 19 deaths and there were 186,000 seizures, netting 65 tonnes of the drug and 640,000 cannabis plants.
12. Solvents
Fumes inhaled to produce a sense of intoxication. Usually abused by teenagers. Derived from commonly available products such as glue and aerosol sprays. Causes around 50 deaths a year.
13. 4-MTA
Class A. Originally designed for laboratory research. Releases serotonin in the body. Only four deaths reported in the UK between 1997 and 2004.
14. LSD
Class A. Hallucinogenic drug originally synthesised by a German chemist in 1938. Very few deaths recorded.
15. Methylphenidate
Class B drug. Brand name of Ritalin. A psychostimulant sometimes used in the treatment of attention deficit disorders.
16. Anabolic steroids
Class C. Used to develop muscles, notably in competitive sports. Also alleged to induce aggression. Have been blamed for causing deaths among bodybuilders. More than 800 seizures.
17. GHB
Class C drug. A clear liquid dance drug said to induce euphoria, also described as a date rape drug. Can trigger comas and suppress breathing. Caused 20 deaths and 47 seizures were recorded.
18. Ecstasy
Class A. Psychoactive dance drug. Caused 44 deaths, with around 5,000 seizures made.
19. Alykl nitrites
Known as "poppers". Inhaled for their role as a muscle relaxant and supposed sexual stimulant. Reduce blood pressure, which can cause fainting and in some cases death.
20. Khat
A psychoactive plant, the leaves of which are chewed in east Africa and Yemen. Also known as qat. Produces mild psychological dependence. Its derivatives, cathinone and cathine, are Class C drugs in the UK.
Source: Professor David Nutt, ex-Chairman of the Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs
(edited 12 years ago)
Got better things to be doing than taking drugs tbh.
Because they're 'illegal'.
Although mostly it's because I have no idea where people get them from. Seriously, where do you find all this cool ****?
Although mostly it's because I have no idea where people get them from. Seriously, where do you find all this cool ****?
- Screws up your health, in the short-term + long term
- Make you ugly, seeing as it can mess up metabolism and skin/hair changes.
- Waste of money
- Screws up your relationships, how you want to be viewed, often leads to isolation and depression.
- Isolation + depression = 0 quality of life
- Illness from drugs, i imagine, would be long term, making the depression worse.
I don't see the point, it's like death-row.
- Make you ugly, seeing as it can mess up metabolism and skin/hair changes.
- Waste of money
- Screws up your relationships, how you want to be viewed, often leads to isolation and depression.
- Isolation + depression = 0 quality of life
- Illness from drugs, i imagine, would be long term, making the depression worse.
I don't see the point, it's like death-row.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Piddly
Obviously this thread only applies to people who do not experiment with drugs (excluding alcohol, nicotine and pharmaceuticals).
Is it the Law? Are you afraid of being caught?
Are you worried about you health?
Are you scared of becoming addicted?
Or do you feel like you are too ignorant about the drug in question to feel like you should experiment with it?
I am just interested to find out why people do not experiment. For me, although I do not take anything very often except cannabis and alcohol, drugs are important to me. The different states of mind you enter when taking weed/ mushrooms/ LSD/ MDMA/ salvia/ cocaine etc are so intriguing. I would find it horrible to be trapped in a sober mind 24/7.
Yes, drugs deserve a LOT of respect and one must know exactly what he/she is doing before trying a new drug for the first time. But there are only a few drugs which, in my opinion, are not worth trying at least once in your life. Just to feel how your mind alters under these substances is amazing.
Is it the Law? Are you afraid of being caught?
Are you worried about you health?
Are you scared of becoming addicted?
Or do you feel like you are too ignorant about the drug in question to feel like you should experiment with it?
I am just interested to find out why people do not experiment. For me, although I do not take anything very often except cannabis and alcohol, drugs are important to me. The different states of mind you enter when taking weed/ mushrooms/ LSD/ MDMA/ salvia/ cocaine etc are so intriguing. I would find it horrible to be trapped in a sober mind 24/7.
Yes, drugs deserve a LOT of respect and one must know exactly what he/she is doing before trying a new drug for the first time. But there are only a few drugs which, in my opinion, are not worth trying at least once in your life. Just to feel how your mind alters under these substances is amazing.
Two of the things you stated.
I fear for my health and i also fear that if i do take any drugs, i might end up being hooked on them, and to be honest i'd rather not be hooked on drugs during my A-levels and during anytime in my life to be honest.
I also think that if i were to take drugs, my mind would never be the same again. I often think that if i did take drugs, my mind would start functioning at 50% rather than what it i now.
ehm....because i don't want to...!
Original post by Marinated_in_Joy
6. Ketamine
Class C. A hallucinogenic dance drug for clubbers. There were 23 ketamine-related deaths in the UK between 1993 and 2006. Last year there were 1,266 seizures.
Class C. A hallucinogenic dance drug for clubbers. There were 23 ketamine-related deaths in the UK between 1993 and 2006. Last year there were 1,266 seizures.
I really thought that said "A hallucinogenic dance drug for children" for a second and was really alarmed for half a second, then I was like 'okay whatever, their opinion..' and then I was like '...I need sleep'
That is all :P
Original post by Katie_Saint
My boyfriend's step-sister did mephedrone, valium, ketamine and mdma with a lot of vodka, and it nearly killed her. At age 16 she suffered acute liver and kidney failure, was on life support for a week and in hospital for a month. She was blue-lighted her from Bournemouth to the Liver Intensive Care Unit at King's College hospital in London, sedated as it was the only way she had a chance of surviving the journey. They took her there to prepare to do a liver transplant, and they only decided not to when her liver miraculously started to regenerate on its own. Her chances of survival with no long-term effects were 5%. She had a 70% chance of having brain damage to the severity she'd never walk or talk again, and every night for a week when she was on life support her parents were told to say goodbye to her as she wasn't expected to live through the night. If she hadn't gone to hospital when she did she'd have died in her sleep that night. So all you people saying that drugs aren't dangerous need to check your facts, cause that's a really stupid thing to say.
That's a very sad story and I'm sorry that you had to go through that and that someone you know has ended up so badly, but honestly, when you're mixing that quantity of drugs along with alcohol, something is going to go wrong. To not know that mixing things like that would be incredibly dangerous, is well, not very intelligent.
To then infer that because someone has gone and mixed loads of drugs (Some of which quite obviously will have incredibly dangerous effects when mixed i.e Ketamine and alcohol), that all drugs will have, or even have the potential to have, similar dangerous effects, is just completely flawed. I'm not trying to be harsh and I'm not trying to undermine what happened, it's definitely very sad. The fact is though, your experience is not representative of 99% of the cases and it's certainly one that, unfortunately, with a bit of common sense, some research on drug effects and what you should do to stay safe, then it could have been prevented.
This is the case with a lot of drug deaths, people simply aren't educated on the dos and don'ts, they don't read or research about what could be potentially dangerous and what will keep them safe. Many of the ecstacy related deaths are due to dehydration, hypothermia and overheating. These can all be prevented by simply, making sure you take regular breaks from dancing, sipping water over the hour, making sure you're not getting too hot or too cold etc theyre simple things that can prevent very serious consequences.
Original post by SnoochToTheBooch
Well I think it's just a natural urge, I mean, we're not the only species that likes to get loaded. It's not just for a buzz/high either (although that's always nice), the psychedelic experience can be more of a spiritual experience than any church can give you. I suspect it's where the whole idea of a "god" came from in the first place.
It's been practiced for many thousands of years and tribal communities out there still do it today. There's a difference between that and using drugs just to get ****ed up on, that can be fun but that's also where drugs get their bad name from. Some of them really are pointless & dangerous, but some of them are gifts from nature IMO.
It's been practiced for many thousands of years and tribal communities out there still do it today. There's a difference between that and using drugs just to get ****ed up on, that can be fun but that's also where drugs get their bad name from. Some of them really are pointless & dangerous, but some of them are gifts from nature IMO.
There are therories that state some people are more gentically predisposed to be more receprive to all stimulants including drugs like nicotine, caffeine etc. personally i dont enjoy coffee and didnt enjoy smoking tobacco or anything else but have friends that cant live without either - there appears to be a physiological level of dependancy that varies form person to person so it probably isnt the case that all of human civilisation liked to get high, only those that craved such based on their brain chemistry.
Most (recreational drugs) have been simply lifted from medical science - which in turn were developed from natural sources. Those that have been developed fro medical purposes are far more potent in the human body than their original traces in nature - so there is no logic to using these recreationally- i note none of the other drug users have tried to debte this point so far.
Things like weed and mushrooms is debateable as to their benefits/symptoms in the abscence of long term testing of users- i wouldnt describe these as 'drugs' however as they are generally found in their natual state. this doesnt apply to engineered skunk however, which im fairly convinced is likely to cause psychiatric issues long term. If the OP is asking why people dont try drugs, well theres a myriad of obvious reasons.
In all cases these are all extremely powerful substance that have significant impact on the brain - the workings of which we hardly understand, and we dont really know how it reacts to long term exposure to such stimulants.
There are of course non-scientifc psychological and social issues tied into use of any of these stimulants as with any, such as links to crime such as theft, addiction, and lose of control of ones faculties ( in driving a car etc)
(edited 12 years ago)
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