Quote:
Originally Posted by Drolefille
I'm not sure why you keep quoting the same bit of it. There are big differences between casual users and addicts. BIG ones. And sometimes those dangers listed are much like the side effects on a bottle of medicine. They don't effect everyone equally.
Yeah, an addict could claim to use it as a study aid, or students could use its stimulant effects the same way they use Ratline's. Party use surely vastly outweighs this use, but it IS used for marathon study sessions.
And you're right, I don't care what your mom does because all of her stories are anecdotal. Heartbreaking, surely, but not of any use when trying to show someone up in a conversation. Neither were your links for that matter.
Stop trying to re-educate me. I corrected someone and you felt the need to try and correct me. You have failed to do so because you are wrong. And now you're now trying to say "it doesn't matter, it didn't help this girl." If it didn't matter you wouldn't have tried to say anything about it in the first place.
This is indeed a tragedy, but if we are going to talk about risk management at all, it needs to be in a way that addresses the members' issues, not as another poster suggested, in kicking out troublesome members just to save your chapter's skin.
The terminology is important because it affects your outreach.
Denying that there are casual cocaine (and other hard drug) users inhibits your ability to educate. It's like denying that people can have sex without getting an STD or pregnant. It's not true, and when kids find that out they don't believe anything you said, even the valid points. Why have anti-drug ads done so poorly historically? Because they claimed that pot=ADDICTION AND DEATH. When teens discovered this wasn't true, they weren't afraid of it at all.
Acknowledging casual drug use is not going to encourage kids/teens/etc to use drugs, nor does it minimize the REAL effects of a drug. It just doesn't lie to them.
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You still have your copy of The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic Criteria from DSM-IV?
IMHO, I did not deny the difference between Cocaine Dependence and Cocaine Abuse. And if the perception is that I did, I am sorry
I just pointed out that the end can be the same.
And in truth, I would follow the advice of a professional over one who just took a class. And I did have a long conversation with Mom about this.
At this point, believe and do what you wish to.
There is very little you can say to change my POV on this matter.
Peace Out.
