Hypothetical Qs - Drugs

[Drolefille]

Yeah, and then a ton of people die. Don't think so. Oh yes and we have superbugs due to abuse of antibiotics.

*shakes head* it's more complex than that.

And just because MDMA appears to be an overreaction due to its being a designer drug, doesn't mean the rest of it is bunk too.

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Yeah, and then a ton of people die. Don't think so. Oh yes and we have superbugs due to abuse of antibiotics.

*shakes head* it's more complex than that.

A ton of people die how? Pharmacists know their paitents better and can therefore prevent bad interactions.

So, basically, you're reasoning is: "because I say so and it's more complex"?

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

A ton of people die how? Pharmacists know their paitents better and can therefore prevent bad interactions.

So, basically, you're reasoning is: "because I say so and it's more complex"?

yes, it's more complex then "someone didn't like it" If you disagree, provide more concrete objections. You assume that the pharmacist will automatically know all medications a person is taking, you assume a pharmacist will take the same level of care as a doctor? How is that any more free? And, I really don't want highly addictive substances so available, that's the matter of public interest that gets the government involved. Yes there are examples of overreactions, MDMA and Cannabis among them, but you don't want to return to opium dens either nor encourage high levels of addiction that results in negative social behaviors to get the next fix.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

You don't need to get headaches or an uncomfortable side effect to be addicted to it. You feel as though you need coffee because it gives you a "high."

I rarely drink coffee (maybe once every 5 months) and when I do it's because I like the coffee flavor.

I have never smoked a cigarette but I puffed on a cigar a couple of times (puffed, meaning, puffed out but too paranoid to puff in or inhale...or whatever...LOL--still no fun).

A high? But I'm still in my right frame of mind when do drink it. And I haven't had coffee in a few weeks, because I was using one of my 3 week vacations because of my rotations. I mean, I studied, but I went to bed when I felt sleepy. When I did drink it a lot, that was when I was doing my classroom work. I would think an addict drinks it almost daily, like someone who smokes cigarettes. I didn't drink it like that. I will be when it gets closer to my board exam, but right now, I don't stay up all night like I did during my 1st 2 years of school. Now, I have to perform surgeries, give anesthesia etc. It's hard to do that without any sleep. I mean, I don't even know why anyone would compare coffee to crack, or any of the other illegal drugs. Those drugs not only get you high, they make you do things that you normally wouldn't do, like kill, steal, hurt people, etc, just to get it. And smoking? Ewwww, that's just gross, to me.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by PrettyBoy

Nah, I wouldn't want to try anything that has a negative effect on my mind. I've tried alcohol, when I was in college, but I never liked the taste of it, so I don't drink at all. I drink coffee on the way to work in the morning, but as long as it has a lot of sugar and cream in it, I like the taste of it.

lol
Yeah, but there's a lot of sugar and then there's your version of "a lot of sugar." You put sugar in your coffee like Seth Brundle did in the fly. That movie still makes me laugh, especially the bar scene and the candy bar.

[Todd Bridges]

An addict is an addict.

[PrettyBoy]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

lol
Yeah, but there's a lot of sugar and then there's your version of "a lot of sugar." You put sugar in your coffee like Seth Brundle did in the fly.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

Those drugs not only get you high, they make you do things that you normally wouldn't do, like kill, steal, hurt people, etc, just to get it.

No, the average drug addict (who would be a law abiding citizen if not for the illegal nature of drugs) does not kill, steal, hurt people, or commit crimes to support the habbit. That scare tactic was used to shape public opinion on drugs.

The average motivated offender (who is a lawbreaker beyond the illegal nature of drugs) who is also a drug addict (most are) does kill, steal, hurt people, or commit crimes to support the habbit. Moreover, offenders often take drugs or consume alcohol to further free themselves from a law abiding mindset before commiting a crime. This is what it means that drugs are a facilitating factor for crime.

BTW, a high = whatever utility the substance had for you.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

No, the average drug addict (who would be a law abiding citizen if not for the illegal nature of drugs) does not kill, steal, hurt people, or commit crimes to support the habbit. That scare tactic was used to shape public opinion on drugs.

The average motivated offender (who is a lawbreaker beyond the illegal nature of drugs) who is also a drug addict (most are) does kill, steal, hurt people, or commit crimes to support the habbit. Moreover, offenders often take drugs or consume alcohol to further free themselves from a law abiding mindset before commiting a crime. This is what it means that drugs are a facilitating factor for crime.

BTW, a high = whatever utility the substance had for you.

I didn't look at it like that. That makes sense. It's just that I was thinking addict as in meaning someone who's "gotta have it." Ya know what I mean? I guess I was just thinking that if someone is doing coke or crack, at work, they really wouldn't be able to function and would look a mess, and their work would suffer. With coffee, people can drink it at work, function, and look normal. But, I never thought about the high as being the way you pointed it out to be. Makes sense.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

I didn't look at it like that. That makes sense. It's just that I was thinking addict as in meaning someone who's "gotta have it." Ya know what I mean? I guess I was just thinking that if someone is doing coke or crack, at work, they really wouldn't be able to function and would look a mess, and their work would suffer. With coffee, people can drink it at work, function, and look normal. But, I never thought about the high as being the way you pointed it out to be. Makes sense.

"Intervention" has people thinking that addicts have to look and act a certain way to people who don't see them in intimate settings.

One of the points of addiction is the ability to hide it and suffer in silence. People can be alcoholics for years until it begins to impact their professional lives. Their home lives may have suffered for a long time. An example is bigtime corporate execs and politicians who are celebrated in the public eye--while their families know they use cocaine and drink alcohol everyday. Some call this "functional/recreational use," but I don't believe that anything that you "need" is "functional/recreational use."

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

"Intervention" has people thinking that addicts have to look and act a certain way to people who don't see them in intimate settings.

One of the points of addiction is the ability to hide it and suffer in silence. People can be alcoholics for years until it begins to impact their professional lives. Their home lives may have suffered for a long time. An example is bigtime corporate execs and politicians who are celebrated in the public eye--while their families know they use cocaine and drink alcohol everyday. Some call this "functional/recreational use," but I don't believe that anything that you "need" is "functional/recreational use."

DrPhil, thanks for posting this. This is really interesting and it's amazing how society can make people believe things that aren't necessarily true. Sad, but true. It's like whatever is socially acceptable is o.k.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

"Intervention" has people thinking that addicts have to look and act a certain way to people who don't see them in intimate settings.

One of the points of addiction is the ability to hide it and suffer in silence. People can be alcoholics for years until it begins to impact their professional lives. Their home lives may have suffered for a long time. An example is bigtime corporate execs and politicians who are celebrated in the public eye--while their families know they use cocaine and drink alcohol everyday. Some call this "functional/recreational use," but I don't believe that anything that you "need" is "functional/recreational use."

I think the only reason it's referred to as "functional" is that people are still functioning in what society considers a socially acceptable manner - going to work, getting to appointments on time - rather than spending all day drunk in a bar or sitting in the living room doing coke.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

"Intervention" has people thinking that addicts have to look and act a certain way to people who don't see them in intimate settings.

One of the points of addiction is the ability to hide it and suffer in silence. People can be alcoholics for years until it begins to impact their professional lives. Their home lives may have suffered for a long time. An example is bigtime corporate execs and politicians who are celebrated in the public eye--while their families know they use cocaine and drink alcohol everyday. Some call this "functional/recreational use," but I don't believe that anything that you "need" is "functional/recreational use."

I think the only reason it's referred to as "functional" is that people are still functioning in what society considers a socially acceptable manner - going to work, getting to appointments on time - rather than spending all day drunk in a bar or sitting in the living room doing coke.

ETA: I just peed my pants laughing at your signature.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I think the only reason it's referred to as "functional" is that people are still functioning in what society considers a socially acceptable manner - going to work, getting to appointments on time - rather than spending all day drunk in a bar or sitting in the living room doing coke.

Yeah, it's a clinical/recovery term, not something that's supposed to imply that the addiction is working for them or healthy.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Yes and the problem is that people buy into the idea of it being functional/recreational.

Sure but if you called it something else they'd still buy in because that fits into their world view. Anything that supports the addiction.