In short - Been there, done it, screwed me up - no good

I've avoided this debate for several reasons that i'm not going into.
I just have two points to make.

a) Drugs wreck more lives than they save.
b) If a drug is illegal it's illegal. As far as i'm concerned there are no get out clauses. If you condone taking illegal drugs you condone every other crime. Get some respect for society and some respect for yourself.

I agree with you Kick.

I think my issue is, who gives anyone the right to tell someone what to do with their own body.

Like I said, I feel in a catch 22 situation. I don't think heroin should be legalised, not at all!!! I'm not even sure if I think cannabis should be legalised (I have seen it trigger serious bad effects in people. A huge minority, but still seen it). But I think people should have the choice to do what they want with their own body. People know the risks - AT LEAST THEY SHOULD. More education (again) is needed.

We only live once. I never wanted to admit this here because of other peoples attitudes but what the heck. I have tried things, and I have to be honest, whatever I have done, I do not regret one bit. Not one. It has been filed away in my box of experiences, and some of them have been amazing experiences. Really. I know that is not what I am supposed to say, but it't the truth. And I can truely, honestly say that some of the nicest and most intelligent (we're talking WOW clever - philosophical, mathematical, artistic and politically minded amongst others) people I have met have taken substances recreationally and not been totally screwed up scum bags. All have good jobs, none believe in violence. All support good causes and would help anyone do anything. None would support anyone selling/involved with anything that would contribute towards destroying a life, a person, a way of life or the planet. Not one would force you to do/try anything. They would not force the fact they do anything down your throat. If you met them, you wouldn't even know they did anything. They are like me, they are like you, they are like everyone else. They are not coke heads wanting to scrap, or drunk people vomiting in the street. They are proud, intelligent people who belive they can lead a normal life and have fun on the odd occasion at the same time. And they do. That is not me condoning drugs, don't read it like that. That is not my intention.

I am not saying that this is the case for everything. I am saying these are my experiences. I HAVE met people who are screwed up. I HAVE met people who get screwed up and FIX themselves (more than the previous), and I HAVE met people who don't ever get screwed up and either go along like that, or stop taking anything 100% (the majority by a HUGE amount).

So, you see my dilemma. Hard drugs are bad, we see it everyday. But what harm is picking a few mushies out of a field and sitting there staring at clouds all day doing anyone? Eating them all day every day is one thing. But so is drinking all day every day.

You cannot box these things together in one category because they are all different.

People will all have their own opinions and experiences on the matter, and I couldn't dream of changing anyone's mind. If all I do is get someone to research the subject a little bit (even if it reinforces their own ideas) then that has to be good? We need freedom of choice. We need to be free to make mistakes, and we need to know WHAT we are doing, and what we can do if we screw up. Alot of people with habits don't get help because of fear of being turned away, or peoples responses to them.

Drugs are here in our society, we need to figure out how to manage them and people on them, because they are not going to disappear. No matter how much we dislike them.

my point was that its illegal - so is murder - should that be free choice as well? It's the law, the rules are there for a reason.

That is like comparing rocks to ducks! Nothing to do with each other...?

If drugs lead to murder then that is unfortunate, but 100's and 1000's of things could also lead to it.

Nothing is that black and white... even murder isn't black and white in the eyes of the law.

I didn't relate it to murder directly, they are both illegal - why do people feel it's ok to condone one and not the other? If you do something illegal you are breaking the law and deserve no sympathy when the consequences of either drop on your head. I have no sympathy for drug users, murderers, theives, rapists, or people that commit fraud. If you live in this country you should abide by the laws. It's a matter of principal.

drug taking doesnt have to effect other people if you are sensible with it where as obviously murder has a major effect on a awful lot of people. some serious cases of drug taking yes can effect other people but not in the same way. people should have a free to choice to do what they like themselves that is not going to effect anyone else.

But if everyone was sensible we wouldn't have a problem would we!

However thats not what the law says. Even if a person who is taking drugs in the recreational way people are talking about isn't having an effect on a single other person (which I don't personally believe for a minute) they are buying them from people who also supply drug abusers. They are supporting what is in effect an industry and which is an industry which ruins hundreds of lives. They are breaking the law, and are doing wrong, if it truly is recreational why take them? if a person needs drugs to enjoy themselves they have the kind of problems which in most cases lead to more problems whether drug related or not. Inadvertantly any drug user is supporting criminals and so I question the so called intelligence or morality of that person.