I can't help but feel that a lot of the 'issues' around drugs are actually the same issues of self control and personal responsibility that are there for any substance. Taking the 'worst' drug as an example:

There was a documentary filmed many years ago that followed a number of middle-aged long-term (22 years) heroin users, they were all in 'Professional' jobs Stockbrokers/Lawyers etc. and were perfectly respectable members of their communities. It was never shown because it ran completely contrary to the Government's 'Heroin will kill you instantly' drugs policy.

It's possible to take heroin without becoming a homeless spotty junkie strung out on the street, just like it's possible to drink alcohol without ending up a wino. There are many heroin users who lead very normal lives, the difficulties arise in moments of depression and weakness. Where somebody else might hit the bottle or chain smoke, they up their intake, and suddenly a carefully managed habit isn't manageable any more.

It's true that it is more difficult to pull out of a junk downward spiral than an alcohol one, partly because of the more severe physical withdrawal symptoms, and partly because of the stigma of having got yourself into that state in the first place. However, having a drug habit of any kind does not make it OK to thieve/lie/cheat/hurt others. As an individual you are still responsible for your actions.

It annoys me that a lot of fatalities occur when alcohol and drugs are mixed, yet always get reported as drug deaths. It's as if the alcohol didn't play a BIG part in what happened, you really do want your wits about you if you're cooking up...

Yes, drugs are dangerous when misused, as are cars, garden machinery, kitchen knives, alcoholic drinks, cigarettes and in fact almost anything, but as an individual you still have control over your personal ethics.

I have to say that of the early deaths I've known of personally, if it hadn't been drugs it would have been alcohol. All the individuals in question did was 'choose their weapon'.

<rant ends>

dude I'm sorry but your perpetuating the myth here that you otherwise seem to be admitting to - Alcohol IS a drug and should NOT be talked about as if it isn't!

Alcohol is THE most destructive drug by a very large margin indeed!
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www.laradiodelamer.com/

Absolutely. General availability sees to that, plus ease of administration. If heroin was available in a pleasant tasting liquid you could buy from shops across the country, I suspect it would overtake alcohol quite quickly....

I don't think I've said anything that contradicts the 'alcohol is a drug argument'?

No worries

I was just concerned that I'd sent out the wrong message somewhere, absolutely there's no difference between drinking alcohol and taking another form of mind-altering substance.

There's nothing worse than a p**shead lecturing on the evils of drugs...

Plus, just wanted to say:

I'm not saying cannabis is good, but im also not saying its bad, its entirely dependant upon your situation.

Any drugs, and i include alcohol, nicotine, sugar, chocolate and caffiene in this, are bad if they are misused. But I also hate it when people jump on a particular band wagon without knowing the full details.

Ok, you had a really really bad experience, and im sorry for that, but as I said, it helps out my mum a lot. And when I was younger I suffered from severe depression, mild use of cannabis considerably helped me with that. Now I dont use it - but if i ever became severely depressed I almost certainly would, everything else I tried either didnt help or made things worse (prozac can give you extremely bad panic attacks hence i stopped using it pretty damn quickly.)

Meh.

Well my drugs are fine