recreational drugs

Are recreational drugs irresponsible and immoral?

Do you accept that teenagers might try them but think adults should refrain?

Do you think that recreational drugs should be legalised? Or that some parts of recreational drugs could be used for medicinal purposes? Would you take recreational drugs if they were legal?

What's your opinion on recreational drug use?

Are recreational drugs irresponsible and immoral?
They can certainly be used that way, yes, and to a degree they are inherently immoral because of where they come from and what the sale/production of them funds (prostitution, trafficking, criminal activity, gun activity, etc)

Do you accept that teenagers might try them but think adults should refrain?
Mmm....I accept that at some stage most teenagers will have a perfectly healthy curiosity about recreational drugs, just as they will have a perfectly healthy curiosity about drink and sex and politics. I think everyone should refrain preferably, but in the absence of everyone getting on without them, I don't think I could pass judgement on any adult who occasionally uses them responsibly and recreationally.

Do you think that recreational drugs should be legalised? Or that some parts of recreational drugs could be used for medicinal purposes? Would you take recreational drugs if they were legal?
No, I do not. I do not think any recreational drug has any medicinal purpose that is not VASTLY outweighed by its potential for harm (although I am biased, being allergic to the only drug people every discuss in any sort of medicinal way, lol)
I would not take drugs if they were legal, having been through drug addiction. But I would be very very upset if they WERE legal. There are a lot of people out there who manage to cling to a sober life because they cling to the consequences of NOT being sober, and legalising drugs and basically waving them around in their faces going 'LOOK! See! Drugs are ok! You wont get in trouble!' will do a HUGE amount of damage. A lot of people only manage to be free of their addictions when those addictions result in criminal charges, or the threat thereof. If you take away the 'wake up call' many many many drug addicts need to realise how bad their addictions are, what hope do they have of living to realise how dangerous their addictions are?

What's your opinion on recreational drug use?
Drugs and using drugs is not an inherently and automatically BAD thing. But using them irresponsibly is too easy to do, and has such incredibly dire consequences. I wish everyone who wanted to could enjoy the odd upper or downer of a weekend when they had nothing better to do or whatever and not get hooked or put themselves or others in danger, but it just doesn't work like that. A lot of the people drawn to drugs are prone to abusing them and developing addictions. Everyone seems to know someone who smokes a joint on the weekend and is totally fine and has a good job and is a loving parent and doesn't spend a lot of money on weed and and and and and. Well yes, thats awesome, good on them. But I know dozens of people for whom drugs are a major issue, and every one of those people knows many other addicts. The addicts and potential-addicts will always outweigh the casual, responsible users.

As pp said the production and transportation of drugs means that you can't exactly call them an ethical purchase (unless you know a nice old man with a shed down the bottom of the garden his wife never goes in). Beyond that, there's nothing inherantly wrong with them. Though it depends on heavily on the drug. I think green, for example, can be, and often is, used responsibly. Certainly if both alcohol and tobacco is legal i have a hard time understanding why cannabis isn't (though maybe that's just the dirty stoner in me talking). People do far more dangerous and idiotic things under the influence of alcohol. In fact as someone who has.... dabbled... with various substances... the messiest high i've ever had, the nastiest come down, the worst influence on my behavior... alcohol. Being illegal doesn't make something inherantly reckless or dangerous and being legal doesn't make it safe. That's a message that our school system's drug education leaves out, at least the first part. For example, y'no all those beautiful, intelligent 19 year olds who die the first time they take E in drugs education videos? What usually kills them is water to the brain. Getting over hydrated is VERY easily avoided. Getting a bad pill is fairly easily avoided. But actually TELLING people that might make them take drugs so instead many of those who decide to anyway get themselves killed through lack of education.

As for legalisation well weed... most of the problems with it (it can be laced, young teenagers use it, it can be gateway drug etc.) other than the few medical issues (which aren't really any worse than fags or booze) could be solved by legalising and controlling it. I more or less gave up weed when i gave up tobacco, when i found out i was pregnant, but i'll more than likely start again when i have no very small children in the house, having the odd spliff on a friday night after the kids are in bed. Because I know that I'll be totally capable of looking fter my kids if something comes up and I know where to get decent, non laced stuff. Yes it might be true that not everyone can do this, but that's also true of alcohol which we let people drink whenever they want.

Also weed isn't the only drug that can have medicinal applications, there's some evidence to suggest that putting people into a coma with ketamine will completely cure very serious depression when they come out of it. Having tried K I can completely believe it. The next day you feel (almost literally) as if the inside of your head has been scrubbed clean with soapy water. The problem is that because it's illegal unless you're a horse) it's very hard to do further research, which i personally think is sad.

little weed, bill & ben, just one go, not for me, keep my head, not inhaling, seeing cheshire cats, kids is kids, hope they responsible, sad stories, no hooks

I have strong views on this one a bit. My ex partner started on recreational drugs only to go onto something a lot heavier class A. But then again i do know people that use recreatinal occasionaly most of their lives and they seem to be ok (In their world if you like) I personally have never touched any drug and my choice am happy with that. I guess in this day and age it is so different form when i was a teenager (Sounding old now) but there was not such a big thing about it then if you did it, it was just something at the weekends while out partying. But now its all over well where we live it is and much stronger drugs too.I think all drugs should be a class A tbh and remain that way as at the end of the day they are still drugs just my opinion.

There should also be made a classroom study on this in every school for every week not just once a year i think it should be a top priortiy for children to understand the true dangers and side effects and paranoia of all of the drugs