Amy Winehouse RIP xxxx

[dataDave]

Well they wouldn't of been dead if they hadn't of taken the ecstasy!I'm quite happy for as many recreational drugs to stay as illegal as possible, even if it's only 1% of the people who use said drug irresponsibly , they are still putting themselves and others at risk. I think it's quite right that these risks are minimised

I'd prefer if they also made the legal drugs illegal. Booze for example. I know a lot of people that take rec. drugs, and a lot of people that drink copious amounts of alcohol, and I know where/why most of the problems start. This is my own personal observation covering hundreds of people over a 20 year period. Surely I can't be the only one that sees things in this light? Unless most others don't know anyone who takes anything, and the odd one they do know end up turning into raging psychopaths or suicide victims.

Out of everyone I've known over the years, outside of the dead smack heads only one has a direct problem relating to drugs (and even then he just needs a good hiding), compared to the several who have **** lives thanks to drinking.

[EvilBoris]

I'd prefer if they also made the legal drugs illegal. Booze for example

That would solve lots of problems, but unfortunately it's too ingrained in society and culture for any politicians to ever try and tackle it , same with cigarettes , although Iceland is about to make cigarettes prescription only, which is clever really as it should prevent almost all of the futures generations from getting the addiction in the first place.

I respect your opinion but am all for dismantling any law that is set up to prevent a person from doing what they want with the one thing they genuinely own - their own body.

Life, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness to my mind means the right to experiment with my own consciousness. It's human nature to set out to explore and discover, and that includes what lies deep in our minds, our ancestors were doing it tens of thousands of years ago, and those of us who wish to continue the odyssey in the privacy of own home should be able to do so without fear of punishment.

Thing is though, for every person wanting to experiment with their body and chemicals for the sake of self exploration, you'll have another bunch of people who do so, then get behind the wheel of a car or cause harm to others, just as we do with alcohol. Imagine just how more widespread this would be and the increased risk you would be at just to leave the house if suddenly everyone had as much access to other substances as they do alcohol or cigerettes.

[abigsmurf]

Can I ask what happened to your friend and how he destroyed his life? Didn't he recover from that?

Fairly extensive treatment and heavy medication. Whilst he didn't become a completely different person afterwards, he did change noticably (admittedly a large part of that was possibly down to the medication). Got a lot of support from the government, got a new flat and he started over. Don't see him a lot now. Can't imagine it's been easy for him though, I can't imagine how difficult it is to go through a job interview, noticably on something (explaining they're anti-psychotics wouldn't exactly improve things).

[dataDave]

although Iceland is about to make cigarettes prescription only

Really? That's great!

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

Really? That's great!

Me too!! That is a very clever way to stop ppl getting hooked in the 1st place

I agree about the alcohol stuff too, but then I am a little biased in my views I guess, cos I havent drunk any booze since I was 19 (I'm 35 now). I dont have a problem with ppl drinking booze as such, but I do have a problem with the way ppl here in the UK are binge drinking, both for their own sake & other ppls

[averybluemonkey]

I respect your opinion but am all for dismantling any law that is set up to prevent a person from doing what they want with the one thing they genuinely own - their own body.Life, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness to my mind means the right to experiment with my own consciousness. It's human nature to set out to explore and discover, and that includes what lies deep in our minds, our ancestors were doing it tens of thousands of years ago, and those of us who wish to continue the odyssey in the privacy of own home should be able to do so without fear of punishment.

That's all well and good except its the state who have to pick up the tab. When these people going running to the NHS they get treatment, so your point only stands if they give up the right to free medical care in return for being allowed to take drugs.Also the majority of burglaries are by junkies, again these people aren't just damaging their bodies they are damaging the rest of society too.

[Skull Commander]

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/britain-decides-not-to-boycott-every-last-detail-of-winehouse-death-201107254115/

[Charlie]

That's all well and good except its the state who have to pick up the tab. When these people going running to the NHS they get treatment, so your point only stands if they give up the right to free medical care in return for being allowed to take drugs.Also the majority of burglaries are by junkies, again these people aren't just damaging their bodies they are damaging the rest of society too.

I think you're guilty of tarring every drug user with the same brush. I know a lot of drug users but I don't know a single burglar and know very few addicts. In the same way only a minority of alcohol users are alcoholics, only a minority of drug users are junkies. It wouldn't be accurate for anyone to say everyone who drinks alcohol costs society, why is it true of drug users?

As I mentioned in my opening post in this thread, people are too quick to jump to conclusions when it comes to drugs. Discover a person does drugs and all of a sudden they're a proper criminal, a parasitical member of society, an infected idiot full of nonsense whose mind needs cleansing of a terrible sickness. This is an uneducated opinion. An opinion based on fallacies.

[EvilBoris]

I think you're guilty of tarring every drug user with the same brush.

In the same way only a minority of alcohol users are alcoholics, only a minority of drug users are junkies

Only if you tar all drugs users with the same brush, what percentage of Heroin users are addicts?

I can't believe anybody with 2 ounces of sense can advocate the use of these damaging substances in a discussion thread about somebody who has just died from them!

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

I think charlie was referring to soft drugs, but I guess the other side of it is that with some ppl that can lead to heavier substances

I agree tho that a skaghead is a skaghead. Heroin takers are indeed addicts

['Press Start']

Let's just hope you people never have to deal with a family member who's become addicted to drugs. I don't think your "it's your own fault, go **** yourself" attitude would be much help to them.

It's funny how your whole argument is 'You don't know Amy' yet you have no real clue about people making the comments.

[Charlie]

@ Boris

I've never advocated heroin. Heroin is an incredibly destructive and addictive drug, I know people on heroin and they're a f*cking mess. But heroin is one drug among many. There are good drugs and there are bad drugs, there are those who take drugs to discover something new, others who take drugs to escape something old, what I'm saying is there are people who use drugs sensibly and with respect and there are people who use drugs in a mindless manner.

The point I'm trying to make is this: averybluemonkey said the state will have to pick up the tab if I am allowed to take drugs. Yet I suspect had I said "I want to be free to eat cake and chocolate and crisps" he wouldn't have responded with a similar comment because he knows not everybody who eats sugary and fatty foods ends up obese and in need of medical treatment. Same with alcohhol, had I said "I wanna be free to drink wine and beer and vodka" he wouldn't have jumped to the conclusion that I'd end up an alcoholic in need of medical treatment. But the mention of my desire to do drugs, and the conclusion I'll become a junkie, a criminal, a cost to society, was instantly made.

[koopatroopa90]

I knew a fair few people in the latter years of secondary school who smoked weed. At least 2 are now schizophrenic (is that how you spell it?) and even at the time some of them were very paranoid!

I also knew someone who had a "bad trip" and was never quite the same again (think it scared the **** out of him tbh!) and I knew/still know several people who were/are very intelligent and have essentially chucked their future away since starting to take pills - they needed them more and more to enjoy themselves and put less and less effort into working for their future. A few of these started on weed and worked their way up.

No real point, just thought I'd chuck that out there. As I said earlier it was their choice so I guess as long as they are happy... at least one guy lost a **** load of weight from it!!

[Jebus]

My wife works with people who think "just one toke" won't ruin their life. Guess what? Drugs are bad after all!

[Fader209]

I knew a fair few people in the latter years of secondary school who smoked weed. At least 2 are now schizophrenic (is that how you spell it?) and even at the time some of them were very paranoid!

I know someone like that. Did a lot of weed through the teenage years and is now quite paranoid and suffers anxiety.

Also know a friends Mum who is alcoholic and no matter how much you help someone like that it is down to the individual to put in the hard work and sadly most of the time it's easier to stay at the bottom.