marshbags Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 (edited) The occasional alcoholic drink will not normally harm you, but an ectasy tablet can cause all sorts of problems.. A mixture of both is not recommended if you value your presence of mind and want to stay in control of your actions. IMHO While i would say a drink in moderation is no problem, i would say..... Never, Never, take any illegal substances. marshbags Edited March 24, 2007 by marshbags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 But that still leaves taxation and regulation as methods of control. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, all legal, are taxed heavily and the tax is being increased all the time. Their consumption is wide-spread. The consumption of ecstasy and other illegal substances is, by comparison, confined to a very much smaller proportion of the population. If these substances were made legal, and taxed, would their consumption not become more wide-spread and thus the table made by the authors change dramatically? Other than benefiting the national treasury, how would the legalisation – combined with taxation – of currently illegal substances benefit the population? When prohibition was unable to stop the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, they were made legal and taxed. If consumption of currently illegal substances becomes more wide-spread, I foresee the same happening with them. Not today, and not tomorrow, but eventually. And then the lamentations about their damaging effect on society will start, as is the case today with alcohol and tobacco. There is no solution to it, at least none I can see. -- Maestro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scaramanga Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 Scaramanga; I have thought it through, very well.I agree that as far as social impact goes alcohol is the most damaging drug. Obviously. Because it is, overwelmingly, the most used drug. If ectasy was used at the same level as alcohol, i.e. we all took copious quantities of ectasy on a daily basis, then this would kill much more people than alcohol. (MDMA quantities / % of alcohol.... I'm talking about your average ectasy tablet and your average pint of beer - don't distort it.) This is why we have tight laws on the more dangerous drugs. That is my single and only point, and I'm correct. I'm sad to hear that you used to take ectasy regularly - pathetic! Was that your power ending? I'm not impressed. I used to take ten tabs a night - but I would't try to make an intellectual point by reiterating my stupity! Your last sentence is an absolute lie. I'm sorry, but you are completely clueless. With regards your first social impact point, i already said proportionately, what do you think the subject matter of the reasearch in the OP is about?.... But i suppose you know best.... With regards your second point, if we all drank a bottle of whiskey a day i can assure you that the world would be in a ######ed up state a lot sooner. Your comment about the reason for us having laws about the most dangerous drugs just rubber stamps you as a muppet who swallows all the common propoganda that's handed to you. Congratulations. As for it being pathetic that i used to take ecstasy regularly......it's just a drug to experiment with and enjoy, the same as alcohol, but much better. Your feeble attempt at lieing about taking ten 'tabs' LOL (haven't a clue have you?) , followed by the ironic staement that you're not trying to make a point (as if, your making up lies just to do so LOL) are very humorous, although i wouldn't expect you to realise it. Don't get me wrong, i love going on the lash with my mates, but when i look at the effect it has on people and compare it with what i know to be the case with ecstasy.....well, the only thing i can say is that maybe you should actually try it....just once....it might change your whole perspective. Open your eyes, not everything you've been told (alcohol good, other various drugs bad) is the truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldcrush Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 (edited) Hey when in doubt kids..... Talk to Frank Edited March 24, 2007 by lopburiguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeaceBlondie Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 We should be discussing the subject, not calling each other liars. Last warning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meemiathai Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 The occasional alcoholic drink will not normally harm you, but an ectasy tablet can cause all sorts of problems..A mixture of both is not recommended if you value your presence of mind and want to stay in control of your actions. marshbags The occasional ecstasy tablet will not normally harm you, but a glass of alcoholic drink can cause all sorts of problems...A mixture of both I still stay in control of my actions and so do my friends. It is my problem if I kill myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxexile Posted March 25, 2007 Author Share Posted March 25, 2007 (edited) nobody has yet commented on the dangers drinkers pose to others. 99% of people drink , and as a happy member of the 1% of non drinkers , i find that having to listen to the loud , extremely boring and usually repetitive , often offensive and always fatuous blather , the being forced to endure the most childish of jokes over and over again with the volume of the speakers voice increasing in proportion to the shortening of the distance between the speakers mouth and my face and despite the gales of beery breathed and saliva flecked laughter , being not in the least bit funny , and being subjected to the unrestrained rantings and ravings of drinkers who think that their every word is a pearl of wisdom and their brains an encyclopediac storehouse of all the worlds knowledge , is as great a danger to my mental health and my faith in humanity as alcohol is to the brain cells and livers of those who drink regularly. sometimes i think that if i have to listen to yet another barmy solution to the problems of iraq , another rasping bar room fart , another stupid lineup for the england football team , how to cure aids with superglue and how fantastic their new mobile phone would be if only they knew how to use it , or any more complaints about wives , thailand , the brits , the germans , the french , the americans or the locals i will go totally crazy , (although they are often right about the french and the americans) thats why , unfortunately , as the jibberish quotient increases , my nights out often end early. dopeheads are little better , but thankfully they dont talk so much. drinkers should record the conversations and banter they have during night down the pub and have someone play it back to them back the next morning. being forced to listen to it whilst sober , with the resulting embarrassment could be more beneficial than a dozen sessions at a.a. bottoms up ! Edited March 25, 2007 by taxexile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaoPo Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 ...how to cure aids with superglue Can I buy shares, Tax ? LaoPo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxexile Posted March 25, 2007 Author Share Posted March 25, 2007 Can I buy shares, Tax ? i'll pass your details on to pi55head pete down at the "parrot and penis" in patpong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaoPo Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 Can I buy shares, Tax ? i'll pass your details on to pi55head pete down at the "parrot and penis" in patpong. LaoPo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumnien Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 The second noble truth suggests that man's desire to change the way he feels through chemical means will cause suffering. The fifth precepts suggests a behavior that takes this warning into account - abstinence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marshbags Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 The occasional alcoholic drink will not normally harm you, but an ectasy tablet can cause all sorts of problems..A mixture of both is not recommended if you value your presence of mind and want to stay in control of your actions. marshbags The occasional ecstasy tablet will not normally harm you, but a glass of alcoholic drink can cause all sorts of problems...A mixture of both I still stay in control of my actions and so do my friends. It is my problem if I kill myself. For anyone reading this post, seek professional advice before referring to these observations and believing you are safe to go down the same road. You are not !!! Yes, of course it is your right to do as you wish, but to think it is only your problem if you kill yourself is far from the truth and well you know it. Debate is about exchanging views and offering advice, sadly i think publicizing your experience in the context you have done on a forum of this quality, is irresponsible and questioning the integrity of it,s stature. Personally i would never subscribe to such self harming activities. marshbags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Texas Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 The occasional alcoholic drink will not normally harm you, but an ectasy tablet can cause all sorts of problems..A mixture of both is not recommended if you value your presence of mind and want to stay in control of your actions. marshbags The occasional ecstasy tablet will not normally harm you, but a glass of alcoholic drink can cause all sorts of problems...A mixture of both I still stay in control of my actions and so do my friends. It is my problem if I kill myself. For anyone reading this post, seek professional advice before referring to these observations and believing you are safe to go down the same road. You are not !!! Yes, of course it is your right to do as you wish, but to think it is only your problem if you kill yourself is far from the truth and well you know it. Debate is about exchanging views and offering advice, sadly i think publicizing your experience in the context you have done on a forum of this quality, is irresponsible and questioning the integrity of it,s stature. Personally i would never subscribe to such self harming activities. marshbags JR Texas: I just want to point out that an occasional drink (alcohol) can seriously harm you if alcoholism runs in your family...that is, if you are genetically predisposed to the disease. One leads to two leads to three.......a major problem with alcohol and tobacco is that they are extremely addictive. In addition, some legal/illegal drugs take time to do their dirty work......the effect is not instant. Please keep that in mind when talking about whether one is more destructive than another. Further, illegal/legal drug use is completely controlled by culture. Culture is a mental phenomenon...it is learned and shared information and it varies from one place to another. Some Native American Indians use peyote in order to attain an altered state of mind. They are not abusing it........they are using it for a culturally prescribed purpose. Catholic Priests use wine in a culturally prescribed manner (during Prohibition in the USA, did they arrest Catholic Priests that used wine during religious ceremonies? no idea...just a thought). We sit on barstools in Pattaya and drink beer and think it is fine and legal and normal because of CULTURE. We could be living with the Yanomamo Indians in South America, sitting on a thatch floor snorting psychoactive substances up our noses and going into an altered state of mind.........and we would BELIEVE we were not doing anything abnormal or illegal. When society embraces a particular drug and arbitrarily defines it as legal, people tend to do it and will fight for their right to do it. But what if we legalize the illegal drugs in the USA or Thailand? Maybe more people would experiment with them. If they are addictive like alcohol and tobacco (tobacco is by far the worst legal drug in terms of its social cost on society), that presents a problem. If they are extremely dangerous and can lead to rapid death, that probably presents less of a problem in the long run as the "addicts" will die off. Heroin is a good example.......how many people would inject heroin in their bodies if it was legal? Not many I think......... I think the bottom line is that illegal drugs and legal drugs are, in general, not good for the body. The larger question is not about my drug of choice versus your drug of choice, but is as follows: Why do we do legal and illegal drugs in the first place? Is there something about the modern world that is causing widespread abuse of legal and illegal drugs? Personally, I would rather play guitar or have sex or eat a good meal or watch the sunset or climb a mountain or fly an airplane or run................all of these things boost my serotonin levels and make me feel "happy." Maybe that is it........we want to feel happy in a world that is making it more and more difficult to feel happy. And instead of doing what is necessary to feel a sense of genuine happiness...... we take shortcuts to "happiness." OK........I will stop here for any replies.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumnien Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 JR Texas says, Personally, I would rather play guitar or have sex or eat a good meal or watch the sunset or climb a mountain or fly an airplane or run................all of these things boost my serotonin levels and make me feel "happy." Maybe that is it........we want to feel happy in a world that is making it more and more difficult to feel happy. And instead of doing what is necessary to feel a sense of genuine happiness...... we take shortcuts to "happiness." Well said my pilot friend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neeranam Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 While i would say a drink in moderation is no problem, i would say..... Never, Never, take any illegal substances. If you visit the Indian state of Orissa for example, would you take an illegal beer? Would it be ok for you take opium and cannibis? I stayed very legal and had a great safe time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tolley Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 I wonder how many more problems we would have if we didn't have any drugs to take at all? Drugs have their benefits to society and for many are a way of relaxing and easing tension. I would argue that drugs benefit society and that if we didn't have any drugs we would have more violence and more anti social behaviour. As for the health implications of taking drugs it is really a no brainer that alcohol is far more destructive to the body than most illicit substances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumnien Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 It seems silly to argue whether riding in a government bus with faulty brakes, a Fortuner with faulty brakes, or on a Honda wave with faulty brakes is more harmful. Pick your poison or not; up to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxexile Posted March 25, 2007 Author Share Posted March 25, 2007 Drugs have their benefits to society and for many are a way of relaxing and easing tension. drugs may very well be an easy way of getting rid of tension , but when the effect of the drug wears off the tension will return. drugs do nothing to address the problem of what is causing the tension. for that , we have to take long , hard looks at ourselves to discover what it is that causes us to be so tense and make changes to the way we live in order to reduce the tension. to say that without drugs society would be more violent is probably one of the most stupid statement i have heard. consider , alcohol fuelled bravado and anti social behaviour resulting in violence and traffic accidents. violent crimes committed by addicts to gain money to feed their addictions. violent crimes committed by drug dealers in their territorial wars. violence and anti social behaviour related to amphetamine usage etc etc etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Texas Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 I wonder how many more problems we would have if we didn't have any drugs to take at all?Drugs have their benefits to society and for many are a way of relaxing and easing tension. I would argue that drugs benefit society and that if we didn't have any drugs we would have more violence and more anti social behaviour. As for the health implications of taking drugs it is really a no brainer that alcohol is far more destructive to the body than most illicit substances. JR Texas: Interesting point.....would we actually have more problems if we could not medicate ourselves with legal and illegal drugs? People do need solutions to psychological problems associated with the modern world. But, as pointed out earlier, there are healthy alternatives to stress-related problems in the modern world that do not involve taking legal or illegal drugs. Alcohol is clearly related to violence and aggressive behavior....spend any time in a bar and the truth of this will surface. In terms of health implications, the legal drugs tobacco and alcohol are very destructive to the body. In terms of social costs to society, tobacco is evidently more costly than alcohol...probably because of the much larger number of deaths due to lung cancer and the enormous burden that places on the medical system. For those of you who think I am against all drugs, think again. I am not that way at all......I am just trying to put illegal and legal drugs in perspective. I think that was the original intent of the first post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t.s Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 Drugs have their benefits to society and for many are a way of relaxing and easing tension. drugs may very well be an easy way of getting rid of tension , but when the effect of the drug wears off the tension will return. drugs do nothing to address the problem of what is causing the tension. for that , we have to take long , hard looks at ourselves to discover what it is that causes us to be so tense and make changes to the way we live in order to reduce the tension. to say that without drugs society would be more violent is probably one of the most stupid statement i have heard. consider , alcohol fuelled bravado and anti social behaviour resulting in violence and traffic accidents. violent crimes committed by addicts to gain money to feed their addictions. violent crimes committed by drug dealers in their territorial wars. violence and anti social behaviour related to amphetamine usage etc etc etc true, but nobody ever got beat up after a bong hit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumnien Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 Quote - true, but nobody ever got beat up after a bong hit/ True in many pansy-assed white communities. But in Hawaii and Jamaica and South Central LA you'll get your throat slit by many a mellow pot head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marshbags Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 (edited) There is an interview with a former Crystal -Methadone addict on the BBC News 24 Hardtalk on Monday advertised for 22.30 Hong Kong and 21.30 Thailand, taking the time difference into account of 1 hour ( I Think ) It says that it has the capacity to destroy young lives within a few weeks. The former addict and her father * will be talking about the The Deadly Narcotic which almost destroyed the family and also their shared journey to recovery. * Carren and Ron Clem. Please take a look if you have time and have the facilities if you wish to hear what an Ex addicted has to say. I will make a point of watching it unless Gremlins get at the True signal once again to hopefully learn a bit of helpful advice for future references for others in a similar position. marshbags Edited March 26, 2007 by marshbags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Texas Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 There is an interview with a former Crystal -Methadone addict on the BBC News 24 Hardtalk on Monday advertised for 22.30 Hong Kong and 21.30 Thailand, taking the time difference into account of 1 hour ( I Think )It says that it has the capacity to destroy young lives within a few weeks. The former addict and her father * will be talking about the The Deadly Narcotic which almost destroyed the family and also their shared journey to recovery. * Carren and Ron Clem. Please take a look if you have time and have the facilities if you wish to hear what an Ex addicted has to say. I will make a point of watching it unless Gremlins get at the True signal once again to hopefully learn a bit of helpful advice for future references for others in a similar position. marshbags JR Texas: I think it is not necessary to insert the word "Thailand" into every thread in order for readers to know that this subject relates directly to Thailand. This is about hypocrisy. It is about unbelievable stupidity with regard to our approach to legal and illegal drugs.......we are still embracing Nixon's War on Drugs, and that started a long time ago. How many lives have been ruined in Thailand (and the rest of the world) because of the government's misguided approach to legal and illegal drug abuse? How many non-violent criminals have been thrown in jail only to come out as violent criminals? How much money is it costing Thailand? Are you aware that the criminalization of illegal drugs is contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS? So, you are sitting on a barstool in Pattaya, reading this and thinking that is has nothing to do with you. Then one of the "girls" approaches you. Is the infected? How did she get infected? What percentage of those "girls" are infected with HIV/AIDS because of the criminalization of illegal drugs? How many were infected because one of their clients or boyfriends was thrown in jail because of smoking pot, where he became an IDU (injection drug user), then became infected with HIV in prison, then started spreading it among the general population as soon as he got out of prison. This does affect YOU. Be careful and WEAR A CONDOM! My point, and there is a point, is that if we stopped the hypocrisy and started treating legal and illegal drug abuse as a medical and/or psychological problem, we would all be better off. I think legal and illegal abuse would go down and the total cost to society of abusing legal and illegal drugs would go down. Criminalizing stupid human behavior is not making the problem go away....it is making the problem worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuestHouse Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 I love the knee jerk reaction of condeming a report put together by leading medical experts. And the basis of the reaction, because the report goes against personal prejudiced views. Hey Ho! The same can be said of much ground breaking science. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdinasia Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 13 posts .... not a mention of Thailand gee, wouldn't it be great if you were a moderator and actually had the power to do something other than complain? Don't tempt fate, he's already trying to squeeze himself into the new Phuket position. Nothing personal or cynical but........................and forgive it being off topic He may well do a great job in the moderator role. I,ve seen a few changes in the characteristics of several members who have become mods and most of them very positive. marshbags I,ve seen a few changes in the characteristics of several members who have become mods and most of them very positive. once again , nothing cynical so what you are saying is that a change of character would be a positive thing for jdinasia ?? sorry There is an interview with a former Crystal -Methadone addict on the BBC News 24 Hardtalk on Monday advertised for 22.30 Hong Kong and 21.30 Thailand, taking the time difference into account of 1 hour ( I Think )It says that it has the capacity to destroy young lives within a few weeks. The former addict and her father * will be talking about the The Deadly Narcotic which almost destroyed the family and also their shared journey to recovery. * Carren and Ron Clem. Please take a look if you have time and have the facilities if you wish to hear what an Ex addicted has to say. I will make a point of watching it unless Gremlins get at the True signal once again to hopefully learn a bit of helpful advice for future references for others in a similar position. marshbags JR Texas: I think it is not necessary to insert the word "Thailand" into every thread in order for readers to know that this subject relates directly to Thailand. This is about hypocrisy. It is about unbelievable stupidity with regard to our approach to legal and illegal drugs.......we are still embracing Nixon's War on Drugs, and that started a long time ago. How many lives have been ruined in Thailand (and the rest of the world) because of the government's misguided approach to legal and illegal drug abuse? How many non-violent criminals have been thrown in jail only to come out as violent criminals? How much money is it costing Thailand? ......... Madness .... NOT a chance ... I like the freedom to call someone a tw@t when they are being one! Tax ---- sorry how the UK classifies drugs is of no import in Thailand JR --- your post actually related to Thailand ... one of the few ... and it almost related to the OP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Texas Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 I love the knee jerk reaction of condeming a report put together by leading medical experts.And the basis of the reaction, because the report goes against personal prejudiced views. Hey Ho! The same can be said of much ground breaking science. JR Texas: Right On GuestHouse.........ooops....showing my age. A brief aside: When any culturally based belief is institutionalized by society to the point where it reaches the level of TRUTH, any person that challenges that truth is automatically attacked by the majority. Why? Because it makes them feel uncomfortable. Culture makes us feel comfortable....normal...we are surrounded by the familiar....beliefs, actions, etc. The vast majority of people in every society have no idea that their beliefs are simply different strands of a huge cultural tapestry.......and that each society has its own set of arbitrary beliefs. This is a major problem associated with the war on illegal drugs and promotion of legal drugs. Another example: People have been programmed by the mainstream mass media to believe that we do not have any real alternative to fossil fuel use. As a result, global warming may turn out to be the end of us. But there are many alternatives........and if we were smart, we would demand the development and deployment of a totally new energy system that will meet our energy needs well into the future. People who say that are called "nuts" or "liberals" or "dreamers." They are simply going against cultural norms..........Al Gore is being attacked now by those who would like to keep things as they are. It is the same thing when you discuss legal and illegal drugs and point out the reality vs. myth. We are in a cultural battle......it is a battle of ideas and beliefs..........beliefs matter. Unfortunately, the mainstream mass media wants to keep us all in a bottle........and now they control virtually all that we think, see, hear............am I drifting off topic? Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumnien Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 "Unfortunately, the mainstream mass media wants to keep us all in a bottle........and now they control virtually all that we think, see, hear............" Textbook example of stimulant-induced paranoia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Texas Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 "Unfortunately, the mainstream mass media wants to keep us all in a bottle........and now they control virtually all that we think, see, hear............"Textbook example of stimulant-induced paranoia. JR Texas: Thanks for that one Mdeland........ouch! But you might want to check out some things. Try this link: http://www.corporations.org/media/ Ben Bagdikian has been doing research on this for years. So has Noam Chomsky and many others. Most people don't know what has been going on because the mainstream mass media wants it that way. There really is no liberal or alternative media (EXCEPT THE INTERNET AND THE POWER STRUCTURE WANTS TO CENSOR IT TOO). By the way, if you think I am a paranoid, that is your right. And I understand why people might think that. I just pointed out why in the previous email. But I should point out that Albert Einstein (paranoid?)talked about it a very long time ago and basically said that the Church, the Media, Politicians, and all of our Educational institutions are controlled by a military-corporate-political power structure...that was in the late 40s. The situation is much worse now and on a global scale. Later, C. Wright Mills said the same thing when he talked about a military-political-economic triangle of power........and that extreme liberal Dwight Eisenhower, while not mentioning the media, did warn Americans about the dangers of a growing "military-industrial complex." The same complex that had Kennedy shot dead in Dallas........oops, showing paranoia again? Please do me a favor and check out some of these things......maybe your opinion about this will change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marshbags Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 (edited) There is an interview with a former Crystal -Methadone addict on the BBC News 24 Hardtalk on Monday advertised for 22.30 Hong Kong and 21.30 Thailand, taking the time difference into account of 1 hour ( I Think )It says that it has the capacity to destroy young lives within a few weeks. The former addict and her father * will be talking about the The Deadly Narcotic which almost destroyed the family and also their shared journey to recovery. * Carren and Ron Clem. Please take a look if you have time and have the facilities if you wish to hear what an Ex addicted has to say. I will make a point of watching it unless Gremlins get at the True signal once again to hopefully learn a bit of helpful advice for future references for others in a similar position. marshbags JR Texas: I think it is not necessary to insert the word "Thailand" into every thread in order for readers to know that this subject relates directly to Thailand. This is about hypocrisy. It is about unbelievable stupidity with regard to our approach to legal and illegal drugs.......we are still embracing Nixon's War on Drugs, and that started a long time ago. How many lives have been ruined in Thailand (and the rest of the world) because of the government's misguided approach to legal and illegal drug abuse? How many non-violent criminals have been thrown in jail only to come out as violent criminals? How much money is it costing Thailand? Are you aware that the criminalization of illegal drugs is contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS? So, you are sitting on a barstool in Pattaya, reading this and thinking that is has nothing to do with you. Then one of the "girls" approaches you. Is the infected? How did she get infected? What percentage of those "girls" are infected with HIV/AIDS because of the criminalization of illegal drugs? How many were infected because one of their clients or boyfriends was thrown in jail because of smoking pot, where he became an IDU (injection drug user), then became infected with HIV in prison, then started spreading it among the general population as soon as he got out of prison. This does affect YOU. Be careful and WEAR A CONDOM! My point, and there is a point, is that if we stopped the hypocrisy and started treating legal and illegal drug abuse as a medical and/or psychological problem, we would all be better off. I think legal and illegal abuse would go down and the total cost to society of abusing legal and illegal drugs would go down. Criminalizing stupid human behavior is not making the problem go away....it is making the problem worse. If you read my post again you will note I am quoting showing times for " Hong Kong " for members like MeeMiaThai and adding the time difference for those of us in " Thailand " It is, therefore in this instance, necessary to insert Both the countries in the context of my offering which incidently is providing awareness of the showing of a programme members may find informative. Incidently the programme is showing now in " Thailand " ( 15.30 ) and i,m recording it for later on. It wil be repeated at the times i mentioned should anyone wish to look at it then. If the content is positive and sensible then surely that is the important issue, not a repeated word / country, especially as it is a world wide problem. I cannot get my head around the constant and petty observations that Some members seem to get pleasure out of, by highlighting them, when it doesn,t have any baring on the quality / objective of the post ??? I also understand you getting stressed on such an important debate with certain things as we all can do Stay cool J.R., because many of us are against drug abuse ect. and would love to find a non criminal solution, while punishing the distributors / providers, accordingly. There are many including myself who abor the downside of drugs and we need to find the best way to control existing addicts, get them off the dependancy and rid society of this social cancer and all those who supply and distribute these evil substances. As with alcoholics, the addicts need help to control their dependancy, followed by support to stay free from both. Society should at least provide them with a chance in the first instance, ( If they Want it ) surely. IMHO of course. marshbags Edited March 26, 2007 by marshbags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marshbags Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 (edited) Re the Hard Talk Programme.................... A Longish Post The programme was yet another of many that show the need for support for the addicts and their families are very important and urgently needed where ever there is a drug problem. I can also relate to how she got hooked and how she started. It was alcohol and cannabis that was the stepping stone to the more dangerous and more addictive drugs. This case, as in many, links alcohol and drugs together with each complimenting each other. She was set up by a supposedly close school friend and a dealer. ( Now ex of course ) The dealer planted something into her drink at a party then proceeded to rape her after the drug took effect with her ex friend fully aware of this. She also said that after her " new social life " started to take effect her energy got very low and she asked for something to re energize her. This was how she became addicted to Crystal Methadone and the effect was immediate. The initial effects of the drug took her from feeling bad to one of a great high. It also left her with a feeling of total dependancy for which she did all the familiar things from theft to prostitution. Her family remained supportive even when she left home, although she wasn,t aware of this at the time. She attempted suicide on 2 occasions and the turning point only came about because her father suffered a heart attack, as a consequence of what was going on. The only support programmes available where very costly, most where beyond their means. They finished up in Jamacia and it took 18 months to eventually free her from the drug. She has been drug free for 6 years now but says it is not easy and that from time to time her memory of the drug could easily bring it all back, without the support ect. So far she hasn,t been tempted but says that while she can never be totally free from the past addiction, she is determined to keep away from re addiction. Over the last few months i have changed much of my thoughts on drug users like her and in particular due to researching perspectives on the subject, strongly feel that support and understanding towards those like " Carren "and her family are a good start on the future objectives to get rid of this evil curse on society. Each case needs judging on it,s evidence and those found criminally involved, drug barons, middle contacts and feeders ect. are incarcerated indefinitely. A very good insight into the misery the family suffered and how they eventually overcame it all, was my conclusion in watching it. IMHO of course. marshbags Edited March 27, 2007 by marshbags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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