Drug Abuse - A Personal View

Based on the original, January 2000

Drug abuse is the road to ruin. Plain and simple fact.

   There is no redeeming feature of drug abuse. There is no logical or meaningful reason to touch them at all, but every reason to stay away from them and treat them for what they are. Like it's a plague. Any future is killed by drugs. Careers are destroyed before they get started as the acquisition of the necessary skills and knowledge never happens. Or is even attainable. 'Intelligent' people are reduced to morons. They are more interested in drug-taking and the perceived effect, and eventually compelled by addiction than anything else. The financing can and almost certainly does lead to crime. Intelligent people don't take drugs. They don't need to. There is no method of funding it legitimately since any long-term occupation won't exist.
   Wealthy people can fool themselves into the abuses. But it all leads to ruin. Inevitably. Drugs have no principles. Rich. Poor. Educated or not. It all goes to the same place - Hell. Gambling and drinking are very similar in this part. The difference with drugs (depends on the drug source taken) is the physical addiction in addition to the psychological one.
   Psychologically the dependence is a strong one. Regardless of physiological dependency. What this means is that the hold is very much in the mind and is not necessarily physical. When drinking to excess the individual gets very drunk. The hangover should discourage such abuse, but it doesn't.
   Never again until the next time.
   A hangover will probably be cleared within 24 hours and then not really any the worse. The hangover can be very unpleasant. Usually. As the effects of a drug wear off, that drug will bring its own type of hangover, but with a difference. It will last.
   A very real and major problem with alcohol is that though it may wear off, addiction to alcohol does not just 'wear off'. Recovery from alcohol addiction is possible, but can be very difficult. Ethyl alcohol (alcohol) is a very significant human poison and any justification by attempting to promote the benefits of alcohol are fatuous. The need to go up again will kill the hangover (maybe), but only stave off the down. Chasing the 'hair of the dog' is a total myth.

Illusory
Delusional

   It can only result in a perpetual hangover syndrome and the associated dehydration. The only way to avoid being hungover is to 'shoot' up again. But the dehydration continues. Get drunk and 'forget' the mental anguish. But the grief is enormous. The damage severe and very complete. The knowledge that the only relief is to use a drug brings its own set of psychological problems. This grief spills over to family and friends who can do nothing to prevent it.
   Drugs or alcohol? Much the same, just a different substance. Both potentially and very probably lethal. If you crash a car with you inside it, eventually you will kill yourself if you do it enough times. Enough may be once, twice, three times...

Not IF but WHEN

   Soft drugs are supposed to be harmless. This is the tale told by users. It is a justification for doing what they do. Much like smokers will tell you that they enjoy smoking. I believe the actuality is that these people know that they cannot stop - they are hooked, but in absolute denial 'convinced' that they enjoy what they do. Addicted. To state they enjoy what they do means they do not have to attempt to stop. Some probably do "enjoy" smoking, but it is the dependency and effect of nicotine that is the force behind the enjoyment. That's what it is - an addiction. This paints a grim picture. It is supposed to do just that. It is intended to unnerve and frighten. There is no pretty picture to be seen. Only despair and ultimately a terrible death.