Why are drugs popular/cool?

[iPikachu]

peer pressure+bad friends+a whole lot of stuff = this

 

[Zesu-chan]

I support marijuana. I'm against every other currently-illegal drug though.

People who use marijuana don't bother me in the slightest bit. Actually, they somewhat intrigue me, because I've never tried anything like marijuana. I've never even taken a puff from a cigarette, so being around people who get high on occasion is actually pretty interesting to me because I can ask them questions about it.

However, there's a difference between the casual users who I'm real friendly with, and the addicted trash that smokes in the school building. I like the friendly hippies, but the emo kids who are high during class really annoy me, especially if I have to partner with them for a project, because they really have no idea what's going on.

 

[Styles420]

Well, I smoke, and I think i could fairly say I'm addicted to it. It was my choice to start smoking, I had a down point in my life, and smoking just helped me get through it, calming me down. Now I have friends that dont like me smoking, and i'm cool with that, they dont keep telling me I should stop, or anything like that, and im fine not smoking around them. What annoys me is people telling me I should stop smoking, and actively trying to stop me. I'm not a heavy drinker, I like the odd one now and again, and sure sometimes i'll go out and get smashed (ie, birthdays, christmas, new year).

Now I have friends who do weed too, they say it makes them feel better when they're down or whatever. Now im fine with them doing weed, even doing weed around me (when we're outside), but none of them try to pressure me into trying it, as they know I dont want to (for personal reasons, explained later), and yeah, they are different when they're high. One of my friends is overweight, and quite geeky, but when he's had a bit of weed, he's no longer a shy geek, he's still down to earth, but he's much more confident, and even more of a laugh to be around!

Now on the subject of drugs being dangerous, something related to drugs has affected someone close to me. One of my friends, her older brother did weed for a LONG time. He was totally cool when he was on weed, he didnt get violent (or try and steal my shoes, thanks). But eventually he started getting problems, a big one being schizophrenia (cause by smoking excessive weed i guess). Anyway, the time he had schizophrenia was a real strain on the whole family, and eventually, he died from it. My friend and her whole family were completely torn up, and it was that friend that has convinced me never to try weed. Now before you guys say anything, I know this isnt a common case, but it still happened to someone i know (probably by no-ones fault but himself, but still). So I know how bad drugs can tear family apart, but also can alcohol, and video games (think boy who shot his parents over Halo3). So although personally I dont take them, more the power to people who do, as long as they dont get carried away and can keep it (even a bit) under their control. :]

I agree with you - that is an extreme case, which adds support to the idea of moderation. I refer back to my example about potassium - that and many other vitamins are generally accepted as being great for physical health. But many of them are actually extremely toxic if the level gets too high. The key is balance, just like with fat and sodium intake, etc.

I won't deny that in the early years of my pot habit, I would over do it, and my memory suffered. In the beginning, I tried so hard to compensate for it before it happened, that my memory actually got a little better (it was bad to begin with, so active attempts to improve combined with a lack of immediate problems led to a net result of a better memory). But that didn't last - in the end I was basically back where I started, maybe a little worse. Thankfully, I took a few long breaks over the years, and learned to smoke in moderation - just enough to feel a pleasant buzz, and then I was done for the day. Now my memory is about as good as it ever was.

Of course, there are always consequences and compromises with any decision we make - but that should be up to the individual to decide if the loss is worth what is gained. Some of you may point out that some decisions affect other adversely - but that falls outside of my assertion, since that implies that the others who are affected didn't get to make the decision for themselves. I believe we should have no problem with people who choose to do whatever drugs they want to - what we should take issue with, is when they decide to go out in public with it, for example, the alcoholic who decides that drinking in his own home isn't good enough, so he's going for a drive. In America, we are supposed to be free, to have the right to do as we please. But our constitution also states that we have the right to not have our rights infringed upon by the rights of others. Many people seem to miss that point - either they want to have it their way, be damned anyone that is adversely affected by it, or (as often tends to be the case) they want the gov't to regulate other people unconstitutionally. Some seem to want both - they want to be able to do whatever they wish, while inhibiting what others can do, simply because they wouldn't do it themselves (kinda like people who choose not to drink, and therefore think they have the right to preach to those who do).

One phrase from several posts sums it up nicely - Live and let live.

QUOTE(~Kuraudo's Sword~ @ Jan 24 2009, 01:09 AM) Drugs+Person+EPIC FAIL

= false assertion that every drug+person will inherently be followed by EPIC FAIL

Math is far too concrete to be applied to this sort of thing, try using theoretical physics instead

 

[NeSchn]

I can tell you why I think people think they are "cool".

When I was younger, 13 years old in 8th grade. I really wanted to try smoking pot. I really liked it for the couple months that I did it in. And when my friends and I would walk around school we used to feel like badasses because we smoked pot and we were "cool". I mostly smoked in summer and by the end of summer I stopped. I stopped basically because everytime I got high my friends either fucked with me or I felt paranoid.

Im actually going to try it again in a couple weeks just to see if I like it or not. I probably won't like because I will feel paranoid and shit like usual, but this time I am going to be doing it with more mature friends then who I did it with last time.

 

[damole]

People do drugs because they are smrt. Period.

No, I did not spell smart wrong. It's a reference.

 

[Moots]

I wouldn't say drugs are cool. I do smoke, but won't touch anything else as its dangerous.

Pot while harmful to your lungs, and potentially to your brain. Can be fun if used responsibly, just as drinking is fun, when done responsibly.

Pot has recently been linked to Alzhiemers reversal, and prevention which is messed up, because pot is known to make you forgetful not the other way around.

I like pot, cause it relaxes me, and it often makes experiences more enjoyable.

Bad movies are better, good movies are often better, books, conversation (and im not talking about "Man have you ever notice how your hands are like tenticles) thats BS. I have legit good conversations with the people around me, often about politics, religion etc.

Food tastes better.

The biggest for me though is the outdoors. I love being outdoors, I am a hiker, camper, swimmer, you name it. But man you sit on the bank of a lake near here, sunset style watching boats and being ripped and its an amazingly relaxed wonderful time.

 

[silent sniper]

Hard drugs are the gate to hell.

Pot can be the gate to the gate to hell, if you're an idiot at least.

I used to smoke pot every 2 days, but now I've cut back (only as a result of it making me dumb in math - tbh i'm doing better in every class except math since i started blazing, and i actually gained a passion for history).

Most people who have done hard drugs have done pot.

Not even close to everybody who's done pot has done hard drugs.
Pot doesn't kill. And if you think it does, then fuck you and read something other than the fucking propoganda.


EDIT: i got an awesome idea, for all of us stoners here at 'Temp, we should make a "Pot Stories" thread and share our experiences

 

[corbs132]

Constantly when ever drugs or a single drug is mentioned on TV/Internet/In Public people cheer or start talking about how good it is and how much they have done or have. I honestly don't see why you would be proud of doing illegal drugs or doing it even if it was legal.

For example if you watch some random stand up comic he will say something like "I just got done smoking a blunt" and they crowd will cheer because he said he smoked pot. I really don't see why people get so excited over it. And its not just on TV its in public such as schools and other places I will hear someone say something about drugs and then everyone around will explain in detail how messed up they got by doing the drug and how good it is.

When did drugs get so popular and common that most people just accept drugs as being okay in society? People make a big deal over video game violence yet drugs are not taboo. Whats the point of doing illegal drugs? It will only cause you health problems and more than likely kill you. Not to mention it ruins families by the user losing their job, committing crimes such as stealing from family to buy more drugs, and sometimes even worse.

Why are drugs popular/cool?

*hopes to god OP is troll*

 

[Styles420]

I used to smoke pot every 2 days, but now I've cut back (only as a result of it making me dumb in math - tbh i'm doing better in every class except math since i started blazing, and i actually gained a passion for history).

It's different for everyone, depending on how you are when you're sober. Math has always been my best subject, and I didn't do any worse when I started smoking. I still out-performed my peers, though not quite as well in one aspect - I used to be able to keep track of about 8 separate numbers, up to 9 digits each, but when I got to the point of overuse, I started having a hard time with that - so I couldn't do as much complex math in my head without writing anything down. Thankfully, that's gotten better since I learned to use in moderation

Even when I was getting high everyday as soon as I woke up, I would still go to my college math class and out do the professor - he had to go for the calculator for simple long division. I'd have my head on the table while waiting for the class to catch up, so when he'd put a problem on the board, I'd crack one eye open, glance at the problem sideways (didn't bother to lift my head), and spit out the answer - before he had finished entering it into his calculator. By the end of that semester, he stopped bringing it to class and relied on me instead.

 

[Taza]

I haven't read the thread yet - 8 pages, sheesh - but I'll add my own 2 cents to the first page:

Drugs are cool because they make you feel good, and feeling good is a reward of it's own.

And almost all drugs are safe in moderation; some, like weed, are safe even in incredible amounts of excess. A lot more of the societal harm is caused by the current prohibition than the actual effect of the drugs. Clean weed won't ruin your life without external influences - no matter how much you try - but opiates literally get harder and harder to take and get high without killing yourself the longer you use them.

Nevermind that opiates mess up my stomach. ;_;

 

[layzieyez]

During the most exorbitant chemical era in my life I was double majoring in Japanese and English. I only got my bachelor of arts in English while I didn't finish Japanese because I was getting divorced (5 credits short). Drugs don't make you into anyone else. If you were a loser to begin with, well, it will only become more obvious. They're fun if you're in control. If you're not and you were never in control of your life, then damn, son, you're fucked. Drugs are not to blame. Weak minds and weak constitutions should never attempt consumption of the powerful psychoactive chemicals available. I know a guy who ate a sheet of acid and came out never able to compute simple math. Seriously.

 

[jaxxster]

jesus, alot of posts on this subject. All i can be bothered to type is that drugs effect different people in different ways. If youre already a bit of a nut job then the drugs will you multiply that. I have a lot of friends who do ket, skunk, pills n coke. None of them at all are a danger to society. I used to smoke skunk alot but i gave up because it made me lazy but i still would say some of the best times ive ever had are from those 2 years of being high. The only drug ive also taken is MDMA and i shouldnt be promoting the drug but id also have to say that it was a fun drug to try. Theres no harm in doing the occasional recrational drug if youre a steady, sociable person.

Btw, Crack, Heroine n meth are in a completly different class to coke, pills n weed.

 

[Advi]

Anything besides pot is horribly bad, which makes it cool to use. case in point.

 

[specht]

N00bz to lief who r still in hi sk00l think ti's k00l 2 smoke 5h17 cuz tehy dun kno teh long term effex of drugs.

Seriously though, the psychological part of drugs being cool and not harmful(not the affects but the thought behind it) are used by people to justify an addiction or give reason to continue to do something they like without acknowledging the harmful long-term effects.

 

[mewcuss]

All i can be bothered to type is that drugs effect different people in different ways. If youre already a bit of a nut job then the drugs will you multiply that. I have a lot of friends who do ket, skunk, pills n coke. None of them at all are a danger to society.

This is true, altho not just nut jobs tho but those with 'addictive personalities' as well as other types. You know who you are!

The environment/friends/frame of mind can also make a big difference to the effect the drug has upon the user.

All i can be bothered to type is that...
QUOTE(jaxxster @ Jan 26 2009, 07:38 PM)

I used to smoke skunk alot but i gave up because it made me lazy

Are you sure you gave it up.

Anywayz, drugs aren't cool.....but smoking them sure is.
You ever seen a film called Clerks? Who were the cool guys? The OAP? Those two whiney clerks? Or was it the two quick talking, smooth walking, bong toting, drug smoking street dealers?

And yes (before you ask) I smoke all my drugs, even beer and vitamin pills (its the hit, maaaaaan!)

 

[ZetraEX]

If you take drugs, you are bound to cause SOME kind of problem to the things around you. OR you will only ruin yourself.

 

[BlueStar]

"Winners Don't Use Drugs" said the start up screens of arcade machines in the late 80s.

Clearly not true
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7864011.stm
US swimming star Michael Phelps has admitted to "regrettable behaviour", after a UK newspaper published a photo of him apparently smoking cannabis.

 

[jaxxster]

Canabis is an odd drug in comparison to the others. Its a very widely accepted drug i feel. Alot of people smoke it reguarly and its just like those of us who have a drink during the weekend or in the evening. Everyone has thier vices.