Drug use- what do you find acceptable?

[Rachmumoftwo]

There is a thread that has touched on this already. What is acceptable drug use in your eyes? Is it OK to smoke a little weed when the children are in bed, or take cocaine on weekends or holidays, or is it totally irresponsible to even entertain the idea of drug taking if you are a parent (or if you are planning to be)?

wannaBe - When you said "reduction in drug-ralated deaths", I thought you meant these deaths got lower over time. (Which is what 'reduction' means, right?)

"fewer people die drug-related deaths than alcohol-related ones. But that could be explained by the fact that signifficantly fewer people use drugs than drink alcohol"

True. But still user numbers are large enough to make toxicity comparisons.

And anyway, your statement above is confusing because "drugs" means a wide variety of substances, with very different levels of toxicity. They are lumped together only because their use is not legal in most parts of the world.

For example, are we talking about heroin or weed? Heroin is easy to overdose on, whereas too much weed just makes you sleep.

Did you read the link I gave earlier to an article in The Times? The numbers show clearly that Ecstacy, for example, is a remarkably safe substance.

"Its the hypocritical bit that I don't like. I don't tell my DCs not to do something that I do, although I may say that they have to wait until they are old enough."

Err... That is exactly what I said I would do with DC - wait until you have your degree and job in hand.

What is hypocritical about that?

BoffinMum - re "For me the drugs are annoying and I don't like the whoozy feeling at all. It genuinely confuses me why people would actually do this for fun?"

That is why I don't like weed, personally.

If weed is a 'downer', there are also 'uppers' that have a very different effect. It's not hard to understand why people do those for fun.

I suppose that there is nothing hypocritical in that-it would be for me however as I don't want them taking drugs ever. If they had a good degree and job I wouldn't want them to addle their brains!

From what I've seen, the only people whose drug use has scrambled their brains are the ones who started taking them as teens.

Time will tell-it is early days yet!

IIRC cannabis use is thought to be a big issue with people who are susceptible to schizophrenia etcwww.mth.kcl.ac.uk/~streater/cannabis.html

The idea of not as a teen is silly; cigarettes aren't allowed to be smnoked children, yet they ahve become a symbol of adulthood and freedom; I suspect the same would happen with cannabis and therefore use in teens would increase if use in adults were legalised. It would also send a message to certain parents- the ones hwo buy the cider and fags for tehir 14 year olds- that it's OK, and freely available.

the link with cancer is harder to study

What is amazing when looking for apers is the amount of pro-cannabis stuff there is out there selling info that derivates from the scientific research: scary. I suppose a youngster might find it and think these are the cool people: as an adult I wonder how much input the growers and profiteers are having (quite a lot I suspect!)

Research shows there is a correlation between early cannabis/weed use and schizophrenia but causation is unclear. That is - did weed cause those kids to become schizophrenic, or are people prone to schizophrenia more likely to smoke weed? This is what your link says, as well.

I know people heavily into smoking weed, who say they like it because it "calms" or "quietens" their mind. I wouldn't be surprised if they turn schizophrenic later on.

As I said: Using drugs as a teenager is not a good idea.

Leo9 Bit of a delay in answering, a lot been said since. I know it is illegal, which is why I wont take them very often anymore, and on the 2 occasions that I have, it has been a minute amount.
My argument is that I would put alcohol in the same boat as any other drug which is B class when it comes to looking after children. It impairs your judgement FAR more than Speed or similar (in my experience anyway)
I would not condone anyone doing any sort of drug around children (except caffeine!)
Drugs are illegal to posess and the dangers of having them around are too risky so wouldn't ever have it in my house.
But neglecting your child is also illegal and drinking, as highly addictive as it is, and how quickly people spiral out of control, results in thousands of kids being taken into care each year... which is a lot worse than a slap on the wrist for the occasional drug use. Most of the time you wont even get that.
Drinking irresponsibly is far more worse than taking amphetamines responsibly.. is what I am saying.

Can I just throw in a question over here?
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE "LEGAL HIGH" TYPE SUBSTANCES THAT ARE READILY AVAILABLE?
They are completely legal, NOT a placebo and actually DO have similar - not quite as strong - effects on you as another illegal drug?

If I were to take Underground Rush, which is obviously a copy of amphetamine... would you still judge me the same as if I had taken speed?
It has the same effect, but perhaps lighter, it is legal, not fueling any underground drugs trading and gang related crime?

A nice glass or two of chilled white wine.

Anything else is a complete waste of time and money i.m.o.

Good question mummypower, but as I say, I don't really get the point of recreational drugs at all, legal or not legal, and I like to know what is in the things I do take.

I took (NHS prescribed) diet pills once, that were amphetamine based, and they had a typical amphetamine-type effect on me. I lost weight, but I didn't like the speed bit so gave them up because of that.

Why do all this when you can have sex, anyway?

Not read all the replies but before DP and i moved in i specifically told him to stop smoking weed. Had 1 year old DD at the time.

I drink and have smoked in the past but my step brother was a heroin addict for a while and i saw what it did to my step-mum.

Hopefully my children will grow up knowing it is not acceptable, although i am not old fashioned enough to think it couldn't possibly happen.

BoffinMum lol that's tickled me.

Interesting piece on the news today that a certain type of testiocular cancer is 70% more likely to occur in cannabis smokers.

Cote I am aware that it's a correlation rather than causation but if your ead that article there's a good explanation of why a causational study isn't going to happen.

non drug is acceptable in my eyes unless it is legal i.e something u take when ur ill to make u better.

the rest are illegal for a reason. It is extremeley irrisponsable to take/smoke and drugs full stop!

Half the legal stuff is dodgy as well IMO, inclluding prescribed drugs ... it's just the balance of risk works in your favour when you need a cure for something.

Frankly I would be more worried about mouth and throat cancer with weed because the temperature is so high and there is no filter. But I did see the testicular cancer thing this morning, and it didn't surprise me.

Wow, this thread has been rattling on for almost a year.

If you strip the moral issues away from illegal drug taking, and associated rebellion and socialisation issues, it looks even more daft IMO.

Those of you who are convinced drugs are 'daft' or 'waste of time' - do you realize that is a funny position to take, given that you have no idea what they feel like?

On a scale of daftness/waste of money, that glass of wine you enjoy actually scores higher - weak and at times undesirable effects, at a much higher price.

But hey, who cares, it's legal so not daft by definition, right?

I am not sure whats daft about a glass of wine with dh and a meal on one f hif 2 nights off a week

I do know I hate the feeling of being drunk, high from meds etc- therefore it would be daft for me to waste cash and possibly a clean criminal record by trying them.

I know there is medical evidence that a ass of wine will me harm (often the reverse) but no guaranrtee what would be in a drugs purchase as it is not regulated; I know I like to choose what I put into my body from an informed standpoint.

I I know that the wine comes from a regulated vineyard whereas the drugs can come from anywhere and bring untold human misery as part of it's price.

I know that I do not need a chemical prop to get me through or enable me to enjoy my life.

I know I am entirely happy with my stance on this.

I was referring to these two posts:

By BoffinMum on Mon 09-Feb-09 09:56:06
If you strip the moral issues away from illegal drug taking, and associated rebellion and socialisation issues, it looks even more daft IMO.

By Janni on Sun 08-Feb-09 22:05:06
A nice glass or two of chilled white wine. Anything else is a complete waste of time and money i.m.o.

My point was obviously that (1) judging something you have never tried as 'daft' and 'waste of time & money' is not very clever in itself, and (2) wine for example costs significantly more and its effects are not that pleasant (in comparison) so scores worse on that scale of daftness/value for money.

But I can jusge lots of things I have never tried as daft and a waste of time and money COte

gambling, for a start- don't get it at all (well I get the adrenaline bit but a damned silly way of getting that rush)

jumping off tall buildings tethered by a rope

buying dubious substances cut with god knows what in the name of a -

oh yes.

Any drug use that harms people other than the taker is unacceptable in my book- this includes erratic behaviour, inability to be supportive if you have dependents, need to steal etc... This can apply to both illegal and legal substances, even coffee if it turns you into a raging harridan!

I am with Peachey. I just don't understand the need to get high. If other people want to, that's their business. But it looks odd to me, along with extreme sports and losing all your money in a casino instead of just buying the casino. And driving too fast, and all that stuff.