When it comes to booze, most people these days don't even look at it as a drug and with that being said, why should they? Most people see alcoholic beverages as a good way for responsible adults to relax, with the rate of occasional users to addicts much lower than most other drugs. Marketing dollars keep it looking great, while these very same people scoff at those who they view as drug addicts for using anything from light substances such as cannabis to harder drugs like heroin or meth.
But if you really think about it, how can we as a society look down upon what we see as irresponsible drug use while we encourage drinking? How many drugs effect as many lives of outsiders as alcohol? Sure, a paranoid tweaker can lead to much harm to them and those around them, but can you honestly say you're more scared of them than a driver who had a few too many drinks that night, roaring down the road in a death machine that kills more people annually than guns, striking and killing family, friends, and otherwise normal healthy people in an instant? How many meth heads do you hear about killing random people? I'll take a gander and assume its much less than the 16,000 killed in drunk driving incidents in the US each year. Can the crimes that a junkie commits to get their fix ever equate to a peaceful drive on a Saturday night resulting in death of you? Your partner? Your children?
People consider alcohol a drug that can be used responsibly, while claiming that users of harder drugs can only be addicts. While its true that it's very unlikely to die of alcohol poisoning, how can drunk driving be considered responsible, or beating your girlfriend in a drunken fit? For me that just doesn't add up.
I know I'll be in the minority in this but I see an occasional user of 'hard drugs' as more responsible than an occasional drinker. At least someone taking for example opiates for their own enjoyment will be affecting themselves, not the lives of others. Maybe its just that booze is for the selfish - there's always the chance that you'll wake up in the hospital with a few scratches, otherwise fine with just the bother of DUI charges and vehicular manslaughter over you - not optimal, but better than dead. Or not, depends on your morals. I know this is more of a rant than a debate topic but just had to let it out. I know plenty people who have gotten a DUI or two, doesn't stop them from drinking and society sees nothing wrong with it, whereas they would have been in mandatory rehab for any other drugs, or prison.
Anyhow, what do I know. Interested in hearing other's thoughts.
But if you really think about it, how can we as a society look down upon what we see as irresponsible drug use while we encourage drinking? How many drugs effect as many lives of outsiders as alcohol? Sure, a paranoid tweaker can lead to much harm to them and those around them, but can you honestly say you're more scared of them than a driver who had a few too many drinks that night, roaring down the road in a death machine that kills more people annually than guns, striking and killing family, friends, and otherwise normal healthy people in an instant? How many meth heads do you hear about killing random people? I'll take a gander and assume its much less than the 16,000 killed in drunk driving incidents in the US each year. Can the crimes that a junkie commits to get their fix ever equate to a peaceful drive on a Saturday night resulting in death of you? Your partner? Your children?
People consider alcohol a drug that can be used responsibly, while claiming that users of harder drugs can only be addicts. While its true that it's very unlikely to die of alcohol poisoning, how can drunk driving be considered responsible, or beating your girlfriend in a drunken fit? For me that just doesn't add up.
I know I'll be in the minority in this but I see an occasional user of 'hard drugs' as more responsible than an occasional drinker. At least someone taking for example opiates for their own enjoyment will be affecting themselves, not the lives of others. Maybe its just that booze is for the selfish - there's always the chance that you'll wake up in the hospital with a few scratches, otherwise fine with just the bother of DUI charges and vehicular manslaughter over you - not optimal, but better than dead. Or not, depends on your morals. I know this is more of a rant than a debate topic but just had to let it out. I know plenty people who have gotten a DUI or two, doesn't stop them from drinking and society sees nothing wrong with it, whereas they would have been in mandatory rehab for any other drugs, or prison.
Anyhow, what do I know. Interested in hearing other's thoughts.
