Drug Users: Sub-human, second-class citizens?

[ryanmkeisling]

After contemplating the topic in this thread some more, I thought I would attempt to convey some of my thoughts relative to the original thread topic / question.

I would say that feeding your brain "imposter neurotransmitters" is not the
experience in itself. Your brain does a very good job at quickly adapting to
new inputs, comparing it with experience, and forming a perceived path from the
present to the perceived future based on that. It normally stores "filtered"
information for recall. When you add chemicals, this normal filtering
mechanism can be disabled in a way that you experience a different perspective
of things going on around you. Some of that is because your sensory
information is altered by the drug, but your brain can compensate for that and
observe other information (real information) that it normally wouldn't. This
unfiltered information can be very enlightening (or unsettling). It might make
you a more tolerant person of others despite their shortcomings (from your
viewpoint). It might make you happier. It might help you realize that we (all
life) are connected in ways that are indescribable with language. It might
help you to realize that science in itself can never achieve a true description
of reality through observation even though you are a well-educated scientist.

So back to the original question: "How does society see drug users?"

I assume you mean how does the portion of society without any experience with
mind-expanding drugs see "drug users"? I say this because almost everyone has
experience with non-mind-expanding drugs.

I think the war on drugs has done a good job of fanning the flames of fear,
intolerance, ignorance. Right where the system wants us. Much easier to herd
everyone in this state. Individual thinkers are dangerous to the status-quo!
The world would be a much better place if we had something like an annual
shroom day. People would be able to internalize and see how judgemental and
hypocritical they really are most of the time. They would feel more connected
to the world around them like people used to in the not so distant past. I
think the key to evolving is not to put all of our efforts into only science or
only spirituality, but to exercise a balance between the two. I believe
plants can help with that goal. Of course this all sounds scary, stupid, and
irresponsible to those who have never experienced an alternate view of
themselves and the world around them through the use of "drugs".

These days I just use the typical legal drugs: alcohol and cigarettes. Of course
these drugs really don't have any positive benefits. You have to ask yourself
why are these the legal drugs? Society prefers that we are depressed and
killing ourselves off? Doesn't make any sense. Or does it?

It makes perfect sense to me. Although I am not sure there is any evidence the brain stores anything. Medical evidence leans more toward the organs as being the storehouses for cellular memory and emotions.

I agree with the rest of what you said though. The perceptions of drugs within the various realms of the social hierarchy is what largely drives their effects on individuals aside from or in conjunction with their chemical affects on the physical substance of the body. With psychedelics this is certainly the case as mind set and setting play the biggest role in the outcome of the experience itself.

 

[bolil]

I use drugs to escape the massive anxiety brought me by subhumans. Straight up, nice to not think about paying for murder every now and then... So nice Ill risk prison. Havn't gotten my mits on acid yet, but shrooms did indeed widen my thoughts.

 

[dannno]

Havn't gotten my mits on acid yet, but shrooms did indeed widen my thoughts.

Don't look too hard for acid.. I always make sure I know the person I'm getting it from and I trust them and it has been tested out by someone.

If you get good acid, in my experience, it's almost impossible to have a bad trip, although I've never done more than 2 hits.

Bad acid can guarantee you have a bad trip, and can do permanent damage.

With mushrooms, I think the worse that can happen is you might get a little sick.

 

[nicoleeann]

I think a lot of people (myself included) hate paying for peoples drugs. There are sooo many people on welfare who use drugs. If we didn't have welfare then I wouldn't look at those people with disgust because they would be buying their own drugs, so who cares really.

 

[LibertyEagle]

Then there is this propaganda which society assumes people merely take drugs as an "escape", as if they can't solve problems.

It shows a weakness. Just like abusing alcohol.

 

[donnay]

Prescription drugs are fine even if they kill or do serious damage especially if they are paid for through the prescription drug program or medicare. Drugs not authorized by our leaders to be advertised on TV due to their extreme profitability by keeping them illegal cause undesirables to be even more undesirable and they must be imprisoned or at least controlled.

The legal drugs are all about profits for drug manufactures. The drug war is all about profits for the prison-industrial-complex.

When you look into the ADHD drugs they give to children they are the equivalent to opium and cocaine. So as long as Big pHARMa gets FDA to give them the green light to push these drugs then the drug pushers (doctors) get this out to the children.

Hypocrisy holds no bounds...

 

[Danke]

It shows a weakness. Just like abusing alcohol.

I rescind my invitation to the beer drinking club, effective immediately.

http://www.beerdrinkingclub.com/

 

[LibertyEagle]

I rescind my invitation to the beer drinking club, effective immediately.

http://www.beerdrinkingclub.com/

Everyone has weaknesses. It's just a part of being human.

 

[Lishy]

It shows a weakness. Just like abusing alcohol.

Yes, but the stereotype is clear!

 

[pcosmar]

I think a lot of people (myself included) hate paying for peoples drugs. There are sooo many people on welfare who use drugs. If we didn't have welfare then I wouldn't look at those people with disgust because they would be buying their own drugs, so who cares really.

You mean like,,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicare_Prescription_Drug,_Improvement,_and_Modernization_Act

 

[ForLiberty2012]

You have to look no further than the prohibition of marijuana to know Big Pharma runs our healthcare. It would take a serious cut in their profits because of the wide range of medical uses with no side effects. Imagine that if the government actually allowed us to have safe alternatives?

 

[tod evans]

But, but, the brown people are killing our children with their green leaves and white powders..........Nuke-em

 

[Jonathanm]

I think a lot of people (myself included) hate paying for peoples drugs. There are sooo many people on welfare who use drugs. If we didn't have welfare then I wouldn't look at those people with disgust because they would be buying their own drugs, so who cares really.

Personally, I don't like being forced to pay for peoples anything. I understand your sentiment, and I also hate it when I see people doing recreational drugs on dime of the taxpayers. I'd caution us against focusing on the drugs, though, and particularly on illegal drugs. I'd be willing to bet that people on welfare use alcohol and tobacco far more often than illegal alternatives. This is not any study, on my part, but from what I've seen first hand working at an extended stay motel. Almost everyone that was on welfare seemed to smoke or drink, but I'd very rarely smell marijuana.

I get frustrated with the Republicans for supporting things like drug-testing-for-welfare. It's like a liberty-corroding band-aid. Not only does it not work and not fix the issue at hand, but it sets up the idea that, hey, if the government ever does something for us, we're inclined to total obedience.

The simple fact of the matter, though, is that if people get welfare, they're typically going to spend the money. Furthermore, if we are going to give them money, we need to understand that they have a right to use it in whatever way they choose. If the money hadn't gone to drugs, it probably would have gone to something else equally as retarded, like expensive fast food or unnecessary entertainment. Personally, I don't draw any distinction between a guy buying a $60 worth of weed, or a guy buying a new video game. In the end, it's all relatively worthless from a usefulness perspective. If someone is on welfare and they're constantly strapped for cash, yet they're spending money on substances... Well, these people probably aren't very concerned with saving money in the first place. I don't think if we suddenly took away the drugs they'd magically become good spenders. As said above, I think they'd just spend it on other useless shit.

Also, I know you weren't advocating the whole drug-testing-welfare thing in your post. I'm not trying to create a strawman. Just a rant on my part.

 

[Jonathanm]

But, but, the brown people are killing our children with their green leaves and white powders..........Nuke-em

Nonsense! If we nuke them we can't turn them into slave labor via the prison industrial complex.

Note to mods: Not sure if there are rules against back-to-back posts here, but I apologize. I should have just edited my post above, but for some reason didn't think of this measure.

 

[forliberty52]

This can become a bit of a touchy subject, but I think the best way to interpret it is to walk in the others shoes, so to speak. I think that a majority of the anti-drug user perspective is fueled by the medias stereotypical portrayal of the average drug user, even with marijuana it will show that the drug user cannot function and will in turn fail as a member of society. Drug users are portrayed as dependent not only on the substance they are using/abusing but on the rest of the societal world as well, which causes the so called functioning members of society that are watching this portrayal to feel enraged that they are working hard to support others drug use, this in turn causes non-drug users to look down on those using drugs and see them as less human because they are not contributing, but taking away from the rest of the world; this perspective is likely the root cause as to why drug users are seen as less then human. Not my perspective on drug users as I understand the hardship that life can throw in your face, and though it can be tough sometimes you have to have the drive to not give up and know that things will get better eventually as nothing in this world will last forever.

 

[DerailingDaTrain]

It's a false perception that everyone on welfare is a drug user. Florida recently had everyone on welfare take a UA test and only a small percentage of people failed. Proof

 

[Jonathanm]

It's a false perception that everyone on welfare is a drug user. Florida recently had everyone on welfare take a UA test and only a small percentage of people failed. Proof

This. I understand what you're saying Forliberty, and I agree that the perception is there. Ultimately it is a false perception, though. I also find it interesting that it's OK for these welfare folks to smoke a pack of cigs every day or drink alcohol every night, but somehow when it comes to the illegal drugs its more of a waste.

Personally, I'd feel much better about the welfare folks if they smoked marijuana instead of cigarettes or drinking alcohol. At least if they smoke marijuana they aren't going to end up with lung/throat cancer, or liver damage, and further burden the healthcare system.

 

[revned]

Do not forget; anyone can legally purchase and use caffeine at any age. In fact, I see a lot of really young kids using caffeine and I never see anyone giving them any crap for using that drug. Hell, some parents let their children advertize their drug use with Monster energy drink logos. In my own personal experiences, caffeine use causes way more health concerns than marijuana and a lot of psychedelic drugs as well.

Another interesting little fact, more than half of the United States uses caffeine on a regular, daily basis. Daily caffeine use has also been said to be a leading cause of heart disease. I would also go as far to say that caffeine use, while pregnant, may be a very large contributor to lung problems such as asthma because of its effect of bronchial dilation; these children are born addicted and withdrawing from caffeine.

Yet we allow this drug to remain legal while we condemn others for using drugs that are much safer. Hypocrisy at its finest. Personally, I believe I know better than most doctors as to what is safe for my own body and I don't feel that it is absolutely necesarry to have a doctor's permission to use a drug.

 

[carclinic]

Dude, our last 3 presidents were drug users. Straight edge people are the social oddballs.

 

[onlyrp]

What do you think of society's attitude towards drug users?

pretty much how they should be, stupid people who made stupid choices for the most part. Some exceptions are people who were forced to take drugs against their will, but otherwise, they're people who choose to break a law they know existed (even if the law was stupid to begin with). I don't believe in criminalizing drug use as in, I don't believe in providing free shelter for losers, but I don't believe the popular alternative of rehabbing is better, as it would create the impression that making self destructive mistakes is ok and we will clean up for your mess. So if I had a choice between leaving drug users alone, and criminalizing them, I prefer leaving them alone. But if I had to choose between paying to fix them and paying to worsen them, I prefer the latter (assuming the cost is the same).

I mean, mainstream society in general treats drugs as almost a sort of taboo.

Or a luxury if you're a user.

But drug users are judged and stereotyped as if they aren't even human!

Criminals in general are treated less as humans.

People look at them in disgust like trouble makers, criminals, and many even assume all drug users are helplessly broken individuals shaking in a corner, shivering simply because of drugs!

Too bad that the bad ones ruin it for the rest, good drug users keep it to themselves and hide their personal lives.

Then there is this propaganda which society assumes people merely take drugs as an "escape", as if they can't solve problems.

Maybe you can tell me what better function it serves, because I seriously don't know.

Can we still say drug users are NOT second-class citizens, when they are treated the way they are? If you have simply a SINGLE gram of weed, Police BREAK DOWN YOUR DOOR, and then they RAVAGE THROUGH YOUR HOME, and come barging at you WITH GUNS!

Possession is not use. And not all drugs are equal.

I just feel it's an interesting subject matter to write about to explore drug users, and their treatment in society like second-class citizens.

I really cannot find the proper words to write my novel however, so I'm looking for inspiration.

Please discuss the matter in this thread. What do you think? How does society see drug-users?

My advice : focus on one drug.