Anti-Drug "Propaganda"

[triggrhappy94]

I'm sure we've all heard our 7th grade science/health teachers give lectures about how pot melts your brain, keeps you from doing anything with your life, and is a gate way drug.
My questions are:
Do you think pots a gate way drug?
What's your expierence with antidrug programs (like D.A.R.E.)?
And what your opinion of/ do you believe them?

 

[darkfire613]

In my opinion, all the stuff about "gateway drugs" is bullshit. they always give statistics about how 99% of meth users started with alcohol, cigarettes, or marijuana, but I'm willing to bet that the percentage of people who start with one of those three and go on to the harder stuff is infinitesimally small.

Also, way I see it, my the time most kids are in high school they've probably made up their mind of whether they'll ever do drugs or not, and any further propaganda attempts to sway them are going to be ineffectual. By ninth grade, the schools had already taught us all about drugs, and there was no more new information to be given. Also, most of the propaganda fails by trying too hard to seem cool to the young demographic, when you can tell it was made by a group of overprotective aging parents from the suburbs, the sort of trying to be cool that tends to drive kids off rather than get them to listen.

Now, I've never done and never plan to do drugs. But I wouldn't say any of the school's efforts to bring me to this conclusion were in any way successful. Hell, I'm the type of person who would be more likely to try drugs after having one of those presentations about how I shouldn't. I just think the schools and related anti-drug groups are going about their methods wrong.

Not to mention that most anti-drug PSAs tend to show even stuff like marijuana as super-deadly and dangerous, which I think is completely the wrong approach. Because a kid sees that then gets a friend who says "man, I've been using that stuff for years, they're lying out their asses about that shit killing people." Who's the kid going to believe, their friend of the PSA?

 

[Luthir Fontaine]

Thier funny this is your brain this is your brain on drugs any question...yeah i have one can i get my brain

 

[elbrandino]

I find that each and every one of those programs is completely useless. Just like the above poster said, you tell people not to do something, and it makes them want to do it. The programs and boring, preachy, and all around irritating. I come from a family where both of my parents have done hardcore drugs for years and while their lives were messed up, they didn't die, and they didn't become completely retarded and they didn't permanently lose all chance for success in life. They were always flat out honest with me about drugs and honestly I think it's why I feel absolutely no urge to try them. By contrast, I have been able to point out many exaggerated "facts" programs like D.A.R.E. shove down our throats.

As for pot being a gateway drug, I don't really buy it. Plenty of people try pot or even smoke it regularly and don't even consider moving up to the harder stuff. Hell, one of my parents absolutely hated pot but loved harder drugs. But it seems the anti-drug programs want us to think smoking pot even one time will automatically cause us to start ruining our lives. In short, I think those programs are a waste of time, money, and resources that could be used to actually, oh, I dunno, BETTER THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.

 

[Dags90]

In my opinion, all the stuff about "gateway drugs" is bullshit. they always give statistics about how 99% of meth users started with alcohol, cigarettes, or marijuana, but I'm willing to bet that the percentage of people who start with one of those three and go on to the harder stuff is infinitesimally small.

I bet most of them start with chocolate addictions. It's starts with a candy bar on the playground. Next thing you know, you're giving handies for some meth.

Not only is it a gateway drug, it'll make you gay. For your brother.

Really captcha?

I find anti-drug PSAs a bit laughable now because I'm an adult and do not need to be lectured.

 

[Aris Khandr]

I don't get people. Like the ones who say "Telling someone not to do something makes them want to do it." Why? It's like the red button thing that went around a few weeks ago. If someone says "Hey, that's bad, avoid it", why would you ignore good advice and go try it for yourself? Isn't that what having people to give you advice is for?

I've never tried drugs, and have never felt any desire to. And yes, the anti-drug programs in schools are a large part of why. That stuff messes with the way your brain functions. That can't possibly be good for you. If I need to see a purple elephant that badly, I'll draw one.

 

[CrazyCapnMorgan]

I'm sure we've all heard our 7th grade science/health teachers give lectures about how pot melts your brain, keeps you from doing anything with your life, and is a gate way drug.
My questions are:
Do you think pots a gate way drug?
What's your expierence with antidrug programs (like D.A.R.E.)?
And what your opinion of/ do you believe them?

I think drugs are just another tool for humans to use. Like all tools, they have their uses and can be dangerous when used improperly. I don't think it's taught enough that what happens with drugs is the fault of the person. If you are not aware of what things the drug you choose to use can do, then it is your fault for all consequences of what that drug does to you. All of these "programs" and their "lectures" that I've experienced are based on fear and not of understanding. That, for me, is an instant disqualifier for any further inquiries as to who these people are and what they do. When they start using this man as a teaching tool, then I might give them the time of day:

 

[The Mehster]

Ehh. I have a subconscious hate toward drugs, mainly because hallucinogenics, i.e. marijuana, cause a temporary (or in some cases permanent) state of psychosis. I don't like the idea of having a psychological disorder brought upon me from the use of a drug, albeit if temporary.
My friend knows someone who does heroin and pot, and drives while under the influence. From what she has told me, I wouldn't want this guy on the road, let alone in my school.

 

[Phlakes]

As for pot being a gateway drug, I don't really buy it.

I do. I mean, I just watched my first anime a couple weeks ago, and the first thing I thought was "gimme some more of that shit".

Anyway, my school dropped D.A.R.E. the year before I would've gone through it, so all I've gotten is informal talks about it from teachers and coaches. I don't plan on doing drugs because it's just not my thing (if I'm any more specific some douche will come around and start raging because I don't like what he likes), and I don't usually judge people on if they do it, only if they're a dick because of it. Like apparently quite a few people on these forums.

And I live in Texas, so-

time, money, and resources that could be used to actually, oh, I dunno, BETTER THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.

FUCKING THIS.

 

[xdom125x]

My questions are:
Do you think pots a gate way drug?

No. That misconception is based on the fact that a lot of people that do "hard" drugs did pot first. They should have seen the percentages of people that used marijuana and then moved on to harder drugs followed by comparing it to the raw number of people that used marijuana. If they did this, they would have realised that the second number would dwarf the first one.

What's your expierence with antidrug programs (like D.A.R.E.)?
And what your opinion of/ do you believe them?

I never had any experiences with them, but they aren't really helping their cause by filling it with lies like "marijuana is a gateway drug" and "everybody is doing it". That second 1 is even more ridiculous because telling a kid that everybody else is doing it is a prime way to make them do it.

 

[Heathrow]

Weed is difficult for government programs to address because they lack the shades of grey necessary to color an accurate portrait. In truth, we don't have enough research to solidly say what long term medical effects it has on, say, brain chemistry, however it is safe to say from current knowledge that it lacks the extreme detrimental health effects of drugs such as heroin, cocaine or ecstasy being more akin to relatively benign substances such as caffeine, tobacco or alcohol.

Now there is another factor to consider and that is the fact that the consumption of weed will alter the way you think: temporarily in the euphoria of the immediate high, more substantially in the subtle ways it alters perception. While high you might consider a notion that would never have occurred to you sober, you might observe a detail of your environment which would have escaped you or else you could experience an emotion which would have been otherwise unobtainable.

I think it is safest to describe weed simply as different: something neither good nor bad but alien none the less. Like anything else in this life it is possible to let this difference become so important to our identity that we let it dominate us and, as with anything else in this life, if you approach weed with healthy respect and a mindful understanding that there is a need for balance then I do not think you will be steered wrong.

In short, I think those programs are a waste of time, money, and resources that could be used to actually, oh, I dunno, BETTER THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.

A point of interest: D.A.R.E and its ilk receive their funding from a variety of government institutions including but not limited to the Department of Justice, Department of Defense, Department of State and the DEA. They are not, however, directly funded by any part of the school system; so while the money could indeed be spent better elsewhere it's unlikely that it would end up going towards education.

 

[Gaiseric]

Pot probably isn't going to be a gateway drug for most people.

But I do know people who have tried coke, speed, ecstasy, and something else I don't recall because they were high and some of their friends were doing it and decided why not then continued to use those other drugs from time to time. And it may not be addictive in the normal sense, but both my bros(and a couple of their friends) lives revolve around smoking weed and they get very irritable if they can't smoke for whatever reason.

My experience with the D.A.R.E program back in 5th or 6th grade was uneventful. It was just an hour taken away from Thursday every week.

All I know is that I've seen too many people fuck up their life because of drugs and I'll not be part of it. I do wish my bros would at least cut back...